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Many people wonder why all of the time, attention and
money have been given to Africa from Western resources
over the last 50 years.
The southern half of Africa has the largest amount
of...
• Wars
• HIV infected people
• Visible government corruption
• Devastating natural disasters
• Death from preventable diseases
The southern half of the continent has been “Christianized”
– including everything from ancestral worship
mixed with some aspects of Christianity to over 500
types of cults – but this seems to be a religion
of the head and not the heart.
For Africa to be transformed...the hearts and minds
of the people need to change!
We want to see people radically
loved and changed by Jesus through...
We spend our money on both living and ministry expenses.
It's difficult to break down the percentages between
how much is "ministry expenses" and how much
"living expenses" - because "living"
in South Africa allows us to do ministry.
When you give toward our living
and ministry expenses it allows us to...
This includes...
-
Discipling
through Discovery Bible Studies
-
Coaching and mentoring
boys through soccer
-
Teaching desperate mothers
how to find work and provide for their
family
-
Building relationships with
at-risk high school girls
-
Training
African men how to become
excellent soccer coaches and inspire youth
Just to give a few examples of monthly expenses....
At the bottom of all our email blasts there is a “MANAGE
YOUR SUBSCRIPTION” link that allows you to choose
Add me to your "Do Not Contact" list.
All of these areas are very important and truly feel
we have 4 ministries- the ministry of marriage, family,
outreach and partnership...and prayer undergirds it
all!
PRAYER: We purpose to start each
day with personal prayer and time in scripture –
along with meeting with our team and other friends
frequently to pray for each other and South Africa.
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY: We work hard
to invest time into a healthy marriage (if possible,
we try to go on a date once a week) and are able to
spend most of our evenings together as family –making
it priority to sit down to eat family meals together.
OUTREACH: Outreach is, of course,
the reason we are in South Africa specifically. We
spend quite a bit of time in the communities themselves,
building relationships and having Bible Studies. Of
course we are also working on the planning, development
and implementation of soccer events, job skills training,
and other projects (camps, disaster relief, etc.).
PARTNERSHIP: We cannot be in South
Africa without you – your prayers and financial
support are essential. The ministry of partnership
(all that goes into communicating with supporters),
we feel is a valuable use of time to let you know
how your involvement is having an impact
in Africa.
Partnerships should be 2 ways - with us both praying
for each other - and both giving to each other.
You give to us through finances and encouragement
- we give to you through encouragement and a sense
of purpose (through knowing how God is using you to
touch lives here in Africa).
You cannot know how your partnership with us is having
an impact unless we communicate this with you - so
we will try to communicate in ways that reach you.
For everyone this is different, so we will use Facebook,
Twitter, email, letters and the web site (photos,
video, journal, blog, etc.) to communicate as effectively
as we can.
While there are many areas in Africa where people are
quite literally starving to death, there is not wide
spread starvation in our area of Cape Town.
We work primarily in Ocean View and the issues here
are of spiritual poverty...drug abuse, gangs, prostitution,
child neglect, alcoholism, and domestic violence.
Yes....we have worked primarily with women and children.
When we return in 2012, Karl will start a new training
program for African men on how to become excellent soccer
coaches, have a positive impact on the younger generation
and share the love of Jesus with youth.
Fatherlessness is a wide spread epidemic, and we believe
these men will be key in ministering to youth who have
long felt abandoned and neglected.
We have kept the history of information and images
that has been posted over the last 2 years (photos,
videos, blog, journals and weekly updates), but we have
tried to give you a better overview of who
we are, what we do,
where we are and how
to join us.
We hope you find this site more organized and easy
to use!
Did we forget a question you asked?
We hope to have answered all your questions...but please
remind us if we forgot something!
It’s true…there is need everywhere. You
don’t have to go overseas to do something that
matters. For us, we feel called to serve in Africa.
Here's how we want to see people radically loved
and changed by Jesus...
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| Coaching and mentoring boys through
soccer |
Training African men how to
become excellent soccer coaches and inspire youth |
Discipling through Discovery Bible Studies |
Teaching desperate mothers how
to find work and provide for their family |
Building relationships with at-risk high school
girls |
We are blessed that South Africa has physical, occupational
and speech therapists to help with Emme's developmental
needs.
Unlike the US, these services are not free for Emme
- but they are available.
Cape Town also has first class medical facilities.
Although Emme received a clean bill of health at her
three year appointment (heart, vision, hearing, thyroid,
etc.), we will have access to excellent medical options
if needed.
All Nations is an interdenominational Christian, non-profit
(501C3) organization that offers leadership training.
They are involved in church planting, mentoring, caring
for the poor, community development, education, AIDS
awareness, and medical clinics. Today, All Nations workers
are serving full-time in over 21 different countries.
Read
more about All Nations»
Crime is high. We have rules that guide us concerning
when and where we go to insure our safety. Read
more about South Africa»
Yes! We'd love to hear from you. Find
out how...
See current list...
Unfortunately aid workers/missionaries are notorious
for under-appreciating their partners. We have supported
missionaries ourselves for over 15 years and have always
been baffled by this pattern.
You work hard for your money – every penny -
and your time is precious. No one has resources to frivolously
throw around. When you give, you want to feel it actually
matters. We get this. It is among our highest priorities
to show our gratitude and vividly illustrate how your
partnership with us allows God to use to change lives
and make a difference here in Africa.
Due to South African immigration laws, we will be
serving with a "volunteer visa" initially
and are unable to be paid by All Nations or any other
organization initially. Any money that is given to us
through All Nations is considered a donation (not a
payment).
Our work status may change down the road, but for now
our support is coming from the donations of others.
Join our financial support
team and partner with us...
Yes.
Yes.
Yes (when you give through All Nations or Emmanuel).
You can begin and end monthly support at
any time, solely at your discretion.
We understand with changing jobs and family situations,
it’s difficult to know how long you may be able
to continue monthly support.
We would encourage you to evaluate your monthly support
every 6 months and feel free to discontinue at any time,
for any reason.
Although your donation will certainly go directly to
us – it’s best to include a seperate note
that says “preferred for Karl and Julie Ostrand
” for IRS purposes. Your gift is still tax deductible,
and you will get a statement at the end of the year
reflecting your contributions.
No, any money donated to us will go directly to us.
An administrative fee is standard for mission organizations
and 5% is actually low.
A list of all monthly commitments and actual donations
appears on our monthly receipts report from All Nations
and Emmanuel Fellowship (our church in Omaha). It’s
also very helpful
to let us know of your intensions by submitting your
info on our CONTACT
US page.
You decide which month you want your monthly donation
to begin.
For automatic withdrawal of monthly donations, you
may indicate which month you would like your monthly
donation to begin on the form (it will be taken out
of your account on the 20th of that month). This is
by far the easiest method. See
instructions»
Please do not hesitate to ask. Contact
us now»
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