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Karl and Julie Ostrand, a couple from the heartland of
America, move to Cape Town, South Africa (one of the world's
most dangerous and beautiful cities).
With their 3 girls (age 8, 6 and 2 years old)...and wee little baby boy, they live life to the fullest by loving
Africa - through real friendship, service to the community,
and faith in a God whose love goes deeper and wider than
anyone expects!
Will they discover a life more risky and difficult -
yet joyous and hopeful - than they ever imagined? Stay
tuned! Meet the main characters below...
5 Fun Facts About the Ostrand Six
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1. QUIRKINESS: The older he gets, the less he likes to wear shoes and socks
2. THE TRUTH: You think he really wants to grow a beard, but the truth is that he's too lazy to shave
3. PASSION: He is still a die-hard Nebraska Cornhusker fan and loves to get up at 3 am in Africa to watch live football games
4. FAVES: His favorite things are Christmas, Disney World and Germany
5. FEARS: He is afraid of heights, snakes and accidentally misplacing a child at the mall
Biography - click
to view
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1. DEFICIENCIES: She has never baked a cake or made a casserole
2. FAVES: Her favorite things are Proteas (South Africa's national flower), going out to lunch with friends (she prefers appetizers over the main course) and last-minute parties
3. SECRET DREAM: She secretly wants to be a vegan but doesn't possess the staying-power
4. CHILDHOOD SKILLS: As a kid she memorized all the prepositions in alphabetical order, the directions on public restroom warm-air hand driers, and Rudyard Kipling's poem "If"
5. FEARS: Her biggest fear is living with regret (although she is not a big fan of large dogs and peanut butter)
Biography - click
to view
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1. TALENTS: She loves ballet, gymnastics, art and swimming
2. QUIRKINESS: She is great at her after-dinner chore of clearing the table and sweeping, but cannot help but to include "dance moves" throughout the entire process (despite her mother's pleas to just "finish her job")
3. QUALITIES: Her most impressive qualities are her ability to speak to adults, entertain her sisters and make new friends
4. SPECIAL SKILL: She can turn on and off her South African and American accents, depending on the audience
5. PASSION: She loves a party almost more than her mother (she takes being an extrovert to new levels)
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1. PASSION: Her passion for popcorn and pizza runs deep and knows no boundaries
2. SKILLS: She knows over 100 signs and can say all her letters (she loves to call out the names of letters on dad's t-shirts)
3. QUALITIES: Her most impressive qualities are her ability to melt your heart with her hugs and kisses, love for dance, and stories she tells
4. CLEAR VISION: She is not afraid to tell you, "No, no, no" and "stoppy" when she is done or ready for you to leave (it may or may not be personal...depending on who you are)
5. CHARACTERISTIC: Down syndrome is only one of her amazing qualities
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1. TALENT: She loves copying all her big sister's ballet moves and putting on a "show" for her family
2. INDEPENDANCE: She wants to do everything "By my own" (including picking outfits, helping with laundry and "reading" books)
3. BELIEFS: She believes the North Pole is located at our next door neighbor's house and fiercely loves Santa
4. LINGO: Has adopted South African lingo (going to the "loo" and wearing a "jersey")
5.FAVES: She is big fan of Peppa Pig, Doc McStuffins and Sid the Science Kid
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1. BUILD: His sisters were all a bit "wispy" as babies...but he is rock solid
2. TALENT: He is as sweet as can be, but definitely not afraid to throw-down with some serious crying and hair-raising screams
3. NAME: Colton David Karl - his two middle names are after his grandpa (David = beloved) and father (Karl = manly)
4. ORGIN: He was born in South Africa but is an American citizen (unlike America, South Africa does not give out citizenship to those born of foreign parents on its soil)
5. FANS: His sisters adore him, his mother is smitten and his father is very proud. He has aready fallen victim to wearing princess stickers and tu-tus are sure to follow soon.
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Karl Ostrand grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
After playing soccer in a club and at school,
he realized his passion was to mentor youth. He is excited
to use soccer as a tool to teach boys how to become the
kind of men who will have a positive influence on their
families and communities!
In 2002 he began coaching with Gladiator
Soccer Club in Omaha, which later became Omaha FC - the
largest soccer club in Omaha Nebraska (with over 4000 kids).
Karl was the head coach of the 95/96 boys
teams at Omaha FC. The boys he started coaching when they
were 8 years old are now a 4 time state cup champion, having
never lost a state cup game played. He was on the staff
of the Game-Winner Striker’s Camp and Omaha Soccer
Academy. Karl was also the assistant coach at Brownell Talbot
from 2004 to 2006. He helped turn around a program that
went from 1-11 to 8-4-1 in just one season.
He was the Director of Operations
for the Omaha FC soccer club and founded and directed The
Omaha Futsal League.
Karl currently holds a Premier Diploma
and Director of Coaching diploma from the National Soccer
Coaches Association of America.
In 2010,
Karl and his family quit their jobs and moved to Cape
Town, South Africa. There, they are on staff with All
Nations, an interdenominational Christian, non-profit
(501C3, ) that provides specialized leadership and discipleship
schools. They currently serve in a township
that is plagued by gangs, drugs, alcohol abuse and sexual
& physical abuse.
Karl continues to use soccer as a platform
to mentor youth in Africa, coaching a boys team with Ubuntu
Sportsa, hosting Soccer Festivals
, and offering coaching education programs (to train
African men on how to become excellent coaches
and a mentor to the next generation).
He hopes to see lives radically changed and
give hope to the hopeless!
Julie, from Omaha, Nebraska, has been married
for over 13 years and has 4 children. She has a Bachelor
of Science in Communications and experience in web site
design, public relations, project management, marketing
and has been published.
She currently lives in South Africa and is Co-Director of EmpowerAMom.com and serves on All Nations "Business For Mission" team.
Mentoring at-risk teenagers and helping desperate
mothers with life skills, her passion runs deep for discipleship
and a move of God to change lives. She loves to see women
experience new purpose and step into God's destiny for their
life!
She loves to write and "tell the truth about real life." Check out Julie's Blog!
Although she has been bungee jumping, ice
climbing, paragliding off a mountains, skiing in the Alps,
on Safari in Africa, and backpacking around Asia and Europe
– nothing compares to her current adventure of living
with 3 little girls and sweet baby boy!
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