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Karl Ostrand (originally from Virgina Beach, VA)
and Julie Ostrand (from Omaha, Nebraska) have been married
for 10 years. We have 2 beautiful little girls (3 and 5 years
old)...with one more on the way!
Before moving to Africa, Karl was the Director of
Operations for Omaha
FC Soccer Club, the Age Group Coordinator for U14 boys,
and coach of 4 teams
My journey: I have been passionate about
Africa for a LONG time and became especially interested
in South Africa when Floyd
McClung, director of All Nations, spoke at our church
several years ago. I was impressed with his enthusiasm and
ministry in South Africa!
However, when Emme was born with Down syndrome in 2008,
we thought it would not be possible to live overseas. We
began to make plans to buy a home and lay our dream aside
to serve in another country.
 Coincidentally,
the weekend we picked out our dream home to build, we found
out about another couple, currently working with All Nations,
who also have a child with Down syndrome. We were surprised...and
encouraged!
Through research and a visit
to Cape Town during the summer of 2009, we discovered
that South Africa is uniquely equipped with excellent medical
care and high quality programs for Down syndrome.
Read an amazing
story about "the envelope" that got me there.
My vision: My vision is to be able to
use soccer as an avenue to minister to kids who live in
terrible conditions - surrounded by poverty, HIV, drugs
and every manner of hopelessness.
While it's true that soccer is an escape from the despair
for a few brief moments - more importantly we want to use
it as the tool to introduce children to Real Hope.
More than learning the skill of soccer, kids just want to
know that one person cares about THEM.
Have a question for Karl? Contact
him now»
Most importantly, Julie is a mom.
Before moving to Africa, Julie worked in web site
development and project management for 10 years.
My journey: I have NOT been passionate
about Africa for a long time. In fact, quite the opposite.
I'm sure I've seen too many movies - Tears of the Sun,
Hotel Rwanda, Black Hawk Down, Blood Diamond - all that
didn't help my husband's cause to move our family to Africa.
I knew I was called to the nations and missions as a teenager
- give me Asia, give me the Middle East, give me India.
But Africa?
Couldn't we die? All of that to say, as I began to learn
more, my heart changed.
I was very impressed with
All Nation's approach: Partnering with Africans to change
the world!
My Vision: My vision is to minister the
love of
Jesus through creative programs
(dance class, job skills training, small business, etc.).
Have a question for Julie? Contact
her now»
When we first arrived in Africa in early 2010, we attended
an All
Nations church planting training school in Cape Town,
South Africa called CPx - Church Plant Experinence (February
- July 2010)
We had classroom teaching time and also worked in Ocean
View, a Cape Town township.
During our CPx time in Ocean View we have focused on...
Find
out more about All Nations CPx...
 Research
has shown that church membership is decreasing
world-wide, not increasing, so this is a
new approach to missions, based on David
Watson’s model (one of the most successful
church planters globally with a movement of over 250,000
churches).
The model: Making friends with
people (in a township in our case) and starting Discovery
Bible Studies - where people experience reading the
Bible together, discovering what God is speaking to
them directly and then deciding how they can obey the
Bible passage they just read.
Sounds simple - but it changes lives!
Often times these Discovery Bible Studies turn into
actual churches, but our focus is not on erecting church
buildings or starting elaborate church programs.We want
people to experience God speaking to THEM and changing
their heart and life!
 Karl
is passionate about soccer and was able to volunteer
at a soccer clinic and a soccer tournament.
Soccer unites people
and cultures, transcends values and defies prejudice.
Karl says, "I am committed
to using the language of sport to communicate the most
powerful message of all: God’s passionate love
for his children as communicated through his Son, Jesus
Christ.
It’s a story that’s
changed my life, given me purpose and hope, and I long
to tell this good news to others!"
Photo Collection:
We feel God wants to meet both our spiritual and physical
needs.
One of the biggest problems in South Africa is unemployment.
Most women in Ocean View are single moms who have dropped
out of high school, are the primary care taker for several
children and are unemployed.
We started a computer skills training program so that
these women can take charge of their own income opportunities
(create a resume, look for jobs online, have an email
account to email potential employers, etc.).
A job is the first step out of the hopeless web of
poverty!
Tenth girls attended an after-school club called The
Amazing African Women Film Society. Our goal was to build
relationships and encourage the girls with inspirational
speakers who were also a spiritual beacon. Speakers were
successful women from South Africa, mostly colored (including
a doctor, hair designer, social worker, CEO, and fashion
designer, and administrator).
As a bonus, we trained the girls how to film the speakers,
conduct interviews, and make a movie.
Many
of the speakers told personal stories of overcoming abuse,
with the help of God, and achieving success and breakthrough
in their life.
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