Locations - Where we work
Asia
Due to restrictions, we are unable to give a report.
Bolivia
Bolivia is a landlocked country of 11 million situated between Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Inca ruins in Samaipata at about 6000 feet show where human and animal sacrifices were offered on top of a huge rock. Independence from Spain came in 1825 after a long war for freedom. There have been over 200 coups since, but from 1985 democratic governments have stabilized the country. Responsibility is being taken to end illegal cocaine exports that were 50% of the world’s cocaine. The population is made up of 64% Amerindian (American Indian), 30% Mestizo (Mixed European & Indian), and 5% Spanish. The spiritual darkness of centuries is now being broken, and evangelicals have grown to over 12%.
Brazil
BRAZIL has a population of over 200 million. While about 64% are Catholics, this number is diminishing as Evangelicals have grown to over 22%. Unfortunately, false doctrine, like the prosperity gospel, has caused disillusionment. There is a great need for evangelism, where the pure gospel is proclaimed. Freedom of religion and separation of Church and State exists.
Today, OAC Brazil works primarily through the following four ministries:
OAC Ministry: Today, public elementary, middle, and high schools are the biggest field for OAC Ministry. We reach thousands of students and hundreds of teachers with the Gospel every year. In a similar way, we also conduct open-air campaigns in several places and situations, preserving the strong tradition that our Ministry holds since it was established.
OAC Mission trips: This focuses on national and international short-term mission trips. Our objective is to witness for Christ, serve, encourage and strengthen local ministries, in which the visiting team and local missionaries can receive a new vision for missions. We also provide resources to carry out the local ministry and aim to find support partners. We have witnessed amazing testimonies from people that took part in such trips, as they got more involved.
OAC Training: Part of our job is to promote training sessions, in order to strategically share tools for the spreading of the gospel through frontline evangelism. We share the methodology used in our work at Bible Colleges, missionary agencies, and local churches.
OAC Ambassadors: This ministry is made up of volunteers that help us in spreading and developing OAC’s work in several areas. We call these precious volunteers Ambassadors. An OAC Ambassador is a facilitator who desires to regularly support us through their skills, professions, prayers, and gifts.
Learn more about OAC Brazil by visiting our national website:
Português:
Dem. Rep. of Congo
Situated in the heart of Africa, formerly known as Zaire, the suffering here has been enormous over many years. More than five million people have lost their lives through wars, violence, starvation, and the collapse of the health system. Thousands of Christians and hundreds of missionaries were martyred in the Simba Rebellion of 1964. Many others have died in the conflicts from 1991 until today as tribal warfare continues. There has also been exploitation by foreign countries, and corruption by dictators. Now it seems that recent elections have paved a way for peace for these 86 million people, and all the suffering has prepared a harvest of souls for the kingdom of God.
In 2019 the DRC Government approved our application to register as an evangelical mission of evangelism. Fred, who is Congolese, is our pioneer evangelist. The first open-air film meeting was held in Goma in April 2019. Over 400 stood for 90 minutes to watch the JESUS film and hear the Gospel message preached. As many responded to put their trust in Christ as Savior, there was applause. There was no opposition. We were presenting Christ as the only answer for our lives in time and eternity, with no political or tribal agenda. The same happened at the following meetings with up to 600 attending. In one village, people even stood in light rain to watch. We had to use iron stakes and a rope to keep the crowd from pressing forward on top of our video projector and us. After many responded to trust Christ as Savior, people cheered and shouted. Usually, we had a local pastor with us for follow-up.
The median age of the DRC is just under 17 years, due to war and disease (AIDS, etc.), so it is very important to also target the youth. Each public school district has a pastor, who readily invited us to preach to all the students in the elementary and high schools. In one place they combined both schools to give us 1000 students. The interest and attention were tremendous, as well as the response to Christ as Savior. Each student and teacher is given a comic tract (Chick) in French on salvation. The headmasters begged us to return.
Churches are inviting Fred to come and show the Jesus film in their neighborhoods, and to preach the gospel. Truly the Lord of the harvest has led us to the DRC.
Two more staff evangelists have been added, and a second branch has been opened in Lubumbashi. Truly, the Lord of the harvest has led us to the DRC.
Ecuador
Located on the equator, Ecuador stretches from the hot fertile coastal plain to the steamy Amazon jungle to the majestic peaks of the Andes Mountains. Its 13 million population is made up of people mainly of Spanish and American Indian (Amerindian) descent. The culture has been strongly influenced by Catholicism, and although religious freedom now exists, some rural areas have not been so receptive to change. Evangelicals number 6% and are increasing.
Jamaica
This beautiful Caribbean island with about 3 million people actually helped in the evangelization of West Africa years ago. Today, however, Jamaica is facing serious problems of poverty, violence, drugs, and immorality. It has one of the world's highest rates of homicide. There needs to be a turning back to God.
There is total religious freedom both in the public schools and open-air, and most people are very open to the gospel.
Over 100,000 are being reached in the schools every year, and even children who came to Christ in the assembles have become teachers today.
Kenya
Located in N.E. Africa with a population of over 35 million, Kenya continues to be a solid base for Christian ministry to Africa. While there is a good percentage of evangelical Christians in the south, there is a great need for evangelism in the north, where many unreached tribal people are responding to the gospel.
OAC is targeting these unreached tribal people through open-air outreaches using the "Jesus" film in their languages. Hundreds of people are coming to each meeting, including Muslims. They are very open to the preaching of the gospel, and many are responding to Christ. Pastors are attending the outreaches, and churches have been planted.
Over half the population of Kenya is under the age of 15, and public schools are open for religious education. Principals have allowed OAC to present the gospel to their whole student body, sometimes 1000 students in a single assembly, and many students have prayed to trust Christ as Savior.
To reach the remote villages, our evangelists must leave the roads and drive through wilderness areas. This is extremely hard on the OAC truck, which requires excessive maintenance. Tires last only 8,000 miles. To save fuel, they stay out in the villages for several days at a time, often sleeping in tents. Although the operating costs are high, the precious souls being reached are priceless.
Paraguay
Located between Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina, this land-locked nation of 6 million has changed from being a military dictatorship to a new democracy. Religious freedom was declared for all in 1992. Two years later, the President himself officially signed OAC Paraguay into existence.
Our national evangelists freely hold open-air outreaches in towns and villages, and sometimes present the gospel in military bases and police academies. They also go out to Indian tribes, where they show Christian films and preach in the Guarani language. All open-air outreaches are done in partnership with local evangelical churches, and with Indian missions that plant churches.
Over 120,000 a year are being reached through assemblies in public schools, where drugs, teenage pregnancies, AIDS, and suicide are increasing at an alarming rate. Many are responding to Christ and are being followed up through online Bible Studies. Principals gladly welcome our program that presents Christ as the only answer to these problems.
Peru
PERU lies on the west coast of South America with a population of over 30 million. Lima, the capital, has 7.5 million. About half the population is Amerindian, and these Indian tribes were already there when the Spanish conquerors came. Independence from Spain came in 1824, but a long history of dictatorships and military rule followed. The democratic government came in 1980, but corruption and Maoist terrorist movements brought the country to its knees. Over 30,000 perished. During this time many people came to faith in Christ. Today there is peace and great opportunities for evangelism. Religious freedom is guaranteed in the 1978 constitution. Evangelicals number about 9%. The fields are "white" for harvest.
David Wilson met Samuel in 1983 when he taught a seminar at a seminary in Lima. Samuel never forgot what he learned and used it over the years. David's address changed a few years after the seminar, but Samuel was finally able to contact him 30 years later through the OAC Brazil website. Unknown to David, Samuel and others trained in the seminars went on to preach the gospel in the plazas to thousands over several years with many coming to Christ. Samuel became our pioneer evangelist to help establish OAC in Peru. The Lord provided a new ministry van, and he began taking out church teams for open-air evangelism in Lima. This led the way for Jorge and Suani, both trained by OAC in Ecuador, to come to Peru as full-time missionaries. Samuel then took a position as a pastor but continues his involvement with OAC Peru by serving on the Board and taking out some church teams for evangelism. Jorge is now the National Director, and OAC Peru is now registered with the government.
Russia
Stretching across 11 time zones between the Baltic and Pacific, the Russian Federation is the world's largest country. It also has the potential of being one of the world's wealthiest nations. Many people, however, live and suffer in poverty. This has been caused by the exploitation of Communism over 70 years, followed by "Mafia" syndicates that seized control of much of the economy.
Though persecuted under Communism, when many of its members were imprisoned or martyred, the church has survived and is growing. Today, evangelical congregations are multiplying as Christians enjoy religious freedom. There is a great need, however, for more evangelism as about 1/3 of the population are agnostics, and only about 1% are evangelical.
OAC Russia was begun with David Gabrielyan in 2002, who along with the Baptist Union, helped us to register with the government in 2005. Working closely with Baptist Union churches, OAC is receiving invitations to hold evangelistic outreaches. Cultural Centers, which were once used under Communism for indoctrinating the people, now make good places for presenting the gospel during the cold winter months. Programs in public schools, using videos on drugs and values, allow our evangelists to bring the transforming message of Christ to students. Orphanages allow gifts for the children along with a gospel message.
Today, Constantine, our new staff evangelist, is having a very effective ministry in the open air. Pastors of Baptist churches are calling him to train church teams and to take them out for open air evangelism. God is using the seed of the gospel that was sown in the blood of the martyrs to produce an indestructible Church today.
Ukraine
The history of Ukraine is one of great suffering and hardship. During World War II, over 8 million people died. Many more were killed under Stalin and Communism, including Christians. In 1991, Ukraine became independent from the Soviet Union, and a multi-party democratic system was created. Poverty, rather than riches, has been the result for most, because of corruption and violent crime. Many people, however, are open to the good news of the gospel because of their sufferings. Evangelical churches have doubled since 1991. The recent war with Russia has caused loss of life and added suffering.
Our Director and evangelist, Anatoly, has been asked to be a chaplain to the army and navy, which has opened a whole new door for evangelism. He says that hearts are very open as they face death on the battle field, and many ask for prayer. It is true that there are no atheists in a foxhole. Anatoly has already taken two bullets in a flack jacket, but presses on that soldiers might find eternal life in Christ.