In Angola, where Christianity is often mixed with animism, it became obvious that OM could best serve the country by strengthening local churches, training up leaders, and challenging believers to live for Christ.

Although the country has traditional Bible schools and seminaries, these often don't fit the lifestyle or economic means of the average person. So the team created a program that allows students to work and study at the same time. Classes start at 6 a.m. and are held three times a week. Students only pay $12. Seven of these Bible schools are now running and founder Wessel van der Merwe takes satisfaction in the fact that they are training pastors from five different denominations. A Bible correspondence course is also meeting a need on another level.

"We train church people to work with children," Says Wessel. His wife Joan took a course and now the couple is in partnership with Petra College for Children's Ministries. Wessel continues, "Our focus with this ministry is to equip Sunday school teachers in the different denominations so that they are able to reach children effectively with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Part of this means meeting the need for good lesson materials by presenting workshops in this area. We also hold kids' clubs in different areas to reach non-churchgoing children, and God has opened a door for us to teach English and His Word at some of the government schools."

Along with these foundational courses, the schools offer practical skills training as well. Wessel says, "Kids on the streets are looking for ways to earn money, so it's essential that we do vocational training. Menongue is an agricultural area. We want to give the children agricultural projects and divide some of the land into small plots for widows to use, too. We have a chicken run and fish pond already in place that we hope to use in training kids. We want to equip them for other trades as well, like carpentry, building and mechanical work."

Wessel and his team ask God's people not to forget Angola, "because God hasn't." They know He is eager to work though the prayers of His people to "rebuild what was destroyed and replant what was desolate." (Ezekiel 36:36 NIV)