«A high pitch scream followed by the words “IT’S YOU!” were not what I was expecting when I spoke to a lady after a sketchboard message on the last day of the South Wales Mission! She had stopped to listen to one of my fellow Evangelists because she fondly remembered the sketchboard from me doing assemblies in her school and was shocked that I was then the one speaking to her.
«I often have people recognise me when I’m out on the streets because they remember me from school but I’d never had anything quite like this before. Throughout the conversation this lady kept gasping because she couldn’t believe that after seeing me so many years before in her school that she was now speaking to me. She described herself as coming from a religious family and occasionally took an old lady to a local church as she couldn’t get there herself. However, she’d never read the Bible for herself and was so pleased to receive a gospel from me and vowed to read it.
«This was one of my most memorable conversations from the South Wales Mission but I was shocked throughout the week how many people stopped because they recognised me from visiting their schools. The schools work that we do is so valuable in sharing the gospel with thousands of people, that otherwise may never hear it. It’s always great to meet these people years later and to hear what a positive impression we made on their lives and to be able to talk to them more about the gospel.» (Steve Harris, August 2023)
Every day thousands of children are hearing the message of the Bible from OAC speakers in schools all around the world. By using visual messages appropriate to each age-group and adapted to the cultural setting in each country, children learn what Christians believe and, perhaps years later, are able to recall much of what they heard. As adults they are now in a better position to consider their own personal response to Christ. From small groups of ten to twenty right up to several hundred children at a time, whether in Australia or Jamaica, Brazil, Singapore or Wales, Paraguay or Romania, our staff and volunteers are busy daily in schools and after-school activities giving hundreds of thousands of children the opportunity every year to learn what the Bible has to say about values, behaviour, life and death. They learn that Christ has made a difference for the better in millions of lives around the world, and how that can change them also, if they choose.
As the northern hemisphere summer ends and children return to school this September, southern hemisphere lands are heading to end the academic year and get a break after a busy August in schools!
If you would like to get involved, why not enquire from you local branch. There are regular training opportunities available.
Take a look at our photo gallery to appreciate the kind of ministry we are doing.
