Joackim Kunda of Teen Missions South Africa shares his inspiring story with Oasis.

Please tell us about you and what drives you to do what you do.

Hello! I’m Joackim Kunda, and it’s my absolute joy to serve as the Country Director for Teen Missions South Africa. For the past five years, I’ve had the privilege of guiding and mentoring teenagers and youth on their journey of faith. My passion is to witness the transformative power of positive change in the lives of young people across South Africa. Many of them face significant challenges, including the struggles with drugs and crime. However, I firmly believe that with access to the Bible and compassionate guidance, they can develop the discipline and resilience needed to navigate and overcome these obstacles.

One of the most exciting parts of what we do is The Lord’s Boot Camp, a vibrant youth camp we host every December through Teen Missions South Africa. This camp, which has been making a positive impact since the 1970s, is all about training and teaching young people about the Bible and their Christian faith in a fun, engaging environment. Last year, our inspiring camp theme was, “Lord, create in me a clean and new heart.” It truly resonated with the youth!

How did you hear about Oasis and its Bibles?

Our program is wonderfully comprehensive, unfolding in three dynamic parts. For the first ten days, participants dive into a 30-minute daily devotion centered on the Word. The NLT Bibles we’ve received from Oasis have been a tremendous blessing! We wholeheartedly believe that investing in children’s access to the Bible will shape their futures for the better. In the past, it was rare for children to have personal Bibles; these special books were often reserved for adults. Although digital Bibles are common today, having a physical Bible in hand enhances the experience of studying the Word.

In the second part of our program, the teenagers jump into exciting evangelism projects with their new Bibles for twelve days, helping to spread the message of faith. They also received twelve Africa Study Bibles, which have opened their eyes to the joys of Bible study and inspired them with confidence and wisdom as they share the gospel. Additionally, Teen Missions offers a complimentary Bible school, allowing youth to pursue their seminary education while completing matriculation!

Finally, in the third phase, we come together for debriefing sessions where the youths share their triumphs and challenges from their preaching missions. These conversations are filled with learning and growth!

What is your dream for the future?

One young man from Burundi beautifully expressed that the simplicity of the Bibles they received has made preparing sermons much easier for him, and he is now thriving as an assistant pastor! It’s truly inspiring to see the youth proudly holding and engaging with their Bibles. Moving forward, my dream is to distribute even more of these incredible Bibles, spreading hope and knowledge to countless more young lives in the future!

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If you’d like to share your story about how the Africa Study Bible or New Living Translation: Africa Edition is transforming lives in your church, ministry, or school, email Rabin Mutai, Oasis Digital Marketing Coordinator, at rabin@oasisnternational.com, and he will contact you to set up an interview.