ELIAS & NONCI OCHELE

Elias Ochele was born on the 12th March 1978 in the small village of Kanam, on the Lake Victoria, district of Karachuonyo in Homa-Bay, Kenya. Elias grew up in a strong Christian family, but only gave his life to the Lord in 1991. Elias got married in 2008 to Noncy Ochele, a South African lady. They have a son by the name Blessing Aphiwe Ochele born in June 2013. Education background: Elias attended his primary school thereafter matriculated from Homa-Bay High school in 1997 before moving to South Africa. In 1998, he left his country Kenya to come to South Africa to pursue higher education at Christian Bible Institute in Pinetown, KZN where he graduated with Diploma in Theology and Computers and then later pursued his Degree in Ministry through the University of Pretoria. In 2003, he registered with South African Theological Seminary in Johannesburg where he graduated with Bachelor of Theology.

Ministry involvement: In 2003, he joined the staff at St Agnes Church in Kloof (SA) from where he met Garry Hare. At St Agnes, he served for a period of 3 years as a pastor and A Church field worker. His involvement in the life of Church and community included a number of ministerial activities such as teaching and preaching in church services, establishing and running home cells, youth meetings, conducting community outreaches and counselling. The experience, skills and abilities of his leadership inspired a lot of people especially young people to positive thinking about life and their future, some of which are now stable and working.

In 2006, he joined OrphanAid where he served as a full time field worker before taking over as a Manager in 2011. His involvement included a number of Orphanaid programmes: heading up and running healing and deliverance programmes, taking part in bible teachings during community outreaches, running discipleship courses for new converts, teaching life skills and mentoring young people.

Elias’wife Noncy also heads up Children ministry and also involved in discipleship programmes and counselling to teenagers.

Apart from managing and overseeing the running of Orphanaid, Elias and his wife are Pastoring at GLT Lower Molweni Local Church. Elias has also ministered in churches of different denominations and types within South Africa, Kenya and in Swaziland.