Category Archives: Children

Coffey Family December 2018 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests        

  • We’re finally here. Camp Rhino opens its doors to campers on December 11th for the first time.  Please pray for all our volunteers, and pray we have a great first camp.
  • There will be anywhere from 60-80 campers arriving for camp.  Pray the Lord does a great work in their hearts. 
  • Bay Baptist College- The first classes will be starting in January.  We should have 5 or 6 students our first semester.  We pray from this we will see more churches started.
  • Our oldest son Tyler, who is in Bible College back in the States, and our 2nd oldest son Chase, who will be leaving for Bible college in January.  They both are training for missions.
  • Finances to help get Camp Rhino ready for our first camp from December 11th to 14th.

Quick Updates & Reminders:

  • Missionaries Josh and Meagan Sullivan arrived this past week with their kiddos.  They have completed their deputation and will be starting language school soon.  Pray as they get set up and are working to get their long term visas. 
  • The 4 person team from Camps Abroad with the Wilds in NC arrived and have been a great help.
  • Jens Looney, a young man from the Our Generation Training Center in Alpharetta, GA, arrived this past week for his 6-month internship. 
  • Contact me ASAP if you are interested in leading a mission team to South Africa or if you would just like to come on your own.

Mattresses  are just one of the many things we had to order to get camp ready.  It’s amazing how many little things it takes to run a ministry.  It’s also amazing how easy it is to forget a lot of those little things until a week before camp starts:)

We can’t thank you all enough for helping during these past two years with the prayers and financial support and gifts that have made Camp Rhino a reality.  It’s hard to believe all that has come together to make this camp possible.  Thank you so much.    We pray the Lord blesses your investment multiple times over. 

Our two major prayers as we start camp is that teenagers’ hearts will be pierced with the truth of the Gospel and that many young people would give their lives to full time Christian ministry.  Might we see from the effects of this ministry, more churches started all over South Africa and the world. 

21 Days Until the Official Opening of Camp Rhino

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Our first camp in December isn’t far away.  Our builders are working over time to get things ready.  Things look pretty chaotic but I’m told all “major” construction will be finished in two weeks:)  We are really coming down to the wire.  All the walls are up in the buildings we need for this year.  3 cement floors still have to be laid, along with basic electrical and plumbing.  I know it sounds like a lot, and it is, but you would be amazed how quickly things are being accomplished.

Last week an extra $2500 was committed toward sponsoring 50 campers along with $6000 being committed toward the construction.  Praise the Lord!

We are still praying for another $9000 so we can finish with all the “essentials” we need for camp.  When I say “essentials” I’m talking about the seating, lights, plumbing, paint, mattresses, beds, and basic kitchen/cooking needs like sinks, deep freezers, pot, pans, and refrigerator.

Thank all of you for your prayers and sacrificial giving.  God has really blessed, and we are blown away and excited with all that’s been done.

 

We’re Getting Closer

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The construction at Camp Rhino is coming along nicely.  A lot has been accomplished in the last few weeks.  Please pray as we need around $15,000 to finish off the essentials to be ready for camp on December 10th.  It looks like we may have around 80 kids signed up.  I was planning to keep it around 60 since it is our first camp, but interest has grown and it’s going to be hard to turn kids around.  Our plan for 60 beds may not work:)

Please pray for the needed funds and pray for the kids and volunteers.  I believe we’re going to have a great first camp.   Thank you all who have made this possible.

 

 

Coffey Family October 2018 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests      

  • South Africa Bible College on the grounds of Camp Rhino- The first classes will be starting in January.  We should have 5 or 6 students our first semester.  We pray more training will result in more churches.
  • Our oldest son Tyler, who is in Bible College back in the States, and our 2nd oldest son  Chase, who will be leaving for Bible college in January.  They both are training for missions.
  • Finances to get Camp Rhino ready for our first camp from December 10th to 14th.  Our most pressing need is funds to outfit the camp kitchen for a little under $7000.
  • Tim and Destiny Kelly as they have started their deputation to South Africa.

Quick Updates & Reminders:

  • Our house in the States sold which enable us to pay off the $42,000 loan we used to purchase the property for Camp Rhino. Praise the Lord!
  • We closed on Camp Rhino on Oct 20th, just 5 days after we closed on our house in the States:)  God’s timing was perfect.
  • Teen Camp will be Dec 10-14.  Pray for the 4 person team coming from the Wilds in NC to help with our first camp.
  • An updated list of future projects and cost can be found on our website at projectsouthafrica.com. 
  • Contact me ASAP if you are interested in leading a mission team to South Africa or if you would just like to come on your own.
  • What a blessing to host the team from Fellowship Baptist Church in Madison, VA this past month.  They were a great blessing. 

This may not sound like a big deal, but we have our first couple from New Life Baptist getting married.   Khona and Thando have been going through marriage counseling with Amy and I, and they will be tying the knot on December 1st. 

Outside Pastor Sipho’s and my family, they will be the first married couple in our church.  Here is SA, finding young married couples is a difficult task, let alone getting them into church.  The rate of single moms here is extremely high.  Usually the dad is no where to be found.   We have a few married women in our church, but unfortunately their husbands don’t attend with them.  We are pray this young couple will be the first of many won to Christ who have a desire live godly and raise their children in church. 

Pray also as we minister to our teenagers.  We are praying God’s word will take root in their lives and they will truly desire to live a godly life in spite of their surroundings.

Coffey Family September 2018 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests 

  • I’m a little nervous about even mentioning this, but our house in the states is under contract:) Praise the Lord!  Please pray everything goes well.  We are supposed to close on October 15th.  With this we can pay back the $42,000 loan very soon.        
  • Pray for a group from Fellowship Baptist Church in Madison, VA as they arrive on September 22nd.  They will be here to help get Camp Rhino ready for the first week of camp in December.  A good friend of ours, Cyndi Bader, is also arriving.  She is from Eastern Avenue Baptist Church in St. Cloud, FL.
  • Our oldest son Tyler, who is in Bible College back in the States, and our 2nd oldest son Chase, who will be leaving for Bible college in January.  They both are training for missions.
  • Finances to get Camp Rhino ready for our first camp from December 10 to 14. 
  • Be praying for Tim and Destiny Kelly as they begin their deputation to South Africa.

Quick Updates & Reminders:

  • Renovation and construction for Camp Rhino have begun.  The masonry labor and materials on the renovation for the first boys dorm is going to be around $1826.  This will house around 30 guys. 
  • Our next new construction project will be the boys bath house.  I don’t have the material cost yet, but the labor cost is going to be around $3535. 
  • An updated list of future projects can be found on our website at projectsouthafrica.com and camprhino.org if you are interested in seeing what we have planned.

Momentum at New Life Baptist Church seems to be building. We now have 9 young guys who we are discipling and preparing for ministry.  The oldest of the group is doing excellent.  He is close to getting married and will probably be our next assistant pastor.  At least three of them plan to start our Bible College in January. 

Please pray for these young men.  They face family pressures and temptations that are pretty overwhelming.  The things they are confronted with on a daily basis would amaze you. 

We would love  the opportunity to host a group from your church here in South Africa next year.  Please contact me for an information packet.  It would be an honor to facilitate a trip that would help and challenge your church people.

We also are going to need a lot of help in the coming years as we get Camp Rhino ready for all the camps and the Bible College.

Click here to download PDF.

Coffey Family July 2018 Prayer Letter

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Since June 6th we have had 78 people from 5 different groups visit our ministries here in South Africa.  They were a tremendous help to all of our churches.  From building benches, to painting Sunday school classes or passing out Gospel tracts, they did what ever was asked of them.  Hearts were touched and lives were changed.  As they worked to impact South Africa, I believe South Africa impacted them.   

From the many that visited for a short time, we believe that some may even come back to South Africa as interns and full time missionaries.  Please pray they would be open to wherever the Lord leads them. 

The land for Camp Rhino has been decided on.  Please pray things work out so we can finalize payment and secure the property.  Every visiting group has seen and prayed over the future site.  Excitement continues to build with every visit.  Our vision is spreading and more and more people are looking forward to being involved.

Prayer Requests

  • The sale of our home in the US- We have had 3 offers on our house so far, and all of three have fallen through.      
  • $66,000.  This is what I am hoping to clear from the sale of our house. We will be able to use this money to complete the purchase for the land for Camp Rhino. 
  • Our oldest son Tyler, who is in Bible College back in the States. 
  • Our son Chase- he is in Eldoret, Kenya for 2 weeks making a visa run and visiting missionaries Randy & Phylis Stirewalt.
  • Our daughter Emilee- she is on a missions trip this week to visit the Holt Family in Santiago, Chile.

Quick Updates & Reminders:

  • Several have trusted Christ in the many youth meetings, services, and VBS activities over the past 6 weeks that our visiting mission teams have been a part of.  2 young single men and 3 boys just trusted Christ last night, the last full day with our groups.
  • Our 2nd children’s book “Brayden’s Day Off” is in the illustrating stage.  We hope to have this book available to you very soon. 
  • Our last mission team of the summer left on July 26th.  We are already looking forward to the next group that arrives on September 22nd from Madison, VA. 
  • We would love to the opportunity to host a group from your church here in South Africa next year.  Please contact me for an information packet.  It would be an honor to facilitate a trip that would encourage and challenge your people.

Click here to download PDF version.

Coffey Family May 2018 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests

  • Our New Bible College- We hope to start full time classes in August. 
  • Kuyga & Missionvale- 2 areas that some of our teammates will be starting churches in. 
  • The sell of our home in the US. 
  • Our oldest son Tyler, who is in Bible College back in the States.  We are hopeful he will also be able to visit us in December.
  • More souls to be saved during our door to door & evangelistic outreaches.
  • We have 5 mission teams visiting here in June and July.  Pray the Lord does something great in the heart of everyone who is able to experience ministry on the foreign field.  Many are leaving the US for their first time.

Quick Updates & Reminders:

  • 13 People made professions of faith during our 5-day evangelistic tent meeting this past month. 
  • Our oldest girl Emilee, turns 16 on June 6th.  We are very proud of the young lady she is.  Please pray for her as she will be going on a mission trip to Chile, South America in July to visit the Jason and Lori Holt Family.   
  • If you are interested in working in short-term missions and camp ministry, please contact me ASAP.   We would love to have you be a part of Camp Rhino.  There are opportunities all year long. 
  • If your church is interested in traveling to South Africa for a missions trip in 2019 or 2020, please let me know, and I will email you an information packet right away. 

This month we have seen several people make professions of faith and the majority of those people were during our evangelistic tent meeting.  Please continue to pray that we can raise funds to purchase our own tent and equipment that would allow us to do these types of meetings more often.  We hope to help our team of churches do at least one a month. 

We have made an offer that was accepted on a new property for Camp Rhino.  It’s 19.5 acres of flat land with a house and a few buildings. We are $66,000 short of the purchase price, and hope to make up the difference with the sell of our house in the States.  The purchase price of the property is approx. $196,000.  Please pray we can sell our house in the States soon. 

With our visiting groups coming in June, we have the opportunity to present the Gospel to hundreds of children and teenagers in the Public School System here in Port Elizabeth.  Pray that many will come to Christ during this time.

Coffey Family April 2018 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests

  • The sell of our home in the US.
  • Our oldest son Tyler, who is in Bible College back in the States.  We are hopeful he will also be able to visit us in December.
  • More souls to be saved during our  door to door & evangelistic outreaches.
  • Pray as we are trying to build a music ministry foundation that will aid all our churches.  If you would be interested in sponsoring a student at $40 a month for 6 months to take guitar and/or music lessons, please let me know.  We have several waiting in line to start classes.
  • A mission team from Newton Baptist Church in Covington, GA will be here on June 6th.  Pray God moves in a great way during their stay.

We are in need of a tent for several ministry opportunities and needs we have now and that are to come.  The primary use for the tent is for services we are planning in areas where we want to start new churches.     

The secondary use of the tent will be for our chapel services during our weeks of camp at Camp Rhino.  We ultimately want to build a permanent structure, but will probably use a tent for the first year or so. 

Having a tent also allows us to hold evangelistic services in the surrounding areas of our churches.  It will help us make more noise and have a stronger presence in areas where we want to do more outreach. 

A brand new tent cost about $2600.  We want to find a used one, but this amount is the most we will need for a tent similar to the picture above.  We would appreciate any help with this expense.  

Thank you for everything.  Might we all do more to reach this world in our generation.

Quick Updates & Reminders:

  • We had a fantastic VBM Regional Conference with my Pastor Austin Gardner and Mission’s Director Jeff Bush.  I’m constantly reminded while around these men that we never need to stop learning and there is much more that needs to be done to reach the world.
  • We are now looking for American interns who desire to work in camp ministry.  If you or someone you know is interested in coming to South Africa to help with Camp Rhino, please let me know.
  • We backed out of the contract for the property that we chose for Camp Rhino after failed perc test and much prayer and counsel.  There are two good areas that we are looking at for the Camp right now.  We are hoping to nail something down very soon but we know it’s in God’s timing.  We don’t  want t0 force anything.

Coffey Family March 2018 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests

  • The sell of our home in the US- After a few delays, my realtor let me know he plans to list our house on April 11th. Please pray that it sells quickly and for a good price.  Proceeds from the sell will go towards Camp Rhino.     
  • New Life Baptist Church’s special Easter     3-day Revival.  We are praying for a great attendance and for many to be saved.
  • Our oldest son Tyler, who is in Bible College back in the States. 
  • More souls to be saved during our  door to door & evangelistic outreaches.
  • The right property for Camp Rhino.  Our search continues as some roadblocks have popped up. 

I’ve been waiting weeks to let you know that we finally have the property secured for Camp Rhino.  Unfortunately, this won’t be the week we make that announcement either. I received word yesterday that all three perc tests failed for the property we have a contract on.  We are researching to see if there are different options for septic systems that will allow us to still use the land, and we have also begun looking at other properties in case that door closes.

As we continue searching for property, I’m encouraged to know the Lord will help keep us from making a bad land decision.  Pray that we are patient and sensitive to His leading.    

Remember, we still need your help.  Pray that God would call more laborers to be involved in what’s going on in South Africa.  A foundation is being laid which I believe is the start of many coming to Christ and many being called to take the Gospel to the world.  Maybe you are the one who God is leading to come and help.

Quick Updates & Reminders:

  • We had two young men, 21 & 22 year old, trust Christ this past month at New Life along with several children during our children services.
  • We are hosting the Vision Baptist Missions Regional Conference taught by our Director Jeff Bush and Pastor Austin Gardner April 5-12.  We look forward to this valuable time of training for our whole team.  Pray for those traveling in for the conference.
  • Our 2nd children’s book “Brayden’s Day Off” is in the illustrating stage.  We hope to have this book available to you very soon. 
  • Almost our entire summer is booked with mission teams for 2018, but we would love for you to make plans for 2019.  Please let me know if you or your church is interested in bring a group.

New Church at Kwadwesi Extension

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Across the valley of our current church New Life Baptist Church, is an area called Kwadwesi Extension.  This is a much denser populated area then where we are now, and also where several of our people are from.

Pastor Sipho has been holding midweek services there even before we arrived back to South Africa.  The attendance is really starting to pick up.  For our special Valentines service this past Wednesday we had around 125 people in attendance.  We had to keep the kids 12 years of age and below outside because of the space.  This is the area we want to start our next church and believe from there we can start churches in at least two other areas near by.

https://www.facebook.com/mark.coffey/videos/10155274750236728/