A lot of last minute things

The list of things we need to finish up in order to be ready for camp on December 11th is a littler longer than I had hoped, but I still think we’ll be ready.  We are so grateful for the $8150 that came in to help toward our $15,000 goal.  Pray we can raise the remaining $6850 before camp.  This last amount will help cover the beds, mattresses, electrical, plumbing, and kitchen needs.  Our 75 mattresses arrived on Thanksgiving Day and we are in the process of building the triple bunk beds now.  I really appreciate the help missionaries Jeremy and Kevin Hall have given in helping get the beds put together.  We would be in real trouble right now if it wasn’t for them:)

There has been a lot of talk about camp, especially with the purchase of the property for Camp Rhino and our first camp starting in December.  We are excited about the camp and how it will aid our ministries, but please don’t forget the focus of everything we do is pointed toward training leaders for church planting and church growth.  Our first semester of Bible college begins at the first part of the year.  We are excited about things getting started up on the campus of Camp Rhino to see more young people trained for the ministry.

There are 5 churches we work with in Port Elizabeth, but we need so much more to impact the more than 1 million souls here.  Pray for lives to be changed by the Gospel and dedicated to the work of God.  Pray for more laborers.

To sign off, here’s just a random picture I wanted to share of a few of my kids singing at a special meeting.

21 Days Until the Official Opening of Camp Rhino

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

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.

 

 

November 2018 Prayer Letter

A New Name Written Down in Glory: Thursday night, at our midweek service, a 57-year-old lady named Nobeko visited us for the first time. During the invitation she raised her hand to receive more information about salvation. I spoke with her briefly after the service, but I could tell she had been drinking, so I asked her to come back tomorrow when she was completely sober. To my surprise, when I showed up Friday evening at church for our movie night, Mama Nobeko was there waiting for me. I had the privilege to share the gospel with her for about a half hour before our movie started.. By the end of our conversation she was in tears. She made a profession of faith. She stayed around to watch our movie and afterwards told me she would see us on Sunday. Praise Jesus!

Soweto Baptist Church Leadership: It is exciting to see men step up and attempt things completely out of their comfort zone. Mxolisi Dama, our treasurer at Soweto Baptist Church, taught Sunday School for the last three weeks. This Sunday Matthew Olwethu will teach. These are two men who have grown tremendously in the word and we fully expect God to use them in big ways. Please remember them in your prayers.

Next Step of Faith: After the new year we plan to officially organize Soweto Baptist Church. We have been preparing for this for over 2 years now, teaching through basic Bible doctrines, developing our own personal Statement of Faith as a congregation, and outlining our Constitution (Church Covenant). As soon as this takes place, we plan to immediately take another big step of faith and begin a new work in an area called Zwide. We currently have one family attending our church that live in that area. Please pray that God will continue to ground his people in their faith, open doors of utterance and supply a meeting place for the new work.

Other prayer requests:

  • December 10-14 Youth Camp at Camp Rhino. If you would be interested in sponsoring a camper, the cost is $50 per camper for the week.
  • Camp Rhino is bare bones at the moment. We have much work to be done in order to use the property. Dorms, bathhouses, pavilion, kitchen; pretty much everything needs an incredible amount of work. Please pray for my cousin Mark as he leads this project. Pray for wisdom and funds.

As always, thank you for your partnership with our ministry through prayer and giving. May God bless you richly for His Kingdom’s sake.

Sincerely,

Jeremy & Rebekah Hall

Support Address:
Macedonia World Baptist Missions
Att. Jeremy Hall
P.O. Box 519
Braselton, GA 30517

Home Church:
Whitfield Baptist Church
Pastor Wayne Cofield
2134 Dug Gap Rd.
Dalton, GA 30720

Personal Contact Info:
jhsouthafrica@gmail.com
(770)573-9541
Website: www.projectsouthafrica.com 

Coffey Family October 2018 Prayer Letter

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

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 August 2018 Prayer Letter

Prayer Requests

  • The sell of our home in the US. We have taken out a loan in the States to cover the remaining $42,000 we needed to buy the property for Camp Rhino.  The sell of our house should more than cover the needed amount  if we can sell it in time.  We do have a supporting church trying to raise $20,000 toward that amount as well.   Pray we can pay back this loan asap.      
  • 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 on December 10th.

Quick Updates & Reminders:

  • One teen made a profession of faith during our discipleship meeting this month.  He was invited by his friend who was saved a few weeks prior.
  • A young adult and his mom made professions of faith during door to door visitation this past week while visiting for the the new Kuyga church plant.  An older man made a decision for Christ after church this past Sunday.  Please pray they grow and make sure of their salvation.
  • Pray for a group from Fellowship Baptist Church in Madison, VA as they arrive on September 22nd.  They will be here to get Camp Rhino ready for the first week of camp in December.   
  • 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 encourage and challenge your people.

Our deadline to purchase property for Camp Rhino is on August 31st, and it looks like we will have the money just in time.  With the improvement in the exchange rate and with some extra offerings, we now only lack $42,000 to pay for the property and cover lawyer fees. 

We were able to work it out with a bank in the States to borrow that money for 120 days so we could meet our deadline.  It looks like all funds will be available a few days before August 31st, which means we will soon have access to the property. 

This has been a long day coming, but we are very anxious to get to work.  A lot has to be accomplished before our first day of camp on December 10th.  If you would be interested in helping by giving or by coming and working, you are all welcome.  Our top priorities right now are the guy and girl dorms, kitchen facility, soccer field, and sand volleyball court. 

Pray for us as things are about to get even busier.

Click here to download PDF.

 

Coffey Family July 2018 Prayer Letter

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.

False Alarm

Well…..we just thought we had a buyer for our house in the States:)  A house that our potential buyer already made an offer on and was rejected, ended up lowering their price to make it possible for them to get financing.  In other words, they decided to go with their first choice.

So we need you to continue praying for another buyer so we can sell our house ASAP.  We are still very excited about our property here in South Africa and believe we will get a buyer for our house in the States soon…..or later:)

Thank you all for your prayers.  They are greatly appreciated.

Please also pray for Pastor Tony Howeth and his group of 15 from Newton Baptist Church that arrive today from Covington, GA.  Pastor Tony was my Youth Director growing up, and has really been more like a 2nd dad most of my life.  This group is the first of 5 groups during June & July.

Coffey Family May 2018 Prayer Letter

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.