Category Archives: Missions

Coffey January 2022 Prayer Letter

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Happy New Year everyone. What a great start to 2022 here in South Africa at Camp Rhino.   We had 12 teenage boys trust Christ as their Savior during the first-ever boy’s only teen camp week.  We also just finished the girl’s camp week and had 7 girls trust Christ.  In total between the two groups, we had 142 campers.  

Girls’ Teen Camp 2022

We had to split the teen camp up this year and have separate camps because of space.  We just don’t have enough dorms to house more than 120 at a time, and we are also short about 30 beds to max out the space we do have. With all the churches growing, this is a great problem to have. 

Boys’ Teen Camp 2022

Please pray with us concerning expenses for the camp. We currently need around $3000 to cover this year’s summer camps.  This shortfall is a reflection of some good things that are happening. We have more camp staff than we’ve ever had before.  Our counselor-to-camper ratio is much better this year.  We also have a much better kitchen staff along with our working crews.

Prayer Request

Right now we have 4 teenagers from our churches that are living full-time on the campus of Camp Rhino.   These young people have experienced some pretty horrific things in their short lives. We believe the Lord is leading us in the direction to start a separate youth home for these kids and for more just like them.  Every teen we have now has made a profession of faith and expressed a desire to live for the Lord. Pray as we move forward.

Please continue to pray for my wife’s ear surgery.  She’s lost most hearing in her left ear.  It’s a serious surgery that could improve her hearing or cause her to go completely deaf in that ear.  We are hoping to have this surgery in the next month or so.  

Quick Updates

Camp has been great, and there are many opportunities for you to still be involved.  We still need sponsors for many of the teen campers that have already enjoyed camp and also the junior campers who will be here next week.  Every sponsorship given helps us pay the salaries of all our counselors and the extra kitchen staff we need for all our camps.  It also aids in improving our camp facilities.  You can sponsor a child for camp at $50 a person or give any offering to help towards our expenses. 

I’m excited to announce that Jacob and Christen Clower have been accepted with VBM as missionaries to the country of Mozambique.  During our survey trip with them, they believe God confirmed that was the place He wants them to minister.  Please pray for them as they begin raising financial support.  

Jacob & Christen Clower – Our New Missionaries to Mozambique
January 2022 Prayer Letter in PDF Download

Coffey Family December 2021 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests and Praise

  • It’s great to be home.  We arrived back in South Africa on December 2nd.  It was great being back for my son’s wedding, but not so great leaving my daughter Emilee there for Bible College.  We can already tell how difficult it will be not having her around.  Please pray for her as she attends the Our Generation Training Center in Alpharetta, GA.  This is a missionary training school started out of my home church, Vision Baptist Church.   
  • Please continue to pray for my wife’s ear surgery.  She’s lost most hearing in her left ear.  It’s a serious surgery that could improve her hearing or cause her to go completely deaf in that ear.  

Quick Updates

  • We want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year.  2021 passed very quickly, but I’m definitely looking forward to what the Lord has in store for 2022. 
  • We were able to buy a lawn tractor for Camp Rhino because of a generous donation.  This equipment is going to be a tremendous help to our Camp.  Our guys have been cutting about 6 acres of grass for almost three years now with just weed eaters. 
  • With being the Africa Director of our mission board, I’m privileged to represent a lot of great guys.  One of those missionaries is Jason Rishel.  Pray for him as he is raising funds to purchase motorcycles for his young men who are starting a circuit-riding ministry to reach into the surrounding villages of his city in Burkina Faso.  Each motorcycle cost about $900.  Please let me know if you would like to be a part of this ministry.  
Missionary Jason Rishel’s team in Burkina Faso

December is the start of our summertime here in South Africa.  Unfortunately, it is during this time that many teenagers start getting into drugs and alcohol.   Pray that we can see many of these young people rescued through our church and camp efforts.   Also, pray for our teens to stand for God and not go after the things of the world. 

A week after we left for the States in October, the grandmother of one of our teen boys was shot and killed with him in the next room.  He has been staying at Camp Rhino during most of the week since that happened.  We also have another teen girl staying at the Camp full time because of problems she was facing in her home.  These stories only scratch the surface of what a lot of young people face every day in the townships of South Africa.  

We are really praying about starting a teen home, separate from our camp ministry, to better minister to these young people in need.  We really need wisdom going forward.  Would you help us pray as we consider starting this ministry in the next year? 

Coffey Family July 2021 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests & Praise

  • Please pray for all of our churches.  South Africa went back in another lock down where no public gatherings of any kind were allowed for the past month or so.  Instead of canceling all our services, our churches met “underground” at least once a week, but thankfully we are able to start back with our normal services this coming week.
  • Because of the lockdown we canceled our winter teen and junior camps, but still plan to proceed with our Young Single’s Retreat.  We are expecting a good bit more young people than we had for our last singles retreat.  Please pray for hearts to be changed.  We have young guys who are still faithful to church from our last singles event at Camp Rhino.  We are really praying some of these young guys will commit to preach.    

Quick Updates

  • Construction is progressing rapidly on the building for Bay Baptist Bible College.  $25,000 was given for the first building, and we will need about that same amount for each of the following 5 buildings.   
  • Money has been given to cover the cost of 20 of the 40 beds and mattresses we need for Camp Rhino.  Each set of bunk beds is close to $300, which leaves us in need of about $2000 for the remaining beds.        
  • My son Chase and his fiancée Ashley, who marry on October 11th, announced their call as missionaries to South Africa.  We look very forward to having them here in South Africa.  Please pray they can get their support as quickly as possible.   Also please have them in your church to present their ministry if possible.  You can email him at: Chasesouthard7@gmail.com.

I shamelessly work at getting people to visit the mission field.  God used my first mission trip to change my life forever.  I want people to be able to experience the same kinds of things I faced that challenged my way of thinking and living.

This past month we had a group that was here for two weeks.  After a day packed with 4 services on Sunday, we took 3 of the guys out for a full-fledged African Safari Hunt where they were able to kill an impala and 2 kudu deer.  The meat from this hunt was donated to Camp Rhino.  Not only were they able to have one of the best hunting experiences of their lives, but they were also able to help feed the kids at our camp for at least the next 3 months. 

Meat from the Kudus that were hunted

If you’re interested in missions and interested in going on a Safari hunt to help Camp Rhino, please let me know.  We would love to have you. I can promise you it will be a trip you will never forget filled with lots of ministries and a little bit of Safari adventure.      

New Missionaries to South Africa

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It is undoubtedly a special privilege to announce that my son Chase and his fiancée Ashley, who will marry on October 11th, have announced their call to South Africa as full-time missionaries.

Needless to say, Amy and I are ecstatic. We have been hoping that the Lord would allow at least one of our children to come back and work in South Africa, and God gave us our wish.

Please be praying for Chase. He is currently finishing up his 6-month internship in Peru, South America, but has already started contacting Pastors for meetings. He has already been accepted as a missionary with our board, Vision Baptist Missions, and will begin traveling as soon as he gets back to the States in August. Ashley will join him after they are married on October 11th, and we pray they get their support raised as soon as possible.

It would be a great blessing to me if you would consider inviting him to present his ministry in your church. His contact info is: Chase Southard – chasesouthard7@gmail.com

Chase and his brother Tyler came into our home when Chase was only 9 years old, over 12 years ago. He arrived with us in South Africa when he was 13. It truly is by the grace of God that Chase and Tyler both have given their lives to take the Gospel to the World. I couldn’t be prouder of my two oldest sons. I can’t tell you how much we love Ashley as well. That will have to be another post, but I can promise you, he is getting one of the best girls I know.

Coffey Family June 2021 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests & Praise  

  • Missionary Jeremy Hall will be bringing a group of 9 people from all over the US to be with us in a couple of weeks.  We’re praying the Lord really moves in the heart of this mission team.  We’re especially excited that my niece, Chloe Johnson, will be a part of that group.     
  • Please be praying for our Junior and Teen Camps that we are having in July.  These will be our first winter camps at Camp Rhino.  As you all are heating up in the States, remember our seasons are opposite here in South Africa so it’s getting a little cooler.        

Quick Updates  

  • With the funds given to help the pastors and ministries in Zambia and Kenya we’ve continued to be a blessing to those great folks.  This past month we financed a well for one of the Bible Institutes in Zambia.  Thank you all for being a great help.  We are still collecting funds to be a help to those pastors if you are wanting to give.  
  • We are starting construction on the buildings for Bay Baptist Bible College next to Camp Rhino.  $25,000 was given for the first building, and we will need about that same amount for each of the following 5 buildings.  We’re hoping to continue construction for the Bible college along with the new lodge for Camp Rhino.  

Please pray that all our churches will be strengthened and more young people will step out and give their lives to preach the Gospel so we can start more churches.  

Lighthouse Baptist Church is going well.  We had 3 ladies saved this past month and the attendance is steadily increasing.  

Vision Baptist also continues to grow.  New Life and Nkandla have struggled a bit but we’re hoping and working to see some more growth in the coming weeks.

All we do here goes toward training national leadership with the purpose of starting more churches.  We know that if people have a church in their community they have a chance at eternal life. Pray with us as we continue to work toward starting a church for every community.  There is so much work to do. 

We finished up our first semester for our Bible College this year.  Our next semester starts in August.  We plan to be in our new building by that time.  We are hoping to branch out this year and make our college available to other churches around the country, especially with our new facilities becoming a reality.  

I do have a very excited announcement to make very soon. Be watching for our next email coming out this week.

Our Half Year in Pictures

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Here is a snapshot of 2021 so far for the Coffey family. Thank you all so much for being a part of our ministry. We are very fortunate to be involved in this exciting work.
We started off 2021 with two camps at Camp Rhino. We were torn about having camp during lockdown but finally decided to follow through with them. Thankfully we haven’t had a single outbreak with Covid this year with any of our meetings.
We started with Junior Camp. 

Then we followed with Teen Camp.

Remember, January is Summer for us here in South Africa:)

We saw over 50 young people make professions of faith during those two camps. Katie Dilfer who is raising support to come back to South Africa was able to visit for 3 weeks during that time. My son Chase also brought a group from the states to help with those camps.  

He also used that time to propose to his girlfriend Ashley.  We love her very much, btw:)

Two interns from Vision Baptist Missions came to work and train with us for 3 months, Noah and Tristan Wilkerson. 

Noah and Tristan surrendered to be missionaries to the bordering country of Mozambique during their time here.  We were able to take a short survey trip there to check out the country before they made their final decision.  Pray for them as they are now on deputation with the new son Logan, raising support to come back to Africa very soon.

Even though our churches were on lockdown and weren’t allowed to meet in their buildings, we invited the churches that wanted to participate to Camp Rhino for three weeks straight of Sunday services.  It was a special time for all the churches to meet together.  

In February, the restrictions were lifted and churches were able to meet again.  There is still a little struggle with attendance, but the leadership and spirit are strong and the churches are beginning to grow.  We continue to see people saved with five people making professions of faith this past month.

In March, I went back to the states for 3 weeks to teach at our annual orientation at the Wilds for Vision Baptist Missions. Below are those in attendance from our Africa team. I have the great privilege of serving them as the Africa Director for VBM. 

This is all our missionaries in attendance for orientation, those on furlough and those on deputation. 

In April, we had our very first teen camp and single camp during school’s fall break.  This is the first time we’ve had a camp outside the regular summer season.  We’re hoping this will begin our year-round camping which we hope to be the new normal.  We had 10 young people make professions of faith. 

Robert Canfield, Africa Representative and Director of the Our Generation Training Center in Alpharetta, Ga brought students from the Training Center to help during those camps.

We’ve tried to make great use of some of our downtime at Camp Rhino to improve our facilities. We’ve installed video surveillance along with an intercom system for the entire camp.

We are also working on improving Camp Rhino grounds and sport fields….

…. and adding hens soon to take down some of the expenses for the camp.

Classes have continued for Bay Baptist Bible College and Bay Baptist Bible Institutes throughout the lockdown. Please be praying as we will be breaking ground on our new buildings for Bay Baptist Bible College in the next few days. (New Pictures Coming Soon)

We’re definitely excited about what else is in store for us here in South Africa.  Thank you all for your prayers and support.  We wouldn’t be able to do what we get to do without you.

Coffey Family May 2021 Prayer Letter

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2020 was the year we planned to open up Camp Rhino to year round camps.  Unfortunately, those plans didn’t work out like we wanted for obvious reasons, but 2021 is looking much brighter.  

We held our first teen and junior camps in January and just finished another teen and singles camp at the end of April.  This is the first time we’ve had a camp outside of our summer months which we hope will be our new normal.  We had a much better turnout than we anticipated with 105 campers and 14 workers.  We were stacking kids on top of each other because of our shortage of beds:)

While a lot of countries are still shut down to travel, we’re very glad to know that South Africa is still open.  We have a group coming in June for a 10-day trip and also a large group from Medical Missions Outreach coming in September.  We are hoping to be completely booked with mission teams in 2022. If you or your church group is interested in visiting South Africa, we would love to have you.
Please continue praying for our 4 church plants as we continue reaching our communities. 

Prayer Requests & Praise  

  • This past week we had our first Fall Break Teen Camp here at Camp Rhino. We had over 100 campers and 9 of them trusted Christ as their Savior.    
  • We also hosted our very first Single’s Camp.  This was geared more toward our church young people, but we did have one young man who trusted in Christ. 
  • Please pray as we plan for the construction of Phase 2 for Camp Rhino.  In phase 2 we would like to build a lodge, a large meeting space, and several cabins that can be used for couple retreats and visiting groups.  We are probably going to need around $200,000 for these projects.   

Quick Updates  

  • My short trip back to the States went very well.  I was able to teach during our VBM Orientation and also present our ministry in a couple of new churches.  During the Orientation, it was a privilege to be with such a great group of missionaries who are eager to reach the world with the Gospel. 
  • Robert Canfield, Director of the Our Generation Training Center in Alpharetta, GA, brought three students for a two-week trip after I returned from the States.  During their trip, we traveled by car to the countries of Mozambique and Swaziland, while also visiting Durban, South Africa’s third-largest city.
  • We are in need of 40 beds and mattresses for Camp Rhino.  We have the dorm space but don’t quite have enough beds. Each bunk bed is about $300, which in total will be about $6000 if you would be interested in helping us with this need. 

Coffey Family March 2021 Prayer Letter

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With summer camp season over, our crowds at Camp Rhino haven’t been as big, but we’re still busy as ever.  We’re using this down time to improve things around the camp which will make it safer for campers and staff. Not to mention our Bible College and Bible Institute classes are in full swing. 

Currently, we’re installing a new surveillance system that will help with security and accountability. We are also installing an intercom system that’s going to be very helpful in moving people around more efficiently and allows us to play good music and messages over the entire campus during downtimes. 

Camera and Speaker Systems being installed at Camp Rhino

All improvements are possible because of your generous donations.  Thank you all for playing a huge part.  We would really love for you to visit Camp Rhino sometime so you can see everything for yourself. 

We are continuing with our weekend youth mentoring program.  New Life Baptist Church is bringing a group of teens to the camp this week for an overnight retreat.  We are also planning a parents’ camp day where we invite all the parents of campers to check out the Camp. Most of these parents do not go to church and will be hearing the Gospel during their time here. Pray that lives will be impacted during these events. 

Prayer Request & Praise

  • Pray for me as I travel back to the States next week to teach at our annual orientation with Vision Baptist Missions.  Pray for Amy as she holds things down here at Camp Rhino with the kiddos while I’m gone. I do have a Wednesday evening service available along with Easter Sunday if you would like me to come by your church during this time.
  • We are planning now for the construction of our Camp Rhino Lodge. This will be the place teams from America stay during mission trips and will also be the housing for our couple retreats and camps. Pray that we’ll have the wisdom and the finances we need going forward. This will be a very large project.
  • Pray for Nate and Emily Wilkerson as they arrived in Burkina Faso, West Africa to begin their language studies this past month.  They have the opportunity to serve and learn under missionaries Jason and Charity Rishel.
  • Pray for Mvume Johnson and the Lighthouse Baptist Church, our 2nd church.  Our Friday youth meetings have doubled in size over the past few weeks.  We are hoping that many will come to Christ soon.  
Nate, Emilee, & Azariah Wilkerson

Quick Updates

  • Noah & Tristan Wilkerson finished their internship and were accepted as new missionaries to the country of Mozambique with Vision Baptist Missions.  Pray for them as they begin raising support and please consider having them in your church to present their ministry.  You definitely won’t regret it. 
  • We’ve had 3 young people trust Christ at our 4th church plant this month, Vision Baptist Church with Pastor Sipho Bonga. Here we are also starting Sunday morning services on Easter.  Before we’ve only had evening services on Sundays and Wednesdays.  
  • Pastor Khona is having Bible studies with those who trusted Christ last month.  He and his wife Iminathi are doing a great job there at Nkandla Baptist Church. Pray for this dear family and for more souls to be saved. 
1st Youth Meeting at Lighthouse Baptist Church with Pastor Mvume
Lisakhanya sharing the Gospel with one of the teens

February 2021 Coffey Family Prayer Letter

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While traveling through much of South Africa that I’ve never visited before on our way to Mozambique, I’m reminded the need for the Gospel of Christ is great in places we didn’t even know about.  

We are on our way to Maputo, the capitol of Mozambique.  We know of very little work being done in this large country.  Will you pray that more men will be raised up to reach these needed cities and countries.  

As we travel, Bay Baptist College has resumed classes on the Campus of Camp Rhino.  We currently have 2 new students for the new semeseter, and may possibly add 2 or 3 more within the next week.  Pray for these young men as they train and pray we are able to see many more added. 

I will be traveling alone back to the States at the end of March to teach at the annual orientation for our board, Vision Baptist Missions. This is part of my responsibilities as the Africa Director for VBM.  I’m looking very forward to spending time with our new young missionaries.   God has blessed and more couples who want to be a part of world evangelism.

5 Saved at Nkandla Baptist Church

Prayer Request & Praise

  • Pray for my friend Mario Genada in Zambia and the 65 plus pastors he has trained and is working with.  Many have just planted their corn in the villages and they must wait for the harvest.  The little harvest they had from last year is already exhausted.  Covid 19 has caused many of their people to be out of work which means little is coming in for the Pastors to provide for their families.  If you would like to give to help them through these next few months please let me know.    
  • 49 saved during Junior and Teen Camps in January, with 2 teenagers getting saved at Camp Rhino the following Sunday after teen camp.    
  • 5 Young people trusted Christ at Nkandla Baptist Church this past week.  Pray for Pastor Khona as he disciples these new converts.
Zambian Pastors receiving food to help their families

Quick Updates

  • Noah & Tristan Wilkerson are in the last month of their internship here.  Pray as we take a quick trip to Mozambique for a survey trip.  Noah has been praying about being a missionary there for quite some time.  We’re actually at the border now waiting for their system to come back online so we can get a visa to cross.
  • This past week Noah and I took a 2-day survey trip to the city of Durban, South Africa. It’s the 3rd largest city here in South Africa with almost 4 million people and there are only a few Bible-preaching churches.  The need is great. 
  • Churches have started back full time, and we hope restrictions are over.  We enjoyed the joint services we held at Camp Rhino but are glad we can get back to regular church services.
Noah & Tristan Wilkerson at the Mozambique Border

Coffey Family January 2021

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“These are crazy times” is quickly becoming the go-to cliche every where:). That’s definetely true for things in South Africa. 

Because of higher Covid numbers here in South Africa, tighter restrictions have returned.  The closing of churches and not being able to sell alcohol are really the only things that have changed. We’re glad about the alcohol but not so much about the churches. 

As I write this letter, we are in the middle of our last full day of teen camp.  Things have been slammed with us starting camps and with two groups from the US arriving to help. I slipped away so I could let you guys know what’s going on.  

Even with the restrictions on religious gatherings, we decided to have both our junior and teen camps.  Businesses are allowed to have 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors.  Our plan was to stay under the 50 number for campers, but we haven’t done a perfect job at that.  These camps have been a blessing to our churches and we are thrilled to see many young people believe on Jesus.

Prayer Request and Praise

  • Pray for all our churches here in South Africa.  Churches aren’t allowed to meet until February 15th, at the earliest, because of Covid.  We have been holding services at Camp Rhino for the churches that want to be involved. Soon some of the churches will start meeting even though there is a lockdown.  It’s hard to find a good reason to stay closed with casinos, theatres, and malls still open. 
  • We had 22 saved during Junior Week at Camp Rhino to start off this year! 🙂         
  • Our smaller camp ideas didn’t exactly work out for Teen Week:) We ended up having 78 campers and hit 106 with staff and counselors.  Too many wanted to come, and we couldn’t turn them away.     
  • Katie Dilfer, a single missionary to South Africa with BIMI, came for three weeks to help out with camps.  Pray for her as she returns to the States next week to continue raising monthly support to come and work here full time.          
  • Pray for Noah & Tristan Wilkerson as they are here for a 2-month internship with the OG Training Center. If you are interested in helping with their expenses during their time here please let me know.

Quick Updates

  • We praise God for the offerings that came in the last 2 months.  Those gifts enabled us to finish our boys’ dorms, install the electricity for our auditorium/activity center, and cover the cost of both teen and junior camps this year. 
  • Our next building projects for Camp Rhino will probably be our couples’ cabins and main lodge. We have really been amazed at how far we’ve come in such a short time with all your prayer and support.  We can’t thank you enough.