Category Archives: Updates
The Coffey Family August 2016 Prayer Letter
Prayer Request
- For more souls to be saved
- Visa Renewals for my Children- All visas have been resubmitted and we’re hoping they will be granted without a problem.
- Pray especially for my daughter Addi’s visa. We were told by her primary school that if it’s not received, she will be dismissed from the school.
- Wisdom in going forward with our idea to start a Camp & Retreat Center
- My son Chase is having problems with his knee that may require surgery.
This week started out great when I had an opportunity to lead a 57 year old man to the Lord after Pastor Sipho preached on Sunday morning. It got even better when, I was able to lead a 23 year old man to Lord during Thursday evening Discipleship. Please pray that we can see many more saved in the next few months before our return to the states.
August has been a very busy month. We hosted a group of 14 from Bath Baptist Church in Bath, Michigan for 12 days which we had a great time with, and also started up the Bible Institute again.
In the Bible Institute there were 16 in class last week from all the churches. In January, our plan is to start classes in each church. We wanted all the pastors to meet at one church this semester to learn the layout and scheduling so they could help guide it properly in their own church next semester. I really believe we will see great growth in the coming years through this ministry.
Please be in prayer for our plans to start a youth camp and retreat center when we return from furlough. We believe this would be a great help in seeing more young people trained and more churches started in all of South Africa. This will be a ministry that will run year round, and give us the ability to impact South Africans as well as recruit students from the US to get more involved in missions.
More Highlights
- Our plan is to start furlough in December. If you’re interested in having us report back or present our ministry, please let me know.
- More than 10 trusted Christ while the group from Bath Baptist Church ministered during their 12 day trip.
- Amy and I received our new visas this past month, but we’re still waiting on our children’s.
Needs
- Meetings in New Churches during our furlough in 2017
The Coffey Family April 2016 Prayer Letter
Prayer Request
- New Saturday service started in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa- Saturday Bible Club
- The Kevin and Corli Hall family- They return from furlough at the end of this month.
Needs
- $1000 to complete the basement area for New Life Baptist Church. The only thing that lacks is the electrical work.
- Approx. $1500 for the inside of Wells Estate’s new auditorium.
- $500 for printing tracks and booklets
The Friday before Easter, aka “Good Friday”, was a big day at New Life. We had a special 10:00 am combined service with Soweto Baptist Church. It was the largest attended service in the one-year history of our church. Around 50 people came from Soweto and about 100 people came from our community. We praise the Lord for the two people who trusted Christ, and for the three new adults who have been coming to all the services since.
The basement project for New Life Baptist is almost complete. The only thing we lack is the electrical work and decorating. Even without lights, the children were thrilled to start using the room, and the adults were also pretty grateful not having the kids in the next room:)
Our new building for Wells Estate Baptist Church is finished on the outside, but quite a bit of work needs to be done on the inside. We are hoping the funds come in this next month so we can completely finish this project. The church is growing and we’re happy about the new location that comes with a lot of growing room.
Wells Estate Baptist Church’s New Location
The building for Wells Estates is coming along nicely. The slab and post for the main structure are up, and I heard a lot of the main structure was put up yesterday, but unfortunately, I don’t have pictures of that yet. We are still short on being able to purchase all the metal sheeting for the outer walls and roof and the 6 windows that are needed. We are praying that comes in this week so we will be able to finish the building before the end of March. Thank you very much for all the prayers and finances given.
Coffey Family March 2016 Prayer Letter
Since the start of our Friday youth meetings this year we’ve seen several young people make professions of faith. We’ve also had a few adults this past month trust Christ as well during our main services. We praise the Lord for those who have been changed by the truth of the Gospel.
This past Saturday we started having a Saturday service in a city called Jeffery’s Bay about 45 minutes outside of Port Elizabeth. Jeffrey’s Bay has around 30,000 people and a family who lives there asked us to start having services. We’re working with this family in the hopes that a new church can be started in the next few months. Pray the Lord opens doors and gives us wisdom in the coming days.
We are in need of more space for both the children’s and teen’s ministries right now. Finishing our basement is one of the top priorities. Several new boys from 9-12 years old have started coming faithfully, we just need a better place to teach them. For children’s church, we have about 20 kids crammed into an small room. We really don’t have room for any more. This room is also right next to our main auditorium which has been causing some noise problems.
Prayer Request
- New Saturday service started in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa.
- Youth Meetings and Discipleship classes going on at New Life
More Highlights
- Josh & Meagan Sullivan, our teammates on deputation, just had their third baby, Silas Elliot.
- Jeremy & Bekah Hall are doing a great job at Soweto Baptist Church. They’ve had a high day this month of 90 people. Their new building looks terrific.
- Pastor Babalo and Wells Estate Baptist Church are growing and doing very well. We finally have a piece of property (pictured below) for the church and need to have a structure built on the property by the end of March in order to comply with the community requirements for designated church property. Pray we can get all the money raise and labor completed in time.
Needs
- $2500 to complete the basement area for New Life Baptist Church. This would almost double our meeting space.
- Approx. $4500 for Wells Estate’s auditorium on their new land. This would include the slab and a 12m x 15m building.
Coffey Family November 2015 Prayer Letter
Praise the Lord, we had 4 Baptized last week and will have 1 more baptized tomorrow. We just completed the construction of our baptistry and are happy to put it to use. We are starting to gain traction in the area of faithful people making the right steps in their Christian life. As our core group is faithfully attending services and discipleship classes, real growth is taking place at New Life Baptist.
Josh and Meagan Sullivan have been here for the last 6 month’s as interns working with our teens, and also going through language school. They left this week to start full time deputation to come back to South Africa as missionaries. Pray for them as the work to get back. We are praying the Lord will bring us many more young families to help reach the people of South Africa. The opportunities here are wide open. Maybe you would consider coming to help.
December begins summer holidays where many people go back to their homeland for a month or so. Our Bible Institute will be put on hold until January, but we will use this time to really invest in the young people that won’t be traveling. We pray, that as we begin, the summer with our teen camp, many of these young people will make life changing decisions that we can build upon during the summer months.
Prayer Request
- The Sullivan Family as they raise support to come back to South Africa
- New Church Plant in Soweto
- Teen Camp (Dec. 7-11)
More Highlights
- Pastor Tom Hatley from Fellowship Baptist in Maryville, Tn, visited this month with his daughter and another member from their church. Pastor Hatley has been a great friend in the ministry. He was a great encouragement during his time here.
- Pastors Austin Gardner & Robert Canfield from my home church visited this month, along with my mission’s Director Jeff Bush. They were a help challenging our people and all the preachers to be men and women of the Book.
Needs
- $1550 for youth camp. Three families will be trying to raise this amount to cover the cost of our very first teen camp here in Port Elizabeth. (120 campers approx.)
- $10,000 to start Soweto Baptist Church. We have a small building but are already in need of more space. The group that will leave from New Life to start the church will already fill up that space.
Coffey Family October 2015 Prayer Letter
Prayer Request
- More laborers for Southern Africa
- New Church Plant in Soweto
- Language learning
- Youth Conference at Madiba (Oct 5-10)
As I sat with three teenagers at my home this week during a discipleship lesson, I was reminded about the priority of our ministry here in South Africa. I’m excited about the people who were saved over the past few weeks at New Life Baptist Church. I’m excited we have people in attendance that’s not just my family and Pastor Sipho’s family. But the one thing that excites me the most is being able to sit around a table with some young people who seem interested in learning more about God’s word.
Lisakhanya and Abongile, both 15 years old, were saved this past month. Mvumelwa, who is 16 and also leads the music of the church, was also there. As they are learning the books of the New Testament this week and how to say Romans 3:10 & Romans 3:23 by memory, I see the future of a stronger church planting ministry in South Africa.
I know investing in young guys is what it takes to build a ministry that will last. Pray for our team as we seek to win and train more young men for the Gospel ministry. Currently, I’m able to meet with around 10 young people who have showed interest in learning more of the Bible and of the ministry.
Needs
- $1550 for youth camp. Three families will be trying to raise this amount to cover the cost of our very first teen camp here in Port Elizabeth. (120 campers approx.)
- $10,000 to help with the building for Soweto Baptist Church which will be started in December, Lord willing. 20 people who have been faithful to New Life will be going with my cousin Jeremy to start this church.
More Highlights
- 8 Saved at New Life this month
- My wife Amy is now teaching two discipleship classes a week in Xhosa.
- My sons are pretty happy about finding a baseball league here close to our house. Luke is especially happy to have baseball back.
- 8 Saved during open air service yesterday
October 2015 Update
1st Annual Bay Baptist Youth Camp
Youth Camp: Our first youth camp is December 6-12. The cost to take 120 teens to camp is going to be $4650 ($38.75 per camper); which includes their food, camp facilities, and transport. Praise the Lord, we have had $200 given so far. We are planning to charge each camper R150 ($12) for the week. Fundraisers and work days will begin this weekend for the teens to help with their expenses. We are still needing to raise $3,010.00. If you would be interested in helping with this please send any money to P.O. Box 519 Braselton, GA 30517 (Att. Jeremy Hall/Youth Camp). Thanks so much for your consideration and for your prayers for this event.
Soweto Baptist Church
Church Building: Bekah and I are going to start our first church in South Africa, Soweto Baptist Church. We are needing $12,900 for the construction of a building (normally around $18,000+), if we are able to take advantage of the current exchange rate. We are blessed to not have to start from scratch. We already have land and two small rooms on that land, which will be connected by the new building, and serve as class rooms. The building will be able to seat around 120 people (1000 sq. ft.).
The Lord has already blessed our efforts in Soweto as we have been evangelizing and training many young men and women in the area. More than a dozen people have been saved and are ready to get baptized. Currently, we continue to transport around 20 people weekly to worship with us at a church started by my cousin, Mark Coffey, and Sipho Bonga in another area. We believe God will fill this building to capacity with new believers by the this time next year. Please pray with us that God would supply these funds while the rates are favorable (any donation should be labeled Jeremy Hall/Soweto Building Fund).
Other Announcements and Prayer Requests:
- Prayer works! One of the guys I asked you to pray for last month was saved last week, Zolani. And, as I expected, several others dropped their guard and made professions as well; 7 young men in total. Please remember them in your prayers; Ntiska, Aphelele, Athini, Soli, Khanyiso, and Sibusiso. I am meeting with these guys (and about 5 others) several times a week, outside of church services, studying the scriptures. God is raising up a good group of guys who we fully expect to be used for the furtherance of His Kingdom.
- Youth Conference Oct. 5-9, at Madiba Bay Baptist Church
- We have several good friends coming over for a visit; Pastor Tom Hatley with Fellowship Baptist Church will be here Nov. 3 -12. Also Pastor Austin Gardner, Bro. Jeff Bush, and Bro. Robert Canfield from Vision Baptist Church will be with us Nov. 11-18. If you or your church are interested in taking a missions trip please feel free to contact me.
- November is going to be busy. We are moving! Only about 3 miles down the road. Pray this process goes smoothly.
We are extremely grateful that the Lord allows us to do what we do. We hope this letter allows you to see a little of what your investment is accomplishing. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated and you are prayed for often.
Sincerely,
Jeremy and Rebekah Hall
Update 8/19
Prayer request’s
– Our Sunday School class
– Our young men in discipleship
– to book meetings
– Cultural adaptation
– Language learning
– Youth on Fridays
My family and I are so blessed to be here in South Africa with amazing families to help train us. My wife and I continually see the benefits of our internship and are so amazed that God would allow us to have this opportunity. We are so thankful for the ones who pray for and support us in our mission.
Pastor Sipho and I are still meeting with out young men. These boys have been faithful and we are now meeting on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Pastor Sipho has been one of my main ministry partners. He has been a great help with me learning the language as well as the culture.
A new ministry opportunity has come up. Pastor Mark and Pastor Sipho are working on a plan for a possible church plant in Kwadwesi-extension. Please pray for them to have God’s wisdom. The area shows much promise as we already have people from that area wanting a church to go to.
We only have 13 weeks left here in South Africa. Less than 100 days. Please pray for us to use every bit of time we have left wisely. Our desire is to soak up all the experience and information possible while we are here. We already feel so much more prepared to live in SA.
Thank you!
update July 1-11
God has done a great work at New Life Baptist Church. The Builders are finishing up with a few things on the church. The church now has a sidewalk, the basement is being worked on and the Sunday school rooms are closed off.
Pastor Sipho and I are working with the teens in Kwadewsi. We had a high of 30 in our Youth Night last Friday and 12 professions of faith were made. God knows more than we do how much of a need is here in Port Elizabeth. Please pray for us as we go and try to disciple these young people who have made professions. It was exciting to see an increase in our Sunday School class where We had 13 young people.
We have had nearly 2 weeks off from language school because of working to get our visas as well as a VBS at Wells Baptist Church. Meagan was the team captain for the iingusha (lambs) and I was the team captain of the iingoyama (lions). God blessed and we had an average of 90 Tuesday-Thursday. The kids received points thru-ought the week for memorizing scripture and well as good behavior. Sadly, at the end of the week team iingusha defeated iingoyama by only 15 points. Consequently as the captain of the losing team I had to be pied in the face. You can see this on our Facebook page.
Meagan and I are excited about our sons first birthday this month. Our children have acclimated very well here and we are excited about them experiencing a new culture, language, and way of life here in SA.
Prayer Request:
– We get out visas excepted.
– Young men to disciple.
– Growth of New Life Baptist Church.
– More Laborers to be sent to South Africa.
