Category Archives: Updates

Coffey Family July 2023 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Request & Praise

  • Winter Teen Camp started on June 29th and we had 88 campers attend with 23 counselors.  8 campers made professions of faith in Jesus while 3 said they were lost but weren’t ready to make that decision.  Please pray for these 3 to come to Christ soon. 
  • A group from Southside Baptist Church led by Youth Pastor Tim Johnson was here to help with the camp.  They jumped right in, were a great help, and really ministered to our kids.  
  • Please pray for my daughter Emilee who is raising money for her 6-month internship in Argentina.  This internship will be the last part of her bachelor’s degree from the Our Generation Training Center. She plans to leave for her internship in February. I have attached her letter below. No pressure, but it would mean a lot to this father if God led you to be a help to her:) You can send any support for her to VBM and mark it Emilee Coffey Internship.

Quick Updates

  • Our two American interns, Noah Haught & Katie Holt have done a great job during their short time here and really have a heart to learn and serve.  Katie leaves at the end of July, but Noah will be here until February.  We are grateful for the young people God is sending our way.  Please let me know if you are interested in a short internship here in South Africa. 
  • We had $11,000 given to help with new construction at Camp Rhino.  This enabled us to add two new dorms that we can use for camps and for housing our Bible college students. 
  • Listed are a few of our more significant needs for Camp Rhino & the Rhino Youth Home.  Pray the Lord provides as He would like us to add tools and shelves/counters for our Work Shop for $8000;  $10,000 for two more dorm rooms at the camp—tractor w/backhoe $25,000; 15-passenger van $25,000.

We hit some pretty major milestones for the month of June this year.  June 23 marked the 10-year anniversary of our family arriving in South Africa.  On June 24th, Amy and I celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary.  Thank you all for being with us along the way.  We are truly blessed. 

At the beginning of June, Amy and  I traveled to Abuja, Nigeria to be with VBM missionaries Graham and Olivia Young.  They are some of our closest friends and we are encouraged to see how the Lord has used them during their first year on the field.  Would you please continue praying for them and for the country of Nigeria?  It’s the largest populated country on the continent and there is such a need for more laborers.  

Having Winter Camp with Southside Baptist here was a great experience.  We have another group coming at the end of July from Texas.  Pray that more churches will come to see the field and pray that more people surrender their lives to full-time missions as a result of their time here.

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Click here to download Emilee’s 1st Support Letter Download

Emilee’s Internship Letter

Internship letter 

Dear Pastor, 

I am writing this letter to update you on what the Lord has been doing in my life.  Your years of support allowed me to serve alongside my family as your missionaries in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.  I’m very grateful for your investment that allowed me to grow up on the mission field.  

Since 2022 I have been attending the Our Generation Training Center majoring in missions. I am now preparing for my six-month overseas internship in Argentina at the beginning of 2024 to complete my studies working under Patrick and Leslie Henry.

During this time, I will continue my mission studies with practical on-the-field training from missionaries, assist in church planting and their other ministries, and start Spanish language school.

Please pray for me as I  start this exciting new step, and please consider financially partnering with me to make this internship possible.  

I am excited to take this next step of faith and finish my missionary training. If you would like to give a monthly donation for the longevity of those six months or a one-time offering you, can send any donation to:

Vision Baptist Missions

PO Box 647

Dawsonville, GA 30534

memo line – “Emilee Coffey Internship.”

Or, if you prefer to donate online, please visit:

visionmissions.org/give/

select “Emilee Coffey – Internship” for the designation

Here to serve, 

Emilee Coffey

Coffey Video Ministry Update

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Before we left for the US in February we made an updated version of our ministry video. The first one we did was hosted by our son Luke when he was 11 years old I believe. Things have changed a bit since then.

If you’ve never seen the first video you can check it out here.

Coffey Family May 2023 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests & Praise

  • We have a new teen girl, Asanda (pictured below), who has come into the Rhino Youth Home.  She has been a faithful teen at one of our churches for many years but was kicked out of her abusive home a couple of weeks ago.  She’s had to grow up in a very rough environment and we’re glad we can provide a safe haven for her.  Pray for her as she adjusts and pray the Lord will use her in a big way.       
  • Please be praying for the missions team coming from Southside Baptist Church in Knoxville, TN next month.  During their mission trip, they will also be helping with our winter teen camp at Camp Rhino.  
  • Please pray for my daughter Emilee who will be raising money for her 6-month internship in Argentina soon.  This internship will be the last part of her bachelor’s degree from the Our Generation Training Center. She plans to leave for her internship in February. 

Quick Updates

  • During the first week of June, Amy and I will be traveling to Nigeria to visit our missionaries, Graham and Olivia Young.  We’re looking forward to being with them and seeing the city they plan to start their first church in.  Please keep them and the country of Nigeria in your prayers.  It’s the largest populated country on the continent of Africa with very few missionaries.  Pray for more laborers. 
  • Listed are a few of the larger needs we have for Camp Rhino and the Youth Home.  Pray the Lord will provide as He would like us to add them:  additional Boys’ & Girls’ dorms $25,000 per dorm; Wood/Trades Work Shop Tools & Counters $8000; Tractor loader and backhoe $25,000; 15-passenger van $25,000.

Being back home here at Camp Rhino, at our churches, and at my bible studies these past few days has been very refreshing.  We really miss our children in America, but we’re very glad to be back in South Africa.  

At the end of May, we have a new intern, Noah, coming for 8 months that will be helping with the camp.  He’s also here to see if this would be something the Lord would have him do full-time.  Pray for the Lord to use and direct him during his time here. With his help, we’re looking forward to improving a lot of areas in the coming weeks.  

As I’ve traveled to a few countries this past month in Africa, I’m challenged even more by the great need.  My hope is that our team and ministries here in South Africa will help raise up and train new missionaries that will not only help us here in South Africa but be an evangelistic force all over Africa.  There are so many great opportunities before us to start Bible-preaching churches, but the need for laborers is great.

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Coffey Family April 2023 Prayer Letter

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This month comes with sadness and joy.  Lisolethu, a 17-year-old boy who lived at our Youth Home for over 2 years, quickly passed away from Spinal Meningitis.  His funeral was held this past Saturday.  We praise the Lord that Liso made a profession of faith and I believe we’ll see him again soon.  Even after leaving the Youth Home this past December, he continued being faithful to church and inviting his friends to church. Liso will be missed very much.      

There are many just like Liso who die young but don’t have a Bible-preaching church in their community.  We must keep going, and we must continue raising up more people to reach the billions who still haven’t heard a clear presentation of the Gospel.  I pray Liso’s death will be a catalyst for many to be more serious about reaching the lost. 

This has been a hard time for our team at Camp Rhino, our churches, and also my family.  We were all very close to Liso, and being so far away from the ministry during this time has also been more difficult.  Thankfully we return to South Africa tomorrow. 

Prayer Request & Praise

  • Pray for our family as we return to South Africa tomorrow, April 27th. We look forward to being home, but leaving our son Luke on this side will be hard.  We arrived in South Africa in 2013 with all five of our children and now we’re returning with just one, our 12-year-old daughter Addison.     
  • Pray for Nate and Emily Wilkerson with the birth of their beautiful new daughter Alaska.  I was privileged to be in Burkina Faso when she was born a few weeks ago.  Also, pray for the Wilkersons as they finish language school and head to the country of Benin soon.  
  • With the death of Liso, I’m burdened with the work of our Youth Home now more than ever.  Pray as we continue ministering to the teens we have and pray that we will have wisdom in accepting new ones. 

Quick Updates

  • Congratulations to my son Luke who just proposed to his girlfriend Adriana Bush.  Luke and Adri have been dating for quite some time and we are thrilled about Adria being a part of our family.  Their plan is to get married this coming September.  
  • My trip to Mozambique and Burkina Faso was fantastic.  I’m excited about the potential our new missionary team has in Mozambique and I was blown away by the work our missionaries are doing in Burkina Faso.  God is using them to make an amazing impact in their cities.  
  • Last week I was honored to be a part of Vision Baptist Mission’s annual orientation.  We have a good number of new missionaries heading to the field soon.  Getting to spend time with these new missionaries is one of my favorite weeks of the year.   Please pray for them. 
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Coffey Family February 2023 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Request and Praise

  • My oldest sons Tyler and Chase, lost their grandfather this past week.  This is also the dad of Jeremy and Kevin Hall, my cousins and coworkers in South Africa.  Jeremy and Kevin had to fly to the States unexpectedly from South Africa and cover the expenses of the funeral.  Please pray for them during this time and pray they can get the money they need to cover the costs.     
  • Our son Luke is back in the States to stay, at least for now.  He will be working and getting ready for Bible College in September.  Pray for him as he’s looking for a job and getting set up.
  • Missionaries Noah & Tristan Wilkerson’s little girl Alainey has been progressing well.  Please continue to pray for her and the long road ahead.  Pray for Noah as he continues to make short trips to Mozambique.

Quick Updates

  • New Missionaries Brandon & Maggie  Byerly started Xhosa language school last week.  The Byerlys are in helps ministry and plan on aiding with our camps, youth home, and Christian school. 
  • At the end of this month, I start a 3-day mission class at the Our Generation Training Center, where my son will be attending.  I look forward to spending time with the students training for the mission field. 
  • Next month will take me to Wisconsin, Michigan, Texas, North Carolina, and Ohio.  Needless to say, I’m not staying in one place while in the States:)
  • New Support Address | Vision Baptist Missions has moved locations.  Vision Baptist Missions– P.O. Box 647 – Dawsonville, GA 30534

We arrived back in the States on Feb 7th on my wife’s birthday, and haven’t stopped much.  I traveled to Rural Hall, NC for a meeting the next day and then to the church I grew up in on Sunday, Whitfield Baptist Church, to preach and celebrate their 45-year anniversary.  My father-in-law, Pastor Wayne Cofield, started this church and has been there ever since. I’m off to VA and NC this weekend.  

During the next two and half months I have a full schedule and am praying we can raise more awareness of the need in Africa and raise more support for the Camp and Youth Home. 

With 54 countries in Africa, the need is gigantic. We need to do more to get the Gospel to this massive continent.  Please pray. 

If your church would be interested in making Camp Rhino and/or Rhino Youth Home part of your monthly mission budget, we would be very grateful.  Our prayer is that this camp, youth home, and training ministry will aid in more churches being started all over Africa. 

Coffey Family December 2022 Prayer Letter

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“Nobody broke a bone or was seriously injured in any way.”  That’s always an excellent statement to hear after a week of junior camps, especially after a few new camp games were added that might have raised the possibility of injury a bit.  Our junior summer camps at Camp Rhino have come to an end and we had a fantastic time.  

Young people were saved and our counselors and staff did a tremendous job ministering to all the campers.  

Thank you all who have given or plan to give to make these camps possible.  We couldn’t do it without your sacrifices.   We’re gearing up for our teen camps in a couple of weeks and can’t wait to see what the Lord does.  

It was very exciting to have our first 3 graduates from the Bay Baptist Bible College finish their Bachelor’s in Biblical Studies.  Two of these men are pastors and the third is on deputation for Mozambique.  God is good!  Pray for more laborers to be raised up and sent out. 

Quick Updates:

  • Merry Christmas to all. Please pray for our 2 boys and their spouses, and for Emilee, who are back in the States.  Not being with them during this time is a little hard, but they are all doing well. Praise the Lord. 
  • Our churches are doing well in spite of the low attendance because of the summer holiday season here in South Africa.
  • Josh and Hannah Dalporto arrived from The Wild’s Camp in NC and are here to assist us for 3 months. 
  • We have another couple arriving for a 3-month internship in January and also 7 young people from a supporting church who will be here the month of January to be involved in the ministry. 
  • Contact me if you are interested in a short or long-term internship. We would love to have you.

Prayer Requests:

  • Please be in prayer for our missionaries to Mozambique, Noah & Tristan Wilkerson, and their new baby Alainey.  Alainey was born with several health issues and we’re asking the Lord to intervene. 
  • 23 junior boys trusted Christ this week along with 13 junior girls.  Please pray for their growth in their new walk with Christ.  Also, pray for each of the churches that are ministering to these young people.   
  • Boys’ Teen Camp starts on January 4th, while the girls’ camp starts on the 10th. Pray God does something big in the lives of these young people.

Don’t miss out. The Our Generation Summit will take place at our Mission Board from December 29-31. If you would be interested in attending click here to get more information and also to sign up.

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October 2022 Coffey Family Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests  & Praise  

  • 10 Young People made professions of faith during a Soccer tournament this past week held at Camp Rhino. This event was organized by 3 of our Bible college students.  They promoted the event and also did all the preaching.  It was neat to see them in action. 
  • Close to 300 people made professions of faith during our medical clinic with Medical Missions Outreach.  We saw over 2,000 patients during the 5-day clinic with most of them hearing a presentation of the Gospel.  MMO has been a great blessing to our churches. 
  • A new teenager is entering the Africa Youth Home this week.  Pray for us during the transition.  He’s the first new teen we’ve added since buying the new property for the youth home. Also, pray as we are still in search of house parents for the boy’s and the girl’s homes.

Quick Updates

  • We have decided to hold off on starting a new church until after our short furlough in 2023.  We’ll be back in the States to help our oldest son get settled and also for the VBM Annual Orientation.  We will continue our focus on helping Lighthouse Baptist Church until then. 
  • My cousin Jeremy started Bay Baptist Academy Primary School last year.  The Lord has opened doors for us to purchase property right across the street from the primary school to start the High School.  Pray we can raise the $68,000 in less than 60 days.  It’s been exciting seeing the school in action this past year and I know it’s going to be even better with the addition of the high school. Jeremy and his wife Bekah have done a tremendous job with this ministry. 

This past month I started 3 new Bible studies with people in different parts of our city.  Pray the Lord works and we can see many come to Christ through these efforts.  I’m hoping that maybe God would open doors for future church plants from these meetings. 

Bible Study in Tata Khaya’s House

One of our supporting churches, Fellowship Baptist Church in Maryville, TN with Pastor Tom Hatley is visiting this week.  During any visiting group, my hope and prayesr are that God moves on the hearts of at least one person to give their life to foreign missions.  Would you help pray that more laborers would be raised up?  

Last month a high school principal asked me about using Camp Rhino for a full month to host all of his 12th-grade students (90-100 students) for 30 straight days.  They would use that time to prepare for their graduation exams, but during that time we would also be able to preach to them each morning and hold Sunday and Midweek services. Pray as we make this decision for the 2023 school year. 

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Bright and Exciting Days Ahead for VBM Africa

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After more than 9 years since the day we landed in South Africa, we are reminded of how quickly time goes by and how much older we are becoming.  When I stepped off that plane being 37 years old, I already felt like I was getting a late start on the work that lay ahead.  At times now, I can feel a pit in my stomach when I think about how little time we have left to accomplish the work that God has called us to do in getting the Gospel to our city, to our country, to our world.  There is a weight on me as we consider Africa and the many places and people that still don’t have a Bible-preaching church.

Our South Africa team tries to act like we’re still young like we are right out of Bible college but the grey hairs in my teammates’ beards are a sure sign we aren’t fooling anyone.  

Although we see our days passing by, this past week was a time that invigorated the work we know we are called to do.  We are getting older but God is raising up an army of young men to join the ranks of reaching this world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our Generation.  Young missionary families from West Africa invaded our city of Gqeberha, South Africa this past week for the Vision Baptist Missions Africa Regional Conference.  There is no doubt that this group of men and women are young in age, especially compared to us old guys, but they are definitely not young in their walk with the Lord.  

My friends Nate & Graham

Graham & Olivia Young just landed in Nigeria a few weeks ago and the devil has already taken aim to knock them out of the fight before they even get started, but this precious couple is aware of Satan’s attacks and is ready for battle.  They have a maturity beyond their years that is inspiring to be around. 

Graham & Olivia Young – Missionaries to Nigeria

Nate & Emily Wilkerson are eager for the next stage of their ministry, preparing to enter a new battleground for our mission board in Benin where so far we haven’t been able to locate other like-minded missionaries. The zeal and mindset of this couple are an anomaly for people their age, really for people of any age.  I can’t wait to see the Gospel spread through them to this new land. 

The Young’s with Nate & Emily Wilkerson – Missionaries to Benin, West Africa

Dallas & Ashley Brown arrived from plowing a very difficult ground in their first years as missionaries in Burkina Faso.  This dear family who is yielded to the Lord as few as I’ve ever seen gives me hope that we can see the Gospel taken to every creature.  The Brown family is a family that influences everyone around them and even challenges us old guys like we should be challenging them. 

Dallas & Ashely Brown – Missionaries to Burkina Faso

The days ahead for VBM Africa are bright and exciting.  I’m privileged to work with this amazing group of people.  Please pray as we go forward with the Gospel.  We are reenergized for the work ahead.  May the Lord be magnified and glorified in all we do.  

Coffey Family August 2022 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests & Praise

  • I am currently discipling three new families that I don’t believe are saved.  Would you pray for their salvation?  They have been very open, but still need to realize that adding anything to Jesus is another gospel. 
  • Please pray for our son Chase and his wife Ashely.  Chase was recently in the hospital for 6 days with Mono.  He is doing much better but is still experiencing pain.  They continue traveling raising their support to return to South Africa.  
  • Pray for us as we are considering starting a new church.  There’s such a great need and we’re still unsure of our next step in this area.
May be an image of 1 person, standing, tree and outdoors
Chase & Ashley

Quick Updates

  • Our oldest daughter Emilee will arrive next week for a 3-week visit.  I can’t tell you how excited we are to have her back with us.  She has definitely been missed since starting Bible College in the States.  Adri Bush, my son Luke’s girlfriend will also be coming with her.  Having them both here will be a great time. 
  • The South Africa Youth Home is up and running now.  We moved the three boys into the new house and property.  They no longer have to live in the boy’s dorms at the camp.  We still need a lot to furnish the house but at least they have hot water:)
  • We just completed a 900 sq ft workshop that we will use to help with projects around the camp and in our churches.  It will also be used to teach trades to our teenagers in the youth home.  Any carpenters, electricians, plumbers, etc are welcome to come to help build and/or teach.
Emilee & Adri
New Work Shop for Camp Rhino and South Africa Youth Home

Medical Missions Outreach and their team of 21 people arrive this week to put on a health and vision clinic at one of our churches.  We are hoping 2000 or more people come in for treatment and have the opportunity to hear a clear presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The last clinic we did a few years ago had over 200 people make professions of faith.    

Lighthouse Baptist Church and Pastor Mvume Johnson are hosting the clinic this year.  This is one of the churches we restarted a few weeks before Covid and had to close again during Covid.  Please pray this will be a great help to the growth of this church.   

In other African news, Graham and Olivia Young just arrived in Abuja, Nigeria.  We’re very excited for this young couple as they begin their ministry in this needy country of over 200 million people.  Please pray for them and pray that God would raise up more laborers for Nigeria and for Africa.  Our time is short but the need is great. Maybe God is calling you.

Coffey Family July 2022 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests/ Praises

  • My wife’s ear surgery seems to have been a complete success.  We won’t know for sure how much hearing she regained until next month, but things are sounding good, figuratively and literally:)  Thanks so much for your prayers.  
  • Please pray for Missionary Katie Dilfer’s South African Visa.  She’s ready to come as soon as she has her visa. 
  • Pray for the 30+ Juniors and Teens that have accepted Christ as their personal Savior these past few weeks during our Winter Camp Days.  
  • Pray for us as we are considering starting a new church.  We are currently working out of Lighthouse Baptist Church with Pastor Mvume but are leaning toward starting a new church soon. 

Quick Updates

  • Since May, we’ve hosted 4 different mission teams with 75 people in total.  God used them here in a great way and really worked in many of their lives.  Our hope is that God calls many Gospel laborers from these teams. 
  • This week we are having separate Junior Camps for boys and girls.  So far over a dozen boys trusted Christ.  The girls will arrive this evening. 
  • 2 Weeks ago we hosted Teen Camp days for the boys and girls separately as well.  We had 13 young people trust Christ during those days. 
  • Vision Baptist Missions will be hosting the World Evangelism Fellowship on November 8th.  You can click here for more info.  It’s going to be a great time. 

Now that all our mission teams have departed we’re going to be working a lot more on the Youth Home this month.  We have 3 teens ready to move in and possibly a fourth.  Pray that we find the right house parents for the Home.  We have some that can help temporarily but are praying for a long-term solution.  

I would like to ask you to pray for Pastor Khona Nohamba and his church Nkandla Baptist Church.  Khona recently graduated from our Bible College and is looking forward to devoting more time to building the church.  

We helped Khona right before the start of Covid and unfortunately had to close a few weeks later.  He and his wife Iminathi have been working hard to restart the church and have been making good progress. In our city of over a million people, there is much work that needs to be done. Pray that we can build a foundation that will last and aid in church planting for years to come.

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