Exciting Announcement: Coffey Family September 2020 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests & Praise
  • Please pray the South African borders will open so we can get back home.  We are hoping we don’t have to stay in the States past October.  We were supposed to fly back on July 12th.
  • We are continuing to help pastors and their families with food in Uganda, Kenya, and Zambia during this COVID time. For about $20 we can help these pastors’ families survive on cornmeal or something similar for 3 to 4 weeks.
  • Pray for single missionaries Lynette Osborn and Katie Dilfer as they raise monthly support to help us in South Africa at Camp Rhino and in all our church plants.

Quick Updates

  • Bible College and Bible Institute classes have started back at Camp Rhino this week.  The lockdown has loosened quite a bit and our churches have been able to hold services as normal.  We have 9 Students taking a full load in our Bible College and 11 that are taking 3 hours of Bible Institute classes each week.
  • Construction for the new boy’s dorm at Camp Rhino has started. The foundation is complete, but we need about $15,000 to finish this project.  This will enable us to have a capacity for at least 120 campers and counselors.   
New foundation for the Boy’s Dorm at Camp Rhino

It is my privilege and honor to announce that I have been asked to serve as the Africa  Director for Vision Baptist Missions.  Our Mission has grown to over 60 missionary families and our General Director Jeff Bush felt like it was time to expand the leadership structure to better serve, encourage, and support all of our missionary families.  

We will still be living and working as church planters in South Africa, but this new responsibility will allow our scope of influence and ministry to expand from South Africa borders to all of Africa.  We will also still be serving at Camp Rhino. 

Pray that God will give us wisdom and that we may truly be a blessing to the missionary families and fields we serve.  Our hope is that through this new position we will be able to aid in raising up many more missionaries for all of Africa.   

Now, as always:), is a good time to plan your mission trip to South Africa.  We would love to get you booked for a 2 week trip in 2021 or 2022.  We are also open to those interested in a longer internship. 

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Coffey Family August 2020 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Request & Praise 

  • We have finished the building for Vision Baptist Church, our forth church in South Africa.  It is located in an area of Kwadwesi Extension.  This is where we have had a Bible study for the last couple of years. 
  • Please pray the South African borders will open so we can get back home.  We are hoping we don’t have to stay in the States past September 15th.  We were supposed to fly back on July 12th. 
  • Pray for Pastor Khona and his wife Iminathi. They are expecting their new baby in September and hope “Mama” Amy can get back in time for the birth. Pastor Khona Nohamba pastors one of our new churches, Nkandla Baptist Church.                                
The new building for Vision Baptist Church in Kwadwesi Extension

Quick Updates  

  • The roof for Camp Rhino’s new auditorium/activity center is complete. When the lights are installed, we will be set up for year-round camps in this new building.
  • We plan to start construction on the new boys’ dorms soon but need $15,000 to complete the space for 50 more campers. This new dorm will fulfill our current housing needs.  When this project is completed, we will have all the space we currently need for our campers, counselors, and staff.   
  • In Kenya and Uganda alone, we have now been able to help more than 350 pastors and their families eat during these difficult times. We can’t thank you enough for your generous gifts that have helped these families over the last few months.  
The Roof is Finished at Camp Rhino
Kenyan Pastors Receiving Food from Pastor Alute

I never thought Pastor Thomas Alute’s visit to our ministry in South Africa in March would open these doors that enable us to minister to so many Bible preaching pastors.  

Pastor Thomas Alute when he was with us in South Africa

For about $20 we can help these pastors’ families survive on cornmeal or something similar for 3 to 4 weeks.  Please pray for them during this time.  Also, pray that we can raise more funds to continue helping these faithful men.  With the water droughts, Covid19, and locust swarms, the needs in Africa are great for these Pastors who are preaching the Gospel.  

In spite of the trials, God is still at work.  We’re excited to see new doors open for ministry opportunities.  Thank you so much for partnering with us in the ministry to reach Africa with the Gospel.

Center for World Evangelism

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In August 2005, my wife and I left Arequipa, Peru, South America where I had worked for 5 years, to move to Alpharetta, GA to help start the Vision Baptist Church and the Our Generation Training Center. Our heart was to help a team, led by who would be my new Pastor, Austin Gardner, recruit and train young people for the work of World Evangelism.

I had the privilege of working as the first director of the Training Center, along with serving as the Missions and Administrative Pastor of our new church, Vision Baptist Church.

From the beginning days of the ministry, we had always dreamed to have land that could be used for the Training Center, for housing missions students, and for other ministries we felt the Lord wanted us to start out of our new church.

Fast forward 15 years, and we are almost at the place to be able to purchase the property that we have been praying and dreaming about for all these years, which will be called the Center for World Evangelism.

Of course, since I am a missionary in South Africa, I am no longer the director of the Training Center or on the pastoral staff at Vision Baptist Church, but my dreams and prayers for this ministry continues. As of today, over $554,000 has been raised to purchase 60 acres of property that will be used to house our mission board, Vision Baptist Missions, and the Our Generation Training Center.

I am writing now, to ask you to help us pray for the remaining $69,000 needed to purchase this property. Our goal was to have this amount by July 31, 2020, which is only a few days away. Would you pray and would you consider giving to help with this purchase.

If you would like to give or learn more about the Center for World Evangelism click on the link below.

https://www.worldevangelismcenter.org/give/

Update on New Roof at Camp Rhino

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Before the lockdown in South Africa, we began construction on what were animal stables when we first purchased the property for Camp Rhino. We cleaned about 3 to 4 feet of manure and dirt out of the space and built a cement floor slab. Once restrictions started easing a bit, the crew returned to finish the roof. It’s almost complete and only lacks a few pieces of metal sheeting to close off the end gables. Our next step is to have lights installed, and screens put on the windows and it will be ready for year-round use. Thank you so much for giving to this project. This is a game-changer for our ministry. This will enable us to have events all year long at Camp Rhino. Pray we can raise the remaining money needed soon to install the lights and window screens.

Coffey Family July 2020 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests & Praise  

  • 141 Pastors were helped this last month in Kenya, Zambia, and South Africa because of your giving. We can’t thank you enough for your generous gifts that have helped these families eat over the last few months. 
  • For about $20 we can help these pastors’ families survive on cornmeal or something similar for 3 to 4 weeks.  Please pray for them during this time.  Also, pray that we can raise more funds to continue helping these faithful men.  With the droughts in Africa, Covid19 restrictions, and swarms of locust, the needs in Africa are great. 
  • Our three churches in South Africa have been able to resume services under strict guidelines.  They have also been able to continue going door to door giving out invitations and bags of rice along with giving out the Gospel.  Thank you all who have given enable our churches to continue outreach inspire of the lockdown. 

To give to help Pastors’ Families in Africa go to:

http://paypal.me/camprhino
or
https://visionmissions.org/give/
(Choose Mark Coffey or Camp Rhino)

You can also send money to:
Vision Baptist Missions
P.O. Box 442
Alpharetta, GA 30009
(Make a note for Mark Coffey- food for Pastors)

Quick Updates 

  • $5000 has been given so we can begin construction for our fourth church plant in South Africa, Vision Baptist Church.  We’ve been holding bible studies in this area for 2 years and look forward to the start of this new church. 
  • Our son Tyler and his wife Lydia were married on June 20th.  Pray for them as they raise funds to be missionaries in Argentina. 
  • The roof for Camp Rhino’s new auditorium/sports center should be completed this week….we hope:)  We plan to start construction on the new boys’ dorms soon but need $15,000 to complete the space for 50 more campers. 

I can’t thank you enough for those who prayed for my Pastor, Austin Gardner, who was on the ventilator for 21 days because of Covid19.  All his ICU doctors didn’t think he was going to make it, but miraculously he stood in his pulpit at Vision Baptist Church this past Sunday for the first time since going in the Hospital.  We thank God for bringing him back.

Since being back in the States we’ve had the opportunity to continue raising monthly support for our ministries in South Africa in spite of the lockdowns.  If you would like us to report back or present Camp Rhino, please just let me know.  I would be happy to come by.  

During the week I’ve been able to teach at the Our Generation Training Center in Alpharetta, GA.  This is a missionary training school that started out of our home church.  Our unexpected extended stay has definitely opened teaching opportunities.  The OGTC is currently in the process of trying to buy 60 acres but still needs $100,000.  Could you pray this money can be raised soon?  More than 50 missionaries have been trained here since we began, and we believe the Lord is going to raise up many more.  

Coffey Family June 2020 Prayer Letter

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Wedding Day

The day has finally come for my oldest son Tyler to get married. We are excited that Lydia Bush will be an official part of our family in a few hours. I’m thankful for Jeff and Mindy Bush raising such a wonderful daughter.

Tyler and Lydia at their rehearsal dinner


We were uncertain concerning flying back from South Africa earlier for the wedding because of lockdowns, but definitely believe now it was the right decision. Please do pray flights to open back up so we can get back to South Africa by the first part of August. We are thankful we’ve been able to report back to supporting churches and present our ministry in new churches. We are still hoping to raise extra support to help towards Camp Rhino during our time here.

I want to thank all of you who have given to help the pastors and their families in Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, and South Africa. I’ve heard terrific reports on how much of a blessing you all are to these families in need. If you would like to be involved to help more families in these countries please send your offering to Vision Baptist Missions or you can give via PayPal. $10-20 can help a pastor and his family eat on the very basics for a month during these unprecedented difficult times.

To give to help Pastors’ Families in Africa go to:

http://paypal.me/camprhino
or
https://visionmissions.org/give/
(Choose Mark Coffey or Camp Rhino)

You can also send money to:
Vision Baptist Missions
P.O. Box 442
Alpharetta, GA 30009
(Make a note for Mark Coffey- food for Pastors)

Pastor Alute giving food to Pastors on the border of Kenya/Uganda
Food being given out from Pastor Mario Genada’s Church in Zambia
Pastor Alute giving food to another pastor in Kenya.

The roof for our provisional auditorium at Camp Rhino is nearing completion. The weather has slowed us down a little, but the metal sheets should go on this week. Thank you all for the continual gifts that are helping build Camp Rhino.

I want to also thank everyone who has been praying for my Pastor Austin Gardner. He was on the ventilator for 21 days because of Covid19. He has been off the ventilator now over a week and actually went home yesterday. I’m still amazed at how the Lord has work to bring him back from a very bad situation.

May 2020 Coffey Family Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests & Praise 

  • God has opened doors for us to work in Zambia and in Kenya with some very trusted and proven national pastors along with a missionary from the Philippians.  Pray more doors to be opened so we can help make even a greater impact in all of Africa. 
  • We are currently trying to help 65 pastors ministering in Zambia.  Because of a severe drought and Covid19, many of these pastors are starving.  For about $20 we can help these pastors’ families survive on cornmeal for 3 to 4 weeks.  Please pray for them during this time.  Pray that we can also raise more funds to help. So far we’ve only been able to send enough money to help about 20 pastors a month.  
  • Pastor Thomas Alute who recently came and preached a marriage conference for us from Kenya is in need of help in order to assist the team of pastors He works with.  Because of Covid19, they are in the same situation as South Africa, but with fewer resources to work with.  They are asking for help to buy food that would enable them to minister to their people and surrounding communities.  
  • Please pray for two of our most vulnerable churches during this time.  Light House Baptist Church and Nkandla Baptist Church are just a few weeks old.  Pastor Nohamba and Pastor Johnson aren’t able to have more than telephone contact with those that have been attending.
  • Our pastors are going to try to hold small services and Bible studies in a few of the township communities in Port Elizabeth.  Pray they will be able to evangelize and train without hindrance.
Pastor Thomas Alute delivering food in Kitale, Kenya

At the last minute, my family decided to take the last flight out of South Africa after being on lockdown for 2 weeks. It was a difficult decision, but I’m glad now we decided to do it.  South Africa is still on lockdown and it may be many months before international flights start back.  We’ve even heard rumors that church services may not be allowed to start back officially until September.  At least now, we don’t have to worry about missing our son’s wedding, but we hope to be back in August. 

Our hope is that we can travel and present our ministry here in the states as things seem to be opening back up, and then be back to South Africa right when things open back up there. 

We are currently raising money to do outreach during the lockdown in South Africa.  Our Pastors can go door to door passing out the Gospel as long as they also give out food.  A bag of rice along with a Gospel tract and church invitation cost about $1.50.  We would appreciate any amount that would help our churches continue to reach out to their communities.  So far we’ve given been able to purchase about 900 bags of rice.

Pastor in Zambia receiving cornmeal for his family.
Pastor Khona and Likhaya passing going from house to house in the townships
Pastor Sipho sharing the Gospel and a bag of rice

Change in Plans

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As many of you have heard, we were supposed to fly out on April 23rd for the States to be back for my son’s wedding and to also raise extra support for Camp Rhino. Unfortunately, because of the lockdown, our tickets were canceled. We originally decided we were just going to wait it out and hope to fly out in May, but it looks like South Africa may be shut down longer than that. Some are saying it will be shut down until July and some are even saying it will be longer.

With that possibility, we have decided to go ahead and fly out on Friday while there is still an option. The American Embassy is offering a charted flight for all Americans, and it’s the last flight out of South Africa. That will put us back in the States on Saturday.

With the thoughts of being locked down here for a couple of months and then going to the States for a couple of months afterward, we decided it would be best for the ministry just to go back now. Our hopes are that we’ll only be back in the States until July and then back to South Africa after the lockdown is over. That should only put us away from our churches for 3 months versus 5 months if we waited for the lockdown to be over to leave.

Our First 100 Bags of Rice

Please be praying for the ministries here. We are not allowed to have services, but we are trying to do an outreach that will allow us to reach out to our communities. We have raised money to purchase 2 kg bags of rice, that we can attach a church invitation to along with a Gospel tract to leave at peoples’ doors. Our pastors want to try to continue reaching out despite not being able to interact with people face to face.

Service at Camp Rhino during the Lockdown- aka my living room:)

There will still be 12 people staying at Camp Rhino that our Pastors, Khona Nohamba and Mvumelwano Johnson, will be overseeing. We have 4 teenagers from our church along with 2 interns and 2 full-time maintenance workers that will be staying on campus.

Also please be praying for our extra expenses. We lost the original tickets and are not sure if we will get our money back. We purchased the tickets through Travelocity, and right now they are saying we will only get an airline credit versus a refund. The flights through the embassy also cost a lot more than normal. For my family of 5, it’s going to cost us about $8000 to get back to the States. Pray we can get our money back, instead of an airline credit, and also pray we can get the other paid off as soon as possible.

Coffey Family April 2020 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests & Praise

  • South Africa is currently on a 21-day lockdown like many other countries. This, of course, is affecting all our ministries.  Pray God does a great work during this “downtime.”  No one is supposed to leave their home unless it’s for food or medical needs. 
  • We were going to fly out through the American Embassy this next week but have decided to wait here in South Africa for the lockdown to end. The flight they are offering is the last one out of South Africa for Americans, but it comes with an $8000 price tag:). Pray the lockdown will be lifted in time so we can make it back for our oldest son’s wedding.  Lord willing we’ll be back sometime in May or June:)  
  • Please pray for two of our most vulnerable churches during this time.  Light House Baptist Church and Nkandla Baptist Church are just a few weeks old.  Pastors Nohamba and Johnson aren’t able to have more than telephone contact with those that have been attending.               
  • Pray we can raise $5000 soon so we can build facilities to start our 4th church. We have the property now but need help with the slab floor and building.  We want to start construction as soon as the lockdown is over.  With the economy being hit so badly, the value of the $ has risen about 25%.  This is bad for South Africans overall, but it is helpful for building. We should be able to build for a lot less right now.

Quick Updates & Reminders: 

  • We would love to have you be one of our 2021 Mission teams. Bring a group and help be a part of what’s going on at Camp Rhino and all our churches.    Construction for our new auditorium is on hold at the moment.  The walls have been extended and some of the trusses have been put together.  Our construction crew plans to be back the moment the lockdown is over. 

Being quarantined at Camp Rhino isn’t so bad.  Our two new pastors live on campus, along with Khona’s wife and daughter.  We also have two of our full-time workers, two interns, and 4 teenagers from our church staying on during this time.  We are having Bible classes, while all the guys are putting in 4 to 5 hours of work around the camp each day to keep themselves busy.  Playing soccer and taking time off in the pool has worked at keeping them from being bored.  

Athi, our deaf teenager at New Life, is one of the boys on campus.  We are hoping to use this time to learn more sign language to better minister to him and also one day start deaf ministries in all our churches.  Khona, who is one of the pastors and a Xhosa language school teacher, is still teaching Xhosa classes online.  We are also working on materials where we can soon start an Afrikaans language school as well.

Coffey Family March 2020 Prayer Letter

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Prayer Requests & Praise

  • This weekend, Pastor Thomas Alute from Eldoret, Kenya will be here to be the main speaker at our Couples Retreat being held at Camp Rhino.  Pastor Alute is out of Missionary Randy Stirwalt’s ministry and has been pastoring over 30 years.
  • Pray as we head back to the states at the end of April.  We’ll be there for 2 ½ months for our oldest son Tyler’s wedding.  I still have a few openings if you would be interested in having us in.  I am trying to raise extra support to offset some of the expenses for Camp Rhino.        
  • Our two new churches are doing well.  The two new pastors are getting used to the idea of being pastors now.  Please pray for Khona & Mvume as they are pastoring their new churches while also still both in Bible College.       
  • Pray we can raise $5000 soon so we can build facilities to start our 4th church, Vision Baptist Church.  We have the property now but need help with the slab floor and building.  This will be in the area where we’ve been having midweek meetings but lost our location.  We believe it is now time to officially start a church for that community.   
Pastor Mvume Johnson preaching at his new church, Lighthouse Baptist Church

Quick Updates & Reminders

  • My oldest son Tyler will be marrying Lydia Bush on June 20.  Lydia is daughter to Jeff and Mindy Bush.  Jeff serves as the Director of our Mission Board, Vision Baptist Missions.  Please be praying for Tyler and Lydia as they prepare to start their life together.   
  • We still have openings for 2021 Mision teams if you are interested in bringing a group to be with us.  We would love to have you here on the field.
  • Would would love to have your group here in 2021.

A big part of our goals for 2020 is to help strengthen the three churches we’ve helped start and to also get the forth church off the ground.  I want to do all I can to help these young pastors be successful.  

Our team of pastors is doing a great job, but we still want to improve in a lot of areas.  We are hoping to especially help our first church, New Life Baptist Church, become more financially independent this year.   That has been one of our greatest struggles.  

As we are back in the states for this short trip our desire is to raise more funds, but more importantly, we are also needing to raise more workers, short term and long term.  Our future goals involve starting a Medical Clinic, Christian school, and to expand Camp Rhino.  All of these ministries are aimed at helping us see more churches started.  If you or anyone you know are interested in being more involved on a personal level, I would love to talk to you to see how you could be more involved.    

Thank you all once again for your prayers and support.