Nebbi, Uganda

This last Sunday we had the privilege of visiting a small church in Nebbi, about 75 kilometers south of Arua. We had a fantastic day and came home that afternoon weary but thanking Jesus for His provision of such encouragement and even potential leads for the future. The church was started six years ago by a Ugandan pastor named Cosmas. Nestled amongst a cluster of thatched huts, the furnishings were bare, but there was a genuine sense the Spirit of Jesus had been made welcome. They had invited us to preach and so we shared the time, both thoroughly enjoying the chance to share Jesus as well as their eager attendance. The church had gone to great lengths to host us and we were treated to semi-cool Cokes several times throughout the day. After the service there was a bustle of activity over preparing a tremendous lunch. We dined on fried bananas, liver, sikuma (greens), white potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, cabbage, and pieces of beef in tasty broth. It was a delicious Ugandan meal and one that they would only serve either with visitors or for a holiday. We were deeply touched by their hospitality but completely humbled when we prepared to leave and they presented us with a parting gift: a beautiful hand carved Ugandan crane (the national bird) and a Ugandan cob (like an antelope). We have both perched in our office and their presence is a gracious reminder of such kindness and generosity.
When we inquired into what the greatest needs of the community were, they promptly replied, “Teaching.” There is no Bible school or other means for their church leadership or any of the other churches in their area to gain any additional tools for proclaiming the Word and leading their flocks. Our hearts were very excited about the possibilities and we all decided to continue praying for Jesus’ leading of what might develop in the days ahead. We cannot thank you enough for your prayers. We traveled safely and as you know, that is a miracle in and of itself. For such contacts and relationships to have been established in such a short amount of time, we feel hopeful and definitely encouraged that God is at work. Hallelujah! Praise God Forever!
On the daily side of life, we are finding that every day requires decisions about how we will interact with people, particularly over needs that are very real and very heavy. We need your continued prayers for how to handle every situation and sincerely love each person God brings into our lives. Pray we have ears to hear His guidance as we interact moment by moment. He is faithful. Hallelujah! Praise God Forever!

Billy & Joanna Coppedge

African Valentine’s Day

This week was Valentine’s Day. Somehow it just wasn’t quite like in Jackson, Mississippi where we have celebrated the last several years. Fortunately we did not have to worry about long lines at our favorite date spot or picking out “just the right” card. One of our guards, Christopher is a master gardener and so Wednesday morning he was scurrying around to assembly two tremendous African bouquets from the plants around our house. The price sure beat paying for less-than-fancy roses (absolutely free) but Christopher’s smile and personal touch was what made the moment.
Joanna decided to make a special Valentine’s Day supper and by now we are learning, anything “special” always involves some sort of story. She made parmesan chicken but one needs to understand, neither the cheese nor the chicken originated in Arua. We mentioned that last week, Jon and Lisa Mayo came to visit on Friday to check on us and then left on Saturday. They had carefully and sacrificially assembled a cooler of chicken and cheese which we were much anticipating. While Mayos arrived safely at Arua airfield, the cooler never did. Major bummer but part of living the dream. The great thing though was that our friends and colleagues, John and Erica Rinehimer flew in on the same plane Mayos were to leave on. They came up to look at a possible house (thank you for praying, they have one!) and wonder of wonders, the cooler was on their plane. It had gotten packed on the wrong plane the previous day and ended up in Moyo, Uganda! Amazingly, it was all still frozen and needless to say, the chicken was very much savored on Wednesday night.
Tuesday and Thursday nights were neighbor evenings. On Tuesday, we got invited over to supper by Simon and Gladys who stay just diagonal from us. They could not have been more gracious and they sent us home with packed leftovers! We went to bed praising Jesus for real Ugandan neighbors! Hallelujah! Praise God Forever! Then Thursday night, another family on the other side came to “greet” us. Their names are Tom and Gertrude and we were thrilled to learn he is one of the financial planners for the Arua District (a great relational contact for this region). They also were very gracious bringing pineapple, sesame seed candy, popcorn, and bananas. Jesus is helping us so thank you for praying. Please continue to pray we know how to follow up with them and share Jesus both through our lives and conversations.
On one more note of introduction, we also wanted you all to know our milk man. His name is Charles and six days a week he brings a liter and half of milk to our gate; straight from his cow to our kitchen. Joanna has mastered the rather tricky art of home-pasteurization and while it is not exactly Kroger, it works great for cereal, tea, and homemade yogurt. Pray we know how to best share Jesus with Charles and his family.
Finally, one of the silly joys of African living is the means of transportation, specifically how much one Ugandan can get on one bicycle. Simon, our other guard picked up several “lawn chairs” for us and conveniently carted them home on a bike.

Thank you again for your prayers. Jesus is sustaining us and we praise Him for His contacts this week. Hallelujah! Praise God Forever!

Rethy, Congo

Last week I got to go with seven other missionaries from a German mission organization to Rethy, Congo. It was my first time to visit and while they were going to repair a hydroelectric dam as well as a radio, they had graciously invited us (although there ending up being only one seat) to join their team to get a feel for what the church was like in that region of Congo. Rethy is a small village of sorts nestled back up in the Congolese mountains which plunge down into Lake Albert. It was absolutely beautiful country (a good reminder of the joy of Africa) and the roads to Rethy added a unique combination of excitement, danger, and adventure. Before the relatively recent troubles and war in northeastern Congo, there was a huge missionary presence in Rethy and the surrounding area. While they all had to be evacuated ten years ago, the church’s hydroelectric dam still supplies power for the region and the church’s radio station still offers the good news of Jesus. My short time there was filled with hiking up and down the rather steep incline to the generator house, talking with local church leadership and even helping adjust radio antennas from atop the thirty meter radio tower. Getting to climb the radio tower was an unexpected surprise but it was an absolute blast to be back in a climbing harness and the view from close to a hundred feet over the countryside was fantastic. One of the joys of the mission field is you never know what opportunities will open up.
The greatest blessing about the experience was the time with the other missionaries as well as the local church leaders (see pastor Luchi pictured). One missionary couple in particular had been in East Africa for over thirty years and they were a fount of wisdom, humor, and possible ministry suggestions as well as cautions. There is no substitute for experience. Hallelujah! Praise God Forever!
The other tremendous encouragement was that almost no one in Rethy spoke English. It was only the local dialect, French, or Swahili! I spoke (or at least attempted) more Swahili in those three days then maybe I have spoken in the last three months! It was exhausting but the incredible thing was I was able to have whole conversations and while they were limited and at times bumpy, they were in Swahili! Hallelujah! Praise God Forever! Thank you so much for your language prayers. Please keep praying! Since moving to Arua, we have found Swahili speakers but many of them also speak English and thus we find it hard to keep trying when the easier option is available. Please pray Jesus continues to give us His Swahili game plan.
Overall, the trip was eye opening and we got a precious goodbye from hundreds of children that came to see us off. This last weekend our field director and his wife visited us to see how we are settling in to Arua. The time with them was an encouragement as we were able to talk and process out loud some of the various possibilities for what God might want to do. Whether He wants us to train in Rethy, we do not know yet, but He continues to lead us to people who desire to be trained. Pray with us that we can patiently wait not just for good opportunities but His best for us and our team.
We are so glad to report that Jesus kindly took care of Joanna while I was away and she has done an incredible job of continuing to get us settled. Marori (our dog) has also arrived from Kampala for which we are most glad. Thank you for your continued prayers as we seek to balance relationships (both nationals as well as other missionaries) with daily challenges to just live life. Hallelujah! Praise God Forever!

Normal is Never Predictable

It is early morning here in Arua. The electricity has not quite yet come on so we have a candle lit which seems much warmer than the computer screen. Compared with the rest of Uganda, including Kampala, Arua’s 18 hours of electricity a day is fantastic. We have found it to be quite regular, coming on a little after six in the morning and then at about midnight, our fans shut off. Different, yes but slowly becoming our new normal.
Of course, even after only our second week in Arua, we are quickly learning that our “normal” is never predictable! Part of the mystery of Africa is its’ unpredictability which has a way of fostering a strong sense of the providence of God. We have seen His hand at work over the last week and want to praise Him for His faithfulness.
Part of His kindness these early days “home,” has come through the generosity and hospitality of the broader missionary community here in Arua. They are of all different nationalities and denominational backgrounds, all working in various areas of training, translation and development. We have been invited over for numerous meals and even a pair of birthday parties which have already bonded our hearts with these like minded people. Having only known them for two weeks now, we feel humbled and challenged by their gracious self-giving and readiness to love whomever they can. Hallelujah! Praise God Forever!
Setting up a home in Arua has been another opportunity for God to express His goodness. There have been typical frustrations with hanging curtain rods, figuring out security lights, and haggling with local vendors over the price of clay pots but these have been balanced by new experiences of figuring out what to do with your trash when there is no garbage truck or how long do you heat your milk to pasteurize it but not scald it. These finer tensions have a delicate balance of humor and frustration but more often than not, they result in laughter and memories.
The joy of getting settled has been interspersed with several divinely appointed conversations which we really praise Jesus for as well. Whether learning about what roads are passable in southern Sudan from a veteran development worker or making introductions with the Church of Uganda bishop for this West Nile diocese, we sensed God working in our relationships these days. Thank you for praying. Our friend Felix, whom played a big role in our testimony and whom we got to spend time with several weeks ago in Kampala, came through on Wednesday of last week and we had several hours talking, strategizing, and praying over what God might want to do in southern Sudan. He was a total surprise but we felt so encouraged by God bringing him along, even if it was just a reminder to us that He has plans of hope. Hallelujah! Praise God Forever!
Out of one conversation with a missionary and his wife, Kurt and Hanna Zander, we got invited to travel to Congo this coming Monday (5th) for several nights. It has turned out, they only had one seat left so Billy is going along to explore some of the work another mission organization has done in training pastors in northeastern Congo. As expected, we have been concerned about Joanna being here alone but we both have a peace about going forward. We would request prayer though for security in Jesus as well as His experiences and relationships for both of us while we are apart.
We believe these are sacred days and the Presence of God is so real there is a mixture of humility, excitement, and wonder what He is doing. Whether or not He is working in the hearts of Africans, we know He is in ours. Thank you for being such a part that. Hallelujah! Praise God Forever!