The Latest from Arua

Elsie Jayne LOVES holding baby Josiah!

 The last few days have been re-grouping of sorts and preparing for the days to come! Billy found himself learning the fine art of plumbing as we prepared to welcome the Rambos home and found there was still NO WATER coming from the town water system to their home...and with a broken pump, no way to get water from their rain water tank into their house...not a great way to be welcomed home with a brand new baby! As we learn new traits we find ourselves excited about the opportunities Jesus is putting before us! 

Lucy Mae Coppedge, as she refers to herself, was DELIGHTED to celebrate her third birthday on Sunday!!!  She had a very happy day with her sisters and learning new instruments...a harmonica, a local guitar, and a fun shaker!!!  She was overjoyed to find that her neighbors had come for a visit while she was taking her afternoon rest! Above Gertrude holds Sophie, Emmanuela holds Chloe and the girls build castles with Gloria and Emma.

The "big girls" were sad this week to say good-bye to Hannah and Louise who left on Sunday for boarding school...we love having these dear neighbors close when they are home for school holidays. 

 Sophia Anne and Chloe Catherine have been doing a great job growing!!!

We praise Jesus that at 7 months they are developmentally doing great, sitting up, almost crawling and eating delicious big people food...as well as weighing in at 14 and 13 pounds!  Thank you for your prayers for them to keep growing growing growing!!! Jesus is so good to us...what treasures!!!



Do continue to pray with us as Billy attends a burial in the district to our north and we get to delight in the neighbors and friends He brings our way here at home-home tomorrow (Friday, the 25th)! We recently traveled to Kampala for a pastoral training of trainers that Billy was helping to facilitate.  At a certain point in the road Lucy proudly announced "we made it to us home-home village!" That would be Arua!  We are thankful for where Jesus has called us for these days and the people that we get to love and live alongside because of that!
Much love to all of you who carry us so faithfully to Jesus...thank you for praying we all 6 might be a LIGHT for Jesus here in Arua and beyond! 

Facilitators Training

We have seen Jesus work on behalf of our family this week. While we are still recovering from various running noses, everyone is improving. We had a beautiful belated "easter" bush bloom in our garden and it has been a love gift from Jesus these days. Sophia Anne and Chloe Catherine enjoyed it much more than they are letting on:)

We also had the privilege of hosting seven pastors that are in the process of becoming Bible storytelling facilitators. From Left to Right: David, James, Benson, George, Joseph, Matt, Steward. The unique leaves in front are a banana leaves which are often used to decorate and celebrate visitors coming.

The pastors stayed with us and it was a joy to have them around our table.

One of the communication methods within orality is drama. We had a great time as the group performed several dramas including the stories of Zaccheus and the Man with the Withered Hand. Here is "Jesus" (Pastor James) declaring that salvation has come to the house of "Zaccheus" (Pastor George).  

The idea is these up and coming assistant facilitators will begin assuming more and more responsibility for the training of the trainers. So we'll have regional facilitators working with area trainers who will be training local leaders. The goal is to get local leaders engaging the Word of God - both the Person and the Scriptures.  

Pictured in the front (brown shirt) is Pastor Benson whom many of you have heard of and prayed for. He is the acting overseer now for Nebbi where we have spent much of our previous training time. Picture behind (white shirt) is Matt Burke who has only just recently arrived to Uganda, also working with WGM. He and his wife Joy, and kids, Judah and Lilly, are living in Jinga. It was great to have Matt's high energy thoroughout the training and a joy to have him in Arua.  

Friday afternoon after the pastors left on the bus, we enjoyed taking a few pictures in front of our "easter" bush. Elsie Jayne was very proud to hold Sophia Anne.

The twins bring us joy... sheer joy! Chloe Catherine (bottom) is feeling better and both girls are eating "real foods" a bit more consistently. We are praying they continue to grow, grow, grow.

Thank you so much for your prayers for the Facilitator training this last week. Jesus helped with the training as well as sustained Joanna to host visitors as well as keep four girls alive. Tomorrow (8th) we travel to Kampala. Here is our tentative schedule:

Tuesday 8: Travel to Kampala - Possibly see Baby Josiah Rambo!

Wednesday 9: Training Committee Meeting/Uganda Executive Committee meetings

Thursday-Saturday 10-12: Pastors Training of Trainers (The assistant facilitators who were just with us will be largely in-charge of modeling/demonstrating what they have been learning to their fellow trainers.)

Sunday-Thursday 13-16: An attempt at some family R&R:)

Friday 17: Return to Arua

Many of you have been praying for Josiah Rambo who was born on Sunday (6th) but required oxygen. Your prayers are working and this afternoon (Monday) he is off the oxygen! Hallelujah! Praise God Forever!

Thank you for partnering with us in all Jesus wants to do in Uganda. We are grateful.

The twins bring us joy... sheer joy! Chloe Catherine (bottom) is feeling better and both girls are eating "real foods" a bit more consistently. We are praying they continue to grow, grow, grow.

Coppedge Family Travels and Home

Scott, Meg, Kelly & Josh - Great to see them even briefly in Ktown

The last week has been exciting for us. Unexpectedly, Billy got to travel to Kampala and then to Western Uganda to visit a close friend's home village.

Imam Otafire has been one of our oldest and closest friends while we have been in Uganda. A group of his friends from their church decided they wanted to visit each other's "home villages" as traditionally, one only goes at the time of burial. Imam called and asked if I'd want to come along and meet his home people. It was a great experience.

Western Uganda is absolutely beautiful. The small bundle in the picture is matoke bananas which is a staple food. I've never seen so many bananas.

Imam (in blue) was excited to introduce us to his relatives and we had a lot of fun getting to meet many of his extended family and see where he grow up.  

While Billy was traveling, Elsie Jayne and Lucy Mae were delighted to weclome some of their friends over. They all seemed to thoroughly enjoy a game of Candy Land.

Then when Lucy Mae visited and saw her neighbors getting their hair braided, she asked why should could not get her hair braided? So she and Elsie Jayne sat with Sharon and Louise for approximately 6 hours and through numerous movies to finally get their hair braided.

They were pleased with the result!

Daddy was so excited to finally get home to his princesses! Happy Homecoming.

We celebrated Daddy's return by going to the pool on Monday morning. Elsie Jayne and Lucy Mae did awesome in the pool. Lucy Mae looked particularly good sporting her googles.

Sophia Anne and Chloe Kate did not get their hair braided... we are not quite to that stage. Chloe has been smiling this last week which has brought everyone joy. We do ask you to pray though as both twins seem to be fighting running noses, coughs, and now Chloe has fever. We know you pray for us so thank you for remembering our girls again.


This week we are hosting a Bible storytelling facilitator training in our home. Seven trainers will arrive tomorrow morning and stay with us through Friday afternoon. We need your prayers that Jesus would come and be the Master Rabbi, teaching us all how we can better understand and communicate His Word.

We are grateful for your love and prayers.