The Growing Circle...

 Adhanom Hidug (behind)  

In the spirit of thanksgiving as well in anticipation of Advent, we wanted to share some encouragement God has provided us in the last month. We heard from our colleague and friend, Adhanom who lives in South Sudan working with WGM's Mango Ministries. 

Adhanom wrote recently and shared in an email how God has been "growing the circle" of people influenced by His Word. As I (Billy) have been buried in academic theory, Adhanom's email was refreshment for my soul. Not only is God still at work, even while we are in Scotland studying, but He is doing more than we could ask or imagine. 

I have attached a portion of the email below because you all have been a part of carrying the burden for families in South Sudan to encounter Jesus through His Word. We cannot thank you enough for continuing to carry our family but also Adhanom (and his wife Helen) as well as the strategic Sudanese leaders like Pastor Peter and Canon Joseph. Hallelujah! Praise God Forever! 

Some terms and context might be helpful: STS = Simply the Story (our Biblical storytelling method) and ERC = East Rumbek County which is where Adhanom lives in South Sudan. Akot Diocese is the diocese within the Episcopal Church of South Sudan with whom we have been partnering. Adhanom refers to a time when a team of Sudanese pastors came to our house in Arua for training and one of the girls made a comment about a circle of us sitting together. 

Adhanom writes:  

Canon Joseph once told me that one of your daughters saw you, Scott & CT, the team from South Sudan and others from Arua sitting in a circle for STS and she said to you that that was the biggest circle she has ever seen. It should be either Elsie or Lucy. In ERC the circles are growing bigger and multiplying in number. Besides, the pastors in Tonj are also working on running one-day trainings... 

Peter and Joseph are doing great job. They have become faithful in conducting the monthly one-day bible storying trainings. Every month we have at least 20 pastors and other church people attending the one-day trainings. Several of the pastors are doing great... In the near future we will train seven pastors who had demonstrated better understanding and commitment... Peter and Canon will do the training. I will just be there for coaching role.

Apart from the opportunities in the Diocese of Akot I have now invitations from two different dioceses to train their pastors in STS. They got exposed to it through the pastors who had been attending the one-day trainings. I will train the pastors from one of these dioceses in December and the ones from the other hopefully in late January. The circle is growing and multiplying! I am sharing these to let you know that the seed you have planted is growing and multiplying. Praise God!

Picture taken while Adhanom and I were training together last year.  

Photos are courtesy of Joy Phillip's blog: journeywithjoy.blogspot.co.uk, a great resource for knowing how to pray for South Sudan. 

Happy Advent!

We have just sent out an email asking friends to pray with us through Advent! If you have not received that or know that you are not receiving our updates, but would like to, will you let us know what email address to add to our mailing list?! We are grateful this season for those who stand with us that the World may Know Him!!!
You can contact us through jocoppedge@yahoo.com or joanna coppedge on Facebook!
Or of course, a comment here on the blog!
HAPPY ADVENT!!!

In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
John 1:1

Behold a virgin shall be with child,

and shall bring forth a son,

and they shall call his name Emmanuel,

which being interpreted is, God with us.

Matthew 1:23

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb,

and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

Luke 1:31

The Wind Blows Where it Will

Maybe it was Dr. Ury's class at WBS, or maybe a small group at Asbury College...it could have been Dr. Hamilton, but in my early 20s I learned about the word "ruach." The ruach, the Spirit shows up all through Scripture. He isn't merely an Acts 2 experience. He is present, blowing through at unexpected moments and cleansing, purifying, ridding of the dross.

Wherever that lesson began, it continues to be an incredible component in my daily YES to Jesus.

I read reported this past weekend of 40MPH winds in St. Andrews with gusts up to 50MPH. We were cheering for some runners in a 5K race on Saturday and literally with the same burst of wind both Sophie and Chloe fell flat. Sadly the empathetic parent was running and I just died laughing! Pray for my kids more!!! But can you imagine?! It was hysterical!!! They were totally fine of course, I did cuddle them both as I tried to keep my own balance!!! So there is some serious RUACH happening here.

From that early first lesson a light breeze has been a sweet reminder. I remember in the hottest months in Uganda or traveling up into South Sudan when we were sweating buckets and just sweltering, at times I'd be reminded to pray for the presence of the Holy One and sweetly there have come refreshing slight (think still small voice) breezes through the still, lifeless days.

I knew Scotland days would look different and with daily rains and cool temps we are already learning the inside of this home more than we knew our home of 7 years in Africa...we just lived outside more there...but even from this strong man built structure...we can at times feel and see the effects of the wind outside! Snuggled up in bed last night I could see my curtains ever so slightly blowing in those incredible winds from outside!!

His promise?! He's still with us. We may think, this is too much, this transition too hard, the days too short and too dark, but then...the winds get stronger still and His precious revelation of Himself becomes all the sweeter. As my burden grows greater, His nearness increases. How sweet is He. How kind that He might come and blow upon this new ground in our hearts and bring MORE of Himself!!!

Still Adjusting

Tuesday night, Lucy sweetly called me back to her bed after we had both tucked her in and kissed her. Tears silently spilling over her cheeks. "Mama, I was jealous of Chloe yesterday. I'm so sorry." Sobs now. What is it Lucy? What's wrong? "I was jealous of her because she didn't have to wear socks!!!"

First let us say THANK YOU for praying for our parenting. THANK YOU for praying for our girls through this massive transition from one normal to a whole new normal. THANK YOU for your trusting them with us to the Father!

Socks may not seem like a big deal, but there is a symbolism and in a five year old a reality of freedom to not have to put on two articles of clothing...they take time, and are tricky sometimes and the reality is it can just be hard to learn new normals. There are bigger issues going on in the world. (PLEASE pray for those and read www.bbc.co.uk for middle east and african news even tonight) The adjustments these little ladies are walking through are real though and we need to walk in the Spirit to walk this road well. Thank you for praying with us for them!!!

More moments, more similarities

The more we look at the world...the more we see the Creator's hand print all over it!!!

SUNSHINE!!!! Uganda and Scotland both have it. It just hides here a lot more...as our meteorologist Sophie says, the weather is often "soggy" here in St. Andrews. We praise Jesus for lots of SUNSHINE this week though.

Churches. Both beautiful lands have the body of Christ!!! We are realizing that her size and shape varies in various lands, but her chosen-ness, and beauty are still radiantly reflective of the face of her Beloved!!! At home we would often worship under a mango tree or in the shade of a brick building with a tin roof...here the church buildings are older than the United States is...that is such an incredible thought for a six year old (and her mom). So much history, so many stories...so much LIFE when He is the center of it. Do pray for his bride, the body of Christ in your hometown, St. Andrews, Arua, Nebbi, Kampala, Yei...those precious places where we love His Church so much!!!

Pedestrians. Both Arua and St. Andrews have a lot of bicycles and walkers! We have been blessed with a vehicle and that is a big help as we live about three miles from the center of town and some of our short legs can't quite make it there and back yet! Pray with us though as we navigate road rules and pedestrians in a new land. We were used to dodging people and bikes as drivers in Arua. It is taking us time to get used to stopping at crosswalks and giving people space to move around our moving vehicle. The ordered-ness of here is still a newness to us!

FAMILY!!! Jesus loves to give good gifts and one of His sweetest gifts to our family is our extended family! We LOVE one another's families and we love getting to be with them! So, we are thankful for the gift of hosting Billy's sister Katy Beth and her daughter Susannah this week!!! Their family was our last "family" to visit in Arua, and now our first family to visit here in Scotland! We are so excited too to have Billy's first cousin here in school as well! We can't wait to get to know our cousins the Kinlaws better during our time here. We miss our Arua family so much too! Whenever the girls stay up late or get over tired, their first cries are for our Arua cousins and Aunties. As we thank Jesus for Denny and Lauren and Katy Beth and Susannah...will you pray with us for Jane and Micah, and David, and Charis and Jonathan and the Waflers, and Wrights and Sherry and Sharlands, and Craigs, and Simon and Asikis, and our neighbors and Joel and Denis and all of our pastor Uncles and His precious extended family He provided at home home!!!!

Another Similarity

So, I was telling you how there are unique similarities (and plenty of differences) between here and Arua. Yesterday Billy graciously gave this homeschool mama a moment alone with Jesus and a cup of coffee. His classes start next week and this seemed like the right moment to take before this new work really begins. I was grateful.

Walking thru the town centre and asking the Lord where He wanted to go on our date I found myself devouring my first George MacDonald novel (Scotland seemed like the right time). Jesus met me in the Tutor's First Love and gave me a renewed excitement and vision as we raise these precious girls to be LIGHTS for Jesus, Truth in a Dark world. As I moved between coffee shops (yes, I just typed that, WOW! Billy is so kind to me!), I noticed "fresher" week in St. Andrews. There were a lot of new students and just more undergrads returning and I noticed some public actions that weren't exactly PC let alone Lugbara Culturally appropriate. Details won't be helpful, the comparison is really this.

We are still called to "the nations" as Jesus puts it in Matthew 28:19. The nation we are settling into now looks different, so different than the last nation He allowed us the honor of living in, but both "nations" are still desperately in need of a Savior.

Settling in to coffee spot two, I sat alone reading at a table for two.

Mr. S. moves the chair across from me and sits down with his coffee beside me. This might be shocking to some of you. You don't need to tell me if you are shocked that someone might be forward toward me, but I think in a lot of your host cultures, personal space is a big deal. Good news, it isn't for me and it isn't for Mr. S. He's from Pakistan. I was comfortable with his arrival as personal space has been relative for me for some time, but as I slowly looked up from my book, it dawned on me we are not in East Africa, nor central Asia...He maybe should have stayed a half an arms-length away.

Anyway, the conversation that followed was one of the hardest I've had and one of the most thrilling too. I got to share Jesus with Mr. S. He never knelt to pray "the sinner's prayer" but we both moved closer to God in our hilariously bizarre meeting yesterday afternoon.

As I left him with a copy of the psalms (he writes music) and a refusal of my phone number(!) Jesus whispered to my heart. These are the nations. If you feel I am not letting you go out, watch me bring the seeking to you here!

Don't you just love Him!?!?! He is so creative, kind, incredible, amazing...words are so incomplete. He is good. And His Love endures forever.

Will you pray with us that Mr. S. and his extended family meet the Living Lord Jesus?! He works locally at an Indian Restaurant.

As I made my way home, the Holy Spirit kindly reminded me of one of our family's dearest friends in East Africa. Imam, who we met in an Indian restaurant where he was working. We had the thrill of becoming friends with him and seeing he and his family come to Jesus and grow faithfully in their walk with Him.  Imam now leads his church's children's work and is impacting HUNDREDS for the Kingdom!!!

Only Jesus knows what the future holds for Mr. S, but thank you that we do not carry him to Jesus alone. Where is Jesus asking you to go and make disciples today?! We are praying for you!!!

We are Not in Arua anymore...

I mentioned in my last post that the grieving process of being out of Africa for this season is real and seems to be really just beginning for some of us...

The day we got the girls' beds set up was HARD. Throughout the day we couldn't figure out what the triggers all were but loads of tears were shed and finally in the evening after piecing together beds all day, some of the pieces of our girls adjustment came together in our own hearts. Elsie Jayne wept to not have her mango tree (that we planted together when she turned two) right outside her window at this house and she confessed feeling vulnerable without her mosquito net tucked in around her.

I've only lived here a month but I'm fairly confident no one has ever tried to plant a mango tree on this particular street (although evergreens are rampant). So I did what I could---I prayed! I asked Jesus how to respond and listened.

The end result is a really fun girly room with those princess-canopy-never-saved-anyone-from-a-real-life-malaria-carrying-mosquito net over the top of the beds. It's cute. It's not "me," I would have said a month ago, but I'm learning who I am in Christ Jesus here and now and I'm praying and trying to lead the girls in a life of blooming where you are planted.

We are trying to not just walk about pointing out differences and passing judgments on western life or Scotland specifically. We are finding things daily to be THANKFUL for and that is truly not hard at all! Our cups are overflowing!

Comparisons do happen just as our girls' eyes are opened and they see what they thought was simply "normal" is actually Ugandan or African.

Allow me to share some similarities we see between Arua and St. Andrews or Uganda and Scotland...

ROADS - both places have them!
A winding goat path beyond Arua could be our LandRover's road and here we've found the roads quite small as well! Coming from a few months in the states where big curbs and spacious side walks are the norm...we have been surprised to have just barely two cars wide asphalt and a rock wall on either side. Small space like Ugandan roads could be. The big difference - there are lots of other cars here and double decker buses and big farm machinery coming at you at 60 mph. We are not in the bush beyond Arua anymore. (At moments it feels like driving to Kampala with loads of traffic any time you get in the car...THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!!! for protection and peace!)

The MARKET
We arrived to find a three day festival happening in the town and the booths and open air shops brought comfort to the girls. "They have a nice market, mommy!"
Now that that is over...we have some who are fearful EVERY TIME we enter the grocery store because of the metal detectors that look like TSA check points in airports. The girls have had water bottles taken and thrown away (super tearful moment) and they keep asking if I have water in my purse or chapstick in my pocket that I should remove before we pass through!

Lots of ANIMALS
One of our greatest grieves leaving Arua was saying farewell to our pet pig and our puppy dogs. During our 7 plus years we had played host to chickens, turkeys, goats and had monkeys roaming in our yard on more than one occasion. The girls have been very hopeful for animals here too...it's just not normal yet to see families care for dogs so passionately and treat them better than some of our friends are even cared for!
The animal differences make me think of a family visit for a training in South Sudan when we were walking through the town center and a goat passed with a beaded necklace on! I knew in Kampala that kind of thing would be sold in tourist shops for PEOPLE and I was surprised to see it on an animal roaming freely so far up north.
I inquired of the pastor who was leading our trek. He said it identifies whose animal it is and besides "your people" always put necklaces on dogs and cats-it's the same thing!
The girls saw their first animal in a sweater this week! I must say it was shocking for us all...we're new here...
Out our bedroom window in the early morning and late evening we can see rabbits play in the yard. These furry friends are three times bigger than any chicken we saw roaming anywhere in East Africa! (including Rocky, Meg!!!)
Lucy made the observation, "These people must get three meals EVERY day because otherwise someone could catch those bunnies for breakfast!"
"Great observation Lucy...these people do get three meals every day. We have so much to be thankful for."

The list could go on and on, but for now let me say...He is caring for us so very sweetly. We feel overwhelmed by your prayers and generosity enabling us to be here and study and live and love those He brings into our lives. Thank you with ALL our hearts!

What's in Your Heart?

a castle picnic

Sophia and Chloe sit on either side of me negotiating who has the best thing in their hearts. They are both pretty excited these days that Jesus lives in their hearts, but trying to up the other one (no one said they were entirely sanctified yet) Chloe says, "but I have AFRICA in my heart!!!"

The reality of following Jesus is that He doesn't always let us do the easiest things or the understood things. He calls us to put things, places, people into our hearts, but then at times He will ask if we are willing to give up even those good gifts.

Africa is very much in our hearts and as we have attempted to settle into the land He has called us to for these days, Scotland, we have sensed the ache more and more. There has been another grieving time in this process of resettling.

the St. Andrews Cathedral initial exploration

Another AMAZING thing about God's economy though is that there is an ever widening ability to love more and more each day and there is already a growing Scotland part of our hearts. This land is enchanting, beautiful, every new discovery like a fairy tale! We have found parks in either direction from our home that the girls and I can walk to, although learning to play in the rain is a very non-Lugbara skill we are trying to acquire.

We will leave the comparisons for another blog, but let me say, He is meeting us and we THANK YOU for praying with us that all He desires to put in our hearts, we would welcome and all He wants to keep there would remain.

Praying for you today that Jesus might be fully alive in YOUR HEART!!!

How Does Jesus Remember Stuff, Mom?

We fly to our new home home in only 24 hours! There are a lot of tears, questions, and excitement around here. Lucy just asked me, "Mom, how does Jesus remember stuff?" We chatted about omniscience for a while but got around to the fact that we are forgetting some thing about home home and thinking of a new home home seems daunting. We want to remember. We want to go back. We want the security of the familiar.

Yet, we know Jesus knows and will carry us as we go forward into the tomorrows He has led us to. Will you pray with us as we drive to Cincinnati tomorrow afternoon and then fly to Philadelphia and then directly to Edinburgh. We arrive early Sunday morning. There have been lots of tears about the journey! The girls have grown to love the flights between here and Uganda. They love the little screens on the seat in front, sweet stewardesses with sodas, fun coloring books and crayons and are sad we only get to go half way tomorrow. (Billy and I don't share that particular sadness, although we are grieving in new ways too.)

It seems more real to all of us now that we have left East Africa for this season! Will you pray with us for Africa Gospel Church? Pray with us for WGM East Africa...our colleagues, friends, and family there. Please pray with us for our extended friends that have become family in Arua that we are missing so much these days. Please keep carrying South Sudan to Jesus!!!

As we go forward will you join us in thanking Jesus for the full cups of His goodness to us over the last four months moving around the states. He has been so kind! You all have been so gracious and welcoming and we are humbled that you have stood beside us, loved us, welcomed all 6 of us!!! THANK YOU! THANK YOU with all our hearts!

Will you pray for the short connection in Philadelphia? For transportation in Scotland immediately and then also finding the right longer term plan for our family? We praise Jesus He has provided a home to rent. Will you pray it quickly becomes our home home? We don't know how soon we will get on line again, but know we could NOT travel without you all. We could not be His light along the way without you carrying us to Him! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU that we do not go alone! We are grateful for your priceless prayers! Praising Jesus He remembers...

Summer in America

"...Open wide your mouth and I will fill it..." Psalm 81:10

Our wee sailors: Lucy Mae, Chloe, Sophia, Elsie Jayne (L-R)

Joanna, Stephanie, & Anna: Reunion in Wilmore, KY!

Billy with his daddy and mama
Thankful for 45 years of 'yes' to Jesus and each other!

Our girlies have loved being with the cousins.
These are Coppedge family cousins. Joy filled memories.

Over the last month, we have seen Jesus fill our mouths with much goodness. Whether it was real sweet tea, Bruster's ice cream, an evening staying up with friends or another cousin memory, Jesushas been so good to us. We praise Him for His gracious provision in so many ways: 

     - graciously loaned vehicles all summer long plus safety over many thousands 

       (literally) of miles;        

     - grandparent birthdays (Billy's grandfather's 92nd & Joanna's 

       grandmother's 90th); 

     - parents anniversaries (Neffs celebrated 40 years & Coppedges 

       celebrated 45 years); 

     - visiting churches and friends in TN, MS, AL, NC, and GA; 

     - participating in Indian Springs Holiness Campmeeting. 

Hallelujah! Praise God Forever! He has been good to us. 

     

Regarding Scotland... 

In theory, we leave August 9th for University of St. Andrews. The good news is we have plane tickets and five approved visas... the bad news is we are still waiting on the remaining sixth visa! So... you could pray with us for: 

     the last visa to be approved;

     all the details to finally come together regarding renting a house over there; 

     packing up here;

     goodbyes;

     lots of logistics in changing continents for a family of six:) 

 We are so grateful to Jesus for your carrying us as we launch into this new adventure.

We Found our Password!!!

Friends -

Rejoice with me! for what was lost has not been found!!!

Amidst our family's recent travels and transitions, we somehow "mis-located" our blogger password. Do not ask to many questions because you would imagine after having the blog for 8 years, it would not be an issue. But it was and so... for some time now we have been locked out. We have spent a fair amount of time trying to sort out Google but the "wonderful reset phone number" was for an African phone number (which we no longer have!). Let us be that friendly reminder to update your security info before (and after) traveling internationally:) Several families only recently were praying for God to help us sort out the password issue so we could get "back in touch" with many of you. Amanda & Suzanne - Thank you for your prayers!

Jesus has been so good to us since we have returned to the States.  We have had wonderful time with family and the girls have loved being back with "so many cousins."

We want to give you a further update but we have attached a few "relatively" recent pics of the girls. Precious Chloe struggled on "picture" day so the last one is the best we could do of her:) Thanks for understanding and keeping them in your prayers. They are very aware we are in transition and Jesus is helping but we continue to need Him. Hallelujah! Praise God Forever!

Our upcoming travel schedule:
June 18: Flint Hill UMC, Alexander City, AL
June 22: AIM Church, Madison, AL (morning) & AIM Church, Decatur, AL (evening)
June 26: Grandfather's 92nd Birthday Celebration, Wilmore, KY
June29: Evangelical Methodist Church, Reidsville, NC

Elsie Jayne - Age 6

Lucy Mae - Age 5

Sophia Anne - Age 2.5

Sophia & Chloe Catherine (on right) - Age 2.5