Internet Friends:
Wow, hi! What a hoot that you opened this email. You are the greatest. However, this is a sharp departure from our usually schedule programming, and is meant for folks who know me in real life. I’d never have sent this to you at all if I’d been able to figure out how to get Substack to not. Alas, here we are. I set you free to go about your business. Bye! Love you!
IRL Friends:
In 2007 our church began an orphanage in the village of Opi, Nigeria called A Place of Hope. Walt and Karen Troup are our missionaries on the ground, and Mom and Dad to over 100 kiddos. A Place of Hope provides for the physical, spiritual, emotional, and educational flourishing of every child, and serves as a resource to families throughout the community. Here’s a glimpse of what that looks like.
Before the pandemic there were groups of adults from our church visiting every year, but this is the first time we’ve been able to go back since 2020. After four years of hearing friends’ stories and seeing their photos, I finally get to see for myself!
The overarching goal of the trip is this: be with the children and encourage the missionaries. Any other activities will be decided based on the skill set of the folks coming. A Place of Hope is the largest employer in the area, so we will not “help” in any way that would take away from any Nigerian workers. We may do a VBS or help with church services, but mostly we will spend one-on-one time with the kids playing, listening, have having gospel conversations. Walt, Karen, and the many Nigerian staff members are already doing an excellent job of giving these kids what they need. We just want to be a support to them and put faces to the names we’ve prayed over all these years. I would be honored if you would consider partnering with me in this ministry through prayer and financial support.
Traveling this distance within this amount of time takes quite a physical tole. Please pray for the health and safety of the group, and that regardless of the obstacles we face we will be an encouragement to the team at A Place of Hope.
The estimated cost of the trip is $3700, and we will be gone October 22-29. The first installment of $700 is due April 14.
If you would like to help offset the cost of the trip you can do so at this link or by clicking the button below. Enter the amount you would like to give and choose “Mission APOHA 2024” from the drop down menu. If you would like to give by check make payable to Temple Baptist Church with “Stephanie Cochrane Nigeria” in the memo line.
I can’t thank you enough for your prayers and generosity. It is no small thing. Thanks for making it possible for me to meet the next generation of Nigerian believers I’ve heard so much about. I praise God for you!
-Steph