Julie's back from Romania!

Dear Friends,

Thank you all for praying for our trip to Romania. It can all be summed up in one word—“Amazing!”

It was amazing to be with our team. We praise God for the leaders of the Central European Resource Team (Alex) and the Eastern European Resource Team (Igor). They are men who really love the Lord and have a desire to help the ministry grow in its outreach within their region. I enjoyed spending time with their wives, too and playing with Alex’s two boys. We enjoyed good fellowship and lots of laughs while we were all together in Bucharest. We also were able to see the new curriculum in use on Sunday which was very exciting. Being with the kids was a special treat!

We traveled by train to Cluj and were greeted by the National Ministry Team with open arms. Our team in Romania is amazing! The staff was busy preparing for the board meeting, which we attended, and the national conference for children’s workers. The board meeting was insightful and we again are praising the Lord for people who have a strong desire to minister to the children.

The conference was amazing! We both enjoyed teaching and sharing in between sessions. We met so many individuals who are passionate about children’s ministry. They are thrilled to have ideas and materials to use in their Sunday schools and we’re thrilled to have a small part in helping them to be effective in their ministries.

The second Sunday we attended the evening service at a church in Cluj where we were able to participate in their harvest celebration. The music was amazing and we enjoyed watching the children’s group perform several songs. It was extra special since we had just spent time with the children’s leader at the conference.

Traveling back to Bucharest by night train was not quite as amazing, but still interesting. We said good bye to Igor and Natasha on Monday and on Tuesday Joe, Alex and I made our way to the airport where I boarded a flight back to the States and the boys headed for Egypt.

My trip home was amazingly uneventful. I followed the crowd and managed to make all my connections. My luggage even came with me. It was great to be home, but I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to travel with Joe, to visit friends, to help new teachers, to see new sights—to experience God’s blessings in such amazing ways.

Thank you for being a part of the blessing!

Julie

Joe and Julie are going to Romania!

Dear Praying Friends,

Julie and I are heading out soon on another exciting journey. Can we count on you to pray for us? If you are willing to seriously pray for us daily, we’d sure appreciate it. We’re going to be in Romania October 16-28 and then Joe travels on to Egypt. Below you will find an itinerary you can use as a prayer guide. We would love to be on your refrigerator!! Everyday, please pray for spiritual and physical strength for us. Pray, too, for Jonathan, who is at home with school, work and extra curricular stuff.

Thursday, October 16, we will depart Los Angeles, connecting through New York City on our way to Bucharest, Romania.

Friday – Sunday, October 17-19, we will be meeting with Igor and Natasha Fridrikh and Alex and Cami Bruda. Igor is our Eastern Europe director and Alex is our Central Europe director. We’re looking forward to spending time with these couples and hope we can be a blessing to them. (Igor and Natasha lived with us for 6 months last year and the Brudas were in Temecula for 3 months in early 2008.) We’ll be doing regional planning together and discussing very important decisions in the ministry.

Monday, October 20, the Coxes and Fridrikhs will take the train to Cluj, Romania (about an 8 hour journey). Pray for communication issues as we will be on a Romanian train, but will not have any Romanians with us!

Tuesday, October 21, we will take part in the board meeting for the Romanian EGM ministry, seeking to be a blessing to them as we hear reports of the ministry and participate in the decision-making process.

Wednesday, October 22, we will spend time with the EGM-Romania staff. Maybe we’ll get to do something fun this day and relax a bit.

Thursday – Sunday, October 23-26, we will participate in the EGM-Romania National Conference. Julie will teach one plenary session on understanding children and a workshop on communicating effectively in a child’s world. Joe will share in two plenary sessions, sharing how to serve in children’s ministry with a well-defined goal and how to be a model to the children. He will also lead a workshop about the power of influence in children’s ministry.”

Sunday evening, October 26, we will take the night train back to Bucharest.

Monday, October 27, we will take Igor and Natasha to the airport so they can fly to Ukraine and travel on to Belarus.

Tuesday, October 28, Julie flies back to the USA by herself and an hour later, Joe and Alex are scheduled to fly out of Bucharest on their way to Cairo via Athens.

Wednesday, October 29, Joe and Alex will take part in the board meeting for EGM-Egypt. At this meeting Joe will handover to Alex the responsibility for representing EGM-US in the partnership. This is important for the future of the ministry, but will be an emotionally charged time, as well.

Thursday, October 30, Joe and Alex will travel to El Menya, a community on the Nile about 150 miles south of Cairo. We’re told that we will REALLY experience village life on this trip. I’m really looking forward to it, but need your prayer for grace concerning food, restrooms, etc.

Thursday-Saturday, October 30-November 1, we will teach a children’s ministry conference. Alex and I will be team-teaching for the first time. So, we are a Romanian speaker and an English speaker teaching Arabic speakers. How cool is that?

Sunday, November 2, we‘ll participate in Egyptian worship services (and preach?), then fly out – Alex to Bucharest and Joe to the USA.

If you are still praying, all we can say, is “Wow!” and “Thank you!” Our prayer team is amazing and your ministry means so much to us.

Blessings on you!

Joe and Julie

Cox Newsletter - August 2008

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Quick Prayer Update from the Coxes

Dear Praying Friends,

Julie and I decided today that we need to get out a quick prayer email to all of you to tell you a pretty amazing reason to praise God and to share a prayer need with you.

1. God has completely healed me (Joe). I have been a little wary of making that kind of bold announcement, just wanting to be submissive to what God has for me and not wanting to presume upon God. However, I just cannot stop praising the Lord every day that I have full energy. Yes, I said "full" energy, just like normal. It's amazing and only God could have done it. Thank you for praying about this. I am absolutely convinced that God did this to provide a testimony to His great power among His people in answer to their prayers.

2. We just finished the first full year of the International Curriculum we are helping our partners create overseas. We have two more years of curriculum to create in order to meet our goal of having a full, 3-year curriculum for three age levels. That's a total of 351 lessons, but are excited about this first BIG milestone! This may be the most important thing EGM has ever done to help our international partners. However, the program is in danger. EGM is going through a tough time right now. The US economy (and the ever increasing ripple effect of the gas prices) affects charitable giving, for sure. Giving to EGM has nose-dived in recent months and we've had to take drastic measures. The office space is being cut in half, several staff members have had to step out of the ministry and salaries have been reduced so that our giving to our international partners can continue. Please pray about this need. We're believing God for a miracle.

Thanks for standing with us in prayer! I have never appreciated our prayer team like I do in these days! God's enemy is at work but OUR GOD IS GREATER! Our God loves children and wants them to know Him. Thanks for your part in praying for us!!

Joe and Julie

God answered your prayers!

Dear Praying Friends,

I can't stop praising the Lord. He has been so good to me and I can't even really find the words to express my thankfulness to Him. God bless each of your for praying for me throughout my 20 day adventure in Romania and Egypt. The challenges were great, but God blessed in big ways.

I had several challenges with my flights (late/missed flights, rerouting, etc.) and this may have been the reason my luggage was lost in the process. I was without my luggage for the entire trip. I actually received it the day I returned, just hours before departure from Egypt. However, I was just like a little bird. I opened my mouth and God provided all I needed each day...and in some pretty miraculous ways. It was pretty humbling to be the receiver, but it was a great lesson for me concerning what I REALLY need to survive.

So many of you have prayed about my health issues. Thank you!! God answered in amazing ways each day. Throughout the trip, I felt God strengthening me when additional strength was needed and giving me windows where I could rest and recharge when that was needed. I only had 2 days where the extreme fatigue I'd been experiencing surfaced and caused a problem. Here's just one example of God's provision...

One day, while in Egypt, I was in the middle of teaching the children and the fatigue hit me out of nowhere. It was just like a wave that knocked me for a loop. I wasn't even sure if I could finish my lesson, but kept pressing on, doing the best I could. While I was teaching, someone came to the stage and whispered, "We just found out there was a miscommunication and the kitchen has been waiting to serve us for over 30 minutes. Is there anyway you can quickly wrap up your lesson and we can give you time later to continue?" God allowed the need and provided the solution, all within minutes!

The children at the camps filled my heart to the brim. I couldn't have even anticipated how they would minister to me. The teachers were a huge blessing as well. Our EGM staff members and the American team members all worked together in such a seamless way. Although we missed each other (especially on Father's Day) our family survived the trip well and we ALL felt God's sustaining grace. It is a thing of beauty to watch God at work.

Your partnership through prayer has been a wonderful example to our team around the world. When I tell them about you they are amazed that I have a team who is so faithful in prayer. I'm trusting God to bless you big. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Joe

Cox Family Prayer Update - Health and Travel News!

Dear praying friends,

I have never received so many responses to a prayer update as I did with this last one where I told you about my health issues. What an encouragement to have so many of you send a quick note to say you'd be praying. A SPECIAL thank you to those who prayed!

The doctors are puzzled about my health issues. The tests have come back without results that point to a clear diagnosis. The general consensus is that there is still some viral activity in my body that has been causing the fatigue. How long this will last is a big question in everyone's mind. Without a clear diagnosis, it's difficult to know what treatment options to consider. I still have good mornings, which is what really makes the doctors scratch their heads (if I had the fatigue all day everyday, things would be clearer to them). As I write this I have had two good days. A good day is one where I have enough energy to be at the office almost a full day. I'm praying this will continue and that the hours where I can function normally will increase every day.

I am still scheduled to leave for Romania June 7 and will continue on to Egypt June 10. I feel definitely that God is leading me to move forward with the trip and so I have not cancelled. If I EVER needed you to pray me through a trip, this is the time! Please pray that I will find times of rest as they are needed and that God will show Himself to be strong when I am weak. I'm still asking everyone to pray, along with me, for complete healing. However, if God chooses to allow the weakness, I know He can and will receive glory through this part of my journey.

As you are able, please follow the itinerary and pray for me each day as God leads you...

June 7 Leave the San Diego airport

June 8 Morning arrival in Cluj, Romania

June 9 EGM-Romania Board Meeting

June 10 Fly from Cluj to Cairo

June 12 Time with EGM-Egypt staff

June 13 Team arrives in Cairo from the USA

June 14 Preparation for the camp/conferences

June 15 Speak in Sunday worship

June 16-19 Camp/conference in Alexandria (north of Cairo)

June 20-21 Rest and sightseeing

June 22 Speak in Sunday worship

June 23-26 Camp/conference in El Menya (south of Cairo)

June 27 Fly from Cairo to San Diego

The two camp/conferences are a combined group of children AND adults. There are training times for the teachers and times where they USE the training with the kids. I'm really looking forward to it! Our Egyptian director's wife, Mofida, has recently been diagnosed with lupus and doctors are trying to find the right medications for her. I know they would really appreciate having your prayers, as well. As always, please remember to pray for Julie and Jonathan while I am away.

God bless each of you.

Joe

A prayer request that's hard to share

Dear Praying Friends,

It's not easy to admit weakness. It's much more fun to write to you and ask for prayer for the next great ministry adventure. But today, I'm just plain weak and I need you to stand with me in prayer. As you know, I was in a pretty serious car accident during my last trip to Ukraine and Belarus. I was just so thankful to be alive afterwards! God literally saved my life and I will never stop praising Him for that. During the days after the car accident, I wrote off any physical symptoms, chalking them up to the trauma.

The day after I got back, I began to have more severe flu-like symptoms and was VERY sick for several days. The doctor called it a virus and told me I couldn't fly to St. Louis according to schedule. So, we postponed and shortened our trip to St. Louis, but I was able to travel even though I had to have a wheelchair in the airport part of the time. I even improved some while I was there and the Lord strengthened me for the meetings that He arranged for us.

Unfortunately, after I got back to California, I began to experience real fatigue as well as muscle weakness and soreness on a daily basis. Thinking it was just that I needed time to get over the virus, I just rested alot and waited. However, it's been a month now and I'm still having real problems with fatigue. I start off pretty good in the morning, but after just a few hours of work, I begin to have trouble thinking clearly, lose all energy and even have trouble speaking clearly at times. At that point, I just MUST go and rest. Blood work shows levels in the normal range. Of course, everyone I talk to has an idea of what this could be. I am asking God for healing and for wisdom to know from HIM what to do next.

I'm scheduled to leave for Romania and Egypt on June 7 and would very much like to make the trip since the national Christian leaders have gone to a lot of trouble to prepare for me and the team of Americans traveling with me. I realize this is all a loving gift from God and I want to get from Him what He wants for me through this. I really HAVE just rested and rested, but progress is very slow and it's confusing when we don't know what we are dealing with. I keep hoping I'll wake up tomorrow feeling good again.

When I asked you to be a part of my prayer team, I asked if you would be willing just to stop and pray when you got an email from me. I sure hope I can count on those prayers today. Please pray for Julie, too. This hasn't been easy on her, either.

Wow! Do we ever appreciate you!!

Joe