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Recently I submitted chapter 1 of my PhD dissertation to my advisor. His final comment said: “Great stuff. This is precisely what a good introduction should be…”. While chapter 1 was not perfect (my advisor did suggest a few additions, modifications, changes and deletions), I was greatly encouraged that the first submission was rated as “Great Stuff.” Praise God with me for the positive progress on my dissertation.

Another tremendous encouragement to me is a positive news report about the work that TWR is doing with Ebola. The story is on ABC11 WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham: http://abc11.com/health/radio-organization-helps-battle-ebola-in-africa/360400/. My friend and colleague from West Africa, Abdoulaye Sangho, is interviewed. Thank the Lord for this great news report.

There are a number of projects I am working on that are awaiting on approval or funding. Please pray that these would move forward.

Praise be to God that we have received the last of the documents we need to be completely official in Kenya. We are very grateful for this. Thank you for all your prayers on our behalf.

Earlier this week Donna and some other ladies from a Bible study had a chance to visit and pray for a small village and its school about an hour from where we live. This village is facing some challenges. Praise God with us Donna and friends were well received. Pray with us as we try to move forward and minister the Gospel.

This past weekend, our kids brought friends to our home here in Naivasha to hang out and relax. A great time was had by all. Below is a photo.

Your continued prayers for Donna as she works with children in the area and Paul as he works with discipleship are appreciated.

In the video below are a few thoughts on John 3:16 and its context. There are a couple of questions at the end of the video. If you would like to share your thoughts, please do so on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/rpaulcox (you should also be able to watch the video from there).

http://vimeo.com/thecoxfamily/john-3-16

Thank you very much for your prayers for the seminar last week. God’s blessings were very evident. Below is a link to watch a short video (less than four minutes) of a few testimonies about how God used the seminar.

Your prayers would be appreciated for Donna’s family as her father faces some health challenges and some key decisions need to be made in the coming weeks.

http://vimeo.com/thecoxfamily/2014-09vlog-spiritual-growth

I am writing from Johannesburg South Africa. I am here for meetings and to do a seminar on Spiritual Growth Through Doctrine next week (Sept 8-12). One of the things I pray for before preaching or teaching is for brokenness. Brokenness is a sacrifice to God that He will not despise (Ps 51:17).

As many of you know, I have been working on a booklet call TWR Statement of Doctrinal Position: What it Says, What it Means and Why You Should Care (WIS WIM WYSC). This booklet was to help with the trainings and teachings I am to be doing. WIS WIM WYSC has hit a snag as it needs approval from a higher level in TWR than anticipated. Because of this, I will not be able to use it for the seminar next week.

To be honest, this has been a real disappointment and discouragement. Lots of midnight oil went into getting WIS WIM WYSC ready to be used next week. However, this snag has been a great tool in God’s hands to bring brokenness into my life. For that, I am thankful. Thank God with me for His breaking, pray God would continue and that I would not be stubborn. Pray for me as I modify and then present this seminar. May God be honored next week in what I present and in how I present it. Continue to pray for WIS WIM WYSC.

My daughter Miriam has been reunited with her cat, Asa. He made the trip from Benin to Kenya in good form and was very happy to see Miriam. Asa was a birthday gift to Miriam from some Peace Corps friends when we where in Benin. Hence Asa has a special place in Miriam’s heart along with the Peace Corps volunteers. Asa and our dog Jesse are getting along with each other without too many incidents. Give thanks to God for Asa’s safe trip and happy renunion with Miriam and the rest of the family.

Alyssa, whom I mentioned in my blog in June, is at the end of her mission in Kenya where she worked with Life Beads Kenya. She has been a tremendous blessing to our family. She has brought coffee to a whole new dimension in the Cox household! Below are some of her thoughts on her time in Kenya:

“It was devastating to leave home, but so exciting to be venturing out to serve the Lord in a place I had always dreamed of, and for so long…. When I first saw the town [Naivasha], I was in such culture shock and had no idea how to process being away from home and in such an unfamiliar place. Relatively quickly, though it felt like a slow process, I adapted to my new surroundings.”

“Over the course of the next two months, I learned how business worked in Kenya, and how bringing change was much easier said than done. It was such a blessing to be welcomed in by the Life Beads Kenya family. They all helped me understand Kenyan culture better, and a little bit of Swahili too. I was able to visit various other outreach organizations around Naivasha. All of them were monumental, I can’t really choose which one I loved the most, but I can assuredly say that the ones involving children were my favorites.”

A little more of Alyssa’s story will be featured in our September Newsletter. Praise God with us for Alyssa’s time with us.

This week we received our things from Benin. There was great rejoicing in the Cox Family and the constant questions: “Dad which box has the dog leaches. Dad, where did you pack my swing. Has anyone seen the blue bag.” Please thank God that our things arrived.

Please continue to pray for the final steps in becoming official alien residents in Kenya. We are waiting on our Alien Registration Cards which should have been out of immigration this week.

Praise God after I arrived back in Kenya Donna and I received our work permits. We are incredibly grateful. There are a couple more straight forward administrative steps that we have already started to become official alien residents in Kenya. We are told that these last steps are easy, pray that what we have been told is true.

I had a wonderful time escorting my mom back to USA, spending time with my family and spending time with Donna’s family. Thank you very much for your prayers. The trip back with my mom was close to flawless. The airlines did a great job having wheelchairs available at all the airports along with helpful staff who knew how to navigate the ins and outs of the airports. It was delightful and fitting to spend time with family in the USA. There were some great times of fellowship and conversation.

Donna has started helping (two mornings a week) at a school called Helping Hands (www.helpinghandsofkenya.com) that works with children who have disabilities. The main goal is for her to help the staff and teachers improve their service to these children. Pray for her as she works with Helping Hands.

In our last newsletter I talked about my project: What it Says, What it Means and Why You Should Care which explains the importance and significance of TWR’s Statement of Doctrinal Position. Your continued prayers for this will be appreciated.

My mom has had a great time here in Kenya. Praise God with us that she was able to see a good number of things and that she has been healthy while here. As you know from previous blogs, I am traveling back to the States with her and will be spending some time with my family and Donna’s family. Your prayers for our travels would be appreciated.

Alyssa, who just arrived in Kenya, is a friend from New Mexico who is staying with us in Naivasha as she works with a ministry to those who have AIDS. Alyssa will be in Kenya for two months and we are very excited to have her around. Pray for her as she serves those with AIDS.

Please continue to pray for our work permits. It appears that the process is close to being done. Pray that this is true and that the last steps can be completed.

Paul’s mom (Rosie) has made it to Kenya, she traveled with Donna who was returning from visiting her family. Rosie has enjoyed her grandkids in their native habitat. In addition, she has been able to see a few other animals in their natural environment. Praise God with us that her journey and trip so far have been good (other than the delayed arrival of one bag) and pray for the rest of her visit in Kenya (and the delivery of the bag that has yet to make it to Kenya).

Family and friends meet Jesse. Jesse meet family and friends. Jesse is a female ridgeback / mutt mix that we picked up at the Kenya Society of Protection and Care for Animals (the Kenyan equivalent of the pound). She is incredibly well behaved and loves to be around people. So far Jesse’s favorite thing to do is to visit the kids at RVA where she receives lots of attention. Jesse’s one idiosyncrasy is that she will not fetch a ball. She prefers fetching rocks, fetch Kenya style.

Our move to Kenya has cost about $7,000 more than we planned. Used cars in Kenya are very expensive plus the power steering went out in the vehicle we purchased two weeks after we got it. As they were working on the power steering they also found lots of suspension problems. If you would like to help with this you can send a check to TWR, PO Box 8700, Cary, NC 27512 put “Paul & Donna Cox Transfer Fund” on the memo line. To give via credit card please call TWR at 1.800.456.7897 and ask to make a gift to the Paul and Donna Cox Transfer Fund.