tony & Laurie-ann copple: Iris missionaries,
Oupa/oom & Ouma/tante to discouraged latch key kids & teens
Welcome to our website, Copples in Western Cape. We (Tony & Laurie-Ann) fell in love with the Western Cape area of South Africa while we were there on an extended mission in August 2016 (after Iris Harvest School 24). We both had a series of dreams connecting us with the Rainbow Nation, as well as having a deep heart-connect with many of the local people in Robertson and Worcester. Some of those dreams will be posted on our dreams page so you can know more about our story.
While we connect with 'latch key' kids whose parents (usually single moms) are working to make ends meet, we also volunteer in Brandvlei prison, Boland Hospice, various kids clubs (Riverview, Iris WC in Vinkrivier, My Father's House Worcester), Mailbox Clubs, disciple teens (My Father's House Worcester) run CWCP Radio, Homeless Church, ChangeMakers (for a season) and Legacy Relay in Worcester Primary School. L-A has also produced two prophetic colouring books called "Colouring with Jesus, " and "Colouring with Jesus 2." Look for the art drop-down menu and click on colouring books. They were published March 2020, and July 2021 and are available through Legacy Relay in Worcester, and Le Roux and Fourie Vignerons in theRobertson area of Western Cape. They are also available online on Takealot only in South Africa).
We believe in family and the love of the Father, the grace of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives. He does this through relationship, he does this through family. Included in this is our support of our Iris Western Cape family and leaders Johan and Marie Fourie. While in South Africa, we will also represent Iris Ministries Canada, also part of our family.
Please explore our site as it expands during our ministry in Western Cape. We arrived in Cape Town November 10, 2017, stayed in a Worcester guest house from November 13 - December 13 and in a second place until January 2nd, 2018. We moved into our own rental home in the Hooggelegen Retirement Community January 1st, 2018, and are connected to various Worcester-based ministries, as well as to the nearby Iris Western Cape base near Robertson. We tried to move back to Canada, but due to corona virus measures around the globe, our flights were cancelled multiple times. The closest Canadian flight to get 'home' was in Morocco and we weren't able to make it before strict lock down in South Africa. We were able to negotiate staying in our rented home until September 2020, and moved into a central Worcester apartment later that month. We were trying to return early because L-A was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer in August 2019. After 5 months of chemotherapy, supplemented with prayer and cancer fighting supplements/foods, the PET/CT scans showed there was no longer evidence of the tumour! Still, we were to return for surgery and other followup. We received medical visas so we stayed until May 2021, and re-applied again to carry us until our departure on December 18, 2021. The main concerns are both L-A's and Tony's health. Until our last week, we were available in person, but that will change upon our return to Canada. We also still reach out online and encourage the relationships we have built during our time in South Africa with our teen leaders, and colleagues.
We finished our fourth year of our ministry with an extra month. We have been part of My Father's House Worcester, GIG club, Worcester Christian Church (Kinderkerk and Media Team), Teachers of the Nations, Riverview Kid's Club, Mailbox Club Africa, Brandvlei Correctional Spiritual Care, Alpha South Africa, Boland Hospice Volunteers, Legacy Relay (at Worcester Primary School) and other outreaches in both townships and neighbourhoods. We were part of Change Makers for 18 months, teachers at MasterPeace Academy for two years, and various kids clubs. We also did pastoral care visiting in our retirement village. Our ministry was to be three years or more, but we tried to return in April 2020, due to L-A's cancer surgery and the health of Laurie-Ann's dad. Her mom died in January 2020. We may return back to Canada after the coronavirus pandemic is over (hopefully by Canadian spring 2021). Ironically, after we we found we could not leave South Africa, all breast cancer surgeries in Ottawa General Hospital were cancelled. We continue with our work, although it looked very different. Some ministry is on hold, and others are intensified. L-A had her surgery and radiation in Worcester and Cape Town, rather than Ottawa. We know this saved her life. Tony later developed TB, which was discovered when we had chest x-rays that we needed to have new volunteer visas. (Over a year later, a CT scan revealed an egg-shaped tumour in the lining of Tony's left lung, which we hope to have cared for in Toronto). We switched to apply for medical visas, which were granted. We applied for an extension to carry us to November 2021, although Home Affairs were very slow to process our visas (nearly six months to process a six-month visa). It's difficult to return to Canada, and both of us are weak, tired and healing from various cancers, eye issues and a tumour (Tony) and cancer treatments (L-A). But we trust for healing, and we are thankful that we persevered on the mission field while ill. The faithful and carrying power of God was shown that He does not abandon us in our time of need. His grace is sufficient.
This has not been a short-term mission trip, so trips 'home' are only when they have to be (including missing L-A's mom's funeral due to L-A receiving chemotherapy). We will be in South Africa until December 18, 2021.
While we connect with 'latch key' kids whose parents (usually single moms) are working to make ends meet, we also volunteer in Brandvlei prison, Boland Hospice, various kids clubs (Riverview, Iris WC in Vinkrivier, My Father's House Worcester), Mailbox Clubs, disciple teens (My Father's House Worcester) run CWCP Radio, Homeless Church, ChangeMakers (for a season) and Legacy Relay in Worcester Primary School. L-A has also produced two prophetic colouring books called "Colouring with Jesus, " and "Colouring with Jesus 2." Look for the art drop-down menu and click on colouring books. They were published March 2020, and July 2021 and are available through Legacy Relay in Worcester, and Le Roux and Fourie Vignerons in theRobertson area of Western Cape. They are also available online on Takealot only in South Africa).
We believe in family and the love of the Father, the grace of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives. He does this through relationship, he does this through family. Included in this is our support of our Iris Western Cape family and leaders Johan and Marie Fourie. While in South Africa, we will also represent Iris Ministries Canada, also part of our family.
Please explore our site as it expands during our ministry in Western Cape. We arrived in Cape Town November 10, 2017, stayed in a Worcester guest house from November 13 - December 13 and in a second place until January 2nd, 2018. We moved into our own rental home in the Hooggelegen Retirement Community January 1st, 2018, and are connected to various Worcester-based ministries, as well as to the nearby Iris Western Cape base near Robertson. We tried to move back to Canada, but due to corona virus measures around the globe, our flights were cancelled multiple times. The closest Canadian flight to get 'home' was in Morocco and we weren't able to make it before strict lock down in South Africa. We were able to negotiate staying in our rented home until September 2020, and moved into a central Worcester apartment later that month. We were trying to return early because L-A was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer in August 2019. After 5 months of chemotherapy, supplemented with prayer and cancer fighting supplements/foods, the PET/CT scans showed there was no longer evidence of the tumour! Still, we were to return for surgery and other followup. We received medical visas so we stayed until May 2021, and re-applied again to carry us until our departure on December 18, 2021. The main concerns are both L-A's and Tony's health. Until our last week, we were available in person, but that will change upon our return to Canada. We also still reach out online and encourage the relationships we have built during our time in South Africa with our teen leaders, and colleagues.
We finished our fourth year of our ministry with an extra month. We have been part of My Father's House Worcester, GIG club, Worcester Christian Church (Kinderkerk and Media Team), Teachers of the Nations, Riverview Kid's Club, Mailbox Club Africa, Brandvlei Correctional Spiritual Care, Alpha South Africa, Boland Hospice Volunteers, Legacy Relay (at Worcester Primary School) and other outreaches in both townships and neighbourhoods. We were part of Change Makers for 18 months, teachers at MasterPeace Academy for two years, and various kids clubs. We also did pastoral care visiting in our retirement village. Our ministry was to be three years or more, but we tried to return in April 2020, due to L-A's cancer surgery and the health of Laurie-Ann's dad. Her mom died in January 2020. We may return back to Canada after the coronavirus pandemic is over (hopefully by Canadian spring 2021). Ironically, after we we found we could not leave South Africa, all breast cancer surgeries in Ottawa General Hospital were cancelled. We continue with our work, although it looked very different. Some ministry is on hold, and others are intensified. L-A had her surgery and radiation in Worcester and Cape Town, rather than Ottawa. We know this saved her life. Tony later developed TB, which was discovered when we had chest x-rays that we needed to have new volunteer visas. (Over a year later, a CT scan revealed an egg-shaped tumour in the lining of Tony's left lung, which we hope to have cared for in Toronto). We switched to apply for medical visas, which were granted. We applied for an extension to carry us to November 2021, although Home Affairs were very slow to process our visas (nearly six months to process a six-month visa). It's difficult to return to Canada, and both of us are weak, tired and healing from various cancers, eye issues and a tumour (Tony) and cancer treatments (L-A). But we trust for healing, and we are thankful that we persevered on the mission field while ill. The faithful and carrying power of God was shown that He does not abandon us in our time of need. His grace is sufficient.
This has not been a short-term mission trip, so trips 'home' are only when they have to be (including missing L-A's mom's funeral due to L-A receiving chemotherapy). We will be in South Africa until December 18, 2021.
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ABOUT The copplesTony & L-A don't believe in 'retirement' but believe in using all your skills where ever you are. Holy Spirit blesses people of all ages. No one is ever past the age of being useful to God. When we return to Canada, we will still be doing kids' ministry under Legacy Relay, a not for profit company from Worcester, South Africa. We will be their Canadian arm.
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the father's house discipleship school at iris western cape
(near robertson)
Twice a year (in South African autumn and spring), the Iris Western Cape base hosts The Father's House school. This year, there is only one school. The Father's House School 11 was June 24 - July 29, 2019, which included some outreach in Robertson and the Garden Route. Father's House School 12 was to be February 15 - March 29, 2021 but this has been postponed due to covid travel issues. The schools will start up again after the pandemic is over. If you're considering a missions-discipleship school, this one is excellent. We have made some good friends through the past few schools. Watch the news on the Iris Global website under mission and global schools. We will be back in Canada for that one, but you can still come! Here's the link:
Bottom video - Iris Western Cape Father's House Discipleship School 10 - by David Tan, alumnus of that school