June Kopin

My name is June Ida Kopin.  I was born April 15, 1924 in Enola, Pa. God blessed me with 5 beautiful daughters. Sharon, who resides in Cardington, Ohio, Carol who stays on the go but is presently in Florida, Diane, who resides in Carlisle, Pa.  Two of my daughters are deceased, Debbie at the age of 39 and Gloria at the age of 21.  I thank God that he allowed me to mother these two angels for a short time.

In 1980 I was living in Camp Hill, Pa. I was very involved with the ladies ministries in one of the local churches. I was hosting a Woman's Aglow meeting when my friend Carol came in and said she had someone out in her car she wanted me to meet.  Little did I know that this meeting would change the entire course of my life?  I had been praying that God would open a door for me to work for him fulltime.  It was just before Christmas in 1980 when I went out to my friend's car and met Marion Coleman, whom we all know now as Dr. Marion Spellman.  After that initial meeting, I made plans to meet with Dr. Spellman the following day at her home.

 When I met with Dr. Spellman the next day she began to tell me the burden that was on her heart for men and women that were trapped in a world of addiction.  She also shared her God given vision of a place for these men and women to go to meet God face to face.  A place where they could find hope and healing for damaged emotions.  A place where they could overcome years of addiction and enslavement to the enemy.  She called this place Peniel, taken from Genesis 32:30:

       "And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I
        have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."

I listened as Dr. Spellman spoke with enthusiasm and conviction.  I felt her burden and God showed me that this was the opportunity I had been praying for.  He was opening the door for me to serve him fulltime.  I ask Dr. Spellman if she had a cook yet since this was my area of expertise, and her response was "No."  I said, "You do now!"

In February of 1981 Peniel started with just a handful of staff.  God directed Dr. Spellman to hold a prayer meeting.  He told her that at the end of this week long intercessory prayer meeting there would only be a few people left that shared her vision.  One week later the remaining staff included Dr. Spellman the founder, Becky Guyer the secretary and myself the cook. 

Peniel started in Dillsburg, Pa at Footlight Ranch.  We moved locations several times before God placed us in Johnstown, Pa.  I remember the days when we had no musical instruments to play and sing to but we made a joyful noise unto the Lord with our hands clapping and our voices singing.  I also remember when our worship center was nothing but a chicken coop but we worshiped God there anyway and lives were changed.  I remember when it looked as though we weren't going to make it but God would restore our faith and remind us that "He has never failed us". 

God has now given us a beautiful facility that houses our offices, cafeteria, dining room, male, and female dorms, classrooms, a chapel, a gymnasium, plus staff housing where I now reside.  Even though I retired from the kitchen in 1999 I will never retire as friend, encourager and pray warrior to Peniel.  Again I say, "He Has Never Failed Us".