Cholera ~Evacuation Update

Dear Friends

Just a quick note asking you to pray for a situation here in Zambia affecting hundreds of local families. Ever year the rains (which should be ending here shortly) cause at least some bit of local flooding usually in the same areas of town. Because development of info structure, such as drainage, is severely impeded drainage of rain water is left to the powers of the sun. This fact coupled with poor sanitation and the overflowing pit latrines consistently produces limited outbreaks of Cholera as well as forces the mandatory evacuation of those living in low lying areas. As if life is not hard enough for most Zambia some have to contend annually with the reality that they may affect adversely by such conditions.

This year the rains have not been as heavy but nonetheless we have recently seen increases of both those affected with Cholera as well as families being moved to tent cities until the waters have receded. As hospital visitation ministry has continue to visit area clinics we have witness the growth of quarantine areas that some clinics have set up in order to accommodate those infected with Cholera. These quarantines are often made of nothing more than 2" x 2" timbers with plastic sheets attached to form a barrier. They are often outdoors and patients are cared to as the understaffed medical team can find opportunity. At one particular clinic in the local compound of Kanyama we have watched as what was once a small 20' x 20' enclosure has been enlarged a couple of times to now encompassed much of the clinic's outdoor space. The actually number of those infected is a tightly held secret but one thing is for sure, the number grow each week we visit.

Along with Cholera the rains have also brought the evacuation of somewhere around 260 local families. Some of these families have given reports that their houses have water in them up to the ceiling trusses. The government has set up a tent city at the national football stadium with can currently accommodate 247 family (just over 1000 people capacity), some sleeping up to 10 people per tent. Action Zambia went out last week to meet with the Red Cross, who are running the camp, to inquire about opportunities to serve those who now called this temporary city their place of residence. It is the hope of Action Zambia that we might provide some physical and more importantly Spiritual aid to these people that have lost what little they had. There are preliminary plans to gather support from the local pastors involved in Action Pastors College and encourage them as congregations to gather supplies (washrags as well as antibacterial soaps) as well as organize a church service for the residents.









I know in light of tragedies such as Haiti and Chile the need of the situation in Lusaka seems like a drop in the ocean but to these families it is just as real and the weather forecast is calling for more rain. Please pray for these dear souls as well as Action Zambia that we would be able to hear what God is wanting us to accomplish through this opportunity before us.

Remember the greatest gift you can give is prayer and which is endless and free. Could not do any of this without you.

His Servant

Luke (for the fam) <><

visit our blog: www.whitfieldwateringhole.blogspot.com

Skype id: taziona6

March Update

Dear Friends March 2010

Well it is hard to believe that two months have already transpired this year and yet we have seen God do so much during that period. Our family continues to mesh together as our adoption of Chichi continues to move forward and we learn to live with one more in our midst. We would be lying if we suggested that it has been easy and we expect there will be some wrinkles to iron out in the future but the joy of watching one that was lost revel in being found is indescribable. We look forward to celebrating as a family Chichi’s 4th birthday on March 15th.



Elise and the kids have struggled a bit to get back into the groove of home schooling after our long vacation break earlier this year but they always seem to get it together eventually. Elise has become such an example to our family of perseverance and determination – she truly is the glue the Lord uses to keep our family together.

Elise and I have also begun to train to run a marathon this August in Zimbabwe. We will be running (Lord willing, hah) with other members from our AZ team in hopes of raising funds to go toward the development of Action Zambia’s Ciyanjano Enrichment Centre (church campsite). If you are interested in learning more or considering coming to run yourself you can find out more at our newly created Race Blog Page: http://www.kilometersforkids.info/

Ministry has, as expected, really picked up this last month for me. The building of the Ciyanjano Retreat Centre has pick up pace and we currently are in the midst of building the first five bunk house foundations. These bunk houses will have the capacity to sleep up to 50 people per campsite. It has been so encouraging to hear the excitement of the local body of Believers as they watch this unprecedented facility take shape. Keep praying that God would raise up the necessary funds and be looking for a more detailed web site about Ciyanjano in the near future. For now you can find more info about the Ciyanjano Centre by following the link to AZ’s website: http://www.actionzambia.org/ministry-areas/ciyanjano-christian-enrichment-centre/

Hospital Visitation Ministry has gotten back underway after a couple of months break. Many of the same local Action Zambia pastors who participated last year are back with the addition of a few new faces. We continue to go into four different area clinics over the course of the week and spend roughly and hour and a half praying for the multitudes of sick that exists here in Lusaka. From these visits more and more stories are emerging about the blessings God has bestowed upon these patients during our time with them. I want to close by sharing a testimony of a young woman who since our visit with her one Tuesday in the clinic has seen God do amazing things in her life. This young woman has since started to attend the church of Action Zambia pastor Anderson Jere who shared this encouraging note with me. Pastor Jere writes in his own words:



Dear Brother Luke

I greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I want just to share with you , a testimony of how our ministry (hospital visitation) is doing in the lives of many patients we minister to. On several occasions I have received phone calls from a number of them confessing that the Good Lord has done wonders in one way or another after ministering and praying for them.

One of them is Ruth. If you can remember very well, we ministered to this lady at Kalingalinga Clinic sometime back in mid November 2009. This lady told us that she had given up serving the Lord because God was not answering her prayers. But after helping her with the Word of God she confessed and promised that she will go back to church. Towards the end of February 2010, Ruth called me, and she thanked God saying that if only it was not for the prayers and words of encouragement she received from us, she could have killed herself because she had no option left but to commit suicide. I assured Ruth that I was always praying for her since we last met, and she further told me that she was still going through a number of problems. Her father, who is an elder in one of the church denominations, is a satanist and he once raped her and he is trying everything possible so that he can make her join in his satanic activities and this has brought great problems on her life and health.

After hearing this I was very touched and invited her to our church, and on Sunday 28th February 2010 she came. I ministered to her and together with some church leaders held some prayers with her and them she felt free and shared her story, it was a moving testimony.

Brother Luke, the ministry is impacting a number of souls, even those we don’t meet or hear from them after the visit. I only wish I was in full time ministry so that I could have enough time to minister to such souls. Pray for Ruth and also pray for me so that God can give me the means to sustain my family so that I can commit all my time to ministry work. May God bless us all.

Pastor Anderson Jere




As we constantly remind you, be encouraged and glorify the Lord for He has used and is using our partnership in ways we will never know until we get there! Could not do it without you, thanks for your faithfulness!

His Servant

Luke (for the fam) <>