Dear Family and Friends.We are officially moved back into our home in town and are enjoying the conveniences of being close to our fellow missionaries and also the grocery store. The kids are adjusting well and Payton loves his bunk beds and the girls love not having to share a room with him!!! We are looking forward to seeing how God uses this new location to reach more Zambians and for ministry in this new neighborhood.
Emma is looking forward to her 5th birthday on Thursday and we are having a little surprise party for her on Thursday afternoon. We have also started school back up this week and love our new Son Light curriculum. The girls are enjoying school and I feel much more organized this year!!! Thanks to all you mom’s for your encouragement and advice!!! Payton is adjusting to sitting still for longer amounts of time, but oh boy does he get excited when he is set free out into the yard to climb his favorite Mango tree!
The weather continues to get warmer and warmer and we enjoyed the nice cool pool and game drive outing with our fellow ACTION missionaries last Saturday! It’s been so awesome to enjoy the wild life here and the kids liked getting to sit on an elephant and feed her a snack. We also saw lions, zebras, baboon, warthog, kudu and much more.
The family adjustments we have experienced this month have been very positive and we are so thankful to God for His strength and guidance through them all. God has continually shown his faithfulness to us over these almost 8 months now here in Zambia.
We also have included some photos of our family at a compound church where Luke preached. The church is located in the compound of Chaisa and is an amazing body of believers. Pastor Mark Mwale (who I am standing with in one of the pictures) is an amazing man of God who, despite little financial resources, has taken in many orphans and children in crisis. He is such an example of how the joy of the Lord is our strength as he constantly has a huge smile and exuberant personality. The most amazing thing about Pastor Mwale’s congregation is their generosity and sacrificial giving. After Luke finished his sermon the pastor presented our family with gifts, note the head attire and traditional skirt I am wearing, and on a previous occasion took a love offering for Luke. To put this in perspective the congregation’s weekly tithe is roughly $20 and they gave almost a quarter of it to Luke as a gift. Needless to say we are completely humbled and convicted as we experience those that have so little giving so much.
This morning I was reminded during my quiet time to ABIDE in Christ. Such a small word with such great promise. Psalm 91:1&2 “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall ABIDE in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God in Him will I trust.’” What a promise we have when we abide only in Him!!!
Lastly, I want to share John 15:4-9 which also was challenging to me and hope it is the same to you. “ABIDE in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it ABIDES in the vine, neither can you, unless you ABIDE in Me. I am the Vine and you are the branches. He who ABIDES in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not ABIDE in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you ABIDE in Me, and my word ABIDES in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so that you will be My disciples. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; ABIDE in My love.”
May we all ABIDE more closely to Him beginning today!!
God Bless,
Elise
for all 5 and ½ Whitfield’s!!!
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