Something About Mary

(Elise and Mary at EFH)

Mary Tembo, is a 6 year old child in crisis that spent a long time in the care of Emanuael Family Home, which is the orphanage our family works with. Mary’s story is one that has gripped our heart almost since our arrival. This little girl is HIV positive, through birth, yet the doctors are amazed at her resiliency. She is not a true orphan, as her mother is still alive, but the care her mother can afford to give her is minimal at best

(Mrs. Tembo, Mary and Emmanuel)

A couple of months ago Mary’s mother decided to request custody of Mary and her little brother Emmanuel which she was awarded. This was a bitter sweet moment as we were saddened by Mary and Emmanuel’s departure but glad to see them re-united with there biological mother. The tricky part is that Mary’s mom, who has AIDS as well, cannot even care for her self let alone two children. After receiving some alarming reports about Mary and Emmanuel’s conditions, losing weight and continual sickness, we decided to sit down and talk with Mrs. Tembo
(The kids with their friends: Chi Chi, Gift, Sylvia, Mary and Emmanuel)

Our hope was to find a way to get Mary’s and Emmanuel back in the care of the home while moving the mother closer to the orphanage so she will be regularly involved in their lives. We have challenged the elders, at the Brethren church where EFH is located, to petition the local body and see if anyone can assist Mrs. Tembo with a place to stay and possibly a job

(Mary, What a smile!!)

Please pray for this situation as this would be a great opportunity for this church to grow and begin supporting from within it own membership. This is a goal we have been working with the leaders on for quite some time!

Life's Promised Trials

Dear Friends

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even thought our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal

II Corinthians 4:16-18 NKJV

Paul’s encouragements to the Corinthians have become very real to us over the last few days as we find ourselves pressing on through another of life’s promised trials. We are writing to request your continued, and extra, prayers as we enter a week that, very simply, will be stretching. Here is a run down of what we would like prayer over:

--In the next week (by next Monday 10th Dec.) will be looking forward to packing up our
current house and moving for the fourth time this year

--Our landlord (at our current place) owes us a month and a half rent but has
conveniently become unreachable as we quickly approach the agreed move out date of the 15th Dec. We obviously want to avoid having to deal with any legal disputes

--Last Saturday the vehicle we have been borrowing (this vehicle is the team loner,
which means it gets used when missionaries need an extra vehicle) blew up just as we pulled into our driveway. We have arrived at the conclusion that either the engine block is cracked or we blew some gaskets. Regardless we will be responsible for covering the damages and are without transportation as our vehicle is still caught up in customs (see below)

--Our vehicle is still not through customs. For those of you that don’t know, we have
been working through importing a vehicle from Japan (This process has over taken
four months).We realize that the reality of the situation is that the government is most likely looking for some financial motivation to expedite the process, which is not an option for us

--Elise has entered that point in her pregnancy where sleep eludes her much of the time
which is compounded by a lack of AC and temps in the high 80’s

--We have recently discovered that Emma is allergic to the skin of Mangos. We have a
mango tree in our back yard that the kids are constantly climbing. We have
concluded this is the source of the poison ivy looking rash on Emma’s arm (Payton
and Macie seem unaffected). Please pray for Emma as she has been scratching the
sores open when sleeping

--On top of all this we are still working through how our new understanding of
Zambian tax laws (We wrote about them in a recent email) will affect our support levels (let us know if you did not receive the fore-mentioned email and we will send it to you)

--We also are expecting Elise parents, Steve and Kathy, who will be arriving on the
13 Dec. and staying till the first of the New Year. Pray for there safe travel and that there time here would be a blessing for all

You know, sometimes it is hard to write to all of you and even ask for pray in light of some of the trials many of our African friends find themselves treading in. While our concerns are real and capture our attention they seem so trivial in comparison to a HIV positive mother who can’t find a job to feed her two children (one who is HIV positive as well). As much as we thought as missionaries we would have an effect on Zambians, it has been the effect Zambians have had on us that is more remarkable. We are continually humbled as we watch our friends rely on God for simple things like: food / shelter / shoes. There is much to learn from the humble and God’s presence can always be found in there midst.

While we would treasure your prayers please know that we are doing extremely well…..that peace that surpasses all understanding. It is necessary to state that we have been blessed to learn much from the example of Luke’s brother Seth. His contentment and trust in what God has placed before him both convicts and inspires us to be content with whatever the Lord would allow us to endure. We love you Seth! As the above passage states….we focus not on what we can see, hear, smell, tastes or touch but on that which is unseen….our eternal home and rest from these momentary affliction.

We will keep you all posted as we get a better idea of our financial situation and so appreciate those of you have responded to this need. We look at this coming week as a week of opportunities keeping in mind what James reminds us….consider it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your produces patience. James 1:2,3 NKJ. Pray that we would grow spiritually and relationally as we press on toward the goal He has called us to. God bless all of you and know you are love and prayed for. We could do any of this without your participation.

His Servants

The Whitfields <><