Guinea Pigs, Math and Street Kids

Dear Friends

Sorry it has been a while since we last touched base. Much has happened in the last couple of weeks in all areas of our lives. Where do we start?

How about our saga involving the death of eight Guinea pigs, yes you heard right, eight, Guinea pigs. For a while the kids have wanted to get some more pets, but unfortunately our dog, Spud, does not share their enthusiasm. Spud is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and is basically bred to be very territorial when it comes to other animals. Needless to say, we have been reluctant to try to introduce another pet into the mix. As often happens, we went against our better judgment and gave the go ahead for our friend “Grandson” to build the kids a cage and fill it with four Guinea Pigs. Things started off well, as we built the cage to be dog proof; which it was until the kids forgot to move a large stone they had earlier place right next to the fence. Yep, you guessed it, that stone gave Spud just enough height to bound over the fence and quickly end the lives of our new fury friends. So what does any sympathetic warm blooded parent do in a situation like this? Buy the kids four more Guinea pigs and hope that the talk you had about being more responsible for themselves and their surroundings sunk in. Of course you know how the rest of the story goes. Yesterday, while trying to fortify the cage even more, we removed the new Guinea pigs and placed them in a rubber bin in the house. With watchful eyes we ensured every door was closed denying Spud the opportunity to repeat his feat again. That is until one of the kids forgot to close a door behind them and sure enough that dog boldly came into the house in “stealth mode” and kill the new batch of four. Amazingly the kids seemed to have been conditioned a bit by the week’s earlier killing and did not seem as upset over the loss of the second group of pigs. All in all it has been sad and if I am honest a bit funny as Elise and I have to break the bad new twice now. We of course will be searching for a new batch of Guinea pigs (as they are only around $2 piece) and will keep you posted on their progress (hah).

"Grandson" and the guinea pig pen

On the home schooling front I am happy to report that Elise and the kids area really enjoying their time together. This is in part to a new system Elise has implemented to teach the kids responsibility and to create a bit more structure into their days. I want to take a moment and let all of you know how great a mom and teacher Elise is. She has done such a great job helping our family to get into a new routine after our move to our new house. And it has been fun to watch her discover her natural gift of teaching.

A while back I wrote about an experience I had while ministering to some street kids and in particular a conversation I had with a young man named Alvis. I return the next week with a group of friends on a frigid Friday night and distributed some tea and roles to around 70 kids. I have included some pictures and can assure you it was an amazing time of fellowship and coming to the realization that some of these kids have never felt a loving touch. There was one teenage boy who literally latched himself onto my body and said, “I love you, please take me with you”. To tell you the truth, I did not know how to respond. But after I had some time to reflect on the evening I realized that my experience with my young friend was a perfect picture of what Christ does each time I come to Him for affirmation. He does not get hung up on all the Worldly filth that often covers me, but rather, quickly embraces and reminds me that I am His and that He loves me dearly. Please be praying tomorrow as we will return to visit with the street kids and continue reminding them that they are greatly prized by their Heavenly Father and us as well.

Hospital visitation continues to move forward and it seems that God has opened the doors for us to be working in almost all of the local clinics in Lusaka. Recently, I spent some time arranging an outreach event for a short term team that is coming in August from South Carolina. They will be distributing hygiene kits (wash cloths / soap / powder ) to the patients in the Pediatric Malnourishment Word at the local teaching hospital. This will be a great opportunity to spend some time with these suffering children and offer not only some physical relief but more importantly as much spiritual relief as God will use us to accomplish. Please pray for this outreach as many times African are afraid to have white people pray for them due to a cultural belief that all “whites” are “satanists”.

On another ministry front we wanted to ask you to start to pray for Action Zambia’s upcoming pastor’s conference. This is the second conference AZ has facilitated and we are expecting over 200 people to show up. The conference is themed: “Building Biblical Marriages” and is opened to all pastors who will hopefully bring their wives as well. It will be taking place during the first week of August and run from eight in the morning till noon on Mon / Tue / Wed / Thur/ Fri. Elise and the rest of the AZ ladies will also be leading the worship time during the Friday portion of the conference. Talking about marriage matters in public forums is not as common or accepted here in the African culture as it is back in the States. Ask God that He will begin a good work in the lives and marriages of the many areas pastors that will attend this event.

Other than that life continues as usual, always busy and never the same. Thanks again for all you do in supporting the Lord’s work here in Zambia. As you know none of this would be possible without your involvement. We love you all dearly and miss you as well. I know we had said this before, but if you have not already, please visit our blog by clicking on the link: www.whitfieldwateringhole.blogspot.com , where you can read all of our updates and see even more pictures. God bless each of you and remember to PRESS ON & INTO HIM!!!

His Servants

Luke (for the clan) <><

The Plight of Alvis

Dear Friend

For a moment imagine, the perpetual smell of urine, sweat and dirt. Contemplate the thought that the next meal you will eat will more than likely be pulled out of a trash can and someone’s leftovers. Take second, to ponder the thought of living with the constant fear of looking over your shoulder wondering who will take advantage of you next. Or possibly, the reality of looking for a temporary escape from this hell you live in through the use of inhaling toxic fumes. Sound familiar? Of course not, or at least, for your sake, I hope not. Unfortunately, for some youth here in Zambia this is daily routine that leaves them to live a life without any hope for a future of what many of know to be normality.

What I have described to you is a picture of life in the day of what the world has labeled a “street kid”. This past Friday, three of my friends and I spent sometime minister to about thirty of these unfortunate souls. During this time I met a young man named Alvis. Alvis is what you might call a ring leader. He is a bit older than most of his peers and is responsible for selling “stika” to the rest of his colleagues. “Stika” is basically what we would call rubber cement and most of these kids spend a majority of their day seeking out and inhaling its fumes; which provides a temporary escape from the battle of life as they know it.

Alvis was an interesting story as he explained that he only sells “stika” because he wants to get his teenage wife, who is pregnant with their child, off the streets and away from the city. As I scanned the crowd of filthy youth for her, my eyes settled on a girl that could not have been more than 15 or 16 who had a dirty dish rage covered in “stika” over her mouth. You can image my horror as I realize the danger this young lady was putting herself through, not to mention the jeopardy she was exposing her and Alvis’ unborn child to. This is life to them, they know nothing different. To them the importance of life lies in finding the next high and then waking up the next morning to do the same. My heart sunk as I soon realize this is who Jesus was taking about when He said he came to seek out the lost and forgotten.

If there is any ray of hope in this story, it is that after talking with Alvis for almost forty minute he admitted he was tired of living this live and wanted something more. I told him that the only true satisfaction he could find in life would be through a relationship with Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. He agreed and we prayed for him to receive Christ and to have his life turn around in that moment. Our discussion was interrupted by his pregnant wife pulling at his sleeve asking for more “stika”.

Pray for Alvis as leaving this life he knows will be anything but easy. Alvis’ story is not unique but probably very typical of what many young adults on the streets of Lusaka and around the world are experiencing every day. In fact, for those of you who think a story like Alvis’ is only occurring in third world countries, I would challenge you to consider that right now there are many young adults like Alvis in your own back yards. Maybe they don’t live on the street and maybe they are not eating out of trash cans. But there are many lost souls all around us searching for that true satisfaction that comes only through a meaningful relationship with Christ. You might think working with individuals like Alvis is only for those that find themselves in the slums of developing countries, but that simply is not the case. Each of you have numerous opportunities to reach out to suffering individuals like Alvis each day. The question is will we listen to the Holy Spirit’s prompting?

Pray for us as we will be going out tomorrow night again to bring food and hot tea to the many needy street kids of Lusaka. I am hoping to see Alvis and not only provide for his physical needs but more crucially his spiritual needs. Thanks for your continued love and support and remember what God is doing through us here in Africa He can do through you right where you find yourselves now. We love and miss you all.

His Servants

Luke (for the Whitfield clan)

July 2nd

Dear Friends

Just wanted to take a moment and update you on what has been going on this week. As we wrote last time, we had a team here from Vacaville, California. The team left this morning but was such a blessing in helping to complete some major projects at Action Zambia’s Ciyanjano Ministry Center. Our family so enjoyed getting to know the team and we have some great memories to remember them by.

On the ministry front Luke has begun to work with a discipleship group made up of local pastors and church leaders. This group is going through a study called 2:7 which is developed and published by Navigators ministry out of Colorado Springs. They meet twice a week for about two hours and the focus of the course is to help equip these men with a better understanding on how to effectively disciple individuals in their own churches. Luke is helping facilitate the class which is being led by his good friend and fellow missionary Brent Roberts. What a blessing these men have been to Brent and Luke as they teach each other how to better make disciples of all men. The upcoming lesson is on “Love In Action” and Brent and Luke will be taking the class to visit patients at the local hospital UTH.

The hospital visitation ministry has taken on some new developments this past week as Luke has sought the permission of the Lusaka Province Health Board to not only be visiting the main teaching hospital, UTH, but also the many compound clinics around the Lusaka area. This would be a huge blessing as it will allow the pastors he is working with to ministry in the immediate areas where the churches they pastor are located. Previously, getting pastors to UTH (University Teaching Hospital) was a bit of a challenge due to transportation difficulties. Please pray that Action Zambia will be granted permission to work in these clinics as it would be a huge open door for hospital ministries to expand.

Elise continues on with home schooling, although you can be praying for the process as this past week was not a pleasant one. Most of her concerns surround teaching math to Macie as they seem to not always get along so well. She also is working on getting a music ministry developed at Hope of Glory Revival Fire Ministries (what a name) which is the church of our good friend Pastor Colins Chipaya. This would mostly entail helping introduce new songs and better coordination of musical during services.

Other than that we are doing well and praise God that all of us our in good health. Thanks again for all you do in enabling us to minister to needing here in Zambia. We love you all and look forward to hearing from you soon.

His Servants

The Whitfields <><

Daniel

Dear Friends

Just wanted to share a huge opportunity for us to corportately praise God for His goodness.

Last Sunday as we were going to home church with our missionary friends for father's day Luke saw a man utilizing a crutch outside our friend's gate. He felt that God was telling him to go and ask what had happened to this man and to pray for him. As he inquired he found out that Daniel had a bad infection in his leg that made it almost impossible for him to walk without the aid of a crutch. Luke prayed for him and then sent Daniel on his way.

This weekend Daniel showed up at our friend's gate and asked for the big Muzungu (Luke has put on some weight if you have not seen him lately). Our friends the Allens directed Daniel to our gate and he informed us that his leg had been completely healed. Luke was gone the first time that Daniel stopped by and so was a little skeptical at the report. Today, Daniel stopped by again and Luke was amazed to see that this man's leg,that had been bandaged and extrememlely swollen, showed no sign of infection at all.

We are writing this to encourage you all that if God can work through sinners like us, then He can work through anyone. Prasie God with us as we rejoice at His goodness and mercy. What a great God we serve and may all glory and honor be unto Him. It is amazing what He is doing through our partnership here in Zambia.

We love you all and so appreciate your love and support.

(We have included a picture of Daniel, his wife, and their child Emmanuel)


His Servants

The Whitfields <><

June 26th

Dear Friends

What a busy week it has been for our family. We continue to settle and unpack into our new home which is such a blessing given the extra space it affords us. Elise started up home schooling again this week (much to the dismay of our three kids) and has enjoyed getting back into the swing of things.

On the ministry front, Action Zambia has had a short term mission team here from Vacaville California for the past week. This team has focused on doing construction projects at Action Zambia's Ciyanjano Center in order to help develop it for future minstry use. For those of you who might not remember Ciyanjano is a piece of property just outside of Lusaka that Action Zambia has owned for about four years now. The current plan is to develop this property into a retreat center for local churches as well as a venue to hold conference for pastors or other church groups. Facilities on the property include a walled compound areas where there are a few residential buildings as well as a main bunk house where the current team is staying. There is also an orchard, a soccer pitch as well as a large thatched buiding called an insaka which is meant to hold large gathering and even baptism services as it also has an in ground batismal. The future vision is to fence off almost all of the 20 acres with an electric fence in order to provide more security for those using the facilities and to create a camping grounds where churches could for fellowship.

This past week Luke has spent almost everyday out at Ciyanjano with the team constructing a new soccer pitch. It has been a familar throw back to his days spent as a superintendent of construction back in the States. The only differences this time were the constant delays encountered due to faulty equipment of a machine running out of diesel (who sends a machine to a job without enough diesel to complete it -- TIA (this is Africa)). Payton also spent a day out with Luke and was so excited when the bulldozer unearthed a spitting cobra which was promptly killed by the young Zambian children and Payton throwing stones at it. Payton proudly posed for a picture with the head of his first real hunting trophy, although his involvement did provide an almost unbearable experience for a couple of the ladies on the short term team. Over the courese of four days earth was moved, a large ant hill was leveled and the development of a better than average soccer field was accomplished. What a blessing this field will provide for the youth of the area and what a great venue it will be to be able to conduct evangelistic ministries through sports.

Elise was also pleasantly suprised to find that the Bible study she invested so much time into during our first term here in Zambia is still thriving. During a recent trip out to Ciyanjano she met one of the ladies from the study who informed her that on their own, several ladies had continued to meet in each others houses each Wednesday for about two and a half hours. Elise was so touched to see that the seeds that were planted in these ladies lives have, through the Holy Spirits involment, blossomed into a practical desire to grow togethers as sisters in Christ.

Please continue to pray for us as we get back into our routine of ministry and continue to adjust to live here in Zambia. You all are such a blessing to us and remember that without your involvement we would not be able to function as Christ hands and feet here in Zambia. We love you all and continue to think of you often. May God bless and keep each of you in His perfect will.


His Servants

The Whitfields

June 16th

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been so crazy for us. YES, we are moving for the fourth time since our arrival in Feb. 2007! Monday we moved from our house in Woodlands to a home that is closer to our fellow teammates. This house in Roma was previously lived in by our team mates the Melville's who have gone back to the states after 2 years of service. We were sad to see them leave but so glad that we can be closer to our other team mates that live in the neighborhood and have a little more space for our family. The move went smoothly and we are so grateful for our dear Zambian friends that helped us "shift" as they would say! You will see in the pictures included that the moving truck is not quite the same as in the states. You can imagine all the stuff on the back of the truck and then two men sitting on top of all the stuff. Everything made it to the new house safe and sound and now we are just organizing our brains out. The kids are just grateful that they get the week off from school!!!

Last week we shared about our visit to Great Commission Baptist Church and the thanksgiving service we attended. We have included some pictures of the small school room they rent out and all the Zambians jammed inside worshipping together. It was a wonderful service and we want you to get a glimpse of what a typical Sunday service looks like!

Hope you enjoy the pictures! Thanks for all your prayers during this first month. It has gone by so fast and been a whirlwind. We love and miss you all.

Elise and Luke Whitfiled and kids!

Great Commission Baptist Church

Our Old House

Moving Day