Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Whitfield's Sabattical
Just a quick update!!!
The last three months we have been taking everything in as we enjoy this time of rest back in the States. Since late September we have been in Redding, California at Bethel Church. We are getting encouraged, counseled, filled and making lifelong connections.
Luke and I are being very intentional on building up our marriage during this time and the kids are enjoying new friends and new opportunities!
Our travel plans back to Zambia have not been nailed down officially quite yet but we look forward to spending the holidays state side this year!
We also look forward to visiting our families both in Dallas and Chicago in the first few months of 2016!
Thank you for friendship, your continued financial and prayer support and all your love! Please stay in touch with us on Facebook too!
Sunday, August 30, 2015
May-Aug update!
Dear Friends,
What a crazy and fun last couple months we have had. May through July was filled with Love Africa teams from the States and we thoroughly enjoyed sharing our life and ministry with them. We had a total of four teams averaging 7-12 people. We had four core team members stay for the whole two months and help us with all the logistics, such as driving, leading the kids camps, teaching Sunday school, cooking, shopping and organizing. They were such a blessing.
Each team spent 5 days/4 nights out at Ngangula our village property. They slept in simple mud brick homes, ate local food, endured bucket baths, lot of bugs, outdoor toilets and no power! They ministered to the community through meeting both physical needs and spiritual needs. They prayed and encouraged several widows in the community, held daily kids camps for the school, distributed Bibles and clothing, taught in the school classes, prayed for the sick, carried water buckets for ladies, fixed our ministry property fence and toilets, and spent time going on prayer walks asking God where to go and who to pray for. As you can imagine their stories were amazing and life changing.
Our family especially enjoyed sitting around the campfire each night singing and listening to testimonies of how God was working in each person. Each team member took turns leading a devotion time. It was such a special time of ministry and encouragement. It is a privilege for Luke and myself to host Love Africa teams and to be a part of the seeds God is planting in these young hearts. God planted seeds in our hearts for missions when we were young, and it will be cool to watch what God continues to do in these individuals.
The teams also experienced drilling for water out in the village. After two disappointing and unsuccessful attempts we finally reached water on the third try in July! We are so thankful for God's provision as this will allow us to implement Foundations For Farming, helping the local farmers grow their own gardens and maize more successfully. It will also provide water for Hyrence's family, who stays on our property. We really feel this is an open door to do more ministries and reach out to the community around us out at Ngangula. And that's what it's all about.
On the home front…………………..
We took a break from school during our two crazy months of visitors. Our kids had a great time interacting with the teams. Macie, Emma and Payton in particular formed some very special relationships while they spent a week out in the village with the teams. We are so thankful that they have such cool opportunities right at their finger tips. The three small kids, ChiChi, Tazi and Avery also enjoyed special play time and fun with the teams. We are thankful these guys came to love on our kids too!
This new school year we are so excited to be changing home school curriculums from Sonlight to ACE….Accelerated Christian Education. In July, I took a week long training in Lusaka and the kids were also tested for placement. We are thankful for ACE and how it will help us school all 5 kids in a Biblical, structured and independent format.
On the church front…..
Luke continues to preach most Sundays at our church, Mazabuka Community Church and leads the elders in pursuing Gods call for encouraging and loving this community. His passion and love for Christ is so contagious. I enjoy leading worship and helping teach Sunday school for the kids. I had my first opportunity to preach in July while Luke was away on a ministry boat trip in Zimbabwe. It was a special time and I hope to do it again.
Macie, on her own accord, has taken the responsibility of teaching the toddlers during church, which is a huge blessing to us moms with little ones. It's cool to see her servant's heart as she is getting older.
Building relationships is our heart and God heart. Its beautifully rewarding, challenging, and time consuming. It teaches and stretches us every day to be like Christ, not only in word, but in our actions. Zambia has wrecked us forever. These precious people have so little, but are willing to give so much. They have such a deep faith and trust in their Savior because He literally provides for their daily needs. It is a privilege to live here, building kingdom relationships. Thank you for your prayers and support. We love and miss you all.
Luke and Elise Whitfield
visit our website: http://www.eleeoproject.org
visit our blog: http://www.whitfieldwateringhole.blogspot.com
skype id: taziona6
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Pics from drilling water in July
Visit to the Village
Missing Teams
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Harvest
Love Africa
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
April 2015 Update
Friends
It has been a while since our last correspondence. We are happy this is due to a very busy and exciting beginning to 2015 for our family and ministry. Having come out of a season that was trying in more than one way, we find ourselves more expectant and confident that He is using our partnership to accomplish the work He has started here in Southern Zambia.
Life in a family of eight is always eventful. Our kids continue to teach us on a daily basis, and it is a joy to watch them develop into their giftings on a daily basis right before our eyes. Recently we returned to Zambia from a much needed break to the beach in South Africa. It was a time of rest and enjoying the presence of God's company as a family. We also were able to visit with His People Church in Johannesburg, which is the planting church of Mazabuka Community Church where we serve on leadership. Elise continues to home school our oldest five children. Her example of determination and patience is something to behold. While education in the classroom continues, it is often the everyday experiences and rawness of life here that produces the greatest life lessons. When it is all said and done, one of the greatest gifts from living in Africa is the people God has used to create us to become both as individuals and more beautifully.......as a family!
Lots is happening in many areas of our everyday life. Most noticeably over the last few months has been a re-focus on development at our rural ministry center dubbed "Eleeo Project". This 14 acre rural property is situation in the middle of 5000 rural Tonga villagers and was gifted to us by Chieftainess Mwenda. Our heart for the development of this property is to utilize it as a base to conduct ministry, community development and outreach all focused on the embodiment of the Greek word "Eleeo"......to speak or act with compassion. The drilling of a new well on the property is scheduled to occur over the next few weeks and we would appreciate your prayers surrounding not only a successful drill but also plenty of water! We also recently raised funds to purchase a solar water pump that will be able to pump over 2000 gallons of water a day. It will allow us to further construct the project as well as help develop the agricultural ministry by providing year round irrigation. Construction also continues on the bunk houses designed to host short term teams from the States as well as Zambians traveling from far away to attend certain seminars and functions. While much has been accomplished.....there is still a great deal that needs to be done. We are confident, when complete, Eleeo Project will serve as a model of what happens when a community honors God as its foundation! If you are interested in getting involved you can learn more by getting in touch via email or donating online by clicking here.
We are also gearing up for the busy May - July season of short term mission team visits. Last year we were introduced to Love Africa Mission, an organization based out of NC that sends short term mission teams to Africa every summer. Last year's teams proved a huge success and blessing for all involved and we look forward to hosting four teams over the next few months. If you would like to learn more about Love Africa Mission trips you can check them out by clicking here.
Much of the rest of our ministry areas continue to develop. Elise's ladies Bible study for the local farm worker's wives is constantly producing testimonies of lives touched and changed. Recently we distributed winter clothing to around the eighty ladies and their families. What a joy to serve these amazing families as a family. We also continue to serve on the leadership team of Mazabuka Community Church where we have fellowshiped over the last three years. Luke continues to handle the lion share of the preaching on Sundays and we recently have seen the creation of three new home groups. Elise also enjoys her weekly ladies Bible study with the white farmers wives. Elise has close friendships with these women and our kids also enjoy friendships with their kids. This is such a blessing. While we have wrestled from time to time with the fruit we were seeing from these ministries......more and more we are hearing how lives are being transformed through our partnership. What almost a decade in Africa has taught us is, that building relationship and His Kingdom takes time.....sometime a lot longer than we anticipate. We are learning to come to grips with that and we are more committed than ever to finishing this amazing dream He has prepared for us to realize.
While living out ministry in rural Africa if full of blessings and unique opportunities, it can also be very hard and lonely. As we close we want to express just how precious it is to be connected with such amazing partners as you. Your love and support over the years has continually provided a tangible example of His faithfulness. Thanks for taking the time to catch up on what has been happening in our lives........we love you guys! Make sure to keep on the lookout for future updates by following our "Eleeo Project" page on Facebook.
With Love & Honor
The Whitfields <><
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)