Malle had a little lamb...

Malle had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow

And everywhere that Malle went the lamb was sure to go.

The sheep ministry is growing. Soon after the guys set up the new secure sheep pen, we bought a couple new sheep. Then just a few weeks later, Malle, our friend from Senegal who takes care of the sheep (I guess that makes him the shepherd) called to say that one of the sheep had given birth to a little lamb. What a cutie! We learned how to dock the tail, to take good care of our sheep. A few weeks later, our friend from Mauritania who sells the sheep called to say that he had another sheep with a baby. So off we went in the “veggie vehicle” to buy them. The children named the mother, Gordita, (“little fatty” in Spanish) and the lamb, Amossa, (“beautiful” in Sereer.) Later when we docked the tail of the new lamb, Megan said that she was not Amossa, she was feisty! I think I might be a bit feisty too if someone was cutting off my tail!

Soon we will be ready to kill one of the flock to feed the men in Malle’s house and two other families from Africa. We are thankful for this culturally relevant way to help our friends from Africa. In Africa, anytime there is a celebration, whether a wedding, baby naming ceremony, or religious festival, the host family kills a sheep and provides food for many people who come to visit their home. Thus, providing sheep for African families here in southern Spain, offers them the chance to remember a custom from their own country.

Meet John – the African Amigo

John Williamson is from Manchester, Ga. He will be serving with us for at least three months in Spain through the student.go program with CBF. He will be working with the sheep ministry as well as other agricultural ministries. He will be spending time with many of the immigrant young men here in southern Spain. Please pray for him as he builds relationships with our friends and seeks to be the presence of Christ as well as an “amigo” to many who are looking for friendship in a foreign country where they feel very alone.

Banana Boat Prayer Update

• Please pray for Segunda and her new baby Immaculada who was born a few weeks early and spent some time in the hospital in Almeria. Please pray for the other children and adults who are a part of this family.
• Please pray for Aaron and Anta as he looks for a new job to provide for his family. Anta is expecting a new baby and they would like to move to an apartment of their own. Right now they are sharing an apartment with another family with three children.
• Please pray for us as we travel to team meeting.
• Please continue to pray for the distribution and updating of the scripture on the MP3 players. We will be beginning to update the players with the Easter story. Please pray that those who listen to this story will begin to understand about a living Savior.
• Please pray for Greg who will begin language school in Madrid.
• Please pray for the new ministries starting at “mi casa.” Our Spanish church in Almeria has started a kids’ club and will start classes for women in sewing, cooking, and Spanish.

The following prayer requests will be in the CBF annual prayer calendar…

Psalms 2:8

“Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.

Psalms 22:27

“All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,”

Please pray with us for the nations.

We, Joel and Tiffne Whitley, serve among immigrants in southern Spain. Many people from Africa, eastern European countries and South American countries migrate to Spain in order to provide for their families, or to flee from bad circumstances in their own countries. Please pray that we, along with churches and other Christians, will continue to meet the needs of the nations along their spiritual and perilous migratory journey.

Faith by Hearing

Please pray that as field personnel, Joel and Tiffne Whitley, along with other Christians talk with immigrants from Africa about their faith in a personal God, and as these immigrants listen to scripture passages on MP3 players donated by FBC, Blue Springs, MO; that faith will come by hearing, and that these immigrants who often come from countries that are closed to the Gospel might understand for the first time about a God who is loving, concerned about them personally, and has a plan for their salvation.

Romans 10:17-18

Thank you for your prayers, for giving to our projects, and for supporting the CBF Global Missions’ “Offering for Global Missions.” Here are some of the ministries that you are supporting with your prayers and giving…

Kilos of Care project…

-Purchasing kilos of rice, kilos of potatoes, kilos of onions,

sheep, and chickens to give to hungry families.

“mi casa es tu casa” project…

-Hosting a Thanksgiving meal for an African Sereer family.

-Hosting a Christmas meal for an African Wolof family.

-Hosting the immigrant pastors’ meeting.

-Hosting a reception for Spanish church members after the

immigrant churches’ joint prayer meeting.

-Hosting a training and cultural learning meal for Spanish

church members.

-Conducting a monthly “kids club” at “mi casa.”

Migration Crisis and Relief project…

-Veggie vehicle upkeep and repairs.

-Picking up and delivering vegetables.

-Delivering clothes.

-Purchasing and delivering blankets.

-Purchasing and delivering baby supplies.

-Providing funding for immigrants to make phone calls to

families in Africa.

-Providing funding for immigrant’s residence and work

permits.

-Funding to start up sheep micro enterprise.

We appreciate you for reaching out around the world through your prayers!