Merry Christmas - the Whitley family, 2017

Our favorite thing about serving as field personnel of CBF is watching God work through the prayers of his people.  Before we came back to Texas from France, we had a couple of goals that we were not sure how, or if, it was going to be possible to accomplish.  One was to learn more about how to help truck drivers identify victims of human trafficking.  The other was to learn more about a secure home for victims of human trafficking.  In one of the first churches that we spoke in, towards the end of our time sharing, a man stood up and said that he worked with a company in the states that trained its drivers to identify victims of human trafficking.  We were so amazed that God lead us right to the person who would help us begin this new ministry!  Later, as Tiffne was attending a women’s event at our host church, she heard about a secure home for victims of human trafficking that was very close to where we would be staying – We thought we would have to travel to learn more about this ministry.  God opened the doors for the necessary training and background check so that Tiffne was able to train, volunteer, and minister with this ministry.  It was her joy to lead an Advent Bible study for the ladies.  During the Christmas season, one of the ladies became a Christian and the “window of joy” that we wanted to provide for this lady became a whole new world of joy. 

Prayer Requests…

-Please pray for the Whitley family as they return to France on Jan 3^rd. 

-Pray as they reconnect with ministry partners in France. 

-Pray for the Unique youth event on Jan. 6^th

-Pray for Action Quartier on Jan. 13^th

-Pray for the Whitley children as they transition back to school and extracurricular activities in France.

-Please continue to pray for Joel as he recovers from shoulder surgery.

-Pray for the Ladies-in-waiting ministry as they visit in Strasbourg.       

-Please pray for the secure home for victims of human trafficking; pray for the staff as well as for the residents and their families.

-Please continue to pray for Mary, as she continues treatment for cancer and has a surgery this month.

Merry Christmas
And
Happy New Year!
Love,

Joel, Tiffne, Megan, Cade, and Dylan

Banana Boat Update

May 2017

Tiffne and Joel Whitley              Strasbourg, France

On June 10^th our Action Quartier group is inviting the children from the immigrant neighborhood to the grounds of the French Baptist Church for a “block party.”  Please be praying as we continue to build relationships with our neighborhood friends.

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Molly’s Story

The first time we met “Molly” she told us how the police often stop by to ask to see her papers to make sure that she is old enough to be working on the streets.  It is legal for ladies to work on the streets in France, but they must be at least 18 years old.  Molly is 18, but she looks much younger.  We have been visiting with Molly for many months now.  She has told us how she has had to call the police when clients are dangerous.  One has threatened to kill her on several occasions.  We have also assisted her with contacting the police for her protection. 

Molly keeps her passport in her boot to protect it from men who have tried to take it from her.  Many traffickers take the passports or identity documents of their victims in order to keep them under their control.

Molly has also told us that she would like to return to her country and find different work.  Just before she was scheduled to make a visit back to her home country, Molly told us that she is planning to apply for law school and the police academy in her country.  We encouraged her that she would then be able to help women just like herself who had been working on the streets and needed help.  Before Molly left France we were able to give her a letter from a Christian lady from the capital city of her country who is a friend to ladies who have worked on the streets.  This friend works to help these women find a new life.  Please pray for Molly as she returns to her country; for her friendship with this mutual friend, and for her application to law school and/or the police academy.

Tiffne and Joel Whitley

Strasbourg, France

April 2017

Action Quartier:  An immigrant neighborhood kids club through the Baptist Church in Strasbourg.  One of the leaders of this ministry says that in all her 12 years of service in this ministry,

they have only been rained out three times!

American Football in Strasbourg:  One of the youth from our UNIQUE group plays on a local football team.  This was a game played in Strasbourg and it was an experience to watch. 

Cade and Dylan cannot wait to play next year.

Prayer for the students of the UNIQUE group:

- Thank you for praying!  The “Disciple Challenge” that was held on April 10^th-11^th was a time that hearts were open and the youth deepened their relationship with Christ.

Finding a common language 

through smiles and hugs!

One evening the Outreach Team met a woman who desperately wanted to communicate, but only spoke Bulgarian.  During this meeting, though no verbal conversation was able to take place, a sense of connection was felt through smiles and hugs that demonstrated to this woman that she was not forgotten.

Attending the initial Outreach Team training the next week was a woman from Russian who wanted to volunteer with the Ladies-in-Waiting ministry.  Through conversation, this woman told Tiffne, “I don’t speak Bulgarian, but most Bulgarians understand Russian.”  That Friday, only one week from the first meeting, it was a joy to be able to have an Outreach Team member who could speak in Russian and be understood by our new Bulgarian friend.  What began as hugs and smiles of compassion turned into real conversation as God provided a way for His message of hope and restoration in the life of this lady.

Prayer for the Ladies-in-Waiting ministry:

- Please pray with us as we give each lady an MP3 player 
with the New Testament in their own language.

We are thankful for God’s provision through our financial partnership team and your prayers.  God’s provision for good weather, football for our boys, and communicating to those who need to hear about His love.