Banana Boat Blog

Monday, September 2, 2024

Banana Boat Blog - September 2024

The Whitley family has been busy with missions and ministry. We continue to work with Kainos International to serve victims of human trafficking through advocacy and equine assisted learning here in Texas, and doing online outreaches in Texas and Germany.

Our daughter took a medical mission trip to Southeast Asia. One son went on a well-digging trip to Africa. The other son and T. went as leaders to youth camp.

We also spent some time down on the border, sorting clothes and food and then we went across the border into Mexico to deliver supplies to a safe house and immigrant camps. We delivered backpacks and other supplies to a lady who works with neighborhood children in Mexico, and had the opportunity to work with a safe house to help rescue a woman who was a victim of human trafficking. Thank you for continuing to pray for us and the ongoing efforts in Mexico, Texas, and Germany.

We are so thankful for God’s blessings and opportunities to serve. Thank you so much for partnering with us through prayer and finances.

https://give.txb.org/give/605745/#!/donation/checkout

Real Cowboy Fun

One of our greatest joys at HADTs Equine Assisted Learning Center is providing a window of joy to survivors of human trafficking. Recently we had a lady and her 10-year-old son visit us at the horse property. They both enjoyed brushing and leading the horses. Then the mom showed her son how she could ride. He was amazed that she could do it "all by herself." When it was his turn to ride, as our ranch hands lead the horse around the arena, he continued to yell "Yee how!" His version of the good old Texas "Yee haw?" Then he said, "I think I can do this by myself." So, our ranch assistants released the lead rope but stayed right with the horse, as the young man rode "on his own." Once he dismounted, we asked if he would like to wear our cowboy hat. When he tried it on, he said, "I'm a real cowboy now!"

Now, that is good cowboy fun!

Monday, May 6, 2024

Texas Wildflowers

We love Texas wildflowers! They are beautiful, strong, and resilient, much like the ladies we serve with Texas Baptist Missions and Kainos International. The survivors and victims of human trafficking are strong, beautiful, resilient, and courageous women! We are continuing to serve women here in Texas, across the United States, and Germany, who are still in trafficking situations in hopes of helping them find freedom. We continue to advocate for women in hospitals, jails, treatment centers, and safe houses to help give them a voice and hope. It is such a blessing to serve among these beautiful, brave women.

Please pray for these women who are victims of trafficking or abuse, to have the courage to escape their traffickers.

Please pray for the women who are survivors as they continue in the healing and restorative journey.

https://texasbaptists.givingfuel.com/txb-missionary-t-whitley

Monday, April 8, 2024

Icing on the Cake

HADT’s Equine Assisted Learning Center is partnering with Kainos International to serve victims of human trafficking. Recently a survivor from out of state moved in state to a safe house in the local area. She was very excited to visit the equine learning center. It was a dream of hers to spend time with horses. She said that her time with the horses helped her to feel restored and refreshed. "Icing on the Cake" was how she described having the opportunity to ride a horse. We enjoy watching God “do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20. We could never have dreamed what God would do when he opened the doors for HADT’s equine assisted learning center. It is amazing to see God work through rescued horses to provide healing to victims of human trafficking.

To support these anti-human trafficking ministry efforts, please visit the link below:

https://texasbaptists.givingfuel.com/txb-missionary-t-whitley

Thank you!

Thursday, January 4, 2024

Immeasurably More and the Abundant Life

God has definitely been doing immeasurably more in ministry during the holidays. Ephesian 3:20. We advocate for survivors of human trafficking. Over the past year and a half, we have been advocating for a survivor that was baptized on New Years Eve. She is currently doing well in a safe home and looking forward to her new life in Christ. What a great way to start the new year.

When talking with another lady during the holiday season, she told part of her story because of a comment about how beautiful her Christmas lights and decorations were that adorned her cottage on the survivors’ transitional home property. The lady explained that a few years ago when she was still being trafficked, she had escaped from the traffickers for one evening and was walking in the streets in town. During this time, she saw houses lit up with Christmas lights and she remembers crying and thinking that she was on the outside… and someday she wished to be on the inside of a cozy home with beautiful decorations. She said, “now I am on the inside and living the abundant life!” John 10:10

We are so thankful for God’s blessings and how He is blessing this ministry. Thank you so much for partnering with us through prayer and finances.

To support these anti-human trafficking ministry efforts, please visit the link below to make a donation through Texas Baptist Missions.

https://texasbaptists.givingfuel.com/txb-missionary-t-whitley

Monday, July 31, 2023

Banana Boat Blog Update - August 2023

Tiff has been asked to serve as the Outreach and Advocacy Coordinator for Kainos International, serving victims of human trafficking.

Please pray as we seek to build partnerships with individuals and churches to support this ministry through prayer, giving, and serving as volunteers.

If you would like more information, please see our website at www.missionstogether.org

For Memorial Day, HADTs Equine Assisted Learning Center hosted veterans for a great meal and some time with the horses.

Please continue to pray for the veterans and victims of trafficking that we serve through the equine center. Please also pray for Tiff’s collarbone to heal completely. She was working with the horses, and broke it and had to have surgery.

We had a great time at Falls Creek youth camp this summer! Please pray for the students that made decisions.

We love serving with the Texas Baptists.

https://texasbaptists.givingfuel.com/txb-missionary-tiffne-whitley

This summer we participated in their Bounce student mission trip. We served in Houston, TX painting the outside of a house and doing other repair work to help with hurricane damage so that a family of six can move back into their home. We also put up a twenty-foot tall by seventy-six foot long wall of sheetrock to prepare a warehouse/housing center for disaster relief work.

We attended the Texas Baptist Family Gathering Conference in McAllen.

While we were in South Texas, we had the opportunity to visit Mexico and work in an immigrant camp, giving out hygiene kits as well as Bibles in different languages. Please pray for Jessica and Natasha and their family from Honduras as they are seeking God’s good plan for their lives.

Thank you for partnering with us as we continue to serve those marginalized by society.

Friday, December 23, 2022

Banana Boat Blog Update - December 2022

Family update: Joel continues to enjoy his job and supporting all our family activities. Megan is excelling in her pre-med program in college. She continues to dance and enjoys all her ballet activities; teaching, directing a nutcracker, and performing professionally in two Nutcracker shows. Cade and Dylan enjoyed baseball last spring and just completed the first half of their senior year where they played football and competed on the High School Bass Fishing team. Joel also really enjoys being the boat captain and fishing with them during their tournaments.

Ministry update: Tiffne continues to serve as a Texas Baptist Missionary, an advocate for victims of human trafficking, and through service with various safe houses. She even had the opportunity to fly in a very small prop plane where she accompanied a lady to a safe house in a different state. She recently became certified for Equine Assisted Learning and enjoys working with the horses and the ladies to facilitate healing and restoration in our newly opened HADTs Equine Assisted Learning Center.