Whited Update - Preparing to Leave (2/18/11)

(Ministry E-mail Update sent out Friday)

Preparing to Leave… three simple words that entail a lot! 

We are preparing to leave the Carolinas on March 1^st!  Wow… that is coming so quickly.  Both a very exciting and sad day that will be!  Our last Sunday at church will be February 27^th.  Our last time at BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) will be the Monday (Dano) & Tuesday (Melinda) before that (Feb 21 & 22).  The kids and I also hope to make it to MOPS on the 25th! Please pray that we say goodbye well! 

We are also preparing to leave the states for Southeast Asia!  We hope to leave by April 10^th, but we won’t know the exact date until we get our visas!  Then once we have our visas, we should be able to purchase our tickets!   Please pray for God’s perfect timing in both these areas.  Please pray that our visas would be approved without a hitch. 

Through you, God has provided what we think we’ll need to pay for our visas!  Thank you!  We are still in need of gifts to help purchase our tickets.  We don’t know the exact amount of either of these items, but we do have estimates.  Please pray God will provide exactly what we need.  Thank you so much to all of you who give so faithfully every month.  Your faithful monthly gifts are what help us serve day in and day out.  Your faithful monthly gifts are what will KEEP us on the field!  THANK YOU!!

  

You may wonder where we will be during the month of March… or maybe you already know!  We will be moving to TN to have some quality time with our family before leaving for 3 years.  (Praise the Lord for FBC Hendersonville for letting us stay in their mission house again!)  Three of our kiddos will have birthdays while we are there so we’ll have ample “party time.”  A friend Dano graduated with is hosting a “Goodbye Dinner” for us which will also be a fundraising dinner.  If you are in the area, it will be in Springfield on Friday, March 18^th 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  You can RSVP on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=167384173305150&ref=ts or you can e-mail me, and I will get you Keith’s info.  The dinner will be held at Bethlehem Baptist Church on Hwy 76 and Bethlehem Rd.  Everyone is welcome!  It will be a very casual & informal time of visiting.  We hope to see you there!!  Please pray that God would be glorified during this dinner and during our month with family.  Please pray that wonderful memories will be made for us, our children, and our family. 

Thank you for your continued prayers for our family!  Please keep our health in your prayers.  We are just about finished with our immunizations!  Dano will be traveling Thursday (yesterday) and Friday (today)… please pray for his safety. (He got home safe & sound!)  Please pray as we finish getting rid of things… that things that need to sell, sell… and things that we’re giving away would be a blessing to the right people.  Please pray that we’d not neglect anything we need to take care of before heading overseas.  Above all… please pray for peace and calmness in our family as we are in the midst of so many changes and that our lives would be a testimony for HIS GLORY! 

Thank you for your prayers for Emma… for a detailed report, you can visit our blog (Feb 2, 2011 post).  She’s still somewhat recovering due to getting a cold shortly after her surgery.  Also, she’s started having headaches since her surgery.  =0(  Please pray for her headaches to stop. 

Please let us know how we can pray for you! 

Blessings to you,

Melinda for the crew

Dano, Melinda, Olivia, Derek, Emma, Wesley, & Virginia Whited

To keep up with our family and ministry happenings

visit our blog or find us on facebook.

http://whited-underhiswings.blogspot.com/

HOW TO GIVE:

Send in a check made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators to:

Wycliffe Bible Translators

P.O. Box 628200

Orlando, FL 32862-8200

                                                                                                                                                                                          

please include a separate note designating it for Dano & Melinda Whited Account # 215422

(gifts with this designation that are not our normal monthly gifts will go toward our airfare costs)

   

You can also give online or by phone:

http://www.wycliffe.org/Partnership.aspx?mid=7D4FD8 

or

1-800-WYCLIFFE

You can also visit this link for other ways to give:

http://www.wycliffe.org/Give/WaystoGive.aspx

Making a New Prayer Card

God has blessed us with a friend who loves to take pictures and edit them!  This comes in handy when you're trying to get a group of 7 folks (5 of which are age 9 and under) to all look the same direction and smile nicely at the same time!  It is especially handy when one of the 7 is 23 months old and decides to act like it on the picture making day!!  Well, today finally worked out when all of our family was well, and Kristin (our friend) was able to meet us, and the weather was beautiful!  She led us to a park in Rock Hill, Glencairn Gardens.  While it isn't quite Spring yet and the park isn't in peak beauty, it still offered some beautiful backgrounds for us.  Below are some of the unedited photos Kristin took.  Some are REALLY close to being GREAT!  Some are the reality of a photo shoot with our family!  I just wanted to share the REAL side of this since y'all often only see the good shots!  Enjoy a few laughs.  =0)  (Remember, if you want to see a picture up close, you can just click on the picture... and when you are ready to look at more, click on the "back button" on your browser to return to our blog.)

This is basically how is started off.
Virginia wanted to run around outside in the beautiful park...
not sit down. At first... we're concerned...

...then we try to ignore it.  We told Emma to try to "hold onto her."

Change of scenery.  Virginia a little more cooperative.
This one isn't perfect... but it is probably the best one of the
pictures taken as a whole.
We'll see what Kristin can do with the magic of editing!

Another one that is close... well except for Virginia walking away...

I love this one.  I think they are watching me twirl around
with Virginia trying to get her in a happy "I'll cooperate
and let you take my picture" mood.  

After the twirling... I'm about to pass out!

Just for fun ... Olivia

Derek

Derek & Emma... I love how she poses herself!  

Emma

Wesley

Virginia... not so sure about this tree thing

More just for fun pix...
An easy way to get a good picture of everyone...
let them play in water and you can't see their faces!  

I love these next three shots!
I think Derek's expressions while holding Virginia
(something we don't normally let him do) are priceless!  

Stay tuned for a new prayer card.  Whenever Kristin finishes the editing and we get all the words the way we want them and get it all approved, etc., we'll post it on here.  Don't hold your breath!  These things take time!  ;0)

THANK YOU, KRISTIN for sharing your talent with our family!!

BTW, she's the one who did the text on our last prayer card with the airplane in it (but she didn't take the pix)... and she's the one who did the prayer card before that with a baby Virginia and we're all on our front porch.

Whited Update - 100%

an e-mail sent out earlier tonight 2/4/2011

The news we’ve all been waiting for:  Our Overseas Set-up Account is 100% due to gifts promised TODAY!!  PRAISE THE LORD! 

What an amazing show of God’s faithfulness!!  Thank you to all of you and the part you have played by giving, sharing our need, and praying!

The questions we’ve already been asked (via facebook)… Is that EVERYTHING? Where do you need money now?

We do still need gifts given to our regular account (215422) to cover the cost of visas and airfare.  We know God will provide this in His perfect timing!  We are aiming for an April 2011 departure if God brings everything in by that time!  Thank you for your continued prayers!! 

Special request… please pray for our family’s health.  We are battling colds and maybe the flu in some cases.  Hoping to be all better before Sunday when we share at our church and here at JAARS.  Find out more at our blog!

We are so thankful for you!

Love,

Melinda for the gang

Dano, Melinda, Olivia, Derek, Emma, Wesley, & Virginia   

To keep up with our family and ministry happenings

visit our blog or find us on facebook.

http://whited-underhiswings.blogspot.com/

HOW TO GIVE:

Send in a check made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators to:

Wycliffe Bible Translators

P.O. Box 628200

Orlando, FL 32862-8200

                                                                                                                                                                                          

please include a note designating it for Dano & Melinda Whited Account # 215422

(gifts with this designation that are not our normal monthly gifts will go toward our visa costs and airfare costs)

   

You can also give online or by phone:

http://www.wycliffe.org/Partnership.aspx?mid=7D4FD8 

or

1-800-WYCLIFFE

You can also visit this link for other ways to give:

http://www.wycliffe.org/Give/WaystoGive.aspx

Speaking in Lancaster & Waxhaw

For you "locals" out there that want to know more about our ministry, we'll be speaking a few times THIS Sunday (2/6/11)... yes, SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!  =0)

We'll be speaking for about 5 minutes in our two morning services at Covenant Baptist Church in Lancaster, SC then we'll be speaking for about 20 minutes at the Vespers Service here at the JAARS Center in the afternoon.  Also, our ministry table will be up all month at our church if you'd like to grab some info, a prayer card, or an envelope to send in a special gift to help us get to Southeast Asia!

We'd really appreciate your prayers for these presentations... that we'd share what the Lord would have us to share and that we'd bring Him Glory!  Please also pray that we are all WELL so we can all be there!  Right now, I am not 100%, but Derek is sick with a temperature.  Please pray that no one else would get sick!

Here are the details:

Covenant Baptist Church

165 Craig Manor Rd.

(between 200 and 521)

Lancaster, SC  29720

Service Times:

8:45  Contemporary Worship

10:00 Sunday School

11:00 Traditional Worship

*************************************

JAARS Center

7405 Jaars Rd.

(just off Davis)

Waxhaw, NC 28173

http://www.jaars.org/getinvolved/visit/directions

Vespers Service 

a time of singing, sharing, and praying

4 - 5 p.m.

Out in plenty of time to make it home to see the Super Bowl!  ;0)

Update on Emma et al.

Thank you for your prayers.  Overall, Emma's surgery this past Friday went very well, but her recovery has been less than wonderful in my opinion.  Thankfully, after a third trip to our chiropractor today, I think she is going to be feeling a lot better!

Her major complaint has been headaches and her NECK hurting (not her throat).  These are common complaints for this surgery the doctor's office said.  We are figuring it has to do with the way they cock their heads back to do it.  Thankfully, I think our chiropractor got her back in place because after she returned home from her visit today, she hasn't complained of the pain.

I'm praying that tonight she won't wake-up crying with a headache and neck pain!  Poor baby girl!  Please pray that she will have a good night's sleep.  Also pray that this surgery will truly "fix" the problem so that we can take her off the medication she is on to prevent her cough.  I just don't think it is a good idea to have a 5 year old (or anyone for that matter) on daily medication.  I know there are times that is necessary, but I'm hoping that it won't be for Emma.  Thanks for praying.

Now... regarding the "et al."

Derek woke up with a 101.6 fever this morning.  =0(  He has been pretty sick all day... probably cold or flu.  We're praying he'll feel a lot better in the morning.  We're also praying no one else will get it... I know that seems like a long shot... but hey, God is able!  =0)   Also, it is funny to think I am wishing Derek was back to his "normal" bouncing-off-the-wall self!

With all the time I've been putting into Emma's care & meds, etc., I have neglected Wesley's regimen for keeping his eczema at bay.  Today he just looks horrible... wounds all over his legs and arms.  =0(  So, much to my disappointment, I had to apply a lot of steroid cream to his little body tonight.  I've also decided that Dano will be the lotion applier if there is ever another "high need medicine" child.  =0)  It amazes me how quickly he can go from looking great to open wounds.  =0(  Whenever I am applying lotion or anything to Wesley's skin, I always say a prayer for Jesus to heal him from his eczema.

Tonight Wesley asked, "How's He going to do that?"

 I said, "I don't know, but He can."

"With His power?" was Wesley's question.

"That's right.  He is all powerful.  He is everywhere and knows everything."

"He's here?" he asked referring to the living room.

"That's right!  He's here.  He's in your room.  He's in the bathroom.  He's everywhere."

"Is He in my heart?"

Wow... that was a heavy question that took me by surprise but deepened the conversation even more.  It gives me one of those rare opportunities to be thankful for Wesley's eczema.  It is the prayer for his healing that led to this conversation.  It is his eczema that often leads to conversations about God.  I know the Bible says to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18), and honestly I haven't been thankful for Wesley's eczema... but tonight, I can say I am.  It is Wesley's eczema that God is using to teach him about Himself.  Wesley's not quite ready to ask Jesus "into his heart" yet, but some wonderful ground work is being laid.

This also reminds me of something to be thankful for regarding Emma's surgery.  As I would get a text or an e-mail or a phone call from someone who was praying for Emma (which were a lot), I would tell Emma.  A couple of times when I told her, she got the most precious look on her face and said, "A lot of people are praying for me."  You could just tell by her expression that she felt VERY special.  I love anything that makes my Emma feel special and loved!

Thank you for praying for our family so faithfully.  Thank you for praying for our health.  May the Lord continue to bless you!

Melinda  =0)