Whims Discipleship Update July 2025
July 24, 2025
My son Tanner and I came back last week from a 5 visits in 5 nights trip through the Okanagan. We met with supporters, students and staff from Kamloops, Salmon Arm, Falkland and Vernon. It was a blessing to fellowship, encourage and pray with one another around the topic of discipleship and the challenges (trials) many of us are facing in a broken and fallen world. It was a good break from the day to day at home and to focus on the the goodness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Connecting with current discipleship students to encourage and pray with each other in the ministry.
We are just three weeks away from a whirlwind trip through East Africa to meet with discipleship classes, participate in graduations in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and spend time with our East Africa leadership team. We head out on August 11 and return on September 2nd. I am grateful that all the major details including 9 flights have been organized and am looking forward to working alongside the brothers and sisters from each country to focus on disciples who make disciples. Please pray for the Spirit to open hearts as we share the gospel and for encouragement of the saints as we meet to further the work of making disciples. Please pray for Sylvester and Doreen in Kenya, Pastor Peter in Tanzania, Pastor Makuu in the DRC, Pastor Victor in Rwanda and Gerald in Uganda as they lead the churches in their countries and as we will all meet in Kenya and then be travelling together to the other countries. Pray for travel mercies with travelling long distances by flight and car.
Pastor Peter (Tanzania), Gerald (Uganda), Pastor Makuu (DRC), Pastor Victor (Rwanda) and Sylvester (Kenya) from 2023.
I have also been working to coordinate a trip to Cuba with our Director from Mexico, Valdemar. We have met with many challenges regarding this trip that definitely feel like spiritual attacks. Valdemar's wife received a breast cancer diagnosis back in June when we were originally meant to go and my oldest son has been dealing with some mental health challenges. We rebooked the trip for the end of September to go and spend time with the church in Cuba and I was just notified that the airline I was booked on for the flight has cancelled all flights to Cuba. Please pray that I can book new flights and pray for Ismael who will be coming instead of Valdemar's wife Irma as she continues to recover from surgery related to her cancer diagnosis. Pray with us against the spiritual principalities that are trying to keep us from this trip. Cuba has a thriving church but faces a lot of spiritual attacks, so please pray for the church in Cuba and especially Pastor Ornel as he gives leadership. Please pray as well for my finances for the trip as I need to raise an extra $2000 as the cost of the flights has gone up and to support the team in Cuba with extra expenses.
Pastor Ornel and team in Cuba sharing the bridge door to door.
This month we have had zoom meetings with our team in Mexico, East Africa and South Asia. These meetings are such a blessing to catch-up on the work going on in these countries, encourage and to pray together . Pray for a similar regular meeting we are preparing for our team in the Philippines. We have a lot of discipleship groups going on throughout the country and it is our desire to connect these groups to support one another and get additional training. Our prayer is to get this started for September. Pray for Pastor Aldrin who works locally but is giving leadership to the work in the Philippines.
Zoom get togethers with teams from Mexico, East Africa and South Asia to encourage each other in making disciples.
On July 4th we held an evangelism training session with Pastor Phil and the Harvest ministry. We will be starting an evangelism group in September that will involve mentors who take the students out for practical experience evangelizing. Pastor Phil is an active evangelist and his focus on being Spirit led in evangelism including praying for the location to go and evangelize and for divine appointments with people to share with. Pray for this group as it comes together for September and if you would be interested in joining the training in September let me know.
Street evangelism leads to many seeking to be discipled
Join me in praying for a men's discipleship group to get started in September at my home church, Crossridge. A group of men have been meeting each week to share our quiet times and encourage each other in the Word. This new group would go through the Equip to Serve discipleship training series, keeping each other accountable in reading the Word, memorizing scripture, sharing our faith and growing in our walk with God together.
Thank you for lifting up our family and ministry in your prayers. Jenn sent me these verses the other day and I have been reflecting on them a lot this last month. May they encourage you as you serve the Lord as well:
“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Until all are discipled,
Travis & Jennifer Whims
