You Feed Them

PDF Version w/ financial summary:
Anderson Report 260620

Mighty things from small beginnings grow.—John Dryden

Christians should not be surprised, at this time in history, to see the marvelous ways God uses small and seemingly insignificant people or events to accomplish wonders. Think of Moses’ staff, David’s slingshot and stones, the widow's cruse of oil, Gideon’s army of three hundred, or the boy’s lunch of fish and bread. It is no wonder that Zechariah instructed the people of Israel to rejoice in the day of small things (i.e., beginnings)! To these, we add songs of praise, seeing the Lord use the strategies of CHE and DMM in Africa for the world.

We continue to report backlogged financial summaries to ministry partners, so this ministry synopsis of weekly updates, published at awaupdates.blogspot.com, is one page rather than two. Thank you for following with us, fervently praying, and faithfully giving so that our long-term influence to strengthen congregational decision-making continues within Community Health Evangelism (CHE) efforts.

After several delays, we managed to get Verlin back to West Africa and Côte d’Ivoire in May. Debbie expects to follow up on completing the care of her deceased father’s affairs. A few health issues she ignored while caring for Eddie have, however, shown themselves. A trip to the ER revealed diverticulitis and an adrenal gland lesion. An ordered MRI will clarify whether further intervention is recommended.

West African CHE Regional Meeting

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Conference Picture - click text for video
Before arriving at our rented home and office in Bondoukou, Côte d’Ivoire, Verlin spent a week in Thiès, Senegal, for the French West African CHE Regional Meeting. The reporting let him see and hear from fellow-CHE workers from eight countries! Mark 6:30-46 set the theme of ‘Feed Them Ourselves” for the biennial meeting. Leaders of national efforts gave reports from developing and burgeoning ministries. Only two West African nations remain without national CHE organizations to promote the use of the integrated strategy, building churches and health. Part of the meeting addressed networking to enter those communities. Due to how the French colonized, Francophone African believers typically wait for expatriates to provide resources to begin ministries. However, Emmanuel, an Ivorian trainer brother, reinforced the meeting’s tone by recalling a CHE pillar: using local resources. The reports then shared how the separate national programs expanded their ministries by developing and using their local resources rather than waiting on others.

Big is beautiful” may be a clever slogan, but God still asks, “Who dares despise the day of small things?”(Zech. 4:10)… A few loaves and fishes fed thousands. Little is much if God is in it. — Warren Wiersbe

A CHE trainer from Togo shared a striking story. A simple man rode his bicycle seventy kilometers to offer help to a village. The chief looked him over from head to toe and told him they did not need his help. Move on. He did. His offer was accepted in a nearby village. There, his witness inspired villagers to establish a mechanics school, build two schools for their children, start a women's enterprise center that now sells naturally bottled fruit drinks, and build a water tower to serve the region. In fact, the village chief who had refused his help later knelt before him to ask that he return to help his people. That chef’s village now gets water there!

Unexpected Goodbye

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Dr. AKA
The day after Verlin returned to Cote d’Ivoire from the meeting in Senegal, he drove hours to and from the burial of a friend and faithful CHE trainer from the university. Dr. AKA Desquith Angele was trained during the first three years we began sharing at the university. She helped train in that setting and others for years. Her medical role was in public health, serving as the interim chief of service in the government department overseeing nationwide vaccinations for the last several years. She also participated in developing the follow-up statistics of the private-public partnership using CHE to address leprosy. Her abrupt passing from surgical complications was a heartrending loss for her husband, friends, colleagues, and the strategic use of CHE in the country is adjusting, opening doors of ministry to others.

Prayer Points

  • 🙏 Pray that the steps taken for the CHE agricultural project in our region have a solid footing.
     
  • 🙏 Ask the Lord to direct testing and doctors in evaluating the spot on Debbie’s adrenal gland.
     
  • 🙏 The university CHE Expo in September has over 75 people registered and prepaid! Pray for this yearly endeavor to continue changing the nation as new leadership develops.

Your Partners in the Gospel,
Verlin and Debbie

If you wish to view or print only the catch-up quarterly reports, you can view them as a picture or PDF:
  Q4 2025 JPG or the Q4 2025 PDF  
 
Report text alone link: Anderson Report 260620 

Family pics taken since choosing to serve as missionaries.
 
Christian Health Service Corps (CHSC) is a mission of dedicated medical professionals who participate in the CHE Global Network. Together, in a loose affiliation of individuals, churches, denominational, and nondenominational agencies, we share God's Light and Truth through Community Health Evangelism (CHE). Verlin and Debbie accept donor partners to contribute as led to provide support as we maintain residential ministry to expand CHE ministries in Cote d'Ivoire under the auspices of CHSC & Ivorian partners. Tax-deductible contributions by check are to be made payable to the CHSC with Andersons #0118 written on the memo line. Mail to CHSC - PO Box 132 - Fruitvale, TX 75127. Give online via the CHSC @ www.che4a.org (3% fee) or TDF - specifying Verlin and Debbie Anderson in the optional Memo.

 

Prior Weekly: First Efforts - 250613 PDF
 Prior Videos: Rejoice and Reflect
        - The Great Story

 

2022 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2022-Budget.pdf

 Something to ask? Write updates@verlindeb.org

 AWA represents
Andersons Witness in Africa.
It is also a brand of bottled water in Cote d'Ivoire where we serve.

GIVEONLINE to support these ministries
                                   www.che4a.org

 
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