First Efforts

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 260613 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

There is something nerve-wracking related to personal pride when first doing an activity in public. Remember sharing your first sermon, Bible lesson, musical solo, sports effort, or apple pie? We have heard many an experienced pastor remark that after studying for hours for an initial sermon, expecting it to last half an hour, they finished in five minutes! Rarely are first efforts memorable to observers; it seems even harder to keep calm when experienced people listen or watch.

No mature teaching or piano prodigies happen without small beginnings. It is just that way. Jesus sent out His disciples, two by two, to minister to the masses when He could do the task perfectly … but that was not the task! It is likely that if some people walked in His shoes, they would never have trusted the disciples’ bumbling efforts. Others would have followed at their heels, breathing down their necks, pointing out every little error. A key component when training people to use Community Health Evangelism (CHE) is quickly sharing what they learn with others. On day two of the first discipleship training, we send each participant to witness. On day three, each maps a neighborhood. On day five, each facilitates a lesson. Participants are encouraged to begin training and implementing the process immediately upon returning home. It is one reason CHE ministries, like Disciple Making Ministries (DMM), can multiply rapidly when appropriately encouraged from the heart. Of course, experienced CHE trainers mentor and follow up with new workers, remembering the awkwardness of doing a first. Whatever the learning environment, we have learned to embrace the messy process of “first efforts.” It is the only way for the next generation to successfully embrace serving to expand God’s Kingdom.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

Verlin lost electricity for parts of five days this week. While hampered from completing an expense report, the time became free for conversations and repairs. During a surprise call, he reviewed nutritional education with a network developer and a new father who had ridden with him to a CHE-trainer friend’s funeral. Debbie chips away at her to-do list while addressing health issues that were ignored while caring for her father. The attempt to fix our stateside refrigerator by clearing a hoped-for ice dam failed. She will invite a repairman to help in the process next week.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏

  

  Dr. Brantly

  Our mission facilitates missionaries at the Nyakunde hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a care center addressing today’s Ebola outbreak. While our co-workers are not presently there, they raise prayer, financial support, and care partners to address the dangers and growing operational needs. Click here to view a 1’41” video by the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of our mission, Dr. Kent Brantly. He suffered Ebola during the Liberian epidemic, where the spread abated and stopped threatening entry to Cote d’Ivoire when Samaritan’s Purse integrated CHE techniques into trained household visits. Kent survived by God’s grace and sufficient supportive care through others. Samaritan's Purse is now preparing two treatment centers to help stem the outbreak in two cities of the Ituri region in the DRC: Nyankunde and Bunia
   
• 🙏 On Friday, Debbie had a CT scan for abdominal pain. She has diverticulitis and a spot on her adrenal gland and her liver that merit further follow-up.
   
• 🙏 Pray regularly that Verlin’s connections with people from another faith lead them to accept, then pass along to their clans, the claims of Christ.
  

Your partners in the Gospel,
Verlin & Debbie

Verlin and Debbie

 

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: Special Seeds?
        - 260606 PDF
Prior Videos: Among So Many
        - Worth
 

2024 Q1 Q2 Report: First Resort
  -  2024 Q1 Q2 Report 250906 PDF

2022 Budget COMPLETED:
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.

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