Ministry Update from 4/30/07

Dear Friends and Ministry Partners,

Just a few days after we completed the CHE training seminar, Verlin asked if the teaching had been useful. Pastor Kobenan's face glowed as he responded with enthusiasm, “It was just what we needed!”

Thank you for praying during the 40+ hours of teaching in mid-March. The Goumere Community Health Evangelism (CHE) team studied topics like “How to Give Your Personal Testimony” (which they all did by the end of the sessions), “Objective Setting and Step Planning,” “How Jesus Taught,” “Forming a Committee” (in the village), instructions on filling out report forms for CHE, and other administrative and evangelistic subjects. The team wrote a health lesson on typhoid fever, since it is a serious problem in our region, and practiced sharing lessons that they will teach in the village.

Daniel, our guest trainer from LifeWind International, inspired the team. His CHE team in Togo , fluent in English and French, has planted two churches in the past two years. Our team was able to ask him many questions. He challenged and encouraged them for the upcoming tasks. Thank you, Daniel, and thank you, Lord!

Immediately after the training ended, Verlin spent 5 days in Ghana getting our vehicle repaired. There had been transmission problems developing for months, but no time to go. Mechanics in Kumasi , Ghana , get original Toyota parts that are frequently not even available in Cote d'Ivoire due to dealership problems. The parts and labor cost less than half, the travel is shorter than to Abidjan , and the mechanics more qualified to boot! Our 11-year-old vehicle and the condition of the roads make major maintenance and repair a regular part of life. We want the Toyota to last many more years despite heavy use.

Easter found us celebrating our Lord's resurrection with the Goumere church. Friday night, they had a service with communion and feet-washing, always a precious occasion. Sunday morning worship was then followed by an annual fellowship meal. In addition to praising the Lord for the victory He won for us all over sin and death, we were also thanking Him for sparing Cason's life on Saturday evening.

Cason was riding home on his 50cc motorbike, and prepared to make his left turn onto our road. He checked his rear mirrors and began the turn. A Mercedes horn blared and then the car whizzed by him from behind on the left, narrowly missing our boy by a few inches. Then the driver lost control of his vehicle and smashed into a tree. Numerous eyewitnesses testified that Cason was not at fault, but that the gendarme driver (sheriff – military blend of civil authority) was speeding greatly. Cason doesn't know why he had the sudden urge to jerk back to the right when normally he would have sped up his turn so that the car behind him would have the free path. We simply praise God for planting that thought in his brain and controlling his acts. Everyone said if Cason had not jerked back, he certainly would have died as the Mercedes broadsided him.

In subsequent weeks, the gendarme asked us for money and for insurance information even though the two vehicles did not touch. He's in a world of financial hurt, having totaled a car about to be resold and incurred medical expenses due to his hurt leg and head. He tried to get one of our eyewitnesses to ‘help him out' by changing his testimony of the accident. That would increase his chances of getting insurance or civil suit money. The man refused, though, telling the gendarme that he was driving far too fast, and that Cason was not at fault.

This situation has consumed many hours of Verlin's time as we followed legal and cultural advice from many sources. Pray with us that all will be resolved soon, and that no earthly recriminations except those yielding God glory will be experienced.

Enormous changes soon begin in our family . . . the nest starts to empty! Cason graduates this spring and begins studies at Free Will Baptist Bible College in the fall. Debbie will spend the summer in the USA helping him get settled, and checking out a pain in her side that has never disappeared after her surgery last October. Corbin also gets to visit the States during the summer, thanks to help from family. Cara and Verlin will hold down the fort in Bondoukou, with Verlin continuing CHE work and other field responsibilities, and Cara getting a chance to build some home economic skills.

We have two large projects that we want to complete before Cason leaves, one being our web page and the other being the formatting of the large CHE Operation's Guide in French. We need many uninterrupted hours to succeed in this goal, particularly for Debbie to complete text and Cason to format it. Cason has contributed greatly to our ministry this past year already, but to finalize these 2 projects would be a great ending note for him of his time as an MK in Africa .

For those of you who pray regularly for Mai, the persecution from her Muslim family has increased. Continue to pray for her and for Wisdom to guide her and us. English Bible class is going well, but Mai has been unable to attend for two months. Remember especially to pray for the unsaved girls in the class. Oh, for the time to chat about other ministries, including prison and translation project witness opportunities. We will try to include some of these stories next time, but some are being shared on the newly released IMpulse 3.4. You can get your copy from the totally revamped and sharp looking FWBGO website that our denominational support team has developed at http://www.fwbgo.com/shop/?action=search&column=category&search_param=dvd

It has been a difficult month, dealing with Debbie's continued pain in her side and some follow-up medical tests, while also learning about serious illnesses of friends and family in the States. People we love dearly need the touch of the Lord. He is Jehovah-rapha, the Source of all our healing, and Jehovah-shalom, the Source of all our peace.

Thank you for lifting these burdens and praises to Him!

May His peace rule in our lives and in yours,

Verlin, Debbie, Cason, Cara, and Corbin Anderson