Ministry Update from 5/29/08

What a thrill, what a ride, during the past 10 weeks in Cote d’Ivoire! We have been pushed to our limit physically, and, in turn, been energized by what the Lord has done. Because so much has happened, this is an attempt to summarize the highlights.

• March 22—The 50th Celebration of Free Will Baptists in Cote d’Ivoire at Bondoukou. How blessed to worship the Lord together with over twelve hundred of the Ivorian church and to welcome back former and retired missionaries as well as International Missions personnel. It was a special treat to have Debbie’s mother and sister with us—3 generations of Payne/Anderson/Stafford ladies together.

• April 10-13—CHE (Community Health Evangelism) Vision Seminar in the village of Nassian. God’s Spirit convinced many of the 17 attending that He intends them to use their own resources to meet the spiritual and physical needs of others. After reflection, this church, and a sister church in Talahini, plan to use CHE to reach their communities and those surrounding them for Christ. Should they take this step in faith, it will represent a significant change in the attitude of these churches toward ministry.

• April 15-18—24 completed all 18 hours of the CHE Vision Seminar in Doropo! The church and some partnering Ivorian missionaries now desire to use CHE. The consistent follow-up and discipleship of new believers and church leaders in CHE struck the loudest chord among them. They, and we, attempted to schedule their first Training of Trainers for May through multiple international text messages via Burkina Faso, but neither we nor they could reschedule important regional meetings, or the planting season. Our tickets to the U.S. are purchased for the
time when they will be ready. It’s our experience that God’s call and work will still be active among them on our return. So, we expect to train them next summer, or possibly earlier.

• April 22-25—West African CHE Consultation in Abidjan. After months of preparation, our team helped host CHE leaders from 6 nations to exchange information and receive refreshment from the Lord. 33 of the 36 attending were Africans planting churches with CHE. Most paid from their own pockets to come. There are now 48 CHE projects in 12 West African countries; a great change from the few when we started along this path. The Holy Spirit evidenced Himself
in the coordination of subjects, the application of messages, the ministry reports, and the plans shared. Verlin made local arrangements for the meeting, led opening and closing devotions, and gave a report. Alice Smith, our CHE partner, led a session on translation that she and Debbie
had prepared. The two attending members of our Ivorian CHE team had their vision greatly expanded. They rubbed shoulders with faithful men of God who have been at this for 5, 10, and 15 years, and are now seeing the burgeoning fruit of following the process from beginning to end.
When the FWB eastern region met, it was evident that commitment from our Ivorian Champion has moved up a notch. Both testified and offered to share and teach to enable our churches to use CHE in order to grow, even while the mission was absent for a year. Verlin needed to say nothing.

• All of May, Debbie and Romeo worked feverishly to finish several CHE manuals to leave with our Goumere team: 52 lessons from Acts for new converts, 36 lessons on moral values and the Christian family, 34 lessons on raising animals and their sicknesses, 61 agricultural and appropriate technology lessons, 18 lessons to train the village committee, 20 lessons for training CHE workers, and 70 lessons on physical topics like malaria.

• May 24—Verlin and Debbie met with two members of the Ivorian Education Committee to discuss a possible Sunday School curriculum for our churches. It was excellent to hear their thoughts and they eagerly asked how FWB curriculum was used in the States.

• The Goumere CHE team completed the health screening in Karako, evaluating 100 boys and 100 girls. Seventy-one percent tested positive for malaria; two-thirds were malnourished, or on the verge of malnutrition. The team had their first meeting with the villagers to share these findings last week. Verlin presented the medical findings in the context of God’s desire to change them by obedience to His Word. It’s a great privilege and joy to hear a Muslim chief openly invite the team to share Christ in order to help them overcome their ills.

• June 9th, our departure date, nears. Please pray for strength as we pack and receive many visitors. Verlin has numerous extra issues to deal with as a new Field Chairman. Ask the Lord especially to help Cara, who expects to begin nursing school this fall in Nashville. She is saying good-bye to many dear friends whom she will not see again for a long time, if ever, here on earth.

• The worth of the American dollar has plummeted in Cote d’Ivoire during the past few years, and our account shows it. The same CFA budget we had in 2001 now requires 55,000 additional dollars to maintain. Stateside assignment will include not only thank yous and ministry reports, but also seeking new partners to answer the call to participate with us. In addition, all of us missionaries, as well as you who send us, have much to learn and to embrace as International Missions shifts to the new general support plan in 2010. It is our prayer that this enormous effort will help SPEED new missionaries to the field, and help KEEP us older ones in service there!

We look forward to being face-to-face to share with you what God does through our partnership, as well as to explain our passion, sharing Christ and His abundant life through continuing FWB ministries and CHE.

With thanksgiving and anticipation,
Verlin, Debbie, Cara, and Corbin Anderson

Prayer Points
• Pray for those who served here long before us. On return from the 50th Celebration of the Ivorian FWB church’s beginning, one couple had a home damaged by a storm. Others resumed ministries. Our first retirees from the field, Jerry & Carol Pinkerton (pictured at right), begin new ministry in MO.
• Pray that Nassian and Doropo believers will clearly sense and follow God’s calling in their lives following their active participation in Vision Seminars.
• Pray that the Goumere team will maintain their focus and persevere pursuing the open door before them and not be distracted from the important by the urgent.
• Pray that Romeo demonstrates dependence on God as he leaves our team, having completed his part of the CHE translation. His commitments to Christ have been and will be tested.
• Pray for the transition from translating CHE materials to translating FWB materials. Our churches desperately need simple and direct teaching for discipleship.
• Pray for Mai as she returns to be with her Muslim family this summer.
• Pray for Cara’s goodbyes (pictured at right with Mai).
• Pray that the Lord’s strength will be evident in our lives as we wrap-up here to serve there.
• Trust while in prayer with us to see the Lord’s provision to get His work done.
• Meditate upon or enjoy the below photos of some who will miss us while we’re away.