Ministry Update from 9/9/2008

Dear Friends and Ministry Partners,

These past few weeks have been all about transition for us: leaving Cote d’Ivoire and settling into a Nashville home; enjoying one last nuclear family vacation; settling two children into college this fall; completing our International Missions reorientation and training; Verlin attending the National Association; services and youth camp in Florida; and hours preparing for services this fall and spring, all while finishing overseas business.

The last week in Cote d’Ivoire was intense. Signed papers released the Doropo clinic property definitively to the complete management of a Free Will Baptist NGO; renters were interviewed and approved to occupy mission property; distribution criteria for funds earmarked to build church buildings in Abidjan were discussed; and an education committee decided to open the Bouna Bible Institute for training in residence rather than modular sessions this fall. After our return to the USA, we facilitated these tasks while helping our brothers over the phone finish others. Do you get the idea? Ivorian brothers are assuming the reins of control and responsibility of numerous ministries, slowly and surely. When our CHE team left for this one-year stateside assignment, we participated in the first planned and complete absence of missionary personnel for Cote d’Ivoire in the past 50 years.

Change is never easy, but it happens as we grow and accomplish what the Lord asks of us. One change in our lives together is the implementation of the newly approved funding missionary structure for International Missions. For details, check out www.fwbgo.com/funding or http://www.onemag.org/. The transition on January 1, 2010 will require patience and hard work together to implement and maintain. Pray with us that this change will speed new missionaries to the field and ease financial concerns for existing missionaries. The harvest is great, and growing, where we serve; the need for workers greater than ever.

In the mean time, there is much to do. God willing, our family returns to Africa the summer of 2009. Our account must erase a $25,000 deficit and develop a $15,000 balance. We also need to add $3500 of monthly support. The problem is the dollar being 45% weaker versus the CFA franc of Cote d’Ivoire (tied to the Euro) than in 2001. Our 2001 and 2009 budgets are nearly the same in CFA, but our responsibilities have greatly increased. There is no more budget trimming to do. Personal funds have floated several expenses for the last two years, as we hoped for a strengthening dollar and tried to keep ministry going. For the first time in eleven years our account has entered into the red and stayed there. As a result, there are days of hard work and travel ahead, but always with an abiding confidence in our God. He provides for what He wants to see done. Trust with us as we watch Him “make a way where there seems to be no way.”

Thank you for all you have done to enable us to share the gospel in Africa all these years. We hope to see many of you in person and report the exciting things happening in CHE and other ministries in Cote d’Ivoire. Our next update will include a service schedule for upcoming months.

Jehovah-Jireh,
Verlin, Debbie, and Corbin Anderson

PS of September 16, 2008 - Rejoice with us, between a $10,000 distribution of TN Walk-a-thon funds and an unusually high month of giving, our account deficit has reduced significantly during the week. Please continue to pray as indicated in either the attached PDF or the text below. We must still erase a deficit, add $15,000 and increase the monthly average of support by $3500 in commitments before returning the summer of '09.