Priorities. That’s what the last two months have been about. What must be done, and what can be left undone, to speed the return of our ministry to West Africa. Despite the hectic schedules and unexpected challenges, our confidence remains that as we plan a way, the Lord directs our steps.
Since mid-September, we’ve followed a plan to minimize while sharing in churches. Verlin travels to a region, and then stays there for three to six weeks. Debbie travels once or twice a month, family and home school schedule permitting. In the last 12 weeks, Verlin has shared in
• 33 church services and 10 SS of 30 different churches,
• 5 Bible studies, 2 Prayer Breakfasts,
• 3 youth meetings, 4 association meetings,
• as well as meeting personally with supporters & possible partners.
Debbie has spoken 6 times, and hosted friends, ministry partners, and potential missionary co-workers at the house. We’ve prayed in both grief and joy with friends and supporters, sensing the delight the Lord gives when you know He’s ordered the way. It encourages us to see the excitement you share about the CHE work advancing in Africa!
While these duties with FWBIM and interaction with LifeWind International happen in the USA, we stay in contact with servants who are the “boots on the ground” to make disciples in West Africa. This week, Verlin forwarded the second half of a 170+ page CHE Operations Guide to be corrected by a retired professional French translator. This guide will help French-speaking African nationals to run Community Health Evangelism (CHE) programs independently. Additionally, we have helped Ivorians prepare to submit budgets for the Bible Institute in Bouna and manage funds to build churches in Abidjan. Every week brings more leadership and financial issues to handle.
Financially, our account is now $12,000.00 in the red, instead of the $25,000.00 from July.
Pray with us that 10 to 15 churches will give an additional $1,500.00 or more to erase the deficit and rebuild the balance. One church recently did so, thank the Lord, and we believe there are others that will participate when they know the need. The new monthly commitments of $3,500.00 are slow in coming. Still, we rest in the fact that while we share consistently, it is the Lord who provides for His kingdom work to be done.
Recently, in east TN, Verlin heard the testimony of John ‘the Bull' Bramlett, a former NFL football player who knew no peace despite being raised in church his entire childhood. His conversion testimony touches the heart with pathos and comedy and has developed a fruitful ministry that you can contact through http://www.bramlett.org. Near the end of his presentation, he shares the effect his salvation had on the family, using the words of his then 14 year old son in a paragraph essay assignment for an 8th grade teacher. All I want for Christmas is for my family and me to have a very Merry Christmas like the other two Christmases we’ve had. My dad was out drinking and fighting three years ago and we were all worrying about him and wondering when he would come back. While opening our presents, we were so miserable through those years. Now we have a happy and merry Christmas after my daddy accepted Jesus in his heart and we have a lot to be thankful for. This is all I want for Christmas and I’ve got it.
We pray that this Christmas season and the upcoming year will find your family thankful and rejoicing for the wealth Christ brings to your life, and that He brings to others through your ministry and ours. May He use each of us more than ever in 2009, through praying and giving and going, to reach a world that’s impoverished by the lack of knowing His perfect Presence!
Sharing the Treasure more precious than gold,
Verlin and Debbie Anderson with Corbin, Cason & Cara
Prayer Requests:
• Spirit-directed services for Verlin, Debbie, and our co-worker Alice Smith
• Safe travels and physical stamina
• Wisdom to manage personal, family, ministry, and other organizational concerns
• That God will use FWBs to finance ministry despite challenged economic times
• Ongoing ministries in Cote d’Ivoire: CHE, Bible Institute, Doropo NGO
Verlin’s Schedule:
• Through Dec. 17 – Churches in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina
• Jan. 9 – Southern Quarterly of the Cumberland Association
• Jan. 11 – Feb 6 Florida State Association FWBs
• Feb. 7 – Feb 12 Supporting churches in North Carolina
• Feb. 14 – Feb 25 Florida State Assoc. FWBs
• Mar. 1 – Nashville supporting Churches
Since mid-September, we’ve followed a plan to minimize while sharing in churches. Verlin travels to a region, and then stays there for three to six weeks. Debbie travels once or twice a month, family and home school schedule permitting. In the last 12 weeks, Verlin has shared in
• 33 church services and 10 SS of 30 different churches,
• 5 Bible studies, 2 Prayer Breakfasts,
• 3 youth meetings, 4 association meetings,
• as well as meeting personally with supporters & possible partners.
Debbie has spoken 6 times, and hosted friends, ministry partners, and potential missionary co-workers at the house. We’ve prayed in both grief and joy with friends and supporters, sensing the delight the Lord gives when you know He’s ordered the way. It encourages us to see the excitement you share about the CHE work advancing in Africa!
While these duties with FWBIM and interaction with LifeWind International happen in the USA, we stay in contact with servants who are the “boots on the ground” to make disciples in West Africa. This week, Verlin forwarded the second half of a 170+ page CHE Operations Guide to be corrected by a retired professional French translator. This guide will help French-speaking African nationals to run Community Health Evangelism (CHE) programs independently. Additionally, we have helped Ivorians prepare to submit budgets for the Bible Institute in Bouna and manage funds to build churches in Abidjan. Every week brings more leadership and financial issues to handle.
Financially, our account is now $12,000.00 in the red, instead of the $25,000.00 from July.
Pray with us that 10 to 15 churches will give an additional $1,500.00 or more to erase the deficit and rebuild the balance. One church recently did so, thank the Lord, and we believe there are others that will participate when they know the need. The new monthly commitments of $3,500.00 are slow in coming. Still, we rest in the fact that while we share consistently, it is the Lord who provides for His kingdom work to be done.Recently, in east TN, Verlin heard the testimony of John ‘the Bull' Bramlett, a former NFL football player who knew no peace despite being raised in church his entire childhood. His conversion testimony touches the heart with pathos and comedy and has developed a fruitful ministry that you can contact through http://www.bramlett.org. Near the end of his presentation, he shares the effect his salvation had on the family, using the words of his then 14 year old son in a paragraph essay assignment for an 8th grade teacher. All I want for Christmas is for my family and me to have a very Merry Christmas like the other two Christmases we’ve had. My dad was out drinking and fighting three years ago and we were all worrying about him and wondering when he would come back. While opening our presents, we were so miserable through those years. Now we have a happy and merry Christmas after my daddy accepted Jesus in his heart and we have a lot to be thankful for. This is all I want for Christmas and I’ve got it.
We pray that this Christmas season and the upcoming year will find your family thankful and rejoicing for the wealth Christ brings to your life, and that He brings to others through your ministry and ours. May He use each of us more than ever in 2009, through praying and giving and going, to reach a world that’s impoverished by the lack of knowing His perfect Presence!Sharing the Treasure more precious than gold,
Verlin and Debbie Anderson with Corbin, Cason & Cara
Prayer Requests:
• Spirit-directed services for Verlin, Debbie, and our co-worker Alice Smith
• Safe travels and physical stamina
• Wisdom to manage personal, family, ministry, and other organizational concerns
• That God will use FWBs to finance ministry despite challenged economic times
• Ongoing ministries in Cote d’Ivoire: CHE, Bible Institute, Doropo NGO
Verlin’s Schedule:
• Through Dec. 17 – Churches in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina
• Jan. 9 – Southern Quarterly of the Cumberland Association
• Jan. 11 – Feb 6 Florida State Association FWBs
• Feb. 7 – Feb 12 Supporting churches in North Carolina
• Feb. 14 – Feb 25 Florida State Assoc. FWBs
• Mar. 1 – Nashville supporting Churches
Posts
