Fruits & Nuts

PDF Version: Fruits & Nuts

True decisions to follow Jesus always result in changed lives. We regularly hesitate to share news about conversions, especially when people commit during church services. Are they reacting to please the speaker due to the emotional appeal in a culture that seeks to please leaders, or do they truly understand the Savior’s offer of salvation? Still, we want you to know that people’s hearts are being touched and that they do respond. Recently when Verlin spoke at a new, tiny church plant effort in a village, seven people prayed to receive Christ. Just this past week during a disciple’s DMM Bible study, a third person decided to leave his deeply entrenched religious practice to follow Jesus. Praise God! May the evidence in months to come show all these to be sincerely converted. Pray particularly for the man from the Bible study. He will likely suffer persecution for his change of allegiance except he is soon joined by others of like faith.

We came to Abidjan on Thursday night to handle yearly residence, travel and auto papers, and to help receive French guests Sunday evening. The Lord granted us favor at the police station to renew our annual Ivorian visa. Because we have residency papers that date back to the year 2000, and because we have had biometric visas in the past, we were “grandfathered” in the system. We received our visas at half of what is now the normal yearly cost! Thank you, Lord.

Remember the old TV commercial for two kinds of chocolate bars: “Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t”? Well, our vehicle’s A/C system definitely did not feel like hosting a nut, and was very glad to be rid of it Thursday. For about a month, we could not turn on the A/C full force in our 100+ degree weather because of a terrible clattering noise. We imagined costly repairs from prior experiences, when instead this little nut needed to be removed. If only other problems were so easy to solve! Thankfully the truck passed an annual vehicle inspection the first try.

Prayer and Praise:

• Pray for the Disciple Making Movement (DMM) Bible study training that is being held five days this week, three days in Abidjan and two in Abengourou. For the second year, Jean-Marc and Martine Fritsch will lead the training and we will provide logistical help with the Ivorian HCFI. This time they will encourage and further equip those who have led these Bible studies for a year now. No doubt they will counsel and answer many questions.
• Pray for believers suffering through persecution for their decision to follow Christ.

Your partners in the Gospel,
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 maintain support as we resume 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 (0% fee).

Last written: Broken Word Anderson WEEKLY 170311
Last Video: DMM(YouTube) Anderson_WEEKLY_160611
2016 Q4 Report: Handy-Work (web) - 170318.pdf
2016 Budget:CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-Budget.pdf

GIVE ONLINE to support these ministries:
www.che4a.org
Something to ask? Write: updates@verlindeb.org 

AWA represents
Andersons Witnessing in Africa

Deb's Facebook Page

Verlin's Facebook Page

Handy-Work

PDF Version: Anderson_Report_17_03_18.pdf

I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Psalm 16:8

It is an encouraging study to see what the "right hand" of the Lord accomplishes in the Bible. During His earthly ministry, Jesus extended his hand over and over again to bring healing and blessings to many lives. Then, after His death and resurrection, He ascended back to heaven where He sat down at the right hand of the Father, a place of honor, authority, and power. From that position, He extends His hand to help us, His children. Now we, in turn, reach out to bring comfort, healing, and blessing to people around us. Thank you for joining with us hand in hand to offer salvation and transformation in Jesus' name!

HOLDING HANDS
For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Isaiah 41:13

After months of separation because of Debbie's surgery and lengthy recovery, we were finally reunited in Cote d'Ivoire on January 9, as hoped and prayed. We took a week to rest, reconnect, and renew one of her residency papers before returning home. We praise the Lord that she is now pain-free and able to handle regular activities. It is a joy to be close enough to hold hands again in life and ministry!

HURTING HANDS
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me...and thy right hand shall save me.
Psalm 138:7

The Lord continues to open doors to help people in need or to prevent future catastrophe:  a man hurt by corruption in the church now follows a false religion, but is willing to talk regularly; a young woman died in childbirth when a WCL (Women's Cycle of Life) CHE ministry would probably have helped preserve her life; polluted water in a stream threatens the health of villagers just beginning to be exposed to the Gospel. All of these people, and many more, need the saving health that Jesus offers, and He has placed them within the touch of our hands.

HOPEFUL HANDS
O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvelous things; his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
Psalm 98:1

On February 20, Verlin and an Ivorian pastor returned to the village of Bougou in central Cote d'Ivoire to complete the first level CHE training with 17 leaders. Verlin was impressed at the end of the sessions with their understanding and application of what they learned.  Verlin noted that one of the men is physically handicapped. It speaks volumes in this culture that he is considered worthy to be a trainer. It speaks even louder of the change wrought by Christ that others cite him as an encouraging example. Perhaps the Lord will use this brother to help start a "can do" ministry here among those that our societies call "handicapped." (There exists a Community Health Evangelism program dedicated to those considered "disabled" becoming agents who enable the transformation of communities.)

Another great opportunity has opened up in an unevangelized village not far from Bondoukou. The entire village is uniting to undertake a large agricultural project and has agreed that they need to better know the Creator through regular spiritual teaching, as well.

HELPING HANDS
And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life.
Philippians 4:3

None of this is possible without your faithful prayers and some of you in financial partnership. We are so grateful for both. The generosity of several end-of-year donors during the last quarter helped us "catch up" monthly needs. On average, those donors diminished by half our average monthly shortfall that limited our development of Ivorian support efforts.

In summary, the 2016 4Q giving overcame the $1,200 per month shortfall anticipated, but not the entire shortfall of the year. Having evaded the expansion of commitments here during Debbie's absence, we begin 2017 as well funded as 2016 began, less the planned purchase of the small pickup that we now use. The addition of several new donors, along with the increased generosity of others, replaced a couple of large annual donors who could not participate with us this year and returned us to a good starting point. This is yet another evidence that Jehovah-Jireh (our God will provide) remains faithful. To increase follow-up with regional teams in western Cote d'Ivoire while still mentoring others in the south and east to do the same, will require the financial resources dedicated to this ministry to increase the same $1,200 per month on average that we left the U.S. needing in March 2016.

Our quarterly financial report is available in the linked PDF version at start of this article, or you can view the simple numbers without any accompanying explanation here:170318_Anderson_CHSC_Donation_Report.jpg

PRAYING HANDS

• Praise:  the Lord DID restore Debbie's health and remove the "mystery" pain. He DID provide us reasonable health insurance for 2017. He gave safe travels and excellent training sessions to Verlin. He continues to open doors every month for outreach.
• Ask the Lord to help believers just trained in CHE, as they work and organize in their villages to develop ministries to reach their regions for Christ.
• Pray for a new CHE outreach in planning stages for a couple of Bible Institutes in central Cote d'Ivoire.
• Pray for travel mercies during the month of April, and perhaps May, as we plan to connect with CHE trainers in western Cote d'Ivoire that were displaced or hindered during the later years of the political crisis for which a practical truce has been real since 2012.
• Ask for grace as we travel and help receives guests in late March and early April. Pray for a FWB national pastor's retreat on April 25-29.

Your partners in the Gospel,
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 maintain support as we resume 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 (0% fee).

Last written: Broken Word Anderson WEEKLY 170311
Last Video: DMM(YouTube) Anderson_WEEKLY_160611
2016 Q2/Q3 Report: Farming_101(web) - 161119.pdf
2016 Budget:CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-Budget.pdf

GIVE ONLINE to support these ministries:
www.che4a.org
Something to ask? Write: updates@verlindeb.org 

AWA represents
Andersons Witnessing in Africa

Deb's Facebook Page

Verlin's Facebook Page

Broken Word

PDF Version: Anderson_WEEKLY_170311

How do you feel when you miss an appointment or deadline? As a couple, we can recall two embarrassing occasions during our nineteen years as missionaries when we did not show up at the correctly scheduled time. Although we apologized sincerely and rectified what we could, we still wanted to crawl into a hole. In one situation, everyone was able to laugh at our human frailty and still receive us warmly at a later time; in the other, the outcome was not so positive.

What does it mean for a culture when people easily break their word and feel no need to apologize or change (repent)? Ivorians live with this regularly. One

village with a sprouting CHE (Community Health Evangelism) ministry is suffering because of this sin. The pump which provides the entire village with clean water from a well is broken down. The people pay to get water from the well and that money is kept for such things as repairs. Instead, the man in charge of the money used it for personal reasons. The health of the villagers is in danger as they must now gather water from a polluted stream. In another case, our Ivorian helper has been delayed for about three weeks in moving to an apartment right next to our house because a craftsman has broken his word several times about coming to repair leaks in a roof. A water company employee this past week promised to repair leaking pipes at our house and still has not shown up eight days later. No calls were made to apologize or reschedule in either case.

Doing what we say we will do does matter. It reflects on our Lord whose promises never fail and whose word is sure. What a testimony it is here when Christians go counter-culture by following the example of Jesus in this Way.

Prayer and Praise

• Pray for wisdom in the village as they seek a solution to the water
  
  situation. Repairing the pumps seems preferred to treating the surface water because the region uses agricultural chemicals.
• Ask that Ivorian believers and we become brighter lights in this culture by visibly keeping and sustaining our word by the increasing grace of God.
• Give thanks with us that our granddaughter Chelsea continues to do great after her surgery. There are no apparent hindrances to her hearing that could have happened.
• Remember Corbin, our youngest, in prayer as he seeks an engineering internship position for this summer and finishes up his junior year at Union University.

Your partners in the Gospel,
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 maintain support as we resume 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 (0% fee).

Last written:
Inspiring Servants Anderson WEEKLY 170304
Last Video:
DMM(YouTube) Anderson_WEEKLY_160611
2016 Q2/Q3 Report:
Farming_101(web) - 161119.pdf
2016 Budget:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-Budget.pdf

GIVE ONLINE to support these ministries:
www.che4a.org
Something to ask? Write: updates@verlindeb.org 

AWA represents
Andersons Witnessing in Africa

Deb's Facebook Page

Verlin's Facebook Page

Inspiring Servants

PDF Version: Anderson_WEEKLY_170304

"But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant." Matt. 23:11

Any true disciple of Jesus knows that to follow Him is to be a servant of all. Saying it is one thing; practicing it is something else altogether. Dr. Martine Fritsch and her husband, Jean-Marc, have been wonderful examples of servant leadership. They labored over 30 years in Africa in church planting and disciple making movements that are integrated with Community Health Evangelism (CHE). They will return to Cote d'Ivoire later in March to continue training Ivorians in DMM (Disciple Making Movements). It will be our delight to provide transport and help in other ways needed during their visit as they assist the Healthcare Christian Fellowship International (HCFI) chapters to use CHE here. Below, Dr. Martine reminds the Global CHE Network worldwide how servant leadership is at the crux of all we do. Her poignant words apply to all Christians as we lead:

"...To Jesus, a person's leadership is not defined by his position or power, but by his willingness to serve. He inspired people to volunteer their time and energy for something they believe in. He counted those who did so as leaders in His "upside-down" Kingdom. Thousands of CHE Volunteers around the world are those leaders in their community, visiting and serving their neighboring homes to bring healing, education and making God known...

Moreover, Jesus empowers ordinary people to do extraordinary things. He came to liberate people by calling them to be who they were created to be. He models and teaches how to address practically the big universal questions:  What is the purpose of the world? What's wrong with it? How can we be part of making it right? He changes forever those who encounter Him as Savior and Redeemer and He lives on in the lives of His followers through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit abiding in them." [The photo and material are provided by Terry Dalrymple and Transforming Lives and Communities. The full article can be read here: https://chenetwork.net/2017/01/11/servant-leadership-core-value-blog-post/. Jean-Marc recently translated for an Urban CHE consultation in France led by Stan Rowland for RESCoF (click RESCoF to see a session video) as the U.S. adaptation, the Network for Neighborhood Transformation, shared its experience.]

Prayer and Praise

• May we all follow the example of Jesus, our Servant King, as we minister.
• Pray for the DMM training visit of March 26-April 1.
• Continue to pray for the bereaved family here in Bondoukou.
• Praise the Lord with us that we are not having the severe water shortages like we did last year in March. It is a lovely blessing to be able to bathe and wash clothes at any time!

Your partners in the Gospel,
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 maintain support as we resume 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 (0% fee).

Last written:
Etched Hearts Anderson WEEKLY 170225
Last Video:
DMM(YouTube) Anderson_WEEKLY_160611
2016 Q2/Q3 Report:
Farming_101(web) - 161119.pdf
2016 Budget:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-Budget.pdf

GIVE ONLINE to support these ministries:
www.che4a.org
Something to ask? Write: updates@verlindeb.org 

AWA represents
Andersons Witnessing in Africa

Deb's Facebook Page

Verlin's Facebook Page