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

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