Proven and True

PDF Version: Anderson_WEEKLY_170930.pdf

Today we met with the president and treasurer of AISEC (the Ivorian network of CHE) and agreed to “write…and make plain” (Hab. 2:2) the foundational principles, mission, and objectives of our network. We want to model Community Health Evangelism (CHE) step planning processes. In this way, current and new groups affiliated with us will have examples to apply easily in their own ministries. 2018 will be packed with more training and mentoring than ever. We just THOUGHT we were busy before! 

Back during our years at Welch College when leading within the Student Foreign Missions Fellowship, we were introduced to, and marked by, an obedience-based outreach model that was then influencing the world mission movement. Experienced missionaries, church leaders, and educators were prayerfully and strategically field testing what is now a common biblical vision of understanding: discipling an entire nation is possible and targeting unreached peoples is key to fulfilling the Great Commission. Their unwavering work became streams of effort flowing from a host of vibrant Christian groups. These include current connections in our ministry with the Disciple Nations Alliance, Church Planting Movements, The Joshua Project, Community Health Evangelism (CHE), and Disciple Making Movements (DMM). All participating trust with us by heartfelt practice that “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.  Matt. 24:14


Darrow Miller of the Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA) clearly explains many of these truths. We use some of his powerful examples in CHE. DNA helps churches figure out how to be disciples of Jesus that make disciples. The video link is to one Kenyan team member, Dennis Tongoi, explaining what it means for the Church to operate from a biblical worldview. If the thirteen minute Vimeo is too long, seize a few minutes to peruse the Seven Foundational Truths of their alliance. This work of Miller and others owe a debt of gratitude to Donald A. McGavran. He stimulated believers to pursue and refine their understandings of presenting the Gospel. He taught and modeled finding right goals for the right place and time with the right people to use the right methods (pp.47-48 @ The Discipling of a Nation). This strikes at the heart of ineffective methods which stem from beliefs of cultural equivalency. It replaces them with the use of cultural perspective to focus on proven obedience that yields measurable results in effective ministry.

As you pray and give, you confirm to Ivorians that the Lord equips and strengthens them to use the resources they have near at hand to effectively reach their own nation of peoples. It is beautiful to see their confidence and boldness grow! We are filled with thanksgiving for your partnership with us.

Prayer and Praise:

• Praise the Lord we get to return home to Bondoukou tomorrow, after over five weeks in Abidjan. We are taking a 7 month old Rottweiler male puppy with us, so it should be an interesting 6 hours!
• Continue to pray for believers who recently have trusted Christ from another religion. Ask that they are strengthened in the faith, and see the Lord clearly provide for their needs.
• Pray with us for strong 4th quarter giving to our CHSC account. Besides the need to replace a 5+- year-old failing computer and printing equipment, CHE training sessions now take us all over Cote d’Ivoire. This significantly increases our expenses. In the past, generous donations in the last quarter and a strong dollar boosted our account. Now the dollar wanes, so we ask the Lord to touch even a few more hearts this year. Our regular donors are so phenomenal that it is hard to express how much your faithfulness means. Please pray with us for 10 to 20 more partners just like you!

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: Prepare the Way  PDF
Last Video:Farming God's Way Anderson_WEEKLY_170610
2017 Q1 Report: Gideon's Gumption (web) -  170318.pdf
2017 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

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Prepare the Way

PDF Version: Anderson_WEEKLY_170923.pdf

As the rest of the CHE trainers were returning home from the week of university training, we remained at ARC-en-Christ for almost another full week to prepare the way for next year’s outreach. Debbie labeled folders, printed the more than seventy lessons plus their handouts needed for 2018, and sorted through seven boxes of miscellaneous papers collected from previous years. Verlin did the follow-up meeting with the university team on Tuesday. Each year they discuss what went well, what needs improvement, suggestions from trainers and students, the following year’s schedule, and step planning needed for the university to continue taking over leadership and growing the number who attend. Next, he began the job of meticulously going over every lesson to address problems noted by trainers and us, adding needed material while deleting extraneous. Each day as we worked, people from various ministries touched during the prior two weeks dropped in to chat about CHE and how they could use it to expand their witness. We are excited about several of those contacts that the Lord clearly orchestrated for His glory.

Other meetings happened throughout the week too. One was on Friday to reconnect with a friend of Corbin’s. Brice came to our house several days of most weeks to hang out, watch a soccer game, or work on English. It is always good to see the African youth who were a regular part of our family’s life for years. He just completed undergraduate veterinary studies and needs an internship for a few months before beginning the next four years of studies to become a vet. We took him by the office of a vet who has helped us with our dogs, and Brice will stay in contact with that doctor. Pray with us that the Lord will prepare the way for his internship and that he will continue to draw closer in relationship to Jesus. 

Prayer and Praise:

• Thank the Lord we both had uncomplicated recoveries from malaria this week, although our shared fatigue is not quite gone. Still, we were able to put in over 70 joint hours in preparation for the 2018 university training, keep all scheduled appointments, and even add in some extra meals and meetings with brother and sisters in the Lord. That is extraordinary, even without health issues!
• Pray for Brice to find a veterinary internship and to walk closely with Jesus. Ask for a similar spiritual intimacy for one of Cason’s close teen friends who also stays in touch with us.
• After the Million Village Challenge gathering and the university training, AISEC (the national Ivorian CHE network) has a good number of people to follow up with who want to be trained in CHE. Pray that we can prepare the way well for them as we coordinate our calendars and try to schedule them all. These believers are convinced CHE can help them learn a new way to fish for men in places that need the Lord’s touch. Ask for strength and excellent cooperation among the small number of Ivorian CHE trainers who all have regular, full-time jobs. The hundreds of hours they volunteer to train other Christians in ministry is a testimony to their servant hearts and how much they believe CHE is vital to help reach their nation for 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: Salt Works  PDF
Last Video:Farming God's Way Anderson_WEEKLY_170610
2017 Q1 Report: Gideon's Gumption (web) -  170318.pdf
2017 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

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Salt Works

PDF Version: Anderson_WEEKLY_170916.pdf

Another university Community Health Engagement (CHE) training is history. We thank the Lord for a great week with excellent collaboration in the training team and with the university. As was true in previous years, there were trainers who could not come last minute because of work conflict. Still, every trainer stepped up to help fill in the voids, and we had much less stress this time. The president of the university sent a letter singing the praises of the CHE outreach which was read during the closing ceremony. She wrote that this training has enabled the university to already bring visible change and improvement in several locations. It is their goal to touch 100 villages with CHE transformation!

A story from one of the classes this year serves as an example of the kind of worldview change that students begin to understand. One of the TOT1 classes (phase 1 of CHE) had a mix of medical professionals and simple villagers from three of the villages where CHE is being introduced. After the introductory session, one university student told our trainer she did not think she could learn if she stayed in the class with uneducated villagers. She wanted to be transferred to the other TOT1 class that did not have outsiders. Our trainer convinced her to give it a try for a day or two, and if she still felt the same way, he would ask to have her change classes. By the next day, after seeing how everyone worked together in small groups and found solutions no matter their status or education, she came back to the trainer. She shared that the village people had become her friends and she did not want to switch classes! This type of testimony is repeated over and over again in CHE settings across the world. Participants learn that the best solutions to problems in communities happen when members from all ethnic groups, ages, and social strata unite their resources, wisdom, and experiences for the good of all. Century-old barriers and prejudices can crumble in just a short time of applying biblical truths and principles. The church of Jesus Christ gives savor to the world just as salt transforms or preserves what we eat.


Prayer and Praise:

• Thank the Lord with us for the lives impacted this week. Pray that many CHE outreaches will result from the week-long training at the university. Community Health Evangelism trainings (also still CHE) among churches use similar approaches so this event continues to open doors so that many others may effectively share the Gospel too.
• We both have malaria that kicked in at the end of the week. Ask for rest and recovery on Sunday before we begin a week full of follow-up meetings and organization for next year.
• Praise the Lord for the wonderful believers at Arc-en-Christ who receive the CHE team every year and provide incredibly food and lodging for us all. Dr. Luc and his wife Deborah have a flourishing ministry of marriage restoration, among several other ministries, and their center where we stay is clearly a place of peace and hope. They are amazing models and servants in the Kingdom.

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: Fan to Flame  PDF
Last Video:Farming God's Way Anderson_WEEKLY_170610
2017 Q1 Report: Gideon's Gumption (web) -  170318.pdf
2017 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

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Fan to Flame

PDF Version: Anderson_WEEKLY_170909.pdf

The Lord heard your prayers this past week for the Million Village Challenge (MVC) gathering in Abidjan. For some, it was their first time to attend a ministry conference with interaction and planning rather than sitting in lecture sessions taking notes. On the last day many people preferred to skip some of the lunch break to have more time in the breakout groups as pictured here (1 of 4 groups)! Together they identified ten locations around Cote d'Ivoire where they sensed the Lord asking them to establish model Community Health Evangelism (CHE) villages. Each of these in turn are to influence ten other villages which will then multiply themselves to reach yet another ten. In so doing, each of the initial villages can reach 100 others. Using this MVC method to touch the spiritually unreached and unengaged, the Church in Cote d'Ivoire must initially impact 70 sites to attain a tipping point and so do her "part" in the worldwide challenge. Ask the Lord to fan to flame the coals of fire placed in lives this week, and so spread this proven strategy. Pray that some yet unscheduled participants will follow through on their desire to receive training. If they do, they can put in place multiplying wholistic ministries and share this challenge and vision with others. Remember that in places where CHE is fully applied worldwide, one in three persons participating becomes a believer. 

We regroup this weekend to start the 5-day Community Health Engagement (CHE) trainings, four at one time, at the nation's premier university this Monday. Master and doctoral level students in public health take this CHE training as part of their required classes. This time, our eleven CHE volunteers come from the US, France, and Nigeria, with the remaining eight from Cote d'Ivoire. Three of the Ivorians are from the first group of students who were trained in 2013, so the university is in the mentoring process to direct these sessions in the future.

Prayer and Praise:

• We praise the Lord for the good Million Village Challenge event, despite last-minute trials. The participants were not great in number, but the organizations and churches they represent have great capacity and influence. Most felt this was something they must do. Several expect to plan CHE training sessions once they consult with their ministry teams back home for possible dates.
• Pray for safe travel of the CHE facilitators coming from Nigeria and France and from up country for this next week’s university trainings. Ask for good health, Spirit-led teaching, clear understanding among the students, and excellent collaboration within our team and the university hosts. Ask that the joy, wisdom, and creativity of our Savior and Lord be revealed to the students as well.
• Last year Verlin had an extremely difficult week during the university training. He got only a couple of hours of sleep each night. Three training levels ran at the same time along with a workshop, so the oversight was intense, as it will be this year. Two trainers were called in to work that week at the last minute, although both had asked appropriately for time off in advance. Two trainers this year had similar predicaments, but thankfully their bosses released them. Hopefully Debbie's presence will relieve Verlin of some administrative tasks that can allow him to get more sleep and have time to review his own teaching sessions.

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: Curveballs  PDF
Last Video:Farming God's Way Anderson_WEEKLY_170610
2017 Q1 Report: Gideon's Gumption (web) -  170318.pdf
2017 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

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Curveballs

PDF Version: Anderson_WEEKLY_170902.pdf

Sometimes there are just weeks when almost nothing goes as hoped. One of our closest ministry partners and we have had such a week. Even though there has been careful and long-term planning over months, blockades have occurred on many fronts. Thankfully, the Lord knew the curveballs headed our way long before we did. Despite cancellations, health issues, and a failing computer and cell-phone, there is some progress. Pray for grace to accept the upcoming limitations we face. We need wisdom for a challenging situation.

Several positive things have happened, too, helping offset the frustrations. Verlin held excellent meetings in preparation for the Community Health Engagement trainings coming up on September 11-16 at the university. He is particularly focused on helping prepare three members of the university team who will each teach more than six lessons during the week. Their growth in becoming trainers themselves is very encouraging. We also were able to find a reasonably priced service to print our color CHE brochures here in Abidjan, and the printer actually delivered the 500 copies two days early! We are thankful for the language “check” offered before printing by our French CHE friends at RESCOF.

Even better news is that this past Sunday, as Verlin spoke, another person from a different faith decided to become a follower of Jesus. While we and the angels rejoice, it is already known that this lady’s decision will affect her marriage. Her change of allegiance will be an unwelcomed curveball to her husband.

Prayer and Praise:

• Praise the Lord for this new sister in Christ! Pray for the certain difficulties she will face at home.
• Ask the Lord to guide the Million Village Challenge meeting here in Abidjan this upcoming week, September 5-7. This gathering has the potential to connect believers with collaborators and effective tools to enter unreached villages in a powerful way. However, unexpected adjustments this week in who will jointly lead the seminar has caused great stress on the Ivorian side.
• Pray for continued blessing on the planning of the university training the following week.

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: All in the Family  PDF
Last Video:Farming God's Way Anderson_WEEKLY_170610
2017 Q1 Report: Gideon's Gumption (web) -  170318.pdf
2017 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

Debbie's Facebook Page

Verlin's Facebook Page