Joyful Visits

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The house is very quiet today since our missionary friends with four sons ages 9 to 15 left early this morning. It was a pleasure to have them visit for a week. We were able to show them a bit about what life is like in mid-eastern Cote d’Ivoire and share visions of ministry. We went on a few outings, including visits to a blacksmith, an ostrich farm, and the pictured 17th century mosque. If you visit Verlin’s Facebook page, you can hear a Christmas greeting from around our dinner table. We also enjoyed an agape meal with Ivorian brothers and sisters at noon on Christmas Day. That was a busy day of cooking!

In the midst of the holiday activities, other good works were done. Verlin and Koffi spend eight hours on Thursday in the fields of the agricultural projects to advance land preparations. The progress had slowed as the man engaged to clear pathways was bitten by a snake about ten days ago, and the owner of the land has been recovering from the accident we mentioned two weeks ago. Verlin also had follow-up meetings like that with the president of the local evangelical pastor’s association. A mutual plan to promote yearly meetings of the Global Leadership Summit is developing so that a first year’s funding by outside gifts is replaced by annual local funding. We believe such an effort will contribute to Community Health Evangelism (CHE) becoming integrated into many workplaces and ministries. Discussion also continued on implementing Disciple Making Movement (DMM) Discovery Studies among churches here for a 1st or 2nd quarter 2018 CHE training session.

Prayer and Praise:

• Pray for the 3-hour training on how to lead DMM Bible studies that will begin a week from Sunday at a local church here in Bondoukou. Pray it will equip teachers at each level to help others powerfully apply God’s Word in their lives. Also ask that some will respond to the call and join a growing group of believers who prepare for a concentrated effort to reach people of other faiths here.
• On Friday, Debbie was glad to speak with one of the ladies from her fall DMM Bible study. S. has gathered eight women around her to start a study in January. Debbie will mentor S. for a couple of months.
• In answer to your prayers the past few weeks, Verlin was able to pick up Debbie’s medication in Abidjan. Also, on a different and personal level, our primary guard dog-in-training almost died this week. An Abidjan vet gave us advice by phone and now Beau is beginning to gain strength and to eat from Verlin’s hand. We appreciate being spared the need to restart training another canine guard for the courtyard.

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 weekly: Risen to Heal  PDF
Last Video:Farming God's Way Anderson_WEEKLY_170610
2017 Q3 Report: It Takes Three Makes -  171125.pdf Corrected 25 Jan 2018

2018 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2018-Budget.pdf

GIVE ONLINE to support these ministries: www.che4a.org

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Risen to heal

PDF Version: Risen to Heal

It is a wonder how the Babe in the manger transforms the way we think and work. Last Sunday Verlin preached in a remote village where he was able to encourage the church’s Community Health Evangelism (CHE) team. They reach out in 5 different villages now. At one of those sites, they recently learned an important lesson. An Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) came through and built latrines for one community and they were planning to come back and help with potable water issues as well. When they returned, though, the NGO workers found that the villagers were not even using the latrines. Discouraged, they cancelled their follow-up project to help provide a well. It was instructive to the local pastor. He saw that outsiders coming and “doing a project” was ineffective since the villagers did not do the work, nor were they even really convinced that it was important. He believes that the way is now cleared that they can plan future projects that will be community-driven using local resources.

From another meeting, we were thrilled to know that a pastor who uses CHE had government workers come to see his grafted orange trees and grafted cashew trees that have been accompanied with a thriving beekeeping industry. The bees are multiplying fruit production and honey consumption. The oranges represent a new market for him and the town, helping to stem rural exodus to cities here. It is a joy to see how our Wonderful Counselor gives wisdom and innovative ideas to His children that we’ve been privileged to encourage along these pathways of obedience.

Out here, our celebration of Immanuel is minus the lights and glitter of one of Deb’s favorite singing groups whose rendition of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” is linked below. Where we worship here will have a Christmas Eve service from 8pm until 11pm. Everyone will return for a short 11:30 am service on Christmas morning, and then we will enjoy a potluck meal together. It is also our joy to have a missionary family with four sons visiting us for about a week. We will have a little more traditional meal later in the day. Whatever your celebration looks like, we wish you a very blessed time of rejoicing in the Son who was given!

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!

Celtic Woman Sing

Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Life and light to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings…
(Clear diction singing via YouTube!)

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 weekly: Happy Native  PDF
Last Video:Farming God's Way Anderson_WEEKLY_170610
2017 Q3 Report: It Takes Three Makes -  171125.pdf Corrected 25 Jan 2018

2018 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2018-Budget.pdf

GIVE ONLINE to support these ministries: www.che4a.org

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Zeal for What?

PDF Version: Zeal for What?

Isn’t it amazing the energy expended and time devoted to find the perfect gift, or prepare a feast, or attend all the gatherings during the Christmas season? Do you ever wonder what would happen if hordes of people exerted the same zeal to faithfully share the Prince of Peace? Hmmm.

One of the men we have mentored to lead Disciple Making Movement (DMM) Bible studies, and who made available the land for the agricultural project, had a rough week. While we were in Ghana, he was in a motorcyle accident that left him a bit hobbled. That has not diminished his zeal to enact his step plan to see 5,000 people come to Christ in our region, though. While Verlin visited him this week at his home, he shared that he had recently made contact with over 150 friends and former co-workers that he knows nationwide to encourage them to use DMM and Community Health Evangelism (CHE) in ministry. Enough people expressed interest that he has now added plans to create an NGO.

We have been asked to share during the Sunday School hours of a local church after the holidays. The desire of the pastor is that we show and train the various groups of the church how to lead a DMM Bible study. It is our prayer that this will grow the faith of believers there. Hopefully some of those trained will set themselves apart to host Bible studies in their homes for people around them who would never attend church. Also, Debbie was happy to learn earlier this month that one of the ladies in her Bible study is gathering a group of ladies in her neighborhood to begin a DMM Bible study. Debbie will mentor her for about two months. Praise the Lord with us for these people who are zealous for things that will have eternal impact!

Prayer and Praise:

• Pray for M.s complete healing from his motorcycle accident. Also lift him up as he coordinates with friends and fellow-workers in several different places to get DMM Bible studies and CHE ministry going.
• This week the Department of Pharmacy prepared the permission letter for Debbie to receive her medicine by UPS! Ask for grace as we travel to Abidjan on Monday to handle residence paper issues, get Debbie’s medicine, and meet with co-workers about CHE ministries. Abidjan’s day-long traffic jams are notorious around Christmas, so pray for an extra measure of patience, too!
• One of our prayers for you, and for ourselves, is that we will show unflagging zeal all our lives for the Kingdom of God. May His zeal be our zeal. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulders…of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end…the zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (taken from Isaiah 9:6-7)

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 weekly: Happy Native  PDF
Last Video:Farming God's Way Anderson_WEEKLY_170610
2017 Q3 Report: It Takes Three Makes -  171125.pdf Corrected 25 Jan 2018

2018 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2018-Budget.pdf

GIVE ONLINE to support these ministries: www.che4a.org

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Happy Native

PDF Version: Happy Native

In the last century, a popular thought in cultural anthropology was propagated that missionaries harm the cultures they enter. It was believed that nationals were quite happy before the missionaries arrived who “forced” their culture and religion on local tribes. Listen to a story from last week in the village where our agricultural project is under way. See if you agree with these older anthropologists.

An old man, let’s call him Mr. K, was the first person to welcome Verlin and M. into the village. When he heard the plans for our agricultural project, he served as a man of peace who encouraged the village chief and leaders to bless and participate with us, even in Discovery Bible Studies. Last week we learned that the younger members of the village beat Mr. K, trashed his house, and burned his most valuable possessions in a fire. Why such violence? As we understand the story, Mr. K has four grown children, three of whom have suffered tragedies. One son moved south to find a job and died unexpectedly. A second son was held up by roadside bandits and shot in the groin, robbing him of reproductive abilities. The third child, a daughter, was recently bitten by a snake in a field. Because of all these sad events, the extended family consulted a renowned fetisher (witch doctor) in the region. He said that Mr. K was at fault for his children’s sorrows, claiming their dad used sorcery to curse them. As a result of the fetisher’s pronouncement, the village youth felt they were justified in hurting the old man. The tribal king in Bondoukou feels otherwise. He has brought Mr. K into his courtyard for protection until the case is judged in the traditional way, and possibly in civil court, too.

It is a sad thing, not a happy one, to live under the fear of evil spirits and witchcraft and so justify evil. It frustrates everyone where the strong can ‘rightly’ abuse the weak, where selfish gain can delay the acquisition of legal documents and be ‘blessed,’ and where students sleeping with their professors to get passing grades is judged ‘good.’ It is true that we know many “happy natives.” They are those whose sins have been forgiven and who no longer fear death because they trust in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus! They live in growing hope and confidence, certain of their eternal destiny and eager to share the Good News with others to bring shalom into their families and communities. Thank you for helping us multiply their numbers!

For a better understanding of our paradigm of service, read the new social science view of missionary service that confronts rather than accommodates. It underlies The Surprising Discovery About Those Colonialist, Proselytizing Missionaries published in Christianity Today in February 2014. You can read the full article in this downloadable PDF by clicking the document image. The theories of Thomas Sowell in Race and Culture also provide insight to the huge impact missionaries make for generations while they live separately yet within a culture (Jn.17:13-17).

Prayer and Praise:

• Pray for a good resolution to the village conflict with the man of peace. Ask that the wrongs will be righted and that the Gospel’s increasing influence will draw many souls to Jesus (I Tim. 2).
• We thank the Lord for the trip to Ghana where we had several informative and encouraging conversations with our CHSC mission director, Greg Seager. It was a joy to share a meal with one of the three Christian Health Service Corps (CHSC) missionaries who serve in Ghana, too.
• Pray for the information-sharing and planning meeting of AISEC, the national CHE network in Cote d’Ivoire. AISEC will meet this upcoming Saturday, the 16th, in Abengourou.

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 weekly: Stamp & Stomp  PDF
Last Video:Farming God's Way Anderson_WEEKLY_170610
2017 Q3 Report: It Takes Three Makes -  171125.pdf Corrected 25 Jan 2018

2018 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2018-Budget.pdf

GIVE ONLINE to support these ministries: www.che4a.org

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Stamping and Stomping

PDF Version: Stamping and Stomping

This was a “take a deep breath and get things done at home” week. In the picture you see Verlin and Koffi making a multi-layered screen that they placed in front of the Toyota truck’s radiator to protect if from insects. We drive through a bunch of them! A mechanic made a protective screen last year, but it only lasted 16 months, so Verlin experiments to see if time will give his home-made version a stamp of approval. He also prepared our monthly financial report, among many other things like ongoing project planning and Bible study training with Ivorian partners in ministry. Debbie prepped for our Christmas mailing, thankful that Verlin’s mom kindly agreed to stamp and send it from Michigan since the Ivorian postal system is unreliable. Also, Deb spent a frustrating number of hours dealing with the Ivorian Department of Health’s requirements to get permission for importing a medicine she takes daily. Her doctor misunderstood about a prescription renewal while she was stateside, and so, for the first time in 17 years, we are caught on a medical paperwork merry-go-round. We must have a special document from the USA pharmacy, and a stamped letter of approval from the Ivorian Health Department before we can receive a UPS package in Abidjan in December. Her blood pressure medication is not available here.

Our passports should get a workout with some stamps as we travel Monday through Thursday in Ghana. Christian Health Service Corps’ (CHSC) director, Greg Seager, is visiting three missionary families at their places of service in Ghana. We plan to meet him in Accra for some conversation time right before he flies out. He expects to visit Cote d’Ivoire at a later date. We thought we would not see him on this far-flung African tour, but when a planned December CHE training was delayed until early 2018, we found the window of time to travel “next door.” Greg and his wife Candi are greatly gifted servant leaders of our mission, and it is always a time of learning and blessing to interact with either of them. Hopefully we can accomplish some Community Health Evangelism (CHE) coordination while in Ghana, as well.

As rain season transitions into dry season, we have had an invasion of large red ants in our house. This usually happens once or twice a year, but it is worse this time and certainly has put a damper on our habit of walking with bare feet! Ant poison and white vinegar have helped a little, but the floor stays littered with the ant carcasses we have stomped. Maybe we could make a bundle with a spin-off country hit. Our version would be “These Shoes are Made for Stompin’”!

Prayer and Praise:

• Pray for the paperwork to be processed quickly so that Debbie can get her medication.
• Ask for safe travel to and from Accra next week and for our director’s safe return to Texas. Pray that our time together will be fruitful and encouraging.
• Thank the Lord for regular opportunities to speak shalom into the lives of people around us. Pray that the special outreaches of many churches during the Christmas season will be effective in introducing people to Jesus.

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 weekly: Mouth Full  PDF
Last Video:Farming God's Way Anderson_WEEKLY_170610
2017 Q3 Report: It Takes Three Makes -  171125.pdf (Corrected 25 Jan 2018)

2018 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2018-Budget.pdf

GIVE ONLINE to support these ministries: www.che4a.org

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