Grounded

PDF Version: Grounded

This week we made a quick trip to Abidjan to handle meetings and paperwork while electrical service was cut for an upgrade in Bondoukou. We do not want to be grounded in Cote d”Ivoire when it is time to leave for a medical conference and meetings in mid-March, so it was time to renew our Ivorian visas. Since the machines did not work for three days to take fingerprints and pictures for the biometric visas, one worker gave us his personal phone number so that we can call regularly to see if the machines are repaired. Abidjan is a 12-hour round trip excursion.

Still, the Lord gave success in getting many preparations done. Two yearly documents needed for the truck were acquired, and the contract was prepared for us to pay the insurance next month. Thanks to a tip from a friend, the Toyota is now well-grounded with new tires at the lowest price we have paid since 2006! Verlin met twice with people on the CHE university team to help them prepare for the annual September trainings. They also confirmed curriculum development plans to attempt an integration of classroom and distance learning. He and the president of the national CHE network, just in from doing an initial training in Chad, met for several hours of planning. We were also able to receive advice from a Christian brother trained in Ivorian law who answered questions on three issues. Soon he will meet with the owner of the land where our CHE agricultural is under way to talk about property concerns. Oh, and we did our normal shopping for items like hypoallergenic laundry detergent, dog food, and cheese which are not available in Bondoukou. All that occurred in about 20 business hours.


Days are spent on mundane tasks like this in order to have the privilege of sharing the Gospel here. Learning to do the unglamorous and simple tasks in a different cultural context is often the most tiring part of missionary life. It is also part of our spiritual worship and discovery as we find God faithful in everything. Finding solutions allows us to help other ‘newbie’ missionaries more recently arrived, too. The frustrations fade to insignificance when we see others become well-grounded in knowing, putting into practice, and holistically sharing the Word of God! The six weeks of Discovery Bible Group training for leaders in a local church continues to go well. Church leadership will meet Sunday to consider changing activities to do this type of in-depth Bible study during mid-week church services. Debbie was thrilled to learn that a teenager from the group she is training already shared what he is learning in two other venues. Two other local churches wait for our team to train them.

Prayer and Praise:

  • Praise the Lord for the first rain since early November here in Bondoukou! It really helped with the intense heat and fell at the perfect time as we are prepare the ground in our yard for a secondary demonstration of the F.A.I.T.H garden (Food Always In The Home).
  • Ask the Lord for a resolution to our visa situation before our flight on March 16.
  • Continue to pray for emerging leaders who will start Discovery Bible Groups.
  • Planning for CHE events later in the year is ongoing in the Ivorian CHE network. Pray for wisdom and unity in this unglamorous but essential part of ministry.

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).

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