Goodly Heritage

PDF Version: AWA_Update_180929.PDF

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places …. I have a goodly heritage. - Ps.16:6

In the quest to inform many churches and Christian organizations about the Million Village Challenge (MVC) in November, we have interacted with hundreds of people to galvanize CHE expansion. This week, we met in the home of a pastor who spent his youth in Bouna when Debbie’s parents ministered there. Pastor Francois gave thanks for those formative years of Bible teaching that motivated him along his way to what is now more than 30 years of further growth. He has served Jesus in many capacities, including as president of a large Baptist denomination. He shared his burden for the state of the Christian family in Africa. He feels called to bring transformation to families in the communities of Abidjan while also pastoring. He also shared news of a contemporary, a friend who was led to Jesus and discipled by Debbie’s dad during those Bouna years. Despite this friend being rejected by his family for his faith in Christ, he grew up to found another group of churches in Abidjan and in France. This is the hope we all have as we serve the Lord: that our teaching, example, and influence will leave an abundant heritage in our own family and in those of whose lives we touch. In turn, we trust that they will thrive and also pass on a richer heritage of heartfelt obedience to God in the generations that follow.

Sometimes the years of our influence are cut short by human standards. Friday, we grieved as those with hope alongside the widow and family of a dear brother in Christ. He was an extraordinary man of faith, vision, compassion, and service to the Lord among us. Saturday, September 8, he joined us in getting ready to teach at the university, enthusiastically interacting with other trainers and picking up his lessons. Sunday, after church, he was struck by a vehicle as he sought to get a taxi. He died minutes later. It was hours before his wife (who was traveling out of town) and five children (who were still at church) learned what happened. We were informed Monday morning just minutes before heading to the university site to train. Medard Gombleu left a gaping hole in the national CHE training team. His knowledge as a university teaching sociologist, trainer of his denomination’s church-planting pastors in CHE, and experiences training women in micro-enterprise will be missed. Our loss is minuscule compared to his wife and children, though, or his church and other ministries where he also held many leadership responsibilities with zeal and excellence. His goodly heritage lives on. May the numerous qualities that made him a blessing in life and ministry be multiplied in his five children who are between the ages of three and thirteen.

Prayer & Praise:

• Continue to lift up the Gombleu family as they walk through the shock and grief of Medard’s sudden passing. Pray that during his funeral and burial this week, the hope of the Gospel will penetrate the lives of those who do not know our Lord well.
• August through the middle of December, we push through the busiest season of ministry expansion that we have ever had. Please pray for our strength and that the peace of Christ will reign in our activities and relationships. We need the prayer cover to wisely invest our faith, time, and finances.

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).

Prior: Look and Listen 180922.PDF

Last Video:Stories of Transformation
                         - Wineskin Care PDF
2018 Q1 Report: Tooling UP
          -  Anderson Report 180602 PDF

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

Something to ask? Write updates@verlindeb.org

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

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Look and Listen

PDF Version: AWA_Update_180922.PDF

Last Saturday morning after the university training finished on Friday, Verlin, Dayo, and three Ivorian CHE association trainers accompanied Professor Luc and most of his university team to Kodiokro. A few hours from Abidjan, the village of more than an hundred families is home to one of their fledgling CHE efforts. The team wanted to show the progress made and to request advice for some challenges they have encountered.

In addition to meeting with village leaders and walking them through the ‘Road to Development’activity used in CHE, the trainers learned of life there by modeling to new trainers the ‘Look and Listen’ survey while walking about the village. Through casual interaction, Verlin saw the food preparation of a woman selling attiéké and fish while learning her margins for profit and loss. He watched how an elder calmed two women who broke into a heated argument and spoke with local church leadership. Oral history was learned as all met a man who remembers living through the last severe earthquake in the area, about 80 years ago. He is still in good shape, works his field vigorously, and might be over 100 years old as he shared some personal World War 1 experiences. No one knows his birth date, but he and all of the village live in a picturesque location that can help them exit poverty if they develop what they have together through the transforming power of Christ.

After more than 24 hours of interaction and consulting, one of our experienced CHE trainers accepted to stay in the village for much of the next three to six months. He will report and coordinate with the university team while initiating on-site trainings and encouragement. We believe that the extra time and effort of a CHE practitioner working closely with the local people will help them greatly.

Prayer & Praise:

• Please pray with us for the Lord to manifest His mercy through a tragic loss of life that has engulfed the family of one of our trainers. We will share later, but our hearts deeply grieve with them. They need the Lord’s comfort and provision.
• Pray that the steps made to assist the work in Kodiokro encourage the local residents and yield an abundant harvest of transformation over time. Ask for wisdom for the CHE trainer who will be on-site often in the next few months to motivate and mentor.
• Keep praying for a full-time engineering job for our son, Corbin. He continues to work at the company where he did his internship. The situation is temporary.

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).

Prior: Feedback 180915.PDF

Last Video:Stories of Transformation
                         - Wineskin Care PDF
2018 Q1 Report: Tooling UP
          -  Anderson Report 180602 PDF

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

Something to ask? Write updates@verlindeb.org

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

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Feedback

PDF Version: AWA_Update_180915.PDF

What follows are comments from students collected during our week-long Community Health Engagement (the public health model of Community Health Evangelism) at the university. Dayo Obaweya, CHE coordinator for West Africa, told the assembled in closing statements that he believes their application of CHE will become a model used in all of Africa. Dr. Martine Fritsch’s medical experiences were enthusiastically received. Reflect on the impact the influence these thoughts can bring as some of the brightest and best of a nation apply them to life and work.

• Good health rests on several factors: our relationship with God, with ourselves, with others, and with the environment.
• Our beliefs affect our values, which affect our behaviors, which translate into consequences.
• Today I am astonished by:

• the quality and methods used by our trainers: games, role plays, and discussions
• the presence of a village chief at the opening ceremony
• Trainer Verlin’s introduction which awakened my conscience
• the Road to Health which demonstrated the community needs
• the fact that we can train 12,000,000 people in 10 years when each person trains 5 people for 8 years
• the fact that it is not for the trainer to impose his project, but he must take into account the needs brought to light by the community
• the patience of our trainers when we don’t understand something
• the fact that a child can be the way to enter a community
• To be a good trainer, I must put myself at the level of the learner.
• We must help the community discover their own resources.
• Beliefs must be taken into account in development projects.
• During the River-Crossing Story with Trainer Debbie, I learned that it is possible to give aid without resolving the problem; or we can aid someone and make the situation worse than it was before; or the helped person can learn to take ownership.
• Local resources are enough to solve problems in a community.
• The best way to help someone is to do the activity with them in such a way that they claim ownership and can then show other people.
• Volunteerism is important.
• Today I learned how my worldview is like a pair of glasses.
• God desires a world in harmony.
• The trainers were excellent during all the time we spent together: clear ideas, and their manner of explaining was very good.
• I thank the professor and his team for their thoughts to bring progress in communities, especially in Cote d’Ivoire.
• I leave very happy and at ease to put into practice a community project.

With thanksgiving for your partnership in the Gospel that makes this witness possible,

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).

Prior: Wait 180908.PDF
Last Video:Stories of Transformation
                         - Wineskin Care PDF
2018 Q1 Report: Tooling UP
          -  Anderson Report 180602 PDF

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


Something to ask? Write updates@verlindeb.org



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

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Wait

PDF Version: AWA_Update_180908.PDF

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. - Is.64.4

The Lord is my light . . . wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! - Ps.27

Learning to wait upon the Lord to save us, to renew our strength, or to grant us the desire of our hearts is not easy. It demands supra human patience, LITERALLY. It demands God in our lives providing a 'fruit' of His presence, patience. Such waiting truly grants rewards that are 'out of this world!' when God's own accurately interpret when to wait and when to act. There are some who think that we must manipulate or otherwise coerce obedience with funds or recognition. We have been privileged to see otherwise as our Puritan and Pilgrim forbears learned. We are seeing a burgeoning amount of 'fruit' due to waiting for the opportune moments that God instigates in others’ lives.

Sunday, Verlin 'accidentally' met a pastor reforming his church to run with Discovery Bible Studies. His is the same idea as ours in training Evangelical pastors to establish a ‘new wineskin’ church together in Bondoukou. The pastor is a friend of him who moderates the fellowship of pastors there. Many have said, 'It will never happen.’ God keeps smoothing the way. It's happening.

An appointment was confirmed Monday with a third group of Baptists who will attend the November Million Village Challenge (MVC) and will likely adopt multiple villages where they will begin Community Health Evangelism (CHE) efforts. Verlin and a denominational vice-president met yesterday. He said, 'We're in,' passionately. Only two months ago, in what seems a distant time, another had said they did not believe the group would participate. They are. Enthusiastically!

Tuesday, Verlin met with research staff of the public health and hydrology school at the University of Cocody in Abidjan to assist their development of a Master's degree program. There are some who said not many years ago that sending a missionary without a Master's degree would be ineffective in Cote d'Ivoire. Instead, we who are blessed of three bachelors’ degrees assist masters and doctoral students become more effective in helping their fellow man stay alive in difficult circumstances. Also, we believe we're seeing the planting of a likely Church Planting Movement (CPM), or two, these days.

In summary, every day of the week had activity that God alone could have created for us.
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” — these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. - I Co.2.9-10

Prayer & Praise:

• Debbie and Martine Fritsch arrived safely yesterday to teach in the annual CHE exposition. Pray.
• Rejoice! The Ivorian HCFI visit to healthcare workers in Bondoukou started the process to begin a local chapter. During today’s phone call, a community leader rejoiced that Discovery Bible Studies began among health care workers in town. A national leader shared the visit to be a success.

• 

  "Serving God outside of the
  Scriptures is idolatrous."
  Luc Philippe Kouadio

  Pray the Community Health Engagement/ Education/ Evangelism exposition again inspires health care professionals and administrators in training and from around the nation in how they can better sustain life, hope and healing within their national context by God’s grace.

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).

Prior: Where's the beef? 180901.PDF

Last Video:Stories of Transformation
                         - Wineskin Care PDF
2018 Q1 Report: Tooling UP
          -  Anderson Report 180602 PDF

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



Something to ask? Write updates@verlindeb.org


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

Debbie's Facebook Page



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Where's the beef?

PDF Version: AWA_Update_180901.PDF

As has become typical, this week has been an attempt to direct a swirling whirlpool of activity to have constructive rather than destructive ends. Urgent priorities of adjusting website code to more effectively deliver newsletters like this have competed with our time for meetings, handling vehicle registrations, travels, bills and other manifestations of being alive. As a U.S. fast food commercial famously lampooned many years ago, ‘Where’s the beef?’ What makes it worthwhile?

Accepting or rejecting Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God and the Son of Man at the same time, is ‘the beef’. Is it He who rightfully sets the rules over all that is foundational to living life and eschewing death? Every person on the planet must at sometime in their life consider the claim of the solitary life that Jesus lived and that He lives vicariously among us. That singular choice defines the meaning of life for each. In response to a son’s question on self-motivation, Verlin reviewed himself to realize that this question continues to rock his world. The regular affirmative response drives him to share with others that the acceptance of this belief creates a better lived reality for everyone.

Personally, the ‘good energy’ flows when reflecting on how to better serve Jesus and grow a reflective interaction of exchange through the Bible and whispered prayer in personal, family and social worship. The practice continuously generates choices that motivate acts tending to good and not bad. In larger society, understanding the role of disciple making by the onion understanding of G. Linwood Barney permits fearless sharing that this belief informs values. In turn, institutions can propagate these to influence behaviors for good outcomes that tend to life and abundance, not death and penury. This explains why Deb and I focus upon training others as obedient disciples of Christ. The planting of churches is a means, not an end. The training or motivations shared in settings as diverse as worship services, household Discovery Bible studies, classrooms, university halls, and conferences help others identify, acknowledge, or affirm, that Christ Himself is the source of life’s energy for all we touch, taste, see, and hear. He’s ‘the beef’ of every so-called objective experience of reality we experience. It’s why we covet your prayer and support for our witness here.

Prayer & Praise:

• Rejoice and pray that Holy Spirit direction and oversight grow more evident in life choices.
• A trainer shared Wednesday he could not train at the University. Friday he reversed. Pray God continues to shore up the weaknesses of each training or opportunity we have to share.
• Pray the Ivorian HCFI visit to healthcare workers in Bondoukou results in a local chapter.
• Rejoice God provides knowledgeable partners to advance institutional incorporation of fruitful beliefs such as God equips these days through the UFHB Master’s degree curriculum development.

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).

Prior: Partners Apart 180825.PDF

Last Video:Stories of Transformation
                         - Wineskin Care PDF
2018 Q1 Report: Tooling UP
          -  Anderson Report 180602 PDF

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



Something to ask? Write updates@verlindeb.org


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

Debbie's Facebook Page



Verlin's Facebook Page