Leaky Gut

CHSC LINK: Healthy Innards, Vibrant Outlook

PDF Version: AWA_Update_190727.PDF

Leaky Gut

We read a diet book in 2005 before our move to Bondoukou. Despite six to ten hours of weekly aerobic and weight-training exercise, excess pounds and inflammatory foot pain would not leave Verlin’s frame. That reading and subsequent research further refined our ideas on how to maintain good health. The focus shifted from watching calories and staying active to one of finding foods that did not cause inflammation and, or, limited it. Many dietary changes, such as adding turmeric with black pepper and other herbs, spices, or teas, followed because of our changed thinking. As a result, several warning signs of inflammation like fasciitis and joint pain for Verlin just disappeared. Cardiovascular and respiratory measures returned to what they were when he bicycled 40 miles a day in his twenties. However, the difficulty of weight loss did not lessen. A root inflammatory cause remained unidentified.

In 2015, a pediatric surgeon left his practice to pursue radical treatments based on what his research identified as a more significant cause of inflammatory stresses: leaky gut syndrome. He gave up one successful career to chase another that felt more rewarding. He began sharing the discovery that had changed his own life. As shared by Skype during today's Christmas in July family time, we hope the theory will help us live better. But the point is this: conviction united in heart and mind drives the choices to change outward behavior.

Plugging Leaks

Similarly, a core principle of Community Health Evangelism (CHE) is that physical world experiences impact spiritual ones. Likewise, if one genuinely helps others adopt living obediently to Jesus, physical signs of obedience accompany any spiritual speaking or reported experience. The result is like the decision of the 'leaky gut' doctor, but with eternal consequences. People leave what others may deem ‘successful’ lifestyles and pursue a more rewarding one that shares the life-changing power of the Gospel. It’s a mark of being called. It is key to self-appropriate this understanding of self when sharing the Good News.

Healthy Living

This week we celebrate one of ten men called to make that decision since our move to Bondoukou. He gave his annual report to a meeting of regional CHE trainers and shared activity that has been funded by his self sacrifice and, or, participant contributions: 180 hospital workers trained in Discovery Bible Studies (DBS); 24 pastoral students in two different Bible institutes; 112 pastors trained in DBS of whom 52 were trained in CHE too; 54 youth leaders. A key CHE concept shared in any training is shalom, or learning to live in peace with God, self, others, and Creation. Already many of these share our conviction united in heart and mind that drive the choices to change the outward behaviors of both individuals and communities in Cote d'Ivoire.

Prayer and Praise

• Ask that we continue to find and multiply leaders living this correction of our Lord: Blind Pharisee! First, clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean (Mt. 23: 26-28).
• Verlin plans to travel to southeastern coastal regions to encourage some, at least three and maybe four, villages implementing CHE due to shared University connections. Pray trainers, committees, and CHEs grow in their love of others. He also expects to meet with University trainers and some teachers.
• A young man who befriended our family while in Bouna in 2000 overcame a drug habit that trapped him in 2014. We fear he may be falling into the trap again as he deals with being unemployed without work that engages him for nine months. Pray the situation leads him to repentance.

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: Faith Stepping 190720.PDF

Last prior Video: Key Cutters
                         - 190223 PDF
2019 Q1 Report: A New Thing . . .
          -  Anderson Report 190608 PDF

2019 Budget Info:
CHSC-0119_ANDERSON-2019- Budget.pdf

Something to ask? Write updates@verlindeb.org

GIVE ONLINE to support these ministries
                                   www.che4a.org

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Faith Stepping

CHSC LINK: Stepping into Development

PDF Version: AWA_Update_190720.PDF

Stepping Faith

Stepping by faith to make life-altering changes in ministry or personal behavior is not easy! When we write of many who now decide to practice Community Health Evangelism (CHE) or start Discovery Bible Studies (DBS), know that most of these experience periods of doubt and apparent difficulty. That’s not new.

The reason so much happens today is a shift of perspective. Ivorians hear from us, but also Ivorian examples who previously took the decisional plunge. We serve as encouragers, or coaches, these days, rather than as ‘golden gooses’ who provide some material means to do anything. We help the called-out ones to identify their resources as they pray, plan, and discover what God has prepared them to do, as they recognize what must become a habit so that their lives change for the better. Often, others near them do not understand the initial decision. Sometimes they feel intimidated. Our focus, therefore, is less about ‘doing for’ than ‘equipping’ others to do. Visiting far-flung CHE teams, or individuals starting DBS, or interfacing with what passes as ‘traditional’ church ministry these days, stimulates each to do more good.

The following types of gifts keep more going than we could ever do by giving material or money:

• encouraging words and acts while participating alongside occasionally;
• sharing examples of other CHE practitioners;
• passing along information about discovered and available resources, and,
• brainstorming solutions together to identify solutions for problems.

Through the counsels of prayer and God’s Word, these faith-steppers find themselves to have at hand, or to become themselves, the solution to their problems supplied by the grace of God.

Faith Development

Verlin had one of five such encounters this week when visiting CHE trainers in another city to share examples. He ‘happened’ to see a formerly young, struggling pastor whom we had invited to spend two days in a Disciple-Making Movement (DMM) training. The pastor made time to participate at the last minute. That time led to notable changes in his approach to ministry. Church attendance has grown from about 25 to more than 100 as small groups meet in Discovery Bible Studies (DBS). Church members have started two new outreaches in outlying villages. Incremental growth happened as he demonstrated and taught with an occasional word of encouragement from us, and church members seized the vision. He anticipates starting CHE programs to develop practical outworkings of the faith with these new believers.

Stepping into Development

There are now over 500 individuals or groups touching two to 15,000 other people who have been trained in CHE by your ministry partnership with us in Cote d’Ivoire. Some Ivorians have amazing stories of transformation and growth. A few have tried and given up. Others need help to overcome challenges to minister. A significant number just now begin. It is our joy to meet them where they are in the process and help them incrementally move forward to victory. Thank you for helping make this possible.

Prayer and Praise

• We asked you to pray that the Lord would lay on some Ivorian hearts the need for CHE ministry among children. This week we made acquaintance with another school teacher that wants to be trained by a DBS leader to use the HEPFDC with K-6 kids. Praise the Lord for this answer to prayer! Pray a disparate group of 4 teachers will influence many to take up the challenge of equipping children for life in partnership with parents outside of the classrooms.
• Debbie has two weeks to complete many tasks before returning to Cote d’Ivoire on August 7. Pray for stamina and wisdom to get everything done.
• Pray specifically for Pastor D. and his church, as they continue to apply DBS to reach new people in various neighborhoods and to help believers mature in their faith and practice.

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: Saving Souls 190713.PDF

Last prior Video: Key Cutters
                         - 190223 PDF
2019 Q1 Report: A New Thing . . .
          -  Anderson Report 190608 PDF

2019 Budget Info:
CHSC-0119_ANDERSON-2019- 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

Saving Souls

CHSC LINK: Saving Souls
PDF Version: AWA_Update_190713.PDF

The Context

In the past month, Verlin assisted two Community Health Evangelism (CHE) teams in preparing summaries of their experiences for consideration to share at the University’s Public Health Congress in September. Excerpts of the rough draft from one village follow below. They communicate the life-giving principles of the Biblical worldview inherent in the practice of CHE principles that we mentor. Saving souls saves life.

The Cast

“T” is our community of more than five hundred inhabitants. As far as drinking water, we had a meager percentage of availability: 2.6% of the population could access clean water. In education, less than 10% of children were in school. The nearest health facility reported that 15% of the population was vaccinated. We wanted to find the factors associated with sustainable development for us.

We studied our community to know the above after the CHE training Verlin Anderson gave us November 20-26, 2016. Socio-demographic difficulties of health behaviors, water shortages, and development were identified using the tools of CHE with others. We found that 90.6% of the population lived with no application of any progressively sustainable system to develop themselves.

Long before we learned about CHE, we knew that we had many development problems: drinking water, education, and sanitation. The training to rely upon the Creator and ourselves, rather than initially asking or waiting for someone from the outside of our communities, freed us to do many projects. Concerning drinking water, there were only three wells available to the population. Following our first training, the church committee rose to address the situation. Today we have more than 20 wells in the village.

The church committee then joined forces to mobilize the population and find housing, a critical factor to get a teacher. We donated the pastor’s former home as a place to live near the school. Most children now attend school as we have a state-sanctioned school teacher. In health, women feared the side effect of hot bodies after their children were vaccinated. We gave the women an awareness training. Now the nurse responsible for the village says all is well.

We lead the fight every day to obtain better living conditions. We hope to achieve more with a health center, strengthening the education center, and increasing the availability of drinking water with a borehole and water pump for the well-being of the population.

The Capture

This CHE team reports above the physical or social changes that CHE brings to their community(es) for the Congress. The report does not focus on the impact of their church outreach to five surrounding villages where believers now meet to learn and worship. The Christian community of faith there has grown from 25 who attended to over 600 who currently participate in weekly services. Saving life saves souls.

Prayer and Praise
(also, prior links that share of this week’s hi-lited work of God are here, here, and here)

• Thank the Lord Debbie’s respiratory situation is much better. She returns to Tennessee on Monday and requests prayer for an uneventful trip. The 1995 Dodge Caravan she drives has ongoing a/c problems. Praise be to our God that Verlin’s leg infection seems wholly healed.
• Pray the reports and testimonies that will be presented at the university congress to spotlight CHE will illuminate its use for public and private healthcare. We seek professionals who decide to work collaboratively with faith communities around the nation using CHE to physically and spiritually transform their communities. In the process, we expect many to change as they grow to know the Source of scientific knowledge. Both testimonies submitted were approved for presentation.

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: Key Cutters 190706.PDF

Last prior Video: Wrong or Strong?
                         - 190223 PDF
2019 Q1 Report: A New Thing . . .
          -  Anderson Report 190608 PDF

2019 Budget Info:
CHSC-0119_ANDERSON-2019- 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

Key Cutters

PDF Version: AWA_Update_190706.PDF

Self-Care

Early last week, Verlin limited activity a few days because of an infected scratch. He overcame the infection by the grace of nursing knowledge God has provided him. The sickness which had prevented him from supporting weight and walking during two days, dissipated within three. He then drove to make a village visit to share truth for life. His experience drove home a Community Health Evangelism (CHE) principle for these witnesses, and informed a question they had:

1. Every person is responsible for his or her health, and,
2. When do you treat something at home and when do you get someone's help?

Spiritual-Context

Meekness and humility cut the keys that open doors to find understanding and grant access to truth for life. Strength under control is meekness. Meekly knowing our God-given gifts so well that we individually neither undercut nor over project personal capacity is humility. Each must learn themselves in their time to be both effective and content. Verlin learned his saving nursing knowledge as a result of circuit riding truth speakers who did as the Word revealed generations ago. Their example inspired Mary Breckenridge to equip circuit riding nurses and midwives. They spread the antisepsis first championed by Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton. A public health movement followed on the heels of 18th and 19th century Gospel preachers.

Social-Contagion

Today, other nations catch-on to catch-up. The shared  1m YouTube link (click picture) spotlights the God-given thirst of our time that CHE quenches. Shared by a fellow advocate for CHE to West African trainers, we know the ‘scratch’ for this doctor's shared ‘itch’ is CHE. Anyone knowing the history of circuit riders can see CHE as another revival of God's grace that He offers for our time and context. Like circuit riders of old, CHE trainers equip local populations to use what are known as best practices for health. They model and insist that people assume responsibility for their personal health. It is a cutting edge problem. As always, the Gospel of Jesus Christ provides the cutting edge answers. God alone responds truthfully to humanity's cry for help.

For those with eyes to see and ears to hear, we reform all of created life by His Scripture alone, by faith alone, by grace alone, by Christ alone, and for the glory of God alone.

Prayer and Praise

• Pray for several Community Health Evangelism (CHE) leaders who prepare short descriptions of their good works to possibly present at the university symposium that will be held September 5-6. Some of them never completed high school, much less attended any university. If their submissions show they ‘scratch the itch’, they will be given opportunity by the Lord to describe to more than 30 leaders of private and public health institutions as to how their implementation of CHE transforms rural and poor communities. Pray that their testimonies will come through clearly. Ask for wisdom as we assist the process and help with communication or technical issues.
• Pray for Debbie. She expects to travel a bit more in Michigan and visit at least 3 more churches who are ministry partners before she returns to Tennessee on July 14. Ask for complete healing from her respiratory issue that has lingered, despite steroids, antibiotics, and nutritional solutions.

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: Freedom's Crucible 190629.PDF

Last Video:Wrong or Strong?
                         - 190223 PDF
2019 Q1 Report: A New Thing . . .
          -  Anderson Report 190608 PDF

2019 Budget Info:
CHSC-0119_ANDERSON-2019-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