Growing Things

CHSC LINK: Growing Things
PDF Version: AWA_Update_191026.PDF

Growing Pains

Greedy decisions often cause loss instead of gain. You may remember that last year, the Farming God’s Way project of Bondoukou halted when villagers allowed an unauthorized company access to land. Our Ivorian brother M., the owner of the property, had dedicated many acres for Community Health Evangelism (CHE) purposes. Sadly, the Indian company leveled the ground for their project before the government and M. could stop them. They destroyed crops, trees, and a partially working drainage system that had been installed in the past. When the foreign entity was eventually evicted and required to remove their heavy equipment, disgruntled villagers planted their crops on M.’s land, again without permission.

In the past month, heavy rains utterly destroyed every bit of the encroachers’ crops. M. used the occasion to confront the villagers about their behavior. A cascade of effects from their deceit not only hindered a project intended to bless them all and caused M. to suffer, but it boomeranged on them. Their greedy decisions caused loss instead of gain. The bright note in this regrettable story is that the whole village now professes to be on board with M. for the CHE project. Several villagers are also very open to spiritual matters, as M. has made efforts to share the Gospel through an audio Bible and Discovery Bible Study.

Growing Partnership

From a different project, we share a picture of the first fruits from the mushroom project that started this summer. Progress slowed from the lack of mycelium (growth from mushroom spores) that was supposed to be provided by the trainers. Nevertheless, we helped the local team discover ways to grow their own mycelium. As a result, their “home-grown” confidence deepens as they realize that they can find solutions to the problems they face. The two men pictured are training a dozen others who are also becoming disciples to save others or being saved.

Growing Paws

We cannot resist showing off the female Rottweiler that joined our family this week. Luna is the stud fee from our male Rottweiler mating with a local dog this summer. She is a bundle of energy and keeps us on our toes. At only five weeks old, she is not big enough to handle life outside with the two adult dogs, so we have her socializing with us inside for a few weeks.

Prayer and Praise

  • Praise the Lord for the increasing spiritual openness in the village that suffered loss from their greed. Pray that the final legal paperwork on the land issue will proceed without delay. Hopefully, the case will be put on the docket before the end of 2019. If it is, when we return in the fall of 2020, the agricultural project will begin to move forward, accelerating as we confirm investors.
  • Continue to pray for our preparations to leave on November 19. Please lift up next week’s five-day gathering with four Ivorian CHE practitioners. They will live with us briefly to learn, plan, and share.
Your Partners in the Gospel,
Verlin and Debbie
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: Haves to Share 191019.PDF

Last prior Video: Contagions
                         - 191012 PDF

2019 Q2 Report: Legacy
          -  AWA Update 190824 PDF


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


Something to ask? Write updates@verlindeb.org

AWA represents
Andersons Witness in Africa.

It is also a brand of bottled water in Côte d'Ivoire where we serve.

GIVE ONLINE to support these ministries
                                   www.che4a.org

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