Mettle

CHSC LINK: Mettle
PDF Version: AWA Weekly 210130.PDF

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise. – Pr. 11:30

Routine Mettle
Stiffens Mental Resolve

Right living forges life-giving, winsome mettle. While it sometimes challenges us to write weekly updates, the routine keeps like-minded persons informed and resolved to see God's will done on earth as it is in heaven. This week took extra effort on our parts. Debbie was caught in the grip of a nasty stomach virus, and Verlin met with a doctor to confirm that an earache had resolved after we finished our swing to see ministry partners in GA, FL, and AL.
One of six couples
who hosted us
Making that trip helped stiffen others' mental resolve to do good along with us. Several let us know that their souls were refreshed by the content of our mission report(s) and illustrated by our acts undertaken to win souls in Cote d'Ivoire and here. In both places, we are privileged to serve with co-workers who pursue God whole-heartedly. Right living with perseverent routines stiffens us to act in good faith.

Reliant Mettle
Strengthens Loving Action

God Himself aligns creatures to do His good works, but He seeks willing partners rather than automatons. He melds servants' mettle to their needed forms by the Holy Spirit, encouraging them to face any challenge through the Word of Covenant. Debbie took heart and warning from the history of King Asa this week. In different wars with enemies, Asa had to choose whom he would rely on. In the first instance, when his outnumbered army faced a million Ethiopians, he faithfully sought the Lord first. "It is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name, we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee (2 Chron. 14:11). In response, the Lord gave Judah a stupendous victory.

Later, Asa relied on a different person to bring the king of Israel, Baasha, in line. Asa paid the king of Syria with gold and silver to halt Baasha's incursion into Judah. He got the desired result, but at a high cost. The Lord's prophet reprimanded Asa for relying on a foreign king instead of relying on God for the victory. During the remainder of his reign, he suffered war instead of rest.

Similarly, we each must choose whom to rely on when we seek to strengthen ourselves. While it is tempting to turn to family, friends, or professionals for help or advice or lean on our own strength and understanding, the Lord is the reliant One. He melds others of good faith to join together as needed. He strengthens us with ministry partners whose loving actions support and refresh many. May the Lord multiply our joint efforts of loving action so other right-living souls will learn from Asa to rest and rely on the Lord when their challenges arise.

Prayer & Praise

  • 🙏 We appreciate the Lord's watch care as we traversed Florida from south to north with stops in Georgia and Alabama along the route. Pray that our safe travels and encouraging visits continue.
  • 🙏 Verlin's airline ticket is purchased. He anticipates leaving Dallas on March 7. The departure location changed to let us wrap-up some administrative details for the family sooner rather than later.
  • 🙏 As of January 29, there have been 27,695 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Cote d'Ivoire and 151 deaths. This link provides statistics for the neighboring nations, too.
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 provide support as we maintain 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: Light and Lift - 210123 PDF
Prior ministry Videos: Work, Watch, Wait
          - Belief Trap

2020 Q3 Report: Give Me a "V"
          -  AWA Report 20_10_24 PDF

2020 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2020- Budget.pdf

 Something to ask? Write updates@verlindeb.org

 AWA represents
Andersons Witness in Africa.
It is also a brand of bottled water in Cote d'Ivoire where we serve.

GIVEONLINE to support these ministries
                                   www.che4a.org
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Light and Lift

CHSC LINK: Light and Lift
PDF Version: AWA Weekly 210123.PDF

Lighting the Path

Old Red and Grey-Tow
CHE Training in W. Cote d'Ivoire
Practically every month we have been in the States, we have received encouraging news from Ivorian associates using Community Health Evangelism (CHE) in Cote d'Ivoire. A recent report revealed the activity of a new CHE team in the west formed by some of whom we've trained. One is a local pastor who completed a month-long CHE Internship training in 2019 that followed a 2017 CHE training with us and his being followed by teammates due to his affiliation with Healthcare Christian Fellowship International (HCFI). In 2017, he began visiting leaders in numerous villages. He evaluated their openness to the Gospel and CHE per what he had learned. After completing Awareness Meetings in December 2020, several villages decided to move forward. They will help reforest the area as brush fires caused severe damages and provide literacy training. The team found the necessary Ivorian-managed resources and some local people eager to launch the work. As their next step, his team will train village committee members to direct the program and the community health evangelists to collaborate in oversight and reporting. We rejoiced to hear that one of the ladies we trained in early 2019 at a medical facility joined as a dynamic member of this developing team.

Lifting the Poor

Old Red and Grey-Tow
Demonstration plants sold
at ECHO in Fort Myers
Did you know that West Africa is home to one of the highest concentrations of poor nations in the world? For that reason, organizations like ECHO develop to offer technical help and training in Jesus' name. As we visited churches and friends in Florida this week, we stopped to visit ECHO's home base. There we purchased some equipment for illustrations and technical books in French to assist the agricultural components of CHE ministries expanding in Cote d'Ivoire. It was especially delightful to find seeds for Ethiopian kale. Our experiments in Bondoukou with three other forms of kale were not successful because of aphids. This African variety is known to be resistant to aphids, and we were unaware of it previously! Verlin studied between 2001 and 2006 the plant components needed to offer Ivorians nutrient-dense food sources to grow locally. As a result, he found that a combination of moringa and kale would provide the essential vitamins and minerals in a bio-available format needed to prevent most diseases there. Moringa is readily available but needed promotion. Kale could not even be found.

Prayer & Praise

  • 🙏 Pray for the new CHE endeavors taking root in western, central, and southeastern Cote d'Ivoire. Ask the Lord for success in literacy and reforestation projects, helping these communities learn to work together and open Gospel witness.
  • 🙏 We thank the Lord for our week with two weekends in Florida. Continue to pray as we finish our time in the Sunshine State, travel to Cookeville for a few days, and then head to Michigan for a visit there. Thank the Lord for Christ-inspired friends who warmly opened their homes to us.
  • 🙏 The search for Verlin's airline ticket begins next week. Pray for a good deal that applies the credit we received on our flight to the States, although more than a year has passed.
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 provide support as we maintain 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: Hi! ... & Bye! - 210116 PDF
Prior ministry Videos: Work, Watch, Wait
          - Belief Trap

2020 Q3 Report: Give Me a "V"
          -  AWA Report 20_10_24 PDF

2020 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2020- Budget.pdf

 Something to ask? Write updates@verlindeb.org

 AWA represents
Andersons Witness in Africa.
It is also a brand of bottled water in Cote d'Ivoire where we serve.

GIVEONLINE to support these ministries
                                   www.che4a.org
No comments:

Hi! ... & Bye!

CHSC LINK: Hi! ... & Bye!
PDF Version: AWA Weekly 210116.PDF

Historical Inspirations

And when they had come and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

No matter the generation of believers who trust the Creator-God Himself to make peace for sin-trapped humanity, some itinerant messengers share God's news for their times. Whether people met Enoch walking with God, Abraham moving in obedience from urban comfort to living in tents, or those developing Levitical systems that preceded New Testament apostles and evangelists, itinerant work is integral to spreading the Good News.

It does not differ today. Planting and growing faith communities that trust in God ruling over people requires both itinerant messengers and stable models. Locals with their deacons and/or elders need encouragement from traveling messengers like the early apostles and evangelists. The visits help sustain the numerical and personal growth of congregants saved to live a new life. Verlin and Debbie expect to keep following this model as we finish our time in the U.S. with road trips through Florida, then parts of Michigan and Tennessee where we could not visit during 2020 due to public health concerns. The goal remains like that attributed to Paul and Barnabas: to declare all that God has done with us and how He opens doors of faith in Cote d'Ivoire.

Homebound Itineraries

This section of the update addresses ministry partners in Florida with a nod to others residing in Georgia and Alabama. If you see your community listed or know it to be along the route, let us know if you would like us to check-in with you too. While many times are planned for visit and travel, additional ones can still be scheduled to rehearse what God has done with yet others.
Fri 1/15: Macon, GA Tue 1/19: ECHO, Sebring, Vero Beach Sat 1/23: Leesburg, Gainesville, Quincy
Sat: Stuart, FL Wed: Cocoa, Melbourne Sun: Marianna, Chipley
Sun: W. Palm Beach, Miami, Cape Coral Thu: Sanford, Deltona Mon: Cowarts, AL
Mon: Fort Myers Fri: Seffner, Tampa Tue: Columbus, GA; Sulligent, AL

Prayer & Praise

    Old Red and Grey-Tow
    Old Red and Grey-Tow
  • 🙏 Old Red and Grey-Tow currently operate the best they have in years. Pray the vehicles keep doing so as we make temporary returns to the U.S. over the next decade. We hold off purchasing any newer car(s) that would stay parked many moons before run until it becomes known whether combustion or electric engines power the automobiles of the future, or Jesus comes.
  • 🙏 Pray that our times with saints for meeting individually or in groups will accomplish what the Lord desires for both the hearers and speakers' lives.
Maranatha! Maranatha!
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 provide support as we maintain 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: SOS & SOP - 210109 PDF
Prior ministry Videos: Work, Watch, Wait
          - Belief Trap

2020 Q3 Report: Give Me a "V"
          -  AWA Report 20_10_24 PDF

2020 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2020- Budget.pdf

 Something to ask? Write updates@verlindeb.org

 AWA represents
Andersons Witness in Africa.
It is also a brand of bottled water in Cote d'Ivoire where we serve.

GIVEONLINE to support these ministries
                                   www.che4a.org
No comments:

SOS & SOP

CHSC LINK: SOS & SOP
PDF Version: AWA Weekly 210109.PDF

SOS (Save our Souls)

Almighty God, Who has given us this good land for our heritage; We humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy favor and glad to do Thy will. Bless our land with honorable ministry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people, the multitude brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endow with Thy spirit of wisdom those whom in Thy name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy praise among the nations of the earth. In time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in Thee to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Even Thomas Jefferson knew that no man, no political party, no media pundit, and no tech giant could bring the healing and blessing that King Jesus affords to a nation! When we individually repent, following the way of Jesus wholeheartedly and persuasively invite family, friends, and foes to do the same, we will see a return of the Lord's favor to the extent that we succeed. Yes, by all means, we should rightly do what we can to influence leaders and laws, but such acts by themselves are idols, unworthy of our hope in them. However, helping others identify the Lord's voice in their day-to-day lives exalts the one true King's Way that develops peace and success.
See CHE Stories of Transformation Video, minutes 17:00 to 24:20 for one of many modern era examples.)

SOP (Shouts of Praise)

Taking a cue from our update of two weeks ago titled Garments of Praise, we choose this week to rejoice in the goodness of God. His faithfulness never ends. His mercies renew every morning! With great joy, we brag on His magnificent provision this week. Our dear ministry partners, He used you to prepare our return to Cote d'Ivoire and expand witness there. Thank you for giving generously and faithfully in 2020. December donations for this ministry pushed our operating account cash balance to a sufficient level. We are humbled yet amazed. We are mindful that the gifts came despite COVID-19 shutdowns, fixed incomes of modest means, and because others similarly choose to honor the Lord more than their earthly comfort. May He bless His righteous!

Prayer & Praise

  • 🙏 Rejoice with us for the end-of-year giving! Pray the Lord oversees the ordering of our tasks and events as we return to Cote d'Ivoire. Our next trip to see ministry partners is next week to Florida.
  • 🙏 As you prayerfully obey the Lord for your part in healing our land, please also pray for Cote d'Ivoire. They have never experienced the extensive blessings of our Christian heritage. Ask that the disciplines of peaceful self-rule take root during the upcoming March legislative elections.
    • Corbin and Cara with
    Chelsea at the Ark Encounter
  • 🙏 Family requests: Granddaughter Chelsea returned to virtual schooling, far from ideal; Corbin still seeks work; Cara needs stamina as she continues master's studies while nursing full-time.
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 provide support as we maintain 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: Great Assists - 210102 PDF
Prior ministry Videos: Work, Watch, Wait
          - Belief Trap

2020 Q3 Report: Give Me a "V"
          -  AWA Report 20_10_24 PDF

2020 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2020- Budget.pdf

 Something to ask? Write updates@verlindeb.org

 AWA represents
Andersons Witness in Africa.
It is also a brand of bottled water in Cote d'Ivoire where we serve.

GIVEONLINE to support these ministries
                                   www.che4a.org
No comments:

Great Assists

CHSC LINK: Great Assists
PDF Version: AWA Weekly 210102.PDF

Hopeful Words

"... remember this, that your life is short, your duties many, your assistance great, and your reward sure; therefore faint not, hold on and hold up, in ways of well-doing, and heaven shall make amends for all."
The above admonishment from a Puritan preacher of the 1600s seems appropriate for us and several Ivorians this week as we checked on their progress. Some prayer requests and reasons to ring in 2021 with rejoicing follow.
  • Children's DBS under neighborhood tree
    Children's DBS
    under neighborhood tree
    Everything is well at our house. K., the Community Health Evangelism (CHE) ministry partner who watches over our rented home office, property and dogs said COVID is rarely mentioned anymore in Bondoukou. As a result, he expects to relaunch the Discovery Bible Study (DBS) with 30 to 70 neighborhood children this weekend or next. He continues to mentor and encourage four young men who use DBS with teens and adults. That started during the pause with the children. The Lord greatly assists him!

  • Our Ivorian pastor's wife, who suffered a stroke and other serious health issues last year, reached a milestone in late December. She prepared a meal for her husband with no help from others! The process requires much more strength than most American women need due to our multiple gadgets in the kitchen. We rejoice at our dear sister's progress! The Lord greatly assists her!

  • Another CHE leader in western Cote d'Ivoire requests prayer for their challenging work in an area where most of the population holds firmly to another religion. The Lord greatly assists them. They pray for more wisdom, boldness, and fruit.

  • After a couple of days of phone calls, paperwork, and errands, Verlin successfully sent money to Bondoukou for ongoing maintenance needs there with a fourth money transfer service. The funds sent will likely suffice until we get back to the field. The Lord greatly assists us, even with mundane and time-consuming tasks like cash transfers. We also praise Him for our uneventful healing from COVID.

Helpful Ways

The Lord greatly assists CHE teams all over West Africa. Dayo Obaweya, who serves as a West Africa Coordinator and Chairman of the Global CHE Network's Representative Council, put it this way in a Facebook post this week: "This year witnessed more people accepting Christ during our programs all across West Africa. Despite the pandemic, we executed more programs than the previous years. More empowerment training, discipleship training, photography, crusade organization, and several more. Thank you for helping us do more…" The Lord uses you, our most wonderful ministry partners, to greatly assist in all of this as well. Although we will not have the final numbers until January 15, the report to date of donations for December is encouraging. We cannot say thank you enough for all you do through prayer and giving!

Prayer & Praise

  • 🙏 Thank the Lord with us for good news from ministry partners in Cote d'Ivoire and for the tenacious labors of love that CHE teams do all over West Africa.

  • 🙏 As most of you know, the Nashville bombing appears to have been a one-man suicide bombing with no future threat to Nashville. Continue to pray for the many who lost their jobs and businesses in the blast.
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 provide support as we maintain 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: Garments of Praise - 201226 PDF
Prior ministry Videos: Work, Watch, Wait
          - Belief Trap

2020 Q3 Report: Give Me a "V"
          -  AWA Report 20_10_24 PDF

2020 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2020- Budget.pdf

 Something to ask? Write updates@verlindeb.org

 AWA represents
Andersons Witness in Africa.
It is also a brand of bottled water in Cote d'Ivoire where we serve.

GIVEONLINE to support these ministries
                                   www.che4a.org
No comments:
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