Buckle on Tight

CHSC LINK: Buckle on Tight
PDF Version: AWA Weekly 220122 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Free Bible Images use permission
of www.lambsongs.co.nz

Remembering to “buckle on tight” spiritually with the armor that Paul details in Ephesians 6:10-18 is easier some days than others. While seeking to evade thoughts that we ever live ‘safe from attack,’ we predictably encounter difficulties before a Community Health Evangelism (CHE) activities. Clearly, the enemy prefers that men and women not get thoroughly equipped in Christ to bring transformation house to house through CHE. Still, the reality remains that “The Battle Belongs to the Lord” (links to song). Our forced slowdowns in the week led us to share our confidence that no circumstance in our lives takes our Father by surprise. As Louie Giglio put it: “God has everyone and everything that’s surrounding you surrounded.”

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

Verlin accepted taking the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine last week to enter Ghana for sharing during the CHE Internship. Unfortunately, one week later, he remains weak and needs to rest most of the day. Thankfully, the infrequent chest pangs he experienced the first three days, followed by much intestinal fluid loss, have ceased. Pray that he regains strength this week before traveling south to Abidjan thereafter for COVID testing before boarding a flight to Ghana.

Verlin’s feebleness also prevented a follow-up trip to the agricultural site. He canceled plans to mark the Farming God’s Way exhibition site(s) and teach a method to rapidly produce nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium (NPK) rich compost. In addition, Debbie pulled a muscle in her lower back, which significantly reduced her capacity to work. Finally, did we mention that our entry gate lock broke (keeping us imprisoned one day), a tire on the pick-up showed a slow air leak, and slowed Internet speed hindered important documents from reaching the States? Is there a way to buckle on tight two layers of the armor of God besides your prayers joining ours?!

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Ask the Lord to heal Verlin’s body and keep him symptom-free in the coming weeks. We do not want the reaction to hinder the training in Ghana. Pray also that Debbie affirms a maintainable combination of medicine, nutrition, and exercise to relieve her lower back.
  
  

• 🙏 Continue to pray for the upcoming CHE Internship. The first week is by Internet conferencing. The following weeks are completed through February in Ghana. Ask for wisdom and stamina for the trainers, their having Spirit-filled hours together, and safe travels for all.
  
  

• 🙏 Several of our medical missionary colleagues of the Christian Health Service Corps live in politically unstable places in the world. Pray for their safety and wisdom in decision-making about when and if to leave their mission fields. Pray that peace will come to these struggling nations so that the nationals can live without fear and the Gospel can more easily spread.

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: Sweet Taste
        - 220122 PDF
Prior Videos: PA Come & Go
        - Cleanup Champs

2021 Q3 Report: Door Dynamics
  -  2021 Q3 Anderson Report 211113 PDF

2022 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2022-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

Debbie's Facebook Page

Verlin's Facebook Page

Sweet Taste

CHSC LINK: Sweet Taste
PDF Version: AWA Weekly 220122 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Dipping into the agricultural realm of Community Health Evangelism (CHE)

Palmyra tree fruit (fruit du ronier en FR)

last week offered us a new, sweet taste this week. The picture shows an over ripe palmyra fruit that grows all over Cote d’Ivoire. We confirmed the primary use of this fruit in Cote d’Ivoire from our co-laborer, K., as we prepared it with black-eyed peas. In India, the palmyra plant is known as “the tree with 800 uses.” Why does that matter? The palms grow on the land of the Bondoukou CHE agricultural site in early development. Existing trees now get evaluated as potential sources of added revenue generation for village residents beyond initial project objectives. Above all, helping the local population find ways to improve their lives can often open doors to share the glorious sweet taste of the Gospel!

On Tuesday, we also received the sweet taste of good news from a young man who is a contemporary of our older son, Cason. They were great friends during much of their teen years and spent hundreds of hours together. He came by simply to let us know that the Lord provided him a steady job, something we asked you to pray for some time back, along with his struggle with addiction. So pray for stability in his life with the Lord’s help.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

This week, Verlin continued checking off qualifications to maintain his nursing license while an expatriate from Tennessee, plus his coordinative communications with other West African CHE trainers. Significant time was spent meeting the requirements for entry into Ghana. After a trip to the border, he was disappointed to learn that he still could not pass by vehicle onto the territory of our African neighbor. The regional CHE Internship, held in Ghana, is scheduled for February. As one of the invited trainers, he had hoped to travel by truck, saving funds and enabling him to visit multiple locations. Instead, he learns the particulars of airline travel to Ghana. Like Liberia, they insist on a second COVID test at the airport, in addition to the one he will take here. Total cost for those two tests: > $200.00 — and that is just to enter the country! As a post-COVID19 infected vaccine recipient, he had an excellent febrile reaction to a Ghanaian government-mandated vaccination with fatigue and pains that slowed our sending this update by 24 hours!

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray for the CHE Internship in Ghana taking place all of February. People from all over West Africa come for training. Also, pray that travel hassles will pass smoothly for Verlin, as he will be one of the trainers for two weeks.
  
  

• 🙏 Continue to pray for progress with preparation at the agricultural site. Remember that the village is known as a fetish stronghold in the area. Ask our Father to break the bonds of spiritual captivity and that many villagers will accept Christ’s gift of salvation and freedom.
  
  

• 🙏 Lift up the contemporary of our son, who recently got the much-needed job. Pray that he will not fall back into patterns of addiction but find true victory in Christ.

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: Early Exit
        - 220115 PDF
Prior Videos: PA Come & Go
        - Cleanup Champs

2021 Q3 Report: Door Dynamics
  -  2021 Q3 Anderson Report 211113 PDF

2022 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2022-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

Debbie's Facebook Page

Verlin's Facebook Page

Early Exit

CHSC LINK: Early Exit
PDF Version: AWA Weekly 220115 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

The most profound understanding of "taste and see that the Lord is good" will occur when we see Jesus face to face (hymnal net link). However, from a terrestrial perspective, it feels like someone makes an early exit when they reach Heaven sooner than anticipated this side of eternity. Just this month, we think of Sue, Jane, and an Ivoirian Missionary Baptist adopting Community Health Evangelism (CHE) and using Discovery Bible Studies (DBS), Pastor Jean Tra-Bi. This is our fourth deeply felt loss of CHE-invigorated trainers within Cote d'Ivoire. Debbie never met Pastor Tra-Bi. Verlin expected to visit him this year to encourage progress in developing another moringa plantation and possibly plan a fourth Ivorian agricultural site.

Video by Benjamin A., subtitles by us

Pastor Tra-Bi represents the second CHE worker who made his early exit from earth to Glory in less than six months. In addition to praying for his family and ministry partners, we also implore the Lord to multiply the CHE workers in this deceased pastor's district. In the past, when we lost CHE champions Medard and Pasquier, it felt like they were irreplaceable. They continue to be missed. However, by His infinite wisdom, the Lord raised up more than three people for each to fill their shoes. The passing of one brother mobilized an entire denomination to use CHE. We choose to taste and see that God is good, even when early exits take us by surprise. We added words to this video of Pastor Tra-Bi made by Benjamin A., a fellow CHE trainer. It explains the pastor's vision for implementing what he learned during the February 2020 TOT1. (Video with English subtitles or French.)

Come and See (Ps. 66:5)

This week, Verlin and our Ivorian brother M. visited the proposed site for our Bondoukou regional agricultural endeavor. They decided to start with corn production using Farming God's Way training integrated with CHE. They walked the land. For the first time, Verlin inspected damages incurred by the illegal encroachers who tried to machine farm the ground in 2018-2019. He also discovered that our Garmen GPS III Navigator needs to be replaced. The tool will let us delimit the projects' 30 hectares more clearly before legalizing the effort's development.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray for Pastor Tra-Bi's family, friends, and ministry partners as they adjust to this challenging earthly goodbye. Ask that adequate financial resources develop to sustain the family. Finally, pray that the CHE efforts he started and assisted will multiply through other servants.
  
  

• 🙏 Rejoice with us that Verlin and M. could go to Bondoukou's chosen agricultural site this week. Pray that preparations of the land and villager collaborations develop shalom as we begin.
  
  

• 🙏 Our hearts overflow in thanksgiving for all our ministry partners! During December, contributions to our Christian Health Service Corps enabled ministry accumulated to be our 2nd highest month of giving ever. The gifts capped the 2nd highest quarterly total since joining the CHSC. Praise God for His faithfulness through you! 2022 portends many repairs, CHE visits around the country with investment in training, and higher monthly health insurance premiums.

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: Tweak
        - 220108 PDF
Prior Videos: PA Come & Go
        - Cleanup Champs

2021 Q3 Report: Door Dynamics
  -  2021 Q3 Anderson Report 211113 PDF

2022 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2022-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

Debbie's Facebook Page

Verlin's Facebook Page

Tweak

CHSC LINK: Tweak
PDF Version: AWA Weekly 220108 PDF

Taste and See
(Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Ps. 34:8)

The start of 2022 seems a good time to tweak our update. The first section, “Taste and See,” will convey a Biblical thought, Community Health Evangelism (CHE) concept, testimony, or world event for encouragement. The “Come and See” section reports ministry activities, family life, and financial updates. “Côte d’Ivoire Corner” will be included at times to enrich your knowledge of the nation where we serve. Finally, “Prayer and Praise” remains the same at the bottom. Let us know what you think!

2017 initial survey walk to establish
Bondoukou regional agricultural center.
Farming God's Way Trainer's Reference
also shared at this prior update link.

The Lord reopened the door to begin Farming God’s Way in our region. (See afore made link via words for a newer video history of the FGW story; see the pictured link for our last use of the image in an update linking to the English Trainer’s Reference Guide.) About 4 years ago, a Christian brother offered a large section of family land to demonstrate Farming God’s Way methods with corn amidst developing other exposition gardens, moringa groves, and additional cash crops, intending to eventually integrate the herding of fowl and some small livestock. In 2017, a three-year legal battle ensued to acquire paperwork confirming his land ownership.

The plan remains for CHE trainers and other interested people from all over the country to visit, then create working agricultural models nearer themselves. They will get to observe and learn improved farming practices to spread through their church fellowships, feed their families, fund church plants, and extend CHE. The goal is to have sites multiplying around the nation. Our conviction remains that this effort will equip believers in life-changing ways and multiply ministry opportunities as it has in other African countries. Verlin and the Ivorian land owner hope to visit the site next week, as long as Verlin’s health continues to improve.

Come and See
(Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man. Ps. 66:5)

Plans continue taking form for three upcoming CHE training sessions around the country. Next, before his birthday on January 26, Verlin must complete documenting his continuing competence requirements to maintain a Tennessee nursing license. In addition, this month, he plots time to help get the agricultural project restarted. Debbie begins a year-long project to reformulate CHE lessons for the university and boost her computer skills to help Verlin with administrative tasks. She also agreed to bake the wedding cake for a local marriage. That may, or may not, be a decision the groom regrets! :)

Côte d'Ivoire Corner

A tasty tidbit you may not know. Côte d’Ivoire remains the leading exporter of cocoa beans in the world. About 40 % of their export revenue comes from this single crop. Just think. A chocolate bar you recently ate might have been made from Ivorian cocoa! Many rural Ivorians, though, have never tasted chocolate.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Thank the Lord that the land ownership issues were addressed and that the agricultural project can resume. Pray that preparation of the land proceeds as uneventfully as possible here and quickly.
  
  

• 🙏 Thank the Lord that Verlin’s ear has improved this week. He can move his head without severe pain. We hope that next week he can visit the site for FGW as that project reboots. Also, pray that the process for obtaining nursing credits goes smoothly. It would be a great month for the Internet to work well!
  
  

• 🙏 This week Debbie resumes a long-term project to edit Community Health Engagement (CHE) lessons for the university. The goal is to prepare the refined lessons for the 2022 September training.

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: Top Priority
        - 220101 PDF
Prior Videos: PA Come & Go
        - Cleanup Champs

2021 Q3 Report: Door Dynamics
  -  2021 Q3 Anderson Report 211113 PDF

2021 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2021-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

Debbie's Facebook Page

Verlin's Facebook Page

Top Priority

CHSC LINK: Top Priority
PDF Version: AWA Weekly 220101 PDF

Prevailing Power

As a new year dawns on the African continent, we focus our thoughts more intently on accomplishing jointly-determined ministry priorities for 2022. In continued biographical reading about J.O. Fraser (missionary to China in the early 1900s), we were reminded once again of the requisite top priority in life and ministry: prayer. Fraser's thoughts below from about a century ago echo our firm convictions related to spiritual victory today:

"I am feeling more and more that it is, after all, just the prayers of God's people that call down blessing upon the work, whether they are directly engaged in it or not. Paul may plant and Apollos water, but it is God who gives the increase; and this increase can be brought down from heaven by believing prayer, whether offered in China or in England. We are, as it were, God's agents—used by Him to do His work, not ours. We do our part, and then can only look to Him, with others, for His blessings. If this is so, then Christians at home can do as much for foreign missions as those actually on the field. I believe it will only be known on the Last Day how much has been accomplished in missionary work by the prayers of earnest believers at home. This, surely, is the heart of the problem. Such work does not consist in curio exhibitions, lantern lectures, interesting reports, and so on. Good as they may be, these are only the fringe, not the root of the matter. Solid, lasting missionary work is done on our knees. What I covet more than anything else is earnest, believing prayer, and I write to ask you to continue to put up much prayer for me and the work here…"

(from Behind the Ranges by Geraldine Taylor)

Productive Privilege

Your faithful prayers impact missionary work beyond our own! We give thanks for the many friends who lift up Cote d'Ivoire ministries in prayer! Fraser's efforts among the Lisu people eventually resulted in a disciple-making movement of over 70,000 converts. We pray the similar movement taking root in Cote d'Ivoire using Community Health Evangelism (CHE) continues to burgeon. One key component that the Chinese Lisu movement and CHE have in common is using local resources for growth. Lisu believers built their own churches with their own means.

Prayer & Praise

Our security dogs
will be glad for no
move, too (Video)!

• 🙏 Thank you for praying about our housing. We met productively with the family member who oversees the property we rent. It seems likely that we will be able to sign a long-term rental agreement after a contractor evaluates the house's needed repairs. Praise God for this answered prayer! We've yet to fully unpack from the 2016 move, not having a definitive rental agreement.
  

• 🙏 Verlin's ear infection returned with a painful vengeance last week. Pray for complete healing. Recurrent disease is likely until his latest broken molar is entirely removed or replaced. (This update got posted late due to delayed travel and successful treatments.)

• 🙏 Several friends we know need spiritual breakthroughs. You likely have dear ones in the same situation. More than our advice or friendship or funds, they need faithful prayer. Feel free to share names and circumstances so we can assist in lifting your friends to the Father in prayer.

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: No Fear. God's here!
        - 211225 PDF
Prior Videos: PA Come & Go
        - Cleanup Champs

2021 Q3 Report: Door Dynamics
  -  2021 Q3 Anderson Report 211113 PDF

2021 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2021-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

Debbie's Facebook Page

Verlin's Facebook Page