Atlas

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 221231 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

In Greek mythology, the Titan Atlas carried the weight of the cosmos about our world on his shoulders. Atlas bore the unbearable so others could live life unburdened in their space, as seemed usual. The role of Joseph in the birth and early childhood of Jesus reminds us of Atlas. Although Joseph's role was born of privilege and not punishment, he bore the burden to raise and protect Emmanuel, “God with us,” during His early life. Imagine the stress experienced when the angel told him to flee for Egypt to save Jesus’ life. For whom would he work? Where would he find adequate lodging and food? A decade later, what words can express the stress of thinking he’d lost a 12-year-old son only to see him in the temple holding court? What challenged him as he humbly taught God Himself to be a carpenter? For these thoughts and others, Joseph remains one of the most unsung heroes of the Christmas story, forgotten by the many getting on with life.

Throughout history, countless heroes have worked tirelessly and sacrificed much for their Savior, families, and communities. So when some homestead water pipes froze during the frigid time this week, despite pipe warmers and insulation that Verlin placed years ago, it reminded us of those working the holidays as nurses, snow removers, and other servants of goodwill. They missed Christmas and family time to make life more tolerable for the rest of us. We are grateful, like you. Jesus shows up in many shapes, sizes, and places, unlike Atlas.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

Cara age 2 with Debbie!

Debbie enjoyed gathering with our children on Saturday to celebrate Christmas and attend church together, visiting her parents and sister for Christmas Day dinner, participating at our daughter Cara’s 33rd birthday celebration on Tuesday, and returning to her parents Wednesday evening through Saturday morning. Since Debbie’s sister Laura lives close to the senior Paynes, many activities like assisting with doctor visits rest on her shoulders. So when Debbie is in Tennessee, she gladly seizes the opportunity to give her sister some breaks while enjoying the privilege of spending time with her mom and dad. She also met with her accountability partner and pursued requests with the supply company working on getting Verlin’s 5-year replacement CPAP machine.

Verlin got to stay at home in Bondoukou. Besides EOY reporting, repairing a faucet and water heater there, he visited during our FWB church’s Christmas activities. During a planning meeting for a demonstration farm, he had the opportunity to influence another in conversation. In one of our more exciting developments, he saw a decision taken as a firstfruit of government by the people for the people, becoming seen as extending the Kingdom of God over which Jesus reigns. Local villages have often sought blessed Christians to become chiefs, but the path has led many away from God due to perceived obligations of sacrificing to local gods. Verlin has had three talks with believers trying to find solutions. Finally, this generation may find one. The conversation built upon years of business plan development revealed that this Discovery Bible Study (DBS) revived believer will not accept the title of chief. Instead, he leads the community to develop a constitution and by-laws in concert with local authorities to permit his decision to be the last word, but for a non-believer to carry the title of chief commensurate with the responsibility of doing the pagan rites. It’s a separation of powers! May Jesus be lifted up ever higher in the New Year! He sustains more than the imaginary Atlas!

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Thank the Lord for the thaw restoring life-giving resources to many, like water at our Cookeville home and Debbie’s opportunity to spend some time with her parents. Pray for Eddie and Sandra Payne (her parents) to enjoy stabilizing health with increasing strength during 2023.
  
  

• 🙏 The pastor of a church in Bondoukou recently indicated his intention to begin using Discovery Bible Studies (DBS) in the church’s midweek cell groups that meet around town. Pray that they effectively implement the change, that believers will grow in their faith, and that many other souls experience salvation in Christ. Also, pray for the Ivorian teen using the Bible as the text for his English club.
  
  

• 🙏 Continue to pray that Debbie will receive special permission to pick up Verlin’s new CPAP machine when it arrives, as was granted to our son for her machine. Some aspects of life and ministry are more challenging while on two continents. Ask the Lord to give us wisdom for those situations.

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 - specifying Verlin and Debbie Anderson in the optional Memo.

Prior: Prepare
        - 221224 PDF
Prior Videos: Reflect and Rejoice
        - The Great Story

2022 Q2 Report: Someone Greater
  -  2022 2Q Anderson Report 220521 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

Prepare

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 221224 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Prepare, prepare, O prepare
The white breeze is invading
The sun is winning the race
Rain is in coma
The dust is dancing
and ringing its whistling alarm

- link to full poem by Patrick Ituma

So begins a poem about the advent of dry season dust winds called the harmattan in West Africa, the closest we come to snow in Cote d'Ivoire. Harmattan descended upon Bondoukou recently, leaving a blanket of dust on everything while stimulating many respiratory allergies and infections. Verlin confirmed the season's arrival when mentioning that our Ivorian helper washed the car, and it was covered by thick dust the next day. He also felt the effects in his sinuses and began to control allergic reactions through masking, diet, and testing temporary interventions with new medications. "Prepare, prepare, O prepare" preoccupied Tennessee residents, too, as frigid weather hit the state midweek. Frantic shoppers focused not only on Christmas shopping but equally sought supplies for being stuck at home for days in subfreezing conditions. Debbie traveled early to safely make it to the firstborn's and spouse's house before the icy air and snow arrived so she could participate in family celebrations.

Whether adjusting to the arrival of "brown snow" or white snow on separate continents, we remember a phrase from a favorite Christmas carol. "Let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing!" (Hymn link). Preparations surrounding Christmas can be exhausting and extensive. Sadly, in the self-imposed and socially encouraged hustle and commotion of the season, we challenge ourselves to find moments for reflection upon the One who prepared and fulfilled everything for our salvation. From the foundation of the world, He knew what He must do to offer us a restored relationship with the Father, and He did it. Do we, in turn, faithfully set time apart to receive Him and prepare our lives and families for humble service? Janet Martin phrased it well in a poem entitled Preparing for Christmas:

Christmas Eve descending
We brave the cold perhaps
To find within a chapel
A pew, where we collapse
My house sure looks amazing
The food, a work of art
Wouldn't it be something
If this had been my heart?

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

Merry Christmas, friends!

While Debbie welcomed our granddaughter, Chelsea, in Cookeville for three days, Verlin made a 16-hour trip to and from Abidjan to pick up our 5-year resident cards, processed in record time for us. In addition, he coordinated with Ivorian CHE trainers who anticipate attending the CHE Internship in Ghana in March and followed up with other CHE initiatives. (Some were village teams giving gifts to school children from their own earnings.) Debbie again pursued the doctor's office in Nashville and the medical supply company in order to process a replacement CPAP for Verlin. Hopefully, she will pick his machine up before returning to Cote d'Ivoire and evade our developing a situation like that caused by November's CPAP loss.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Praise God for His perfect preparation for our redemption in sending Jesus! May we each be faithful to purify and prepare our lives for useful service to Him! Have a most blessed Christmas, friends.
  
  

• 🙏 Pray for several Ivorian CHE trainers preparing by various means to attend the CHE Internship in March 2023. Verlin assists two of our four candidates in the process.
  
  

• 🙏 Continue to pray that Debbie and Corbin recover full strength after COVID and for Verlin to overcome allergic reactions from the harmattan.

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 - specifying Verlin and Debbie Anderson in the optional Memo.

Prior: The Exchange
        - 221217 PDF
Prior Videos: Reflect and Rejoice
        - The Great Story

2022 Q2 Report: Someone Greater
  -  2022 2Q Anderson Report 220521 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

The Exchange

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 221217 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

A profound truth meriting reflection during the Christmas Season is learning to see Jesus’ life as the “great exchange.” For our salvation, He exchanged royal robes for strips of cloth; paeons of praise for hurled insults; kingly authority for earthly servanthood, and His undiluted righteousness for our ugly sins. Don Strand, in his blog of May of 2022, explained it this way: “Because Christ Jesus lived a perfectly obedient life, God the Father imputes (that is, credits) Christ’s perfect righteousness to his people by faith in Christ alone. Martin Luther called this “the great exchange” where our sin is credited to Jesus and the earned righteousness of Jesus is credited to all who call upon the name of the Lord…). A more undeserved, unmerited exchange in this world has never happened! May we and those given us not lose the wonder while living this glorious truth!

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

We experienced more mundane versions of exchange this week. Debbie’s proposed week of activities ground to a halt when she tested positive for COVID as she felt her energy waning. Thankfully, medical and nutritional intervention worked quickly, and she left quarantine though struggling with fatigue and cough. Corbin has developed similar symptoms. He will hopefully exit isolation in time for Christmas.

The 17 Dec 2022 Stone Soup meeting
(individuals blurred to protect some identities)

Verlin hosted some and invited others to coordinate in an exchange between denominational and non-denominational CHE ministries. Guests from Abidjan and Bondoukou participated in an aviculture training led by a younger man out of Tanda and Agnibilekro, someone Verlin baptized in 2004. The new potential partners met with others over a meal of Verlin’s ‘stone soup’ six days in the making, served over yellow ginger rice Saturday evening. (Verlin let the occasion make the editing of this update late to facilitate more exchange.) The training session provided the initial meeting point, which about thirty adults attended. The objective of the initiator was to create new cooperatives for affordably and profitably rearing chickens. The couple from Abidjan who came at our invitation provided information about how to do the poultry business organically, as they had learned from CHE partners we introduced years ago. Verlin provided the trainers with connection info to get Christian Veterinary Mission (CVM) resources. One of the great strengths of CHE is in the exchange of ideas to improve best practices in every venue of life.

Table talk also touched upon CHE strategies and understandings for use in uniting a community where many churches, having competed for decades, seem to have caused more rejection than acceptance of Jesus’ exchange. The possibility of uniting for common interests by using Community Health Evangelism has been demonstrated as realistic elsewhere in Cote d’Ivoire. One knowing such firsthand joins people living here. During this time, CHE strategies grow more widely applied nearer home to us.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray the chicken farming workshop meeting(s) develop(es) new, additional CHE initiatives amidst churches and cooperatives in northeast Cote d’Ivoire.
  
  

• 🙏 The positive COVID test quickly revised Debbie’s activities for the week. Pray for her speedy, uncomplicated recovery. She rejoices that several symptoms abate. Corbin, too, became ill and quietly recovers from the symptoms at home. He likely caught the bug due to receiving the International traveler, his mom!
  
  

• 🙏 The young Ivorian woman with kidney problems is not doing well. Her family sent her further south in one last effort to seek improved medical help, but, more likely, for to die, per Verlin’s perception. Pray she makes peace with God.

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 - specifying Verlin and Debbie Anderson in the optional Memo.

Prior: Herd Mentality
        - 221210 PDF
Prior Videos: Reflect and Rejoice
        - The Great Story

2022 Q2 Report: Someone Greater
  -  2022 2Q Anderson Report 220521 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

Herd Mentality

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 221210 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

We humans get into trouble when a herd mentality takes over our thinking. A negative cohort makes it a challenge to become obedient, thankful adults. The story of 10 men sentenced to isolation and death by the horrible, debilitating disease of leprosy recounted in Luke 17, yet getting healed by Jesus, gives a prime example. At first, all the lepers put a herd mentality to good use. From afar, they called out as a group for Jesus to have mercy on them. Then, in cooperation, they obeyed Jesus’ command to show themselves to the priests. On the way, their obedience led to their miraculous healings! But, sadly, the herd mentality also influenced them to not show gratitude, except for the solitary, redeemed life who returned to thank Jesus.

On Thursday, Debbie and several thousand other travelers got impeded by disgruntled passengers using a herd mentality to block entry to Terminal B at Brussels airport. Though the protesting passengers had legitimate gripes following a canceled flight and insufficient lodging preparations, their joint response seemed ineffective. Debbie was among the blessed ones hustled covertly into a terminal for her departure by another route. The adaptation let her board two connecting flights on time. In the process, she remembered the power of group interaction, whether for good or evil. An individual’s acts exercised within group dynamics have considerable influence. She gratefully arrived safely to Nashville, where Corbin greeted her.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

So far, so good. All 7 of the
13 wk old  pups are alive:
only one currently seems
at risk for early panosteitis

Verlin spent her two days of travel developing a positive herd mentality. That of CHE reinforces individuals to choose 'the narrow way' leading to life and achieving God’s designs of 'goodwill to men'. Inherent to our shalom-health teaching ministry is that communities are changed by individuals learning to obey God’s call and influencing others to do the same rather than rabble-rousing. Today, few in Protestant circles remember that the idea of a ‘professional career’ derives from the initial understanding of Martin Luther about the priesthood of believers. We confront misled ‘herd mentality’ wherever we go. Deb conversed at length with a Roman Catholic priest who seized upon Verlin’s pyramid and inverse pyramid representation that compares the world system to that of God’s Kingdom while on the last leg of her flight. Over two days, Verlin met with collaborators in southern Cote d’Ivoire, connecting them with others north and west. He spoke with researchers, a pharmacist, a theologian, a pastor, a nurse, two NGO presidents, a bio-farm developing housewife, and still others who extend God’s Kingdom rule individually and corporately by their obedient witness with thankfulness on earth. These effectively change their world. He arrived home at about 1 AM Saturday to grind out several time-consuming family and ministry plans through December 15. We are all in this together as children of the Lord. Witness of God’s Love is not just a pastor’s or missionary’s job; we do it together.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 We both thank the Lord for successful trips to our homes away from our eternal home: Deb to Tennessee after being delayed by the protest and Verlin to Bondoukou after three police paper checks.
  

• 🙏 A young man whom Debbie acted to help start an English Bible study came by to say thanks before she left. He continues using the DBS questions for his private meditations, studying the Bible during school break. After returning to high school for his senior year, he forms an English club to use the Bible as the text for honing English skills and grammar reviews and improving spoken English. Pray that teens will be exposed to the Gospel by this young man’s English club efforts.

• 🙏 Thank you for praying for our missionary colleagues forced to leave their hospital in another African country. They all made it to a safe place with their belongings intact. Praise the Lord! However, processing the emotional trauma will take much longer.

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 - specifying Verlin and Debbie Anderson in the optional Memo.

Prior: Counting Costs
        - 221203 PDF
Prior Videos: Reflect and Rejoice
        - The Great Story

2022 Q2 Report: Someone Greater
  -  2022 2Q Anderson Report 220521 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

Counting Costs

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 221203 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Jesus said much about counting costs in the New Testament. He spoke of taking up our cross and following Him: since the world persecuted Him, we, too, can expect persecution. In another scene, He mentions a military leader evaluating troops and assets before confronting an enemy or considering the supplies and workers needed to build a tower. For followers, He encouraged sober judgment and rational decision-making. Though emotive, He never manipulated emotions or used bribery to advance others’ faith. Prudently counting costs is part and parcel of living an abundant life in God’s Kingdom.

Overworked CPAP!

We counted costs related to replacing Debbie’s lost CPAP machine in the last three weeks. First, a significant problem remains if we ship it by a courier like DHL, as initially thought. The confusion we encountered between US shipping and RCI receiving offices heightens the likelihood that a device seen here infrequently will be held for an undetermined time by customs. Secondly, we cannot purchase the machine outright because an initial rental period is now obliged for insurance reimbursement. Additionally, suppose the device gets confiscated, damaged, or lost. In that case, we will be obliged to pay the medical supply company the entire cost of the machine and then, of course, have to take on the expense and process of replacing that one! Lastly, the lesser total of shipping by courier almost matched the purchase of a round-trip flight. Considering our prior experiences with lost book bags, mail, and express mail, we decided that Debbie return to the States and pursue a follow-up in person with the sleep specialist. In addition, she expects to ...

• assist Christian Health Service Corps with another missionary orientation in January,
• make a trip to Michigan to visit family and ministry partners, and
• spend some time with her parents. (This year has been physically challenging for them.)

Debbie’s flight schedule has her departing Wednesday, December 7, and returning on March 14.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

Verlin has three accountings to complete by December 15. One is for renewing our Affordable Care Act insurance. Honest planning, in our circumstances, takes 10-20 hours to allow for the submission of a reasonably accurate application. We hope for a better rate this year, but think it unlikely in our ‘empty-nest.’ In addition, he will affirm 2023 budgets and review 2022 expenses to plan for our submission of US and Ivorian taxes. Finally, after the 15th, he intends to contact the woman who mentioned in March that her family’s home might be available for our use in Bondoukou. Finding a cheaper option to maintain and provide a friendlier, quieter environment for others to visit us in the future would be nice.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray Debbie travels safely and smoothly to the US and begins healing rest with the new CPAP machine. (Fatigue now impacts her thinking and acting despite our sharing a machine in split shifts.) Also, pray that her temporary Ivorian residence card to facilitate return travel is ready by next Tuesday.
  
  

• 🙏 Pray for Verlin as he begins a process of UFHB lesson correction while preparing two Ivorian pastors to go to Ghana for the CHE Internship in February 2023. They need initial contextualized help with the paperwork to make collaborative study and travel plans with others from Cote d’Ivoire who will attend.
  
  

• 🙏 Ask the Lord to direct us about housing. Should we stay and make extensive repairs where we are or move? Pray we experience a confirmation others perceive as evidence of God’s direction if moving a second time within Bondoukou seems to be a good choice.

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 - specifying Verlin and Debbie Anderson in the optional Memo.

Prior: Thanksliving
        - 221126 PDF
Prior Videos: Reflect and Rejoice
        - The Great Story

2022 Q2 Report: Someone Greater
  -  2022 2Q Anderson Report 220521 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