Goodbye Grief

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 230114 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Our 1998 Commissioning
Prayer at TDF, a formal
goodbye process

Missionaries say hundreds if not thousands of goodbyes, but practice does not perfect the process. In fact, adult MKs (missionary kids) list "goodbye grief" as a difficulty with which they later struggle as adults. Regularly saying goodbyes takes a toll. In addition, a child may make a good friend in the culture new to them and then move again shortly after that! The constant nomadic lifestyle lived apart from extended family and long, continuous childhood friendships encourages two known responses. Some MKs make friends quickly and engage in frenetic activity but do not allow a relationship to dive deep. Other MKs prefer to seclude themselves, thinking, "Why bother making friends? We leave in a few months." Both reactions develop problems and can ring true of missionary parents, too! If this topic interests you further, find here, by link, an excellent article written by an adult TCK (Third Culture Kid) who helps missionary families process grief. The article exposes you to yet another area where missionaries you know and love besides us need understanding and faithful prayer!

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

The bleach ratios taught 5 others
to sanitize yard surfaces, their
produce for eating, and drinking
water due to care given the pups.

This week, a different goodbye grief affected us as the remaining six of seven pups expired from parvovirus. Despite having none of the recommended palliative care veterinary drugs, Verlin's efforts of using saline solution and injectable meds gave hope for finding a local solution. But, unfortunately, the actions only extended their lives from about 36 hours to four, even up to seven days, once the infection gained traction in our courtyard.

A different kind of goodbye grief proceeds for the family of the Ivorian friend of two decades, now a Pastor, whose wife emotionally submitted to a spouse poacher. Verlin drove south to assist as our friend conversed with the wife's family directly rather than waiting beyond the months passed being patient for a culturally selected intermediary to intervene. Unfortunately, she missed the meeting. Considering the circumstances, attendees' words indicated that a practical first step in a good faith process to find a resolution occurred. Of course, the best solution would seem to be repentance and reconciliation. We pray for that but trust for the best (Ro. 8:28) as contingency steps continue to get taken.

Debbie leaves Tennessee for Texas today, Saturday, January 14. She will assist during the new missionary orientation meetings of Jan. 15-25. Primarily, she will help facilitate Community Health Evangelism (CHE) lessons and chat with the soon-to-depart missionaries about what CHE looks like in action in the field.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Continue to pray for the Ivorian Pastor's wisdom and love in excruciating development. None of us suffers except to assist others (2 Co. 1). The wife has been unfaithful for years in the company of a younger man. Unfortunately, she missed the meeting where her behavior got clarified and discussed for intervention by the family. She may not have known of the reunion. Family sharing revealed that she appears to hide from them too intentionally. Her four sons grow affected and show varied signs of feeling rejection. Shame emerges as the likeliest culprit hurting all. Verlin counseled the brother on helping them deal with their feelings and grief.
  
  

• 🙏 Pray for the Christian Health Service Corps' missionary orientation and developing MK care (CT article). Also, pray that Debbie's voice holds up during the CHE portion of the training, as she still deals with a cough related to having COVID last month.
  
  

• 🙏 Goodbye grief comes in many forms for all. Praise the Lord that there comes a day when the griefs and goodbyes of this earth will be no more. What a glorious hope we have in that truth for encouraging one another! (1 Th. 4).

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: Intervene
        - 230107 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
 
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AWA represents
Andersons Witness in Africa.
It is also a brand of bottled water in Cote d'Ivoire where we serve.

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