House of Prayer

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 230204 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

…for my house will be called a house of prayer for all people (nations)

from Is 56:7 and Mk 11:17

Debbie enjoyed a delightful experience last Sunday. The church in Nashville, where we have been members for over 30 years, recently added a service in a third language. In addition to a Spanish congregation that meets at 1:00 p.m. after English services, a group of Swahili brothers and sisters meet on the lower level to worship the Lord. Debbie had stopped off in a room on the main floor and could clearly hear voices in Spanish and singing in Swahili simultaneously. Imagine what worshiping the Lamb around the throne of God will be like with all the nations of the earth represented! We have attended services in Cote d'Ivoire with singing in five languages. Still, there was something uniquely satisfying about hearing these contrasting cultures praising Jesus in the middle of America. Truly a house of prayer for all nations!

When American churches open their doors to work with other cultures in sharing facilities, it can be a challenging experience, even when the relationship is clearly defined. Differences in culture frequently surface, and the upkeep of the buildings may become problematic. We know of a few American churches that tried and threw up their hands in defeat after a few months of conflict. Yet how can our Lord's house become a house of prayer for all nations if His children do not persevere in situations like this? The thought reminds us to thank again the faithful ministry partners who pray, encourage, and give so reached and unreached people groups of Cote d'Ivoire hear and accept the Gospel!

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

As hinted above, ministering in multiple languages remains the norm in Cote d'Ivoire. Some with whom we work speak up to seven languages out of two or three different language families. Several Indo-European languages are spoken in the nation beyond the more than 90 tribal languages stemming from more than eight African language families. Effective ministry necessitates working from French, the chosen national language, into heart languages if the population is to experience transformation by the Gospel. Such has happened continuously as the Church of Jesus Christ grew. (Even the first-century church went from Aramaic and Greek and fifteen others present at Pentecost into more than thirty other known languages, not to mention the expansion from Latin, Germanic, and language families of the Orient happening later.) A couple of Ivorians ministering in French and English dropped by to see Verlin this week. One who used our formerly unlimited ADSL Internet connection dropped by to update a new computer he uses to research material for the Discovery Bible Studies (DBS) he does with students and peers. (ADSL service stopped this week, and obliged Verlin to switch to the less consistent connection of pre-paid city-wide WiFi on the very day of a scheduled W. Africa Internship meeting he thereby failed to join.) The young man we encouraged to lead DBS with peers visited on request, and Verlin gave him the English grammar manual that Debbie printed for him to use.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray that we all learn to freely give our time, talents, and treasures so that all peoples or nations of the earth can know our wonderful Savior. Of course, it will require various types of sacrifice, but the impact will last for eternity!
  
  

• 🙏 Our Ivorian pastor's wife with ulcers continues to improve slowly! Pray for complete healing and her ability to pick up household and church activities.

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: Patient Waiting
        - 230128 PDF
Prior Videos: Reflect and Rejoice
        - The Great Story

2022 Q3 & Q4 Reports: Reckon
  -  3Q|4Q 2022 Report 230121 PDF

2022 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2022-Budget.pdf
 
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