Dynamic Duo

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 230506 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Let not mercy and truth [or steadfast love and faithfulness] forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the tablet of thine heart: so shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

— Proverbs 3:3-4

God describes His character in the Old Testament (OT) using the dynamic duo of “steadfast love” (hesed or chesed in Hebrew) and “faithfulness.” He used the flexibly rich word hesed or chesed around 250 times in the OT, over half the time in the Psalms.

An excellent standard from which to
explain the Biblical, non-hierarchical
governance encouraged by CHE.
Permission to translate and provide
 this linked PDF in French provided by
CAPE de Jerusalem.)

When the Lord explained Himself to Moses at the golden calf incident (Exodus 34:6-7), it was a self-description He used. Though only demonstrated perfectly in God’s person, the standard applies for guiding human behavior in governance, too. The above cited Proverb expresses advice from King Solomon to his sons. God’s ‘Wordly’ dynamic duo would have well served Rehoboam, his son and the next king, if he had demonstrated their meaning in response to a demand for tax relief from Israel’s tribal leaders! If the late Queen Elizabeth of England could refresh her son Charles’ memory at today’s coronation of a ruler legally owning a sixth of the earth's surface, her counsel might be similar. She exercised her powers of influence to serve people with felt love and faithfulness. May God’s exemplary steadfast love and faithfulness be what others perceive from us.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

A troubling reality while living in cultures where bribery abounds stems from the lack of steadfast love and faithfulness by the actors who govern. In the absence of God’s Law given to Moses as the bedrock of justice, there is no considered need. Bribes recognize persons of prominence being honored for their power to act.

As a result, injustice foments because the dynamic duo lacks. This again became obvious after our Tuesday return to Bondoukou. We received a visit from our Ivorian brother, who has worked for years to finalize the legal paperwork on one property his family has owned for generations. As those papers now appear settled, a second landholding enters into question. A greater than $30,000 project in the 1990s developed that area which is the principal funding goal of the agricultural project. He learned in the last month that local paperwork submitted (to answer a national government claim on the land for creating a military facility) was falsified. His name and the tribal designation of the land into perpetuity for community development projects were not noted. In addition, gatekeepers for the 5th appointed political leader within the last eight years did not grant him an appointment with the magistrate. He asked Verlin to go with him to try again for an appointment, hoping the presence and testimony of an outsider would help.

The strategy seems to have worked, but what a frustration that the step was needed to re-initiate a program known to help herders and shepherds! Sadly, due to the continued recognition of bribes as a signal of ordained authority, the success of citizens proceeding through legal means is often limited except a greater power gets invoked in a classic missionary use of encounters.

Prayer & Praise

Our preferred antimalarial over CDC
recommendations for US travelers.

• 🙏 Thankful, we arrived safely in Bondoukou on Tuesday. We both took anti-malarial drugs this week, letting us recover quickly by treating our symptoms early. Fatigue dissipates; the joys of exercise resume!
  
  
• 🙏 Pray for a resolution to the land issue mentioned and others soon to impact church properties. Pray that government officials respond quickly and resist bribes while determining rightful land owners.
  
  
• 🙏 Pray that the Ivorian CHE trainer will free himself to edit the UFHB CHE lessons. He changed plans and did not come this week as anticipated. His assistance will likely speed up the process.

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: Engaged
        - 230429 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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