Set the Record Straight

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 231125 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

We enjoyed the rare

Thanksgiving at Andersons

delight of sharing Thanksgiving meals with family in Tennessee for two consecutive days this week!! In addition, we continued a holiday learning tradition. For 35 years, on American holidays, we habitually read original historical documents or listen to podcasts of open-minded people who seek to set the record straight regarding historical events. With many college institutions and media outlets devoted to advancing a non-Christian and highly biased narrative of our country’s origins, it continually amazes us to learn historical details that demonstrate our forefathers’ immense courage, wisdom, and faith in God.

Thanksgiving at the Paynes

This week’s eye-opening information came from a Daily Wire podcast entitled “The True Story of Thanksgiving.” (Don’t miss the intriguing interview with Richard Pickering, the senior historian at the Plimouth Patuxet Museums.) Careful journaling and record-keeping by Mayflower leaders like William Bradford and recent excavations in the area dispel some widespread myths. Did you know that the native American participants in the 1621 three-day harvest feast greatly outnumbered the Pilgrims? Or that, at times, only 5 to 7 healthy colonists did all the work and burying because so many Pilgrims were sick or dying during the first year? Another meaningful fact we appreciated was how devoted the Pilgrims remained to each other in friendship over the decades despite immensely differing political views and ideas. They continued to love, keep in touch, and gift one another in wills. They considered their joint efforts in community preeminent. What a great reminder for our polarized societies of today!

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

Another habit to set the record straight for our ministry partners is the quarterly reports that we create, which include all expenses and donations. We are behind in preparing and sending the third quarter’s report, but know help is needed to continue. This trip to clear ourselves by physical evaluation for new ministry outreach, get our vehicles and homestead operational, and travel several three-hour roundtrips to and from Nashville to do so have taken tolls of our time we are not going to overcome in November when we usually send the 3Q report. Hopefully, we will get back on track in two to three weeks by mid-December after submitting expenses.

We know some individuals and churches look at the third-quarter financial report to determine possible end-of-year giving. Although we do not have the exact numbers, our mission account DOES need a hefty boost in December to handle next year’s busy ministry agenda. Thank you for all you have done this year so that we could work unhindered! Your continued faithfulness and generosity astound us. We trust the Lord to touch additional groups and individuals to surpass our needs by the end of the year.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray for an Ivorian Community Health Evangelism (CHE) trainer who continues leading 3 CHE trainings in as many weeks. Ask that his team of adequate trainers maintain energy to help him.
   
• 🙏 During our time in the States, we evaluate our role in helping our aging parents with various health and life issues. Ask the Lord for wisdom and time to coordinate with siblings to assist.
   
• 🙏 Pray for the end-of-year needs of our mission account and so many other missionaries and ministries that need help. We wait with eager anticipation to see how the Lord provides!
  

Your partners in the Gospel, Verlin & Debbie

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: Leave the Light on
        - 231118 PDF
Prior Videos: Simple Servants
        - Reflect & Rejoice
 

2023 Q2 Report: Pruning Priorities
  -  2nd Q 2023 Report 230722 PDF

2022 Budget COMPLETED:
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

Leave the Light On

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 231118 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

An inestimable blessing of being part of the Body of Christ is having a core group of saints who leave the light on for you, figuratively and literally! In our 25 years of comings and goings as missionaries, thousands of “leave the light on” brothers and sisters have eased our journey. When you read this update, pray, respond with encouraging notes, and give, you are part of that priceless team we treasure.

Partners who leave the light on perform many roles. Our families have been “shining” examples of encouragement and help from day one. Here are examples of Ivorians from the past week. Verlin spoke to a co-worker from the airport before we left. He said he would stay up to midnight to pray through the hour our flight would pass over Bondoukou. This is from a man who usually is in bed by 9:00 p.m.! He responsibly cares for the property and dogs and coordinates the management of emergencies or repairs while we are gone. He has a pattern of stopping and praying aloud when we share a request about our children or other issues. Another partner is the Christian mechanic who left his busy shop to meet us in Abidjan. He accompanied us to the airport, drove our truck to where he keeps it safe, and will do routine maintenance or repairs in our absence. That way, we can roll to trainings in the HiLux without hesitation on return.

Thirdly, a ladies’ group from Michigan contacted us to see where to send a Christmas cash gift. Their district hosts a yearly dinner and splits the proceeds for all the missionaries of our church movement from the state. Their labor of love in the past enabled us to do much that would otherwise be harder, like take our family to The Ark Encounter in Kentucky.

Verlin and Debbie
at CHSC offices - Nov 18

Lastly, we breathed prayers from grateful hearts for a mission director who picked us up at the airport and drove us to CHSC’s headquarters. Waiting for us on the property was a literal light on and a lovely place to stay at no charge. During a hectic week, he and his wife graciously welcomed us and listened. All of these people are treasures, as are you. During this week specifically dedicated to giving thanks, our hearts overflow for this and many other blessings from our Father!

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

It is also a privilege to leave the light on with strangers who we pass through airports. Last week, we asked you to pray for opportunities for us to have spiritual conversations on the trip. The Lord gave us lengthy opportunities to interact with five people. Verlin neared hoarseness after the most prolonged nonstop talk during the last leg of the journey! At least two of those conversations may bear more excellent fruit since two follow-up connections for conversation are planned for the week after Thanksgiving and mid-December.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray for those who had spiritual conversations with us on our trip to the States. Pray we always leave the light on in our hearts to accommodate other souls for God’s glory and their good. Our God remains the light of the world.
   
• 🙏 Praise the Lord for the wonderful ministry partners who have supported and sustained the CHE work in Cote d’Ivoire for 25+ years! The extent of what now happens brings joy to us, and many of diffrent professional spheres begin to take note.
   
• 🙏 Our batteries of medical exams begin next week. Pray that if something needs discovery, it will get discovered.
  

Your partners in the Gospel who wish you and yours a 🍲Happy Thanksgiving🦃, Verlin & Debbie

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: Copycat
        - 231111 PDF
Prior Videos: Simple Servants
        - Reflect & Rejoice
 

2023 Q2 Report: Pruning Priorities
  -  2nd Q 2023 Report 230722 PDF

2022 Budget COMPLETED:
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

Copycat

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 231111 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Families rely on breaks and holidays like the upcoming Thanksgiving to pass along family heritage and practice. Recent conversations with CHE leaders reminded us of an amusing example shared in Verlin’s family about being a copycat. His father liked to share a Reader’s Digest story about a family of mothers and how they prepared the ham each Thanksgiving or Christmas. (For a training source, click here.) The method was passed from great-grandmother to grandmother, mother, and child. One day, the child asked the mother why they cut off the end of the ham instead of leaving it whole to bake. The mother replied that it was a family method she learned from her mother and was the best way to prepare the meat. Curious herself, the mother then asked her mother why they did it that way. Not knowing, together they asked the great-grandmother about the family tradition. Everyone was surprised when Great-grandma said, “Well, our baking pan was not big enough to leave the ham whole, so I lopped off the end for it to fit the pan!”

While it is expressly human to copycat, the story and some studies behoove us to ask some “Why?” questions when we pass along family, government, and church traditions. If not, we unwittingly convey useless rituals and wives' tales that benefit no one and persecute some. Conversely, understanding why our forefathers made confident choices has eternal consequences and carries blessings across generations. For example, besides honoring veterans, this weekend’s holiday permits families to share their part in the national story of living in covenant, permitting hearers to become wiser copycats.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

The idea of copycats came to mind for another reason this week. Traveling to Abidjan on Wednesday, we stopped and left the puppies at their new homes. We also met with a champion medical CHE trainer. During the week, he and two other trainers detailed fantastic numbers we had been picking up through others. People were trained all over Cote d’Ivoire last year in times and places where we could not participate due to time restraints. Essentially, Ivorian CHE trainers experience regular ‘copycatting.’ The outlook is good that much more multiplication happens because of how it happens here. As a result of how they train others to train others what they do, our CHE report for the fiscal year shared how five CHE teammates account for the training of over 4,000 people who minister or work using CHE’s wholistic approaches. (Verlin reduced the reported numbers significantly since some estimates were supplied without his being able to confirm numbers by second or third parties. And yes, churches have been started or reinforced within those numbers. We train missionaries.)

Our CHE champion friend then discussed how a weakness of the Ivorian mentality about starting new ventures can become a strength when convinced of a good approach.

Restaurant only serving salads

This nation is known to copycat exceptionally well in West Africa, but the people are not eager to innovate or be original or firsts in work or ministry. In his view, an Ivorian only studies methods or processes that others do successfully and then copies them with excellence if convinced it is THE best. He posits that CHE workers must observe and participate in work that shows progress. Eureka! He’s got it! Now that CHE endeavors occur nationwide, with a particular verve on the western side, the multiplication process happens more quickly! Praise God for what will later be measured as remarkable progress as time and interest allow us to inspect, evaluate, and retool without losing momentum.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Thank the Lord that our Ivorian co-worker recovered quickly from malaria because he has seen how to treat himself quickly when first symptomatic. Our earthly belongings and adult dogs here are in his care.
   
• 🙏 Pray that God enables an Ivorian friend who reportedly battles an addiction to identify better defense mechanisms in Christ. He needs to address the unhealed parts of his inner life stimulating the addiction.
   
• 🙏

  

  HiLux parts and supplies for
  service to be done in abstentia.

  We depart Tuesday night to arrive in Dallas on Wednesday evening. After meeting with CHSC principals, we will continue to Nashville on Saturday afternoon. Ask that we enjoy uncomplicated travels and opportunities to promote faith and ministry.
  

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: Time Out
        - 231104 PDF
Prior Videos: Simple Servants
        - Reflect & Rejoice
 

2023 Q2 Report: Pruning Priorities
  -  2nd Q 2023 Report 230722 PDF

2022 Budget COMPLETED:
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

Time Out

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 231104 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

In our era, the idea of time out often means isolating children to consider their conduct. As adults, we take time out from our schedules for activities like funerals or doctor's visits. The change of pace often feels like abandoning the main agenda to handle an unexpected duty. But sometimes, the Lord uses time-outs to see His will done over ours. In our experience, this is often the way He works. He makes divine appointments that we know nothing about. Graciously handling interruptions is possible when we remember that every minute God gives us is His already, as are our belongings, bodies, and breath.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

The past ten days burgeoned with time-out events. They complicated our preparations to take a time out from Cote d'Ivoire for post-COVID-19 evaluations and return here for residential service peaceably. Debbie unintentionally transferred a significant file folder from Dropbox to OneDrive, which took days to correct. Our Ivorian co-worker, K., became ill with malaria this week and spent 2.5 workdays apart from us in self-treatment, then searching forests for a CHE homeopathy project.

Verlin with friends

An Ivorian friend who formerly lived in Bondoukou returned to visit. He is the same Gideon we previously connected for equipment to project the Jesus Film. We hosted him for two nights while he assisted an itinerant South African missionary who equipped him and others to use The Heart of Man Evangelism flip-chart technique. Another day, missionary friends dropped in for a visit to discuss a medical issue. Reviewing our to-do list(s) while thinking about leaving next Wednesday now daunts us! But the Lord knew about these time-outs, so we trust Him.

The most rewarding and impactful time out happened on Thursday. Two men presenting themselves from the Department of the Interior's Religious Affairs division asked to speak to Verlin. They wanted to understand more about what we believe and do since the word is out that we effectively integrate spiritual and natural solutions promoting good health (shalom) in the region. Three intense hours of deeply spiritual conversation followed our serving of local plant teas, with shorter follow-ups on Friday and Saturday. Topics included earnest church leadership, hearing from God, defining good health, the problem of sin, who Jesus is, the anti-Christ(s), 666, and why Verlin has a beard! ☺ Their questions seemed sincere; the answers given were deeply appreciated. Below is a DEEPL.com translated portion of a text message one sent Verlin. Praise God for another time out that had eternal consequences!

"I was blessed, edified, and taught this morning. I heard God speak to me through the channel of your mouth. I received clarity on issues that were cloudy to me. You opened my heart and spirit to many things. I have an inner peace. Thank you, and may God bless you and your family."

Thank you for helping us help people find peace with God, themselves, others, and the Creation. On returning, we look forward to new horizons as we spearhead yet another ministry amidst Ivorians.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray for K., our local co-laborer, who missed some work but now feels recovered from malaria. Ask the Lord to give him additional wisdom in handling increased responsibilities during our absence.
   
• 🙏 Pray for the several with whom we had spiritual conversations during the week. Particularly, pray that the two from the government learn to live vibrant lives of faith manifested by Godly conduct.
   
• 🙏 Pray we sense peace about getting done what we possibly can before our travel to the U.S.!
   

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: Circuit-Riding
        - 231028 PDF
Prior Videos: Simple Servants
        - Reflect & Rejoice
 

2023 Q2 Report: Pruning Priorities
  -  2nd Q 2023 Report 230722 PDF

2022 Budget COMPLETED:
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