Season's Care Eternalized for One

Read on Blog:
Sandra moves on

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 241221 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Debbie's mom, Sandra Payne, peacefully passed into the arms of her Savior, Jesus, on Friday morning, December 20th, around 3:30 a.m.

It seems fitting that care similar to that she provided others when serving the people of Cote d'Ivoire as a loving nurse for over 20 years, and then while ministering to mentally ill patients for decades more in Nashville, was provided her by loving nurses who were part of the team assisting her in many ways during her final days on earth. A loving nurse practitioner extraordinarily helped us just two days before she passed. Sandra sensed the need for a particular medication to help her with end-of-life symptoms stemming from congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation. There was not a quick response from her primary care physician's office. It's supposed he was likely taking needed time off for the holidays. However, the nurse practitioner of her cardiologist's office did respond promptly. She called Debbie, even though she, too, was on vacation this week. The medicine was provided the same day. It greatly helped Sandra pass peacefully from this life to heaven. Fittingly, a loving hospice nurse with kind tears in her eyes placed the last stethoscope on Sandra's chest to confirm her passing. Finally, Sandra's loving nurse daughter gave her the last dose of medicine around 2:00 a.m., having come at midnight to give Debbie a chance to rest. Anyone who has received the compassionate touch of a loving nurse understands our gratitude for the exemplary ministry Sandra offered for over 60 years. Best of all, she gave that love and care in Jesus' name.

Come and See (Psalm 34:8)

Verlin closes some activities and delegates others to return to the States on December 24th and accompany the family. Debbie lives primarily with her father as the family prepares for Sandra's funeral. Hopefully, all funeral details will be finalized by Monday. We thank the many people who have sent their love and prayers to our family, especially those to Eddie, Debbie's father. The lovely remarks about their ministry together for over 64 years bring tears of joy and remembrance.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray for our family as we praise the Lord for a life well-lived. Some grandchildren did not see Sandra in her closing days. That may bring its own kind of grief. Pray attendance during the celebration of her life will galvanize the healthier perspectives of engagement in life Sandra helped to form.
   
• 🙏 Pray for Verlin as he travels from Africa to Nashville during the busy holiday travel season.
  

Have a blessed Christmas, friends!

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: What It Takes
        - 241221 PDF
Prior Videos: Worth
        - 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

What it Takes

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 241214 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Missionaries are occasionally asked what it takes to become a missionary. Our response includes discussing a call to missions, thousands of hours of preparation, skills to offer, gathering a ministry partner team, learning culture, flexibility, endurance, and depending on the Lord for daily strength and wisdom through and above it all. This update provides a bird's eye view of what it takes to maintain missionary outreach financially using our personal example. Having spoken with many missionary friends and checked with financial leaders, we've understood that our needs are common. Thankfully, the excellent donor tracking program used by our mission permits us to track numbers quickly.

Since joining the Christian Health Service Corps in 2013, 266 donors have given 4,153 gifts totaling $1,073,267. Amazing! It is not the dollar amount, as Verlin would have likely earned more working for himself or others over eleven years. It's the participation. While our personal pay is <30% of that sum, over 55% continues to be dedicated to the expense of growing Christ's influence in Cote d'Ivoire. Many donors made one-time gifts of material or finances (a thank you for speaking, etc.) to hear and send us. The team gives annually or monthly from their earnings to lovingly keep us lovingly doing what we do now. It is around 100 different singles, couples, and churches. Over two-thirds of our financial ministry partners remain individual families rather than groups. Some have given $5 to $600 monthly or quarterly for years; others offer a hefty donation once a year or every few years. We are not kidding when we thank our Father for some of Earth's most faithful ministry partners. 76% of those who have given continue to give! (Considering the number of 1x gifts, that's most everybody. Amazing!) Our hearts overflow with thanksgiving.

When we see the names and gifts each month, it causes us to pray, too. (Verlin prays over those opening the email newsletter and Debbie over the donor list.) This year, our partners faced many challenges that were both similar and different from our own. Some cared for elderly parents in their homes or oversaw aging parents. Others cared for grown children with special needs, helped incapacitated spouses, or dealt with prodigal children, cancers, other debilitating diseases, sudden loss of jobs or changing jobs, and displacement because of a house fire. North Carolinian friends lived with the crisis caused by the hurricane. At least five partners saw a parent promoted to Heaven and were left to deal with estates and family issues. Friends, your ability to thrive in Christ, doing what it takes in trying circumstances, encourages us! We love you all.

Come and See (Psalm 34:8)

Update on money

Verlin spent late hours this week reviewing next year's budget and looking over the financial reports in response to a friendly request for an update. After looking, we know that giving this year is down more than 10%. Abundant end-of-year giving could correct the shortfall. We have allowed life's circumstances to hinder us from sending quarterly financial reports in 2024, but not to keep us from serving with ministry partners in Cote d'Ivoire who seek to win souls and the nation to Christ alongside us. While we still "do our best and trust the Lord with the rest," the quarterly summaries typically help everyone track where we are financially. We expect that habit will return in 2025

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Thank the Lord for His continued prompting of faithful partners who help us equip the Ivorian people to bring transformation to what are now hundreds of communities! Ask the Lord for good end-of-year giving to prepare for 2025 ministry activities and beyond.
   
• 🙏 Pray for families experiencing the first holidays after a family member or friend passed to Eternity.
   
• 🙏 Continue to pray for Debbie's parents and the decisions needed there. Her mother had an abrupt drop in strength that hopefully can be rectified by changing her thyroid and potassium meds.
  

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: Homeless
        - 241207 PDF
Prior Videos: Worth
        - 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

Homeless

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 241207 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Do you have some specific Bible personages you want to interview in Heaven? During this Advent season, Debbie has mused about what it would be like to speak with Joseph, Jesus' earthly non-biological father. While listening to radio shows sharing about Nashville's Rescue Mission, she pondered that Joseph and Mary faced homelessness twice in the first year of Jesus' life. First, Joseph had the nerve-wracking stress of finding an acceptable place for his pregnant wife to give birth when they arrived in Bethlehem to pay taxes. Surely, he wanted to provide so much more than he saw.

Our firstborn's first Christmas

Next, how terrifying it must have been to flee in the middle of the night with his wee family so that Jesus would not be murdered with other male babies! Imagine being homeless in an African nation where the majority spoke a language you did not know. How many nights did he awaken and cry out to God? Most in our circles enjoy Christmases in warm, decorated homes with abundant food and family we love. There is no shame in a lovely celebration, but the first Christmas and flight to Egypt were not so. Stress, isolation, and dearth only mitigated by a few friends found along the way were more likely the reality. If we could interview them today, Joseph and Mary might find more in common with the people of Asheville, NC, or other transient homeless than most Americans.

Come and See (Psalm 34:8)

The aspect of homelessness in the Christmas story struck Debbie hard. She and her sister seek a different home for their parents. The lease ends on the Payne's rented apartment in February. The words "reasonably priced housing" and "Nashville," i.e., "Franklin," do not really mix in the same sentence. Thank you for praying about this time-sensitive need. Moving to places more distant from nuclear and extended family poses other seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Verlin's week included putting out quite a few small ministry fires, renewing health insurance, completing a financial report, and setting up the training of others in CHE agricultural techniques. Training others capable of learning and teaching the multiple skills our Ivorian coworkers have gained over 20 years is important. Multiplying competent and faithful workers in local CHE efforts is essential. Verlin also experienced a "Blue screen of death" problem with his 6 y.o. laptop during four inconvenient moments after its battery died. Hopefully, software adjustments resuscitated the unit, which seems stable today.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray for December outreaches happening in Cote d'Ivoire to help those in need and any special services planned to reach the unreached by those using CHE and those not using it.
   
• 🙏 Pray for time-sensitive decisions Debbie and her sister need to make with their parents regarding long-term plans for care and living.
   
• 🙏 Pray that Verlin's computer problems are over until he can repair and/or replace the principal unit. The fatiguing Dell XPS 15 unit's failures or using the backup 11 y.o. unit hinders much, including end-of-the-year accounting and turning in financial reports.
  

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: Compliant
        - 241130 PDF
Prior Videos: Worth
        - 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

Compliant

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 241130 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Have you ever spent days, weeks, months, or years completing a task, only to learn that you were sincerely compliant in effort but wrong in the way you executed it? In rehab, Debbie's mother learned that a foot exercise that she had faithfully performed for months was useless to help her lymphedema in the way she did it. Now she "pumps" correctly!

It reminded Debbie of a salesperson with whom she worked in the 1990s, a single mother of one young child, earnestly trying to be a great mother, friend, and co-worker. She called her moral guide "The Gospel according to *," using her first name. She chose ideas from various religions, including Bible thoughts, and lumped them together in her "feel good" code. She was sincerely compliant with her own ethics but sadly missed the necessity of the Gospel and obedience to God's ENTIRE design in community. This mentality permeates the Church, too, and sometimes ourselves, until God brings it to mind for confession and repentance. Abundant life and blessings are our inheritance if we accept the whole counsel of God, not just the precepts that "feel right" to us individually. Lord, help us not lean on our understanding but trust Your ways fully.

Come and See (Psalm 34:8)

Visiting pastors

Verlin enjoyed a busy week welcoming guests and conversing with ministry partners. One night, he housed and dined beef heart soup and greens with three FWB Ivorian pastors who began their Bible Institute classes in our first years in Cote d'Ivoire. They traveled together to attend a conference and learn about AI (Artificial Intelligence), for good or bad. For two nights, he's hosted an evangelist we've equipped in partnership with others. We influence them with counsel, care, and fellowship, for which all still express desire and appreciation. Their world is complicated like ours as we evade the dangers of modern technology yet seek to use it advantageously. We hope the developments help rural African pastors and the believers they teach concerning disease prevention, self-provision of clean water, improving agricultural methods, and sharing God's full gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, as do we.

Our Ivorian colleague laboring to fund and increase ministries using CHE settled a land dispute with villagers, receiving the paperwork to make his sole ownership compliant with Ivorian law. The matriarchal side of his family finger-printed a document that cedes him the land free and clear. He, in turn, publicly dedicates it to CHE agricultural endeavors. The papers go to tribal superiors for signature, stamping, and registration. This is an answer to prayer on the way to have governmental authorities using patriarchal structures to not allow land ownership contestation.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray Ivorian pastors seek the Lord's wisdom in balancing rural life with new realities of our world, like AI. Hard physical fieldwork mixes with cell phone scammers—truly, two worlds collide!
   
• 🙏 Praise the Lord for tangible paperwork progress related to the local agricultural project. The matriarchal side of the family signed an agreement allowing the land to be solely owned!
   
• 🙏 Rejoice that Debbie's mom returned home from rehab the day before Thanksgiving! Doctors and family still have significant medical concerns, but she is resting better at home.
  

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: A Thousand Choices
        - 241123 PDF
Prior Videos: Worth
        - 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

A Thousand Choices

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 241123 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

The renowned British preacher Matthew Henry (1662-1714) wrote a Bible commentary that remains widely popular today. He penned the following in his diary after being accosted once by robbers in London: "Let me be thankful, first, because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed."

Developing a life-long, daily bent of gratitude toward the Lord and others requires effort! As Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth worded it in her book Choosing Gratitude:

"The grateful heart that springs forth in joy is not acquired in a moment; it is the fruit of a thousand choices (our emphasis). It is a godly habit and pattern that over time becomes a new muscle in our spiritual makeup. And though like every other sanctified character trait, it does nothing to make us more loved and accepted by God, gratitude does become a reliable measure for where our hearts are with Him. Look for it, listen for it—and you'll learn a lot about how you're growing—or deficient—in grace." (page 68)

Come and See (Psalm 34:8)

• O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good. For His mercy endureth forever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for His mercy endureth forever. (Psalm 136:1-2 KJV)

• Oh, give thanks to the Lord for the Community Health Evangelism (CHE) leprosy outreach initiated over the past two years, which has let leaders see and affirm excellent results! His mercy endures forever.

• Oh, give thanks for thousands of miles traveled safely and for keeping our family intact, although separated by continents for a time. His mercy endures forever.

• Oh, give thanks for a grandchild on the way after many years of waiting. His mercy endures forever.

• Oh, give thanks for much improvement of Debbie's mom's in rehab and a proposed return home on Tuesday—and an excellent medical referral to a cardiologist whose specialty is helping people with CHF and A-fib adjust medications, diet, and lifestyle changes. The Lord's mercy endures forever.

•

CHE training

Oh, give thanks for the numerous trainings teaching others to use CHE occurring all over West Africa and hundreds of CHE trainers reaching out in thousands of settings from the three when we began. May the transformation Jesus brings be undeniable! His mercy endures forever.

• Oh, give thanks that we were able to say "yes" to ministry opportunities this year because there were sufficient funds. His mercy endures forever.

• Oh, give thanks for excellent ministry partners who pray without ceasing and give sacrificially so that the Ivorian people can experience abundant life in Christ. His mercy endures forever!

• Oh, give thanks to the Lord for the "no" answers He gave to prayers offered because even those were for our good and His glory. His mercy endures forever!!!

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: Seize the Moment
        - 241116 PDF
Prior Videos: Worth
        - 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

Seize the Moment

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 241116 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Isn't it provoking to observe how often Jesus seized the moment to instruct or show compassion based on life's daily activities? Other times, a powerful parable emerged from His lips, prompted by a question from the crowd. Sadly, the hectic pace of life in America often leads us to neglect to seize the moments Jesus gives us to spontaneously interact with children, neighbors, friends, coworkers, and strangers. Unplanned opportunities frequently prove more effective than carefully crafted plans we execute, especially when unplanned encounters revolve around a person in need of encouragement or in crisis. Lord, may we welcome interruptions today that allow us to seize the moment for Your glory! (See the April 25, 2020, carpe diem update).

Come and See (Psalm 34:8)

1 of 7 hibiscus near ready to make
a blood pressure dropping infusion

Verlin invested time in financial reports as he connected with stakeholders and a manufacturer for the CHE project site about eight kilometers north of Bondoukou. He took exercise breaks to walk, readied hibiscus calyx for harvest, fermented some more beans, and made yogurt for healthy, cheap eating while we are apart. He also dealt with an irritating skin rash we have yet to correctly identify after 20 years of experience. It spread to several parts of his body and now seems finished. Last minute on Tuesday, he became informed of an agricultural training event by ECHO rescheduled 3 hours south. Verlin seized the moment and sent two CHE-trained coworkers who use and produce moringa oleifera products. They attend to deepen connections beneficial to the nearby CHE agricultural project and other families.

This update marks the beginning of Debbie's fourth week living in Franklin with her father in her parents' rented apartment to assist her mother in a close-by rehab center. Sandra had a setback with pneumonia this past week, from which she is recovering slowly. We hope she can come home next week to stay active and integrate new habits learned to evade a recurrent event.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray the final ownership papers for the 25+ contiguous hectares of land where the agricultural project develops quell debates. The coming of the brick machine excited matriarchal family land interests, again calling into question community commitments. The matter will now be legally judged before we finalize the purchase and ship the machine for use to save building expenses. (It will be 50% or more less expensive to press the needed bricks by purchasing the machine than to make them locally using cement alone.) There's no need to bring the machine if villagers continue to argue over who has land use rights. The CHE trainer, previously judged as the heir of the land by his father, has worked for several years to legalize the necessary papers. The documents to be publicly presented, validated, and authorized as enforceable by the state are reportedly ready.
   
• 🙏 Continue to pray for the transition of the CHE committees in western Cote d'Ivoire from the leprosy work completed in the first 60 of 160 communities. This remains a monumental opportunity for churches to impact their communities that spin-off additional witness opportunities.
   
• 🙏 Pray for Sandra's (Debbie's mom) complete healing from pneumonia and hopefully return home to their apartment next week from rehab.
  

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: Life's Limitations
        - 241106 PDF
Prior Videos: Worth
        - 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

Life's Limitations

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 241109 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Have you ever thought of life’s limitations as a gift from God? This idea germinated and spread in Debbie’s heart during the week for several reasons. First, she heard a James Dobson broadcast discussing the concept with the author of a book called The Gift of Limitations, by Sara Hagerty. Sara and the host discussed how various limitations in her life were actually conduits to knowing God more intimately. Then, Debbie’s Mom, having a rough day coughing during rehab on Friday, spoke a similar thought about life’s limitations. She had been thinking about her “plan” when she retired from nursing to do many things and serve in many ways that she had not yet been able to do. Yet due to accepted health limitations of the last ten years, the Lord had another plan. So, she counts her days adjusting to A-fib and congestive heart failure as an opportunity equal to that of her serving God for many years as a missionary in Cote d'Ivoire. Truly, life’s limitations do not hinder His pleasure in a daughter or His intent for her remaining years of life

Come and See (Psalm 34:8)

As Debbie spent the last two weeks gladly serving her parents beyond a 40-hour workweek, Verlin communicated with several Community Health Evangelism (CHE) efforts. He inspected the on-site village location where the bricks for the local agricultural demonstration farm will be made. The villagers chose a good location. It will only require stringing electrical cable for about 20 meters and provides easy access to the main road and farm. It’s a good meeting place, too, in the future.

Learning tea recipe

Secondly, he and an Ivorian coworker were able to share and demonstrate to two local ladies the preparations of hibiscus, moringa, papaya, guava, avocado, and mango leaf teas with attention to steeping temperature to gain storage and nutritional advantages. The teas can diminish blood pressure, provide bio-available vitamins and minerals, prevent malaria, help with prostate health, stabilize blood sugar, provide polyphenols, and reduce kidney stones! The limitations of rural African life give optional health choices that provide great results when not thought a disadvantage. Unknowingly, the two helped prepare us to train others.

Thirdly, a master CHE trainer informed him that the NGO and government-initiated CHE project targeting lepers in the initial western-most region of Cote d’Ivoire closes. The teams trained to work with sixty committees, mostly led by pastors, have been steadfastly encouraged to lead the villages to tackle other community problems with the same CHE methods. Some do. Pray effective outreaches in numerous locations continue introducing many people to Jesus to be transformed.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray for the details of preparing the site for the brick-making equipment. Pray villagers continue coming to Christ by working together on this and other endeavors.
   
• 🙏 We give thanks that Debbie’s mother transferred from six days in the hospital to a rehab center close by to build as much strength as possible. She makes good progress.
   
• 🙏 Pray for the transition of the CHE teams trained to combat leprosy. As that government / NGO initiative ends there, pray most teams successfully address other needs in these initial sixty villages letting us learn to transition later to the additional hundred villages targeted by the effort.
  

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: Patriarchal Witness
        - 241102 PDF
Prior Videos: Worth
        - Simple Servants
 

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

Patriarchal Witness

Hi everybody.

This update is late and different. Debbie and I have been so busy separately that we did not communicate about getting this update written and sent until late Saturday night.

Deb remains alongside her parents in Nashville, TN, while I hold down the fort of activities in Bondoukou, Cote d'Ivoire. The week has been blessed. I put together this little bit of news to keep your prayers informed and our faithfulness encouraged.

Deb's mother shed a large amount of her water weight gained at home due to her ongoing experience with congestive heart failure (CHF). Though briefly hospitalized at the beginning of the week, she now rests in a nursing care facility where two weeks of rehab are expected to help her better manage the CHF. Debbie and her sister did much of the running, paperwork, and accompanying at the beginning, but Debbie served as the valuable assistant when her mom transferred to a nursing facility late in the week while her sister took needed time to visit with other beloved family members.

My focus in Cote d'Ivoire has remained with ministry partners in the Bondoukou area. Besides a couple of follow-up meetings on the development of lands at the nearby agricultural site, I completed mundane activities like making banking arrangements for rent, maintenance, and utilities to be paid when I next returned to the US. Debbie and I spoke with mission staff Friday to update them on our third attempt to arrange our following of coached Emotional Focused Therapy (EFT) sessions to learn and use the technique to help ourselves and others. In the meantime, reading and talking over the phone about subjects other than ministry and family will help keep us closer to one another in thought and spirit.

Personal devotions and thought have been focused on the cultural stretching happening here between the matriarchal social culture so dominant culturally, while they also seek the wealth development and maintenance benefits of patriarchal culture. It's an interesting contrast for me to hear the US election news, reminding me that the US patriarchal cultural heritage and families there remain under siege by many who believe that integrating more matriarchal ideas in marriages will lead to more blessing and peace. It reminds me of what my father once regularly expressed when seeing how people could chase futility due to discontent: "The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence."

In fact, I wanted to share my thoughts as this update, but it took me over 1,500 words over four hours just to get some thoughts down with relevant links to help guide discussions with others. It still needs to be polished and more clearly expressive of my thoughts, but you can read them in development in this linked PDF if you're interested. There's a good story about an 8-year-old witness to Jesus in it. Keeping this share shorter, it's relevant because I actually discussed Scriptural understandings with a believer experiencing distress with his wife who believes the child of a now departed sister is the responsibility of her family even though the father seeks to care for the child and pay for the child's education while he seeks another life partner. That's different to life in the US! In the end, after nearly two hours of conversation about God's design and how to best help others choose to obey God over human traditions, we concluded two things:

A) He would redouble his efforts to teach family by reading progressively through the holy scriptures at home and not depend upon church attendance alone to teach his family God's heart and established ways.

B) We would each meet with two pastors on Sunday and set a time to get together as a group to discuss the relevant issues and seek counsel from one another.

The conversation allowed me to surprisingly rejoice about a family involved in a neighborhood Discovery Bible Study I encouraged him to start over three years ago. He did not share until today that a drunk who had been abusing his wife got saved and that he and his now-saved wife moved to another town for work. They now attend a church faithfully there. That makes the third neighbor who has professed the Lord and moved on since we've been in this house since 2016. Their meeting with God happened during our absence from here between November 2023 and April 2024. This encourages us as we map out plans to win others we speak of as 'wayward brothers' or 'wayward servants' who follow another religious tradition and cannot experience the power of the Holy Spirit in their day-to-day lives since they do not know Jesus as Lord. That planning will likely be part of the discussion with the other pastors, too.

PRAYER ITEMS: 

1) Please continue praying for Debbie and me as we do the EFT together while apart and re-plan our times together. The plans we made prior to my return here in July were shifted for care and scheduling reasons.

2) Keep praying for the leprosy outreach and the locally funded Christmas Tree-operated gift witness. A couple of calls did not connect me for an update this week.

3) Thank you for your ongoing prayers and support. We have four months of back expenses to catch up on and provide an accurate reading of how our account finances are doing. Your prayers that we can concentrate and have the time to do those reports while active with everything else are appreciated.

Blessings,
Verlin & Debbie