Sharpening the Axe

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 240817 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.

— Abraham Lincoln

Abe Lincoln's quote relates to anyone preparing and planning a Community Health Evangelism (CHE) training or ministry. "Sharpening the axe" requires dedication and much time before the week-long sessions of over 35 hours each begin, especially when the experience involves more than one classroom. Every year, more than ten people each spend hundreds of hours organizing the week-long CHE efforts at the university over months, not to mention the 75+ individuals who support the effort during the training. Together, each learns to model key CHE principles, such as how to best sharpen the axe to overcome the "problem tree" in their workplace, communities, and spheres of influence.

This "sharpening the axe" principle applies to all domains of life, like sermon preparation, teaching, and even good play! It is not unusual for pastors to study and pray 15-30, even 60+ hours or more over months to prep Sunday morning sermons. They, as all believers, are learners. The Holy Spirit transforms His own. The Lord Jesus prayed all night before choosing the disciples or going to the cross. He prepared His disciples with clear instructions before sending them out. Learning to bear a cross coincides with "sharpening the axe" for every believer as the Lord transforms us.

Come and See (Psalm 34:8)

Packing for Abidjan

Verlin remained in the throes of sharpening the axe for the CHE university exposition all week. One detail among the many taking an unexpected chunk of time for him and two others involves ensuring that trainers receive(d) invitation letters to show their bosses or to obtain travel visas. He prepped equipment for the training and dealt with some lost time when local Internet service was interrupted for a day. He leaves for Abidjan on Sunday after joining in a local worship service. Once there, he will begin many more hours of preparation and training for others on-site, dropping off foodstuffs, papers, and other materials besides those in the image. On Friday, he also popped in for a few hours at the Ivorian National Association of FWB meeting. There, he witnessed the finish of an ordination service for a minister who developed skills alongside us between 2000 and 2009.

Debbie also lives through a period of intense information-gathering and improving skills to help the family. Assisting her parents at this juncture includes acquiring some "axes" she has never picked up before, besides learning how to wield them properly! We both need wisdom and stamina on separate continents as we flex and hold individual crosses while supporting one another from afar during this age of marvelous electronic communication.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray that the legalized invitation and the subsequent visa application are submitted and completed in time for an international CHE trainer to arrive in Cote d'Ivoire on August 29th.
   
• 🙏 Continue to pray for university preparations. Verlin connects with people to help organize the CHE trainer resource room before, during, and after the training. Debbie, almost alone, has managed this task for the last few years. It requires effort when 4 or 5 trainings co-occur with 20 trainers.
   
• 🙏 Ask for an excellent location in Abidjan to host the CHE regional meeting scheduled for September 11-12 after the university training.
  

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: Break Bread
        - 240810 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
 
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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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