Recalibrate

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

We appreciate friends and ministries that regularly recalibrate to improve their effectiveness for the growth of God's Kingdom. Our mission, Christian Health Service Corps (CHSC), frequently evaluates systems in place to meet the needs of missionaries and keep bookkeeping simple. That is not easy when we have grown 10-fold in the past decade! Recently, administrative staff spent hundreds of hours evaluating how to recalibrate their giving platform. Nothing changes if you contribute by mailing in donations. If you give recurring gifts online, you will begin to receive receipts from Qgiv after November 1st. The change should happen automatically, so there is nothing for you to do. Please get in touch with us if you experience any difficulty. We usually can find answers in minutes. CHSC's staff will always respond quickly and kindly if we fail. Thank you for continuing to help us equip the Ivorian people in extraordinary ways to experience abundant life in Jesus.

Come and See (Psalm 34:8)

241026-Stakeholders
Stakeholders
Verlin visited a clinic administrator and some missionary friends who minister about three hours south of Bondoukou this week. They seek ways to recalibrate their Community Health Evangelism (CHE) approaches in clinic and village outreaches. The missionary family also desires to recalibrate relationships so their children can better thrive. Pray that their staff and partners will receive clarity and learn concrete steps to make them more effective. Verlin also met with stakeholders from the small village where the brick-making equipment will likely be placed and initially used after soil studies. Thankfully, on Wednesday, he received the contact information for the equipment makers to check the availability of parts, etc.

Prayer & Praise

  • πŸ™ Pray that the clinic and staff consider a re-training or two for using CHE effectively. May they decide to engage wholeheartedly for the sake of the Gospel and health in their community or realize they need another method to advance.
     
  • πŸ™ Sandra Payne's body (Debbie's mother) needs to recalibrate by losing water weight caused by congestive heart failure. She was admitted to the hospital on Thursday.
     
  • πŸ™ Jerry Pinkerton was promoted to Heaven last Sunday night. Continue to pray for his wife Carol and all the family.
Your partners in the Gospel,
Verlin & Debbie
TN_Homestead-VerlinDeb-20191214_103927.jpg
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 Phone Call
        - 241019 PDF

Prior Videos: Worth
        - Simple Servants

 
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
iContact
Read online:
A Phone Call

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

We are blessed to maintain connections with several ministerial friends who make multi-generational impacts on families and ministries. When our family arrived in Cote d'Ivoire (the RCI) in July of 2000, Jerry and Carol Pinkerton were one of two missionary couples who received and situated us for life in the RCI during a few days of orientation before we traveled north. Debbie loved "Uncle Jerry" and "Aunt Carol" when growing up as a missionary kid in Cote d'Ivoire. Carol taught her to bake Snickerdoodles and wrote notes of encouragement. Our children called them uncle and aunt, too, and were blessed by their influence. They were never more than a phone call away whenever we desired advice. When shared ministry objectives needed someone to fill in during the absence of others, like at a boarding school or a Bible Institute, the Pinkertons often adjusted their ministry priorities to keep joint ministries going. They served the Ivorian people faithfully for decades. We pray for this family of friends as Jerry receives hospice care at home and will likely draw his last breath soon.

People who are willing to be a phone call help in any setting. This week, Debbie, her parents, and her sister were surprised and blessed by the kindness of the Paynes' general practice doctor. As Debbie's mom has endured some added setbacks while recovering her physical health in the last month, the doctor gave us his personal cell phone number to keep him aware of progress after some medicine changes.

Come and See (Psalm 34:8)

241019-brick-making-equipment
The 2-ton press for brick-making
After a 9-hour drive, Verlin and a local brother initiating the regional agricultural project saw the brick-making equipment last week. They learned some new details, including that the numerous pieces of equipment were unpacked but never assembled to make bricks because the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted and displaced a ministry. Sourcing documents to verify that all necessary pieces are present and making connections to obtain replacement parts assure us that all can be put in working order via phone calls is part of the decision-making process. The process promises to deepen local relations in the region of Bondoukou. A 13-hour return trip with a stop in Abidjan confirmed that the site there could not be readied in time to make use of the automated hydraulic press to produce cement-stabilized compressed earth bricks during this year.

While evaluating the status of the equipment and validating plans for its use, Verlin and M. visited with a CHE trainer who remains intrinsic to the CHE leprosy prevention and treatment outreach. The carefully documented number of lepers continues to stagger the region. The public health effort integrating CHE approaches with volunteer church and community leaders identified over 185 thousand individuals in sixty communities with oversight committees, assessed over 181 thousand individuals (>97%), and found more than 1 person in 200 having leprosy. Those identified for treatment exceed 0.6% of the regional population. All the evaluations and diagnosis confirmations were accomplished without costing the government health system an additional cent and the NGO very little, except for minimal-cost community gestures like providing contributed wheelbarrows. The measurable CHE successes piqued the interest of other leaders. Observing educators connected with CHE-trained NGO team members now consider increasing involvement and efficacity to build community support for the local educational system. Another 'Christmas Tree' project inspired by Operation Christmas Child, depending only upon local operation funding while using CHE processes, was considered in a Thursday meeting. Verlin has yet to hear initial news from the meeting.

Prayer & Praise

  • πŸ™ Pray for our friends Jerry and Carol Pinkerton. Jerry is reportedly in-home Hospice care and just breaths away from Heaven. Pray for the entire family's continued vibrant testimony of the Lord’s faithfulness.
     
  • πŸ™ Ask the Lord to prepare the path for smooth transport and set-up of the cement-stabilized compressed earth bricks block press (improved gΓ©o-bΓ©ton).
     
  • πŸ™ Pray for the CHE teams involved in the leprosy programs in western Cote d'Ivoire, especially as CHE trainers remain sparse in the region containing the 60 villages, growing to a targeted 160 villages. Also, pray for the supportive and auxiliary Christmas outreach spearheaded by some Christians on the CHE teams.
Your partners in the Gospel,
Verlin & Debbie
TN_Homestead-VerlinDeb-20191214_103927.jpg
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: Soil, Sacks, and Salvation
        - 241012 PDF

Prior Videos: Simple Servants
        - Reflect & Rejoice

 
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

A Phone Call

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

We are blessed to maintain connections with several ministerial friends who make multi-generational impacts on families and ministries. When our family arrived in Cote d'Ivoire (the RCI) in July of 2000, Jerry and Carol Pinkerton were one of two missionary couples who received and situated us for life in the RCI during a few days of orientation before we traveled north. Debbie loved "Uncle Jerry" and "Aunt Carol" when growing up as a missionary kid in Cote d'Ivoire. Carol taught her to bake Snickerdoodles and wrote notes of encouragement. Our children called them uncle and aunt, too, and were blessed by their influence. They were never more than a phone call away whenever we desired advice. When shared ministry objectives needed someone to fill in during the absence of others, like at a boarding school or a Bible Institute, the Pinkertons often adjusted their ministry priorities to keep joint ministries going. They served the Ivorian people faithfully for decades. We pray for this family of friends as Jerry receives hospice care at home and will likely draw his last breath soon.

People who are willing to be a phone call help in any setting. This week, Debbie, her parents, and her sister were surprised and blessed by the kindness of the Paynes' general practice doctor. As Debbie's mom has endured some added setbacks while recovering her physical health in the last month, the doctor gave us his personal cell phone number to keep him aware of progress after some medicine changes.

Come and See (Psalm 34:8)

241019-brick-making-equipment
The 2-ton press for brick-making
After a 9-hour drive, Verlin and a local brother initiating the regional agricultural project saw the brick-making equipment last week. They learned some new details, including that the numerous pieces of equipment were unpacked but never assembled to make bricks because the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted and displaced a ministry. Sourcing documents to verify that all necessary pieces are present and making connections to obtain replacement parts assure us that all can be put in working order via phone calls is part of the decision-making process. The process promises to deepen local relations in the region of Bondoukou. A 13-hour return trip with a stop in Abidjan confirmed that the site there could not be readied in time to make use of the automated hydraulic press to produce cement-stabilized compressed earth bricks during this year.

While evaluating the status of the equipment and validating plans for its use, Verlin and M. visited with a CHE trainer who remains intrinsic to the CHE leprosy prevention and treatment outreach. The carefully documented number of lepers continues to stagger the region. The public health effort integrating CHE approaches with volunteer church and community leaders identified over 185 thousand individuals in sixty communities with oversight committees, assessed over 181 thousand individuals (>97%), and found more than 1 person in 200 having leprosy. Those identified for treatment exceed 0.6% of the regional population. All the evaluations and diagnosis confirmations were accomplished without costing the government health system a cent and the NGO very little, except for minimal-cost community gestures like providing contributed wheelbarrows. The measurable CHE successes piqued the interest of other leaders. Observing educators connected with CHE-trained NGO team members now consider increasing involvement and efficacity to build community support for the local educational system. Another 'Christmas Tree' project inspired by Operation Christmas Child, depending only upon local operation funding while using CHE processes, was considered in a Thursday meeting. Verlin has yet to hear initial news from the meeting.

Prayer & Praise

  • πŸ™ Pray for our friends Jerry and Carol Pinkerton. Jerry is reportedly in-home Hospice care and just breaths away from Heaven. Pray for the entire family's continued vibrant testimony of the Lord’s faithfulness.
     
  • πŸ™ Ask the Lord to prepare the path for smooth transport and set-up of the cement-stabilized compressed earth bricks block press (improved gΓ©o-bΓ©ton).
     
  • πŸ™ Pray for the many CHE teams involved in the leprosy programs in western Cote d'Ivoire, especially as CHE trainers remain sparse in the region containing the 60 villages, growing to a targeted 160 villages. Also, pray for the supportive and auxiliary Christmas outreach spearheaded by some Christians on the CHE teams.
Your partners in the Gospel,
Verlin & Debbie
TN_Homestead-VerlinDeb-20191214_103927.jpg
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: Soil, Sacks, and Salvation
        - 241012 PDF

Prior Videos: Worth
        - Simple Servants

 
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

Soil, Sacks, and Salvation

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Soil, sacks, and salvation may seem odd to discuss in a missionary update! It makes perfect sense in a Community Health Evangelism (CHE) context. One agricultural technique becoming popular around the world is sack farming. We know numerous people in West Africa who use this method effectively in their CHE ministries. City dwellers with little space find sack farming a great alternative, as do people concerned about water conservation and the capacity to move crops around. Other benefits include pest control, weed reduction, proximity to home, and making experimentation easier. Check out this phenomenon online in articles and YouTube videos!

241012-Sack-farming-2
Sack farming in action
One of our FWB CHE pastors began using this agricultural tool after seeing it effectively demonstrated at the CHE Internship Center when he attended. Soil, sacks, and salvation relate to sack farming in his context because it is a witnessing opportunity. He now has over 40 people (most of whom adhere to a religion besides Christianity) ready to be trained in CHE. Neighbors and friends have seen his family's use of sack farming and other agricultural or health improvements, and they are now prepared to learn.

Come and See (Psalm 34:8)

Verlin finished some home projects this week, including repairing the hot water heater and ridding our cement patio of green slime and holes that invited falls and twisted ankles. Having been gone months, important banking and upkeep issues remain for Verlin to address, but several were handled. Late in the week, he drove to Gagnoa to evaluate large brick-making equipment we mentioned last week. GΓ©o-bΓ©ton bricks, made of soil and 5 to 10% cement, are very durable and significantly cheaper. He also visited a CHE teammate and some Raoul Follereau CHE sites (prevention of leprosy programs).

Prayer & Praise

  • πŸ™ Thank the Lord for Verlin's safe journey to western Cote d'Ivoire to see the builders of the physical and spiritual Kingdom of God and to evaluate the brick-making equipment.
     
  • πŸ™ Pray for CHE practitioners learning to use sack farming and having Gospel opportunities by teaching their neighbors some practical agricultural methods.
     
  • πŸ™ Continue to pray for Debbie as she searches for new housing for her parents. She had a 3-day setback when a back muscle spasmed, but moving and driving is almost pain-free now.
Your partners in the Gospel,
Verlin & Debbie
TN_Homestead-VerlinDeb-20191214_103927.jpg
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: Venture Out
        - 241005 PDF

Prior Videos: Simple Servants
        - Reflect & Rejoice

 
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

Venture out

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

This week, we rejoiced as stories surfaced of veterans, pilots, first responders, pastors, churches, and neighbors rescuing Hurricane Helene victims, working to do good despite discouragements of overwhelmed governance. We have many friends in devastated areas. Thank the Lord for the people who venture out of their comfort zones to share supplies or rescue others. In one story of romance, a father walked 30 miles overnight to attend his daughter's wedding in Johnson City, Tennessee, to perform his responsibilities! These individuals make us proud to be Americans.

Candidly, the global church needs reminders of the impacts that happen when believers venture out together into our communities and their worlds. The Kingdom does not grow when believers huddle in homes and church buildings. Venturing out requires time, effort, and risk. Thankfully, the outreach rarely requires heroics. It can be as simple as giving a meal, providing a ride, or mowing a neighbor's lawn. All of us can take the opportunity to venture out in Jesus' name if we keep our eyes open and cultivate servant hearts daily, even if bedridden and receiving visitors.

Come and See (Psalm 34:8)

241002-1528-ATR-Ollo-met-Goumere-241001
Part of training
Verlin interrupted his week to venture out and bless a brother in Christ with an unplanned ride to Abidjan. On Tuesday, he went to Goumere to deliver a repaired printer needed for income generation and visit one of our pastors who helped at the university CHE training. As Verlin prepped to leave, he helped receive a Nigerian pastor giving a one-day seminar the next day. The workshop aimed to help the congregation venture out of the walls built by their heritage of African Traditional Religions and become more effective witnesses in life and ministry. After the visiting speaker showed interest during a brief exchange on seeing the video we shared last week, Verlin decided to attend with three others who promote family Bible studies in Bondoukou. The speaker's message overlapped with CHE and Discovery Bible Study (DBS) principles. He and Verlin decided to further their exchange. Verlin's driving him to Abidjan provided sufficient time when a bus ride was missed. (He also needed to finish two other follow-up meetings in Abidjan). The 6 hours of ministerial conversations let Verlin connect the speaker as one partnering with another Nigerian Baptist pastor in Abidjan with whom Verlin has already been planning training in Community Health Evangelism (CHE)! Verlin met with the other on Thursday. The two met today at their conference to examine with others the interest of all considering using CHE as their ministerial strategy during a future training of trainers (TOT). We pray that these will form a CHE team in SE Cote d'Ivoire, where no training team is dedicated to growing and planting churches.

Prayer & Praise

  • πŸ™ Ask the Lord to guide the group of Nigerian Baptists who met today and whose leadership planned to discuss considering CHE as a primary evangelistic and discipleship strategy to use.
     
  • πŸ™ Pray for the ongoing development of strong CHE training teams and sites in nine areas of Cote d'Ivoire. Thank the Lord that groups exist in seven of the nine regions anticipated since 2008, making participation in TOTs less expensive. We pray and work that the CHE training happens in all nine areas annually.
     
  • πŸ™ Pray for a safe and productive trip to see the brick-making equipment, which will probably be late next week. Ask the Lord to clarify if the first use of the equipment is feasible for partners living and working around Abidjan.
Your partners in the Gospel,
Verlin & Debbie
TN_Homestead-VerlinDeb-20191214_103927.jpg
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: Worth
        - 240928 PDF

Prior Videos: Simple Servants
        - Reflect & Rejoice

 
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