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.

Sandra Payne College JPGIt 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
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: What It Takes
        - 241221 PDF
Prior Videos: Worth
        - 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
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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
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: Homeless
        - 241207 PDF
Prior Videos: Worth
        - 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
No comments:

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.
Firstborn's First Christmas
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
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: Compliant
        - 241130 PDF
Prior Videos: Worth
        - 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
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