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.

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