Discarded Treasure

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 251018 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

"I know why God has me living—it’s all for the advancement of His Gospel,” Joni said. “There have been seasons I’ve thought I might be close to the end of my days here on earth, but each time God has brought me back from the edge with a renewed sense of purpose to tell more people about Jesus. Especially families struggling with disability.—Joni Eareckson Tada (view a Christianity Today article, Oct. 2025)

This month, Joni Eareckson Tada turned 76 years old. That in itself is a miracle from the Lord. When she broke her neck at age 17, the doctors did not expect her to live for more than ten years. Instead, she has become one of the longest-living quadriplegics on record. Despite much pain and battling cancer recently, her joy in the Lord and strength of purpose to continue ministry are unwavering. Her outreach, Joni and Friends, and radio presence give hope to thousands of people, especially those with disabilities. Notice in the quotation that she believes the Lord extended her days on earth specifically to share the Gospel more widely, as she has done for decades! If her story is new to you, be inspired to view people with disabilities as the treasure they are here.

Che Disability Training

Joni’s story is almost unthinkable in third-world countries like Côte d’Ivoire. Typically, the disabled are discarded, killed, considered a curse from God, or, at the least, marginalized. To view the disabled as a gift from God, with much to offer the world, is genuinely a Christian perspective. Community Health Evangelism offers specialized training to equip trainers to minister to individuals with disabilities effectively, so they, in turn, can minister to yet others. We continue to pray that a group of Ivorians will be moved to focus CHE on these individuals in Côte d’Ivoire, just as a pastor CHE trainer in Liberia did this year, as described in this report.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

We were blessed with another week of felt progress, albeit slow on some fronts. Communications from Ivorians demonstrate that CHE work continues with vigor, although several trainers voice an eagerness for Verlin’s return. Landscaping to preserve the deck footings for the landings to accommodate the 40-foot ramp moves forward. Verlin works 8-10 hours a day, six days a week. He appreciates two friends who helped for several days. Debbie was home in Cookeville for three days. She completed our mission financial report and caught up on other mission paperwork and home duties. She returned to her dad on Friday to accompany him to the first nephrology (kidney doctor) appointment. He continues in rehab, trying to regain strength for daily life at home.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray for the effective transfer of leadership on the CHE university team. The professor who initiated the project retires from public visibility, and other changes are also underway. Also, remember the same professor and team as they seek final legal paperwork for their vibrant ministry, which helps save marriages and cultivates biblical family dynamics.
   
• 🙏 Ivorian presidential elections are seven days away. Recently, opposition parties were denied the right to assemble peacefully, despite the current president holding rallies. Continue to pray for a peaceful outcome.
   
• 🙏 Pray with us that CHE ministries by people with disabilities develop in Cote d’Ivoire and grow in neighboring nations, where disabled people tend to be marginalized or discarded.
  

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: Pass the Baton
        - 251011 PDF
Prior Videos: Worth
        - Reflect & Rejoice
 

2024 Q1 Q2 Report: First Resort
  -  2024 Q1 Q2 Report 250906 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

Pass the Baton

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 251011 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Watching relay races in track is always a nail-biter. Will that small baton safely and quickly pass from one runner to another? Similarly, much of the Christian walk involves passing the baton to other people in the spiritual race of life. Future generations will not have the Gospel if we fail in this task. We think of Jesus perfectly training His disciples, Paul investing his life in people like Timothy and Epaphras, Elijah passing the prophetic mantle to Elisha, and Moses modeling leadership for Joshua. At the heart of Community Health Evangelism (CHE) is the key principle of passing the baton—multiplication. Every training completed is designed to multiply workers; every skill learned is not for selfish use, but intended to bless countless people.

CHE Internship contact page

One piece of evidence that passing the baton is effectively happening in Côte d’Ivoire is hinted at in the number of people who request to attend the CHE Internship Training in Ghana each year. A maximum of four Ivorians are preparing to participate in 2026, as was the case this year. Others want to attend, but there is a limit per country. Only trainers who are busily implementing CHE in their contexts are invited. Praise God for this evidence of much effort to develop transformational ministries!

A second indicator of passing the baton is that Côte d’Ivoire hopes to host the International Wholistic Missions Conference (IWMC) in 2028, just as the Albanians hosted this year. Many Africans cannot afford air flights to the United States or Europe for international meetings of CHE leaders. Having one conference on the African continent in an upcoming year would open possibilities for CHE laborers in that part of the world.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

Occasionally, we need to inform you of financial adjustments. Rarely do we discuss funding, except to say thanks, but we have promised to tell you about significant changes. Two dear friends were promoted to heaven this year. They gave monthly. Another beloved couple will not be able to contribute a large lump sum at the end of 2025, as they have done faithfully in past years. He retired earlier than expected. What a blessing to have partners who inform us of changes, which allows us to prepare! In total, we need to replace about $10,000 of yearly ministry income. Thank you for praying about it. We trust the Lord to provide, as He always does.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 You prayed for the Albanians who hosted the IWMC this year, and for people who needed visas. The Lord blessed the conference, and attendees were touched and encouraged by the CHE efforts in Albania. Americans obtained the necessary visas to attend. However, Ivorians learned too late that they would need to go through France to get a visa, because Côte d’Ivoire does not have diplomatic ties with Albania. Lessons learned on timing and pursuing visas much earlier!
   
• 🙏 Ask the Lord to provide the missing monthly income as we rejoice in the incredibly faithful friendship and ministry partnership of three people who can no longer contribute to CHE in Cote d’Ivoire.
   
• 🙏 Debbie’s dad is settling into a rehab facility to gain strength for a few weeks before returning home. He is grateful to be out of the hospital after a twelve-day stay.
  

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: Unseen Hand
        - 251004 PDF
Prior Videos: Worth
        - Reflect & Rejoice
 

2024 Q1 Q2 Report: First Resort
  -  2024 Q1 Q2 Report 250906 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

Unseen Hand

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 251004 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

There is a hand, unseen by me,
That leads through ways I cannot see;
While going through this world of woe,
This hand still leads me as I go.

I’m trusting in the unseen hand
That guides me through this weary land.
And some sweet day I’ll reach that strand,
Still guided by the unseen hand.

--Sims

A challenge of life is trusting our Savior’s unseen hand during times of change and crisis. Three weeks ago, we asked you to pray for an Ivorian CHE trainer who was struggling with life choices and needed direction for his future. The “unseen hand” answered him in recent days. He received an opportunity to continue working in the CHE leprosy outreach in a new location! His skill set and experience give depth to the team. He also learns to trust the Lord more during times of silence and waiting. Thank you for praying.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

Verlin continues to share this Sunday in Cookeville. On tasks to finish before departing, he gratefully accepted the help and fellowship of two friends on our property. One helped for two days as cement was mixed and poured for 16 of the 32 cement footings. Another friend who has farmed for decades gave excellent advice to improve several water drainage problems and also deepened a drainage channel on Saturday evening. This resolves one ancillary issue among others, while the cement footings cure, allowing the deck framing to begin next week and the construction to be completed within the month. When the deck is done, Verlin intends to book his ticket to leave the States.

Debbie spent the whole week with her father, as hospital staff continued to evaluate his health with procedures. A heart procedure clarified the extent of a leaky valve and showed a troublesome blood clot. One of his legs had two additional blood clots. A kidney biopsy explained other symptoms that will require other changes. Both his cardiologist and nephrologist from the hospital will continue his future care.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Continue to pray for Debbie’s dad’s health and many adjustments.
   
• 🙏 The Lord provided a special answer to a prayer request from a few weeks back. Our Ivorian CHE trainer friend received specific direction in the offer of a job to continue fighting leprosy in central Côte d’Ivoire! Pray that this new endeavor will be as fruitful as that done in the first series of villages in southwestern Côte d’Ivoire.
   
• 🙏 Another Ivorian brother, who repairs and keeps our vehicle during our absences, traveled to Burkina Faso for his mother’s funeral. Pray for the family’s adjustments.
  

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: Worn Parts
        - 250927 PDF
Prior Videos: Worth
        - Reflect & Rejoice
 

2024 Q1 Q2 Report: First Resort
  -  2024 Q1 Q2 Report 250906 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