All-Excelling Love

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 251220 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of Heav'n to Earth come down, 

Fix in us thy humble dwelling, All thy faithful mercies crown; 

Jesus, thou art all compassion, Pure, unbounded love thou art; 

Visit us with thy salvation, Enter ev'ry trembling heart.—Charles Wesley

Memory Rose

This week of Advent extols the all-excelling, unfailing love of God. Nothing can compare to the condescension of Jesus as He deigned to walk among us and die for our sins. Submerged in that perfect example, our aim is to be conduits of His love and grace as His Spirit works through us. When believers forgive the unforgivable, love the unlovable, and serve the untouchable, we demonstrate that we are His children. Today marked the one-year anniversary of Debbie’s mother, Sandra, taking her final breath on earth and waking up in Jesus’ presence. Debbie displayed this rose today in grateful memory of the myriad of ways Sandra served tirelessly and loved extravagantly. Her daily habit of saying yes to Jesus allowed His love to touch thousands of people through her—most especially her family and friends. It was a day of tearful but joyous memories.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

Exhaustion took its toll during a busy week of work and ministry. Verlin and a friend worked in pouring rain and bitter cold to move the ramp project forward. Hired help completed the indoor bathroom project that we needed. Debbie developed what may be a pinched nerve in her back, but still shared caregiving responsibilities for her dad and handled many hours of business for him. We enjoyed a family Christmas dinner with our children and several celebration church gatherings while also completing end of year mission reporting. We pray that you and we find the necessary moments to be still in the presence of Emmanuel, God with us. May His amazing love always be the impetus for our words and actions. Joyous Christmas, dear friends!

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Praise God for His all-excelling, unfailing love! May we transmit that love in faithful obedience. Father, help us identify people around us who need Your salvation and loving touch.
   
• 🙏 Pray for family strength as the caregiving load increases to meet the needs of Debbie’s dad.
   
• 🙏 Join us in interceding for several of our missionary colleagues who live in places where civil war and skirmishes are ongoing.
  

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: Joy, Joy, Joy
        - 251213 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

Joy, Joy, Joy

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 251213 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

“Joy in the New Testament is more than emotion; it is the settled, Spirit-given delight that arises from the redemptive acts and abiding presence of God. It is rooted in divine initiative, experienced in the believer, and expressed both now and in the age to come.” (from Bible Hub's description of Strong’s Greek “chara”).

Joy, Joy, Joy

The third week of Advent focuses on joy—mentioned around 165 times in the KJV New Testament, and more in other translations. “…I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.” (Lk. 2:10) Joy reminders fill our house during the Christmas season. Debbie’s middle name is Joy. So, at times, she is gifted with joy ornaments or decorations. That pleases her, especially since one of her favorite life verses is Psalm 16:11: “In thy presence is fulness of joy…” Here and now, or forever in Heaven, His abiding presence is a glorious reality.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

On Tuesday, Debbie’s dad was placed on home hospice. Whether his eternal home-going is days or months from now, his view of having experienced a joy-filled life encourages visiting healthcare workers. There is no dread in his spirit. The settled belief of a better Home awaiting him in the Lord’s timing guides his attitude. On Friday, Debbie was there when he met the lady who would serve as his hospice chaplain, on call as needed. (She is the first African-American woman to receive a Master of Divinity degree in 2014 at a popular Nashville Christian college.) Eddie felt compelled to tell her that he had no problem with his chaplain being a woman. She was surprised and thanked him for saying it aloud. They laughed and shared experiences for some time. Then she asked him to pray, and was touched by his recognition of her utilitarian role in caring for the dying.

Verlin made marked progress with a volunteer helper on the deck and ramp work, although he labored alone most of the week. He still checks for helpers, paid or volunteer, but is not willing to lose more than fifteen to twenty minutes checking on others’ availability on any given day when a second or third pair of hands would be helpful. Together, we prepared some reports, and Debbie sent a Christmas letter to all our ministry partners by mail. Every year, this is a stressfully busy but blessed time. Remembering with thanksgiving the Lord’s provision of time, material, and the people who join with us to share the Good News in Cote d’Ivoire and the surrounding West African nations brightens our spirits. Your presence in our lives is a great source of joy!

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Two people we thought might be able to help Verlin for pay to scarf some joints stated themselves as unavailable in the cold weather. They were also unfamiliar with how to do the work. So, pray trustfully that the Lord speeds the work along with or without additional help.
   
• 🙏 Corbin, our third-born child, moved to Kentucky for a new engineering job with good potential for growth. Ask the Lord to bless his relocation and finding a church home. One of his best friends from college also works for the company.
   
• 🙏 Thank the Lord for the smooth transition of Debbie’s dad to home hospice care. There remain some details to work out. He appears stable while progressively weakening.
  

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: Bad News Bloopers
        - 251206 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

Bad News Bloopers

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 251206 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

Announcing news can be a tricky thing in different cultures. Peace is kept by no one’s world being abruptly changed. A missionary friend warned Debbie about the way to announce death when we arrived in Côte d’Ivoire in 2000. When a beloved African pastor died in an accident several decades before, C. found out and hurried to tell friends the tragedy—sharing the news quickly, plainly, and with tears. Some time later, several Ivorians reprimanded her. In Ivorian culture, a person approaches the process of announcing another’s death slowly and deliberately. It is expected to meet the person, greet them with a serious tone, invite them to sit, offer them a drink, explain that there is some bad news, give them a moment to prepare, and then gently slide into the details, preferably in a roundabout way. It may take an hour or longer. A decade later, Verlin short-circuited the approach, inadvertently rushing through the process as the hearer and news bearer were busy. The person receiving the news told him, “Pastor, that’s too abrupt. You almost gave me a heart attack!”

Although it's helpful to be culturally sensitive, we take comfort in the way Jesus directly addressed the subjects of life and death, reward and judgment. Good news can be heart-pounding, too! We imagine Mary receiving news of her impending pregnancy from an angel, or the surprising announcement by angelic hosts to simple shepherds. Little wonder that several biblical angelic announcements began with “Fear not!” This week’s Advent focus is on peace. Not the external kind based on circumstances or the absence of war, but the shalom that comes from God Himself when we are in right relationship with Him. It is personal peace experienced despite any turbulence of changing circumstances or announcements. We experience His shalom shalom (perfect peace as revealed in Isaiah 26:3) when we keep our minds fixed on Him to trust and obey what we know.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

Thanksgiving Eddie & great-grand

While Debbie spent much of the week helping her father, Verlin checked on speeding up the ramp and deck construction in anticipation that Eddie, Debbie’s dad, may need to move here for a time in mid-December. Household repairs of a leaky shower faucet and a vehicle’s wiper motor were done as he continued on the deck and checked on some paid help availability. The paid help and one of the two regular volunteers are not available. So we trust the Lord to time all things as Verlin continued to connect with Ivorians about good works displaced from planned times.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Pray for CHE trainers in Cote d’Ivoire whose ministries are focused on people who adhere to another religion. The work is hard, but the Lord continues to open doors and soften hearts. Pray heavenly insight leads many people to choose Jesus, despite threats and persecution.
   
• 🙏 Trust the Lord with us to provide what is lacking in our monthly support and send new ministry partners our way for next year’s needs. Thank you if He has led you to be part of that provision!
   
• 🙏 On the health front for Eddie, the only constant is change. This week, Debbie and her sister decided to pursue more help at home for his needs. Because he is so weak, we will not pursue moving him to Cookeville at this time
  

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: Advent Hope
        - 251129 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