Community Health Evangelism

Angie Overholt, Missionary, Honduras
The Call, October-December 2016

For over two decades now, Larry and I have enjoyed working in Community Health Evangelism.

CHE is a model that takes a holistic approach toward community development. According to the CHE Network website, “CHE seamlessly integrates evangelism and discipleship with community health and development.” 

Evangelism and discipleship are the foundational principles that define CHE and set the model apart from secular health promotion models that have been used around the world by health extension workers. We believe that the CHE program in Choluteca, Honduras, has been successful because it is built on both biblical principles and sound community development theory.

The apostle Paul wrote, "Do not be conformed to this world, but continuously be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God’s will is—what is proper, pleasing, and perfect" (Romans 12:2 ISV). Real transformational learning is made possible when people accept Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. Accepting Christ leads to a dramatic change in worldview that will positively impact individuals as well as entire communities. 

As a result of applying CHE principles in Honduras, we have seen people’s lives transformed in ways that we could never have imagined. The multiplication principles apply to healthcare as well as spiritual evangelism and discipleship. New converts are always excited to tell others of the life-changing experiences that they are going through. Using the CHE model of education, the “good news” is communicated throughout the social system in the entire community. 

Community health evangelists perform many different services in the community. They collaborate with other organizations, including local churches, healthcare agencies, and local governing groups. One local governmental health center sent words of gratitude to us, saying that our lay health workers are filling an educational gap that existed in the community. The local health center staff had been overwhelmed and was grateful for the support.

Local pastors and community leaders have noted that our health evangelists treat every home that they enter in the same way; they do not attempt to get people to switch churches but encourage everyone to support the church that they attend. CHE teachers on the island that we visit noticed that the photos our regional coordinator was showing them of malnourished children looked very similar to their own children. On their own, they sought out extra help from the local health department and learned that many of the population’s children were undernourished.

Last year, we had the great joy and privilege of meeting Stan Rowland, the author and teacher who has had a great influence in making CHE popular. Stan confirmed that one of the primary concepts of CHE is participatory learning, which is the collective effort of facilitators and students learning together. The participatory model includes dialogue rather than a lecture or monologue by the teacher.

Above all, real transformation only comes through faithfully following Christ.

MORE: Learn more about the CHE Network and register for training. 

Prayer Calendar Nov 27- Dec 3,2016

Coming tomorrow on The Call blog:

For over two decades now, Larry and I have enjoyed working in Community Health Evangelism.

CHE is a model that takes a holistic approach toward community development. According to the CHE Network website, "CHE seamlessly integrates evangelism and discipleship with community health development."

Pray for Community Health Evangelism workers in Honduras as they seek to transform communities with Jesus’ help.

Birdies for Babies

Pam Chupp, former missionary, Kenya
The Call, October-December 2016

Anna Redding came to Tenwek Hospital in 2014 with her father, Dr. Mark Redding. He is a neurosurgeon who was serving on his third short-term medical missions trip to Tenwek. When they returned home, Anna wondered if she could do something to make a difference in the lives of the babies and moms in Tenwek’s nursery. She was entering her senior year of high school in North Carolina, and one of her senior assignments called for a community service project.

Anna and her dad thought and prayed about it, and Dr. Redding had an idea: "Anna, you love golf and are pretty good at it. Why not ask for people to pledge a gift for every birdie you make in your senior year golf season?" Anna looked carefully at her junior year performance and thought that for her senior year, she could possibly get three birdies per round. (A birdie is scoring one stroke under par per golf hole.) She counted up all the matches and tournaments she would compete in and predicted that she might get 30 to 35 birdies that season. She went to work making phone calls and talking to friends at church, school, and in the community. They decided to call this project "Birdies for Babies."

Dr. Redding and Dr. David Hoover, president of the Friends of Tenwek organization, are good friends, and Dr. Hoover suggested that this would be an exciting project for FOT. Pledges starting coming in for $1, $5, and $10 a birdie, and the fall high school girl’s golf season began. Anna had kept her project a secret from the other golfers with whom she was competing, but she was determined and focused to help those babies! She played at a level that amazed her coach, teammates, and the competition. She averaged SIX birdies per round and led her team to many victories. Halfway through the season, Anna had already reached her prediction of 30 birdies. She asked her dad, “Should I stop, because we told the donors that I would drop around 30 birdies? Will they be upset with me?" 

Mark and Anna decided that she should push on and work harder, letting the donors decide what to do about their pledges. Every time she leaned over to sink a difficult putt, she thought about those tiny, premature babies in the Tenwek nursery. She was a putting machine! By the end of the season, Anna had dropped 63 birdies and three eagles (scoring two under par) and was the number one female high school golfer in North Carolina! She was named female golfer of the year in that state and was mentioned in Sports Illustrated as one of the young female golfers in the U.S. to watch in the future. At the final tally, Anna had raised over $22,000 for the Tenwek nursery through “Birdies for Babies.”

After consulting Tenwek pediatrician Dr. Chuck Bemm on the top need for the Tenwek nursery, Anna and her father purchased a brand new GE Giraffe incubator. In January 2016, Anna and her father returned to Tenwek to see the incubator in use and found a tiny baby named Kipkoech Bett thriving inside. Kipkoech was born prematurely, weighing only 750 grams (about 1.65 pounds) at birth. By Anna’s visit, the little one had reached a healthy weight and was nearing discharge. In a dedication and appreciation ceremony for Anna, the Tenwek nursery staff and members of the FOT Board gathered for prayer around the new incubator with Kipkoech sleeping inside. There was not a dry eye in the room as the following letter was read to Anna by my husband, Mike:

Dear Anna, 

We haven’t been properly introduced yet, but we will forever be linked. My name is Kipkoech. I just woke up a few days ago. I was placed in a wooden box the day I was born because I needed help surviving this big world right now. Then, all of a sudden, I was given a new, shiny home. I asked them why and how. They told me that a very special girl came to Tenwek once and fell in love with us little ones. They say she worked really hard to purchase a new home for us while we are here. I couldn’t believe how amazing this girl was and the feats she accomplished. I just had to meet and write this hero of mine. So I found out her name—Anna Redding. That’s you, Anna Redding. I had to tell you how much I love you! You saw a need and fought to see it met. Because of you, I have a home. A home that is safe, clean, and warm. Through you, hundreds of infants will inhabit this same home I live in and survive because of it. Thank you, Anna Redding, for your love for Jesus Christ—a man that I hope to one day follow and love just as you. I love you, Anna, and I thank you for allowing God to work through you.

Patiently waiting to meet you,

Kipkoech

We don't know how many dozens, if not hundreds, of babies' lives will be impacted/saved by this new state-of-the-art incubator in the Tenwek nursery. What we do know is that Anna has encouraged and energized our nursery staff to the max. Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV): "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity." 

God can use any gift or skill or talent that we have to bring glory to Himself. Placed in the Master's hand, a talent for putting a golf ball into the cup can make for a wonderful story like Anna's. God asked Moses: "What is that you have in your hand?" and Moses gave up his shepherd's staff to be used to demonstrate God's power. A putter may not seem very divine or useful in God's kingdom, but if given to the Master for His purposes, it can accomplish kingdom purposes.

What is in YOUR hand right now? What training, skill, giftedness, or availability can you offer to the Lord Jesus for His purposes? Anna Redding now has a full ride golf scholarship to the University of Virginia. Keep an eye out for this young lady. I have a feeling God isn't finished with her yet! I also have a feeling that He isn't finished with you and me either.

GIVE: Help more patients like Kipkoech get the medical care they need through the Tenwek Needy Patient Fund.

Prayer Calendar Nov. 20-26,2016

Anna Redding came to Tenwek Hospital in 2014 with her father, Dr. Mark Redding. He is a neurosurgeon who was serving on his third short-term medical missions trip to Tenwek. When they returned home, Anna wondered if she could do something to make a difference in the lives of the babies and moms in Tenwek’s nursery. She was entering her senior year of high school in North Carolina, and one of her senior assignments called for a community service project. 

Praise God for Anna Redding's heart - and impact she made for the Kingdom. p.14

Abilities-Gifts-Success

Gary Knox, Men With Vision
The Call, October-December 2016

Gary has served on over 100 short-term missions trips, and he continues to add to that number. He values sharing other cultures with the younger generations, encouraging a community of next-generation missions-active Christians. He shares some insight and challenges other adults to invest in the teens in their spheres of influence for the cause of missions.

There are three verses I use during missions trip orientations:  

• 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT): “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts.”
• 2 Timothy 1:6: “This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you….”
• Acts 4:13: “The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures.”

It is quite common for young people to have doubts about their abilities to do the variety of jobs required on a missions project. Most have never mixed concrete, laid bricks or blocks, hung drywall, installed lighting fixtures, taught school, led Vacation Bible School, etc. However, they all want to do their best. And when the trip is over, they want to leave knowing that the job was done to the best of their abilities and that it was done right.

Every team member has God-given abilities (1 Peter 4:10), and on the mission field those abilities flourish (2 Timothy 1:6). When given the opportunity, it is amazing to see the transformation from doubt to absolute confidence (Acts 4:13). Abilities are God-given, and spiritual gifts are Spirit-granted. Combining them with volunteering brings about remarkable results that are life-changing and rewarding. It also brings great blessings to those who are served. Ordinary team members who have been with Jesus do extraordinary things. God requires it.

Parents and grandparents, there is no greater gift for a teen’s graduation, birthday, or Christmas than the gift of a missions trip. Just do it. Better yet, go with them!

GIVE: Give the gift of missions to someone this year. Trips to most WGM locations are available throughout the year. Teams are custom fit—work, college, youth, family, prayer teams—so there’s no end to the ways you and your group can minister. Learn more at www.wgm.org/teams.