Going Out Into the Community

Last Wednesday was a very big day! We have been meeting with a new group of CHE's (Community Health Evangelists) for about a month now. There are 15 of these volunteers who come on Wednesday mornings and close to 30 who come on Wednesday afternoons to receive lessons on physical, emotional, and spiritual health. So, a total of about 45 volunteer CHE's have been equipped this past month with information on physical health topics such as tuberculosis, worms, and diarrhea; and spiritual lessons on developing a relationship with God, prayer, and discipleship. Last week we taught lessons on home-visiting, grief counseling, and reflective listening. These lessons were in preparation for the "sending out" into the community that is occurring this week. Each CHE was encouraged to think about surrounding shacks that they would feel comfortable visiting each week. The success of the CHE program really lies in relationship-building and the spreading of vital information through these relationships. In Philippi, stopping into a neighbors home is not at all uncommon, simply to chat or say "hi". The shacks are all so close together in this community. Now, the CHE's (who are equipped to share simple home remedies for diarrhea, ways to prevent getting worms, and how to grow in your relationship with God) are dispersing into the community! Each CHE is going to eventually be visiting 10-15 shacks per week and hopefully developing deep relationships with those living in each one of those shacks.

I am not very good at math, but even I can see the potential for overall health improvements in the community of Philippi through the CHE program. (45 trained CHE's) x (up to 15 shacks visited) = 675 shacks being visited each week by knowledgeable CHE's. Shacks in Philippi are usually quite overcrowded, packed with many people living in each one. If there are an average of 5 people living in each shack that is visited (which is a low estimate) than the 45 CHE's in Philippi have the potential to make a positive impact in 3,375 people's lives!

Please pray for the CHE volunteers this week as they begin making home visits as trained CHE's. Pray that deep relationships would be formed in the weeks and months ahead and that physical health improvements would be evident along with real spiritual growth and discipleship.