CHE (Community Health Evangelism)

Joselyn Jelsma (CHE trainer),
Charles Kabeza (ATN administrator)
David Kimbrow
David and Felix
Heath Amos

During our time in Rwanda we have been praying for God to show us ways to interact with people in our area. Specifically those in the valley below us. Even Samuel has been saving his coins so he can go down in the valley with me to buy vegetables from some of the people we know who live there. The problem with such a place is that there is not only a language barrier but also a huge cultural barrier that is greater than just nationality. It is economic. Not even to the degree that I was used to in America but what most Americans would feel like if they went outside to get their newspaper and found Bill Gates and Donald Trump strolling down the street. Finding ways to help these wonderful people without feeling like you have caused some type of dependence that is based on money or in my case, skills is difficult.

During this past couple months as I have been praying for God to show me a way to better interact and better help those that live in the valley near me he has shown me CHE or community health evangelism.

CHE is a program that allows us to interact with community leaders and engage them in conversations about what they think their community needs rather than what we feel they need. When we put our thoughts towards fixing their problems, they also expect our money. During our CHE training we have began to develop insights into helping communities fight disease and poverty as a community team and to find dependence on each other and hopefully God in the process.

I know it sounds simple but in a cultural setting like Rwanda it is easy to get lost in the belief that in order to be effective you have to have big projects help lots of people. This training has reminded us that helping communities and saving the lost starts with one person at a time.

Please pray for our team this week as we finish our training and begin to coordinate our thoughts and ideas and especially pray for use as we ask God to show us the communities he has chosen as our CHE community. Also pray for patience. CHE is a long term project that is built on relationships. Pray that we can continue to build those basic and foundational relationships with those who live near us that are struggling to live day to day.