Anyway, Rick is an old college (yay Asbury!) friend and is our field medical doctor of sorts, as he and his wife (Teresa) live in Alabama but come to Uganda about twice a year. They are not to be confused with Pastor Rick and Janie, who are our field pastors, and also come to Uganda twice a year. :)
Rick was in Uganda for some meetings. He helped the field begin Community Health Evangelism in Uganda with WGM, and is a huge cheerleader for the ministries it can do. I'll explain more about what CHE is later.
He wanted to know why I wasn't signed up to go to the CHE training at our HQ in November/December. Frankly, I'd been too busy and was interested, but until I could get the devotional booklet completed, I didn't feel I could commit to a week of meetings away from the booklet. But God (don't you love when you find a "But God" in the Bible- and see how He works things out for good all the time?!)... But God had such good plans. He gave grace and wisdom for me to complete the devotional booklet EXACTLY when Rick was getting ready to invite me!
Long story short, I got to go. It was a wonderful experience with lots of teaching so I might use CHE principles in Uganda. Now- what is CHE? According to our WGM Compassionate Ministries director, Dr. Philip Renfroe, it is, "...to identify, equip, and encourage individuals working through their local churches for the goal of Holy Spirit-directed community transformation." (see the WGM Compassionate website here).
Let me give you an example, as each CHE ministry is different. My Mom was encouraged years ago to fill some Samaritan's Purse shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. She has been doing these now for at least 10 years, and many times either my family or her coworkers or other friends have also made up boxes, and my Mom has seen to it that the boxes were dropped at a collection center. She has mobilized others for this unique ministry. That is all CHE is- making a positive ripple effect which impacts another's life.
Of course as Christians we want to impact lives so that those people we are reaching will somehow come to a saving knowledge of Christ, or be encouraged in their existing walk with Christ. Whether it is boxing up items in a shoe box, repairing a neighborhood bridge (a good CHE example for 3rd world situations), or some other thing, I got to be officially CHE-trained to now train others and encourage communities!
Sometimes in "closed countries", meaning places where the gospel is not welcome, CHE cannot be referred to as Community Health Evangelism (for obvious reasons). So in order to reach others in kindness and with the love of Christ, the name might be different but the idea is the same.
A number of WGM missionaries and leaders were able to attend the CHE training. We were delighted to also have non-WGM people attend.
At the end of the CHE training, we received certificates and all the materials so we might duplicate the program in our assigned fields of service. Above, John & Priscilla Kunkle, WGM missionaries to the Texas/Mexico border (and former missionaries to Bolivia) receive their diplomas from Dr. Philip Renfroe, David Hawk (WGM, El Salvador) and Dr. Rick Morse.