CHE Reporting

Now we are working with 10 evangelists in different parts of the country to help them implement the CHE method in their homes and ministries. We’ve been visiting them and continuing to train them, and picking up stories from them along the way. But a few months ago we had them each give the first official report of what they’ve been doing with CHE, and so now I’ve finally had some time to review it and sift out the biggest happenings that we haven’t yet shared with you.

• One of the CHE practitioner’s started using a tippy tap for his family to wash their hands. Now he reports that everyone in the village has one and they are happy to use them. 
• We continue to have great reports of the usefulness of the composting and clay stoves for reducing firewood consumption 
• Three of the evangelists’ wives are having serious problems. One is in her 60s and having lack of energy and poor health. Another has had a cut on her scalp from hair braiding too tightly that has not healed for two years and the doctors can’t seem to help. A third is having serious issues with demon possession. We didn’t get details on what is happening to her and if it is more mental illness or really demons or somewhere in between, but Attahiru’s wife needs prayer. 
• The biggest problems with using the CHE method they reported have been with getting people to start conversations about the problems of the village because they don’t want to be in public conversations with ‘pastors.’ Or getting people to be genuinely interested in learning things rather than just wanting to hang around and see if there will be handouts. 
• All are praying for the lack of food in their villages and homes, and for more sufficient structures to be built for their spaces of worship and homes. 
• Some other big ideas that they identified as important to them now: 
• Idea of prayer walking as a way to get to know the community and see the problems, sense God’s leading 
• Looking at roots of problems, and taking initiative to try to do work on problems yourself that you find important 
• An openness to partnering with community, getting out there to be engage with them more 
• Instead of burning things like food waste, plant material, and weeds, use them as compost, and use waste water for gardening 
• Many report using the family planning technique with beads that we taught them

-- El Padre