The seventh Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP) class was graduated on March 6 in Homer, Alaska, celebrating in CHIP style with an immense table full of healthy-for-life food, including steamed local nettles, local berry punch, chili, cucumbers stuffed with sprouted quinoa, and pumpkin pie.
Heartfelt testimonies were given of lost weight, normalized blood sugar and plunging cholesterol, as gratitude was expressed for new friendships and team support. At the close, participants were favored with a song by a noted Homer musician and his wife — both newly minted graduates.
Several lost more than 10 pounds, and two lost 14 pounds. Of particular note was a participant whose blood glucose went from 137 to 107 without medication. Another participant, who had familial hypercholesterolemia, began class with total cholesterol of 357, ended at 227 and now may safely avoid cholesterol-lowering medication. Another person began the program with blood pressure of 172/111 and took it down to 111/79. She expects to have her blood pressure medication lowered soon.
This was the church's largest class to date, with 31 participants graduating. The group was one of the most enthusiastic too, as most followed the dietary principles right from the first. They were so excited about the program, members insisted on forming a new class right away. With nearly half the class committed to helping, how could the church say no? So the Homer CHIP program held a health screening for another 17 participants on March 29 and started the seminars on April 2, a mere three weeks after the last graduation.
All the members can do is praise God for what He is doing in Homer and ask Him for strength and wisdom to take up the task. They are finding it thrilling to watch doors open as the health message goes out both locally and farther away.
They recently received an email from the hospital in Sitka, Alaska, saying the hospital's CEO noticed an article in the Homer newspaper about CHIP and wondered how the hospital could offer the program. Since Sitka is 600 miles from Homer and accessible only by air or water, Homer members put the CEO in contact with the Sitka Church — and so the light of the health message continues to spread in Alaska.
Homer, Alaska, graduates enjoy healthy CHIP fare in celebration of their graduation from the health improvement program.
