FRONTLINES June 2022 / CBN.COM
Partners Sharing the Love of Christ
Celebrating the Life and Legacy ~ of CBN’s First Lady ~
Adelia “Dede” Robertson 1927 ~ 2022 More
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CBN’S ORPHAN’S PROMISE
A SAFE PLACE
A brighter future—thanks to you!
Friends like you helped Nargiza regain her confidence!
Abuse and neglect devastated Nargiza’s childhood. Her father was rarely home, and her mother frequently disappeared for days. This little girl’s wounded heart made her defensive and lonely. With poor eyesight and thick glasses, she struggled with her selfesteem and felt utterly unlovable. But her life changed after CBN’s Orphan’s Promise helped facilitate her grandmother’s guardianship, and she began to attend classes at Orphan’s Promise-supported Bright Way Center in Kyrgyzstan. 2 frontlines
With the love of new friends, the encouragement of Orphan’s Promise staff, and her faith, she began to heal. Her initiative and dependability as a volunteer at the center were recognized and applauded. Soon, she was directing her own children’s project and preparing to go to college. Thank you, CBN partners, for providing a safe place where this little girl can fulfill her destiny! Watch more stories from Orphan’s Promise.
CBN’S OPERATION BLESSING: LIFE-CHANGING SURGERIES
HEALING HANNIA
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Responding to the cries of a hurting child
Hannia’s mother is grateful for your help.
Six-year-old Hannia felt excruciating pain after falling hard off a seesaw. Her parents were desperate to help her, but they could not afford medical care for their precious daughter. “When I saw her, I started crying because she was writhing in pain,” said her mother, Laura. After managing to scrape up enough money, Hannia’s parents brought her to a hospital near their home in Mexico. “When they did an ultrasound, they saw she had a
hernia,” Laura explained. “From that time, we’ve been struggling to find a way to get surgery.” Then, one day, something amazing happened! Because of the support of partners like you, CBN’s Operation Blessing provided the surgery that Hannia desperately needed. A grateful Laura offered words of appreciation, saying, “Thank God for Operation Blessing! I’m very thankful to the people who support them.” JUNE 2022 3
CBN’S OPERATION BLESSING: HUNGER STRIKE FORCE
FEEDING THE HUNGRY
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Thanks to you, needy families in Oklahoma are being fed
About 40 miles east of Oklahoma City lies Okfuskee County. This area is known as one of the poorest communities in the state. CBN’s Operation Blessing has been partnering with a ministry there, founded by Travis and Jennifer. This couple, along with their three children and several volunteers, fills cars each month with food. Travis believes the outreach could easily be supporting 500 families. With the help of friends like you, Operation Blessing has been delivering an average of over 190,000 pounds of food to this community for over three years. This includes cereal, rice, lasagna, granola bars, chips, water, and more. Travis and Jennifer give thanks for the support friends like you provide through Operation Blessing to help feed the hungry in this community. Faithful supporters like you are providing food to the hungry.
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CBN’S SUPERBOOK
HIS FAMILY TO CHRIST A young boy teaches others about faith
Friends like you helped lead this family to Christ.
At only 8 years old, Phetheho had evangelized his entire family. He was not allowed to attend church, so he had little access to the Bible or any Christian media. But then he discovered that Superbook aired each Sunday morning on a local channel. He would get up early just to watch the show.
understanding. She decided that she wanted to renew her own relationship with Christ, so she started looking for a local church. Today, the entire family attends church together, including Phetheho’s father, who said, “I’m a man of God now, thanks to my son.” Watch more stories from Superbook
Soon his mother noticed a change in him as he grew in wisdom and JUNE 2022 5
Adelia “Dede” Robertson 1927 ~ 2022
Celebrating the Life and Legacy ~ of CBN’s First Lady ~
On Monday, April 25, 2022, the Robertson family, along with close friends, dignitaries, faculty and staff, gathered in Shaw Chapel on the picturesque grounds of Regent University to celebrate the remarkable life of CBN’s first lady—Mrs. Adelia “Dede” Robertson. Beloved wife of M.G. “Pat” Robertson, founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network, passed away peacefully into the arms of her Lord on April 19, at her home in Virginia Beach, VA. She was 94. 6 frontlines
Adelia “Dede” Elmer was born December 3, 1927, in Columbus, Ohio, to Ralph P. and Florence B. Elmer. She graduated from Ohio State University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in social administration. She worked as a fashion model and was a beauty queen in the Miss Ohio State contest. Dede went on to receive a master of nursing degree at the prestigious Yale University School of Nursing. While attending Yale, she met M.G. “Pat” Robertson, a student in the Yale Law School.
Mrs. Robertson was a founding member and continued as a valued member of the boards of The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., Regent University, and Operation Blessing International. In 1982, she was appointed as the principal U.S. delegate to the Inter-American Commission of Women, where she represented the United States from 1982 to 1990. In that capacity she played a key role in elevating the status of the women who lived in Latin America. Dede Robertson was selected Christian Woman of the Year in 1986. Mrs. Robertson was also an accomplished writer, authoring two books, My God Will Supply and The New You, and a monthly column, All in a Woman’s Day, for Christian Life Magazine. In 1987 and 1988, Dede campaigned enthusiastically for Pat Robertson in his run for the Republican nomination for the office of president of the United States, visiting 52 American cities on behalf of her husband during his presidential bid. Dede traveled extensively on behalf of the ministry of CBN, Operation Blessing International, and The Flying Hospital’s medical missions. She worked tirelessly to bring humanitarian and medical aid to hurting people throughout the world. Mrs. Robertson was an extraordinarily creative interior decorator. She led the design team that created an amazing experience for those who visited The Swan Terrace of The Founders Inn and Spa. She designed the furniture and chose the carpeting for Regent University’s Shaw Chapel. Her crowning achievement was the decoration of the Regent University Theatre—so much so that the board of trustees of Regent University renamed it the Dede Robertson Theatre. It can truly be said that whatever Dede’s hand touched, it brought beauty. JUNE 2022 7
A Life of Faithfulness and Service As the spring sun filtered through stained-glass windows of the Shaw Chapel that bears her signature design, warm memories and loving tributes flowed for Dede, beautifully painting a picture of faithfulness to God, to family, and to a missional calling that spanned seven decades and touched hundreds of millions of souls around the world. “More than anyone else, Grandma taught me how to love the people and the nations of the world,” shared granddaughter Laura Krauss. Daughter Ann LeBlanc recounted wonderful memories of a dedicated mother and pillar of faith. “She taught me the faithfulness
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of God. When people fail you, He will never let you down.” Gordon Robertson shared photos and gave an insight into his mother’s fondness for family and fun, and of her perseverance in the face of health challenges. “To say, this isn’t going to define me. I am going to be the stroke survivor who likes to party. That’s all that she ever wanted to do. Let’s come together. Let’s have good times together.” “She lived her life to bring glory to God and to honor Him. We are all here today because we are the fruit of her prayers,” daughter Elizabeth Robinson shared poignantly. Tim Robertson spoke of Dede’s commitment to the life of the unborn, and of her love of knitting—displaying samples of lovingly crafted baby blankets and booties. “Even after a stroke… with the use of only
one hand, she made this unbelievable blanket for one of my newest grandchildren.” Dede’s pastor, Dan Backens of New Life Church in Virginia Beach, praised her faithfulness in devotion to God and family and challenged all in attendance to aspire to live to the same standards of grace and endurance so wonderfully evident in Dede’s life. In a moving conclusion to the service, former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, with Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears, presented a Virginia state flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in Dede’s honor to signify the impact
of the organizations she cofounded with her husband: “A quarter of the time Virginia has been a state, … the satellites across the street have gotten the Word and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire world from what you [Pat] and Dede put together in 1961. … On behalf of Governor Youngkin and a grateful state, thank you.”
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DON’T MISS OUT ON ALL THE FUN WITH CBN FAMILY Download the CBN family app and discover what you’ve been missing! • Tune in to watch episodes of The 700 Club • Powerful teachings with Gordon and Ashley on The Lesson podcast • Travel through time with Superbook • Watch exclusive CBN content • Enjoy documentaries from CBN Films • Enjoy daily updates from CBN News You can download the CBN family app right now on your smart TV, tablet, or smartphone. Check it out at CBNfamily.com— and discover something new!
SO MANY WAYS TO WATCH SUPERBOOK Give the children in your life the gift of learning about the Bible through the animated adventures of Superbook! On the Superbook Kids Bible app, your children can access a world of adventure through a tablet or smartphone. Explore with them as they play Bible-based games, win fun prizes, and enjoy a daily devotional—made especially with kids in mind! And of course, they can watch 39 of their favorite Superbook episodes. On YouTube, kids can experience the fun of the Superbook channel where they can watch full-length episodes, view biweekly releases of The Superbook Show vlog, and enjoy Gizmo’s Daily Bible Byte!
Superbook.TV | CBN.com/SuperbookBibleApp 10 frontlines
CBN NEWS: HEALTHY LIVING
DEALING WITH EATING DISORDERS
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Answering questions about anorexia and more
As the prevalence of eating disorders, such as anorexia, continues to grow, psychiatrist Dr. James Greenblatt, author of Answers to Anorexia, says it is critical to address the problem as quickly as possible. “We’re seeing kids 8 to 10 years of age having a distorted body image and wanting to lose weight,” he says. “The earlier we can get help, the more effective the treatment is. As we wait, for 16-, 18-, 20-, or 30-year-olds, it just gets harder and harder to treat.” A surprising realization of Dr. Greenblatt’s work was that nutrition is often a contributing factor. “It was just striking to me that these are malnourished kids and adults.” He says many haven’t been eating nutrientdense foods, and the typical treatment model was not providing the needed nutritional support. Supplements, he recommends, are critical to the healing process, especially zinc. “Zinc is one of the minerals we talk a lot about because when we try to get through puberty, we have higher needs for zinc,” he explains. “Many of the symptoms that our patients struggle with can be related to zinc and other nutritional deficiencies.” Dr. Greenblatt says it’s a similar situation with another eating disorder called binge eating. “Binge eating is a completely different diagnosis. It’s actually the most common eating
disorder, more common than anorexia and bulimia combined.” Although these patients are often overweight, they are often profoundly malnourished, making supplements important for their treatment as well. But there is hope. Dr. Greenblatt says a combination of therapy, nutrition and medications can result in a complete remission of all symptoms. Be sure to consult your physician before making any dietary changes.
Dr. Greenblatt’s book provides helpful insight about disordered eating.
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SEEN ON THE 700 CLUB
YOUR QUESTIONS, HONEST ANSWERS WITH PAT ROBERTSON
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Why would God do all of those things to Job if he was such a good man?
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Job is one of the oldest books in the Bible. Why did he go through such agony? Because God was using Job as an example of somebody who was true to him. Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15 kjv)—and later God gave Job twice what he had before. He went through a period of suffering, but it wasn’t long. It was less than a year. And when it was over, God gave him double what he lost. Job is an example of those of us who know God. When we’re under some kind of persecution, if we persevere and say though he slay me, yet will I trust in him—it’s that declaration of faith that wins.
Watch The 700 Club for more questions and answers from Pat Robertson.
Do you have a question for Pat? Log on to CBN.com/AskAQuestion and follow the instructions.
If you need prayer, please call our Prayer Team at 800-700-7000. 12 frontlines
CBN’S OPERATION BLESSING
SURGERY FOR SOLIHATI
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Restoring sight for a young girl in Indonesia
Solihati can see, thanks to partners like you. For seven years, 13-year-old Solihati suffered with a cataract in her right eye that made it hard for her to see. Soon, she was only able to recognize light and small movements in that eye. Every night, she would cry because of her “white eye”—and because people said she was cursed. Solihati’s family lives in a poor area of Jakarta, and her parents made money by selling items that they
found in the city dump. There was no way they could afford an operation to restore Solihati’s sight. Then, CBN’s Operation Blessing partners stepped in! Through a crowdfunding campaign, over 20 friends like you paid for Solihati’s surgery. This family is forever grateful that Solihati received the priceless gift of sight. JUNE 2022 13
Making an Impact With Benefits Gifting all, or a portion, of your IRA’s Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) can reduce your tax bill while supporting a cause you care about. Compare taking your RMD to gifting all, or a portion of it, to CBN.
TAKING YOUR RMD • You pay income tax on your distribution • It might push you into a higher tax bracket • Your tax dollars go to Uncle Sam GIFTING YOUR RMD • You pay no income tax on your gift • Qualified Charitable Distribution counts toward RMD • You can designate your gift any way you want
For more information on how you can take advantage of gifting your RMD and blessing those in desperate need, please contact us!
Call 800-333-2373 email PlannedGiving@CBN.org visit CBNLegacy.org
Frontlines is published monthly by The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., 977 Centerville Turnpike, Virginia Beach, VA 23463, 757-226-7000. Copyright © 2022 by The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc. Frontlines may also be viewed online at www.CBN.com. All rights reserved. Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Due to Revenue Canada regulations, not all premiums are available in Canada.
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