Sunday, August 16, 2009

Bible Study Materials and 36 Baptized on Mt. Elgon


Over the last eight months we have put much effort into getting the Word of God into the hands of the Pastors and people we have been working with. These efforts have included printing Swahili gospel tracts, buying and distributing English and Swahili Bibles, giving out solar audio Bibles for those that cannot read and this week we started printing Bible Study material for those in leadership positions so they can be better equipped and educated to teach their people. We have met only a select few that have been able to attend a seminary so that leaves the vast majority of Pastors, Preachers and Leaders without any formal Bible training and education. This week we put together a comprehensive Bible study comprised of old material that we shipped and have used over the years.
To people that have nothing for study materials it was more precious than silver and gold.
Many said that they have been praying for years that God would provide them with the needed materials so that they may teach others. In the USA we certainly take it for granted that you can go to any Church on any Sunday and be handed a Sunday school lesson and/or a Bible devotion book. These materials or rare here in Kenya. So it was a blessing to see people so hungry and happy to receive teachings from God’s Word. A big part of our mission work here is to help the Pastors and leaders reach their potential through education so that they may reach others. These materials are not intended to take the place of a seminary but simply intended to help those who are unable to attend.
2 Tim. 2:2 "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. "
Yesterday we met with the Landmark Baptist Church of Mt. Eglon. I was asked to teach on scriptural Baptism as there were 36 new converts who were ready for Baptism. While we have been assisting in the evangelism efforts there for several months this was our first opportunity to worship with the Mosaai’s of Mt. Elgon. We meet under a make shift building covered with tarps, tin and corn stalks.
There must have been around 100 in attendance and we had a great service of worship and preaching. We have been blessed to work with three different tribes thus far: The Luua, The Turkana and now the Mosaai’s of Mt. Elgon. All three have a very distinct and different ways of worshipping through singing and praising but these folks really sang very well.

After services we probably walked several Kilometers down a steep trail to the stream of very cold water coming from the top of the mountain. Among the many new converts baptized was a man named Simeon who is the husband of Terry’s translator Mary. She had been praying for over five years for her husband to trust Christ and become a Christian and now he has been saved and scripturally baptized. They both were so happy about becoming a Christian couple with a Christian home. After a long hard trek back up the Mountain accompanied by drums and singing we had to leave before it rained. This will be our last trip up Mt. Elgon for some time as it starting to rain daily and is impossible to drive to the top when it is the least bit wet. It is amazing to see what God is doing there now


with two simultaneous Church plants taking place on each side of the Mountain. We have been privileged to be a small part of the work there while attending language school. We thank God and give Him all the praise for what He is doing. Each week our language studies are paying off as we are able to speak, hear and communicate a little more. Thanks for allowing us to share our ministry with you and to be able to share the blessings of God’s work.

Chuck & Terry Fernandez
Kenya, East Africa Children of Landmark Baptist, Mt. Elgon

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