Recuperation, Canopy, Conviction and 'Packing Again'

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Journal: October 4, 2009,

After taking Bro. Jimmy Jones to the airport in Nairobi and returning back to Eldoret on Tuesday we have tried to catch our breath before we

leave for Turkana this Wednesday. Not sure how long we will be in the desert but this will be our first opportunity to stay longer than two weeks. So needless to say we spent time this week stocking up on things that we cannot buy in Turkana. The last trip we took a small  freezer so this trip we will take a cooler full of frozen chickens and some hamburger meat. We have plenty of other food from the stuff we shipped in our container last year and we are in good shape. Please pray for us as we travel again and that the Lord will use us while we are in Turkana.

This week I purchased a used carport type canopy from a Missionary named Terry Childers.  Bro.Terry is leaving the field after 23 years of service here in Kenya.
I originally purchased the canopy to keep the trucks out the sun and heat of the desert but the Lord convicted me one day because Pastor Shadrach and his Church at Mawe Tatu (3 Stones) have outgrown his small house.

Twenty people cram into his house and thirty sit outside trying to listen and participate every

Sunday. So to make a long story short, the Lord put on my heart to give the canopy to Pastor Shadrach so they will have something to meet under as a collective group. In short, the Church needed it more than I did.

Yesterday we traveled to Mawe Tatu to set up the carport canopy and I asked Pastor Peter to meet us there to take a look at it to see if he would want to use something like it for the two Churches on Mt. Elgon.

He said it would be a great blessing and stepping stone for the new Churches to allow them to grow in number before they can afford to build a permanent building. Now I realize the carport canopy’s are not indigenous but I can’t think of any better temporary solution for the four Church plants we have been working with that have all outgrown the houses they were started in. It looks like I will have several more made from the pattern of the first one for the other Churches since they seem to be very happy with them as a temporary solution.

As we put up the canopy yesterday the kids were dancing and singing because they thought they were getting a new house. We explained to them it was God’s house and they were still so happy to see the canopy go up. Please continue to pray for these young Church plants while we are in the desert. It is comforting to know that whether we are there or not they are still serving the Lord and winning the lost. Their faith is so great that it truly humbles you. Thanks for allowing us to share our work with you as we try to follow Jesus.

Chuck & Terry Fernandez

Kenya, East Africa