Tent Making, 3 Stones Evangelism, Sunday Services and Baby Carlos (Chuck)

It seems as though we barely catch our breath these days.

With year two of language studies, (3) Days per week, two weekly Bible studies, evangelism and Sunday services our plate is full.

We continue to make great strides in our language studies and we are putting those lessons to good use on a daily basis. In addition to school this week we managed to squeeze in some time to make another tent for the Church at Cheptabrubru on Mt. Elgon. We will set it up on Wednesday of this week. We ask you to pray for this delivery because it is raining daily and we will only have a small window of opportunity to get up the mountain and down before it rains leaving us stranded. While I am setting up the tent Terry will be holding a women’s seminar at Ndivisi. Please pray for her as well for she will be on her own in the village. Saturday we met at Mawe Tatu for house to house evangelism with Pastor Shadrach.

The seminar they held there last week had a great impact on the members of this young Church. Terry and I were the last to arrive and we were blown away when we walked into the Pastor’s house for Tea and Prayers only to find that 18 people came out to participate in evangelism. It does our heart’s good to see God’s blessing on this work and especially to see the members of this Church with a burden to reach their family and neighbors with the Gospel. After much time in prayer God usually gives me a passage of scripture or a direction to use when sharing the gospel. Yesterday the emphasis was definitely discipleship. While our primary task is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ this visitation was vital as a follow up with those who made professions of faith last year. It is our intention and heart’s desire to see all of those who make professions of faith to follow with scriptural baptism, to unite with the Church and to continue in the teachings of Christ so they may live a victorious Christian life that has been transformed by the Lord Jesus.

We feel we have a great responsibility to the Lord and to those who are new believers to invest the needed time in their lives to see them discipled. We praise God for the twenty one new converts who made professions of faith but equally important were the dozens who were encouraged and challenged to build on their professions by becoming faithful to God’s house and making commitment to live for Christ. We gave out dozens of John and Romans, hundreds of Gospel tracts and many new Bibles as well.                        Vincent and New Bible 

 

At the close of a day we saw God’s hand of blessing in so many lives and in so many ways you just want to shout with joy. We are both humbled and honored to be a part of an eternal work. Today we attended the Church at Namarambi. This young work continues to flourish in attendance. I wish every believer was able to hear the testimonies of God’s people today. They are truly thankful that God has brought a Church to their area and feel their life has been blessed since they started to be faithful to God’s house. It is both refreshing and encouraging to worship with people who believe that Jesus is Lord and He has made a real difference in their life. AMEN!

On a parting note: Pastor Peter’s sister gave birth to a baby boy they named Carlos (Chuck). In this culture it is a great honor to have someone’s child named after you. There are now four baby Teresa’s and four baby Carlos’s in Western Kenya. Some have expressed an interest in the GPS cordinates of our work so they can locate them on Google Earth. Here are the coordinates for Namarambi: N00’44.300’ E034’45.705’. Mawe Tatu: N00’44.370’ E035’03.775’

May God Keep You and Bless You,

Chuck & Terry Fernandez

Kenya, East Africa

School, Seminar, Mayanja Evangelism & 3 Stones

 

This week has been somewhat of blur. However fast the pace God has been so good to us and we have experienced His presence in many ways each day. We have completed our first three days of a more advanced language study this week with our teacher Wycliffe. This second round of language training is more in depth and will better enable us to communicate God’s Word to His people. We have found out this week by being totally immersed in the culture it is already paying big dividends.

In addition to language training I resumed the Eldoret Bible Study and Outreach with the men God has placed in my path and put on my heart.                                             Vincent and I

Our study was truly a blessing and I was encouraged to see that not only those who started attending last year were still faithful but there were many new comers that I had the opportunity to share the gospel with. During the study a young man named Vincent gave a testimony that really touched my heart. He told of how thankful he was that he received Christ through the Bible study and how his life has been totally transformed since that day. Before I left for the USA in January, Vincent was homeless, had no clothes and not even a blanket. Terry and I provided some clothes and a blanket.
Upon my return he has found employment as a photographer and has new clothes and a new place to live. He praises the Lord for turning his life around and knows what it means to have God’s favor in his life.
                                                                                                           Fundis

             At the close of the Bible study I was able to hand out safety glasses which were given by Dean Springs Missionary Baptist Church in Alma, Arkansas. For men that work primarily with steel and have never owned a pair of safety glasses in their life this was a real blessing.

I’m not sure how, but we also managed to attend a three day seminar Pastor Shadrach invited me to teach at Mawe Tatu (3 Stones).

This seminar marked a step of maturity for the Church as many of the members of this new work have never been to one. Not only was it well attended by three of the five churches we are currently working with
but there were also many of
Pastor Shadrach’s neighbors who attended.
Many of them visited the Church for the first as a result of the seminar. From the testimonies, most wanted the seminar to go on for a week. I can’t help but to think of the stark contrast to our great country where you have a revival or campaign and people are barely able to fit a couple of days in their busy schedule. Here in Kenya the people are starving for the teachings from God’s Word.

Yesterday we traveled to a new village located at the south end of Mt. Elgon to do evangelism. The village is called Mayanja and is at very low elevation compared to the works at the top of the mountain we began last year. We met with a young man who is a friend of Pastor Peter named Nixon.
Nixon has a burden for this village and has started a weekly Bible Study for those who get saved through the evangelism efforts. It seems as though God has added another young man to our team who wants to reach people for Christ. While we praise the Lord for the fourteen who professed Christ as Savior the people seem to be less open to the gospel than those on top of the mountain who have experienced so much tragedy. As we went house to house (Acts 20:20) there were two meetings that really made an impact on me.
Pastor Peter is pretty much my guaranteed visitation partner as our hearts are so much alike in our service and in devotion to God. We have become so close that we are virtually inseparable.
I thank God regularly for allowing me to serve with a man who is truly a man of God and from what I have seen is for sure the cream of the crop. As we approached a large compound it was apparent to me that there was something different. Pastor said to just go in and pray because it was a house that made liquor. There were around ten people present who were drinking. We prayed and as we headed to the door they asked me to share God’s Word with them. Now I learned a long time ago that you cannot witness to a drunk but it was still early in the morning and they did not appear drunk, well except one. I opened my Bible and with God’s help I preached through much of John chapt. 1-3. It was one of those moments where you knew God was doing something through the power of His Spirit. While there was no professions or decisions made both Pastor Pete and I left there knowing that God’s Word was proclaimed and did not return void. I told Pastor that after that sermon the next drop of liquor was going to be so bitter compared to the presence of God. We pray for those folks and know that but for the grace of God go I. The Other meeting which was so special was when Terry and Mary visited the house of the village Elder. He said he was hoping that someone would bring a Church to his village one day and that he believed that God had brought us there. These types of meetings continue to strengthen our faith. It was also a blessing to have Pastor Alex come down from the top of Mt. Elgon to add in the evangelism at Mayanja. He is possibly the most humble man I have ever met.

                                                                                                    Distributing Coloring Books

On a final note: through all of our activities this week we have been able to distribute many of the items we transported on our return trip which were given by God’s people in the states.

As aforementioned we gave out Safety and reading glasses which were given by Dean Springs MBC, Soap and Personal hygiene items given by Scrub Creek BC, Handmade dresses made by the ladies of our home Church, Ft. Cooper Baptist Church as well as coloring books and crayons given by Temple MBC in Bald Knob, Arkansas.

We thank God for those who support this ministry and share the love of Christ in many different ways. May God use all of these items for His honor and glory.

Chuck & Terry Fernandez

                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                           Nelson

                                                                        
Kenya, East Africa

On The Road, In the Air and a Warm Welcome

As I look back at this week, I am amazed at how far we have traveled and how we have realized God's Grace while in the air, on the road and back to the work. The week started with a drive from Florida to Atlanta, Georgia. Then a flight from Atlanta to London in which we spent a night and then a flight from London to Nairobi. After a night in Nairobi we drove to where our home is located in Eldoret. All of our flights were on time, all of our 12 pieces of luggage arrived intact and we had no vehicle problems. We never take the traveling we do for granted and we thank God for traveling mercy.

While we are still feeling the affects of Jetlag we were anxious to travel back to the Western Providence to worship with the people God has knitted our hearts together with. As we traveled the 100 plus KM's I found out my hopes that someone would repair the Uganda Highway leading to Western were quickly dashed. Instead of someone in the Government miraculously repairing the pots holes in the road I quickly found out that the holes had only gotten bigger and deeper. The condition of the highway added another twenty minutes to our trip. Kenya has taught me that if you hurry, hurry you will miss a blessing so you do what you can do at the pace that the conditions allow. Our first stop was at the Church called Namarambi. This is one of the Churches that we were able to support last year through evangelism efforts as well as purchasing a plot and a tent for the young Church plant to meet under. Not only was the Church and Pastor Daniel healthy, but God has added to their numbers through salvations as well as new members. The people are so thankful for the Churches and Christians in the USA who have provided this humble place of worship. Needless to say, we were all so happy that God has allowed us to be reunited for another year of service together. We are truly excited about building on what was accomplished last year for God's honor and glory.

                                                                Youth with Pastor Daniel

                                                           Youth Sunday School

                                                       Jacob Playing New Keyboard

 Children of Namarambi

                                                           Pastor Peter and Preachers

Ugali & Chicken for lunch

On an interesting praise note: Last year when we helped the Church purchase the plot, Pastor Daniel wanted to purchase a whole plot, but due to financial constraints we were only able to help him purchase a half plot for the Church. But God in His goodness and grace brought a new member into the Church last month who owned the plot next to the one that was purchased and they gave the other half to the Church. So in other words, God gave Pastor Daniel and the Church the desires of their hearts at no cost to the Church. God blessed faithfulness because faithfulness blesses God.

Praise the Lord for his mercy endureth forever!

After a brief visit at Namarambi we proceeded to the Landmark Baptist of Ndivisi to worship with Pastor Peter and his people. We had a great time of worship together and I was invited to teach during the Sunday School hour. I taught on the Model or Lord's prayer and how incorporating the prayer into my personal prayer life over the last year has help keep me focused on the areas of prayer that I have a tendency to neglect. Not by repeating the Lord's prayer, but by dividing my prayer into the specific areas Jesus taught us to pray. This has truly brought me closer to the Lord and brought more answered prayers than I have had in many years. The people were surprised by the amount of Swahili I was able to teach in and after services they asked me if I had been speaking Swahili while in America? That is one of the advantages of having a help met that is an intricate part of the ministry as Terry and I used Swahili from time to time while on vacation and I found myself translating conversations into Swahili while talking to friends and family. Along this line we ask you to pray for us as will return to language school for the next three months in an effort to expand our vocabulary and aide in our hearing and comprehension. Each time we arrive home from working with God's people there is such a sense of peace, purpose and privilege in fulfilling God's calling on our life. Thank you for allowing us to share what the Lord is doing with two simple servants from Florida here in Kenya.

God Bless,

Chuck and Terry Fernandez

Kenya, East Africa

Florida, Atlanta, London and Nairobi

                           Terry & I with our Grandson, Chucky IV

As Terry and I sit here at Atlanta International Airport awaiting our flight to London we are filled with many mixed emotions. What started as a vacation to see our daughter Carla graduate from college has ended with: 4 mission conferences, 2 revivals, 12 appointments in Florida, Arkansas and Oklahoma, a Men’s retreat and 2 weddings (One of which I performed).
 I will get back to that shortly.
On a personal side we have been able to spend quality time with our Children, Grandchildren, Immediate family and friends. Time we treasure now more than ever. Some of the most treasured personal moments were seeing our grandson Chucky playing tee ball,

watching our grandson Kason running around and fishing with my sons Chucky & Vinny.

On the ministry side we enjoyed performing a wedding ceremony for our dear friends Ken Smith and Willie May Knighton, we wish them many years of happiness together.

We also saw God move in the revivals and retreat with 10 professions of faith and dozens recommitting their life to Christ. We are returning with our cups filled, a little weariness from all the traveling and with hearts that are torn from having to say good-bye to our family and friends but yet anxious to return to the land and people where God has called us to serve. This is definitely the proverbial emotional roller coaster ride however there is a peace that passes all understanding when it comes to being in the will of God.              Bibles Delivered by Bearing Precious Seed Ministry

There is no greater place and no greater peace. We ask you to pray for us as we fly to London tonight then on to Nairobi on Tuesday.

Our 12 pieces of luggage include: KJV Bible and Swahili John/Romans from Bearing Precious Seed Ministry, Handmaid pillow case dresses, witness dolls, meds, reading/safety glasses, wooden crosses and instant grits for breakfast. The grits are part of our southern heritage that is hard to do without so please forgive us for indulging. There never seems to be enough time or room to thank all who pray for us and partner with us as we travel this journey of faith. But we praise God for each and everyone who has invested in our life and ministry. We also praise God for our resurrected Savior in whose name we go: Jesus.

Well, Time to fly 8 hours, joy of joys, LOL;

please pray for us and we will see you on the other side, Lord willing.

Chuck & Terry Fernandez
Kenya East Africa