Women's Seminar, Tent raising on Mt. Elgon & Happy People

This week has definitely fell in line with the direction the Lord has given us to follow our second year in Kenya. Much of last year was spent learning by searching, seeking and planting. While our efforts and focus continue to be preaching the gospel we find ourselves building on what was started last year. Spiritually speaking we are striving to help build up the new converts we have seen come to Christ through increased teaching and training. In addition to building up these new converts in the faith we are building on the relationships with the team members that God has put us together with to accomplish His will on Mt. Elgon and Western Kenya. Lastly we are physically building in a very infantile manner in the places where these young Church plants are worshipping. With regard to teaching we held a women’s seminar in Western were Terry was able to teach the Momma’s from five different Churches. She taught on “How to be a Godly Woman” and “Help for the Family”.

The feedback was tremendous as the Momma’s in the villages are the least educated and rarely afforded the opportunity to receive specific teachings geared to women. A Godly wife is one of my greatest blessings while on the foreign field and Terry fulfills that role so well. She is known as the Missionaries wife who cares for the Momma’s and Children.

At the close of the seminar Terry gave out scarfs as a gift. She said they were so happy that you would have thought you gave them a thousand dollars. Given the success of this seminar and the great need we plan on continuing these types of teachings throughout the remainder of the year.While Terry was teaching solo in the village I took Pastors Pete and Shadrach up Mt. Elgon to set up a tent for Pastor Alex at the Landmark Baptist Church of Cheptabrubru. It is the rainy season on Mt. Elgon but we received a report from Pastor Alex that it did not rain the day before.

The road up the Mountain has deteriorated to the point that it is dangerous and cannot be passed without being in four wheel drive low.It is so intensely rocky, slippery, narrow and steep that not only do we pray before we drive up but we are praying as we are climbing. The road to Turkana used to be the worst I have ever been on but that is taking second place these days to the climb up the Mountain. However stressful the climb is, once we arrive at the village all is forgotten with the warm welcome and appreciation for making the effort to encourage these believers in the Lord.

We met with Pastor Alex and many of the members of the Landmark Baptist Church of Cheptabrubru. They gave testimonies of how they have been staying faithful in spite of having to meet in what can best be described as a cattle stall. They rented this room until the landlord came and took the sheet metal off the roof leaving them exposed to the rain on a daily basis. However insufficient a tent may seem it was a welcome sight for those that do not even have a roof over their heads. We have now set up four tents serving as temporary meeting places for these young Churches. With each one I feel a sense of inadequacy but God reminds me that it is another small step of faith for the Church and for me as well. I know in my heart and have learned from past experience that God’s work done God’s way will never lack God’s supply.

After a prayer of dedication we gave out dresses and clothes to Pastor Alex and his family.

While this is not a rags to riches story it is literally from rags to dresses made with compassion by the Ladies of Ft. Cooper Baptist Church. In addition to clothes we were able to give out reading glasses to the older members of the Church.They were so thankful and happy to receive such gifts from God’s people who are thousands of miles away. In Closing, the ride down the mountain was a wild one due to the fact we could see the rain moving across the valley and I had to push faster than normal because once it rains on Mt. Elgon no traffic, 4X4 or not is able to move up or down. The heavens opened up as we made it to the base of the mountain but it was too close for comfort. We assured the two Churches on Mt. Elgon that God’s people are praying for them so please join us in prayer. I Thes. 5:25 Brethern, pray for us.

God Speed,

Chuck & Terry Fernandez