Mt. Elgon Express, Survey & Saying Goodbye

       It was back up the mountain again this week to deliver windows, doors and the sign for the Church at Kipsigon.   

      We are thanking God for the break in the rain because while even though the road is horrible it is at least passable.   With the Mt. Elgon express (Land Rover) fully loaded, we beat and bounced our way up the mountain by the grace of God. The difficulty of this climb cannot be overstated but is one that we are rewarded each time we make it to the top with a hero’s welcome. 

      It was a blessing to sit back and listen to the conversation of the Pastors and members as they describe how great God is and how thankful they are for His provision of these building materials. 

      Make no mistake about it, they have hundreds of hours of hard laborious work ahead of them but they are willing to do their part to build the house of God.   They also took great pride in their new sign.   While they are currently meeting in a temporary tent it is as if they are saying we are here to stay and this is who we are.    After the delivery we were able to spend some quality fellowship time with Pastor David and Pastor Alex.  

     We see poverty everyday but our hearts are touched by their housing situation as they currently live in make sift temporary houses the size of a walk in closet in the States.   Their permanent homes were burned to the ground in 2008 during tribal clashes but you would not know it by the joy they have in their hearts as they serve the Lord.   While they struggle to provide for large families without any source of income other than farming they have never asked for anything.   After a time of fellowship we visited the new plot on the other side of the mountain where the Church at Cheptabrubru will be built.  

     We had to hike a considerable distance as it is not assessable by road.    This small hike was no easy feat but is one that we have learned to accept as part of our work on Mt. Elgon.  Sometimes it is easy to overlook the fact that we are hiking at almost 13,000 ft. above sea level.  To put into perspective, the U.S. Marine Corps does their week of survival school training in the Sierra Mountains of California at around 8,800 ft., Semper Fidelis.   Terry is the one who has excelled in adapting to our mission field on the mountain or in the desert.  She is always there beside me and I thank the Lord for such a remarkable woman. Pied Piper Terry

      As we surveyed the plot it was apparent that it was large enough at almost an acre but it is located on a steep incline like everything else and is going to require an enormous amount of excavation to level it for a building which will all be done by hand and hoe.   God bless them. 

      We are also making our rounds saying goodbyes and making sure that everyone that is a member in the six churches we are currently working with have Bibles & basic discipleship materials before we leave.

      It is hard to believe we will be reunited with our children, grandchildren, family and friends in just a few weeks but we know ourselves well enough to know that we are reaching a point where we need an extended break.Terry & Friends

      Not only has these last two years pushed us physically but there are pressures and demands that we need relief from that associated with living in a third world country.    These pressures and demands drain us emotionally and spiritually.  

      The goodbyes are hard because we have grown to love our brethren in Kenya many of whom  we have led to Christ and are our children in faith but there is a comfort in the fact that we know we will see them again soon to resume our work together for God’s honor and glory.  

       Please pray for us as we are both a little under the weather and have a lot of preparations to do before we start our furlough.   Thank you for being a part of our lives.

      Pressing toward the Mark,

      Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez

      Kenya

      Phil. 4:13                   

Triumphant Return, Conquering Mountains & Sanctuary Dedication

(***Please scroll to bottom of post to view all pictures:)

      After two weeks of teaching, training and Christian mentoring, our two Pokot brothers Peter and Solomon from Chepsabei returned home to their families and friends to start what we believe is going to be a very powerful extension of our ministry.   The early Church in the book of Acts has left us a clear pattern to follow as we see disciples making disciples.   That is our hope and our prayer with Peter and Solomon.  Not only were their families anxiously awaiting their return but so was much of the village.   They came bearing gifts from our brethren in Western Kenya which included:  bananas, avocados (which they had never seen), beans, clothing and candy.    The people were amazed that they made it back in one piece and by the fact that they have people that care about their physical needs as well as their spiritual needs.    We used the occasion as another opportunity to teach them about the life of Christ through the word of God.   The more we go, the more we teach, the more we invest in their lives, the more they are growing to know and love us.    Mt. Elgon Chief's

      After a day of recovery from traveling to Pokot we were finally able to successfully climb Mt. Elgon to deliver roofing materials for the Church at Kipsigon. 

                               Mt. Elgon Pastors

      It is a minor victory in itself to be able to get to the top of the mountain given the condition of the road.   Men from LBC Kipsigon, LBC Cheptabrubru and LBC Mawe Tatu have already cut and processed wood to start building as soon as the wood is cured.        Building Pews

      Next week we will attempt to deliver windows, doors and the sign so that the eagerly awaiting Pastors can continue to move forward with the work.  Terry Giving Biscuits

      Pastor Alex and Pastor David really support each other’s efforts on their respective side of the mountain.   It is a great blessing to see God’s people working in unity and harmony for the cause of Christ.    The highlight of our week was definitely the dedication service for the new sanctuary at Landmark Baptist Church at Namarambi. 

     There were over two hundred that attended the service. 

   The building was built primarily by the members of the church who took great pride in every aspect of their work.   What started with four people meeting in a home has grown into a strong New Testament Church that is now a lighthouse for Christ in their village.    I realize that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit but it sure is a blessing to see this group of believers who have coveted together to keep the commands of the Lord Jesus have a nice building to meet in.   They have faithfully met in a small house and then a tent for the last two years and I believe God has blessed their faithfulness with a new building.    As we dedicated the building for God’s honor and glory it was clear that this church was going to be a house of praise, prayer and power for many years to come.  Praising Jesus

I praise God for our brethren in the USA who have partnered with us through special offerings and sacrificial giving to make much of this work possible.   We covet your continued prayers as we minister on Mt. Elgon, the surrounding area and in the Kerio Valley. 

      Titus 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

      Titus 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

      May God Keep You and Bless You,

      Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez

      Kenya, East Africa

      Phil. 4:13

      Blog:  missionarieschuckterryfernandez.blogspot.com

                                               Assembling

                                           Kitchen Crew

                                             People Waiting

Count Your Blessings, Discipleship 101 & Baptism

"Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings see what God hath done."  This song very well characterizes our week of ministry.   To start with, we have been blessed with the company of our two Pokot brethren, Peter and Solomon from “Chepsabei” who have come to Western Kenya for discipleship training.........

 

They stayed with Pastor Peter and Pastor Shadrach and were able to attend Sunday services at both LBC Ndivisi and LBC Mawe Tatu.   Pokot Brothers

        Installing New Doors

There are so many things that make this visit special but most of all they are new converts from our Pokot outreach ministry that are eager to learn God’s word so they can teach their family and neighbors in their village.   These two were chosen because of their willingness to work as translators during our visits over the last four months and because they are among the few in the village that are literate.   Their eyes have been opened in so many ways and I believe their lives have been changed forever.   Not only have they seen other areas of the country which may not sound like much, but given the fact that they have never traveled more than a few kilometers from their village, it is a big deal.  Chuck & Peter 

They also have seen firsthand just how hospitable their brothers and sisters in Christ can be and were treated with the greatest of care while visiting.   Many of the members of the churches ask our Pastors to let them to stay with them.  Peter Baptized

For men that were told they would be killed by the other tribes their hearts have been touched by this outpouring of love. 

 Peter Helping Solomon

During their stay they received several hours of teaching each day in basic discipleship training which included: the Bible, God, Salvation, Prayer, Eternal Security, Heaven, and Hell, Baptism as well as many other lessons about the church and Christian life. 
                                  Solomon

 It is important to remember that these two young married men with many children who are newly saved, took two weeks out of their lives to study God’s word so that they would be able to share it with others.   There was no financial gain, no position of popularity as an incentive, just a genuine love for God and His word.   I pray the Lord will give us more men and women with that kind of zeal who will seek first the kingdom of God and have a passionate love for Christ that is contagious to others.     We did give them a break from their studies one day in an effort to deliver windows, doors and a sign to the LBC Kipsigon on Mt. Elgon.    Pastor Daniel & Pastor Peter....New Doors Installed

I believe Peter and Solomon were scared to death as we started to climb the slippery slopes of Mt. Elgon only to be deterred by impassable roads and a broken gear shifter on the truck.   Needless to say they saw more than they bargained for and we will have to try again next week to deliver the materials to the church at Kipsigon.    They also were an encouragement to the work crew at LBC Namarambi who were putting the finishing touches on the new sanctuary in preparation for the dedication service next week.  Another blessing from their visit was that we have gotten some great insight into their personal lives and we have also learned more about the internal struggles within the village regarding our work there.    It is obvious that God has not only led us in this ministry to the Pokot but has also protected us as there was actually debate during our early visits whether to drive us away with physical force.   We are glad that we serve the living God who is our shield and fortress.    The reputation the Pokot tribe has for being extremely difficult and possibly dangerous seems to be well deserved but nothing that a personal relationship with Jesus cannot change.  I know there were many things that these men experienced this week but nothing more than following Jesus in scriptural baptism.   They have learned, they have obeyed and now that they have experienced baptism first hand and they will be better equipped to teach on the subject.  Terry & Nelson

What a blessing!  Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your blessings see what God hath done.

God Keep You and Bless You,

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya, East Africa

Phil. 4:13

Blog: missionarieschuckterryfernandez.blogspot.com

Beaten for the Word of God and Victory In Jesus

***Click on pictures to enlarge for better viewing  Chuck & Terry & Peter

This week we traveled back to Nairobi to pick up our passports and our renewed work permit.   It was a long trip, but a good trip because we have our passports back in hand, which is always comforting while working in a foreign country and we have been approved by the government for three more years to continue the work we have started here in Kenya.    Upon our return we immediately hit the road again and traveled to North Pokot to work with the people of Chepsabei.  

                             Go Ye Therefore

Before we travel  to Pokot we always send an advance team of preachers from Mt. Elgon to lay the ground work for our larger group to visit.   The advance team reported that since our last visit there were problems in the village as a result of the word of God being preached and Christianity starting to spread throughout the village.  Now I did not get all the details but here is what I do know. There were a group of young men who were directed by an Elder to beat those who have been hosting Bible study groups at their homes using the solar powered audio Bibles, primarily women, in an effort to get them to renounce their faith. This is something I never expected but it is history being repeated over and over as powers of darkness attempt to stop God’s work from moving forward as in the book of Acts.

Act 5:40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 

However in Chepsabei, after the beatings took place the Chief (who is saved) made a proclamation that Christianity was welcomed in the village and subsequently had two of the men arrested for beating the Mama’s while two more fled into the foothills of Uganda.

                       Teaching 

Victory #1!  Looking back, I can clearly see how God prepared the heart of the Chief for this situation by way of his salvation.  With this as the backdrop of our visit I was unsure what we would encounter in the village this week.    My heart was broken for those Mama’s that had been beaten and I felt a sense of responsibility as we had brought the word of God into their village.   As we desended into the Kerio Valley I wondered in my mind if anyone would show up for the Bible teachings or if anyone would want another audio Bible given the problems that resulted in their distribution.   (Oh, ye of little faith!)  Upon arrival we decided to stay together as a large group instead of splitting up as usual to maintain unity and security if any problems arose.    To our surprise, all of the Mama’s who were involved in the altercation had already assembled themselves at the meeting tree and were anxiously awaiting our arrival.  Not only were they waiting but they were singing songs of praise unto the Lord.   Words cannot describe how inspired we were by the strength of their young faith and by the fact that they were not willing to let anyone keep them from worshiping their God.      Teresa & Solar Bible 

Victory #2!  We were truly blessed by their faith and encouraged in the Lord.   As we joined them in song, people literally began to come out of the woodworks.    We had planned to visit those persecuted in their homes to encourage them but they were the ones encouraging us by being steadfast and immovable.    One by one people came from every direction to join these women singing and praising. By the time we began to teach we ended up having our biggest crowd since we started to work in this village.

                             Solomon in Red Shirt

Victory #3!   I believe these new converts really made a statement that resonated loud and clear throughout the entire village as Joshua did when he said, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”  

Even though I know Jesus said, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you”, I never thought we would see this very prophecy take place in Chepsabei.   It is yet another reminder of the forces of evil that oppose the work of God but what man meant for evil God has used for Good.

The line has been drawn in the sand and God’s people have chosen the Lord. 

                   Chepsabei Smiles

On a final note of victory, we had two young men named Peter and Solomon who are our Pokot translators accompany us back to Western Kenya to spend two weeks of teaching and training with two of our Pastors.

That has been one of our many prayers from the outset of this Pokot Outreach ministry.  Nothing thrills the heart of a missionary like seeing young men desire to serve God by teaching their people the word of God.

Can somebody say AMEN!    Yo~Yo

Victory #4.  When these young men told their fellow villagers they were traveling to western Kenya for training they were told that they would be killed by the other tribes.  After a day of worshipping with God’s people they have found out just how welcomed and loved they are by our brothers and sisters in Christ.   God is good all the time!     Solomon with Yo~Yo

I realize there are many more victories we can claim in Jesus but in this situation these are the highlights of our ministry to the people of “Chepsabei”.

                            Girl With Baby

Please pray that God will continue to do a work in the lives of these precious people and that He will continue to raise up servants who will proclaim His word and honor Him with their lives.

May God Keep You and Bless You,

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya

Phil. 4:13

Blog: missionaireschuckterryfernandez.blogspot.com

                                 Pokot Tribe Peter's Sister

The Death of a Saint, Mud Slinging & Witnesses

It has been said that the best laid plans oft go awry.

It seems this week has been no exception as we strived to accomplish the goals and plans we set forth.  However, our plans continually had to be adjusted.   With that in mind we have learned very quickly that God is always in control and what we may think is a setback it often actually is a 'set up' from God. 

For example, we planned to deliver building materials to the top of Mt. Elgon for the LBC (Landmark Baptist Church) at Kipsigon but due to heavy rains and impassable roads we were forced to work at the base of Mt. Elgon.   We had also planned a day of construction at the LBC of Namarambi, but due to the death of an LBC member named Bernard, I preached a funeral with hundreds in attendance instead. 

We praise the Lord that Bernard was a born again believer.  He died a young man at the age of thirty-six of an enlarged heart and his final dying words to his wife were to keep his family in Church.

The funeral of a child of God stands in stark contrast to the funeral of the lost.   As the Apostle Paul said, while we mourn we do not mourn as those who have no hope.   It is hope found in the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus that I was able to share with Bernard’s wife and five young children as well the rest of his family.  When they laid his earthly body to rest there was comfort found in the promises of the word of God which gives us hope and perspective at such a time as this.   At the close of the funeral there were dozens, possibly as many as fifty, that made professions of faith in Christ.  I did not get the names and numbers but what is important is that Jesus was glorified through Bernard’s death and his family drew strength and comfort from their faith.    While construction plans had to be altered this week,

             Terry and a group of ladies from the Church

met to finish mudding the walls which were started last week. 

                          Mud Mixing...Terry & Women of the Church

As they were stacking and slinging mud we finished the roof vents and installed a new sign.

The only thing left on this second sanctuary construction is to install windows and doors, seal the inside with clay and put a protective layer of cement on the exterior to give the walls longevity. 

     Women Mudding Inside

As we work side by side with our Kenyan brothers and sisters in Christ

 our relationships grow stronger each day.

Every tear shed and every drop of sweat that falls creates a unity and harmony amongst our team that I believe will last forever.    This bond created in Christ forms one of the  most precious and purposeful relationships we have ever experienced.    With the roads going up Mt. Elgon closed we did village evangelism at Myanja.    This village of over fourteen hundred people is our latest and fastest growing Church.    We met for evangelism and there were around twelve members of the Church that came to accompany our usual evangelism team of Pastor Peter, Pastor Shadrach, Japheth and myself. 
It was a great inspiration and also a powerful testimony to see these new Christians going out into their village not only to invite their friends, family and neighbors to the new Church but more importantly to invite them to Christ.   There were two young men named Moses and Fred who are new believers that escorted Pastor Peter and I around the village.  It was priceless to see these young men who have only been saved within the last few months public testifying as to what God has done in their lives through salvation.  We visited houses of liquor (brewery), houses of ill repute and two village elder’s houses who said they would be in Church on Sunday.  We also met a few believers who did not have a Bible or a Church to attend and they were greatly encouraged by the fact that a church had been planted in their village. 

                              Talking to Albert

It is amazing to think that some of these churches are the first church in the history of the village. 

It was another God led, God filled and God blessed day in the interior.  The Bible says that there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth and I can only imagine the joy in heaven over the twenty eight that repented and received Christ by faith at Myanja on Saturday.    To God be the Glory great things He hath done!   Please continue to pray for these young Churches and these new believers as we are seeing God do something great.    In closing, with help from supporting Churches in the USA we purchased our fourth plot to build the LBC of Mawe Tatu (Three Stones).  We also received news that our work permit has been approved and we will be traveling back to Nairobi next week to complete the process.   We covet your continued prayers as we press towards the mark.

May God Keep You and Bless You,

Chuck & Terry Fernandez

Kenya, East Africa

Phil. 4:13

Blog: missionarieschuckterryfernandez.blogspot.com