Visiting Preachers, Women’s Seminar and Missing Members

                                           Ugali Together....

We hosted two visiting Preachers from the Turkana district this week that had traveled down to get medical treatment at one of the private hospitals here in Eldoret. Pastor Moses who is from a village called Nagolipus has lived with an inner ear problem for four years now that causes headaches, earaches and dizziness. While he received treatment in Turkana during that time, there was no ear doctor there for him to get a proper diagnosis.

The ear doctor here in Eldoret diagnosed him with a rare inner ear disease, treated him and sent him home to heal.

The Turkana have a special place in our hearts as they are the first tribe Terry and I worked with here in Kenya.

Please pray that God will continue to heal Pastor Moses.

While we enjoyed hosting these men of God, the highlight of our week was a women’s seminar that Terry was invited to teach at the LBC Namarambi.   

There were over fifty women who attended the seminar in which Terry used a newly donated oven to teach on the recipe of a successful Christian home as well as learning to be faithful to: God, their family and their Church.  

Now let me pause here and be reminded just how blessed I am to have a wife that loves the Lord, loves me and God’s women in such a way that she is willing to do what Bible says to do in

Titus 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;  

Titus 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

Titus 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Terry is an excellent teacher who has years of training and experience in living out her faith while being completely dedicated to her Lord and Saviour. Her personal ministry is making a great difference in the lives of these women as well as the Churches.

It has been said that the Church is only a strong as the weakest family, so if Terry helps these women grow in their faith through sound Biblical teaching she is in turn helping strengthen the Church. Through this lesson series they are also learning to cook banana bread and corn bread which has never been introduced to their culture, so she will leave behind a spiritual legacy through her teachings and example as well as a physical legacy through baking. (see picture below with poem)

The ladies will use the oven to bake their new found recipes of bread and sell them to fund their ladies ministry within the church which creates great fellowship.    

The most humbling part of the seminar is when the ladies march forward one by one to give their teacher gifts of appreciation for doing what nobody else has ever done for them before, by giving them something that more valuable than silver and gold. Terry received eggs, live chickens, avocados and a pineapple as a love offering which is of great price for people who survive day to day on very little.  

                                Gift of Eggs 

Gift of Chicken

Gift of Pineapple

Love Their Teacher

Lunch Break

While the ladies were attending the seminar, the men gathered together to do village evangelism where two people made professions in Christ. My visitation partner was Pastor Daniel. We made follow up visits with Church members that have been saved and baptized over the last few years but have not been in Church in some time.  

                      Pastor Peter & Missionary Chuck

This confirmation process of following up with absentee members is something that every Pastor worldwide must do from time to time. We had a great day together and I believe we were able to encourage a handful of back slidden members to return to the Lord.

                                 Missing Members

There are times when I get the impression that people think our ministry here in Africa is guaranteed with successful Christian converts who are automatically programmed to be faithful. Anyone who believes that needs to sue their brain for non-support as Satan is continually buffeting God’s people worldwide. So this is the harder part of the work that maybe does not get reported on as much but nevertheless, encouraging the saints of God to remain steadfast and immovable is a reality on the African mission field as well.

In closing, please find the below poem which will touch your heart regarding the unsung hero of the mission field.  

In His Service,

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez

Kenya

The unsung Heroine of the Mission Field

She follows two true loves most of her life

Often alone during great stress and strife:

Leaving loved ones for homes far away,

Not knowing just how long she will stay.

Some have to learn a new way to cook and eat,

Sometimes can't even talk to the people they meet.

Their families move from place to place

Completely dependent on God for His grace.

She is the one who keeps him in prayer

And mends his socks and pants when they tear.

She stretches the food like you’ve never seen.

You wouldn't believe what she does with sardines.

She is his cheerleader as he tries to win the world

And he never has doubts that she is his girl.

She keeps things going when he is away

And teaches her children to go not Astray

She helps wherever she can with his ministry

Trying to assist him in any way she can see.

Her life she has given to God and this man,

Praise from others was never in her plan.

She's her children's schoolteacher, tailor, and cook,

Trying to keep them in control with that look.

Teaching them to try to fit in where they live,

Yet holding morals that will not give.

She's given her life helping and serving others,

Leaving behind her sisters and brothers,

The unsung heroine of the mission field,

The missionaries wife, whose life we have revealed. 

Janet Aligood 1999