Village Christmas,Lake Victoria & Visitors Depart

   Visitors/friends/brethren from Florida,

           Rose Marie & Philip

The challenge over the last ten days was to spend as much quality time with our visitors/friends/brethren from Florida, Rose Marie & Philip, while exposing them to as much of our ministry and people as humanly possible (without burning them and us to the ground).

Last week we were able to visit the Kerio Valley and our Pokot Brethren while this week we were able to spend Christmas near the base of Mt. Elgon with Pastor Peter and His family.

This has become somewhat of Christmas tradition for us where we have a Christmas meal to include a turkey and deliver gifts of food baskets and clothes.  

Pastor Peter’s family is special to us as we have worked closely together through each of the twelve Churches we have planted over the last four years.

Our visit there also gave us the opportunity to visit his Father Daniel who is the Pastor of the Landmark Baptist Church of Namarambi.

                                    Pastor Daniel & Food Basket

These two men are two of the most faithful men I have ever met or worked with.

We had a blessed Christmas day as we devoured the turkey and enjoyed seeing the many smiles of the children as they received their new clothes.

This family is also raising as many as eight orphans who are included as part of their family.

And oh yes, the bubbles are always a big hit in the village. 

Deacon Philip

I am certain that it will be a Christmas that Philip and Rose Marie will not forget as they experienced a humble Christmas Day in an interior village of Kenya where Christ comes first and then family, gifts and fellowship.

After a brief day of rest we loaded up the Rover and took off to Lake Victoria for the finale of their trip.

Lake Victoria

Unfortunately, we experienced some turbo problems with the Land Cruiser but this gave them a good opportunity to get the full effect of Kenyan Roads as well as off- roading in the rough Rover. We used all of the old trucks capabilities as it had rained for five days prior to our visit to see Pastor Jackson at the Landmark Baptist Church of Got.

Well, let's just say we were sideways most of the way as we slipped and slide the final five kilometers to His house and Church. This has become very routine for Terry and I but for first time vistors it can be a gut wrenching experience. We had a great time of fellowship with Pastor Jackson and a few of the members of the Church while giving him His food and clothes baskets.   

Rose Marie and Philip also gave out Bible coloring books and candy

which they had brought from the USA.

It was then off to visit Pastor George and the Landmark Baptist Church of Wichlum at the Lake’s edge.

 

They were practically mobbed by the kids in this rough fishing village as they arrived.

It was as if these rough kids knew they were “fresh meat”.  

After visiting the Lake we had a small Bible study under the tent.

Terry & Rose Marie

Terry's New Apron

 We then preceded to one of the deacon’s house for our visitor’s first opportunity to eat fresh Lake Victoria Tilapia fish heads. Philip and Rosie did the best they could as they ate what is the best that these folks have to offer although I don’t think they ate the eyes, LOL.

 It was another long safari but one that was blessed as our visitors where able to see the areas and people whom we have grown to love through the work of the Lord.

Know I fully realize that you will not be able to get a firm grasp on the miles we have covered over the last ten days but let’s just say that they were able to see three of the regions that we regularly work in and they were able to get an overview of the great work God is doing here in Kenya. We know their lives will never be the same after a Christmas trip like this and the one word that I heard from both of their mouths over the last ten days on a regular basis was “HUMBLING”.  

In the end, they were able to see about half of our mission work.

Please pray for them as they are somewhere between London and Atlanta as I write this journal entry and pray for us as we recover from ten hard days of traveling half of Kenya.

Thank you for your prayers and May God bless you with a great New Year!

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez

Kenya

                                                    LBC Mawe Tatu