Monday, November 9, 2015

Uganda Church Building, Funerals & Discipleship Training

The news from East Africa continues to bless and encourage our hearts, specifically the work in Uganda.   The ministry Terry and I poured our hearts and souls into on Mt. Elgon and the Kerio Valley has crossed the border into Uganda in both areas.   We personally started the Pokot work in Uganda several years ago and one of our Pastors (Nixon) has pushed the gospel across the border on the Mt. Elgon side.   Both Landmark Baptist works run between 50-75 members and are growing.  They have been meeting under trees and tents for several years now and they are starting the building process on the Mt. Elgon side of Uganda with funds that our mission team of four left them last month.    It seems that the steel poles and truss pattern we help bring to East Africa has caught on and has become the new preferred method of building these types of structures.    With that as the backdrop, Pastor Nixon loaded up poles and trusses on a small truck and shipped them from Kenya to Uganda to start the building process for our first Ugandan sanctuary.
 

 It is a always a great joy to be a part of the Lord’s work world wide but it is also an honor to be a part of making history and leaving a legacy for Christ as well.    In addition to the great news of the Ugandan work progressing, we received sad news that Mama Carolyn, who is Pastor Jackson’s wife, had unexpectedly contracted a fatal illness and died suddenly.   Pastor Jackson is the fishermen we led to Christ and God subsequently called him to preach on the shores of Lake Victoria.   Please pray for this young Pastor and family who now have to survive without their Mother and Wife. 
Pastor Jackson has had trial after trial this year and barely escaped death himself when he became deathly sick earlier this year.   Not sure if the two illnesses were connected but I know that my name sake Carlitos has lost his Mama.   While our Kenyan brethren buried Mama Carolyn, I preached our second funeral service for one of the young men named Ryan who has been visiting our new Church plant here in Florida.
The death of these two young folks has a way of reminding us of the importance of our calling and the urgency of eternity.
Heb. 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.
Our in home discipleship Bible studies and training continues to consume much of our time with as many as six or seven per week.   We are seeing much significant growth in the lives of these folks as we teach them on a variety of subjects which include:  Salvation, Baptism, Eternal Security of the believer, How to Study the Bible, Knowing the will of God and Dealing with Temptation.   We are committed to growing a handful of strong disciples at a time who we pray will in turn teach others down the road.  Our ministry philosophy remains the same, bring them to Christ, disciple them and then commend them to the Lord on whom they believe. 

The numbers and Church growth will take care of itself if we remain faithful to God’s plan for scriptural Church planting.  By the way we continue to see folks profess Christ as a result of building close relationships with them.   These studies are also affording us the opportunity to meet family friends and neighbors to preach the gospel to along the way. 
John 4:35  Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. Tracy Miller Trusted Christ October 14, 2015
In closing, please pray for Terry and I as we try to re-assimilate into our own country and culture again.   We have been home for a year now and still do not feel that we are able to reconnect with our country and culture yet.   It is strange that we are feel like strangers and sojourners in our own land and wonder if we will ever fit in again after spending years becoming African.    I fully realize that many who share this journey of faith with us will read this and wonder what I am talking about but know that reentering their own culture may be harder for the foreign Missionary than adapting to a new culture.   May God bless you and be glorified through our daily walk no matter where we are. 

In His Service,

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya/Uganda/Florida Plant
Our Exterior Classroom fund for Jr. Church/Youth is now up to $1,500.00.
Would you consider a special offering to help relieve overcrowding of youth and so we can bring more kids to Christ?
Goal is $5.000.00

Please be reminded that any and all Financial Support needs to be Sent to
Sending Church Information:
First Baptist Church of East Bay
10102 Old Big Bend Rd.
Riverview, Florida 33578

or DONATE THRU SECURE PAYPAL  (***right side of this blog will take you there)0
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