The Ted Williams Story, Pokot Survey, Praying for Peace and Preparing for Problems

                                 Building God's House for God's People...
                                         The Work Goes On!

In 2002, I was a Bi-vocational Pastor running a small custom contracting business that specialized in Golf Courses. It would be on a golf course called Sky View at Citrus Hills Golf and Country that I would encounter a man who was arguably the greatest hitter in the history of Major League Baseball. If you will give me some liberty here I will tell you what this has to do with mission work in Kenya, East Africa in 2010, shortly.
The golf course that had contracted me was under construction and required me to be there on a weekly basis in the late evenings for several months. Citrus Hills gave Ted Williams a home on the new golf course in exchange for his endorsement of the club.

Almost every evening while I was working alone I would see Ted Williams being wheeled around in a wheelchair by his caretakers. Now I am not a big baseball fan but almost everyone knew who he was and that his retirement home was at Citrus Hills where he also had the “Sluggers Hall of Fame “museum. I did not think much of this famous player other than the fact that he was an elderly celebrity in the last days of his life. However, all that changed one day when I was doing research for a sermon and discovered that Ted Williams was an atheist. It was at that point that God began to burden me with his spiritual condition for the Bible says that the fool hath said in his heart there is no God. As I would go about my business I would see him pass by in his wheelchair and I would pray for his salvation and wonder if he had ever heard the gospel. This went on day after day for months until one day while I was praying God spoke to my heart about bringing God’s word to him. One of the things I have learned over the years of walking with the Lord is that it is not up to me to question his desires for my life but to simple give my life to him through obedience and faithfulness. Given Ted Williams’s celebrity status and his deteriorating medical condition I knew I was not going to be able to walk up to him and start preaching.
I also knew that God through his infinite mercy was reaching out in love possibly one final time. The plan God put on my heart was to deliver the Gospel in writing through the youth of our church by sending get well cards which included God’s plan of salvation. Along with the many cards I wrote a personal letter from my heart explaining God’s love for him through the gospel of Jesus Christ. The entire packet was given to his manager who assured us he would read each letter to Ted.

While we have no idea where, how or if Ted Williams ever read those letters

or ever professed Christ we do know that we made the effort to reach him.

                                                                                                      

I was reminded of this story this week as we sent a survey team to try to reach a tribe called the “Pokot”.
                                                 Pokot Tribe Young Man

The Pokot are pastoralists who are known for illegal guns, cattle raiding and stealing from neighboring tribes. During our first trip to Kenya we were told while traveling through Pokot country to be aware that they were a dangerous tribe.

During numerous trips through Pokot land over the last year God began to burden me in a way that was reminicent of Ted Williams. The reason that they are such a mean and hostile people is that they do not know Christ!

I began to ask myself, “Who will reach them with the gospel”?

 

For months now we have been praying for this warring tribe and last week our prayers were put into action as we sent two preachers to Pokot to start the Pokot Outreach. Armed with solar powered audio Bibles in the Pokot Language, Bro. Timothy (Pastor Peters Brother) & Bro. Japheth (Pastor Shadrach’s right hand man) spent three days talking to Chiefs, DC’s and other officials. To make a long story short, they were welcomed by the Chief to bring the gospel to his area without any strings attached and he assured them that they will not have any problems.

There were also three who made professions of faith in Christ. We thank God for the good report and look forward to seeing what God is going to do through this Pokot Outreach Ministry.
                                            
  Pokot Tribe Old Lady

God through His great love, tender mercy and grace is still trying to reach the hardest of hearts.

                                          " Here am I Lord, send me."

 In closing, we ask you to please pray for peace during the August 4th vote on the new constitution here in Kenya. While 65% of Kenyans want the new constitution we live and work in three areas where the other 35% are opposed to it. This presents itself with the potential for a violent outcome in Eldoret, Mt. Elgon and Pokot. After talking with our people in each of these areas there is genuine concern that fighting could break out again like it did during the election of 2007.
On my way back home from Western last night I saw two villages where there was already fighting. We are praying for peace so that the gospel can continue to be preached throughout Kenya with liberty and power. But In preparation we have stocked up on food, cash, fuel as well as other items to be able to withstand a potential lockdown. We will lay low this week until we see the results of the voting. Thank you for allowing us to share our life’s experiences as well as our heart.

God Bless,
Chuck & Terry Fernandez
Kenya, East Africa

A few years ago a Nobel Prize writer of poetry made these remarks,
"All my writing in the world cannot add more than a cricket’s chirp to the voice of life,
BUT no one can write as authentically about my life's experiences, my hearts feelings, my outlook on life, as I can. Therefore these same experiences of life find their way into my poetry, my communication and hopefully into the lives of others. That is why I write...."

Fishers of Men, Rhino's, Giraffe's & Goodbyes

 
While we have enjoyed the company of our guests from American over the last week, we know that all good things come to an end. Well, at least earthly things. The first five days of their trip we lived on the road with Bro. Dan Riley and his father Don doing seminars, building, village evangelism, preaching and baptisms. We finally gave them a day of rest before returning back to the real reason why they came. Now it goes without saying they will be able to give a firsthand account and report as to the work we are doing on Mt. Elgon and Western Kenya to our Pastor and sending Church but the main purpose for their visit was to do the work of God. Both of these men have compassion for the lost and participate in evangelism through our Church. They were a great blessing to work with during our day of Eldoret street evangelism because they are both well trained and well seasoned soul winners. What great fishers of men!

All we had to do was equip them with Swahili Bibles, Gospel tracts, translators and turn them loose. We had three groups of men who concentrated on reaching the group that God continues to put on my heart, that being the welders, fabricators and mechanics of Eldoret. There are thousands of these men who line the roads and backstreets of Eldoret doing work on a daily basis that need the Lord. In fact, Bro. Dan said there are so many of these men that it could be a fulltime ministry.

I am thankful that the Lord has sent me to such a great field to bring in the harvest and I am also thankful that he has sent forth laborers who are willing to partner in the Great Commission. It was such an honor to watch Bro. Don Riley who is seventy nine years young share his testimony along with the gospel to people who he had never met before and perhaps will never see again on this side of eternity.

I sat back and listened with delight as he preached all over the Bible to large groups of rough neck men who work with their hands. Note: (Bro. Don worked some thirty five years as a fabricator/mechanic for Eastern Airlines and could really relate to these men). They listened intently as this wise man shared his faith in a clear and concise manner. In the end it was apparent that he was endued with the power from on high as we saw many men who were sincerely concerned about their spiritual condition come to Christ by faith. One of the young preachers who we work with said something about Bro. Don that really made sense to me as I watched him work throughout the week. He said, “Even if Bro. Don did not say a word while here in Kenya, he had inspired us all just by coming”. I personally agree one hundred percent.

We saw fourteen men from various tribes accept Christ that afternoon.

After street evangelism we made our way to the two Bibles studies where Bro. Dan taught on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as well as Daniel while Bro. Don taught on Jesus, Who is the image of the invisible God. The lessons were passionate and powerful. As we closed the Bible studies we received a phone call from a man we met on the streets who took a Swahili Bible and a Gospel tract, he said he had read the material and had made a decision to receive Christ and turn his life over to the Lord. We praised the Lord at the end of the day as we witnessed yet another great example of how the Spirit of God moves independent of our efforts in the redemption of the lost. AMEN!

The last item and last priority for our honored guests was to give them the opportunity to see some of the wildlife here in Kenya at the Lake Nakuru Game Park.

It is always fun to end a short term mission trip with an animal safari.

We know it is a great sacrifice for people to travel thousands of miles to visit us in Kenya but we also know from the testimonies and personal experience that their lives will never be the same.

We hate to say goodbye but they leave with great memories and they leave having strengthened and encouraged us to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. In closing, we thank God for these two men and we ask you to please pray for Bro. Dan and Bro. Don as they have had numerous delays on their return trip by runway problems in Kenya, overbooking in London, etc, etc…

God Bless You and Keep You,

Chuck & Terry Fernandez

Mt. Elgon and Western Kenya
Phil. 4:13

Father and Son Team visit Kenya, Nineteen Saved & Twenty Baptized

Bro. Dan Riley, who is an Associate Pastor at our sending Church and the Administrator of our Christian School arrived in Kenya on Wednesday with his father Don. Thank you for all who prayed for their safe arrival as God answered those prayers in a big way. Not only did they make all of their flights while flying standby but they also were upgraded to first class from Miami to London. God is good all the time!

In five days we have held a seminar at the Landmark Baptist of Kipsigon on Mt. Elgon where both Bro. Dan and Bro. Don taught, Thursday.

 We built pews for the Churches located at Mt. Elgon on Friday.

We did evangelism at Mawe Tatu on Saturday and today Brothers Dan and Don taught, preached and baptized twenty folks in Western.
We have seen nineteen people make professions of faith in our Lord and Savior.

Our Kenyan Brothers and Sisters in Christ were so thankful for the great teaching and preaching but they were absolutely amazed by Bro. Dan’s singing and were truly honored with Bro. Don’s presence as a Senior Saint who would travel around the world to teach them God’s Word.

Before you say you could never make it to Kenya you need to know that Bro. Don Riley is seventy nine years young. Not only were they a great encouragement to the people God has joined us together with in the ministry but they have been a great source of encouragement to Terry and I.

 I asked Bro. Dan to share a few thoughts about the trip; the following comments are Bro. Dan Riley’s regarding his experience thus far:

“ ‘…Of some have compassion, making a difference’

" …Brothers and sisters in Christ, the first thing I would like to say is thank you…thank you for supporting the work of Chuck and Terry Fernandez.

After only five days of seeing first-hand what this amazing couple does and how hard they work at doing it, my life has been changed.
The support you give to the Fernandez Family both in prayers and finances is greatly needed, appreciated, and being used greatly for winning souls…souls that live in areas of the country that are otherwise untouched by missionaries. Each and every day is an adventure and, although Bro. Chuck does not make a big deal of this, they come within inches of accidents every day because of the horrible traffic, very bad roads, and very slippery, muddy roads coming down from the interior. I experienced this first hand. Simply getting home from church is another great adventure.
As far as my experience goes, words can hardly express what I have witnessed. The Christians in Kenya are so faithful to God, and He definitely has preeminence in their lives. American Christians, including myself, can learn a lot from the Christians here in Kenya. Today, for instance, the Sunday service started around 10 a.m.
Five hours later we were finally making our way down to the river for baptism service.

Then after baptizing twenty people (and me experiencing my first ever opportunity to baptize), we headed back to the church for about 30 minutes more of services, and then lunch was served at about 5:00pm.

By the time we had dropped one of the national pastors off at his village, it was past dark. We arrived back in Eldoret at about 8:20pm, twelve hours after we left the house. In America, we have forgotten what having genuine church is like because of our fast-paced lives, including fast-paced ministry.

We want to get our hour in on Sunday morning, hour in on Sunday evening, and perhaps to show up on Wednesday night if we are feeling ok. And if the pastor preaches too long and our restaurant plans are ruined, we start criticizing the pastor. Let us learn a lesson from these Christians who do not have the fast-pace of the world to distract them. They were honored to have us visiting from America, but I was the one who was honored…honored to be around such wonderful Christian people.

Please pray for Pastor Peter, Pastor Shadrach, Pastor Daniel, and Pastor Alex as they pastor their wonderful congregations. I love them all dearly, and wish I could be here in person like Bro.Chuck is, to see their works continue to flourish. If you, as a supporting church or individual, could possibly ever get to Kenya to visit, please do so. It will change your life. It surely did mine. My Fort Cooper friends will get a very complete presentation from me and dad when we return to the U.S. Please pray for safe travels for us back to the states this coming Thursday and Friday.”

It has been such a pleasure for Terry and I to have a father and son team as our first visitors from Ft. Cooper BC and it has been a week that none of us will forget. We have worked them hard and still have a couple of days left to do Eldoret Street Evangelism and Bible Studies as well let them visit one of the game parks on their way home.
Thank you for allowing us to share what God is doing on Mt. Elgon and Western Kenya.
God Keep You and Bless You,

Chuck & Terry Fernandez
Mt. Elgon and Western Kenya

Planning, Teaching and Banana Bread 101

We spent much of this week putting the pieces in place for our guests who will be arriving from the States on Wednesday. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Bro. Dan Riley and his father who will be the first visitors from our sending Church. We are so thankful for our sending Church which is also our home church and is where we raised our family as well as surrendered to the ministry. We are praying that they will make all their flights with their luggage and that their hearts will truly be touched by the work here in Kenya. While the men were making preparations for seminars, building projects and scheduling events for our visitors, Terry held another seminar for the Ladies. This seminar was entitled: “ Ingredients of a Successful Christian home” and combined teaching and cooking. It seems like the longer we are here the closer we are growing with the people that God has put on our hearts. The book of Acts gives some insight into the type of fellowship that is only known by those who are members of a New Testament Church.
Acts 2:42....." And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."

Not only was the breaking of bread an important event during biblical days but it is also an equally important part of Kenyan culture. One of the many talents Terry has is cooking.
Generally she bakes fresh banana bread or corn bread for our Bible Studies and meetings which have become very popular among our Kenyan brethren. They possess the capability and ingredients to bake both of these breads but have never been taught how until now.
Now keep in mind these women are used to cooking with a pot on three stones and Terry has no experience at cooking on open fire.

So to bridge the gap we purchased a small wood burning oven in Eldoret and donated it to the Church so the Momma’s will be able to use it for future fellowships.

After the Bible based teachings on the Christian home the women assembled outside for their first class in baking 101.

Most had never seen a wood burning oven and they were all very impressed by it.

We tend to take for granted the many blessings we have which include cooking by gas or electricity.

Each woman was given a copy of both recipes in Swahili and then listened intently to the instructions on mixing and baking.

After approximately one hour of cooking the bread was ready for testing.

As each woman tasted the sweat banana bread and corn bread you could see how excited they were as they realized they will be able to cook something they have never cooked in their life.

Can you imagine tasting something new and different like banana bread for the first time?

One of the men told me that Terry loves the Momma’s and Children very much and had given the Momma’s something eternal through the Word of God and something that can be passed down from generation to generation through cooking.

Please pray for us this week as will be doing extensive traveling over the next ten days with our guests.
God Keep You and Bless You,

Chuck and Terry Fernandez
Mt. Elgon and Western Kenyahil
Phil. 4:13

A Chainsaw, An Ox Cart, A Daughters Burden and a Tent Revival

As we look back at the week in review it is clearly apparent that the Lord has blessed in such a way that we can only give him the praise, the honor and the glory for what has been accomplished. There is a peace and joy that is produced when a person is the center of God’s will. Terry and I continue to enjoy this peace which passeth all understanding while working and walking in God’s perfect will.

This week we entered into a new phase of ministry which involved a more physical labor of love. We always enjoy doing the work of Lord which is spiritual, but from time to time it is also enjoyable to wrap your hands around something in God’s work and break a sweat.

It was decided among the members of our ministry team that we would purchase trees for building and cut them ourselves instead of buying them from a lumber yard. We purchased four trees located on a river near the Church and proceeded to cut them down.

I dropped the first one because it was easy and told the men on the work crew that they would have to drop the others which were located too close to the river and I did not want to be responsible for dropping them into the river and creating more work for them. After I put mine on the ground they dropped the other three, two of which ended up in the river.
Keep in mind we did not have a loader or large piece of equipment to pull the trees from the river.

Fortunately, two of the men were raised there and did not mind going swimming to pull the pieces from the river as they were cut. The chainsaw was the portable saw mill we used and when put into the hands of a skilled operator was more than adequate to produce very nice rough sawn 2x3’s, 2x4’s and 4x4’s. I had no problems cross cutting but when I tried my hand at cutting finished lumber going with the grain, well let’s just say it was not pretty.
I have learned from experience that somethings are better left to the experts who do it on a daily basis.
While cutting trees for the sanctuary my mind was on our home Church in Florida where in 1952 a small group of men cut trees from the property to build the first sanctuary just as we were doing.

Our men here worked hard all day processing the wood which was delivered to the church site by ox  cart.

While the men were working with their hands, Terry and the woman were working with their hearts.
We got a call from Pastor Peter that his wife’s mother was not saved but has been asking questions about salvation and his wife, “Momma Sporta” wanted Terry to go and share God’s Word with her.

We thank God He allows us to be a witness for Him and love the opportunity to teach and share God’s Word, however, there is something precious and pressing when a friend whom you love dearly is burdened for the soul of a family member. It is also a great honor and privilege. Using an analogy that all can understand it is as if a 911 call came from heaven.

So as the men worked by the river, Terry and Momma Sporta trekked through the Western countryside to visit the village where she was raised. Terry reported that Sporta’s mother “Margaret” as well her

sister-in-law “Joann” understood the teachings from the Bible regarding salvation and gladly received the Word.

In addition to these two, Momma Sporta’s younger brother and neighbor received Christ as well.
At the close of the day we were all both tired and excited about what was accomplished through God’s amazing grace and some good old fashioned elbow grease. In addition to the work this week we traveled up Mt. Elgon for Sunday services. The trip up the mountain was anything but smooth but God blessed and we arrived safely.
The service was what I can only describe as a totally unexpected revival.
The Maasi singing and praise is heavenly but what stole our hearts’ was the testimony of the visitors.
                               CHILDREN PRAYING

There were many people present that said they did not plan on being there, but through a series of events God lead them to the small tent in Kispsigon, Mt. Elgon in order to get them back on the right path.
I cannot remember a service when I have seen so many people with similar testimonies of being backslidden and out of the will of God being drawn to the house of God at the same time.

The testimonies where so compelling and heart wrenching that it just brought tears of joy to your eyes.

When you clearly see God move in a way that it is " not by power nor by might but my spirit", saith the Lord, it so strengthens and encourages your faith.

What a blessing!
In addition to these testimonies we received word that  many of those who made professions at last week’s evangelism were so happy with their new life in Christ and are anxiously awaiting baptism.

In closing, I have walked the Christian walk long enough to know that there are times when you are on the mountain top and times when you are in a valley but thanks be to God that Terry and I are currently experiencing the mountain top both physically and spiritually.

God Keep You and Bless You,
Chuck & Terry Fernandez

Mt. Elgon & Western Kenya

The Recovering Patient, The Widow Woman & Baptism Permit???

Thank you Lord, for your healing power and for all of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ who united in prayer for my dear sick wife. For those that have experienced severe food poisoning you know that not only does it make you extremely sick to your stomach but it also makes you extremely weak. We spent much of this past week allowing Terry adequate time to recover and I am happy to report that after almost five days she had enough strength to travel to Western with me again.

James 5:15 says, "And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up."
Saturday we traveled to a village called Namarambi to do evangelism with Pastor Daniel.
This is one of the four new churches that God has allowed us to work together with in order to plant a New Testament Church. We praise the Lord for the team that God has formed in order to accomplish His will of evangelism and church planting.
Each week there are as many as eighteen members of our team that come together to carry out the great commission on Mt. Elgon and Western.
It does not matter whether it is on top of Mt. Elgon, on the side or at the base, there are more than a dozen people who feel led to share the Love of Christ through the preaching of the Gospel.

And in case you are wondering, these folks are so surrendered, so burdened and so committed to being a witness for the Lord that they go even when Terry and I are not able to accompany them!

We thank God for allowing us to work together and we love them dearly.
There were a couple of visits we made in the village that were absolutely phenomenal in the sense that we knew that God sent us and God gave us a great blessing for going.

It is a given that our primary goal in weekly village evangelism is the proclaiming of the good news but there are so many other great blessings that come from caring about the souls of men and the sharing God’s Love. As with almost all of our village evangelism efforts, we were led by a local resident.
This week our guide was a young man named, George, whom I led to Christ several months ago in this same village and also baptized. This is one of the great benefits and blessing of forming strong relationships with our new converts as they want to share this great salvation with their friends, neighbors and family.
It is so reminiscent of John 1 and it is both encouraging and comforting to see faith in Christ before our very eyes just like in the days when Jesus was walking on the shores of Galilee, a faith that has been repeated throughout the centuries of time by millions of believers.
John 1:41 says "He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ."  John 1:42 "And he brought him to Jesus."

Yesterday the first house we visited was George’s older brother Ben and his wife Mary.
Neither of them had ever heard the wonderful story about the Life, the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus but both of them gladly received the word and trusted Christ as Lord and Savior.
Each opportunity to share the Word of God is special but so much more when a burdened and praying family member has brought them to Jesus.
Can someone say, Amen!
The very next visit we made was equally as precious as seeing the young couple come to Christ and form a Christian home.
We approached a rundown home with what seemed like dozens of children running around which is nothing unusual. There was an old momma wearing a ragged dress outside with a hoe in her hands weeding a small garden. After the normal cultural greetings and a small bible study with her she told us that she was a born again believer and began to pour out her heart to us with tears running down her face. She also said that she was a widow and was taking care of her grandchildren and many orphans all alone because of the death of the children’s parents.
While she was in somewhat dire straits with caring for so many without any means I could not help but to think of the widow woman in 1 Kings 17.
With all of our hearts broken we pleaded with the Lord to provide and bless this widow lady with a great blessing and measure of grace. Before we departed the widow woman said that our visit was of God and that her faith had been greatly strengthened and encouraged by our time together. She made a statement of true faith when she said that God had given her something more valuable than money this day and that is hope in the Lord.
What a great demonstration of faith.
Now before you get critical and say, why didn’t you help her, it is important that to know that we are absolute inundated and surrounded with hundreds of these types of situations on a daily basis and while our hearts go out to these folks it is impossible for us to provide assistance for all we meet. It is also important to remember that God gave her something that will last longer than a day, a week or a month of food. That being Faith, Hope and Love. As with Elijah and the widow woman, we believe that God is able to provide and bless this woman’s great faith in a way that she will know it is of God.
1Ki 17:16 says " And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Eli."

In closing, this Lord’s day we delivered children’s teaching materials for the Church at Mawe Tatu which were sent by Temple Missionary Baptist in Bald Knob, Arkansas.

These folks have been a great blessing to us and the people of Kenya. Thank you ,Pastor Clayton Hall and your dear members, for you have been a blessing to children that are so in need of teaching material.
We concluded the Lords day with a baptism service down by the river. As we prepared to leave two men who were forestry officers rode up on a motorcycle with handcuffs and automatic machine guns. I listened and prayed intently as they questioned Pastor Shadrach.

They threatened to arrest him for not having a permit to baptize in the river (no such law) but in the end they simply wanted a bribe which we did not pay.
Pastor Shadrach took the opportunity to witness to them and I explained that we were doing the Work of God. They got a little frustrated and let us go without incident.
It is just another sad example of the rampant corruption here in Kenya and also a reminder that there are forces that oppose the work of God. We ask you to please continue to pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Chuck & Terry Fernandez                     Nelson Mandela

Mt. Elgon and Western Kenya