First Baptism, Growing Pains and Letters from the Field

Being fresh off our two week mission trip to East Africa gives us the unique perspective of knowing and seeing firsthand what God is doing here in Florida as well as to the uttermost parts of the earth.   We serve an awesome almighty God who is omnipresent and speaks to the hearts of His people all over the world. He continues to pursue the lost with His great love and grace as well as call and equip His servants to do His kingdom work.
Just two weeks ago we scripturally baptized over fifty new converts who obeyed the Lord Jesus in Kenya and this week we baptized our first new convert here in the USA. There was joy in the presence of the angels to seeing one of our young men receive Christ and follow Him in scriptural baptism.
Luke 15:7 "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance."

We are committed to coming along side of this young man for many years to come to exhort and encourage Him in his new faith by building him up with the Word of God.   We have also seen four more folks make professions of faith in Christ since Herbert did and praying God will continue to give an increase one by one.   Our young Church plant continues to yield much fruit as we press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.   The Bible Studies are not  meant to take the place of the assembling of the brethren but rather an opportunity to build a closer relationship with our people while we are teaching and disciplining them one on one in the comfort of their own home. 

Africa taught us that the relationship is paramount in everything and while I know this techno age does not lend itself to this type of discipleship, God is blessing our efforts and we are hosting as many as six Bible Studies per week.   This is clearly a work that God is doing by His power in the lives of many.   With growth comes the inevitable growing pains.   One such pain is that we are already outgrowing the classroom capability of our meeting place and particularly with the Children's ministry which Terry is heading up. 

We have one nursery room for babies and one classroom which is not much bigger than the average kitchen.   We are bringing in four van riders and would pursue more however given our limited classroom space we are concerned about overcrowding, safety and learning environment.   If you have followed our ministry over the last seven years you know we are somewhat creative when planting Churches, ie: using tents and temporary buildings until the Church is able to move to a more permanent situation.   With that said, Terry and I were traveling a couple of weeks ago and saw a small Church using a (Shed) as a classroom.   It seems to be an alternative for our Classroom/Jr. Church situation and one that we could take with us when we outgrow our current sanctuary.   With that as our challenge we have started a "classroom" fund in an effort to allow growth and so things will be done descent & orderly.   We have already received offerings of $1,500.00 towards our goal of $5,000.00 and if you are interested in helping us expand please designate your offering "Classroom #Floridaplant". 

We have partnered with our Kenyan brethren to build fifteen sanctuaries over the years and now find ourselves in need in Florida.   We thank God for our ministry partners who share our vision and burden to reach the lost and to plant New Testament Churches until Jesus comes back.   While we are talking about building sanctuaries, Pastor Nixon has taken funds our team of four left him to purchase a tent with and applied that to our first sanctuary in Uganda. 

Seems as though one of the members there donated a plot and they decided to step out on faith and move forward with a permanent structure.   The work in Uganda is several years old now and is worthy of our building support. Will close for now, hope you have enjoyed our latest blog update while you have had your morning coffee or with your favorite energy drink while on the run.   Please pray for us as we do what God has called us to do for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya/Uganda#Florida Plant 

Letter From The Mission Field, Gary Weidenbach

My third trip to Kenya, and it is still the people, they are what draw me back. 

From the local Pastors, to the people we meet in the deserts of the Kerio Valley, it is the people. 

I have been blessed to observe the village people surviving day to day.  Their life is one of hard labor, feeding their families and maintain a house and home, with very few of the luxuries we have in the States, some of which we might consider necessitates, such as electricity, vehicles, and indoor plumbing.  Many of their houses are no larger than a 2-car garage with mud walls and dirt floors. Most all walk, have an old bicycle to ride, or take some form of public transportation to get back and forth to the market.  They carry their items everywhere they go, no putting it in the trunk of a car.  Older siblings take care of the younger ones, boys tend to the family livestock, while mom and dad farm the small plot of land they may own.

And yet I do not feel sorry for or have pity on them.  I do not believe they would want your pity.  The brothers and sisters of the area have given to me, both physically and spiritually, more than I can ever repay.  Their love, excitement, and enthusiasm is like lighting a fire with dry kindling on a cold winter night.  The wide smiles and open embraces are almost intoxicating as they welcome you into their home or church.  You can actually get lost in the knowledge of your harsh surroundings, just by being around the people.  They clap with excitement that you will be praying for them, and shriek at the idea that you would want to come back again.

Did I mention the singing during worship time?  They sing with a joy in their hearts and a praise on their lips, unless you get to experience it, I have no words to describe.  It's seems the longer they sing the louder they get.  The singing, like a moth to a flame, just draws you into worship.

My third time here, and it is still the people, it has always been the people and their love for the Lord and a real desire to serve Him as not only their Lord, but their Savior.

G

In Closing, I want to thank Chuck and Terry Fernandez for the many hard years of labor they have given for our Lord in East Africa and for allowing me to be a small part of their ministry. I pray I can always carry a part of the African people in my heart and my life.

My third trip 

Close Call on Mt. Elgon & 152 Profess Christ

The second week of our mission trip found us climbing the steep, rocky and muddy slopes of Mt. Elgon.   While we had prepared for the cold temperatures at over 10,000 ft. above sea level we had not prepared for the rains which you can almost set your clock by this time of year.   Of all the years Terry and I have been working on Mt. Elgon we have never been stuck there, but all that changed with our group of four because I let our Pastors determine our schedule rather than giving them the schedule. It was a calculated risk since I did not have Terry with me and since we had planned on spending the night on the mountain but was one that ended up being way more stressful than necessary.   Here is the short version, we divided up into three teams for village evangelism and scheduled each group to meet back at the truck before two o'clock when the rains start so we could make our way back to the Church we were sleeping at and before the roads turn to mud. Once that happens you are not going anywhere regardless of what type of four wheel drive you have.   So as you can already imagine, the leader of the group Bro. Gary Weidenbach and I were in led us so far away that we could not get back to the truck in time before it started raining.   With the rain falling we desperately tried to get down the slopes to no avail.   After bouncing off the sides of numerous ditches we slide off the road and got stuck several times, and with nothing to hook the winch to we had to use man power to push the Rover back onto the road. 

 We finally made it to a plateau where one of our outreaches is located at Huruma.   After taking hot Chai (Tea with milk) to warm up and since we were somewhat stranded we figured we might as well do what God had called us to do and continued evangelism. God used that lapse in judgment to see many more villagers come to Jesus Christ which brought the Mt. Elgon total to 141 decisions.
God has a way of taking our blunders and using them for His honor and glory.

                                                             Evangelism

We were blessed to make it off Mt. Elgon without any injuries and minimal damage to the truck.   After a day of rest and repair we packed up again and took off for the Kerio Valley. So from the one extreme of high, cold wet elevation to the semi arid region of the Kerio Valley and light weight desert clothing.   Our first visit in the valley would take us to the village of Lopsusinkou to deliver the good news of the gospel.

 Pokot Solar Bible

The Pokots welcomed us with open arms to share the gospel and to preach God's word. Many made professions of faith and we left some of the solar powered audio Bibles to start groups to listen to the Word of God.
 Rom. 10:17 " So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Our second trip would take us deeper into the bush to visit a second generation Church plant at the Pokot village of Morreris. Before we brought the good news of the gospel this village was known as the village of murderers. Now there is joy in the hearts of so many and the name of Jesus can be heard through song and preaching throughout the village.   It has been amazing to watch God radically transform this village before our eyes over the last couple of years and is a reminder of what a personal relationship with Christ does to a sinner saved by grace. This visit also afforded us the opportunity to deliver the tent given by the children of Dean Springs MBC from their VBS offerings.

What a connection and what a blessing! Children giving to God's work in remote interior regions of East Africa to give these new converts relief from the hot sun.
Our final safari day brought us back for Sunday worship service at the first Pokot Church Terry and I help plant in the village of Chepsabei.   The Landmark Baptist Church at Chepsabei is alive and well.   The songs service is always powerful, the teaching Dr. Myers brought was moving and the Church honored him with a goat and a bow.

Evangelist James Jones with God's People

The preaching by Evangelist James Jones was accompanied by God's Spirit which left the alters full and God's people crying out to God. Oh that we long for those types of services in the Churches of America. 2Ch 7:14

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Thank You for tuning in and please pray for our return flights to the USA, we look forward to seeing you all on the other side. 

God Speed,

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya/Uganda#Florida Plant 

Faithful Men, 52 Baptized and Give us That Mountain

After five days on the ground I am starting to re-acclimate to the place that Terry and I have called home for many years.   The process starts the minute you depart from the British Airways flight from London (flight 3 of 4) to arrive in Nairobi. Terry and I have made the trip so many times that it has become second nature. Even though I am traveling with three other preachers there is a definite void in my heart without the greatest co-laborer in Christ I have ever known. She is faithfully maintaining her ministry working with the youth at the Florida Church Plant as well as maintaining in-home Bible Studies with the Ladies she is teaching and discipling.

Our first full day in country would start with the event which, in my mind, is some of the most important work we will do this week. By the grace of God we will reach people with the gospel which is obviously of great eternal significance. But training these Men of God is also of eternal significance and hopefully will be passed down from generation to generation. So our team of four preachers: Dr. Tim Myers, Gary Weidenbach, James Jones and I dove right in for two days of teaching.   From the feedback we received, I believe the teachings took them to places they have never been in Bible History/Geography, Eschatology, Bible Analysis, and Early Church History.

James Jones Teaching

It is our prayer to help them to develop into faithful men who will be able to teach others. There were a total of 48 Pastors, Evangelists and Preachers who attended the three day seminar. The work which Terry and I left in the National Pastors hands has now grown to from sixteen to twenty Churches! Can somebody say Amen and Amen? 

Pastors, Evangelists and Preachers at Seminar...

Study

More Study

Reading God's Word

Dr. Myers often says that what we are seeing before our eyes is the closest thing to the replication of New Testament Church planting we have seen in many years. I say we do all we do for the glory of God in the name of our Lord Jesus.   We would divide up our team to be able to be a blessing to more than one Church on this past Lord 's Day.   Pastor Tim and Evangelist James Jones visited the Landmark Baptist Church at Ndivisi while Bro. Gary Weidenbach and I visited the Landmark Baptist Church at Namarambi.   We would baptize fifty two new converts and saw two more professions of faith in Christ Jesus. 

Baptism

Family of God

Many of those new converts came from the three surrounding villages where Bible studies have been started over the last several years. It does our hearts good to see the work Terry and I have poured our lives into grow and go forth in faith with the good news of the gospel. Our first ministry safari also gave us the opportunity to check on the building progress at Namarambi. We also got to look at the new school plot at the Church at Ndivisi, which Bro. Gary and His wife Pam helped purchase.

Bro. Gary 

It is so encouraging to see God's people with passion, vision and a burden to reach the lost pushing forward to grow God's work here in Kenya.  Each passing week will grow in difficulty and as I conclude this journal entry. We are preparing and packing for our trip up Mt. Elgon tomorrow for two days of village evangelism.   Just climbing the mountain and then hiking above 10k feet above sea level is enough to bring you to your knees. We will see tomorrow who is up for the challenge of climbing peaks and valleys to preach the gospel.   Your prayers are needed and deeply appreciated.   Our prayers have been answered since the first trip I took up that mountain in 2009 when we prayed,              "God give us this mountain".

Thank you for allowing us the privilege of sharing what God is doing on this trip as we fulfill the great commission to the uttermost parts of the earth.

In His Service,

Bro.Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez

The Jesus Film, Preparing 4 Kenya & Developing Disciples

As we are preparing for our return trip to Kenya next week we received great news that Pastor Loquardo showed the Jesus film at the Landmark Baptist Church at Chepsabei in the Kerio Valley.  There were twelve precious souls that received Christ by faith at the conclusion of film who will be baptized and added to the Church.            

Prayer

In addition to continued evangelism efforts in the Kerio Valley, the Pastors,  Preachers and Evangelist’s are continuing their education by conducting seminars.   They continue to follow the biblical pattern of committing to faithful men the things they have been taught them.

As Pastor Loquardo is laboring in the Kerio Valley, Pastor Peter has continued to build on Mt. Elgon.  They now have the sanctuary at Cheptguruguru fully enclosed to protect their members from the elements. 

Workers are Faithful

These reports add to the excitement while we prepare to return to Kenya and Uganda next week.  Our team of four have purchased our tickets and are making final preparations for our ministry safari.   In addition to packing routine items we are packing the solar powered audio Bibles God people have given as well as pillow case dresses made by Sister Nancy who loves the children of Kenya.

Sister Nancy

We will have the privilege of giving those out during our visit.   On the Florida Plant side of ministry we continue to move forward and God continues to give an increase in every area of ministry.   Our average attendance continues to rise and is maintaining around fifty each Sunday.  This last week we had seventy in attendance for a “fish fry fellowship” which was a delicious success.

Bible Study in the Word

We are also continuing to see folks receive Christ by faith and making every effort to disciple and ground them in the Word of God.   Our discipleship program includes in-home Bibles studies with people who want to grow in their faith and ability to rightly divide the word of truth.  This method of evangelism and discipleship is nothing new as we have practiced this in Kenya and Uganda for years and was modeled to us by our Lord and Savior Jesus as well as the Apostle Paul.  Mark 6:7  And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two   Act 20:20  And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house.   We thank you for allowing us to share our continue journey of faith and for your continued support as we press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.  We also humbly ask you for your prayers as serve the King of Kings and the Lord of Lord’s.  God willing our next journal blog will be from Kenya and Uganda next week. 

In His Service,

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez

Kenya,Uganda & The Florida Plant

 Terry's Junior Church Troops

2015 Typhoid Fever, Discipleship 101 & Gathering Children

Our ties with our brethren in Kenya and Uganda continue to run deep as we are in constant communication with the Pastors of the Churches that Terry and I have been blessed to help plant. These communications come in the form of email, text messaging and phone calls which keep us up to date on the condition of the ministry in East Africa.   One of the messages we received this week was that Pastor Jackson of the Landmark Baptist Church at Got has been sick with Typhoid Fever for nearly a month and was in need of medical assistance.   We ask you to pray for Pastor Jackson who is one of the fishermen from Lake Victoria we led to Christ and was subsequently called to preach around five years ago.

One of the areas that is not widely known but nevertheless is a part of our ministry is to provide funds for medicines for those in our associated work in verified cases of severe malaria, typhoid, tuberculosis, etc…   The years in East Africa taught us that we cannot help everyone but from time to time we are able to be a blessing by providing what might be considered humanitarian medical aide to these Men of God and or their families through our ministry partners in America. 
The years we spent discipling our converts in Kenya and Uganda have provided some of the most fruitful years of our ministry.  It is this same ministry philosophy that we are applying through the ministries of our Florida Church plant by taking new converts and investing time and energy by grounding them in the Word of God.   We are observing what might considered normal “Church” activities of worship and service but we are also offering those who come to Christ personal discipleship training in the comfort of their own home.

We would much rather ground a handful of converts who can in turn carry the torch and make a difference for the Lord Jesus than to have the masses pass through our lives without significant time mentoring them.    Jesus invested in the lives of twelve men over the period of 3 ½ years and His example is the one we want to follow.    We have experience an average attendance of 49 over the last three weeks which is up from 27 last month.   While God continues to bring people in by His amazing grace, Terry and Sis. Rose have been bringing youth in on the Church van that God provided for us a couple of months ago which is  increasing our attendance as well.

We are rapidly finding out that there are folks God has prepared for us to reach in Hernando County, Florida just like he did in East, Africa.   My hope and prayer is that our Brothers and Sisters in Christ will join us in reaching our Nation for the Lord.   We have been told by the skeptics and synics that nobody wants to hear the gospel message anymore in America, we say 

" look unto fields for they white and ready unto harvest,"

 we just need to be about our fathers business and bring them in. 

We Thank the Lord for allowing us to make a difference in the lives of these young folks as we bring them to Christ.    I will close with one of our favorite poems about bringing kids to Christ. 

   

Some would gather money

Along the path of life

Some would gather roses,

And rest from worldly strife.

But I would gather children

From among the thorns of sin,

I would seek a golden curl,

And a freckled, toothless grin.

For money cannot enter

In that land of endless day,

And roses that are gathered

Soon will wilt along the way.

But oh, the laughing children,

As I cross the sunset sea,

And the gates swing wide to heaven,

I can take them in with me!

~Author Unknown

Thank you for allowing us to share our continued journey of faith.

Chuck & Terry Fernandez
Kenya/Uganda & #TheFloridaPlant

Uganda Baptism, Teaching Women & Church Growth

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Ugandan Baptism Candidates Praying

This week, Pastor Moses & Pastor Timothy Loquardo baptized thirteen new believers into the Church at Kakaron, Uganda.   God led us into Kerio Valley side of Uganda when we noticed that at certain times of the year over half the membership from the Landmark Baptist Church at Chepsabei would be away in the foothills of Uganda grazing their herds.   We saw the need to follow this semi-nomadic Pokot Tribe and plant a Church to afford them the opportunity to worship God during those periods of travel.  By God’s grace that work continues to move forward and many more are being reached in Uganda with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The hard years Terry and I have invested in the Kerio Valley continues to produce much abiding fruit which is the heart’s desire of these Missionaries.   To see the work continuing in this manner gives us peace that they know the Lord Jesus and are continuing to keep His commandments with or without the constant care of the Missionary. The longer we are here in the USA, the more we are finding out how big a toll our ministry in these rough interior regions has taken on our bodies.  The roads are smooth here in the USA, the physical demands are not great but we still feel beat up, even after extended months of being home.  Pray that God will continue to heal Terry especially but I am facing physical problems that have slow me a step or two and especially need to get well before returning in the next six weeks.   In addition to the good news of more baptisms at the LBC Kakaron, Uganda, the sending Church for that work held a two day Pokot Women’s seminar.There were several hundred that walk from Uganda and the surrounding villages to attend this Seminar.

 Women Seminar

This is a continuation of Terry’s ministry to these precious ladies as they learned much from her over the years and they are nowbreinvesting in the younger women of faith.   And of course while they were in East Africa teaching, precious faithful Terry was sharing some of her experiences as a Missionary Wife with the National Women Auxiliary workshop in Springfield, Illinois.   She is such a great teacher of the women and from what I understand she had them laughing, crying and even frightened by some of the stories she shared on the “less glamorous side of her mission work”.   I explained to her that if they experienced that many emotions in a fifteen minute talk she did a great job of sharing her heart. 

 

 

In addition to the National Messenger meeting of the American Baptist Association last month we also attended the Florida State Meeting in Plant City to share our hearts and work with the brethren in our associated work.   It is a real joy to report on the work God has allowed us to do as well as the work that He is doing through the “Florida Plant” in Brooksville and the greater Hernando County area.    All this traveling really wears you out, especially on the heals of many hard fought years in the East Africa but is a necessary byproduct of continually promoting the Lord’s work and for the benefit of our folks in Kenya and Uganda.  

The less enjoyable side of these meetings is the inevitable politics that seems to be in any organization.  We have been totally sheltered from politics in Kenya over the years and since we are not politically connected or motivated we just keep planting and watering and choose to be somewhat oblivious to it.  Finally, the Church plant is moving forward and God is truly doing something great as he continues to add to our number really without much outreach efforts on our part.   These are true indications that God is with us and blessing our humble start as we simply replicate the work of preaching the gospel here and abroad.   This week we significantly moved above our average of thirty with a high attendance of forty seven.  

We also had a young man who was recently released from prison receive Christ.  I am looking forward to building a relationship with him and to help him develop into a disciple of Christ.   We also got the van licensed, insured and lettered and will put it on the road this week as we start our visitation program.   Our prayers are being answered as God is allowing us to be a part of something special here in our own country and we are praying, plotting and planning another preaching point in the near future.  Pray for us as we work through the process of asking and seeking God’s will as well as for my next trip to Kenya and Uganda.   May God be glorified through it all and give us strength to press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.  Thank you to every Church and individual who comes along side of us through prayers and financial support as we partner together to do God’s global work to fulfill the great commission.

Phil. 4:17

  Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez

Kenya/Uganda#The Florida Plant