Answered Prayers, Preparation for Travel & Ordination Service

While we did not do evangelism this weekend but we received a great report from Mt. Elgon that there were 32 present at the weekly Bible Study and 3 Soldiers of the Kenyan Army stationed on Mt. Elgon were saved yesterday.

That is an answer to prayers as many of the villagers told us that the soldiers were taking young girls from their homes and raping them on a regular basis. When this was revealed we started praying for the soldiers to receive Christ as well as those that live in the area and now God is answering that prayer one by one. Much time was spent this week preparing for our trip to Lodwar. When I took the truck to the shop to replace the shock bushings they found that the emergency brake cable was broke and that one of the axle seals was wore out allowing axle grease to pour into the hub. It is no wonder that the brakes did not work last week when we were rolling backwards down the mountain.

It is also another reminder of how God has protected us from dangers that we were not even aware of. Aside from getting the “green camel” ready for a pounding on the rough Turkana roads and the extreme heat we picked up a steel door and window I had made here in Eldoret for the house in Lodwar. As you can see in the attached pics it will look like Ft. Knox.

The night guard in Lodwar said that someone tried to break into the house last week so I am beefing up security at the two weakest points. We asked for your continued prayers as there is nothing normal about the journey from Eldoret to Turkana. We will leave on Tuesday and will stay for about 10 days to finish repairs to the house, fence and to move our household goods into the house. We will also be attending a revival campaign with Bro. Eddies Pastors. We are looking forward to practicing what we have learned in language school with those that cannot speak any English. Today we traveled back to Western Kenya to attend the ordination service for a young Pastor named Shadrach. We took him and 12 of his church members from Mawe Tatu (3 stones) back to the Church where he was disciplined and served as an Assistant Pastor for 6 years. The members were so glad to see Shadrach return and they were so proud of what God is doing in his life and at his new Church home.

I taught on the qualifications of a Pastor and attempted to preach in Swahili for the first time. It was very difficult and I ended up reading most of the message as well as reverting back to English from time to time. I have to keep reminding myself we are not going to be able to hear and speak Swahili after barely 5 months of Language school.

The laying on of the hands from the presbytery is always a special part of any ordination service but at one point all the members were allowed to come forward and give Pastor Shadrach a gift.

Most place coins into an offering basket but a representative from His sending Church came forward and presented him with a Kerosene lamp.

At the time I was a little slow on the uptake as I thought well that is a nice gift but there was a deep symbolic meaning with that Lamp as it was to be used to study God’s Word in the evening (no electricity) and was symbolic of passing the torch to Him. It was another exciting day in the life of two people who continued to be humbled that God allows us the privilege to be missionaries. Every time we visit this village we are showered with blessings: One Chicken, 6 eggs and a bag of beans. We were also blessed to see both of the infant girls named after Terry (Teresa). Now I appreciate the gifts but I told Terry on the way home it is way easier for them to name their kids after us as we now have a live Chicken in the storage room and we are debating what to do with it?

Oh well if that is our biggest problem God has truly been good to us. Thanks for looking and listening. Please pray for our trip this week back to the desert.

God Bless,

Chuck & Terry Fernandez

Kenya, East Africa