Building The House of the Lord

Christian School Kids

In addition to multiple areas of ministry taking place on a weekly basis that include Bible Studies, evangelism and discipleship we have turned our attention back to building once again.

Over the last month we cut timbers for two churches and now that the wood is sufficiently cured we have began construction at both locations.

Construction here in Kenya is nothing like I have ever experienced before and if you are the type of person that needs a transit and a level to build you would get totally frustrated here.

The only thing used here other than a chainsaw to process the trees is a hammer, a machete, a string and a hand saw. During the course of the week there was a great temptation for me to interject my thoughts and ideas of how it should be done but I had to remind myself that if we are building indigenous Churches out of mud and timbers, who really knows what they were doing?

The answer was obvious, our Kenyan brethren are the ones who have all the experience and expertise at building these types of structures and they are the ones who will have ownership of the sanctuary.
So at various times during the course of construction I had to step back and watch them work.

In many ways, I find the physical building part of our mission work here indicative of our ministry philosophy. There are areas of responsibility that I feel I need to take the leadership role in but more times than not I find myself simply coming along side of our brothers here to help them do what God has called them to do.
That is not just opening a wallet and handing them money or giving orders but rather working closely together to see scriptural New Testament Churches planted with believers who will serve and glorify God over a lifetime and into eternity. Framing, trusses and roofing were our goal this week.
Through several days of hard work we have brought the first building to a place where the mudding can start.  That is definitely something I have never done before but I am looking forward to trying my hand at it. From what I understand there is a certain type of branches that are woven in between the framing which is filled with a mud that must be made with very precise specifications.
Once the mud is shaped and dried it is nearly as strong as concrete.

You may be asking why we are not using bricks.

The reasons are as follows:

A. With five simultaneous Church plants going at one time, we simply cannot afford to build with bricks (other than restrooms as they are small)
B. We are building the type of structures that are found in the interior areas where these Churches are located (indigenous).
C. These are the type of structures the Pastors have asked for.

One of the things that we have been reminded of here in Kenya is that it is the people who make

up the Church and not the building.

Some of the Churches we worship with here are so full of God that it does not matter if they have a roof over their head or not and in many instances they may only have a tent we have provided.

But God’s presence and blessing is seen week in and week out in the lives of these believers.
I personally have come to a place in my life where I would rather have God
than padded pews and air conditioning any day.

As long as Jesus is the head of the Church and the Church is scriptural, give me a branch, a seed sack or sand to sit on and we will worship.
On a final note:
this week we also purchased a plot of land for the Landmark Baptist Church of Cheptabrubru on Mt. Elgon. That is the third plot God has provided in less than two years through faithful giving people back home.
As my Missions Treasurer says: “Ain’t God Good?”

Thank you each and everyone who partners with us through prayers and finances to see the great commission being fulfilled right before our eyes.

We give God all the praise for what He is doing and what He is going to do as we serve a mighty God.

God Keep You and Bless You,

Bro. Chuck & Terry Fernandez

Kenya, East Africa