Camp Bondo, Hunting 202 & Tent Raising at Mayanja

What started out last year as somewhat of retreat to go hunting has turned into another great opportunity to do evangelism and discipleship. This week we returned to Bondo for our second annual traditional hunting expedition.

Bro. Chad Harris, who is an avid hunter and also a missionary here accompanied us once again on this second trip. Last year we led most of our host family to Christ and this year we challenged them to grow in their walk with the Lord.

In the Bible, from time to time we find the Apostles would be reunited with their young converts to encourage them to continue in the faith.
Retuning to Bondo to hunt again this year afforded us this same opportunity.
Act 14:21 "And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
Act 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."

Each day we had morning devotions and each evening we taught and preached the Word of God, sometimes up to three hours. Not only did we minster to our host family but their neighbors and extended family attended the teaching services as well.

We also took the opportunity to do evangelism near Lake Victoria at a fishing village called Wichlum where we saw ten people trust Christ as their personal Savior.

We were blessed to encourage people in the Lord and one of the rewards was fresh fish every day.

Being from Florida I sure miss fresh fish on a regular basis but I think I made up for a two years of loss in just four days.

After evangelism, Bro. Chad and the Pastors decided they wanted to take a boat ride. I took the attached picture of about 12 people crammed into what was no more than an oversized canoe.

I love boating but I was not about to get into a small unstable boat with a dozen people.

                       Somebody had to live to tell the story.
In any case, there were no problems. However it was the first time all the Pastors had ever been in a boat. After doing the work of the Lord for several days it was time to go hunting.

This year we hunted a new area that was not quit as dense and did not have as many animals.

The men we hunted with were as rough and rowdy of a crowd as I have met anywhere in the world.

Traditional hunting with a hundred men here in Kenya is somewhat like war, organized confusion and absolute Chaos. I am sure they know what they are doing but it is hard to figure out with dogs and people everywhere.

What I learned from last year’s hunt is I needed to be at the leading edge of the hunters because with all the dogs barking and people yelling the animals are running in front of the skirmish line. After I positioned myself at the front of the line I could hear people yelling as they were coming through the woods towards me. I heard the bushes rattle with what I thought for sure was a big buck antelope only to find that it was two dogs that came busting through the shrubs. With my spear in hand I came within a slit second of killing one of the hunting dogs. Needless to say, we had a great time and eventually ended up with fresh antelope meat.

The most memorable moment for me came from my hunting partner Pastor Shadrach. Pastor Sharach had never seen anything like this before. Most of the animals are taken alive by the dogs and then speared.

He could not stand hearing the gazelle bellow and whine after being taken. He asked if we could just let it go but I believe he changed his mind after he was able to eat fresh gazelle.

These types of shared experiences only grow us stronger as a team. After four days of sleeping in a tent it was good to get back in a real bed.

Sunday we spent the Lord’s Day at a village called Mayanja where we saw six more people make professions of faith. We also made good on a promise by delivering a tent for these new converts to meet under on a weekly basis.

What started as a Bible study of four has turned into group of more than fifty that meets three times per week. Many of those in attendance were people who made professions of faith during the course of our evangelism efforts over the last year. (Confirming the souls of the disciples). Please pray for these new converts.

May God continue to bless you and keep you.


Chuck & Terry Fernandez
Kenya, East Africa
Phil. 4:13