Missionaries Fernandez: Foundation of the House of the Lord and Pastors Seminar

Building construction continues to occupy much of our week and is something that we thoroughly enjoy as we work together with our Kenyan brethren. With each passing building project, evangelism campaign or seminar our team grows in number and in strength. With the sanctuary, kitchen and classrooms completed on our first church construction project we worked on installing a water system. Typically the women of the church would have to go to the nearest well or river to carry five gallon buckets of water to the church on their heads for cleaning or cooking. This week we installed a gutter system with a water tank to capture and contain rain water for the church. All of our churches located near Mt. Elgon receive large amount of rain fall on a regular basis. The tank will be filled in one or two days and will be sustained by rainwater alone.

Water Tank

God is good to provide the rain water; the church just needed the ability to collect and to store it. In addition to installing the water system we laid out the foundation of the sanctuary for our second building project. It was a beautiful day as we measured, planned and plotted the foundation of the sanctuary. One of great things about working on or around Mt. Elgon is the view. If we are working at the two churches on top of the mountain we have a spectacular view of Western Kenya and if we are working at the three churches located at the base of the mountain we have a great view of the mountain itself. Now keep in mind there are no building plans or blueprints, just a simple set of dimensions to start with. After the four corners were determined it was just a matter of plotting main support beams, windows and doors.

One the interesting thing is that the ground is not leveled until after the main beams are in place. The reasoning behind this is that the walls are constructed from the floor during the leveling process so they will not have to move the ground twice by hand.

There are many thoughts and emotions we experience each time we put up a tent, purchase a plot or lay a foundation. I realize these are all physical acts, but spiritually speaking my hearts prayer and desire is that Jesus will always be the chief cornerstone of each church.

Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone.

Without Jesus having pre-eminence the church building becomes nothing more than a meeting place for a social club. There is also a great joy that takes place knowing what God is doing and what God is going to do at this place. While I know the foundation of the House of God that was laid in the book of Ezra was a rebuilding of the temple, we also experience a joy that is similar to what Israel felt in that day. A joy that comes from erecting a sanctuary where Jesus will be exalted and praised.

Ezr 3:11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

May these sanctuaries always be places where God is glorified through the salvation of souls and through lives that are transformed by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

In addition to construction this week, we held our first Pastors/Preachers seminar for the Men of God that we are working with.

These men have been receiving various forms of training over the last two years but it was the first time we have been able to assemble them all together at the same time to teach them.

There were a total of twenty-one Men of God that attended the seminar.

Five of them are the Pastors from Mt. Elgon and the surrounding area but equally important were sixteen other preachers who are currently connected with these churches.

Many of these men never knew each other before Terry and I came to Kenya and many have surrendered to the ministry during our first term here. I say that to say that God has assembled an awesome ministry team that has one of the finest groups of men I have ever worked with. Not only has God given us five great Pastors to work with but He has given us a team of great depth with young men that are coming up behind these Pastors and are in the process of being trained. The majority of the teaching was doctrinal but having been a Pastor myself I was able to share many life experiences that seem to be common no matter what area of the world you live in.

While the majority of these men are tillers of the ground (farmers) there is also one very successful business man among them.

They are all very intelligent and eager

to be taught how

to be a Man of God.

Most of them are continuing their education through an extended personal study program and we have committed to bring them together for quarterly seminars. Generally each week our evangelism team will visit one of the Pastors villages to help them with evangelism. In addition to evangelism, Terry and I rotate among the Churches to teach and to worship with them. These men love each other and all work together with good unity for God’s honor and glory.

On a final note: Terry and I celebrated twenty-nine years of marriage today.

I thank God He has given me a help met that loves the Lord, loves God’s people and loves me.

Sarah, Esther & Terry