***Click on pictures to enlarge for better viewing Chuck & Terry & Peter
This week we traveled back to Nairobi to pick up our passports and our renewed work permit. It was a long trip, but a good trip because we have our passports back in hand, which is always comforting while working in a foreign country and we have been approved by the government for three more years to continue the work we have started here in Kenya. Upon our return we immediately hit the road again and traveled to North Pokot to work with the people of Chepsabei.
Go Ye Therefore
Before we travel to Pokot we always send an advance team of preachers from Mt. Elgon to lay the ground work for our larger group to visit. The advance team reported that since our last visit there were problems in the village as a result of the word of God being preached and Christianity starting to spread throughout the village. Now I did not get all the details but here is what I do know. There were a group of young men who were directed by an Elder to beat those who have been hosting Bible study groups at their homes using the solar powered audio Bibles, primarily women, in an effort to get them to renounce their faith. This is something I never expected but it is history being repeated over and over as powers of darkness attempt to stop God’s work from moving forward as in the book of Acts.
Act 5:40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
However in Chepsabei, after the beatings took place the Chief (who is saved) made a proclamation that Christianity was welcomed in the village and subsequently had two of the men arrested for beating the Mama’s while two more fled into the foothills of Uganda.
Teaching
Victory #1! Looking back, I can clearly see how God prepared the heart of the Chief for this situation by way of his salvation. With this as the backdrop of our visit I was unsure what we would encounter in the village this week. My heart was broken for those Mama’s that had been beaten and I felt a sense of responsibility as we had brought the word of God into their village. As we desended into the Kerio Valley I wondered in my mind if anyone would show up for the Bible teachings or if anyone would want another audio Bible given the problems that resulted in their distribution. (Oh, ye of little faith!) Upon arrival we decided to stay together as a large group instead of splitting up as usual to maintain unity and security if any problems arose. To our surprise, all of the Mama’s who were involved in the altercation had already assembled themselves at the meeting tree and were anxiously awaiting our arrival. Not only were they waiting but they were singing songs of praise unto the Lord. Words cannot describe how inspired we were by the strength of their young faith and by the fact that they were not willing to let anyone keep them from worshiping their God. Teresa & Solar Bible
Victory #2! We were truly blessed by their faith and encouraged in the Lord. As we joined them in song, people literally began to come out of the woodworks. We had planned to visit those persecuted in their homes to encourage them but they were the ones encouraging us by being steadfast and immovable. One by one people came from every direction to join these women singing and praising. By the time we began to teach we ended up having our biggest crowd since we started to work in this village.
Solomon in Red Shirt
Victory #3! I believe these new converts really made a statement that resonated loud and clear throughout the entire village as Joshua did when he said, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”
Even though I know Jesus said, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you”, I never thought we would see this very prophecy take place in Chepsabei. It is yet another reminder of the forces of evil that oppose the work of God but what man meant for evil God has used for Good.
The line has been drawn in the sand and God’s people have chosen the Lord.
Chepsabei Smiles
That has been one of our many prayers from the outset of this Pokot Outreach ministry. Nothing thrills the heart of a missionary like seeing young men desire to serve God by teaching their people the word of God.
Can somebody say AMEN! Yo~Yo
Victory #4. When these young men told their fellow villagers they were traveling to western Kenya for training they were told that they would be killed by the other tribes. After a day of worshipping with God’s people they have found out just how welcomed and loved they are by our brothers and sisters in Christ. God is good all the time! Solomon with Yo~Yo
I realize there are many more victories we can claim in Jesus but in this situation these are the highlights of our ministry to the people of “Chepsabei”.
Girl With Baby
Please pray that God will continue to do a work in the lives of these precious people and that He will continue to raise up servants who will proclaim His word and honor Him with their lives.
May God Keep You and Bless You,
Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya
Kenya
Phil. 4:13
Pokot Tribe Peter's Sister
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