As this season of ministry concludes we are saying goodbye in preparation for furlough. This week we visited our last two mission points which happened to be our newest works. We had a great day of teaching and fellowship in the Kerio Valley with the new believers at Chepsabei.
I finally remembered to mark Chepsabei on my GPS for future reference, the coordinates are N01’30.623’-E034’59.110. These wonderful people continue to grow in their new walk with the Lord and they have such a hunger for God’s Word that they are willing to sit for hours in the 100 degree heat and listen intently to the teachings. To facilitate the growing numbers we took time to construct some benches for the people to use during the services while Terry gave out water, oranges and mango’s.
Being a semi-arid region they are unable to grow fruits or vegetables and they have to walk over four kilometers to the nearest river for water.
God is truly moving and blessing the work at Chepsabei as not only are we seeing many new converts but God is also raising the future leaders to sustain this work for many years to come.
Children of Chepsabei
For example: we are finding men who have a heart for God, who are not ashamed of their faith and who have the ability to teach are stepping forward to take on small leadership roles. We are also finding women who are willing to lead singing as well as organize and teach the youth.
It is awesome to see the power of God manifested in the lives of these new believers at Chepsabei. Keep in mind that this work is less than six month’s old. However, during that time not only have we been teaching and training the people of Chepsabei but we have also introduced six young preachers to the work there who will sustain it while we are on furlough. The people have grown to love these men of God and the men have grown to love them. With both the preachers and the people eager to go further and deeper in their faith it was mutually agreed upon that starting in January we would send a team of two preachers to Pokot on a weekly basis. There were cheers of joy when we made this announcement to the people.
Congregation of Chepsabei
While this will take some transportation scheduling the blessing far outweighs any logistical trials that will be part and parcel to this outreach. One of the young Pokot men who we have watched absolutely explode in his faith is Peter.
He is the one who was able to travel to Western Kenya for two weeks of schooling and is the only one that has been baptized at this point. He is standing before his people with a growing confidence as he translates the teachings into their mother tongue and his testimony of a transformed life through Christ will bring tears to your eyes. In any case we ask you to remember these new young Christians as well as the preachers who will be traveling to Chepsabei each week.
Yesterday we had great services at the Landmark Baptist Church of Mayanja which is located at the base of Mt. Elgon.
I always enjoy worshipping under the tent in the shadow of Mt. Elgon because as I look upward my heart and mind is on our Churches who are worshipping on top of the Mountain at the same time.
Parting Gift of Love
The spirit at Mayanja was sweet and we had the privilege to worship with Pastor Peter’s brother John who is a missionary to southern Sudan. John pioneered the work in Turkana and is now doing the same thing in Sudan. The tent was full of people and passion for Christ and it was a blessed day. It has been said that foreign missionaries are men without a country. As we say goodbye and as the time of our departure draws near I can really see how true this is.
Over the last two years our hearts have had a continual yearning for home and our family. But now that which we have longed for is becoming a reality we are already thinking of our brethren here that we will miss as well. While we are torn between two countries we trust God with both. We covet your continued prayers for us and the work during this transition.
May God Keep You and Bless,
Chuck & Terry Fernandez
Kenya
Phil. 4:13
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