Building Pews, Measurable Milestones & Uganda Baptism

Terry & Carlitos

 

Mt. Elgon continues to loom large on our ministry radar as we have entered into the three to four month window of dry season that gives us the opportunity to spend more quality time with our brethren and Churches located there. It had not rained in almost two weeks prior to our climb this week to build pews and finish preparations for the Church dedication service at Cheptabrubru, however it poured the night before our trip leaving us slipping and sliding all over the rocky trails as we climbed the mountain.  

Every trip to Mt. Elgon is very physical, very stressful but very blessed.   

The assembly of the pews went well and gave us a great setting to spend some quality time with Pastor Alex as well as six other Pastors from Mt. Elgon and the surrounding areas. 

New Pews

  

Our team of Pastors and preachers continues to expand and the team is in great unity and firing on all eight cylinders as we serve the Lord together.

Of the many roles I fulfill as Missionary, I find that keeping our team in unity to promote fellowship and encouragement is one of my highest priorities. I am constantly praying for wisdom and discernment as I evaluate when and where we must focus our time and resources to promote growth and unity within our team.

With that said, our main priority is to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit at all times and in everything we do while keeping a very analytical approach as we evaluate each Pastor, Church and outreach.

This approach uses what I like to call “measurable milestones” in the lives of our people and churches. After nearly four years we have devolved a system to better enable us to evaluate how our people and Churches are developing which better enables us to identify what level and type of direction and effort we need to put into each.

We are constantly trying to balance developing these men and churches without hurting their faith by creating over dependence on us.

We know we have a great love for the Lord and our people, we believe we have seen God’s great power upon us and our ministry and we firmly believe that we need to continue to seek God’s wisdom in all that we do so that His will might be done.

We don’t claim to be successful in anything we do but we want to seek God’s will in everything. Please continue to pray for us as we make decisions that impact thousands of lives and souls for eternity.

Along the lines of “measurable milestones” and results, we had our first baptisms with the group of new believers we have been working with for over a year now in the Manafwa district of Uganda.

We praise the Lord for these nine new young converts who have come to the place in their faith where they understand the meaning of scriptural baptism and want to obey the commands of the Lord Jesus, follow His example as well as make a public profession of faith.

                               Uganda Converts Praying

It was no easy task baptizing these new believers as the water was just above ankle deep.

Pastor Peter and Pastor Nixon who have led this new outreach had to dam up the creek to get enough water for baptism.

Please pray for this new outreach and this district where public drinking and drunkenness is a very big part of their culture. I have attached a picture of a group of men drinking with large straws from the same pot of brew.

It is no coincidence that every one of the three regions God has led us to work in are located within a stone’s throw of Uganda.

Half of Mt. Elgon is in Uganda, the work at Lake Victoria is along the border of Uganda and the Pokot village of Cheposabei has a sister village in Uganda called Kokoron. 

Please keep us before the  Throne of Grace this coming week as we will be heading to Kokoron for a three day evangelism crusade.

This Lord’s Day we traveled to the LBC Mawe Tatu to check on the progress of the new baptistry and to make travel plans with Pastor Shadrach for the coming crusade to Kokoron.

                                Baptistry Almost Complete

Pastor Shadrach & Family

We had a powerful day of teaching, worship and fellowship with Pastor and the members of LBC Mawe Tatu whom we have had the privilege to teach for almost four years now.

This church is nearing the last stage of development by commending them to the Lord on whom they believe and we have been blessed to be able to invest much time and teachings into their lives.

 Thank you for allowing us to give you a glimpse into our lives and ministry here in Kenya and now Uganda as we labor for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

God Bless,

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya