June Newsletter

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Mountain Climbers & Building Progress

Terry & Little Carlitos

                                                             Teaching

Each week I try to keep these posts short and sweet, so to speak, because I know that those who faithfully follow and pray for us have equally busy lives so I try to respect their time as well.  

With that said we had so much going on this week that I am just going to post the pictures with a small commentary rather than sharing the experience.  

God bless you.

Cheptandan Post and Trusses: 

We reach a milestone this week as we prepared the posts and trusses for the Landmark Baptist Church at Cheptandan.  This is the official start of our fifth new sanctuary which is located in a very remote region on Mt. Elgon.  

I remember my Pastor asking me seven months ago if I thought we could actually complete five new sanctuaries in one year, my response was, “yes, by the grace of God”.

Usually, we fit posts and trusses on site but since I am not going to be able to be there during this process I had to pre-drill and fit each one individually before we transported them up the mountain.

                                                              Construction Zone

                                                              Preparation

Sign for Cheptandan Landmark Baptist Church

Ndivisi Windows and Door: 

In addition to Posts and trusses for Cheptandan, we successfully installed the window and doors at the LBC Ndivisi.   There is much more to accomplish but this the last major step in our construction program.  

                                                                   New Doors

New Windows

Mountain Climbing: 

Climbing Mt. Elgon without construction materials is a heroing experience, but then to strap 1500 lbs. of steel poles and trusses to the top of your vehicle and climbing takes years off your life from the stress.

I am thankful to report that we successfully made it up and down the rough and rocky mountain trails by the grace of God without incident.  Delivering the building materials also afforded us the opportunity to visit one of our newest preaching points, the outreach at Huruma.   This is where left the posts and trusses so the Pastor and members could hand carry each one another five kilometers on foot. 

                                                             Delivery

Cheptkurukuru Plot Purchase: 

In addition to construction, we were able finialize the plot purchase of the Landmark Baptist Church at Cheptkurukuru.  This group has been bounced around from place to place but have maintained unit and their numbers have maintained close to one hundred.   It does our heart good to know that they will finally have a meeting place to build their sanctuary which nobody will be able to take away from them. 

                                                           New Church Plot

Mawe Tatu Worship:

We concluded this long week by worshiping with the Landmark Baptist Church at Mawe Tatu. 

The Lord ’s Day always brings us back to the place where we assemble ourselves with God’s people to praise and thank Him for all He has done in our lives.   We praise Him for saving us as well as protecting us each and every day.   And as always we are honored to teach and preach His precious word.   Our Bible students are growing in their faith as well as their ability to rightly divide His word.   Please continue to pray for strength, wisdom and discernment as we move forward for His honor and glory.

Also please pray for Bro. Gary Weidenbach and His short term Missions Team that will be traveling to Kenya this week.

God Bless,

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya/Uganda

We continue to dedicate much time, effort and finances to the completion of the many (7) sanctuaries we currently have under construction. 

It is important to remember that as we are coming along side of our churches to provide foundational items for their continued growth and stability.

The Pastors and members are busy making bricks, laying bricks, installing windows and doors, leveling ground and building restrooms.

In other words, we are a team working together for the glory of God and much of our efforts mirror the efforts of the investment that the Church family is putting forth through their special offerings and/or sweat equity.

In addition to building pews and tents, this week we visited the Landmark Baptist Church of Cheposabei which is located in the Kerio Valley. 

It regularly occurs to me that those who travel this journey of faith with us through emails and our blog have no idea of the scope and location of our works.   To that end, I have included a Church planting map of the locations of the Churches we have organized since 2009. 

The LBC of Chepsabei is the one circled in yellow.

                             ***Click on map to enlarge for better viewing...

                                 

This is the first time I have ever mapped our works and I have to say it was humbling to see what God has allowed Terry and I to be a part of  for Him. 

 It has all been for His honor and glory and by His power, grace and love which constraineth us. 

" Whatsoever ye do, do all for the glory of God!" 

The map reveals the scope and magnitude of the work that God has done through these two weak and feeble vessels that have a heart for our Lord and Savior.

In addition to the fourteen New Testament Churches which have been organized, there was not enough room on the map to plot the nearly forty outreaches and preaching points which are ongoing in various villages.

Yesterday, we had a great day of worship with our Pokot brethren and it was awesome to see that they have completed the walls of their new sanctuary.

Congregation

Church Family

Teaching

Alter

LITTLE  GUY

Happy Moments

Terry and Joy of the Lord

Visitor

Goodbyes

I don’t want to go into the spiritual implications of building healthy walls in our Christian lives

 but I will say that our prayer is that they will keep 

Satan out while keeping Jesus in the hearts of these young believers.

At the close of the worship service yesterday, a man named Tios came forward to receive Christ. 

Not only is there rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner that repented but this man represents the answered prayers of His wife who has been praying for His salvation for years now.

God is so faithful.     New Convert, Tios

While we are thousands of miles away for our country and culture, we were reminded through emails and phone calls from our children that yesterday was Father’s Day.

We love and miss our children so much and yesterday it was very easy to have a small pity party on a lonely desert road coming out of the Kerio Valley.

We did not have Outback Steak or Red Lobster on the way home, but we did manage to have boiled eggs and a chicken salad sandwich while traveling.

Hey, the Lord never promised it would be easy but He did promise that

" Lo, He would be with us always, even unto the end of the world". 

 Happy Father’s Day! 

We covet your prayers and thank you for allowing us to share our hearts and ministry with you each week.

God Speed,

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya/Uganda

Hyena in the Camp, Evangelism & Broken Hearts

Fish Anyone?

We spent the last four days at Lake Victoria with our brethren at the Landmark Baptist Church of Wichlum and the LBC of Got.  

Pastor Jackson and Pastor George are the fishermen whom we brought to Christ and are the quintessential example of Fishermen who are now Fishers of men called by God to preach the gospel.  They were very gracious, humble and hard working hosts who met every need our team of preachers from Mt. Elgon had while camping on the Church property at Got.   This church  is located in a very rural interior area and still has wild game running around ie: gazelle, antelope and a Hyena or two.

Camping in Africa is a very unique experience but I have to tell you, it is a little disconcerting to be sleeping in a tent and hearing a Hyena laughing and howling within a few hundred yards of the tent.

                                                                Camp

Breakfast

The camp joke was that Pastor Peter who is around 6’4 was sleeping in a tent that was about 5’ and obviously left his feet sticking out which we happily reminded him was going to be meat for the Hyena.   In any case we had no problems or dangers from the wild game but we did have fun seeing who could make the best Hyena sounds.   I also got an inward laugh when Pastor Jackson, God bless him, brought me bathing water with a live minnow swimming in it.  While I enjoy spending time with our Preachers in these types of settings which some might classify as bonding, I see them as change of venue for our traveling seminary.   Every trip, every project is another teaching and mentoring opportunity.  Besides, after years of working together with this nucleolus of Pastors, we are as close and unified as any team I have ever worked with.   While our primary objectives of this ministry safari were to hang the doors at the LBC Got and put the roof up at LBC Wichlum, we have also had the neighboring fishing village of Misori on our radar for several years now.                       New Side Door

New Doors

Perlins

Perlins

These fishing villages which are more like small towns and are some of the roughest places to work.   There is also a prevalent spirit which is antichrist that looms large over these villages.  The residents themselves describe them as modern day Sodom and Gomorrah’s were drug use, alcoholism and prostitution runs rampant.   Needless to say, Jesus said he came for those who are in need of a physician and that is exactly where our Savior would have us go. Mark 2:17  When Jesus heard it, He saith unto them, 

"They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick:

 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

 Secondly, of the fifteen Churches we are working with,  LBC Wichlum and LBC Got are the only Churches which have not started any outreaches or preaching points.    I know these Churches and Pastors are still very young but part of our burden and vision is to see second and third generation works starting from Churches we have planted and sometimes they just need their Missionary to gently point them in the right direction.  So while Pastor Japheth and Pastor Shadrack were leading the building team, Pastor Peter and I took Pastor Jackson and Pastor George to introduce them to the people of Misori.   We were well received and we saw twenty two villagers bow their head and make professions of faith after hearing the good news of the gospel.  

                                              Jackson Evangelism

New Converts

I was so proud of Jackson as he really stepped up to share his testimony as a drunkard fishermen who became born again and started a Bible study in His home.

God used him in a great way to encourage the people who always ask where is the Church?

 Pastor Jackson and Pastor George made a monthly commitment to follow up with these new converts to help them grow in their new faith.  As we left Misori to return to the roofing project at LBC Wichlum we came across the most gruesome accident scene I have ever seen.  

                                                      Wichlum

Near Completion

Pastor Shadrack

Completed Roof

A truck load of Fishermen, thirty or forty deep in the back of mid size truck rolled over about two kilometers from Wichlum.

There were many dead and many in serious condition that were being transported to the nearest hospital.  The story we heard was that they had transported the body of fisherman who had died of AIDS back to Wichlum for his partying friends to view.  Seems they had a big drunken party and while transporting the body back and they began dancing and swaying the truck which eventually lost control and rolled over.   There was nothing we could do to help but it was a sobering reminder of the gravity of our work which prepares people for eternity.

The Sunday service at the Lake was very powerful as we taught and preached with heavy hearts with the tragedy fresh on our minds.   Some of the members of the Church had family members who were among those seriously injured.   Please pray for those families who lost loved ones and for those who were injured.  Terry and I also need your continual prayers as we press towards the mark of the high calling.  

God Bless,

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya/Uganda

Pew Production, Field of Faith & Making a Difference

Missionaries Chuck & Terry and Selfie 

Partnering with each new Church means that we generally come along side of them to match their giving through special offerings and/or sweat equity to help provide them with a solid spiritual foundation as well as some type of building foundation which helps represent permanence.

Pew production is an indication that many of the new sanctuaries currently under construction are nearing completion and is a part of our development program.

As we have learned from the unfortunate experiences of other Missionaries in Kenya, providing pews can become a target area for those who are looking to purchase voting power ie: unscrupulous Politicians, as well as other domination's looking to take over an established work.

We have seen solid Baptist Churches (not ours) fall into the hands of others over something as simple as pews, so needless to say, that is part of our Church development program that is included as something we can do to add another layer of protection.

Besides, cutting lumber and assembling pews gives us the opportunity to work with our hands.

We delivered the pews to a very happy Pastor Peter at the Landmark Baptist Church of Ndivisi.
                                                                    Unloading 

                                       Pew Production Assembly

Last One

Pastor Peter and LBC Ndivisi have been deeply involved in each of the Church plants on Mt.Elgon, Lake Victoria and the Kerio Valley.   They have helped us plant, develop and build over a dozen other Churches while patiently waiting for their own building to come to completion.

This is a Church that we gladly partner with as they never ask for any assistance.
                                       Happy Members

In addition to pew production this week, we visited the Landmark Baptist Church of Soysambu which is located near the river Nzoia.    The roof is complete and the Church family has started investing sweat equity by starting the leveling process.   The sanctuary is built on a fairly steep side hill so they have to remove as much as three feet of soil by hand to level the floor before they can start building the mud walls.  

he amount of work involved in this process overwhelms me because there is no bulldozer or track hoe moving the soil, only one shovel full at a time.   Since our last visit, the corn planted in March has started to grow and surrounds the sanctuary.   As I taught the Word of God in the middle of that corn field, it reminded me of the “Field of Dreams”, but instead it is a “Field of Faith”,

Amen!                                     Teaching

Music Special

 In closing, Terry and I have been working tirelessly over the last six year attempting to give God our best to see souls saved and life’s transformed through a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior.   I have to admit there are many times when you wonder if you are truly making a difference, but during the testimony time of the service yesterday we found out the husband of a Mama whom had attended Terry’s ladies seminar last week saw such a difference in His wife that he had to come to the Church which she has been regularly attending to find out what she had that he didn’t. 

While the husband did not receive Christ, he did say that he learned a lot and will continue to come with His wife.   The daughter of that same Mama also united with the Church yesterday.

It is these type of testimonies that we hear from time to time that reminds us that God is using us to make a difference in the lives of possibly thousands of people, one soul at a time, one heart at a time, one home at time and one village at a time. 

To God be the glory, great things He hath done! 

We covet your prayers and thank God for those who faithful give to this Indigenous Church planting ministry.

God Bless,

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya/Uganda