Monday, August 25, 2014

A Turn for the Worse, The Value of a Soul & Another Milestone

As I write this journal entry, my heart and prayers are continually going up Terry who has been in bed for three days now, unable to eat and in a significant amount of pain.  I ask you to join me in prayer for this faithful servant of God who has sacrificed greatly for the cause of Christ.   Our Churches here are praying for her as well.   We celebrated her birthday on Monday of this last week and after visiting a new village she took a turn for the worse during the later part of the week.
 
We have followed our normal routine of self evaluation and self medicating when we regularly experience bacterial infections of various types, she had not responded well to the meds so we will head to a clinic in the morning for testing and treatment.  Since our attempts have not produced results she could possible have something else like Malaria from sleeping out in the interior, we just don’t know at this point.  Remember there is no emergency room here but we do have a Western trained Doctor in Eldoret and we do know and work for the great Physician.   This brings me to my next thought, and that is the value of a soul.    As Terry lies suffering from whatever she has contracted while doing evangelism,
                                        Landmark Baptist Mayanja Evangelism Team
                                                                                             Prayers at the new village of Chenjeni
 God continually reminds me of the value of a soul.   In Terry’s case, she and her group of servants led ten people to Christ this week before she fell sick.    The Bible says that God would have spared an entire city if Abraham would have been able to find ten righteous souls and of course we know that there is great joy in heaven over one sinner that comes to repentance.  Luke 15:7  I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.   God help us to remain conscious of the fact that we will give an account for every idle word, deed and thought and help us to continue to set our affections on the things above.    To that end, this week we had the blessed opportunity to meet with the Landmark Baptist Church of Mayanja which is located at the base of Mt. Elgon for village evangelism.
The Church invited Terry and I to participate in what is now the third neighboring village they have reached for Christ.   They have been sending their Associate Pastor Moses to the village of Chenjeni over the last year and have now established a weekly preaching point for these new converts.   We had a great day going hut to hut (Acts 20:20) evangelism and saw forty people bow their heads and receive Christ by faith.

The Testament pattern for Church planting being repeated again and again here in Kenya and Uganda.   Our cups are overflowing to see people that love God enough to obey his commandments and love their neighbors enough to teach them the Word of God.    The book of Hebrews says that the world is not worthy of such, but praise be to God he is raising up servants and sending them out.   For our part, we remember the struggles, the barriers and challenges starting in 2009 searching and seeking God’s will to find the village of Mayanja, a village ripe and ready with people who would received Christ.   It is hard to convey the joy of seeing our early converts follow Jesus in scriptural baptism, unite and assemble themselves to keep the Lord’s commandments and then see Men of God called and sent out is more than we deserve.   In addition to village evangelism we delivered and assembled the pews for the newly completed sanctuary.   The entire Church family pitched in for assembly and they were very excited to receive this new blessing.
As we reach the milestone of the new pews, which signifies the completion of our joint building efforts, many of the Churches are giving their old pews to the new outreaches.    These are the growth lessons they have learned for they know where much is given, much is required and that it is better to give than to receive.  The unity and continuity of the work the Lord has allowed Terry and I to be a part of is a beautiful thing. Thank you for allowing us to share our journey of faith and please remember my dear wife this week in prayer.

God Bless,
Chuck & Terry Fernandez
Kenya







Monday, August 18, 2014


 TO THE BETTER HALF OF OUR MISSION TEAM...TERRY!
Terry and Moma Rosyln
Terry & Children
This week has been one of those painful weeks for Terry and I both have significant back pain resulting from the intense schedule we have run over the last two weeks.  Normally, we will travel into interior regions for a day or two and then have a day or two to let our bodies recover from what can only be described as a “beat down” from the roads, trails and paths we travel to deliver the word of God to the lost and the saints.    From the looks of all that is on our plate over the next few weeks, it does not look like we will have much opportunity to allow for healing.    In any case, we learned a long time ago that from time to time an athlete must play with pain and so do Missionaries.   God has blessed us with such great health over the last ten years and we are ever mindful that we wake up and live each day by His grace.   Please continue to pray for God’s overshadowing and favor with regard to our health.
                                                       Construction
New Sign Namarambi
In addition to building pews, delivering signs and of course the never ending task of studying and translating God’s word we visited one of our first Church plants, Landmark Baptist Church of Namarambi which is located at the base of Mt. Elgon for Sunday worship service.    This Church continues to grow and mature under the leadership of Pastor Daniel and the Christian school is busting at the seams.    The growth is so significant that they have bought three plots of land since we help start the Church in 2009. 
                                                               Preaching
                                                                          Nanaranbi
In addition to passionate singing, teaching and praise, we had the privilege to worship with Missionary Stephen Lobolia who is a Kenyan national now serving the Lord in Southern Sudan. 
By the way, it gives us great joy to see our Churches supporting global missions!
                                             Missionary Stephan (left) and Pastor Daniel
It was awesome to recreate the trail of faith that started with Pastor Daniel leading his son John to Christ, God then called John to reach the Turkana tribe located in northwest Kenya where he led Stephan to Christ, who has now led a Sudanese man named Aurelio to Christ and has surrendered to preach God’s word in Sudan as well.   Three generations of preachers who have literally led thousands to Christ and still going strong preaching the gospel where Christ has not been named. 
 Our final task this week was to get two more solar powered video tablets in the hands of our Pastor Daniel and Pastor Peter.  These two men are our most mature Pastors and Preachers, however they reminded me that while they are long in tooth they are not too old to continue to grow and learn God’s word.
                                                Pastor Daniel and Solar Video Tablet
Video Tablet
They are excited to continue their seminary education in the setting of their own home.   In addition to the video lessons, the solar panel and battery will provide these families with enough power to light their home with solar lighting.   This is a significant savings as they no longer have to buy kerosene on a weekly basis.   Special thanks to those of you who have given offerings to include your special VBS offerings given by the kids towards this worthy cause.  God is using you all to the uttermost parts of the earth.   We covet your continued prayers as we press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.  

Monday, August 11, 2014

Killer Convert, Goodbyes & Ekklesia

 
Please forgive me if this journal is somewhat lengthy however, this week was both exceptionally busy and exciting.   The week started with us traveling to the Kerio Valley with our Arkansas guests, Pastor Clayton Hall and his son Carson to assemble new pews at the Landmark Baptist Church at Cheposabei and village evangelism in the village of Morweisi.   The pews are one of final steps in the building process and whatever the Pastor and Church family want to accomplish from this point on will be done without any financial assistance from the Missionary.    Benches
New Benches
Windows
We have come along side this church family to give them a solid Bible education as well as a permanent meeting place to worship the Lord for many years to come.   Terry and I have great joy in seeing the labor of our hearts and lives reach this place of maturity and while we glory not in our own ability we do glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
The next day we would travel deeper into the interior to the village of Morweisi for village evangelism. 
We arrived very early and I have to believe it was God’s timing because we actually caught several men still at home preparing to travel.  You see, most of the time when we visit these Pokot villages we only find the women at home as the men always seem to be away with their herds or looking for food. 
We saw several men receive Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and one of them was a known killer named Asalise.  
                                  Asalise  (left) Wilson (in blue) & Pastor Loquardo       
New Audio Bible in Pokot Mother Tongue
One of the young evangelist from the LBC Cheposabei named Wilson Moses who traveled with us to help us translate told us of a time when he had to lead two Army soldiers to Morweisi to capture Asalise for killing another man.
 The Pokot tribe is one of the roughest, toughest and seems to be the truly forgotten tribe of Kenya but not forgotten by God.   These villagers are coming to Christ one by one and they are starting to assemble themselves on a weekly basis to praise their God through His Son, Jesus, and to learn His Holy word.   Asalise is not the first killer to be converted and will not be the last.
Can I get an AMEN! 
After our travels to the Kerio Valley we said goodbye and put Pastor Clayton and Carson on a shuttle to return to the land of the free and the home of the brave.
                                                               Tent Making
It would be back to the salt mines for Terry and I as we fabricated, painted and prepared the new tent to be delivered this week for the organization service at our newest Church plant at the base of Mt. Elgon in a village named Chemondi.  
                                    Mt. Elgon
 
We baptized twenty new converts and help organize this third generation Church plant. 
Baptism
Baptism Joyful Church Family
This “ekklesia” or called out assembly voted on their new Pastor, Victor who has been trekking down from the top of Mt. Elgon for the last three years to reach this area with the gospel.
Church Vote
These folks are His converts and we were excited to do our part to confirm our doctrine and give them a solid discipleship program to help move them forward in their faith. 
                                       Prayer for new Pastor, Secretary & Treasurer   
Just like in the book of Acts 2:41-47, they gladly received the word, they were baptized and added to the Church.  Our job is to help them continue in the doctrine handed down from generation to generation by Jesus and His apostles and to continue in fellowship and praising God. 
                           Chicken gifts given to Terry and Pastor Peter's wife, Sporta
Please pray for this newly organized Church family as they covet together to keep the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ.   Thank you for allowing us the privilege to share what God in doing in this amazing Church planting movement.

My Kenya Experience, by Clayton Hall, Temple Baptist Church
My son, Carson, and I left for Kenya on July 28th. Before the trip, I had prayed for two things: First, that God would use the experience to change us. And second, that we would be a genuine blessing to Chuck and Terry and the churches in Kenya. I can confidently assert that what I've witnessed and experienced in Kenya has been a growth experience for me, and my son too, I think. And I feel like we were a real help and encouragement to the missionaries and the churches we visited.

I grew in my understanding of this culture and people. I suppose I always viewed Africa as a sort of God-forsaken place. Unbearable heat, flies, disease, and risk of ferocious animal attack. And I viewed the people as unfortunate. This isn't true. The country is beautiful and in many ways bountiful. The weather was splendid. And the people were some of the most industrious, noble, and kind that I have every met. As the sun rose over the Kenyan horizon, the streets bustled with the activity of men and women fueled only with a cup of chai and slice of bread in their bellies to provide a meal for their families that evening. The believers I met carried this industry into the church. I met pastors who would walk miles and miles (or kilometers and kilometers) to share the Gospel with neighboring villages. Who traveled a day's journey, stayed overnight, just to meet me and my son. I heard accounts of the villages we visited of drunkenness and violent relationships that had been eradicated by the power of the Gospel, with those who formerly strove against one another, now striving together in the Lord's work as members of the local church.

And I genuinely felt like we did a good work while we were there. Or more correctly, that we participated for 10 days in the same good work that Chuck and Terry have been doing for 6 years. We dug, and hammered, and nailed to get the church building up. We saw the challenges in logistics of getting materials to these remote places. We saw the challenges of finance in the expense to erect a church house. We saw the young children gathered in the shadow of that new church house, and I couldn't help but hope they would find themselves as part of that assembly someday due to the effort being made. We experienced the physical pain of bouncing around on the very bad roads. When my son complained about his shoulder slamming against the inside of the truck, I thought of how Chuck and Terry have done a lot more bouncing around, and have a lot more aches and pains to show for it.

But the greatest encouragement was the churches that have been established. They are alive and vital. They are Scriptural. And they are on fire. They meet with enthusiasm. They worship with fervor. They love one another and love their brothers and sisters in Christ from the US. And they love the lost, going out to share the Gospel with neighboring tribes, meeting under trees to teach until the assembly grows to need a tent, and then a metal roof, and then a complete building. They have zeal for Christ and the Great Commission. 

The seeds that Chuck and Terry have planted have taken root. They are growing. They are spreading. And they are bearing fruit themselves. I'm blessed to have had the opportunity to see and lend a hand to this work. My church is blessed to support this work. And the people of Kenya have been blessed to have been on the receiving end of this work, and will be blessed for generations to come. 

PS - Chuck and Terry were the most gracious hosts. They welcomed us into our home. Fed us. Clothed us. And protected us. My son is still raving over Mama Terry's lasagna (It was really good). They really set the bar for hospitality.

Thanks,
Clayton Hall
Temple Baptist Church

Bald Knob, AR

Monday, August 4, 2014

The last seven days has led us to Nairobi to pick up guests, Lake Victoria to continue construction and Mt. Elgon for Sunday worship service and baptisms.
Our guests are Pastor Clayton Hall and his Son Carson.
 
This is their first time to visit Kenya and unfortunately they arrived without their luggage, and unfortunately I forget to tell them to pack extra clothes in their carry on for such a time as this.
However, fortunately our last group left clothes for our national Pastors which we had not distributed yet so they were saved by Mac Trips and Faith Industries.
Our first day together with the father/son team would take us on safari through one of the National game parks to let them experience the beauty of God’s creation through the animals.
                                                  Bucks
Buffalo
We had to throw them a bone before we run them into the ground with all of our weekly tasks, ie; construction, evangelism, teaching and preaching.
Besides, it would be crime to come to Africa and not be able to see the wildlife.
Pastor Clayton Hall & Missionary at Mt. Got
The next morning we immediately traveled to Lake Victoria to continue construction on the Landmark Baptist Church at Wichlum and Got.   We had completed the roof on both sanctuaries and now it was time to frame them and put up siding.   This is the first time we have had to frame out a steel building with wood as to be able to attach the siding but it went well.                              Doors
Construction
Framing
Pastor Clayton and Carson jumped right in cutting steel, helping install doors and digging footers.
They definitely came with servants hearts and I thank God that they are helping us move forward with construction as well as encouraging our folks.
We successfully framed out both new sanctuaries at Lake Victoria as well as hanging doors and installing the siding at the LBC Wichlum.        Steel
Framing Got
           Siding
                                               Nearing Completion
We camped out for three days and had a great time serving our Lord and Savior together.
I know they enjoyed camping out in wild Africa!  Where else in the world can you go and sleep with the hyenas, antelope and gazelles and experience the bliss of a beautiful sunrise or sunset in the African plain?  Both Pastor Clayton and Carson adapted to the hardships of sleeping out in the interior which has become common place for Terry and I.                                              Coffee
Not everyone is equipped for these types of adventures but they were certainly up to the challenge.   We concluded our week by worshiping with two of our Churches near Mt. Elgon.   Carson brought a great lesson on Jonah to the children of LBC Namarambi and PastorClayton and I taught and preached at LBC Ndivisi.   In addition to the regular worship service the Church gave Pastor Clayton the authority to baptize around fifteen new converts.
Baptizing in a rushing, muddy, ice cold river can be intimidating but Pastor managed just fine.
We were also blessed with five our Pastors traveled from Mt. Elgon attending to meet the visitors who were honored in what has become a regular event with many gifts.
                                            Gifts for Pastor Clayton and Carson
As I look at all that was accomplished for the glory of God this week I can only say that God through His daily sustaining grace is just too good to us.
Please pray for us as we travel to the Kerio Valley this week for more light construction as well as evangelism.   Thank you for tuning into what is developing into what is one the most exciting mission field in the world. 

God Bless,
Bro. Chuck (aka: Loboduk) & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya                                      Missionaries Chuck & Terry