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***Click on Newsletter below for better reading.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Monday, July 21, 2014
Special Delivery, Wounded Soldier & The Church with Walls
In an effort to recover from our last group and while
preparing for our next group which will be arriving on July 29th, we
had slowed down a bit for rest until we got somewhat of a 911 call from Mt.
Elgon. So needless to say when God’s people call
with a pressing need we will do what we can within our capability to
help. Our first trip would take us to
the base of Mt. Elgon to make a special delivery for two of the Churches on top
of Mt. Elgon who are currently meeting under tents. It is the
rainy season on Mt. Elgon and it seems that a storm had come through last week
and shredded both of the tents leaving God’s precious people exposed to the
heavy rain and winds that are the norm this time of year.
I hurriedly had two tops and six sides fabricated here in
Eldoret and got them up the mountain in time for Sunday service.
The second trip to the base of Mt. Elgon would be a solo
trip without my faithful help met and sidekick Terry. She has
been under the weather with a variety of ailments this week which left her
unable to travel a second time to the base of Mt. Elgon for Sunday service at
the Landmark Baptist Church at Mayanja. She is one of the
toughest servants of God I ever known and is willing to go where most men would
never go to share the love of God through the gospel. Please pray
for her speedy recovery as I am only half the man I can be without her.
Sunday service was God honoring and spirit filled as we
worshiped the Lord with one heart, one faith and one voice.
While working with fourteen Churches we are only afforded the opportunity
to visit them on a rotational basis every few months however this gives us a
good idea of the direction and growth of the Church as well as the
leadership. Their Pastor, Chester Moore is doing well in leading
this group and we have been blessed to invest much into his life and ministry
over the last several years.
Pastor Chester Moore
He is also rapidly progressing in his
education using the solar powered video tablet we gave him a few months
back. Our traveling seminary is bearing much
fruit. With each visit to Mayanja, we are also blessed to see
Fred and Moses, the two brothers we lead to Christ back in 2010 who were two of
the biggest village drunkards and reprobates but are now faithfully serving
Christ through this local New Testament Church. Band of Brothers Transformed by the Grace of God
Deacon Fred (left), Missionary & Associate Pastor Moses (right)
Deacon Fred Teaching
In fact their
lives have been so transformed that Fred is a teaching Deacon and Moses is the
Associate Pastor who is faithfully serving under Pastor Chester Moore.
In addition to Moses regular duties at the LBC Mayanja, he has started an
outreach at the neighboring village of Chenjeni where he walks two days per week
for evangelism and teaching. Pray for this village as Terry and I
will be visiting there next month with our evangelism team to encourage Moses in
his calling and to teach the new converts there. These are the
second and third generation works which bless our hearts. I
believe our great country of America needs to return to this Biblical pattern of
establishing preaching points and purposeful outreaches with the intention of
planting more fundamental Bible preaching Churches. I may be on a
bit of a soapbox here, but if people think we have enough solid Bible preaching
Churches in America than why are we in such a low moral and spiritual
condition? In any case, services in Africa are very prolonged but
give the Missionary the opportunity to pour a ton of teaching into the lives of
our converts. So Sunday, I taught on a variety of subjects which
included: The Excellency of Christ, the humility of Christ, Church
unity, tithing, missions and the role of the Missionary.
It may sound like a lot but you have to remember that my
opportunities are limited with the many Churches and besides, our Kenyan
brethren have a voracious appetite for God’s word which means they cannot get
enough. In closing, as you can see from the pictures, the walls
are almost complete and they are just about ready to install the windows.
Presented with New Bible
New Members
Progress is slow because we partner and challenge each church to make an
investment through special offerings and sweat equity in that which is their
sanctuary, not ours. Thanks for tuning into this journey of faith
and thank you for the prayers and encouraging emails. Drop us a
line as it does our hearts good to know that we are together in Christ.
God Speed,
Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry
Fernandez
Kenya/Uganda
Kenya/Uganda
Monday, July 14, 2014
Recovery & Landmark Baptist Christian Schools
After running and gunning for ten days with the Mac Trips
team this week, Terry and I needed to reduce the pace of ministry to recover
from the rigorous schedule. (Rest & Recovery) We simply cannot
maintain the kind of breakneck pace which we have come to accept as the norm
with these groups who are trying to maximize their ministry opportunities in a
short amount of time.
The groups are a great blessing but they
jump back on a plane and literally leave us behind gasping for breath. As a
general rule of thumb, each day we spend out working in interior regions
requires two days of recovery. The group was here for ten days and
we visited all three regions of Kenya where we have planted Churches, so you can do
the math.
I’m sure the skeptics may have a hard time with that and
maybe there are people who are superhuman but the years, the miles, the villages
and the conditions from the difficult work of Church birthing in interior
regions of East Africa are taking its toll on these two grandparents.
Not to mention the amount of spiritual, emotional and
physical energy that is spent trying to bring people to Christ and properly
disciple them.
OK, enough of what might be perceived as whining
or tooting our own horn but I often tell Terry that I believe because we are
simple hard working servants who have a great desire to see the Lord Jesus
lifted up and because God has blessed our efforts in such a great way thru His
power and amazing grace that we make what we do almost look too easy.
But then again, I am reminded of what an old Kentucky preacher
use to tell me, he would say, “Bro. Chuck, if it was easy, everyone would be
doing it”.
Simple yet profound, got to love those
Kentucky folks!
We did manage to collect more building materials
this week and we also delivered the new school sign to the Landmark Baptist
Church at Mawe Tatu/Nzoia which has recently started a new primary school at the
Church.
Maria Education Center ~ New Sign
This is probably one of the least known facts about our ministry here in Kenya but nevertheless is noteworthy because we believe this is an indication of the level of growth and grace we have experienced.
Three of our fourteen Churches now have Christian primary schools which have been initiated of their own volition. Hidden Treasure School
Terry and I believe in Christian education and as a matter of fact we
were deeply involved in starting Inverness Christian Academy which is currently
a ministry of our sending Church.
So needless to say, it brings
us great joy to see the extension of our Churches ministries through Christian
education under the supervision of the local Church and her Pastor.
Ludiah Christian School
Thank you for allowing us to share our hearts
and ministry with you and thank you for every prayer and every dollar given for
this Great Commissioned centered work in East Africa.
God Bless,
Bro.Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya/Uganda
Kenya/Uganda
Pro_22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when
he is old, he will not depart from it.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Short Term Mac Team Storms Kenya
Macedonian Mission Team Lake Victoria
Macedonian Mission Team Soysabambu
Ten days can seem like an eternity or it can pass in the
blink of an eye.
Our short term Macedonia Mission team led by
Gary Weidenbach has taken Kenya by storm and is now in the process of heading
home.
Please pray for traveling mercy as these folks take the
dreaded eighteen hours plus of flying back to California.
We are thankful for the encouragement they
have been to us and our people.
Our Kenyan brethren are honored
that anyone would travel around the world once to visit, teach and encourage
them in the Lord but to come twice in two and a half years takes their love and
commitment for Missionaries and their work to a whole new level.
These short term teams are making a significant investment
in the lives of many all over the world.
During the course of
their visit they have shared the gospel with hundreds while teaching four
Vacation Bible Schools, going hut to hut doing village evangelism and preaching
the gospel during two worship services. We have
seen dozens make professions of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and we believe
the six Churches we were able to visit were greatly encouraged and strengthened
in their faith. They have seen the beauty of Kenya and her people
up close and personal thru our Churches at Lake Victoria, Western Kenya and the
Kerio Valley. Evangelism
We believe there are many benefits
that come from having teams like these visit our works but I think Terry and I
were truly moved by the joy we saw on the faces of the Children during the
Vacation Bible Schools.
Vacation Bible School
They learned so much and had so much fun
just being children which is somewhat rare in a land and culture that can be
somewhat harsh and unforgiving. While our ministry tends to focus
on gospel preaching, training leaders and developing Churches it is times like
these that refresh our hearts to see the children just being children. Hidden Treasures
Children of the Lord....all ages
We thank God for men like Bro. Gary who give sacrificially
of their time and finances for God’s Great Commission work in Thailand,
Philippines, Brazil, Ukraine, the South Pacific and here in Kenya, East
Africa. Men....Men of God at home 'anywhere'
Big Russ
Birthday Boy
Mama Loboduk
Bro.Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Monday, June 23, 2014
Mountain Climbers & Building Progress
Terry & Little Carlitos
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
Kenya/Uganda
Monday, June 16, 2014
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
Kenya/Uganda
Monday, June 9, 2014
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
Kenya/Uganda
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