David joins the doctors

This trip was full of adventure, if you like the kind with muddy roads and survival life. David joined a YWAM (Youth With A Mission) team of 15 participants, led by Pedro Cayalo (son of Hermes Cayalo), in Lagunilla, near Camiri, Bolivia. At one point, a tire came off the pickup. (Thankfully, the pickup just sank into the soft dirt and no one was hurt.) They had to transport three heavy trunks with medical supplies every day as they traveled to different communities in this area. One time they used a donkey to pull a cart, but at other times they had to be the beasts of burden and load them on their backs.  

This was a medical and evangelical team. Part of the team did medical work and the other part presented evangelistic programs for kids. David was with the medical team and translated for the doctors. It was exciting that they were able to see about 300 patients. They attended to their medical concerns and addressed their spiritual needs as well. Thank God for the people who asked Christ into their lives and for those who rededicated their lives to Him. Please pray that the seeds of the Good News that were planted in lives will continue to grow.   

Exciting opportunities like this remind us of the impact that a team can make in people’s lives. What one individual can do is multiplied when done through teamwork. Thank you so much for joining our team through your prayers and financial gifts as we minister here in Bolivia. We see God multiply our combined efforts. We look forward to seeing many of you when we return to the USA in June for homeland ministry assignment.  

Kerneys' Knewletter for April

Walk in the park?  

Actually, it was a class in the park. Rachel’s youth class at the Cobija World Gospel Church is studying the book World Views of the Kingdom of God. The class is made up of high school and university students. For the chapter about the biblical view of creation, we went to a local park in Santa Cruz to do the lesson in an area that was surrounded by green and where a cool breeze was blowing.  

Update on ministries 

• University Residence—Pastor Sergio is working on the finishing details and the purchasing of the furnishings.  
• Guarani Communities—David is supporting Aleida and her husband in the rebuilding of the churches, both spiritually and physically, in this area.  
• Youth Group at Cobija World Gospel Church—Rachel is teaching the youth class and supporting the leaders of the Saturday night youth meetings. 
• Church History of Latin America—David’s class at the Berea Bible Seminary is a group of around 19 students. 
• Elementary Art Classes at SCCLC—Rachel teaches these classes. Students are finishing their Elements of Art book and getting it assembled. 

Two-year term in Bolivia

We came to Bolivia in August of 2013 for a two-year term. As this cycle nears completion, we are making plans to be in the USA for a year of homeland ministry assignment.  

We look forward to visiting with many of you and sharing with you what we have seen God do during our time in Bolivia.  

If you are interested in having us share about missions in your church, small group, or home, you can contact us by e-mail at david.kerney@wgm.org. 

A Season for Camps

Church camps

Carnaval, know as Mardi Gras in other countries, is celebrated according to different traditions in the eastern and western parts of Bolivia.  It falls in February or early March because it is timed to end on Tuesday (Fat Tuesday) the day before Ash Wednesday which begins the 40 days of Lent according to the Roman Catholic tradition. If you are interested in knowing about the different traditions of Carnaval in Bolivia you will find information at www.boliviabella.com/carnaval

Even though the traditions are distinct in different parts of Bolivia, the excesses of alcohol and promiscuity are a common factor.  Because of this, the Bolivia Protestant churches plan camps to get away from activities that make up Carnaval.  

This year Carnaval is February 14-17. David will be in Chuquisaca as a speaker for the camp that the churches of that district are organizing. It will be in the beautiful, rural location of Kuñiri Pampa. Rachel and Leah will participate in the camp that the Cobija World Gospel Church is going to be a part of with other World Gospel Churches. Would you join us in praying for the leaders of these camps as they organize the events?  Please pray with us that the young people that attend will focus on what God has to say to them. Pray that they will allow Him to work redemptively in their lives. 

More camps

The Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center has a Junior High camp February 25-27.  Leah has applied and been accepted as a counselor to work with the Junior High students.  Pray for her to have the confidence and boldness in Christ to help these students.  Please pray for these students to hear God through His Word and respond to Him.  Pray for the Senior High camp March 2-6.  We appreciate your prayers joined with ours as we pray for God to work in the lives of students.  We ask God to help them respond to Him and allow Him to transform them from the inside out. 

Wishing you a wonderful new year

Our prayer for you

"...That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."  Ephesians 3:19

Thank you for being an important part of this ministry through your prayers and financial gifts.

David and Rachel Kerney Serving in Bolivia

The Church, Christ’s Body

A recent pastors’ retreat and missionary conference of the Bolivia World Gospel Church in Santa Cruz was a picture of Christ’s body. Bolivia World Gospel Church pastors came from many departments of Bolivia. There was such a vast range of differences from pastors of large city churches to leaders of small rural churches. Christ is the ONE that unifies His body and He helps it overcome obstacles it will inevitably come up against.    

We are privileged to participate as part of His church. We regularly attend the Cobija World Gospel Church and support the national pastor, David Nuñez and his wife, Luisa.  David Kerney is able to preach once a month at the 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. services. Along with an active believer at the Cobija church, David has started a small men’s group. Rachel teaches the youth Sunday School class. Leah enjoys participating in the youth group, and we host the youth small group meeting in our home about once a month.  A good group comes when we make pizza. Our prayer is that God will use us to strengthen and edify His church.

Construction of University Residence 

There is very exciting news from Sucre as the construction of the University Residence progresses. After months of looking at the options to make this a reality with limited funds, it is being built as a second story to the Emanuel World Gospel Church in Sucre. Thank the Lord! If God would put it on your heart to give toward the finishing of this project, you can send your gift to Bolivia University Residence using the enclosed coupon.  

Kerney Family 

Leah has so much going on as a senior at the Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center. Along with studying she fits in senior class activities, volunteering for Operation Smile, a Transformational Discipleship course at El Alfarero, and applying to universities. Yes, she likes to keep her life full. Would you join us in prayer as she makes important decisions about her future?  

Micah traveled over the summer break after his graduation from Kentucky Mountain Bible College. He came to South America to visit us and then traveled to France with a language exchange program. He is now living in North Dakota with our friends, David and Karol Harriman, where he is working and enrolled to start university classes in January. Thank the Lord for how He is working in Leah’s and Micah’s lives.  

Kerney's Knewsletter

University Residence Coming to Sucre!

We are so excited to announce that the University Residence construction is starting this month.  After many months of looking at options, it has been approved to be built as a second story on an existing church with an adequate foundation. This ministry will be a great blessing to the families from the rural areas that send their young people into the city to study in the university. Not only will they have adequate food and housing, but they will also have a discipleship program that will help them grow in their walks with Christ.  

David has multiple opportunities to communicate God’s Word. One of those was on a tour in rural towns in Chuquisaca where he held training sessions for the leadership. Please pray that these leaders will continue to grow in their understanding of God through His Word. 

Art Is a Language

Rachel is teaching elementary art at Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center again this year. Will you pray with her that the classes will help students see and express the beauty that God has given us?

Senior Class 

Leah has begun her senior year of high school at SCCLC. Rachel is teaming with Bryan and Molly Canny to sponsor this class. Will you remember this class in prayer that they will sincerely seek God and His wisdom for their future?

World Traveler 

Micah graduated from Kentucky Mountain Bible College with an associate degree. He traveled to France for a month with a language exchange program. Please pray for him as he makes decisions about his next steps in life.

Let’s Celebrate!

There were so many things for us to celebrate in May. Maybe this is true in your life as well.  

Rachel’s parents, Charles and Keet Winters, came to Bolivia for three months to help fill the need for a hostess and host at the World Gospel Mission guesthouse in Santa Cruz. God confirmed this by putting in place all the details for their time in Bolivia. This was a special blessing since both the USA and Bolivian Mother’s Day celebrations fall in the month of May. We have had many Kerney/Winters/Ordoñez reunions just because we can. Usually we can’t get together because of distance. (Ila, Rachel’s sister, and her family also live in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.) 

David is celebrating the the new small men’s group that was started in May and has already grown from two to eight in attendance. 

It was exciting to have our WGM coach, Mark Purkey, and his son David come to visit Bolivia.  They were able to experience a tutor center ministry as well as one of our partnering ministries to kids living on the streets and under bridges in Santa Cruz. David Kerney traveled with Mark and David Purkey to the Bolivia department of Chuquisaca. They saw what God is doing in the capital of Sucre and the small churches in the rural parts of Chuquisaca. It was an opportunity to dream and envision growth and projects in that part of Bolivia.  

There were many things to celebrate in May at Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center. It was the end of a school year, and we saw God working in many ways. Rachel celebrated the completion of a full year of teaching elementary art at SCCLC. The final project was a favorite as the students made a special magnetic frame with a personalized message to give to their mom’s on the Bolivian Mother’s Day, May 27. Leah is now celebrating that she has finished her junior year and is officially a senior in high school. Wesley Ordoñez, Ila’s oldest son, our nephew, graduated from the SCCLC and is preparing to go to the USA for college. At the same time, Micah, our son, graduated from Kentucky Mountain Bible College with an associate’s degree. 

As you can tell by the tone of this letter, this has been a time of joyful celebration. Thank You, Lord, for Your strength and guidance in each of these occasions!