Stensaas Family

Where did Bryan & Cheri come from and how did they get to where they are?

I was raised on a hog farm in Kansas and Cheri in the Mojave Desert in California.  Who would ever think that one day we would be serving the Lord in Africa?  My dad was a farmer and Cheri’s was an electrician.  We grew up 1500 miles apart.  Both of us were just wild kids trying about anything we could get away with.

I started drinking in high school and in college played in a rock band to get money to drink.  After having an argument with my father, while I was drunk, I joined the Navy, thinking he would finally be proud of me.  I had no idea where that decision would lead me.

The Navy stationed me in China Lake, California.  I thought it would be a big lake where the Navy trained us.  It turned out to be a dried up lake in the middle of the Mojave Desert.  Not exactly what I had in mind.  I spent two years learning how to party and getting in with guys who liked rodeo.  My brother Larry was stationed in a different outfit but at the same base.  One Thanksgiving, his girlfriend Tomya, who is now his wife, felt sorry for me and asked me to join them for Thanksgiving day.  I was coming off of a bad hangover so I didn’t enjoy the food but by the afternoon I was feeling better and asked Tomya to set me up with one of her friends.  We got out the school album and she pointed to a picture and knowing I was in the rodeo crowd said “she has horses”.  She not only had horses but she was beautiful!  We called her and I didn’t know what to say so I asked her to marry me. She jokingly said yes and we planned the wedding. Six months later we were really married. I have told my children I would kill them if they even thought of doing it the way we did.

Our marriage was going bad as my drinking got worse. After spending two tours in Viet-Nam we got orders to Rota, Spain where our lives were really going downward. It was then that one of my drinking friends had been saved. I didn’t know what salvation was but I saw such a difference in Chris that it stirred an interest in me. One Saturday when I was half drunk, Chris talked me into going to church with him. He came and picked us up and took us to Bethel Baptist Church. Brother Eddie Woodfield had come to Spain and started an Independent Baptist Church for U.S. military families. For the first time in my life I heard a clear presentation of the gospel. It didn’t take much to prove to me that I was a sinner. God broke my heart that day (September 21^st 1975). One of the deacons, Brother James Dunn took a Bible and showed me how to be saved. I received Jesus Christ as my Saviour that day and He changed my life completely.

About three months later God called me to preach. I thought God had made a mistake. There were other guys that knew more about the Bible and they could really preach too. God showed me that He chose the foolish things to confound the wise. I told the Lord that if He could use me I would give him my life.

About two months later I received a call from my mom that dad had died of a heart attack. I got emergency leave so Cheri and I and our two boys went back to Kansas for the funeral. While we were on leave, God led me to put in for a hardship discharge to help mom out on the farm. A hardship discharge would be impossible to get as I had three brothers. God worked and within a few weeks I was out of the military after eight years of service.

As I was helping mom on the farm, I was getting more and more away from the Lord. There wasn’t a Bible believing church anywhere. I was going to go into the farming business and had all of the equipment and livestock coming when God got my attention. He placed me on my back with sleeping sickness for about six weeks. That was long enough for Him to talk to me seriously about His plan for my life and for me to get right with Him.

It was about that time that Brother Woodfield was on furlough and stopped in to visit. He called Tennessee Temple Bible School in Chattanooga Tennessee where he had attended and they said to come and enroll. God began to prove Himself to me. We didn’t have two nickels to rub together but within a month’s time God had brought in enough to rent a U-haul, pay for the gas to Chattanooga, pay the first semester of tuition and put food in the cupboards.

A short time after arriving, Cheri realized that she was not saved. She had gone forward when I did in Spain but she was not convicted about her need for salvation. She just didn’t want to be left in a new place alone. She made an appointment with a counselor and after a brief conversation, prayed to receive Jesus Christ as her Saviour.

Bible School was hard but during the last year I was going to school full time, working a full time job and we were on fulltime deputation. I graduated August of 1979 and a month later we were on the mission field in Torrejon, Spain.

Brother Woodfield had returned to Spain and had started another church and Christian school in Torrejon. God gave me the privilege of working with him for a year until God called him to start a church in Sicily. The church called me as pastor and God gave us a wonderful ministry. We were able to baptize over 500 converts in four years. We run into people all over the world from that ministry.

We helped Brother Marvin Hoogie in a Spanish work near Valencia for about six months and then returned to the states on furlough. While on furlough, we were asked by our director to go to Germany to try and straighten out a problem situation. After seven months we were able to see two churches merge together allowing us to go to San Vito, Italy to start another military church.

We were able to see the Adriatic Baptist Church established there. Because we would not pay bribes, a government official literally threw my papers in my face and told me that no Baptist missionary could ever get a visa. I told him that if God wanted me in Italy I would get the visa and be back. He laughed and we were put out of the country. After several months I had the privilege of handing that man my visa. We never had another problem with him.

Many of the military bases in Europe were closing and many missionaries were looking for a place to plug in so we returned to the states and after a short time we accepted a call from Faith Baptist Church in Sedalia, Missouri. What a wonderful time we had there. The size of the church doubled and God was blessing both in the church and in our Christian school. During our mission conference, Brother Mark Grings was speaking. God used him to speak to me. I had been praying for others to surrender but God said I want you to go to Africa as a missionary. I was scared to death. I had to be sure. Should I tell the church? For several weeks I wrestled until one Sunday morning when a dear, discerning, elderly saint of God, Velma, whispered to me, “When are you going preacher?” I didn’t know it showed so much so I explained everything to the church and agreed to wait until the school year finished.

With the school year finished, no salary and with no money in the bank, Cheri and I along with Matthew, Andrew and Alisha started deputation again. Keith at that time was in college. What a wonderful God we serve. We never missed a meal. God got us to every meeting but one. Our engine blew up and we were stranded. I pulled out a church business card I had in my wallet for several years. I don’t know where I got it or why I had kept it but the church was only about 20 miles from where we broke down. I called the pastor to see if they had a bus that could pick us up for church the next morning. I could hear the excitement in his voice. He said, “Brother, I just got off my knees. I’ve been discouraged and asked God for someone to fellowship with. I will be right there and you can stay with us.” We not only had a wonderful fellowship but became great friends. We had a revival meeting that next week and I was able to lead seven souls to Christ. Greenland Baptist Church took us on for support as well as another nearby church and a dear, sweet lady shoved something into my pocket which was enough to replace the blown motor. What a great God we serve! He maketh no mistakes.

After deputation we went to language school in Canada. We had been preparing to go to Zaire but just as we were finishing, Zaire blew up and 1000 people were killed and our missionaries had to evacuate. I called Dr. Ron Bragg our African Director to ask him what other countries were open. He named several including Uganda. UGANDA? That’s Idie Amin country. I want no part of that. I told him I would pray about some of the others which I did. Every time I would pray, God would bring me back to Uganda. Finally I got the message and said, “Hear am I Lord, send me.” One of the other men in language school and I took a quick survey trip and God confirmed in my heart that He wanted me there. For almost the entire time I was on the survey trip I was scared to death. I told God that if He wanted me here he had to change my heart. He did and we have been here in Uganda for over 11 years. We have seen several churches started. Several nationals have been trained for the ministry in the two Bible Institutes and one Seminary we have started. The Gospel is being proclaimed daily over the airways from the two Christian radio stations God allowed us to start. We are in the process of starting new churches. As the first BIMI missionary in Uganda, I hope I have had a part is encouraging others to come to this needy mission field. And when I get discouraged I think of the many, many, many souls that have received Jesus Christ since we arrived. My wife has never hesitated to follow me and be involved in the ministry that God has called us to. Cheri and I just want to be used of the Lord in whatever way and where ever He wants to use us.

Maybe you would like to come over and help us.