Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [January 2016]
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
January 1, 2016
Dear praying friends,
As I write this, we are right at the beginning of the year 2016. It is hard to believe how quickly the past year went. It seems they go faster year after year. I am sure many of you can identify with that. How quickly time passes reminds me of the verse in James. James 4:14 says “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” May we make not only this upcoming year, but the rest of our days on earth, count in service to God. Each breath we have is a gift from Him.
The past year was quite challenging in several ways. We had two families in Kitale that we have known over the years that moved this past year. Although this was difficult, and change is always happening throughout our lives, God has given us grace and strength for each day. Lord willing, there are two new families from America coming soon to Kitale. One of the families has several little girls, so we are hoping and praying that they will become long term friends for our daughters. The other family will be going to Tanzania to study Swahili, but they are around our age. It is always good to have new friends and develop new relationships.
In the annex prison this past month, I (Nathan) was blessed to be able to do a small Christmas project for the prisoners. I had not done one in several years, and felt led to this year. There are around 200 prisoners in the prison, so I discussed with the chaplain, and provided some basic, needed supplies to them, as well as Gospel tracts. It seemed to be received well and appreciated. Several of the prisoners thanked me and seemed very grateful. Many of them receive no visits from family, and are even abandoned by their families upon their release. They also have difficulty finding work, so this was the least I felt I could do this year. It was also a good time to announce about our classes there and invite the others who have not been coming to study with us. Please pray that more of the men would come to hear the teachings of the Word of God. I try to be faithful to pray for the men, sow the seed, share the Gospel, then entrust the results to the Lord. Jonah 2:9 states “Salvation is of the LORD.”
We trust the Lord with the upcoming year, with all its blessings and challenges. We know that He is in control, and nothing takes Him by surprise. We know He is sovereign, and we can entrust all to Him. Perhaps there is someone reading this update who is going through a trial or difficulty, or does not understand. We have passed through similar things this past year. I have to remind myself of Isaiah 55:8-9, which says “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” God bless you all for the upcoming 2016, as you trust Him daily. Please pray also for us, as we trust Him. We will keep you updated, and each of you are such a blessing. Happy 2016.
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [December 2015]
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
December 1, 2015
Dear praying friends,
We hope this update finds each of you doing well. We wish each of you a great holiday season ahead. This is such a nice time of year, with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day all within a few weeks of each other. We had a good time celebrating Thanksgiving with
friends here in Kitale, and are looking forward to celebrating Christmas and New Year’s Day in the coming days. It is difficult to be away from friends and family in America and we certainly do miss these times of year with you. Each of you are so special to us and loved. The Lord provides grace for each situation we face.
Speaking of various situations we face, we finally were cleared to leave Nairobi and return to Kitale a few weeks ago. As I had mentioned before, we took both of our daughters in for doctor appointments in Nairobi. Both of them had been complaining of frequent stomach aches for months, so after seeing multiple doctors in Kitale and Eldoret, we finally decided to go to Nairobi. Although Nairobi is far from Kitale, it has the best doctors in Kenya and we thought this was necessary at that time. We saw two very qualified doctors at a big hospital in Nairobi. One trained in America and the other in Canada. We did multiple tests and even a colonoscopy and endoscopy on McKenna, as stated last month.
We got the results back and then went to see the infectious disease doctor from Canada. He looked over the results and concluded that nothing was majorly wrong medically so there was nothing to treat. He thinks Cami may have had a form of food poisoning earlier in the year, then other possible minor illnesses, but nothing major.
Both doctors met together with us in the final visit and they concluded it was either frequent abdominal pain (FAP), or anxiety. At this time, we think it is related to anxiety, but we are still trying to determine specifically what it is. The main point is that the tests revealed nothing medically wrong and if it is anything, it is something that can be managed. We are thankful for this and for the prayers that each of you offered on behalf of our girls. We cannot tell you how much it means. Colossians 4:2 states “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” We are to continue in prayer, or to pray consistently. What a challenge to pray at all times of life, both during difficulties and times of blessing.
Speaking of prayer, here are a few requests for us in the coming year of 2016. Please pray for our daughters, and for playmates for them. There is supposed to be a family from America coming to Kitale soon, but they are waiting on the approval of their work permit. Please pray that they would be cleared soon so they can come to Kitale. Please pray for McKenna and her schooling. Please pray she would not feel anxiety during her schooling, but would settle and rely on the Lord to help her as she studies. Please pray for Nathan, as
his work permit expires in April of this year. We are trusting God for the renewal to come and for the door to remain open to serve in Kenya. Please also pray for his prison permit renewal, that it would process with no problems.
Please pray for Carrie and all of her responsibilities, both in teaching the girls and her other ways she helps the family. Please pray also for her to have stable friends and relationships, as this is so needed while on the mission field. Please pray for Nathan and Roger as they work together in church planting, that the Lord would give wisdom on the best way to proceed. They have tried different ways of doing church planting and they have all had challenges. Pray as they continue to pray and trust God to give them help and wisdom as they rely on Him. Finally, pray for the upcoming year and the challenges ahead. We know there will be challenges, but we trust God through them and know He is in full control. We will remember to pray for each of you also, as you serve the Lord faithfully wherever He has led you.
With the upcoming year, it is easy to get anxious at times and to falter in our faith. How we need to remind ourselves of verses such as Philippians 4:6,7 which say ““Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Isn’t that wonderful? As we pray and trust the Lord, His peace, which passes all understanding, will come. Do you desire that peace? Do I? I hope and pray so. God bless you all as you serve Him. Have a wonderful 2016 ahead and we are so thankful and appreciative for each of you. We will
be sure to do our best to keep you updated.
Blessings,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [November 2015]
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
November 1, 2015
Dear praying friends,
We hope this finds each of you doing well and thank you once again for your faithfulness to missions, whether through prayer, visiting the fields, or sacrificially giving to the Lord’s work. We sincerely appreciate each of you so much and thank the Lord for you. This month, I want to take a little different approach in the prayer letter, as it is a real prayer request for us, in regards to our health, especially that of our children, McKenna and Camille. I will be sure to keep you updated on the ministries in the coming months, but I felt that this is really where we are right now. We want as many to be informed as possible what has been going on, and we covet your prayers.
About 10 months ago, our daughters were complaining of stomach aches. We heard all morning “Mommy, my tummy hurts.” Not knowing exactly what to do, we did the only thing we knew to do at that time. We took them to the various medical facilities in Kitale for testing. We tested for all the basics, such as malaria, typhoid, amoeba, etc. The conclusions we received were that it was amoeba and we got them started on the medicines. Well, the stomach aches continued and we felt it necessary to go to a much bigger hospital in Eldoret, about an hour and a half from Kitale. We saw various doctors there also, and again, the conclusion was that it was amoeba, although they prescribed a different medication and different period of usage. (10 days rather than 5 days) We did this, and things got better. For a while. A couple of months things were good and fine and we thought the problem was resolved. Well, about a month and a half ago, the tummy aches started again. We have been to all the main hospitals/doctors in Kitale and a big hospital in Eldoret, and are still having the issues.
We’ve recently found a decent pediatrician in Kitale. Dr. Musabi is new to our area and has done a good job thus far with treating children. She ran multiple tests on McKenna but each was inconclusive. She referred us to a pediatric gastroenterologist in Nairobi. This is the first time we have had a referral, so we are thankful for Dr. Musabi. Our doctor in Nairobi has run numerous tests on both girls, including one to test for inflammation that was sent to an international lab. This test came back extremely high for McKenna and high for Camille. The doctor insisted McKenna have an endoscopy and colonoscopy.
Well, these procedures were delayed for five days as McKenna developed a cold. Finally the procedures were done and we are currently in Nairobi waiting for results to be returned to us. Camille will not have an endoscopy or colonoscopy as her test levels were lower than McKenna’s. We are praising the Lord that the tests revealed no major issues for McKenna, but most likely some kind of infection or food allergy. We pray the results would be definitive and come back soon. Oh, and yes, while we have been away, one of our big guard dogs we have had for 10 years most likely had stomach cancer, and she is no longer with us. Very sad for all of us.
All in all, it has been a very challenging past few weeks. We know the Lord is in control of all things and we trust Him. We hope and pray to get back to Kitale soon to our life there but we are waiting on the Lord and seeing how to finally get these stomach issues treated. While we don’t understand everything, and it has been a very difficult last few weeks, we trust in the Lord and know He will take care of us. His ways are not our ways. I will finish with a couple of verses that have comforted me during these difficulties. Psalm 115:3 says “But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased.” God does whatever He pleases and He is on the throne. Romans 8:28 says “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”
All things work together for good to them that love God. Even when it’s difficult. Even when we don’t completely understand. He has a plan and a purpose, and He is working it out in His timing. I’m sure many of you are going through difficulties also, and I hope these verses are a comfort to you as well.
Looking forward to updating on the ministries next month, but felt it was necessary to let you know about the health situations in the family and how to pray for us. We love and appreciate each of you so much. Remember, God is in control. Always.
Blessings,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [October 2015]
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
October 1, 2015
Dear praying friends,
It is now the month of October, and near the end of the year. Hard to believe that we will soon be going into the holiday months of Thanksgiving and Christmas. We wish you all a great holiday season ahead and thank you so much for your interest in missions in Kitale, Kenya.
Nathan with their dogs
Last month was a sad one for our family, as one of our main guard dogs, Snickers, passed away. She had some sort of serious illness that was above the care of the veterinarians here. We did our best to treat her, but she eventually passed away. Guard dogs are necessary as they are one of the main deterrents to incidents on compounds. So, we were sad, and still miss Snickers, but we were glad that God provided another good guard dog soon after. This puppy is a rare breed for this area of Kenya, as he is half boxer. We named him Reese and he is now around 5 months old and growing quickly. We are thankful for the protection that the dogs provide. Ultimately, our safety is completely in God’s hands and we trust Him for our security. God watches over and protects us and we trust Him with our safety. I love 2 Samuel 22:4 which says “I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.”
Their newest dog
The ministry in the village of Robinson is continuing along. My partner Roger Tate and I have been faithfully sharing the Gospel, teaching the Word of God, and trusting Him for the results. We have also been doing visitation in the area and meeting many people in the community. I feel this time of visitation is very important, for we get the opportunity to share with the people the Gospel, invite them to the teachings, and pray over any needs or issues that they may have. Currently, I have been teaching in the book of Matthew. I recently taught on Matthew 4 and we saw how the Lord defeated Satan during His time of temptation. We saw the importance of memorizing and using the Word of God when we are tempted and also the importance of the Word of God in our lives. Matthew 4:4 says “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” We will keep you updated on this ministry.
My wife has been enjoying the hospital ministry. We are thankful to each of you who donate to this ministry and are prayer partners. She got her work permit, which we trusted God to provide, and goes regularly to help the abandoned babies and give needed supplies to the mothers. There have been so many mothers and children that the supplies are now depleted more quickly than in times past. Please pray that these women and children would see the love of Christ, and with the Lord’s help, we would be able to reach many more in the future. We thank you so much for your interest in this ministry.
My wife also began a new homeschooling year with our girls. McKenna is now in 2nd grade and Camille is in preschool. They are both learning quickly and enjoy their school time. It has been exciting to watch them grow in their knowledge and abilities. I am thankful for this time that my wife has to teach our children. The girls also have made friends with a couple Kenyan girls from a local children’s home who come over on Saturdays to play. We are thankful that our girls have this down time with friends and that they have this much needed time to play together.
We will be sure to keep you updated. Thanks again to each of you who prays, gives sacrificially, or writes letters of encouragement. We appreciate each of you so much and thank the Lord for you.
Until next month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [September 2015]
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
September 1, 2015
Dear praying friends,
We are now in the month of September. There is much to update each of you on, and I will do my best to inform and share prayer requests. Thanks to each of you who faithfully pray, give, and write to encourage the missionaries that serve where God has called them. You are each such a blessing.
Some have been wondering about the health of our daughters, as I did not update about that last month. There were several weeks with our daughter Camille where we did not know what was going on. She complained of frequent lower stomach cramps and pains, which is a sign of amoeba. We took her to two different doctors here in Kitale and were still not completely sure what it was. We ended up going to a large hospital in Eldoret, about an hour and a half from Kitale. There, we received good care and they did advanced lab work. We continued to give the medications that were recommended, yet there was still stomach pain. McKenna also had not been feeling well at times.
Frustrated that we still did not conclusively know what it was, we finally took both girls, McKenna and Camille, to get tested at a large pediatric hospital in Nairobi. There, they did advanced testing that proved with certainty that no amoeba or infections were there. We were very relieved, but also frustrated, as we had to go multiple places and see multiple doctors to get the issue resolved. This is a frustration here and a prayer request, that a good, new hospital would come to Kitale with doctors that can readily and easily identify health issues. Health is a daily concern here, as when you get sick here, it’s different from America, when the sickness can me a multitude of things and it is difficult to know with certainty what the illness is. Praise the Lord, all is well now, and we appreciate your prayers for our family and our health as we serve here. We have to entrust our health to the Lord and trust Him, as with all else here. I like John 14:1, which says “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”
I am still praying about the permit for the prison ministry. The chaplain is continuing to allow me to come as I wait on the renewal. I am thankful for this and trusting the Lord to work in His plan, timing, and way. I think of Jeremiah 29:11, which says “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Please continue to pray the permit would be renewed quickly and without any issues.
The group in Robinson is continuing along well. My partner Roger Tate and I have been serving there for several months now. We have been doing visitation in the area there, trying to pray for people, encourage them, invite them to the teachings, and share the Gospel as opportunities come. We are presently teaching Inductive Bible study, which is crucial for the people to grasp and understand as they study and apply the Word of God to their lives. Please pray that this teaching would go well, that the people would see the importance of not only studying the Word, but applying and obeying what they learn. The Word of God is profitable, as we see in 2 Timothy 3:16, which says “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” I will keep you updated on the progress of this ministry.
May we faithfully serve today, wherever the Lord has called and guided us. May we leave the results in His plan and timing, knowing He works all things out for good and to His glory. Thank you to each of you for the example of faithfulness you are to us.
Blessings,
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [August 2015]
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
August 1, 2015
Dear praying friends,
It is hard to believe that we are already in the month of August. Where has the time in the past year gone? It seems to pass faster and faster each year. Time is one of the most important gifts from God that we have, and how we need to use it wisely for His honor and glory.
We thank the Lord for the opportunities each day that He gives us to serve Him. Service is a privilege. I think of Matthew 20:27-28, which say “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” What greater example could there be, than our Lord and Savior? Considering all that He has done for us, how could it not be a privilege to serve Him?
Please pray for the Annex prison ministry, as I am at the time of renewal of the prison permit. A permit is needed through the government to continue with this ministry, and I am praying that the Lord will provide this permit in His time and plan. My thoughts have always been to be faithful to this ministry as long as the Lord would have me there. I believe by faith that the permit will be renewed, and would appreciate your prayers as I am in the renewal process. It is all in His hands and I trust Him. The studies are continuing along well, and we are nearly done with the Old Testament and getting ready to move into the New Testament. The men who have been coming seem to be very dedicated and have a heart for the Word of God, which is a definite encouragement. Many of them face many challenges, yet they are faithful to come and study the Word of God. One of my favorite verses on the Bible is Psalm 119:89, which says “For ever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.” What a comforting verse to cling to throughout our lives.
The village ministry in Robinson is continuing along well. It has been challenging, as many who were coming at the beginning have fallen away. This is to be expected, as it happens anywhere. I think of John 6, where so many were following the Lord for the loaves and fishes and not to truly follow Him. I have been praying that the Lord would bring those who would be there for the right reasons, and Lord willing, to be a good foundation for a future church plant.
My partner Roger Tate and I agree that we need to bring further teachings and do visitation, share the Gospel faithfully, and pray for the Lord’s will to be done in the Robinson area. We would appreciate your prayers also to this end. We desire to be faithful, and leave the results in the Lord’s hands, trusting Him each step of the way. We are currently teaching the group on offerings and the Biblical uses that we see in the Scriptures. It has been good and has brought many questions. As we continue in the teachings of the Word, and pray for His will to be done, may we serve together in a spirit of love and unity. John 13:35 says “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Thank you so much to each one who writes, sends letters, or emails. We appreciate each of you so much. Homesickness is a real challenge that missionaries face, and each caring act is greatly appreciated. Thank you also for your faithful prayer and financial support, and for the faithful example of service that each of you are to us. May God abundantly bless you as you serve Him, wherever He leads.
Blessings,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [July 2015]
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
July 1, 2015
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and there is much to update you on. We praise the Lord for His goodness, faithfulness, provisions, and guidance. What a mighty God we serve. Unto Him and Him alone belongs all the glory. There have been some health issues recently that we would like to ask you to pray for, as well as ministry prayer requests.
Life in Kitale has been challenging lately, especially with the public van station moving right downtown into the heartbeat of traffic, which causes much congestion, etc. We hope and pray that things will go back to normal in a few months once the new station is built. There have also been frequent power outages. Imagine doing something that is really important, only for the power to be cut off abruptly in the morning hours, and not returning until late evening. This has happened repeatedly and has been frustrating for all of us. Sometimes we have to boil water to take pan baths as the power is out so long we are unable to shower. However, Kenya is still better than neighboring countries, where there are even more frequent power outages. Part of the frustration is that we never seem to get a straight answer as to what is causing the outage and how long it will be out. It has been better the past few days, for which we thank the Lord, but please pray the power company would get to the root issue and not cut the power so frequently. Stable power is something we thoroughly enjoy while we are home on furlough. As someone has said “You do not know what you have until it is gone.” How true.
Another of the main challenges with missionary life is the turnover rate among the missionary community. The mission field has people coming and going all the time, and it seems that we are always saying “goodbye.” It feels at times like a “revolving door” of people coming and going all the time. People we have become close with and shared struggles with. I know this happens not just in Kenya, as I have heard it is the same on mission fields of other parts of the world as well. There is a family that has served their time in Kitale that we have grown close with who are now moving on and following the Lord elsewhere. We will definitely miss them and although it is hard to say goodbye, we trust the Lord will bring others, and we are thankful for the faithful families who have been here for many years. Transition is never easy, and when it comes to friendships, it is difficult, but we trust the Lord to help us and as various families move on to where the Lord has called them. Proverbs 18:24 states “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Please pray for all the missionaries serving around the world, who struggle with these same issues. The Lord is faithful through it all, and we trust Him to provide in His time and plan.
In health news, both of our daughters have contracted amoeba, as I have shared in previous newsletters. Amoeba is very common here in Kenya, although it is certainly not fun. I have had it myself two times, and know how it feels. Cami, especially, has been struggling with this for 7 months and has been on various medications but thus far none of them have eradicated the problem completely. Please pray for them and us as we are trusting God to help us with this issue. Also, I, Nathan, recently went to a dermatologist at a hospital in Eldoret and had some moles removed. There is a history of melanoma skin cancer in our family, so I need to get checked fairly regularly. Please pray for our family with these health issues. Our health is in His hands, and we trust Him each step of the way.
In ministry news, it has been exciting to watch the spiritual growth of the prisoners at the Annex prison. I recently had the opportunity to teach on Pharaoh and the ten plagues of Egypt. My goal was to show the importance of having a soft heart before the Lord. It was interesting to watch the Bible come alive to the men as they heard of each plague that came upon the nation because of Pharoah’s refusal to listen to the Lord. We learned of pride and the dangers of pride. Proverbs 16:18 says “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Please pray for this ministry and the teachings that are ahead of us, that the men would see the truth of the Word of God, obey it, and follow it faithfully.
My friend Roger Tate and I are continuing to train and disciple men, as well as go out ourselves into communities to start house churches. We are meeting regularly, discussing our thoughts about how the Lord is leading and comparing our experiences. We need wisdom from the Lord each step of the way. We can do nothing without Him. Proverbs 2:6 says “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” We trust Him for wisdom for the most effective way to start churches in this culture. The Lord is faithful and we desire His leading and guidance, not our own.
May the Lord bless each of you abundantly. Thank you so much for your interest and heart for those around the world to be reached with the precious Gospel message. You each are such an important part of the ministry, and we thank the Lord for you so much.
Until next month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [June 2015]
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
June 1, 2015
Dear praying friends,
We are now halfway through the year of 2015, and there are many things
to update you about. This will share ministry progress, as well as prayer
requests for current health issues.
In a previous letter I mentioned that our daughter Camille has contracted amoeba.
It is nearly impossible to prevent it completely, as ingesting just one drop of unfiltered water can transmit it. We do all we can to prevent it and stay healthy, such as watching where we eat, using
water filters, drinking bottled water, etc, but sometimes those actions aren’t enough and a person contracts it.
McKenna has also recently contracted it and so she has started medications to eradicate it.
We are so thankful to have a good doctor here in Kitale who has been here for over 30 years, seems knowledgeable and provides good medications.
Right now we are in the “waiting stages” to see if these medications will eradicate the amoeba, or if we have to go to an IV stage, which is the last resort. We are praying that the regular medications will take affect and the IV will not be necessary for either of the girls. We would appreciate your prayers for our daughters at this time. A verse that comes to mind at this time that is comforting is 1 Peter 5:7, which says “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” It is a daily battle to stay healthy here and we would appreciate your prayers.
We have been praying for friends for our daughters to play with. Recently, our daughters have begun playing with a couple Kenyan girls from a local children’s home. Maggie and Daisy have been coming over to spend time with our family on the weekends. All 4 girls have gotten along well and this has been a blessing for our family as well as Maggie and Daisy, so we are so thankful for them. We continue to pray that other missionaries with children would come. God has been faithful to answer prayer.
In ministry news, the group at Robinson is continuing along and we are proceeding
through the foundational teachings. Recently I had the opportunity to teach on “What does it mean to really follow Christ?” We looked at examples from the Scriptures of those who did not follow Christ for various reasons, including misperceptions such as following Jesus will make all my problems go away, following Jesus will make my life easier, following Jesus is for the weak, etc. As I got to John 6 and explained that many people originally followed Jesus for the “loaves and fishes,” (to have their bellies filled), there was some laughter, as many in the meeting knew that this is a real issue here in Kenya. I continued to explain that others followed Jesus because they saw His signs and wanted to “get” something from Him. In the end, many disciples refused to follow Him and deserted Him. This was teaching that was necessary for the people here to understand. We desire to have those who follow Jesus for the right reasons, not for what they will get, or misconceptions they have. We will continue, Lord willing, to teach the truth in love, trusting the Lord to work in His time and plan, and leaving the results with Him.
My friend Roger Tate and I desire to be faithful, entrusting the results to the Lord. 1 Corinthians 4:2 says “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”
We thank you each so much for your heart for missions and your prayers and sacrificial
giving. Thank you for your faithfulness, and may the Lord bless you abundantly.
Until next month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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