Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [May 2013]
May 2, 2013
Greetings to all our friends and family!
We pray you are all doing well! The missionary ladies were asked to write this month’s prayer letter to share some of our thoughts and insights as moms and wives on the missions field. To write all that’s on my mind would take too much space, so I will try to be concise!
Living on the missions field has its share of joys as well as times of struggle and heartache. One of the nicest things of living where we do is that we have a wonderful missionary community, especially with the Tates here as well. We support each other, cry with each other, care for each other and pray for each other. Nathan and Roger are a great team working to minister to the Kenyan people. They both bring different strengths to share with each other and learn from each other. Julie is like a sister to me and I treasure her. I’m so very thankful that we are able to all be here together.
As a mom raising our girls on the mission field, I’m very thankful that our girls will grow up with a large world view. They will have experience with other cultures (not just Kenyan culture, but insight into Indian and other European cultures as well) and flexibility to adapt to different circumstances. I pray they will develop hearts to serve the Lord and other people. I pray they will have thankful hearts for all the Lord has done for them.
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.
One of the biggest blessings I have personally is to be home with the girls and care for them. I started some homeschooling with McKenna this past year for preschool and am looking forward to ordering her kindergarten curriculum. I count it a huge privilege to homeschool both McKenna and Camille. My prayer is that I will be vigilant to use the opportunities the Lord gives for teaching and discipling both girls.
However, along with these many blessings also come some definite struggles and heartaches. For the girls to learn flexibility and adaptability means they have to experience great changes in their young lives. The missionary community here is always changing, people always coming and going. Sometimes there may be a family here with younger children for our girls to play with for a few months and then they leave and our girls are left without playmates again until someone new comes. The girls are always saying “hello” and “good bye,” which is difficult for little ones to understand. Most days they are home with me all day with little interaction, if any, with other kids their age. One of our biggest prayer requests is that families with young children would move to our area. But the Lord knows what we need, and especially what our girls need, so we trust in Him to provide. Not always an easy thing to do!
Another difficult thing for our girls (actually, our whole family!) is separation from family at home. Family at home misses the girls. They miss seeing the cute things the girls say and do, they miss the milestones the girls have here, birthdays, Christmases and other holiday celebrations. Our girls miss relationships with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. McKenna tells me almost daily that she misses family at home. And that breaks my heart. One thing that has helped with this is the opportunity to skype. It’s amazing how much technology has improved the lives of missionaries! We are very thankful for this service. But while it opens a window between our family here and family at home, it is just a brief window that closes when the session is done. We are really looking forward to furlough and being able to spend time with our families in the States.
Well, I could continue sharing my heart and thoughts for several more pages, but I must close for now. Thank you for allowing me to share with you some of my joys and struggles as a wife and mom here in Kenya. May the Lord bless each of you and your families as you serve Him wherever you are.
In Christ,
Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [April 2013]
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.
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and there are many things to update you about. We praise the Lord for health, strength, His protection, and the opportunities He gives us to serve Him. This update will give a current ministry update as well as prayer requests.
As I write this letter, we are now in the final stages of our move. Praise the Lord! It has been a long, difficult three months since we found we had to move out, but the Lord has been so faithful and provided another place nearby to live. We also met with the caretaker, who was very friendly, and we are pleased. We have still not unpacked everything, as there are still some boxes around, but we are getting there step by step. Isn’t it wonderful to know that throughout the seasons of life, God is so faithful and will care for us each step of the way? I am thankful for His guidance and provisions. Psalm 48:14 says “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.” Thanks so much for each one who has prayed for us during this transition. We are now getting settled and appreciate your prayers for us during this time.
Concerning the election, it has been very interesting. The election was originally held on March 4th. One of the presidential candidates was declared the president elect, yet the other challenger has taken the matter to the Kenya Supreme Court. It has been in the court for a few days now, and we are awaiting the final decision. I have been pleasantly surprised by the lack of unrest. It seems things are calmer this time than last election. However, there is still very much the potential for unrest when the final decision is made. Please continue to pray for us, the other missionaries, and the country and people of Kenya. We desire to see this spirit of peace continue. Ultimately, God is in control, no matter what happens. He is always on the throne and we can trust Him with everything. There are many good verses regarding God’s sovereignty, but one of my favorites is Psalm 115:3, which says “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” What a blessing to know we serve the sovereign God of the universe, and He is always completely, absolutely in control.
The church in Shangalamwe is continuing along. My good friend Roger Tate and I are now in the stage of observing the elder as he leads the church. This stage is very important, to ensure that the elder has grasped the teaching and follows the Scripture as he leads and guides the church to follow the Lord. Please pray for the elder as he has taken on this role, and for us also, as we seek to help him any way that we can. We are also continuing to work with a national to plant churches, and this is going along well. Out of one group many other groups have started, and many of these groups desire to be churches. Please pray for him, and also for us, as we instruct and teach him weekly to plant these churches, Lord willing.
My wife is continuing along in the hospital ministry. We thank the Lord for the opportunities He has given her to serve there over the years. There are so many there who are suffering and we thank the Lord for the doors He has opened for her to serve there. Thanks to each one who prays for this ministry or sends supplies for the mothers and children. Psalm 68:5 says “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.” God cares about these children and the conditions they face, and we are honored to have a small part to minister and care for them.
Thanks so much to each one who sends us notes, emails, or letters of encouragement. It means so much. Many days here we face the typical challenges of missionary life, and certainly homesickness, loneliness, and other issues can come. Your letters and emails brighten our days. God bless each of you for your prayers, sacrificial giving, and encouragement. We will keep you updated.
In Kenya,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [March 2013]
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.
March 1, 2013
Dear praying friends,
It is now March 2013, and we are now just 3 days from the election here in Kenya which is to be held on March 4, Lord willing. We have many prayer requests for this prayer letter, as well as ministry updates. May God bless each of you for your heart for missions and interest in the Lord’s work in Kenya, East Africa.
One of our main prayer requests is for the very near election which is to be held soon here in Kenya. Please pray that throughout the electoral process, that there would be peace, no unrest, and fairness in this election. During the last election, in the year 2007, we were not in the country, as we were home for furlough. This time, however, will be different, as we will be here in the country. We don’t know how things will go, and have bought a few extra supplies, so we can lay low for a few days to see how things will go. We trust the Lord in this situation, and at this time, as we know He is fully in control. I love Isaiah 26:3, which says “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Please pray for this election, and the safety of the country of Kenya and its people. We do not want to see any danger, and we trust the Lord through it.
These past few weeks have been very busy, as we have recently moved. We lived in our last place for seven years, but were told we needed to move, as the family of the owner moved back to Kitale and took our previous place. What a job moving was! We had much help from friends and others, and we are so thankful. There is no way we could have made the progress we did without their help. We have been busy trying to get our things situated to a new place, as well as repairing and adjusting in accordance with our needs for our family. As you know, this can take quite a while. We are thankful for the progress that we have seen to this point, and we ask you to pray for us as a family, as we adjust to a new place. God is faithful, and we are thankful for your prayers for us at this time.
The church in the village of Shangalamwe has now reached the point where it will soon be turned over to national leadership. My good friend Roger Tate and I have done our best to teach, model, advise, and assist in any way that we can, and now we have reached the point where the national church leader will be taking over his duties. Please pray for him this upcoming Sunday, as this will be the first Sunday of officially leading the service. At this point, we will observe to make sure that he is following the Scriptures and leading in accordance with the Scriptures. We hope and pray that he will follow what he has been taught for the past several months and set a good example of what a church elder should be. We will keep you updated of this ministry.
We also praise the Lord for the progress we have seen working with a national separately through the week. This national has been faithful to go, teach, and Lord willing, to start more churches in the Kitale area. He also has several other men interested in expanding the teachings in church planting to their areas and villages, for which we thank the Lord. We feel this is a good Biblical model to follow. 2 Timothy 2:2 states “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
The Annex prison is continuing along well, for which I thank the Lord. We are progressing well through the T4T teachings, and the men seem to be growing spiritually and excited about what they are learning. It is wonderful to see these men grow and respond well to the Biblical teachings, as they have little interactions with their families or community from the outside. Many times they feel forgotten, and have difficulty adjusting to regular life upon their release. Please pray for these men and the continued teachings from the T4T course. We appreciate your prayers for this ministry.
In personal news, our daughter Camille turned two years old on the day that we moved. We did not have time to celebrate her birthday on the day we moved, but were recently able to celebrate it together. What a blessing she is to our family. Please pray for her, and also for her sister McKenna, who will turn five in April this year, Lord willing.
May we dedicate ourselves wholeheartedly to the Lord and His service this year. The Lord has great things for us, if we will just seek His will, study His Word, and obey His leading. I will leave you with a challenging verse from Jeremiah 33:3, which says “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” May the Lord bless each of you, and thanks again so much for your interest in missions.
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 [February 2013]
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.
February 1, 2013
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and passed, and I hope and pray that we are busy serving the Lord during the opportunities that He gives us. I pray that we will have zeal for the Lord this year and serve Him wholeheartedly. And, not just this year, but in all the years to come that we have opportunity. This update will share ministry progress, as well as current prayer requests.
There are several prayer requests for this update. One of the main ones is for our work permit to be approved with no problems. We have submitted all the proper paperwork, and now we pray as we wait upon God. We trust the Lord completely in this situation and know it will work in accordance with His plan. Psalm 27:14 says “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Waiting is not easy, but God teaches us so much during these times. Please pray that the permit would be approved with no problem.
Also, recently, we were informed by our landlord that we have to relocate, as a family is coming back to Kitale to live. We were surprised by this, as we have lived there for seven years, but God has been good to provide another place for us to live. This has happened to others also here, and please pray for us during this time, that we would get all packed up that needs to be moved, that nothing would be lost, and also for a good relationship with the caretaker of the place we will be moving. Change is never easy, but God uses it also for our good. We can be assured of His guidance through the seasons of life. Psalm 32:8 says “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Please pray for us during this time of transition.
Also, the Kenya election is very near, as it is scheduled for next month. Last election, there was unrest, so please pray for peace for this election, and for the safety of people living in Kenya during this time. The last thing we want is unrest or problems, so please pray for the peace of the country during this near election.
The ministry at the church in Shangalamwe is progressing along, and we are now nearing the place where the church elder will be taking the leadership responsibilities of the church. We have worked hard to teach, train, advise, and help the church in any way that we can, and the time is nearing where it will be turned over to national leadership. Our role at this stage will change some, as we will be observing the national church leader to make sure that he is following the Scriptures and what he have taught him. Please pray for him, and for us, during this time, and that this transition period would go smoothly. We are also training a national during the week to go and start churches in various areas of Kitale, and this has been exciting, as it seems that many of these groups desire to be churches and are continuing along well. We are getting good reports, for which we are thankful.
The Annex prison ministry is continuing along well. We have now finished with the “Firm Foundations” course and are moving to a new course entitled “T4T.” This course also has many good teachings and the men seem excited to begin it. The end of this course, Lord willing, will be teaching the men to study the Bible inductively so they can teach others. Please pray for us as we proceed through this training.
This month, our second daughter Camille will turn two years old. This does not seem possible, as the time has flown by. What a joy it is to be a parent, and how blessed I truly am to have a dedicated wife who has sacrificed so much to come and live here and support me in the ministry. Please pray for us as a family, and also for our daughters, McKenna and Camille. Please also pray that other families with children their age will come to Kitale, if the Lord leads, so that they will have children their age to play with and grow up with. We trust the Lord with all these requests.
We wish you all a great month of February. Thanks to each one who writes a note of encouragement, prays for us, or gives sacrificially to the Lord’s work here. You all are such a blessing.
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [January 2013]
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.
Dear praying friends,
Lord willing, by the time you receive this prayer letter, it will be the year 2013. I know at this time that many people make “New Year’s resolutions” for the upcoming year. My prayer is that we would make resolutions to follow the Lord closely this year, be committed to serving Him, and reaching the lost with the Gospel message. Would these be good resolutions for us to follow this upcoming year? I think so, and I hope and pray that these would be some of the goals for this year. May we have more zeal to serve the Lord this year that is ahead. Romans 12:10-11 says “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.” This update will share ministry progress as well as prayer requests.
Before discussing ministry, I would ask prayer for two specific things. The first is our work permit. To legally continue in the ministries here in Kenya, a work permit from the government is needed. These usually expire every two to three years. Our permit expires in April of this year. Please pray that if it would be the Lord’s will, that the renewal of the permit would be granted with no issues or problems. We have heard of other permits having problems, so this is why I ask prayer for this specifically. We know the Lord is in complete control, and we trust Him with it. What a comfort it is to know that God is sovereign, nothing takes Him by surprise, and we can trust Him with everything in our lives. Psalm 115:3 says “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” Thanks for prayers for this.
Also, the election of Kenya is drawing near. As you may recall from the previous election, the country had unrest and certain areas were dangerous. We praise the Lord that during the last election Kitale was calm and peaceful. I believe the election is scheduled for March, so please pray for the whole election process, that it would be done fairly and that it would remain peaceful. During our recent missionary community meeting we discussed the election and it was recommended to have additional supplies at home to last one to two months. This way, in case of any unrest or problems, we would have our necessary supplies. Even while Kitale is usually peaceful, other communities on the route from Nairobi to Kitale aren’t and this causes problems for the delivery trucks, thus a shortage of supplies. How thankful we are to have a close missionary community who takes care of each other. We are truly blessed. John 14:27 says “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” What a great verse for us to know and claim, wherever we are or whatever situation we are in.
The church plant in the village of Shangalamwe is continuing along. There have been definite challenges along the way such as high dependence on the missionary, and I am so thankful for my good friend Roger Tate and our co-laboring in this village. I thank the Lord for his family’s willingness to live and serve here in Kenya. Life here is difficult as we are often homesick, lonely and experiencing culture fatigue but what a blessing they are not only to us, but so many others.
Please pray for this church in Shangalamwe, that they would follow the Scriptures in their faith and practice. There are many requests such as that they would recognize the authority of the Word of God and follow it wholeheartedly. Also that they would have a heart to serve others and that they would seek to be independent of us and rely on the Lord. Please pray also for us as missionaries, that we would faithfully teach the Scriptures in love and that we would be an encouragement to this church. Please pray that we would be a good example before others and be the “salt and light” that the Bible calls us to be. There are so many things to pray about, and these are just some of the current prayer requests. A quote I like is “There is much to pray about and nothing to worry about.” We will keep you updated of this ministry.
The Annex prison is continuing along well. We are now near the end of the “Firm Foundations” course. It has been exciting to watch the growth spiritually in these men. The next plan is to teach the men how to study the Word of God inductively, verse by verse, chapter by chapter. In this way, Lord willing, when they are released, they can go and teach others in their areas and villages. These men come from all over the country, and when I discussed this option with the men, they were very excited about it. I thank the Lord for the cooperation of the main office and the chaplains. We will keep you updated of this also.
In family prayer requests, one of our current requests is for playmates for our two daughters. Unfortunately, it has not been very easy for our children to have other children their age to play with. Most of the missionary children here are older. So, a big family prayer request is that our daughters will have children their age to play with. There has been a recent opportunity for them to go weekly to a nearby children’s home to play with the Kenyan children, and this has greatly helped. However, it would still be good for them to have American children to play with also that are their age. We would appreciate prayers for this, as this is specifically for our children.
In closing, may we all be zealous for the Lord this year. We do not know the day the Lord will return. It could be anytime. If the Lord were to come today, would He find us faithfully serving Him? I hope and pray so. There is no better time to serve the Lord than right now. I pray that we would be the living sacrifice the Bible calls us to be. I will close with Romans 12:1-2, which says “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
God’s blessings to each of you.
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [December 2012]
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.
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and passed, and we are now very near the end of 2012. During this holiday season, may we never forget the true reason and meaning for Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. One of my favorite verses concerning the Christmas season is Isaiah 7:14, which says “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” I pray that we would be thankful during this season and remember the birth of our Savior.
I wanted to send a recent photo of our family (above), as we have not sent once in several months. It is hard to believe that McKenna will be five years old soon and starting school next year. Camille is continuing to grow and develop, and Lord willing, will be two next February. A challenging verse to me as a father is Ephesians 6:4, which says “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Please pray for our family, for us as parents, and also for our children as they grow and develop.
The church plant in Shangalamwe is continuing along, but a prayer request that I have now for this church is for the dependency issues. The dependency has seemed to have increased in the past few weeks, and I ask for prayers specifically for my friend Roger Tate and I, that we would patiently teach the people the truth from the Word of God and that the Lord would work in hearts. Please also pray for the elder of the church, that the church chose, as he eventually will be stepping into more responsibility for leading the church. We have covered the main teachings to the church, have been modeling for the church over the past few months, and are continuing to progress along well. Again, if prayers could be made for the church to really lean upon the Lord and not anyone or anything else, that would be much appreciated. Psalm 118:8 states “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.” We will keep you updated of this ministry.
The Annex prison is continuing along well. We are continuing along well in the course “Firm Foundations – From Creation to Christ.” The men have been coming faithfully and seem to have a real desire to learn from the Word of God and follow and obey it. Please pray for each of the men, that they would be doers of the Word. One of my favorite verses is James 1:22, which says “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” What a challenging verse for all of us. We will be sure to keep you updated of the Annex prison ministry.
As for how to pray for us specifically, the holiday season here is always difficult. It is hard to be separated by thousands of miles from friends, family, culture, etc. We are doing the best we can, but there are definitely difficult times. I am so thankful for the Lord and for the strength He provides. His strength is perfect when our strength is gone. We wish you all a wonderful holiday season. Also, a great 2013.
May the Lord bless each of you.
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
Click here to donate to BFM.
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [November 2012]
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, 2012
Dear praying friends,
Another month has quickly passed, and we are now at the end months of the year 2012. It is hard to believe that 2013 is just around the corner. Each year seems to go by faster and faster. I pray that we will commit ourselves anew to service to the Lord, wherever He leads us. I like Deuteronomy 13:4, which says “Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.” I pray that this would be our heart’s desire, that we would walk with the Lord, fear Him, keep His commandments, obey Him, serve Him, and cleave to Him. What a challenging verse from the Word of God.
The church plant in the village of Shangalamwe is continuing along well, for which I thank the Lord. My friend Roger Tate and I have been working with these dear people for several months now, and we have been able to see spiritual growth and progress. Some of the church members have grown discouraged as they have been faithful to go and share their faith, yet the work has been difficult and others have been giving excuses, etc. I tried to encourage them by sharing the verse in Galatians 6:9, which states “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” I reminded the church that we are to be faithful in serving the Lord, and leave the results with Him. Please pray for these members, that they would find strength and encouragement from the Lord and faithfully serve Him, no matter what the difficulties are.
We are also now meeting with a national, as he has been faithful to go and start different Bible study groups in the Kitale area. We have been meeting with him, sharing with him and training him to go and teach the lessons to other groups. The time will be coming where he will ask to see if the groups desire to be churches of the Lord Jesus Christ, so please be praying for him in the days ahead, that the Lord’s will would be done. It is good to do church planting using different ways, to compare and and see which is more effective in this culture. We covet your prayers as we continue to plant churches, with the Lord’s help, in the Kitale area.
The Annex prison ministry is continuing along well. We are now near the end of the course “Firm Foundations – From Creation to Christ.” The men coming seem to be really growing and doing well. I thank the Lord for this, and for their faithfulness to come and study the Word of God. I am also thankful for the cooperation of the head office of the Annex prison and also for the cooperation of the chaplains. Please pray for these men and their spiritual growth as they learn from the Word, as well as for the other men who have not yet decided to trust Christ and follow Him. How we need to share the Gospel message and share it with the lost. I love Luke 19:10, which says “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” We will keep you updated of this ministry.
In family news, please pray for each of us, and for our health and safety daily as we serve here. There are many health hazards here, and we would appreciate your prayers for our continued health as we serve in Kitale. Please also pray for us as it is now near the holiday season, and it is always hard to be away from those that we love. The Lord gives strength daily, and we are thankful for this. His strength is perfect when our strength is gone. We wish you all a great holiday season in America, and will be sure to keep you updated. God’s blessings to each of you.
Serving in Kitale,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
Click here to donate to BFM.
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [October 2012]
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 2, 2012
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and passed so quickly, and we are now near the end of the year 2012. How we need to be busy serving the Lord and making the most of the opportunities that He gives us to serve Him. A quote I read recently which really challenged me was this: “Now is the time to serve God.” How true, and what a challenge, that we would be busy serving Him while we have the opportunity. This prayer letter will give current updates as well as prayer requests.
The church in Shangalamwe that my friend Roger Tate and I have been working with is continuing along well, although there are definite challenges. One of the major challenges here is the dependency in the culture. This is a regular battle here, and one of the major struggles. Please pray that these dear people would see the need to trust in the Lord and not the missionary or anyone or anything else. Philippians 4:19 says “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Please pray that the people would truly trust in the Lord and rely upon Him each day.
God has been providing people who are coming faithfully and regularly. We thank the Lord for this. The church members are doing well, and we ask you to not only pray for them, but also for those who have been coming and who wish to join the church in the future. We have taught them much, and are now progressing soon to the training and mentoring of the national whom the church chose as their elder. This time is very important, so please pray for us, each week, that we would teach the church in love, and also that the church would see the truth of the Bible and desire to break away from any false teachings or customs which are not according to the Bible. We will keep you updated of this ministry.
The Annex prison ministry is continuing along well. God has brought new prisoners to this ministry, for which I am thankful. I thank the Lord for the men who are coming, studying the Word, and am thrilled with the spiritual growth I see in many of them. We are now learning about the life of Christ on earth as well as His ministry. Lord willing, we plan to study many more teachings in the future. The chaplains and head office are cooperative, for which I thank the Lord. Please pray for these men, that they would not only hear the Word of God, but hide it in their heart and memorize it. This will greatly help them in their walk with the Lord. A very good verse is Psalm 119:11, which says “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” We will keep you updated on the progress of this ministry.
In family news, our daughters are both doing well. Camille is now walking very well and increasing in her vocabulary. She is such a blessing to our family. She will be two years old soon, which does not seem possible. McKenna is the typical four year old, and is growing very quickly. She will start school next year, which also does not seem possible. Please pray that we would be the Biblical example that we need to be for our children. What a blessing it is to be a parent, but also what a big responsibility.
As far as prayer requests, please pray for our safety, health, and that we would follow the Lord where He leads. Also, in a more specific prayer request, a work permit is needed through the Kenyan government for us to be able to stay legally in the country. The permits usually go for different periods of time, and ours expires in April of next year. Please pray, that if it be the Lord’s will, that this permit would be renewed quickly and without any difficulties or issues. We trust the Lord completely in this, and know the Lord will guide and direct us in accordance with His will. Psalm 48:14 states “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.” What a great God we serve, Who is faithful to guide us throughout our lives. Aren’t you thankful for His guidance? We will be sure to keep you updated. Thanks again for your prayers, sacrificial giving, and encouragement. We could not do this without each of you.
Until next month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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