Back in Kenya with a Big Answer to Prayer
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 31, 2017
We are now at the end of 2017, and this year has passed so quickly. I am reminded of how short life is when I think of how time flies. It seems the older I get, the faster it goes. I am sure that is true for everyone. God is so faithful and may we use our days to worship Him, serve Him, love Him, and bring Him glory. He deserves all praise and glory for all things. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
In family news, October is a big month for our family. My wife and I celebrated our 13th anniversary, and also I (Nathan) turned 41 this past month. Both days were great days of celebration with friends here in Kitale. I am thankful for a wife who sacrifices daily on the mission field, giving up many comforts, to serve the Lord here. She is truly a blessing and I am so thankful for her and her servant spirit. I hope and pray we will have many more years together.
Also in family news, we have had what seems to be a huge answer to prayer. As you know, we have struggled to find friends for our daughters here in Kitale. This is one of the biggest struggles for missionary children, having social interaction and friends their age to play with. Many times the needs of missionary children can be overlooked, so we have wanted to bring their needs before others so they can be in prayer for them.
Praise the Lord, He has answered this prayer in a big way. There is now a Christian school in Kitale with approximately 70 children enrolled at present. The school is now closed for break, but when it begins in January, they plan to have 100 students there. It is growing and expanding and offers many extracurricular activities, such as drama, art, music lessons, Swahili lessons (the language of Kenya), French language lessons, etc. There are further plans to even provide more in the future, but this is a great start. McKenna and Camille had the opportunity to go for about two weeks and were already making good friends, so we are so thankful for this and praise God for this big answer to prayer.
In regards to the presidential election here, it is still continuing along. As I reported last month, the prior election in August was annulled and they did a second election last week. The voter turnout was much lower than the first election, and some areas had delays in voting due to protests and violence. I know the winner will be announced soon, so please pray for the country, for the stability of the country, for no further unrest that is not necessary, and for it to be settled. Unrest has been in certain pockets of the country and we have done our best to stay safe, stock up on supplies, and all the usual things that would be expected in a time of insecurity and possible unrest. We know God is in control and we trust Him in all these things.
We appreciate each of you so much and your prayers, sacrificial giving, and notes and letters of encouragement. You are all such a blessing and we are thankful to you. We will keep you updated.
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya, East Africa
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Back in Kenya—Pray for Peace
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, 2017
We hope this update finds you all doing well. As I write this, we are at our home town in Kitale, Kenya. I will give a current update on the state of the country as well as prayer requests. We appreciate each of you so much who prayed for our trip, our safety, and our readjustments back to life here in Africa.
My wife worked tirelessly to get everything packed up for us for our upcoming term on the field. It is a massive job to try to figure out what to take, what to leave, what is needed right now, etc. I am so thankful for her and all her hard work in these areas, as I would not know where to even begin. Her mother is also a big help to us in this regard and we thank the Lord for her also.
Please pray for us as we are all in the process of adjustments back to life on the mission field. Simple things that we take for granted in America, such as stable electricity, stable Internet, water to come faithfully without delay, etc. are real challenges to daily life here. Please also pray for our daughters as they are adjusting back to life here. They have both done amazingly well in adjusting and we are very proud of them. Please pray for them to get regular friends, have fun activities, and for their health and well-being here. It has been a very busy past week, as I (Nathan) have been going all over trying to get bills paid, things hooked up, etc. It is always a rough few first days but I am thankful I have gotten a lot done.
Kenya held a presidential election on August 8th and a president was elected. Two weeks later, the results were annulled because of “anomalies.” What exactly those things are I don’t really know, and all that is known at this point is a repeat election scheduled for October 26th. This is disappointing, as we stayed abroad to wait for all these things to be done and over with, and now we have to prepare for it, buy extra supplies, possibly hire extra security, etc. until it is settled. Please pray for peace in the country and closure to the election process of 2017. God is in control and we trust Him. Psalm 115:3 says “But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased.”
We will keep you updated on life here on the mission field. We appreciate each of you so much and thank God for you. Blessings to each of you and thanks again.
In Kitale,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya, East Africa
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Preparing to Return to Kenya
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 31, 2017
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and we are nearing the end of 2017. This year has passed so quickly, and is a reminder of how short our lives are here on earth compared to eternity. May we serve faithfully while we can, and serve God by serving others. This update will share current happenings in Kenya and our plans.
Thanks so much to each one of you who prayed for us in regards to the election earlier in the month. You never know how an election will go. The one last time passed fairly peacefully, but the one before that was followed by much unrest in the country. We felt the wisest and safest thing to do was to wait until the election was over before considering our return.
All in all, the election passed fairly peacefully, although there were small pockets of unrest in the larger cities. There were thousands of police who were deployed all over the country to help with any unrest our violence, so the country was well prepared. Even as I type this, the election winner has not officially been declared yet. The results are being challenged and an official winner is to be announced this weekend. We don’t think any major unrest will happen at this time, but we still request prayer for peace in the country and that people will accept the results without resorting to any violence. God is in control and we trust in Him. Psalm 56:3 says “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.”
We feel it is safe to return at this time and we plan to return to Kenya in mid-September, Lord willing. Please pray for us as there is still a lot to do, with packing for two years, as well as trying to remember everything that needs to get done. It can be a stressful time, but we are thankful for those who help us with all the details as we pack up and return.
Please pray for us and the transitions ahead. It is always emotional to leave our country, and familiar things to us, but we are following where God leads, trusting Him each step of the way. Lord willing, I will give a more detailed update next month. We appreciate each of you, who give sacrificially, pray for us, or assist us in any way. You are a blessing. Please note our field address for correspondence.
Serving Him,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Furlough Address:
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya, East Africa
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Awaiting News on Kenyan Presidential Election; Preparing to Return
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 31, 2017
Dear praying friends,
As I type this, we are now a little over a week from the presidential election in Kenya. It is scheduled for August 8th, and we would ask prayer specifically for the country, for the response of the nation after the results are announced, and for peace and stability. We just simply don’t know how things will turn out. We trust God in all these matters and know He is in complete control of all things. What a mighty God we serve.
I (Nathan) have been working hard in translating materials on church planting from English into Swahili, the national language of Kenya. It has been a challenge, and definitely a good refresher to brush up on the words that I have learned. I still have some more translating to do, but am pleased with the progress so far. I have needed to refer to a dictionary as I have translated, as there are still many words that are used that I struggle to get the meaning. This is one of the main challenges on the mission field, using the language and trying to understand what others are saying. Many times the words are said so quickly that even if you do understand the meanings, it is still hard to follow. Please pray for me as I continue along, that I would get it all translated. It is a big project, but God has been helping me with it.
Please continue to pray for our family, especially for our health when we return. It has been good for our family to get a break from all the many health issues overseas and to give our bodies a time of refreshment and stability. Please also continue to pray that God would provide friends for our daughters, as this is a big need for them on the mission field. We are thankful for these prayers and God has been answering. He is so faithful.
I will give a much more in-depth update on the country of Kenya and how things are going once I know in more detail in the next few days. We definitely plan to return, but want to wait and ensure the country is safe and stable before returning. It is all in God’s hands. Not only is the election in His hands, but our times are in His hands. I am reminded of Psalm 31:15, which says, “My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hands of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.” Thanks so much for your faithfulness, prayers, and sacrificial giving. We appreciate you each so much.
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Furlough Address:
56 Lobo Lane
Culloden, WV 25510
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Translating Materials in the States During Kenyan Election
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 30, 2017
Dear praying friends,
We hope and pray this finds each of you doing well as you serve the Lord. What a privilege it is to have the opportunities to serve the Lord, and may we make the most of the opportunities that we have each day. We can serve God by serving others. Philippians 2:3-4 says “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” May we have an attitude of humility before the Lord, as we serve Him, as well as serving others.
Some of you do not receive the prayer letter by email, so I wanted to write by snail mail and update you on our plans for returning to Kenya. Later this year, in August, Kenya will hold a presidential election. Presidential elections in Kenya can go either way – they can be fine and peaceful, or they can be problematic. The last election five years ago passed fairly peacefully, but the one before that, there were many uprisings and problems throughout the country. After seeking the Lord’s will on the matter, and seeking advisement from our mission board and the pastor of our sending church, we all agreed that it is best to wait it out and go back after the election has passed. I believe this is the wisest move at this time and feel at peace with the decision.
Please pray for the country of Kenya and those who will be there during the election. I read that the nationals are tired of the unrest and uprisings and do not want to see a repeat of 2007, as there was much loss in the country at that time due to the unrest. Please pray that no matter what the outcome and results, that the people would accept it without turning to violence in any way. God is in control of all things, and sovereign. He rules and reigns over all matters, and nothing is outside of His control. Praise Him for that. What a mighty God we serve. Nothing is too hard for Him. I take comfort in a verse such as Jeremiah 32:27, which says ” Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for Me?” Of course, the answer to that is an affirmative NO! He has all things under His control.
As we have this time in America while waiting on the election results, I (Nathan) plan to do much translating of our training materials from English to Swahili, the language of Kenya. Yes, this will be a big project, but I really feel it needs to be done and should be translated into the language of the people. It will not be easy and will be challenging, as I have not used Swahili in several months, but it will be a good time to “brush up” in the language and practice, even when not in the country. So, if you could please pray for me during that project, it would be appreciated.
Please also pray for God to raise up Godly, Biblically qualified men for me (Nathan) to train. Please pray that God would raise up leaders for the churches that Lord willing, will be established for the glory of God. To Him be the glory for all things. Please also pray for the family as we prepare to go back, that we would stay healthy, safe, and for friends for our daughters.
We lay all of these things before the Lord, trusting Him by faith. How we need to step out in faith, trusting God each step of the way. We cannot please Him without faith. (Hebrews 11:6) It is definitely a privilege to serve God and what a joy to join Him where He is working. We appreciate you each so much and your interest in missions. We will keep you updated.
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Furlough Address:
56 Lobo Lane
Culloden, WV 25510
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Praying for a Peaceful Election in Kenya
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, 2017
Dear praying friends,
We are now halfway through the year 2017, and time is going so quickly. We appreciate each one of you for your prayers, sacrificial giving, and encouragement to us. Each of you are a blessing and we thank God for you.
Earlier this month, our daughters finished the school year at Calvary Baptist Academy. This was a great year for them, as they had to learn time management, how to get along with others, studying hard for exams that they had, playing on the playground at recreation, gym classes, etc. We are so thankful that they had this experience and it was a great blessing. Please pray for them as they transition back to life on the mission field, as there are different challenges that they will face there. My wife is looking forward to homeschooling them again, but this was certainly a great year for them and we are very grateful and thankful for it.
Now, just to update you on our return to Kenya. Our original plan was to return to Kenya in June. However, Kenya has a presidential election in August and there is always the possibility of unrest, etc. The last election passed fairly peacefully, but the one before and others have not gone as well. After discussing with a missionary in Kenya, as well as our mission board and the pastor of our sending church, we have all decided it is best to wait out the election and go back after it. This decision was made after much prayer and seeking the Lord’s will in the situation. The election could pass totally fine, or it could be problematic. We just don’t know.
Please be in prayer for this, both for the people of Kenya and the election process itself. Please pray that there would be no unrest and things would continue along peacefully. Please pray for those that will be in the country at the time of the election, for their safety and well-being. God is in control of all things and we trust Him with the outcome. Psalm 34:14 says “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.” 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.”
A good quote that I read recently with all this said, “When I trust God, I trust the outcome.” How true. Trusting God involves trusting the outcome, knowing He is in control of all things. We will keep you updated. God bless each of you so much.
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Furlough Address:
56 Lobo Lane
Culloden, WV 25510
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Discussing Ministry Plans for Church Planting
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.
May 1, 2017
Dear praying friends,
We are now near halfway through 2017 and time is passing so quickly. Thanks so much to each one who prays for us, writes or sacrificially gives to the Lord and His work. You are each such a blessing and we thank God for you.
Our daughters are near the end of the school year at Calvary Baptist Academy in Hurricane, WV. They have a month left of school. This has been such a good year for them and they have gotten the much-needed socialization that they have lacked on the mission field. They also have learned time management skills, responsibility, studying for tests, etc. This has all been very good for them and we are so thankful for this experience they have had. Please pray for them as they finish up this month, that they would finish well and strong in their studies.
Last week we were able to go to the BFM missions conference in Lexington, KY. It was good to hear solid messages from the Word of God, discuss with others the challenges we face on the field and get advisement from our mission board. It was good to see each one who attended and to fellowship with them. Thank the Lord for Godly men and advisement that we receive from them.
I (Nathan) am in the process of discussing ministry plans on church planting with an experienced missionary who has done church planting for several years in Kenya. I am very open and receptive to advisement from Godly men who have faithfully planted churches, whether in the US or abroad. Proverbs 11:14 says “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” May we seek wisdom from above, trusting Him to lead and guide each step of the way. God bless you all.
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Furlough Address:
56 Lobo Lane
Culloden, WV 25510
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Preparing to Return to Kenya
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.
April 1, 2017
Dear praying friends,
We are now in the month of April, and time is passing so quickly. It is a very beautiful day in WV today, nearly 80 degrees. This has been a very good furlough for us but as we begin to prepare to return to Kenya we have many prayer requests to share with you. God is in control of the future and we know we can trust Him. What a mighty God we serve.
It has been a great year of schooling for our two daughters, McKenna and Camille. As I have mentioned previously, one of their big challenges on the mission field is socialization. There are very few children their age for them to have as friends.
God knows all about this we depend on Him and His grace, trusting in His perfect will. Please pray for our daughters as they are finishing up the school year in WV and also for their return to Kenya in June, Lord willing. There will be transitions for them when we return to Kenya, but we believe they will adjust quickly as they know Kenya as their home. We know God will provide the grace and strength for them in their adjustments.
Please also pray for my wife and me and our adjustment back to Kenya. It is always difficult emotionally to leave our home and family in the States and return to Kenya. However, we have recently learned that there are some new families in Kitale and we are excited to meet them and hope to build new friendships. Missions has many challenges and we need one another. We need to pray for each other, encourage each other and be there for one another. Adult missionaries have struggles as well, and how important these friendships are to day to day life on the mission field. Of course, we need to depend on God first and foremost, as He is always there for us and will never leave us or forsake us. Proverbs 18:24 says “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Praise His name.
Please pray for us and the many things that are needed in the days ahead, such as packing for a long period of time in a foreign country, all the last-minute details that are needed, etc. I really appreciate my wife as she works very hard to make sure we have all we need before departing for another term. This is a huge job and stress for her, yet she is so faithful to do it well each furlough. I hope and pray I never overlook her sacrifices that she makes and all she does for our family. She serves behind the scenes, but I know the Lord will reward her for her faithfulness, servant spirit, good attitude, etc. I am a very blessed person. When I think of her, I think of Proverbs 31:10, which says “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” Please pray for her and the many sacrifices she makes daily on the mission field, and also as she raises our daughters overseas.
Thanks so much to each of you for your prayers, sacrificial giving, and encouragement. All of you are such a blessing to us. I will keep you updated. God bless you.
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Furlough Address:
56 Lobo Lane
Culloden, WV 25510
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
