Discipling a Young Man in Rafiki
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 4, 2018
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and we are now nearly halfway through 2018. Time truly passes so fast, and may we use the opportunities the Lord gives us to serve Him faithfully. This update will share current prayer requests, as well as family news.
In regards to health, I (Nathan) recently had to have some moles removed after being seen by a dermatologist. There is a decent hospital about an hour and a half away from Kitale, for which I am very thankful. There is a history of melanoma (skin cancer) in the family, so it is wise to be seen and have moles removed when necessary. I am healing well and would ask that you would please pray for me, as the sun is very hot here, and I do my best to wear good sun screen and protect myself. Please pray not only for me, but also for the entire family with any possible health issues. The doctor does not seem concerned and I trust Him for the results. It is all about trusting God, using wisdom, and relying on Him day by day here, with everything. He is so faithful.
The girls are now back in school after a month off. This was a great month for my wife, as she could homeschool them and get them caught up in various subjects. It has been difficult to try to figure out the system of a Kenyan school and the best ways to help the girls keep up with American standards, but we are starting to get the hang of it. We really feel our daughters need socialization with other kids their age and some of the experiences a school offers, especially for learning some independence and gaining friendships in this culture. While it has been difficult to find the right balance, we have prayed and sought wisdom from others and feel the girls should continue to attend the school as much as possible. Please pray for them, for socialization, and for adapting well to the culture here. They have done well so far, and we continue to pray.
I (Nathan) have started a discipleship course with a younger Kenyan man in Rafiki, a nearby village. It is about half an hour from where we live on windy, dusty (or muddy, depending on the season), pot hole ridden roads. So far, I have been able to proceed well through the teachings and ask that you would continue to pray for our time together. As I have shared before, this term I really desire to go out to village areas, off the beaten path, to use the Swahili language, and train younger, qualified Kenyan men God would raise up. I know that God is in control and trust Him each step of the way. After building a foundation with at discipleship course, the next goal would be to train the man in church planting. I recognize there will be men who will not work out for one reason or the other, but I desire to be faithful, give it my all, and trust God for the results. I would greatly appreciate your prayers and for the Lord’s help each step of the way. I am reminded of verses such as Luke 1:37, which says “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Also, Ephesians 3:20, which says, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Anything is possible with God, and I thank Him for that.
Please pray for us in regards to travel safety around Kitale. It is now rainy season and the roads are becoming very muddy and slippery. Large trucks drive on our road, which causes large ruts and potholes to form, making it a challenge to drive. God is in control of all things, even our going out and coming in. He is so faithful.
Blessings to you and we appreciate you,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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.
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [January 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.
January 2, 2015
Dear praying friends,
Happy New Year! It is hard to believe that we are into the year 2015. I look back on this past year, and it seemed to fly by. Each year seems to pass faster than the one before. I am sure many of you can identify with this, as it just seems a fact of life. We hope you all had a great Christmas of celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, and we also wish you all a happy 2015.
This past year was a good one for our family and our time together. My wife and I have done our best to assist and help our daughters in any way we can, as there are many challenges on the mission field. Both girls love animals, and over the past few months, we got them a puppy and a kitten. This gives them responsibilities of taking care of the animals, feeding them, playing with them, and growing up with them. McKenna is doing well in school and seems to be picking up the concepts that my wife teaches. Before you know it, Camille will also be starting school in the Radford household. How thankful I am to have a wife who has a degree in education and does such a great job. McKenna has also indicated interest in learning Swahili, the language of Kenya, so we would appreciate prayers that the Lord would assist us with this also. All of these plans we lay before the Lord and trust in His timing and will for our lives. Psalm 37:5 says “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.”
Speaking of laying our plans before the Lord, we really need wisdom as my partner, Roger Tate and I, are proceeding in church planting. We have done church planting in different ways, such as starting a church in a Kenyan home, or training qualified men to go out and start churches in their respective villages. Both ways are challenging and have their difficulties. We are praying and asking the Lord for wisdom for the best way to proceed in these ministries. We know the Lord is sovereign, in total control, and will work in His time and plan. We also must trust Him for the results, and remain faithful to teach, instruct, assist, and equip the Kenyan men in any way we can. Prayer is central for seeking and knowing the Lord’s will, and we would greatly appreciate your prayers for us.
Thanks so much to each one who emailed us during the holiday season, sent cards, sent pictures, etc. The holiday season is always difficult here, being separated by thousands of miles from those we love. The Lord gave us grace and strength once again, and we appreciate each of you more than you know. Each thought or card was welcomed and greatly appreciated. We wish each of you a wonderful 2015 ahead. May the Lord richly bless you all.
Serving in Kitale,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [October 2014]
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 5, 2014
Dear praying friends,
We hope this update finds each of you doing well as you serve the Lord. We appreciate each of you so much, more than you know.
It is hard to believe we are only two months away from the end of 2014. As someone has wisely said, “Now is the time to invest in eternity.”
We thank the Lord for each of you who have written to tell us you are praying for us, or sent cards, etc. Your thoughtfulness means so much and we thank God for you and your encouragement. We are upcoming on a difficult time of year, as the holidays are coming soon. Homesickness is one thing we really struggle with at times, and we rely on the Lord to help us through it. It comes and goes at different times and in different periods of intensity, yet the Lord is so faithful through it all.
Church planting is progressing along well, although there are major challenges. My friend and partner, Roger Tate, and I are doing our best to teach Kenyan men to rely on the Lord and not us. This is a challenge for many of the men, but something they definitely need to see from the Word of God and apply to their lives. Psalm 34:8 says “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” We will keep you updated on the progress of training qualified Kenyan men to go and reach their own people and start churches in the Kitale area.
I thank the Lord that He has kept the opportunity of ministry open to the Annex prison. The chaplain there was so nice and helpful and I really thank the Lord for that. Please pray for the men there, that the light of the Word of God would shine there and many would be saved. Acts 26:18 states “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
The children are doing well and growing up too fast. McKenna has been in homeschooling for several weeks now and both McKenna and Mom seem to be doing well. Camille will be having her time to start schooling soon. This is definitely a new period in all of our lives and stretching for us. I am so thankful for my wife and her sacrificial spirit to work with each of our daughters each day. Not only is she a great teacher, but also mother and encourager to me. I am truly blessed. Please pray for this school year, that all will go well and much good knowledge will be learned and applied.
We thank the Lord for each one of you and your interest in missions. We will keep you updated. Have a wonderful upcoming holiday season.
Serving in Kenya,
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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