The Land of Big Macs, Smooth Roads, & Endless Choices of Cheez-its
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is indigenous church planting.
July 29, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I find myself in the United States of America. The land of Big Macs, smooth roads and endless choices of Cheez-its at Walmart. I arrived in Detroit and had a short two-hour drive to my in-laws’ house. While everyone else went inside the house I stood out on the green grass, closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The sun shone on my face and the wind blew in my hair. This may sound crazy but it just felt different than Africa feels. It sounded different, it smelled different, it just felt different. It felt familiar. Like a hot Michigan summer should feel like. Now, I didn’t say it felt better, just familiar. Homey. Like I remember it feeling when I was younger. My beloved country.
We are currently in the States for just a short visit, just until the end of August and then we will return to Kenya. We are here because Emily will be getting married on August 6th, just 8 days from the date of my writing this report. It has been a hectic visit so far. Up to northern Michigan to visit my parents, back to southern Michigan to visit Julie’s parents, a quick trip to Dayton to visit our home church, back to southern Michigan, and we head back to Dayton tomorrow for another quick visit to Emmanuel Baptist. Finally, a hectic week next week leading up to the wedding. This will be my first experience of a child of mine getting married so I don’t know exactly what to expect. I don’t want to predict how I will be feeling come next Saturday but I suppose those of you who have already gone through this experience could teach me a thing or two.
We temporarily leave some very precious things back in Kenya. One is Chloe. We tried and tried to get her to the US but we did not succeed. We spent a lot of time, effort and money but in the end we were not able to procure the documents that we needed for her to travel to the US. Kenyan immigration refused. We were greatly disappointed, even heartbroken. The thought of leaving her in Kenya for a month was devastating. But in the end we knew and accepted that it was not in God’s plan for her to travel here with us. We have left her in God’s hands and also in the hands of some very dear friends of ours in Kitale who had graciously accepted to keep her until we return. We know she is in good hands but getting back to her will make returning to Kenya sweeter. The other things we leave in Kenya is obviously our ministries. Because our trip to the US is only a short trip, we were able to suspend most of our ministries until we return. The people we are working with in Kitale are eager to start the teachings and ministries back up upon our return and we should be able to restart things without a hitch. Other ministries have been left in good hands. I was excited when Kefa volunteered to continue the group meetings that meet in his house while we are absent. He will take over the teaching and leading responsibilities until I return. I was praying that he would be willing to do this and I know this ministry is in good hands.
Our hearts are torn between two places that we love so much. We have children, family, friends and churches on both continents that are dear to us. It is hard to live with your heart in two places when your physical body can only be in one.
Until next month, beloved.
May God’s peace and joy be with you.
For the glory of God in East Africa,
Roger & Julie Tate (and Emily, Amy, Josiah & Chloe)
rojuta[at]gmail.com
Visit their blog!
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [May 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.
May 1, 2016
We are now nearing halfway through the year 2016. Where has the time gone? It seems to pass faster and faster as the years go by. A quote I like in reference to time is “Better than counting the years is making the years count.” Time is truly a gift from God, and may we use it wisely, for His glory. Psalm 90:12 says “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” This prayer letter will give current updates.
Thanks to those who have been praying about the security situation in Milimani, where we live. There have been several different groups going around robbing people. People are taking additional security measures. We have done our best, and now leave our safety and security in God’s hands. We know God has called us here, and He will watch over and protect us. We are also using common sense and not going into dangerous areas/situations, etc. Praise the Lord, around 4 of the thieves were caught by police recently. There is also a good security company that patrols faithfully during the night to try to catch the thieves. We are thankful for them and their efforts. Ultimately, our safety and security is from the Lord. Psalm 9:9 says “The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” Psalm 46:1 says “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” We take comfort in verses such as these and trust in God and His protection. We appreciate your prayers, that all of the thieves would be caught soon.
The Annex prison ministry is continuing along well. There is a new chaplain there, as the previous chaplain was transferred to a different prison. I have met him and he seems very encouraging and welcoming. I am thankful for this. The Bible studies for the men have been going very well and I (Nathan) thank the Lord for the visitors who have been coming to hear the Word and God and are being reached with the Gospel. The results are God’s, as I desire to be faithful, trusting God for the harvest. I have recently shared the Gospel, and have just finished teaching some on Creation and the fall. Please pray for the men, that they would see the awful results of sin and see their need of a Savior. I will keep you updated on this ministry. Please also pray for the prison permit to be renewed without any problems.
Please continue to pray for Christopher, the man that my partner Roger and I are training. We recently modeled for him teachings from the Word of God, then asked him to teach us in our training center in town. He did very well and we were very pleased. Please continue to pray for him, that he would clearly understand our teachings, and Lord willing, be able to go to his home area of Kibomet to open a Bible study group in his home. Our ultimate goal is for a church to be planted in Kibomet, but we are still in the training phases. We appreciate Christopher and his faithfulness to come and be taught. I will keep you updated of this ministry. We are also staying faithful in the village of Robinson, meeting in the home of a national named Kefa. He has been very gracious to allow us to come and teach the people the Word of God. Our desire is also for a church to be planted in Robinson, and we are trusting in God’s plan and timing there.
In family news, It is hard to believe that McKenna is now 8 years old. She is such a sweet little girl, and we are so thankful to be her parents. Please pray for both her and Camille, and for us, as we desire to lead them in the ways of the Lord. A small school has opened recently in Kitale and the girls are enjoying going there in the middle of the week. Some of our missionary friends are also sending their children there, so we are very thankful for this. Please pray the school will stay open so other children will have good interaction and friendships.
God bless each of you so much. We will be sure to keep you updated. We appreciate each of you so much.
In Kenya,
Nathan & Carrie
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Tates in Kenya [February 2016]
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is indigenous church planting.
January 28, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Sometimes you encounter things that really make you sit back and think. And some of those things hit you really hard. I had one of those encounters this month while just going around doing “business as usual”.
I’ve lived in Africa for eight years as of this month. So, needless to say I’ve come across poverty and seen sickness. It’s never easy to see these things and there is always a desire that I could help the people I see in these situations. But this time hit me differently for some reason. Nathan and I have been working with Kefa and Matilda in a village called Robinson trying to ultimately get a church started there in their house. Kefa and Matilda are not wealthy (if you saw their house you would probably think they are very poor), but they are doing well compared to some who live around them who really do live in utter poverty. They are good Christian people who desire to start up a church in their home and to minister to the people around them. So, in trying to start up a church here, Nathan, Kefa and I make visits to the neighbors and surrounding areas to meet the people, share the gospel with them, pray for their needs and invite them to our worship/Bible study meetings in Kefa’s house.
The door to the old man’s room.
On one of these visits this month Kefa took us to a line of “apartments” to visit the people who live there. These apartments are just a string of one room, mud wall, dirt floor houses. The people who live there live in poverty. We walked into one of these rooms and even after eight years here I was still amazed. The room was dark—nighttime dark. The window was boarded up and the only light came through the now opened door. The smell was terrible, the air hardly breathable. The dimensions of the room were about 8 feet by 8 feet. The walls were mud and stick and the floor was packed dirt. Trash was piled up in one corner. Besides the trash the only other thing in the room was an old man lying on a filthy, disintegrating mattress which was on top of a wood slated bed. He was not able to get up to leave the bed. When he had to spit (which was often) he would simply spit on the floor or on the wall. He could not get up to use the communal pit latrine (so you can only imagine). When I saw his feet I could see why he could not walk. His feet were eaten up and mangled by jiggers. Jiggers are the smallest form of flea, hardly visible by the human eye. They burrow into human flesh where they live, feed and lay their eggs. They have to be dug out with a razor and treated with a medicine difficult to obtain. He had obviously been in this state for a long time as he was not able to walk, his legs had become emaciated and he looked to be near starvation. As we stood there talking to and praying for the man I could not help but think what it would be like to lie in this dark, filthy, stench-filled room day after day, not able to get up, not able to leave, with absolutely nothing to do but lie there until I died. Can you imagine?
Caring for the old man’s feet.
When we eventually left the man I told Kefa that we would need to help this man. I told him it was one of the reasons for the existence of a church and was the ministry of Christ. I told him we couldn’t just leave the man in that room to die like that. Kefa was in complete agreement with me. When we returned to Kefa’s house we decided to take the money we had collected for offerings (which they had originally wanted to use to start a building fund) and use it help the man. We have been trying to teach them the Biblical way of using these offerings and now they were going to use them in a God-honoring, Christ-exalting way. Kefa and Matilda then took charge of the man’s care. That week they took him fresh fruits and vegetables to eat and cooked him food. They contacted a friend who had been trained in treating jiggers and was licensed to obtain the medicine (the medicine is restricted because it can be used in making bombs). When the friend was prepared he came with the medicines and he, Kefa, Matilda, Nathan and I went back to the man’s house to see that he was treated for the jiggers and was being cared for. My heart rejoiced to see Kefa on his knees in the dirt, gingerly holding the old man’s feet in his hands as he carefully cleaned them, cut his toenails, cut out the jiggers and treated the man’s feet. It was a beautiful picture of Christian service and of showing the love of Christ. Our small group is now caring for the man physically and spiritually. Please pray with us that he not have to die alone in that dark room, that he would regain his health and most of all that he would know Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior so that one day, when his suffering here is over, he can rejoice in the presence of the One who took our suffering for us.
Until next month, beloved.
May God’s peace and joy be with you.
For the glory of God in East Africa,
Roger & Julie Tate (and Emily, Amy, Josiah & Chloe)
rojuta[at]gmail.com
Visit their blog!
Read more
Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [April 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.
April 1, 2015
Dear praying friends,
We hope this update finds you all doing well. We hope you all have a great upcoming Easter. May we never forget the significance of this time and celebration, where we remember our Lord raised triumphantly from the grave. We serve a living Savior! Some verses that come
to mind are 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, which state, “For I delivered unto you first of all
that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Also, 1 Corinthians 15:14, which says “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” What encouraging words from the Scriptures.
Please keep the hospital ministry in your prayers. My wife has been faithful to this ministry and the Lord has blessed. We praise the Lord that many needy babies and mothers have been assisted through your generous giving and heart for these people. We are now also trying to get baby blankets to the babies, so please pray that these will be a blessing. We thank the Lord for a man in Nairobi who assists us with getting these supplies, as well as shipping them to Kitale for us.
The prison ministry is continuing along well. I praise the Lord for the desire I see in these men to know, study, believe, and follow the Word of God. A verse that comes to mind is 2 Timothy 2:15, which says “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” We are getting ready to enter into the teachings of the life of Joseph. The men can really identify with many things from his life, such as being thrown into prison, etc. Please pray that these teachings are received well and the men will apply them to their lives and situations.
As I have stated before, my partner Roger Tate and I are trying different ways of doing church planting here, both with training nationals and also going into the Kenyan homes of “men of peace” who welcome us to come and start churches. Both ways are challenging and we are praying over these ways of doing churches here. One of the main challenges is the dependency. We desire the churches to be independent, self-supporting, self-governing, etc. To rely on the Lord wholly. That is a major challenge here, and we need patience as we work with the people and teach them from the Word. We are thankful for a man named Kefa who was welcomed us into his home to come and teach the Word of God to him, his family, and those in the surrounding area called Robinson. Please pray the people would come faithfully, and desire to grow in their faith. We will keep you updated.
I had mentioned the challenges of driving here recently. Believe it or not, a major market area and matatu (van) station moved from an outer area of town to the road that goes right through the heart of Kitale town. This has brought much congestion in this area of town and it is even more challenging to drive. We are so thankful the Lord has protected us as we travel, and we trust Him. Please pray not only for us, but all the missionaries as they travel within the country.
That is the main news for now. We appreciate each of you so much and thank you so much
for your heart for missions in East Africa. You are such blessing and thanks for all you do.
Serving in Kitale,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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