Praying for Kenyan Presidential Election
August 6, 2022
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and we are already moving towards the end of 2022. Time is precious, and may it be used faithfully in service to the Lord. This update will share current prayer requests as well as ministry updates.
A major prayer request we have currently is for the presidential election which is scheduled for August 9th. One of the big presidential candidates visited Kitale recently, and from my understanding, much of the town was blocked off and thousands went to the rally. We have had multiple visits here in Kitale from the presidential candidates over the past few weeks, and now Kenyans will vote on August 9th for their candidate.
Please pray for the country and any post-election violence. You never know how things will go – some years have been peaceful, and others have been with more unease and conflict. The year 2007 was one of the more unpeaceful elections, so we pray for peace and safety for this year, with no unnecessary rioting or violence. We are thankful to be in Kitale, as Kitale has a mixture of tribes and is generally very peaceful. In all these matters, we are trusting the Lord. Psalm 5:11 says, “But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.” Psalm 28:7 also says, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” What a faithful God we serve.
Please continue praying for our family during this time, as many families have relocated from Kitale since we returned earlier this year. It has not been easy with all the adjustments, but we are praying and trusting God to bring other families in His timing and plan. Psalm 123:2 says “Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.” We are praying, and trusting the Lord with this in our current situation, and we know He will provide in His timing.
I (Nathan) am continuing to disciple younger Kenyan men in the village of Taito. I thank the Lord for those who have been faithfully attending. Please pray for these men and their spiritual growth. As I have talked with other missionaries who have succeeded at church planting here in Kenya, this is the model – disciple (give them a strong Biblical foundation), train, and send. This is the model that I am currently following and has yielded the best results. All of this must be bathed in prayer. Colossians 4:2 says, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” Please pray for me as I trust the Lord in church planting endeavors here in Kenya. God is faithful.
We will update you next month on the election and how things are faring in the country. We know God is in control and we trust Him with all these matters. Thank you so much for your prayers, sacrificial giving, and interest in missions around the world. You each mean so much to us.
Until next month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Contact Info:
Nathan and Carrie Radford
naterad[at]yahoo.com
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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Teaching Men in Taito about Prayer
July 5, 2022
Dear praying friends,
We hope this finds each of you doing well. We thank the Lord for each one of you, and your heart for missions. We could not do the work here in Kenya without you. This update will share current updates as well as prayer requests.
There has been much going on in the missionary community in Kitale since we have returned to Kenya. Several families have moved from Kitale to different parts of Kenya. While this is not easy, and these families were our good friends, we wish each of them well in this transitionary period. The westerners are few in Kitale now, so it is difficult, but we are trusting the Lord to provide other families in His timing and plan.
We have heard of interest from other missionaries coming to Kitale later in the year, and we are praying and trusting the Lord for His will during these transitionary times. Psalm 28:7 says “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him.” Please pray with us as we trust the Lord to provide families here in Kitale.
Another big prayer request now is for the presidential election scheduled for August 9th. Lord willing, we are going to be stocking up and buying extra supplies in case of any problems. The last few elections have gone peacefully, and we are trusting the Lord for the election this year. Kitale has a good safety record, as there are multiple tribes in this area and violence is rare. However, we are still taking precautions and seeking to stay as safe as we can. We will let you know how it is going in the coming weeks. Psalm 9:9 says “The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” Amen. May we trust Him in the coming days and weeks, as He will protect us.
The family is doing well. Our daughters are continuing along well in their homeschooling studies, and my wife is doing a great job teaching them faithfully. Please pray for her, as she has a big responsibility with educating our children. Please also pray for us as parents, as we have a big responsibility as we raise them.
I (Nathan) am continuing in the discipleship studies in the village of Taito. I have recently been teaching on prayer and we have learned much about the subject. In Psalm 55:16-17, David says “As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice.” I challenged the men to begin to commit to prayer, and showed them many verses from the Word of God that show the importance of prayer in our daily lives. Please pray with me that the Lord would raise up men who would be discipled, trained, and then sent out to start churches in their respective villages. God is in control.
We again thank you so much for your heart for missions. Each of you are such a blessing to us.
Until next month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Contact Info:
Nathan and Carrie Radford
naterad[at]yahoo.com
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.
Read more
Bits and Pieces
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is indigenous church planting.
September 22, 2017
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Bits and pieces.
Election re-do. Well, our August 8th presidential election was held and a president was elected. Two weeks later the supreme court of Kenya annulled the August 8th election saying there were “anomalies”. Exactly what those anomalies were I can’t say because I really don’t know. Thus, the elections were rescheduled for October 17th. Then they were rescheduled for October 23rd. Now they have been rescheduled for October 26th. At least, that is the last date that I have heard. Now we have to do everything all over again: Prepare for the election; buy extra food, water and fuel; pray that all goes well; ride out any storm that may come. All of this is very disappointing to me as I really just wanted the whole election process over and done with. I was planning a trip to the United States for the month of November. Now that trip has been postponed indefinitely as I cannot leave my wife and kids here to ride out any potential violence on their own. Beloved, once again please pray for peace in Kenya and closure to this presidential election process of 2017.
Julie has spent the last month in the US. She has been able to visit family and friends and also made a quick trip to Dayton to visit with our home church, Emmanuel Baptist in Bellbrook, OH. I am writing this report in Nairobi as I wait for her plane to arrive in just a little over two hours. We will be very happy to have her home and back with us. Our family is just not complete without our matriarch and man (aka, me) was not meant to be alone. With Julie being gone for a month I have been the sole caretaker of Chloe and the household duties. As a result, much of my “out of the house” duties were put on hold.
I have been preparing to teach a financial management class at the local theological college. I try and teach classes at this college whenever I have time and an opportunity. The class begins this Monday (three days from now). It is an important class for current and future Kenyan pastors. Biblical financial management is almost unheard of among the churches and pastors that I know here. There are no controls, no safeguards, no accountability, no audits or checks and balances, no rules and very little integrity. Pastors and leaders feel like they can do whatever they want with church money, including putting it in their own pockets. My goal in the upcoming class is NOT to make them financial wizards (anyway, I could not teach them to be what I am not). Nor is my goal to make them money wise. I simply want them to know the Biblical principles about money management and how to apply those principles into their church finances and structure and into their family finances as well. What I want them to know is that “Business practices comes from Biblical principles”. I want them to have integrity when it comes to their finances at church and at home. I want them to have Biblical wisdom concerning money. I want them to glorify God and expand the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in the way they spend and use the money that God gives to them. It will be a tall task.
Amy and Josiah have started new school years at RVA. Amy is now a Junior and Josiah is a Sophomore. I like to constantly remind Josiah that the word Sophomore basically comes from two Greek words: Sofos – meaning wise, and Moros – meaning moron, dull, stupid and foolish. I never get tired of telling him he is a wise moron. Doesn’t that just perfectly describe someone about 15 years of age? They think they know everything and in reality, they know nothing. Well, I guess I can’t knock Josiah too much. I don’t know much of anything either and I’m almost 48 years old. That’s why I’ve been growing my beard out – to make me look wiser. However, when Julie gets here in about two hours and sees it she’s going to make me shave it.
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 Amy, Josiah & Chloe)
rojuta[at]gmail.com
Visit their blog!
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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
Praying for Peaceful Elections and Protection in Kenya
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is indigenous church planting.
July 29, 2017
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Do you all remember what was going on in the States a little less than a year ago, in November of 2016 to be exact? Yes, that’s right…it was the presidential elections. Wasn’t that fun? Or was it not so fun after all? I’m sure you were all fed up with the whole process by the time election day rolled around.
Well, we are also right in the middle of an election process here in Kenya. In fact, we are almost at the tail-end of the campaign. And we are all fed up with the process here as well. The current president of Kenya is even in Kitale today campaigning, which brings lots of extra people to town, lots of police and security, lots of traffic, lots of noise and lots of headaches. The main campaigning and advertising tactic for politicians in Kenya is to hire a pickup truck, load it full of enormous speakers and drive it around town all day blaring music and campaign slogans. And there has been a lot of that seeing as every elected position in Kenya is up for grabs right now – President/VP, Members of Parliament, Governors, Ministers, Cabinet. Everything. Local, regional, and federal. And it all comes to a head as Kenyans head to the polls on August 8th.
So, while we will be glad to have this election year in the past, we head into August 8th with a bit of anxiety and trepidation. You see, elections in Kenya are not quite the docile affair you expect in the States. We really have no idea what to expect as a result of these upcoming elections. In 2007 there were riots, thousands of people were killed all over the country, churches were burned with people hiding inside of them, businesses were destroyed, and supply lines were cut off as tribe went to war against tribe. This went on for about 2 months. In 2012 the elections were held mostly peacefully and there were only little pockets of violence across the country. But this year is shaping up more like 2007 than 2012. The same tribes are involved and the same man is running for president that lost in 2007 and who sparked the riots back then. He has already vowed not to accept the results as legitimate if they should go against him. That will lead to more trouble here in Kenya.
I have tried to keep my finger on the pulse of what is going on around here. There are European Union representatives here that predict trouble. Also, the last few months I have been asking a lot of people here in Kitale what they are thinking. Many think we will have no trouble. But many others are not so sure. Most business will be shutting down over the elections and will not be re-opening until they know it is safe to re-open. At home we have been in preparations also. I’ve purchased extra cans of diesel for the car, extra tanks of gas for the stove, extra water, extra food and extra phone credit. Most of the other missionaries have left or are leaving Kenya in the next week in order to avoid the elections. They will return when things have settled down. But we are not able to leave Kenya on account of the fact that we cannot travel with Chloe outside of the country. We will have to ride out any storm that may arise. We are placing ourselves in God’s hands and praying that everything will go smoothly and that He will protect us from any potential violence that may occur.
Please also be in prayer concerning our elections here on August 8th. We are really more concerned about out Kenyan brothers and sisters than for ourselves. If there is trouble they will be the ones most likely to suffer and not us. There is much unrest and people are not happy with the current administration. We do not wish to see our Kenyan brothers and sisters hurting and killing each other.
Lord, may there be peace in Kenya throughout this election process and may the peace that results also cause Your kingdom here to grow, prosper and bring You much glory.
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 Amy, Josiah & Chloe)
rojuta[at]gmail.com
Visit their blog!
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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
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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