Our God — The Great Orchestrator
March 30, 2022
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ,
So much has happened since I wrote to you all last time. When I wrote to you last time absolutely none of what I’m about to tell you about was even a thought in our heads. I guess a lot can happen in just one or two months.
Yes, we are still in Kenya. No, we are not currently in our hometown of Kitale. We are currently living in a town called Kijabe. Let me explain how it happened and why and what has transpired since we arrived here.
As you all know by now, Julie and I have legal guardianship of Chloe and our great desire is for the Kenyan government to allow us to adopt her. Since there is a moratorium on foreign adoption right now, we have to wait for that to happen. As you also know, Chloe has been diagnosed with Autism and there are several severe challenges that come with Chloe’s particular case: Violence, melt-downs, extreme emotional dis-regulation, sensory overload, behavior challenges, learning challenges and even physical challenges. All of this has been taking a toll on Chloe, Julie and me. We were in desperate need of help. Julie had tried and tried to get help from organizations and doctors in Kitale and even in the Eldoret area. No help was forthcoming anywhere near Kitale. Every organization and doctor that we would meet with would say to Julie, “Wow, Julie. You know so much more about this than we do. You could teach us about this”. Hmmm. Not helpful.
I’m going to try and make a long story short. We believe God heard our cries of desperation. We believe this because we could not have orchestrated ourselves getting into the position we are currently in. Julie awoke from sleep one night remembering that we had friends who had a son who was an Occupational Therapist at a mission hospital in Kijabe. What happened after that were many great turns of events with God orchestrating things very quickly to get us to Kijabe where some help might be available. From the time Julie woke up that night to the time we arrived at this temporary house we are living in was 17 days. That might not sound very quick, but, believe me, that was quick.
Now we are in Kijabe, home of a local mission hospital and about 40 miles from Nairobi, where additional help has been forthcoming. This sounds overwhelming (and it is) but Chloe is now seeing a team of people who are all attempting to help her and us: Occupational therapist, physical therapist, psychologist, developmental pediatrician, gastro doctor, ABA therapist, to name a few. Some of this team is in Kijabe and others in Nairobi and it keeps us hopping and very busy, believe me. But, it is giving us hope that we can find the help for Chloe that she needs. We don’t know exactly how long we will be here but this house we are currently living in is available only until the end of July and housing is very difficult to get here in Kijabe. I also don’t exactly know how to ask you to pray for us except to pray that Chloe and our family can get the help we desperately need.
In addition to all this, God orchestrated one other thing (among many others). While I was here, I went to an ENT doctor at the mission hospital on account of my severe snoring and sleep apnea. He is a world class doctor from the States but was only going to be here for a couple of months. Another long story made short is I ended up having surgery here in Kenya (a scary thought) on my nose and throat. The surgery I had consisted of many procedures in both my nose and throat. I was supposed to spend two nights in the hospital but after the first miserable night I begged the doctor to send me home (it seemed like anything and everything the hospital could have done to make my night more miserable was done). My first week of recovery was pretty rough. I lost 14 pounds in 10 days as I couldn’t eat anything solid. But now I am pretty much on the mend (4 weeks later) and Julie says it has already helped with both my snoring and my sleep apnea.
Praise God for all he is orchestrating in our lives right now. None of it has been easy, but we praise Him because we truly believe it is coming from Him.
Blessings to you all,
Roger, Julie & Chloe
CONTACT INFO
Roger & Julie Tate
P.O. Box 96
Kitale, Kenya 30200
rojuta@gmail.com
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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Waiting on Work Permit Renewals
February 5th, 2022
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and we are now into the year 2022. We pray that each of you had a great holiday season with friends and family and were able to celebrate the birth of our Savior together. There are many items to update you on in this prayer letter, so please allow us to share our current prayer requests.
We praise the Lord that after a difficult international trip, we finally made it back to Kenya. Travelling now is not easy, with all the covid restrictions and testing. We each had to be covid free within 72 hours of traveling, so this was stressful. We praise the Lord that we were all covid free and able to leave at our scheduled time.
Upon arriving in Kenya, there have been many adjustments. There seems to be an endless “to do” list, just getting caught up on everything after our time of furlough. We have needed to do some painting, move our daughters into their own rooms, work on government paperwork, get all the mail caught up, etc. There is still more to do, but I (Nathan) thank the Lord that we are making good progress. We need grace and strength from the Lord for the daily tasks that we undertake.
We have been informed that our work permits were misplaced, so there is need to resubmit the paperwork for the government’s approval. Covid has slowed everything within the government down anyway, so this is an extra prayer request on top of the normal government processing. We are currently on a three month visa, so could you please pray with us that the work permits will be submitted in a timely manner and that they would be approved in an expedited way? We are trusting the Lord for all of this, and know that He is in control.
There have also been changes within the missionary community. Some families are retiring and moving away, and other families have just moved. This is totally normal, as other missionaries have said it is this way for them also, but we are trusting the Lord to bring other missionaries in His time and plan. This is a difficult year for tourism and visitors, when you consider covid restrictions, as well as a presidential election later this year.
The election is scheduled for August of this year, so we need to be praying now for peace and safety later this year. God will watch over us as we take precautions. We thank the Lord that Kitale has always been peaceful during times of election, yet we still are cautious. Psalm 121:1-2 says “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.” Also, Psalm 56:3 says “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” May we take to heart these Scriptures and trust in the Lord at all times, throughout our lives.
We will be sure to keep you updated. Thanks so much to each of you for your heart for missions. You each mean so much to us and we thank God for you.
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
Rough Trip Back to Kenya
January 5, 2022
Dear praying friends,
We hope this update finds each of you all doing well. We wish you each a Happy New Year. It is hard to believe that it is already 2022. Time passes so fast.
As I type this prayer letter, I (Nathan) am currently in a guest house in Nairobi with the family. We had a rough trip back to Kenya and unfortunately, our luggage for the whole upcoming term did not make it on our flight. So, we had to wait a few extra days in Nairobi for the luggage. We praise the Lord that our luggage did finally make it this morning, so we are planning to return to Kitale tomorrow morning, Lord willing. We thank the Lord that we have all our items with us.
What made this past trip so challenging was all the Covid protocols at all the airports and the various flights. We had to show all our documentation at each airport, and had to have a negative Covid test for all our family within 72 hours of traveling. Europe is also stricter now and has had a recent breakout of Covid cases, so it was challenging traveling there as well.
All in all, we praise the Lord that we have made it safely back to Kenya and we are looking forward to getting back to our familiar surroundings in Kitale. Please pray with us for this upcoming term, that all we do would bring honor and glory to God. We desire to please Him and serve where He leads.
There are many things that we need to get accomplished in the upcoming days, to resume ministry and life in Kitale. Please pray for us as we readjust and get set up again. We look forward to sharing more in next month’s update. We appreciate each of you so much and your heart for missions.
I will leave you with 1 Peter 5:7, which says “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” May we cast all our cares upon Him this upcoming year, trusting Him for all the results.
Blessings,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Contact Info:
Nathan and Carrie Radford
naterad[at]yahoo.com
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya 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
Preparing to Return to Kenya
December 3, 2021
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and we are officially at the end of 2021. What a challenging year it has been, yet the Lord has been with us through it all. Through these challenging times, may we trust the Lord more than ever before. 1 Chronicles 16:11 says “Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.” Amen. May this be the desire of our hearts.
We have officially booked our return to Kenya, later this month. We were delayed a little, as I (Nathan) contracted coronavirus last month and had to quarantine. It was not a bad case, for which I am thankful, but there were definite symptoms, such as cold-like feelings, and a lot of lethargy. I had a great decrease in energy upon my diagnosis. Those who have also contracted it probably have had similar symptoms. I had to rest for several days and recover. This was one of the major delays, but I thank the Lord I am strong and healthy again.
Please pray for my wife as she is very stressed right now, trying to remember to pack everything, all the school materials, supplies, and making sure we have everything we need. She does a great job at it, but please pray for all of us, that we would do our best, cross off all our to do lists, and be able to get everything done in a timely manner. The weeks before is always the most stressful, but I hope and pray we get it all done.
Please also pray for this new strand of coronavirus called Omicron. It is already in various African countries (southern Africa), but it will probably be just a matter of time before it makes its way across the continent. We are trusting the Lord to keep us safe and healthy during our travels back, and also while we live in Kitale.
There are always adjustments upon our return, so please pray for us upon our return. There are also many things to do upon our arrival to catch up, so I (Nathan) need prayer that I will get all the major items done upon our return.
We wish you each a great upcoming holiday season. This Christmas, may we enjoy our time with friends and family, but never forget the birth of our Lord and Savior. I will close with Matthew 1:23, which says, ”Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” May God bless you for your heart for missions.
Merry Christmas,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Contact Info:
Nathan and Carrie Radford
naterad[at]yahoo.com
Furlough Address
1126 Smith Street
Milton, WV 25541
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 for Return to Kenya
November 5, 2021
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and we are now nearing the end of 2021. Hard to believe how quickly this past year went. Lord willing, as we all plan to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday later this month, may we not forget the Lord or all the blessings He gives. Psalm 100:4-5 says “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” Also, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which says “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” May we truly not forget the blessings the Lord provides each day.
We are nearing the end of our time of furlough and doing some planning for our return to Kenya. There are still some things to sort out, and hopefully by next month, we will be on our way back to Kenya. We appreciate each one of you so much for your letters, emails, words of encouragement, and prayer support. Your sacrificial giving is much appreciated as well. You all mean more to us than you will ever know. May God bless you for your heart for missions.
In regards to prayer requests, please be in prayer for Kenya and the coronavirus. Coronavirus is still very much a factor not only in Africa, but all over the world. I read recently where Europe is getting hit hard with the virus presently. It seems to go in waves. We know the Lord is in control of all these things and we trust Him.
Kenya I am sure will be in some form of lockdown or curfew, so please pray for us as we adjust to whatever the plans are for coronavirus. We hope and pray that things will subside and get back to normal soon. We will remember you all here in America as well with the challenges of coronavirus.
Also, please continue to pray for my wife as she homeschools our daughters. As I watch the levels of study and projects increase each year, I am more aware of how much work and preparation must go into teaching them. My wife is truly a servant and a gift from God. She sacrifices each day on the mission field, and also is a great assistance to our family. What a blessing she is not only to us, but many others as well. Proverbs 31:28 says “Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” Amen.
We will continue to keep you updated. Please continue to keep us in prayer, and Lord willing, may you all have a wonderful time of being with family later this month. I will close with Psalm 103:1-2 which says “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:” May we bless the Lord with all that is within us.
Until next month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Contact Info:
Nathan and Carrie Radford
naterad[at]yahoo.com
Furlough Address
1126 Smith Street
Milton, WV 25541
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
Waiting on Passport Renewals
October 5, 2021
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and we are now into the latter months of 2021. While there have been so many challenges this past year with the coronavirus pandemic, it still seems the year has gone quickly. This month holds two important dates for our family, with me (Nathan) turning one year older on the 21st, and my wife and I celebrating our 17th anniversary on the 16th. What a blessing my wife has been to me over the years, and may God give us many more years together to serve on the mission field.
Please continue to pray for Kenya at this challenging time of coronavirus. Things are continuing, but in a limited capacity. My understanding is that religious gatherings can still meet, but at 30% capacity of what they were meeting at. So, there are still obvious restrictions. I am sure you still have to wear masks in public, as well as sanitizing as you go around town. Please pray for all missionaries and servants in Kenya at the present time, that the Lord would watch over them and protect them. As we go out and come in, wherever we are, God is watching over us. Isn’t that wonderful? Psalm 121:8 says, “The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” Amen. May we trust God as we go out and come in, even with the challenges of this pandemic.
My wife is staying busy with homeschooling our daughters. She is doing well this year and our daughters are both doing well. They are absorbing the materials well and progressing in their studies. Our daughter McKenna is doing a new math program and is catching on quickly. Camille is also doing well, and of course I am thankful for my faithful wife for investing so much time and energy in teaching them and preparing them well in their studies.
We are nearing the end of our time of furlough and would ask that you would pray for us. I (Nathan) still plan to share, preach, and present the ministries in Kenya as God opens the doors. We are still waiting on our passports to be renewed, so this is a big prayer request at this time. Our paperwork has been submitted and we are waiting for the renewals. God is in control and we trust in His timing. We are waiting on the Lord and seeking His will.
I will close with Lamentations 3:25, which says “The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.” In our times of waiting in our lives, may we seek Him with our whole hearts. He is good and faithful. May God bless each of you for your heart for missions. We will keep you updated.
Blessings,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Contact Info:
Nathan and Carrie Radford
naterad[at]yahoo.com
Furlough Address
1126 Smith Street
Milton, WV 25541
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
Opportunity to Reset
October 8, 2021
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ,
Cause and effect.
Cause 1: Over the past year and a half we have had a number of what I’ll call Governmental Covid Restrictions placed on religious institutions, including churches. The way this works is this: The government gets concerned about Covid cases, or the rise of Covid cases and as a result it shuts down cross county travel, institutes a curfew, and places serious restrictions on churches. Sometimes they say churches cannot meet, other times they say children under 12 and people over 59 cannot attend, or they say that less than 50% of a building’s seating capacity can be used. During these times of restrictions people oftentimes fear going to church. These restrictions often last a month or two before the government lifts them at which time people start trickling back to church. Then, after a month or two the government gets concerned again and the cycle repeats all over again.
Cause 2: I visited the States for a month.
Effect 1: Because of the above reasons our attendance at the Chapel has dwindled considerably. I suppose this is to be expected. It is difficult for a small church group of people to survive such circumstances.
Effect 2: We have an opportunity to press the RESET button on the ministry, to do some things differently and to implement some changes that need to be made. Of course, I’m not going to change the basic things I started the Chapel for in the first place. I still plan on making the teaching and preaching Biblical and simple, directing the people to love and follow Jesus. I also still plan on keeping the worship simple and heartfelt. These are things seldom found in churches here in Kitale. Thus, the great need for an institution like the Upper Room Baptist Chapel. But, pushing the RESET button means we can implement a children’s ministry to make attending easier for families of children. We can also implement more first-century like fellowship – eating together, sharing together, and helping each other. Also, we can implement what is oftentimes called “Outreach”. I don’t want to call it that or even to think of it like that because “Outreach” usually focuses on “bringing people to the church”. I want the people of the Chapel to simply be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community, serving others in our community and showing them the love of Jesus. And, I don’t want them to do it to “bring people to the church” but simply because we love Jesus, love others, and want to show them the love and heart of Jesus.
So, we get to press the RESET button. Opportunity or challenge? Probably both.
Blessings to you all,
Roger, Julie, and Chloe
CONTACT INFO
Roger & Julie Tate
P.O. Box 96
Kitale, Kenya 30200
rojuta@gmail.com
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
Seeing Stress in the States
September 3, 2021
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ,
My, what turbulent times we all live in these days.
Most of you probably don’t know this but as I write this I am currently in the United States. I made an unplanned visit here for a month, mostly for personal reasons—to visit family and to attend to some issues I felt could use my assistance. My trip is now winding down and by the time you read this I will probably be back in Kenya with Julie and Chloë.
Being here in the States has shown me something: People all around the world are stressed. I’ve known for some time that the people in Kenya are stressed, after all I live with and around them. Now I know that the people of the United States are also stressed.
I’ve noticed that some are stressed about Covid and the possibilities of contracting the disease.
I’ve noticed that some are stressed about the economy and the downturns it has taken.
I’ve noticed that some are stressed about politics and the political status of the country.
I’ve noticed that you’re kids are stressed about returning to school, and wearing masks, and being sent home for being exposed to Covid, etc.
I’ve noticed that you’re very concerned about events in Afghanistan.
I’ve noticed that many of you are stressed about the constant state of flux and change.
I’ve noticed that a lot less people are attending church services on a weekly basis.
In short, I’ve noticed a lot of little changes from the last short trip I made to the United States 2 years ago. Yes, I’ve noticed. But, no, I am not lecturing you. I love you all and feel much compassion for your stress, your anxiety, and your concerns. And because of this, I plan on doing something when I return to Kenya.
Normally, I express in my newsletters the way that you can pray for the Kenyan people. If you’ve read any of my newsletters I know that you’ve seen many prayer requests like this. But this time around, when I return to Kenya, I’m going to gather together the believers that attend the Chapel in Kitale and we are going to pray specifically for you, you believers in the United States. Will that be OK with you, to have a few followers of Christ on the other side of the world, in a different culture, using a different language, praying for you? We are going to pray that God be with you, that you feel the presence of God in your lives daily and in a special way during these turbulent times. We are going to pray that God bless you with all spiritual blessings. We are going to pray that the love and grace of God shower down upon you. We are going to pray that you trust God and accept his will in your lives in all things. We are going to pray that when you are stressed and anxious that the peace of God would envelope you. We are going to pray that God would work in your politics to bring about his glory and your good. We are going to pray that your love for others would grow and grow.
This is different, I know, because normally I ask that you pray for us. However, this time we are going to pray for you. I hope you are OK with this.
Blessings to you all,
Roger, Julie & Chloe
CONTACT INFO
Roger & Julie Tate
P.O. Box 96
Kitale, Kenya 30200
rojuta@gmail.com
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
