Praying for Kenyan Presidential Election

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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 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

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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 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

Training & Discipling Young Kenyan Men

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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 6, 2022

Dear praying friends,

We hope and pray this finds each of you doing well. We appreciate each one of you so much for your heart for missions. Your faithful prayers, sacrificial giving, and encouragement mean so much to us. Each of you are such a blessing. This update will share current prayer requests as well as updates.

We praise the Lord that all of our work permits were renewed recently. This is a big blessing, especially given the challenges of covid. We submitted our paperwork before our furlough, then followed up on it when we returned. We are very thankful that all of our permits have been renewed for a three-year period. We thank each of you so much who prayed for this and these renewals.

Concerning the weather, it has been very hot for the past few weeks. April is rainy season, and it has finally started raining, and we are waiting for the heavy rains to come soon. Could you please pray with us that the long rains would arrive soon so the farming seasons can go on as planned, and the temperatures would cool to normal? This would be much appreciated.

I (Nathan) have begun meeting with younger Kenyan men in the village of Taito, about a fifteen-minute drive from Kitale town. A Kenyan man who I have known for years is allowing me to train and disciple the men at his house, which is a big blessing. The men also have their own employment, which I am very thankful for. This is part of the model, for the men to work with their own hands and support themselves.

Lord willing very soon, I will be teaching on salvation and evangelism. There are many verses concerning this, such as Mark 16:15, which says, “And he  said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Also, Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:  for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;  to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Please pray for me as I teach and  disciple the men, and also for the students, that they will have the desire to be taught, then Lord willing, to go out and start churches later as the Lord leads them. I trust the Lord for all the results.

We wish each of you a very happy upcoming Easter as you spend it with family and friends. I will close with John 11:25-26, which says, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” Amen.

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

Prepared for Furlough; New Young Men Interested in Discipleship Course

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,

We hope this finds you all doing well. It is hard to believe that we are in the month of October already. How time flies. This update will share our current plans as well as our upcoming time of furlough.

As I shared last month, there has been a big “to do” list before shutting down for furlough. You don’t really realize it until you start shutting down. You need to figure out how to pay bills in Kenya while you are in America, try to find someone to stay in your house while you are gone, get necessary work permit paperwork done before leaving, and the list goes on. I am very happy and feel we are in good shape and prepared for our upcoming furlough.

We plan to be in the West Virginia area starting in December 2020. If anyone knows of any housing in the area between Charleston and Huntington, that would be very much appreciated. Finding housing on furlough is one of the biggest challenges, and we are trusting God to provide something in this area within our budget. If anyone has any leads, please email me at naterad@yahoo.com and we can discuss more of the specifics. We know God will provide in His time and plan. 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” Also, Philippians 4:6, which says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” We are trusting God to provide for this need and we appreciate your prayers with us for housing.

Coronavirus has really disturbed things here in Kenya. Schools will not reopen until January of next year. So many things were closed down, for about a five-month period. There were no international flights for some time. You had (and still do have) to get your temperature taken before entering supermarkets, etc., as well as washing of hands. Thankfully, we praise the Lord that Kitale has been spared the brunt of the cases and not that many to date have been sick. Please pray for Nairobi and other large cities that have borne the brunt of the cases. We know it has been difficult in America as well. We remember you in prayer as you please remember us as well. It has been a challenging year to say the least. Obviously, I (Nathan) have not been able to continue with the prison ministry, as it is a hot spot for the virus. Please pray for the prisoners and their health, all over Kenya.

I did receive some encouraging news about the ministry in Taito, a village located right outside Kitale. One of my students has been very encouraged and built up spiritually through the discipleship course, and he has gone to his village himself to invite other young men to the trainings. I have been informed there are around four other young men who live in the area who have seen some of the teachings and are excited to come, study, and learn. I understand that they are independent-minded and want to learn the Word of God. This discipleship course is so foundational as so many of the men have lacked these teachings from the start. They need to get grounded before they go out and teach others, eventually leading to planting churches, Lord willing. The course has received very positive feedback and I am thankful for this. Obviously, with preparing for furlough, I am not able to start with them now, but this will be a good lead for next term, Lord willing.

One of the things that has been emphasized to me over and over is to get youths to train, usually around 20 to 25 years of age. They should have some form of employment, as this will help them to be independent thinking and not depend on the missionary. Also, they should have a heart for the Lord and a true desire to serve. After receiving the trainings, they should start groups in their respective areas, with people they know, such as friends, neighbors, and family. This should be the start and they can build off that. I have been pleased with the results I have seen with this model this term and ask that you would pray with me that God would provide this type of men from the start. We are trusting God to provide this type of men and ask that you would pray with us for this.

One of the big prayer requests that has been answered is friends for our daughters. The mission field can be a challenging and very lonely place. Homesickness is a constant battle, and it is increased with there is a lack of friends, especially for children. There is a new family in Kitale that has a girl that has been such a good friend and blessing to our daughters. They have so much fun playing together. What a wonderful provision for our daughters and an answer to prayer. Please pray for the new family and their adjustments, as well as for our girls, in regards to friends for them. God has been so good to provide and we trust Him to provide for them for the future.

We appreciate each of you so much. Your prayers, sacrificial giving, and encouragement are always such a blessing. Please pray for our upcoming furlough, as we want God to receive the glory for all that is said and done. I am reminded of Isaiah 42:8, which says, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” Also, 1 Corinthians 10:31, which says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” May this be our true desire, to bring honor and glory to God in all that we do.

Blessings,
Nathan and Carrie Radford

Contact Info:
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
naterad@yahoo.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

Discipling Young Men in New Village; Security Concerns

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.

March 4, 2020

Dear praying friends,

Another month has come and gone, and we are now several months into 2020. May we use our time wisely in service to God, trusting Him for the results. I am reminded of Psalm 39:4, which says “LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.” May we truly use our opportunities wisely for His kingdom, and relying on Him each step of the way. This update will share current ministry progress as well as prayer requests.

I (Nathan) am continuing to disciple younger Kenyan men in the village of Taito, which is on the outskirts of Kitale town. The man that I have been relying on for help with recruiting younger men moved recently, and is now closer to town. Taito, this new village, has much potential for finding younger men to train. There are many schools around this area with students attending nearby. My prayer is that over time I will be able to make friendships with some of these young men, describe the training ministry to them, and pray that some of them will join up and learn from the teachings of the Word of God. The ultimate final goal is for them to be grounded in their faith before going out to establish churches, Lord willing. But, just as a house needs a firm foundation to stand upon, so these men need to be established and discipled before going out.

I have learned to take nothing for granted. Sometimes I look at some of the lessons and think they are not so much needed, only go to teach it, and have a student say, “This is the first time I have learned about this.” Or, “I have received teaching on this, but not in depth with Scriptural support from the Bible.” Each lesson has multiple verses that refer back to the topic, and my hope and prayer is that the men will get grounded in their faith, get the foundation they need, get a vision for their village/community, and then go out and do the work of the ministry. I am reminded of Proverbs 29:18a, which says “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Would you pray with me that these young men will get a heart/vision for their villages and communities, and go out to reach them? That is my prayer. I will keep you updated on the progress of this ministry.

Concerning the prison ministry, I (Nathan) have been continuing along through the teachings of the Old Testament. We have learned many things, from Creation, to Cain and Abel, Noah and the Flood, Abraham and Isaac, etc. I am excited to start teachings in the New Testament, where we will learn about Jesus and His ministry. There are so many lessons, such as the temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness, Jesus feeding five thousand, Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, etc. We will also see that Jesus is the door to eternal life – He is the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6 says, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Please pray for the prisoners and for me as I continue to teach them the Word of God. I am thankful for the chaplains and the prison officials for allowing me to continue with the ministry and would appreciate your prayers each step of the way.

In family news, my wife continues to stay busy at the Christian school here in Kitale. She volunteers there daily teaching fifth grade grammar, writing and reading. She is a blessing to the students there. It is also good for our daughters as they get to see her at school in the mornings.

McKenna and Camille have both done well. We would appreciate your prayers for them, and for us as parents. Camille will turn nine years old in February 2020, which is hard to believe. McKenna will be twelve in April, Lord willing.

Speaking of April, my wife’s parents are planning to visit for a few weeks. Please pray for them and their trip here, for our fellowship together, and for our time together as a family. I know they will be a blessing not only to us, but to many others as well. This will be their fourth trip here and we pray it will be a time of rest and refreshment for them, as well as getting some needed family time.

We are both so appreciative for those who donate sacrificially to the hospital ministry. The staff there have been very welcoming and friendly, for which we are thankful. Many mothers and babies are receiving much needed supplies, and the mothers are receiving the Gospel message in their own language, so we are thankful to those who give and for the opportunity there. We appreciate you so much.

In closing, please be in prayer for the safety of the Milimani area, where we live. There have been some robberies along the roads in our area, mostly at night. We try not to go out at night unless absolutely necessary, and to take all precautions. Please pray that the security forces will be successful in their efforts, and that the residents of Milimani here in Kitale would feel safe and protected. Of course, our ultimate security is from the Lord. Psalm 138:7 says, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me.” May we trust Him for our safety and protection at all times.

We appreciate each of you so much, for your prayers, interest in missions, sacrificial giving, and notes of encouragement. You are each such a blessing to us. We will keep you updated.

Blessings,
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.


Read more

Teaching in New Area (Taito) & Annex Prison

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.


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