Waiting on Work Permit Renewals

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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.

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.


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Renewing Work Permits & Planning for Furlough

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.

September 5, 2020
Dear praying friends,

Another month has come and gone, and we are entering the last part of 2020. Time really does pass so quickly, and may we be busy serving where the Lord has us. This update will share current prayer requests as well as current updates.

This past month has been very busy. So many things to do. We made a big “to do” list, and you never really realize what a job it is until you start shutting down for furlough. Various insurances to be paid, trying to find someone to stay in our house while we are away, arranging for paying bills here while we are in America, and the list goes on and on. It can be overwhelming and you have to take one thing at a time. We are thankful to have neighbors now so if there are any urgent matters, they can inform and assist us.

We also were working on our work permits that expire next April. We did get the documentation done, and there are just a few minor items to send in soon. We are thankful for the progress that we made on the permits, and ask that you would pray with us that they will be renewed without any issues.

In health news, I (Nathan) had to see a dermatologist recently and she recommended the removal of seven different moles. There is a history of melanoma in the family, so I need to be seen regularly and need to be careful with sun exposure. I did have all seven moles removed and have been able to recover well, for which I am thankful. The sun is strong here in Kenya and you need to take precautions. Thanks for your prayers in regards to not only my health, but the health of the entire family.

Speaking of health, the coronavirus cases as of the date of this letter are nearly 35,000. We are thankful that Kitale has been spared the brunt of the cases, and please be in prayer for various areas of Kenya which have seen a spike in cases, mainly Nairobi, the capital city. It is still advisable to wear a mask, sanitize, social distance, and avoid large gatherings as much as possible. All of these are the standard health precautions. We know it is similar in America as well, and you are in our thoughts and prayers regarding the coronavirus.
 
There is still more to do, even working on my missions presentation, trying to get the missions video done in the near future, etc. In all these duties, I am reminded of Ecclesiastes 9:10a, which says “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” Also I like the verses of Colossians 3:23-24, which say, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” May these verses remind us of Who we serve, and the proper attitude for service.

We appreciate each of you so much. Thanks so much for your prayers, sacrificial giving, and encouragement. You are such a blessing.

Until next month,
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
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