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.