Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [May 2016]
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.
May 1, 2016
We are now nearing halfway through the year 2016. Where has the time gone? It seems to pass faster and faster as the years go by. A quote I like in reference to time is “Better than counting the years is making the years count.” Time is truly a gift from God, and may we use it wisely, for His glory. Psalm 90:12 says “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” This prayer letter will give current updates.
Thanks to those who have been praying about the security situation in Milimani, where we live. There have been several different groups going around robbing people. People are taking additional security measures. We have done our best, and now leave our safety and security in God’s hands. We know God has called us here, and He will watch over and protect us. We are also using common sense and not going into dangerous areas/situations, etc. Praise the Lord, around 4 of the thieves were caught by police recently. There is also a good security company that patrols faithfully during the night to try to catch the thieves. We are thankful for them and their efforts. Ultimately, our safety and security is from the Lord. Psalm 9:9 says “The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” Psalm 46:1 says “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” We take comfort in verses such as these and trust in God and His protection. We appreciate your prayers, that all of the thieves would be caught soon.
The Annex prison ministry is continuing along well. There is a new chaplain there, as the previous chaplain was transferred to a different prison. I have met him and he seems very encouraging and welcoming. I am thankful for this. The Bible studies for the men have been going very well and I (Nathan) thank the Lord for the visitors who have been coming to hear the Word and God and are being reached with the Gospel. The results are God’s, as I desire to be faithful, trusting God for the harvest. I have recently shared the Gospel, and have just finished teaching some on Creation and the fall. Please pray for the men, that they would see the awful results of sin and see their need of a Savior. I will keep you updated on this ministry. Please also pray for the prison permit to be renewed without any problems.
Please continue to pray for Christopher, the man that my partner Roger and I are training. We recently modeled for him teachings from the Word of God, then asked him to teach us in our training center in town. He did very well and we were very pleased. Please continue to pray for him, that he would clearly understand our teachings, and Lord willing, be able to go to his home area of Kibomet to open a Bible study group in his home. Our ultimate goal is for a church to be planted in Kibomet, but we are still in the training phases. We appreciate Christopher and his faithfulness to come and be taught. I will keep you updated of this ministry. We are also staying faithful in the village of Robinson, meeting in the home of a national named Kefa. He has been very gracious to allow us to come and teach the people the Word of God. Our desire is also for a church to be planted in Robinson, and we are trusting in God’s plan and timing there.
In family news, It is hard to believe that McKenna is now 8 years old. She is such a sweet little girl, and we are so thankful to be her parents. Please pray for both her and Camille, and for us, as we desire to lead them in the ways of the Lord. A small school has opened recently in Kitale and the girls are enjoying going there in the middle of the week. Some of our missionary friends are also sending their children there, so we are very thankful for this. Please pray the school will stay open so other children will have good interaction and friendships.
God bless each of you so much. We will be sure to keep you updated. We appreciate each of you so much.
In Kenya,
Nathan & Carrie
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [April 2016]
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 1, 2016
Dear praying friends,
We thank you all again so much for your prayers, sacrificial giving, and encouragement. Each of you are a blessing and we thank God for you. This prayer letter will give updates in regards to ministries, as well as some prayer requests.
Thanks so much to those who prayed for my work permit. (Nathan) I have been informed that it was renewed recently for two years, for which I thank the Lord. Now I do not have to apply again until it expires in two years. My contact in Nairobi was pleased and I am also. It is wonderful for God’s provision in this matter. The Lord is good to provide what we need as we serve Him.
Before a ministry update, I wanted to inform those at home of what has been going on in Milimani, where we stay. Last week around 10:30 or 11:00 am in the morning, two men approached our gate and tried to break in. They shook the gate so hard that it nearly came off the hinges. The security company was contacted, yet it took them 30 minutes to arrive, as they were on the other side of town dealing with another matter. Later that same day, thugs broke into a different compound in Milimani and stole various items. I have been told it is a group of 8 men who work together. Two men try to break in first – when they get in, they call another truck of about 6 men and take the items quickly, disappearing before the police can locate them. The police have been informed well and one of the top policemen came to our place to find out what is going on. Also, the security company is well informed and is beginning to patrol. Please pray that these people will be caught soon and for the safety of all those in Kitale. We have taken good security measures, but our ultimate trust is in the Lord. The safest place to be is in the will of God. Psalm 27:1 says “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” We place our protection in His hands, and trust Him with all these matters.
My partner Roger Tate and I are continuing along with the ministry in Robinson village. We are presently in the book of Matthew and learning many good teachings from the Word of God. In the house that we are meeting, the family has been faithful to come, and we are thankful for this. Please pray for the rest of the surrounding area and those that we have visited, sharing the Gospel and inviting them to come. We are faithful to sow the seed, and then we trust the Lord for the harvest in His plan and timing. Galatians 6:9 says “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” We trust the Lord with the results of ministry in Robinson.
Later this month, it is hard to believe that McKenna will be eight years old. The time and years have passed so fast and we are so thankful for her and her important part of our family. Camille turned five last month, so they are both growing up quickly. We are thankful for the friends that they have presently here in Kitale. Please pray that other families with children their age will come so they can have more social interactions with others their age. God bless you all thanks again for all you do. We will keep you updated.
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [February 2016]
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 1, 2016
Dear praying friends,
We hope this update finds each of you doing well. We are now in the year 2016. Hard to believe. Many times when I think that something is far away, before you know it, it is upon you, and then behind you. I cannot believe my daughter McKenna is already 7 and Camille will soon be 5 years old. And my age, well that is another matter. As the old saying goes “Age is mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” I like that. Hoping each of you had a great Christmas holiday and New Year celebration with family and friends. We had a small celebration here with some missionary friends, had some time of fun and fellowship, played games, etc. It is always nice to be able to do these things sometimes.
One of the hardest parts of missions is missing family and being separated from them while on the mission field. From time to time, family comes to visit, and we have had two of my wife’s sisters visit with us. My wife has three sisters, and we are thankful that two of them were able to get some time off and come to visit with us here in Kitale. This is much needed, for it gives them the opportunity to see how life is on the mission field, some of the challenges, and to know better how to pray for us. Also, it gives them much needed time to spend with us as a family. We are so thankful that both Jenna and Joelle came out to visit with us. What a blessing they have been. Lord willing, my wife’s parents will visit later with us in the year, so we are looking forward to this as well. Family time is so important and we are thankful for any visits we get from family.
Please pray for my (Nathan) work permit, which expires in April this year. I have to have a permit to be able to legally stay and minister in Kenya, and it expires in April of this year. I have gone to Nairobi to meet with my government agent who handles these permits for us. My wife already has hers, so we are thankful for this. Now, we are waiting and praying for mine to be processed. We pray it will proceed with no problems, and we know that God is in complete control and has a plan for us. Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” God has a purpose and plan for everything, thoughts of peace, not evil, to give us an expected end.
I also like Micah 7:7, which says “Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.” We can look to the Lord in faith, waiting on Him, knowing He hears us. What great promises to cling and hold to.
My partner Roger Tate and I are still going faithfully to the village of Robinson to teach and preach the Word of God. We are currently in the book of Matthew, and there have been many good teachings. We have learned about not judging, how to give and pray in secret, being salt and light in a dark world, and other teachings. We are also continuing to visit people in the village and share the Gospel as God gives the opportunity. Many of those who were initially coming at the beginning have left, as they were searching for the loaves and fishes, and were not interested in the teachings and following Jesus. I am interested more in quality than quantity, and the Lord knows who will be there for the right reasons. God knows how it will all turn out in the end, and my partner Roger and I have been faithful. We need to continue to visit, share the Gospel, pray, and leave the results in God’s hands. Duties belong to us—results belong to God. In 1 Corinthians 3:6, Paul says “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” It is still the same today. God gives the increase. We trust Him for the results, and would ask prayer as we continue to go and teach faithfully in the Robinson village. Our desire ultimately is to have a church there, but we will trust God with it, knowing He will lead and guide us.
In family news, my wife continues to go faithfully to the district hospital. She does her best to provide the women and babies there with much needed supplies, as well as sharing the Gospel with the mothers. This ministry has grown bigger, with more mothers and children than ever before. We are doing our best to assist them, and we thank each of you who faithfully give sacrificially or send supplies. Thanks for helping the poor and abandoned. God will richly bless you. McKenna and Camille continue to grow and develop. McKenna is learning to read well and quickly, and Camille will soon be starting kindergarten, which is hard to believe. My wife does a great job in teaching them faithfully here at home, so we are blessed to be able to help them with their education in this way.
Please keep us in your prayers, and we will remember you also. We appreciate so much each letter, email, family picture, or whatever you would like to send. Each act of kindness is highly regarded and appreciated. Thank you for your mindfulness of missions, your sacrificial spirit, and your faithful prayer support and sacrificial giving. You are each a great blessing to us. Happy 2016.
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Tates in Kenya [February 2016]
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is indigenous church planting.
January 28, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Sometimes you encounter things that really make you sit back and think. And some of those things hit you really hard. I had one of those encounters this month while just going around doing “business as usual”.
I’ve lived in Africa for eight years as of this month. So, needless to say I’ve come across poverty and seen sickness. It’s never easy to see these things and there is always a desire that I could help the people I see in these situations. But this time hit me differently for some reason. Nathan and I have been working with Kefa and Matilda in a village called Robinson trying to ultimately get a church started there in their house. Kefa and Matilda are not wealthy (if you saw their house you would probably think they are very poor), but they are doing well compared to some who live around them who really do live in utter poverty. They are good Christian people who desire to start up a church in their home and to minister to the people around them. So, in trying to start up a church here, Nathan, Kefa and I make visits to the neighbors and surrounding areas to meet the people, share the gospel with them, pray for their needs and invite them to our worship/Bible study meetings in Kefa’s house.
The door to the old man’s room.
On one of these visits this month Kefa took us to a line of “apartments” to visit the people who live there. These apartments are just a string of one room, mud wall, dirt floor houses. The people who live there live in poverty. We walked into one of these rooms and even after eight years here I was still amazed. The room was dark—nighttime dark. The window was boarded up and the only light came through the now opened door. The smell was terrible, the air hardly breathable. The dimensions of the room were about 8 feet by 8 feet. The walls were mud and stick and the floor was packed dirt. Trash was piled up in one corner. Besides the trash the only other thing in the room was an old man lying on a filthy, disintegrating mattress which was on top of a wood slated bed. He was not able to get up to leave the bed. When he had to spit (which was often) he would simply spit on the floor or on the wall. He could not get up to use the communal pit latrine (so you can only imagine). When I saw his feet I could see why he could not walk. His feet were eaten up and mangled by jiggers. Jiggers are the smallest form of flea, hardly visible by the human eye. They burrow into human flesh where they live, feed and lay their eggs. They have to be dug out with a razor and treated with a medicine difficult to obtain. He had obviously been in this state for a long time as he was not able to walk, his legs had become emaciated and he looked to be near starvation. As we stood there talking to and praying for the man I could not help but think what it would be like to lie in this dark, filthy, stench-filled room day after day, not able to get up, not able to leave, with absolutely nothing to do but lie there until I died. Can you imagine?
Caring for the old man’s feet.
When we eventually left the man I told Kefa that we would need to help this man. I told him it was one of the reasons for the existence of a church and was the ministry of Christ. I told him we couldn’t just leave the man in that room to die like that. Kefa was in complete agreement with me. When we returned to Kefa’s house we decided to take the money we had collected for offerings (which they had originally wanted to use to start a building fund) and use it help the man. We have been trying to teach them the Biblical way of using these offerings and now they were going to use them in a God-honoring, Christ-exalting way. Kefa and Matilda then took charge of the man’s care. That week they took him fresh fruits and vegetables to eat and cooked him food. They contacted a friend who had been trained in treating jiggers and was licensed to obtain the medicine (the medicine is restricted because it can be used in making bombs). When the friend was prepared he came with the medicines and he, Kefa, Matilda, Nathan and I went back to the man’s house to see that he was treated for the jiggers and was being cared for. My heart rejoiced to see Kefa on his knees in the dirt, gingerly holding the old man’s feet in his hands as he carefully cleaned them, cut his toenails, cut out the jiggers and treated the man’s feet. It was a beautiful picture of Christian service and of showing the love of Christ. Our small group is now caring for the man physically and spiritually. Please pray with us that he not have to die alone in that dark room, that he would regain his health and most of all that he would know Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior so that one day, when his suffering here is over, he can rejoice in the presence of the One who took our suffering for us.
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 Emily, Amy, Josiah & Chloe)
rojuta[at]gmail.com
Visit their blog!
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [October 2015]
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.
October 1, 2015
Dear praying friends,
It is now the month of October, and near the end of the year. Hard to believe that we will soon be going into the holiday months of Thanksgiving and Christmas. We wish you all a great holiday season ahead and thank you so much for your interest in missions in Kitale, Kenya.
Nathan with their dogs
Last month was a sad one for our family, as one of our main guard dogs, Snickers, passed away. She had some sort of serious illness that was above the care of the veterinarians here. We did our best to treat her, but she eventually passed away. Guard dogs are necessary as they are one of the main deterrents to incidents on compounds. So, we were sad, and still miss Snickers, but we were glad that God provided another good guard dog soon after. This puppy is a rare breed for this area of Kenya, as he is half boxer. We named him Reese and he is now around 5 months old and growing quickly. We are thankful for the protection that the dogs provide. Ultimately, our safety is completely in God’s hands and we trust Him for our security. God watches over and protects us and we trust Him with our safety. I love 2 Samuel 22:4 which says “I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.”
Their newest dog
The ministry in the village of Robinson is continuing along. My partner Roger Tate and I have been faithfully sharing the Gospel, teaching the Word of God, and trusting Him for the results. We have also been doing visitation in the area and meeting many people in the community. I feel this time of visitation is very important, for we get the opportunity to share with the people the Gospel, invite them to the teachings, and pray over any needs or issues that they may have. Currently, I have been teaching in the book of Matthew. I recently taught on Matthew 4 and we saw how the Lord defeated Satan during His time of temptation. We saw the importance of memorizing and using the Word of God when we are tempted and also the importance of the Word of God in our lives. Matthew 4:4 says “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” We will keep you updated on this ministry.
My wife has been enjoying the hospital ministry. We are thankful to each of you who donate to this ministry and are prayer partners. She got her work permit, which we trusted God to provide, and goes regularly to help the abandoned babies and give needed supplies to the mothers. There have been so many mothers and children that the supplies are now depleted more quickly than in times past. Please pray that these women and children would see the love of Christ, and with the Lord’s help, we would be able to reach many more in the future. We thank you so much for your interest in this ministry.
My wife also began a new homeschooling year with our girls. McKenna is now in 2nd grade and Camille is in preschool. They are both learning quickly and enjoy their school time. It has been exciting to watch them grow in their knowledge and abilities. I am thankful for this time that my wife has to teach our children. The girls also have made friends with a couple Kenyan girls from a local children’s home who come over on Saturdays to play. We are thankful that our girls have this down time with friends and that they have this much needed time to play together.
We will be sure to keep you updated. Thanks again to each of you who prays, gives sacrificially, or writes letters of encouragement. We appreciate each of you so much and thank the Lord for you.
Until next month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [September 2015]
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 1, 2015
Dear praying friends,
We are now in the month of September. There is much to update each of you on, and I will do my best to inform and share prayer requests. Thanks to each of you who faithfully pray, give, and write to encourage the missionaries that serve where God has called them. You are each such a blessing.
Some have been wondering about the health of our daughters, as I did not update about that last month. There were several weeks with our daughter Camille where we did not know what was going on. She complained of frequent lower stomach cramps and pains, which is a sign of amoeba. We took her to two different doctors here in Kitale and were still not completely sure what it was. We ended up going to a large hospital in Eldoret, about an hour and a half from Kitale. There, we received good care and they did advanced lab work. We continued to give the medications that were recommended, yet there was still stomach pain. McKenna also had not been feeling well at times.
Frustrated that we still did not conclusively know what it was, we finally took both girls, McKenna and Camille, to get tested at a large pediatric hospital in Nairobi. There, they did advanced testing that proved with certainty that no amoeba or infections were there. We were very relieved, but also frustrated, as we had to go multiple places and see multiple doctors to get the issue resolved. This is a frustration here and a prayer request, that a good, new hospital would come to Kitale with doctors that can readily and easily identify health issues. Health is a daily concern here, as when you get sick here, it’s different from America, when the sickness can me a multitude of things and it is difficult to know with certainty what the illness is. Praise the Lord, all is well now, and we appreciate your prayers for our family and our health as we serve here. We have to entrust our health to the Lord and trust Him, as with all else here. I like John 14:1, which says “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”
I am still praying about the permit for the prison ministry. The chaplain is continuing to allow me to come as I wait on the renewal. I am thankful for this and trusting the Lord to work in His plan, timing, and way. I think of Jeremiah 29:11, which says “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Please continue to pray the permit would be renewed quickly and without any issues.
The group in Robinson is continuing along well. My partner Roger Tate and I have been serving there for several months now. We have been doing visitation in the area there, trying to pray for people, encourage them, invite them to the teachings, and share the Gospel as opportunities come. We are presently teaching Inductive Bible study, which is crucial for the people to grasp and understand as they study and apply the Word of God to their lives. Please pray that this teaching would go well, that the people would see the importance of not only studying the Word, but applying and obeying what they learn. The Word of God is profitable, as we see in 2 Timothy 3:16, which says “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” I will keep you updated on the progress of this ministry.
May we faithfully serve today, wherever the Lord has called and guided us. May we leave the results in His plan and timing, knowing He works all things out for good and to His glory. Thank you to each of you for the example of faithfulness you are to us.
Blessings,
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [August 2015]
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 1, 2015
Dear praying friends,
It is hard to believe that we are already in the month of August. Where has the time in the past year gone? It seems to pass faster and faster each year. Time is one of the most important gifts from God that we have, and how we need to use it wisely for His honor and glory.
We thank the Lord for the opportunities each day that He gives us to serve Him. Service is a privilege. I think of Matthew 20:27-28, which say “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” What greater example could there be, than our Lord and Savior? Considering all that He has done for us, how could it not be a privilege to serve Him?
Please pray for the Annex prison ministry, as I am at the time of renewal of the prison permit. A permit is needed through the government to continue with this ministry, and I am praying that the Lord will provide this permit in His time and plan. My thoughts have always been to be faithful to this ministry as long as the Lord would have me there. I believe by faith that the permit will be renewed, and would appreciate your prayers as I am in the renewal process. It is all in His hands and I trust Him. The studies are continuing along well, and we are nearly done with the Old Testament and getting ready to move into the New Testament. The men who have been coming seem to be very dedicated and have a heart for the Word of God, which is a definite encouragement. Many of them face many challenges, yet they are faithful to come and study the Word of God. One of my favorite verses on the Bible is Psalm 119:89, which says “For ever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.” What a comforting verse to cling to throughout our lives.
The village ministry in Robinson is continuing along well. It has been challenging, as many who were coming at the beginning have fallen away. This is to be expected, as it happens anywhere. I think of John 6, where so many were following the Lord for the loaves and fishes and not to truly follow Him. I have been praying that the Lord would bring those who would be there for the right reasons, and Lord willing, to be a good foundation for a future church plant.
My partner Roger Tate and I agree that we need to bring further teachings and do visitation, share the Gospel faithfully, and pray for the Lord’s will to be done in the Robinson area. We would appreciate your prayers also to this end. We desire to be faithful, and leave the results in the Lord’s hands, trusting Him each step of the way. We are currently teaching the group on offerings and the Biblical uses that we see in the Scriptures. It has been good and has brought many questions. As we continue in the teachings of the Word, and pray for His will to be done, may we serve together in a spirit of love and unity. John 13:35 says “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Thank you so much to each one who writes, sends letters, or emails. We appreciate each of you so much. Homesickness is a real challenge that missionaries face, and each caring act is greatly appreciated. Thank you also for your faithful prayer and financial support, and for the faithful example of service that each of you are to us. May God abundantly bless you as you serve Him, wherever He leads.
Blessings,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [June 2015]
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, 2015
Dear praying friends,
We are now halfway through the year of 2015, and there are many things
to update you about. This will share ministry progress, as well as prayer
requests for current health issues.
In a previous letter I mentioned that our daughter Camille has contracted amoeba.
It is nearly impossible to prevent it completely, as ingesting just one drop of unfiltered water can transmit it. We do all we can to prevent it and stay healthy, such as watching where we eat, using
water filters, drinking bottled water, etc, but sometimes those actions aren’t enough and a person contracts it.
McKenna has also recently contracted it and so she has started medications to eradicate it.
We are so thankful to have a good doctor here in Kitale who has been here for over 30 years, seems knowledgeable and provides good medications.
Right now we are in the “waiting stages” to see if these medications will eradicate the amoeba, or if we have to go to an IV stage, which is the last resort. We are praying that the regular medications will take affect and the IV will not be necessary for either of the girls. We would appreciate your prayers for our daughters at this time. A verse that comes to mind at this time that is comforting is 1 Peter 5:7, which says “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” It is a daily battle to stay healthy here and we would appreciate your prayers.
We have been praying for friends for our daughters to play with. Recently, our daughters have begun playing with a couple Kenyan girls from a local children’s home. Maggie and Daisy have been coming over to spend time with our family on the weekends. All 4 girls have gotten along well and this has been a blessing for our family as well as Maggie and Daisy, so we are so thankful for them. We continue to pray that other missionaries with children would come. God has been faithful to answer prayer.
In ministry news, the group at Robinson is continuing along and we are proceeding
through the foundational teachings. Recently I had the opportunity to teach on “What does it mean to really follow Christ?” We looked at examples from the Scriptures of those who did not follow Christ for various reasons, including misperceptions such as following Jesus will make all my problems go away, following Jesus will make my life easier, following Jesus is for the weak, etc. As I got to John 6 and explained that many people originally followed Jesus for the “loaves and fishes,” (to have their bellies filled), there was some laughter, as many in the meeting knew that this is a real issue here in Kenya. I continued to explain that others followed Jesus because they saw His signs and wanted to “get” something from Him. In the end, many disciples refused to follow Him and deserted Him. This was teaching that was necessary for the people here to understand. We desire to have those who follow Jesus for the right reasons, not for what they will get, or misconceptions they have. We will continue, Lord willing, to teach the truth in love, trusting the Lord to work in His time and plan, and leaving the results with Him.
My friend Roger Tate and I desire to be faithful, entrusting the results to the Lord. 1 Corinthians 4:2 says “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”
We thank you each so much for your heart for missions and your prayers and sacrificial
giving. Thank you for your faithfulness, and may the Lord bless you abundantly.
Until next month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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