Bro. Tom Maronga’s Funeral

Bro. Tom Maronga's Funeral Service


Thank you for praying for Bro. Tom's family. Rose and her children are doing well. And we are sorry for the delay in getting this update to you. The funeral was on June 30, 2009; and there were approximately 600 people in attendance. There was a bit of excited emotions among the family members concerning different traditions; but the Lord enabled us (as the church where Tom was a member and other Christians who had fellowshipped with Tom in Bible College to advise in the situation) and we were given the final word that helped to solve the problem that arose. Praise to the Lord who always gives us the victory.

Tom was a member of two different Independent Baptist Churches in the five years that we knew him. He was baptized by Ben dyer prior to starting the Bible Baptist Church of Bomwanda. He was a faithful member and served as the treasurer. He was an insurance salesman for 15 years, and he used some of the teachings that he received in Bible study and from Bible College to relate to the field of insurance when teaching new recruits about character and about selling the product in concordance with soul winning. He was able to apply many Bible truths to the youth of Kenya in different associations of Athletics as well as being the youth leader of Calvary Baptist Church during the last 6 months he was alive.

He was a great asset to the church at Calvary Baptist Church in which he was a member for only a year. He was involved with teaching youth and adults, and he was much respected among the members. After another year, and with some milestones reached in his life, I had considered him to be the future national pastor of the church, during the time of us going on furlough in 2010. He graduated from our Bible College in November 2008, which is a three year program that deals with Basic Bible knowledge and learning how to preach. And he had started the Pastoral classes that follow the three year program.

Also during the court case that we experienced over the last two years with the church in Rongo, Tom helped me with details and procedures because he had taken two years of Kenyan Law. The other pastor and those that were advising him made Tom their enemy because of his stand on the truth of the Word of God. But that did not bother Tom; his only desire was to help the work of the Lord to continue in Rongo.

Tom was the kind of guy who, if he had a spare minute, he would come by the house or call me to meet him somewhere just to talk and fellowship with me and our family. Many did not believe that he was dead because of his personality, his friendship, and his testimony for the Lord. We will certainly miss him here, and we thank the Lord for allowing us to have the opportunity to know and work with Tom. And we know that we will see him again someday in heaven! Praise the Lord!

Please keep the Maronga Family in your prayers.





The Word of God was Preached, and Gospel was clearly given.             Mrs. Rose Maronga                 Lowering of the Casket

Family Picnic & Fun Day!

FAMILY FUN DAY! What can be better than having fun? We try to reserve Friday afternoon and evening for family time. As many of you (those in fulltime ministry) know, you do not work a 9 to 5 job; you are on call 24/7. So, we "TRY" to keep Fridays for family day whenever possible; and we encourage every family to give it a try! It does not have to cost anything! But your children will thank you for giving them your full attention! Sometimes we just do popcorn and movie night, sometimes game day (water games outside & table games in the evening), and sometimes we just have a picnic (even if it is just in our own backyard!). So, on this particular day we explored the top of Manga mountain (it is located just 30 minutes outside of Kisii Town) together!

As you can see in the pictures, we felt like we were on the edge of the world! And we had a great time playing Frisbee and trying to keep the Frisbees on top of the mountain with us!

    Luke and the children.                 Miss Shauna Brockman.                    Frisbee Time.                         Exploring nature.

We hope that everyone has a wonderful day with YOUR OWN family!

Serving Him in Kenya,

The Shelby Family

Teaching at Bosire Academy

We want to thank the Lord for the opportunity to teach at Bosire Academy in Kisii Town; while Miss Shauna Brockman was working with us during the month of July. The Headmaster of the school welcomed us and gave us the liberty to teach the children, from the Bible, every Friday morning. And the school has requested that we continue these lessons, even after Shauna returns to the USA. We Praise the Lord for giving us this privilege. And we are looking forward to seeing what He will do in the lives of these precious children. The group pictured below is of the children in 2nd through 8^th grades. And we also taught the younger children (ages 3 to 1^st grade). The school has 650 children enrolled, and we are welcome to go every Friday and teach directly from God's Word. Please pray that these children will hear and understand God's love for them, and pray that they will be willing to give their lives completely to Him. This is Kenya's next generation; and we need to reach them at a young age, before they make any other major decisions that will change their lives forever.

Please remember us as we continue this ministry, and that the Lord will continue to open even more doors for this kind of ministry.

We also want to say thank you to Miss Shauna Brockman; because she was a great blessing not only to our family, but also to these children. After teaching the first week, we would hear children following behind us as we walked through town; and they were ALL saying, "How are you, Shauna?" She made a great impression on these children, and they will never forget her! Thank you, Shauna, you were a real blessing!