January - February 2011 Prayer Letter

Dear Supporters and Friends, January—February 2011

We are glad to be writing you from the warm highlands of Kisii, Kenya; where the temperatures are ranging from over 100 degrees down into the 80’s at night. Kay-Leigh got her answer to prayer for snow on Christmas Day, but she kept praying and wanting more snow. And it almost caused us to miss our flight to Kenya, because we woke up to 6 inches of snow the morning we were to fly out of Little Rock. We have been able to get settled back in here, and most of our things are unpacked. We are waiting for the shipment of our crates, which should be arriving in April, which have the things that we gathered during furlough to use here in the work.

We have been able to meet with all of the pastors and leaders of our churches, and Bible College classes began the last week of January. We just finished the second month of classes; we have six new students, and seven others who are expected to graduate the three year course in December. This week 11 souls were saved during College soul-winning. God is good! We have scheduled most of the activities for the year, and we are excited about what God has in store for us this term. We are glad to see the stability of many of these men who are being examples to their own people. Though we have not visited the churches yet, we are encouraged by the reports that we have received. Updates on each of our ministries will be available through our website as we visit them.

We have also been able to organize and set a plan to begin our “Orphan Care Ministry.” We spoke to the pastors and asked them to get the number of orphans that their church members are caring for as guardians. This week as I spoke to them the second time (this report is from only 9 of our churches), we have a number that has been narrowed down to 101 children. These 101 children are classified as “destitute double orphans;” This means that both of their parents have died, and the guardians are not able to adequately take care of these children. There are many more poor children in these areas that these pastors would like to help, but our resources are very limited. We need to have over $1,500 a month support just for the visitation program of these few children. This visitation program allows us to visit in each child’s home and deliver a small care package (food and toiletry items) to them each month. With us being here and seeing these children face to face, it is so much more personal. We feel that we need to help all that we can in this visitation process, even if it is just a small “handful of purpose.” And that purpose is to get the Word of God into each of these homes so that souls will come to know Christ as their Savior. Please help us with small “handfuls of purpose” as we endeavor to reach these villages for Christ.

We have identified three locations already to set up Local Church Children’s Facilities based on land, security, and the number of orphans. The pastors are helping us by getting the personal details of each child, and we will be looking at the most needy children that we will be able to raise in these Local Church Children’s Facilities. We still have several steps to complete before we start the facilities; and as we visit the orphans in their homes over the next few months, it will give us time to know the most pressing needs and to train those who will care for them at each of the churches. Please pray for us and for the local leaders in these churches to use Godly wisdom in making the needed decisions in the weeks and months ahead.

We will be updating the “Orphan Care Ministry” with pictures and details about the children on our website, when we receive the information. Please visit our website (www.shelbysinkenya.org or www.shelbysinkenya.com) and pray for these children to receive the help that they so desperately need. God bless you.

For Souls in Kenya
Luke and Tonya Shelby
Missionaries in Kenya

Orphan Ministry Update!

God has given us a vision and an opportunity to help orphans around each of the local Independent Baptist Churches that He has allowed us to get established in the Nyanza Province of Kenya.

When we left Kenya to begin our furlough in the United States, we did not tell the Kenyan people about what God was laying on our hearts.  We wanted to pray about it more and make sure that we were following the Lord’s leading and not our own desires in this matter.  So, when we returned to Kenya 5 1/2 weeks ago, we felt that it was time to share our vision with each of our Kenyan Pastors as well.

During our first meeting, which we held in order to share our vision, to set up a committee, and to put some strict guidelines in place went very well.  As a matter of fact, we found out that the Lord has been dealing with some of the Pastors about working with orphans as well!  One, Pastor Samuel Buluku, took it upon himself, his family, and his church to start a small orphanage at their church - that was half way through our furlough, and he had no idea what we were wanting to do.  He and his wife are acting as parents to 15 orphaned children already!  Isn’t it amazing when you can see God’s unmistakeable hand moving and working in the hearts of people! 

Now Pastor Buluku and his church have not had an easy time, but they have tried their best to take care of these children.  This church is in the village of Thidhia in the southern part of Nyanza Province, and it is an area where the majority of the people are living below the poverty level.  But seeing what they are trying to do, makes you stop and wonder what might be possible if some of God’s people (who do have some resources at their disposal) get a hold of this vision and help by supporting it financially on a monthly basis!  It reminds me of the “widow’s mite” in the Bible - she gave everything she had to the Lord.  Well, that is what this Pastor and his family are doing too.  They are struggling to make ends meet on a day to day basis, but they know that they are taking care of God’s children. 

You might be asking yourself right now, “How can I help orphans who are half way around the world, people I have never and might never meet?”  Well, there are a few  ways that you can help:

- You can pray for Pastor Buluku & his church as they continue helping as they can.
- You can pray that we can start similar projects at our other churches & that the other Kenyan Pastors will claim this vision for their areas too.
- You can donate a one time monetary gift to help these children.
- You can support these children on a monthly basis:
$15 - allows us to take a small care package to each child monthly.
$30 - allows us to give full support in a home setting like Pastor Buluku has implemented.

If you are going to pray for this ministry, please send us an email (click here) to let us know of your prayers for these children.  If you would like to donate, please click on the “Donate” button below (you will be taken to BIMI’s secure paypal site - all donations will receive a tax deductible receipt).

Thank you for your Prayers & Support!

How you can help.

You can help by supporting this ministry on a monthly, bimonthly, quarterly, or yearly basis.

The money that you donate will be able to provide a better life for each of the orphans in our care and the care of each of our local churches.
   
-$15.00 per month provides a monthly care package to one orphan; and it will contain basic food items, general hygiene items, a mosquito net, blanket, and other miscellaneous items.

-$30.00 per month will provide full support for one orphan living in one of our local church facilities.

-$1,500 given as a one time gift, will provide the facility (the building, the furnishings, a well, and other necessities).

You can make donations by check or online.  If paying by check, please send checks payable to Baptist International Missions, Inc. (BIMI) account #1107 (with Orphan Care written on the memo line), P.O. Box 9215, Chattanooga, TN  37412.  Or you if you choose to pay online, then please click on the button below; and you will be taken to BIMI’s secure paypal site (it will be posted to Luke Shelby Family - Orphan Care account).