Dear Supporters, Praying Friends and Family,
Greetings from Kenya! Thank you for your faithful prayers and support for our family and ministry in Kenya. We had a good time visiting with other missionaries for the 4th of July. God bless America!!!
Orphan Ministry:
We are currently using much more money to help meet the needs of the children than we have coming in. We have received gifts and one time offering gifts for the orphan ministry, but it is not enough to take care of the feeding program that we have in two different locations for over 50 children. There are 13 boys between the ages of 8-17 that we are taking care of at our orphanage in the village of Sidundo. Currently, we are using over $500 monthly for the basic feeding program and for the running of the orphanage; and we have paid almost $300 in school fees for a few of the older children, that we have been able to help during the first half of this year. At this time, we have less than $200 coming in on a monthly basis for this ministry, and this is causing us to cut back in some of our other ministry areas. Please pray with us that the Lord will send in the needed funds for this ministry.
Visiting Some of Our Churches:
We were able to visit some of our churches in April and May. We have one church in the village of Nyarenda that has a preaching point about an hours walk from the church, and several people are coming from all that way every week. We are planning to open a new church there in a few months. The rains have caused flooding through most areas of the country and in low lying areas next to rivers as they flow into Lake Victoria. Here is a picture of our church in the village of Sidundo. They had to meet under a nearby tree for three weeks before the water subsided. But the church continued well with an average attendance between 80-90.
Faith Baptist Church in the village of Erandi is also doing well; but we are praying for the men to be faithful, and to help Pastor Livinacs in leading the church so that it can grow. We will be planning a meeting to encourage this church soon. Please continue to pray for each of the churches under our ministry.
Calvary Baptist Church in Kisii has been doing very well with their giving (this is an area where 90% of the people are making under $50 per month). Since January, the offerings have been averaging over $250 per month. They have begun raising money to build a church building of 50ft. by 35ft. It will seat 200 people, and the existing building will be divided up into Sunday school classrooms. The total cost of the project will be $12,000. We have agreed to share the costs of this project with the church; sister churches and Calvary Baptist Church will work together to raise half of it, and then we would provide the remaining half. The church has raised $1,100 already towards this project, and they are trying to raise the rest of their part through the course of this year. We need your help to raise the remaining amount of $6,000 by the end of the year. We would like to be able to begin construction in early 2014.
Serving Him in Kenya,
Luke & Tonya Shelby
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