September - November 2020
Thank you for your prayers and support for our family through the difficulties of the corona virus lockdowns. We were able to all come to the States for a short furlough for the wedding of our second daughter, Breanne. We will be in the states until after Thanksgiving, which is my Mom’s favorite time of the year. It will be a blessing to share this time with all or our family together for maybe the last time in several years.
As some of you may remember, my Dad went home to be with the Lord in June, while we were locked down in Kenya. It was a very trying time for us as we also missed our oldest daughter’s wedding in person a few weeks earlier. We were encouraged by several people and the Word of God. These words, “And we know that ALL THINGS work together for good” and “HIS GRACE is sufficient” are so powerful in times like these. Looking back at so many things that took place this year in many of our lives, it is evident that God has always been at work in all of the events of 2020. I keep asking myself this question, “How can something so difficult, become so easy to handle?” The answer is in those verses that GOD’S WILL and GOD’S GRACE make “ALL THINGS POSSIBLE” and all things bearable as well.
Wedding for Jeremy and Breanne Martin
It was a really special day for Breanne and Jeremy on October 24th; a special time that we had together in the weeks leading up to the wedding as we got to know Jeremy, got to spend time with Breanne, and got to see the love that they have for each other. We have also been able to spend time with Abigail and Robert and hear about the special times that we missed during their wedding. I am thankful to the Lord for His help in raising up these young ladies to have a desire to serve the Lord and stay pure. And at the same time God’s leading these young men of God to follow His will, and through His providence putting them together in a way that we can only say that God was in charge of all of it. Only God could arrange things the way that they have come about.
Jeremy and Breanne Martin will be heading to Mongolia in May of 2021. Pray that the country’s borders open back up soon after the Corona virus lockdowns.
Robert and Abigail Cepec will be starting deputation to the field of Guyana after they work for a year of Internship at our home church in Arkansas.
RE-OPENING IN KENYA
Kenya is continuing to reopen with church services requiring masks and social distancing, but most of the activities in open air markets are returning to normal. Schools have cautiously reopened in October, with the older students first, but all should be heading back to school by January. Our Bible College is continuing well in 7 different local churches. The pastors there are doing a great job, and we are looking forward to bringing them all to Kisii for a Conference in December, as they take their final exams together after we return to Kenya.
We are excited about the new year and what it will bring. I believe that this year has made the faithful men and women in our churches much stronger in their dependance on the Lord. I believe that God will open up many doors and that there will be an expansion of our ministry in the area of Church Planting and training through our Bible College in 2021. We continually thank the Lord for your faithfulness. God bless you.
For Souls in Kenya,
Luke and Tonya Shelby
