April - June 2022
Dear Prayer Partners, Supporters, and Family,
Hello from the Shelby Family. It seems like just yesterday that 2022 began, and now it is half way over. Our class schedule has been extremely busy. Plus we have been helping the David Smith family as they first came into the country, did some language studies at a language school, and have now moved to Kisumu and are getting settled here. I have continued to teach at 3 of the college branches every week and a fourth one at the end of each month. I drive a minimum of 10 hours during normal weeks just for these classes. It has been difficult to get everything done in the office that is needed when there are also extra needs that must be attended to with the churches here. We thank the Lord for the many open doors for ministering, and thank the Lord for the much needed help as we now two other families and a single lady helping us in our ministries in our region of Kenya.
I want to apologize for the lateness of this letter, and to thank you for your understanding and patience in hearing from us. We thank you so much for your prayers for our family, your interest in what we are doing, and your care of support for our family and ministry.
Our son, Caleb, and my Mom have been able to visit Kenya for 5 weeks, and it has been a blessing to have them with us. Caleb has preached several times, and he has been mixing in the Swahili that he remembers and has been doing a very good job. He will begin his 4th year of Bible college in the fall, and he has a desire to go to Israel as a missionary. Please pray for God to open doors for him in the coming years.
Bible Study in Nyamasaria, Kisumu
We are encouraged by the work that is going on here in Kisumu in planting a new church. The
Bible study was meeting in the home of one of our students, Edward Oloo, who is helping me learn the Luo language. It started in May 2021, then moved to a small unfinished room, and now they have been meeting under the shade of a mango tree for almost two months. There were 49 including the children under other trees in the back. Several have been saved this year already, and it was a blessing to visit with them for two weeks last month. Bro. David Smith is helping with this work now, under our leadership, as he is getting settled into the culture and Swahili language. Also please pray for Edward and his wife, Mary, as the Lord has blessed them with their first child, Jonathan.
A couple of projects, that we failed to mention in our last letter, were completed last year is an iron sheet building in Narok when Berea Baptist Church began in April 2021, and another building for the church in the Maasai Village of Oltepesi. Both works are going well, and we are thankful to the Lord at how they are progressing.
For Souls in Kenya,
Luke & Tonya Shelby Family
