Building Legacies, Transforming Lives: Our Vision for Kenya 🌍✨

 

Dear Prayer Supporters and Friends, February 2024

We are already blessed with the New Year and new plans for our ministries in Kenya. This letter looks forward to those plans in the years to come, broadening our focus in the work that He has called us to do in Kenya. We will be heading back to Kenya on February 13th as empty nesters and covet your prayers for our family and continuing ministry.

Here are some specific prayer requests as we begin on the next phase of our work in Kenya:

1. CHURCH PLANTING: Initiating the establishment of 3 new churches that have been in the planning stages during our time in the states.

2. EDUCATIONAL EXPANSION: Expanding our Bible College classes for young people and pastoral classes, welcoming around 20 more students into our programs.

3. INTERNSHIP PROGRAM: We desire to influence, train, and develop young people into the next generation of missionaries in Africa. Over our 25 years in Kenya, we have witnessed the population more than double, and there's a projection that most African countries will double again by 2050. Recognizing this, we feel a responsibility to play our part in preparing missionaries for the next generations of lost souls. The growing need for missionaries in the harvest fields of Africa encourages us to launch an Internship Program for Bible College Missions students. This program aims to integrate a student's internship with their home church alongside a 1-3 month internship in Kenya, to enhance their success on deputation and in their initial years on the field.

4. KENYA LEGACY FUND #501: The need to acquire land and build church buildings for our ministries in Kenya is becoming more pressing as our ministry is starting new churches at an accelerated pace. Approximately 12 projects require attention and focus over the next several years. Drawing inspiration from Joshua 22, where tribes on the eastern side of Jordan built an altar as a witness of unity between them and the other tribes so that the generations to come would know that they were one people, and due to the amount of money that is used during land purchase and building church buildings, we have been advised to establish the KENYA LEGACY FUND #501 at BMI for these endeavors. If your church wishes to contribute to these building projects, kindly use this account to help us avoid personal tax accounting issues.

Here are a few initial projects that we will address upon returning to the field, with most costs becoming clear as we assess the situation:

1. Bible College Dormitory Building (1st phase $5,000)

2. Temporary buildings or rent for the new churches.

3. Purchasing or leasing land for churches where needed.

For those interested in contributing more than $1,000 towards a project, please use the new account number (#501). Any questions about the projects can be directed to me via email, and I'll provide an updated list and address any inquiries. Thank you for your unwavering love for the Lord, our family, and for your dedication to serving Him.

For Souls in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby Missionaries in Kenya 

Celebrating Milestones and Spreading Joy: Our Missionary Adventures in Kenya 🌍✨

Dear Prayer Supporters and Friends,                                                  January 2024

Happy New Year to all of you! We pray that God will fill this year with His goodness in your lives.

We are so thankful for all the incredible experiences that God has blessed us to be part of in 2023, especially the moments spent with our family during the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holiday. Your support and prayers have been a source of strength for us.

Exciting updates include our son-in-law, Robert Cepec, daughter, Abigail, and our first grandson moving to the field of Guyana this week to start their ministry.  Your prayers for them mean the world to us, and we appreciate you for the adding them to your missionary families for support.  

In December, I had privilege of returning to Kenya, reconnecting with our pastors, students, and church members. We celebrated the graduation of 29 studunts during the 4 graduation ceremonies, and we are excited for what the Lord has in store for 2024.  Already, 26 new students are starting classes this month, with more expected to join by the end of January.  

Several men from our ministry are moving into new areas to begin new ministries, and recent graduates are now stepping into leadership roles.  Please join us in praying for Edward, now ministering in his home area, and Samuel, who moved to the Maasai villages to help the church and the Bible Studies that have been started recently.

Heartfelt thanks for the generous Christmas gifts that we have received. God has faithfully met every need mentioned in our letters and prayers. We are grateful for additional churches commiting to support us and our ministries in Kenya.  Your contributions remind us of Paul’s words, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  God is abundantly good, surpassing our expectations!  Thank you so much for everything that you do for Him!

During our time in the USA, God has continued to work in Kenya with 1,843 souls accepting Christ and 207 baptized, according to reports from our pastors and their ministries.

Please lift up prayers for the planning and setup of the new Internship Program, aiming to guide USA Bible college students and those called to preach the Gospel in Africa.  Our desire and vision is to influence the next generation of laborers for the harvest fields in Africa.

Thank you sincerely for the love you have shown to our family during this furlough, and for your Christmas offerings.

For Souls in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby

Missionaries in Kenya