New Church Starting Soon and Other News..

July - September 2022 

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Hello from Kisumu, Kenya.  We have had a very busy summer schedule, and we praise the Lord for all that He allowed us to do.  We were able to visit our daughter, Abigail, and her husband, Robert, as they welcomed our first grand baby to their family, Andrew Allen Cepec, on June 23rd. We were able to spend some good time with them as they were transitioning to being on the full-time deputation.  Tonya was able to be with Abigail in the hospital when the baby was born.  That was a real blessing for both of them.  Thank you for your continued prayers for all of our family.   Robert and Abigail are on their way to Guyana, and they have reached around 20% of their support.

Please remember Breanne and Jeremy in your prayers, as they are about to have their first winter out in the village of Hatgal, Mongolia in their new house.  

Also while in the States, I visited a Chiropractor and Orthopedic doctor concerning issues I have been dealing with around my hip over the last year.  After a few visits it was concluded that as a result of arthritis and other issues I was in need of a full hip replacement.  We were not able to stay in the USA for the 3 month recovery at this point, so we are scheduling the surgery for our furlough planned for next year.  Please pray that I can manage the discomfort and try to keep going with as much of the ministry schedule as I can over the next 6-8 months before we begin furlough.

Bible Study in Nyamasaria, Kisumu

The outreach for the Bible Study has been going very well in several areas.  We have a small rented building ready to start the new church, Hope Baptist Church, on October 30th.  Please pray for this date as well as the preparation time leading up to it.  The Smith’s have been a big blessing in helping in areas that I could not do because of my traveling, college schedule, and ministries in other cities.  Many have been saved and discipled in the past few months, and we are meeting with over 30 adults in 3 different locations on a weekly basis. 

Building project 
We have started helping Calvary Baptist Church in the village of Sidundo build their permanent
church building.  They are raising funds for the bricks and mortar, and we will come along beside them and match their offerings in building this building.  Please pray for them and the work to be able to be completed in God’s timing. 

Peaceful Elections
We thank the Lord that there was peace throughout the month of August and the election process, and there was not much disruption of ministry activities throughout the month.  Kisumu is usually a problem area during the time of elections; but other than just a few days, the roads were clear and there was not problem getting the things done that we needed to.  We did take precautions and helped the other new missionaries here know what to do if there was a serious problem, but we are thankful that there was not, and we know that this was because you were praying for us.  Thank you very much for your prayers for our family and ministries in Kenya!

For Souls in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby Family

Kenya Update & our New Work in Kisumu update

Thank you so much for praying for peace in Kenya! We serve a mighty God & other than those 2 days, we have seen peace throughout Kenya.

Is it all over?? Well, no, the opposition says they don’t except the election results & are planning to take their petition to the Supreme Court tomorrow. Then the court will either choose to hear their petition, which means 14 days of waiting for another announcement. Or they can say the petition doesn’t provide proof enough to warrant a court case, in which case the the Presidential inauguration will take place on August 30th.

In either of these rulings, one side or the other will be upset. So, please continue praying for peace to be seen throughout the whole country. We know God is able.

Ministry update:

The Bible study in Kisumu, is really beginning to take off & we are seeing people saved each week! We have the main Bible study & children’s class under a mango tree every Sunday morning, a ladies Bible study on Sunday afternoons, & 3 in-home Bible studies throughout the week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Fridays, plus we are targeting different areas of the Nyamasaria region of Kisumu town for canvassing on Saturdays. Needless to say…but life is definitely busy!

Today we had 19-20 adults present, & a lady the was led to the Lord yesterday on visitation came & brought her husband with her! He was so attentive during the lesson & stayed afterwards with questions & he got saved as well. Then while the ladies were meeting this afternoon, the men went to make a few follow up visits & this brand new Christian asked to go with them. When he saw what they were telling people he asked if they could make another stop. So they did & it was at his work place & he went & gave his co-workers tracts & told them about the Bible study & that they needed to come learn more like he did! He said he would make sure that some of them come with him & his wife next week. It doesn’t get much better than that! God I’d so very good to us & it so awesome to see HIM working in the life of these new Christians.

Please keep the Nyamasaria area of Kisumu in your prayers.

Please pray for peace!

Please pray for peace!

It’s been a long week of waiting for presidential results & that was announced this evening. It was such a close race & the candidate that has tried for the 5th time lost again.

This time around we live & work in Kisumu, & our hearts were breaking for the people here as we saw the black smoke (from burning tires blocking the roads) of protests beginning to go up & could hear the cries (wails) of people who feel like they have lost so much. From our home up on the hill, we can see all of town & could see the smoke spreading from one roundabout to the next for as far as our eyes could see.

We have been in contact with the other missionaries on our team & the Kenyans that attend our Bible studies, & everyone is safe tonight. But we would greatly appreciate your prayers over the coming days.

By nightfall, the police were trying to disperse the crowds & we could hear them firing teargas canisters & are still hearing an occasional shot.

Pray for Kenya

Please Pray for Kenya!

We would like to ask everyone to please pray for Kenya. Elections will take place tomorrow & we would like you to pray that it will be a peaceful process.

It could be days, weeks, or months before we know who will be the next president, & that can cause even more frustration & unease for everyone living here.

There have already been some isolated cases of vehicles being torched in different parts of Kenya. We are safe, stocked up on supplies, & are ready to wait out the next few days & would greatly appreciate your prayers for peace & safety countrywide.

Bible Study in Nyamasaria, Kisumu and Summer Update

April - June 2022 

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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

One year ago this weekend...

 One year ago this weekend...

It's hard to believe that a full year has gone by! So many of you were staying tuned for the next little bit of news as Luke & a group of our Pastors went to the town of Narok to start our very first church plant in the Maasai area.

Berea Baptist Church started 1 year ago & will be celebrating their first Anniversary tomorrow! We are so excited for this young church & what the Lord is doing among the Maasai.

Also 1 year ago on the same trip to start this church, Luke & 1/2 of the Pastors went deep into the Maasai region and a Bible study was started there as well, which grew enough & was ready to become a church about 6 months later.

God has been so very good to us, and we are so very thankful to be able to serve Him here in Kenya!

Please pray for Berea Baptist Church of Narok Town & that they will continue to be a light to the Maasai.

To read the original posts you can go here and start --> The Beginning of a New Church - Part 1

Children's Crusade in Kericho Town

We were excited to assist Bro. Matthew Rose and his family as they had a children’s crusade in
Nyagacho Saturday afternoon. Fellow missionary, Bro. David Smith, also went with us to help the Rose Family. The Gospel was clearly preached, and each person received a Gospel tract and an invitation to the Rose's Bible study on Sunday.

80 children attended the children’s crusade in Nyagacho today. The rain cut our program short and kept the adults away. But each child heard the Bible story and received a Swahili Gospel tract written especially for kids. Thank you for your prayers.

We know that God will use the events of today to help the Rose Family reach this area of Kericho.

Please pray with us that God would open the hearts of the people to the truth of the Gospel in Kericho Town.

Blessings for the New Year of 2022

January 2022 

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Dear Prayer Partners, Supporters, and Family,

Happy New Year! We are excited about the opportunities that we see the Lord opening up for His work here in Kenya.  We are also excited about what the Lord is doing in our children’s families, what the Lord has enabled them to accomplish in 2021 as we shared last month, and what God has in store for them in this new year.  We have seen last year as a year of opportunities to minister and make up for lost time during the Covid lockdowns.  We thank the Lord for His guidance and direction.

Church Planting (2 Churches started)

In April, Berean Bible Baptist Church opened in Narok town; and in August, Bible Baptist Church in Oltepesi village was started.  Narok town is the largest Maasai town in Kenya and is of great influence to the surrounding areas.  This has opened up the Maasai community to us like it has never done before.  We have tried in three different areas before, but there were always hindrances to getting a church established.  We are thankful for what God has done. 

Building Projects & Special Offerings $34,950

• Bible Baptist - Rongo: floor, plastering walls, painting, wiring, electricity, inside doors, etc. 
• Bible College: dorm divisions, and bunk beds.
• Agape Bible Baptist: floor, walls, and Sunday school room. 
• Raganga Baptist: sound system.
• Calvary Baptist: finishing parsonage for the pastor, storage rooms, and painting. 
• Special Orphan Christmas gifts.
• Calvary Baptist Church - Sidundo: building approval process started and some materials already brought the the site.

South Nyanza Baptist College (over 80 enrolled)

Local Church Bible College branches helped the students continue to study during the time of corona virus. Even though they shut down churches, they kept schools, colleges, and universities open.  We kept the Bible College running with the help of 10 faithful pastors, scattered out in the region, who had classes for their members and from surrounding churches. Classes were taking place on Saturdays, Sunday afternoons, and even the middle of the week in some places.  We had over 80 in classes at one point, and 74 finished the year with their final exams.  We thank the Lord for this kind of retention of students throughout the year.  We were able to finish the year with a conference for two thirds of the students who were able to travel to Kisii.  We also held a graduation for 14 students in our 3-year diploma course.

2,605 Saved - Praise the Lord!!!

Through the ministries in these local Independent Baptist Churches, we have seen a great number of people saved in home Bible studies, church services, weekly soul-winning, and evangelistic outreach while starting the two churches.  God is so good!  We also saw at least 8 College students saved as well.

Thank you for partnering with us in the planting and in the harvest of 2021.  May God bless you in 2022!

For Souls in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby Family