New Church Plant in Ilikerin Maasai Village: Faith, Walks, and New Believers

Nkirukoto Baptist Church: A New Beginning in Ilikerin Maasai Village

This week has been a truly exciting and exhausting week of ministry here in Ilikerin Maasai village. We have spent countless hours walking—sometimes through the homesteads and sometimes across quiet roads, with the incredible sight of wildebeest grazing in the distance! Every day, we’ve walked, visited, and shared the Gospel with people eager to hear the good news of Christ.

So far, we have seen 63 individuals come to Christ. It’s amazing how the Lord is moving in this community, and we still have more outreach to complete tomorrow as we follow up with others we've met along the way. Market day tomorrow will be another opportunity to meet even more people, engage in conversations, and invite them into God's family.

One particularly special moment happened a few days ago when a young man came to the house where we are staying. After hearing the message, he accepted Christ and went back home to share the news with his family. Today, his mother and brother came to church and both accepted Christ as their Savior! We’ve been invited to visit them tomorrow morning and meet the rest of the family. Praise God for the power of one person's testimony!

In a beautiful show of unity, the people of Ilikerin have chosen the name Nkirukoto Baptist Church—Nkirukoto meaning "Faith" in the Maasai language. Today, we held the first official service for the church, and it was a beautiful day full of excitement and joy. We had four baptisms, many visitors, and even more souls saved.

The work in Ilikerin has only just begun, but already we are seeing the fruit of faithful laborers and eager hearts. Please continue to pray for the growth of Nkirukoto Baptist Church, for the new believers to grow in their faith, and for the ongoing outreach in the surrounding villages.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We are grateful for each of you who is walking this journey with us. God is doing incredible things here, and we are blessed to be a part of it!

Stay tuned for more updates from Ilikerin, and may God bless you abundantly.

#NkirukotoBaptistChurch #FaithInAction #MissionsInKenya #WalkingByFaith #NewBelievers #ChurchPlanting

Faith in Action: Exciting Ministry Updates, New Outreach Opportunities, and Building Progress in Kenya

Dear Prayer Supporters and Friends,                                      August - October 2024

We are filled with gratitude for the Lord’s guidance and protection over our family. Please keep Tonya in your prayers as she prepares for more medical treatments in Little Rock, AR during November.
We are incredibly thankful for the faithful pastors assisting us in teaching at our Bible college, which spans across 8 different churches. These churches are actively reaching out to 15 other villages that currently lack a church, training our students to engage in soul-winning and visitation in their home areas. We are thrilled to report that nearly 1,000 souls have been saved over the past few months—a testament to the goodness of the Lord and to the hard work of these pastors and students.

Calvary Baptist Church in Uwasi and Orphanage Update

We are excited to share that we are getting closer to housing a few of the boys on the property as we update some of the existing buildings. The church is also in the process of selecting a new pastor, following the previous pastor's departure when the church relocated. I have been guiding them and preparing one of the leaders to take on these responsibilities. Three men have stepped up to assist in various areas, and we currently do not need additional funds for the building project. The church is raising funds for materials, and we will schedule workdays to continue the progress. Thank you for your ongoing prayers for this ministry.

Maasai - Oltepesi Land Fencing & New Church Starting SOON in Ilkerin
We are pleased to announce that we have completed the fencing of the 2.5-acre plot generously given to us by the community. The Lord is opening many doors for the Gospel in the surrounding villages. During our last visit, we walked 8 kilometers to the village of Mariti, where we preached at three different homesteads to over 25 people, leading 13 to the saving knowledge of Christ before returning. There are numerous unreached areas with significant distances between them. Please pray for laborers for His harvest in the Maasai regions. 

On November 17, we will begin the new church in the village of Ilkerin, where we will spend a week conducting evangelism and constructing a temporary structure on the land that has been provided to us. The opportunities are amazing, and we are eager to make the most of the time the Lord has given us to serve Him here in Kenya!

Outreach Meeting in Kipkirui
We will also have a follow-up outreach meeting in Kipkirui from November 1-3 (previously named Ong’adi). This area sits on the border of the Luo and Nandi tribal divisions, and land has been donated for future use. The average attendance has been around 25-30 each Sunday, and we hope to officially start the church in the coming months. Bro. Marsden is doing an excellent job, and several have been saved there. There is a rich history of a Baptist church in this area dating back to the 1980s, which has laid a solid foundation for this Bible study.

We are immensely grateful for each of you who lift our family and ministry in your prayers. Your support is invaluable, enabling us to carry out the work God has called us to do.

May God richly bless you,

Luke & Tonya Shelby
Your Missionaries in Kenya