Ministry Updates: New Church Projects, Feeding Program, and Prayer Requests

 March 2025

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Greetings from the hot shores of Lake Victoria, Kenya!

We are thankful for your continued prayers and support as we navigate some challenges and experience God’s direction. Recently, Tonya underwent some blood tests here, and the doctor says that she has "long Covid." The symptoms resemble her COPD but are causing more fatigue than usual and has weakened her heart. We are thankful that God has given us some clarity in her health, and we’re in the process of moving to a more suitable single-level house to help with her recovery and daily needs. Please continue to keep her in your prayers as we seek God's guidance and strength during this time.

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Calvary Baptist - Uwasi

We are pleased to report that electricity has now been installed at the church, thanks to the generous offerings we’ve received. We’ve also received additional funds for the orphanage, and the supplies will be arriving this week to help the children start living on the compound. It’s a great blessing to see this progress.

The church building project continues to move forward as well. The church members are actively making bricks to finish the building. Despite facing many challenges in the community, this faithful group of believers has remained committed to seeing the work of the Lord continue. They are also making important decisions regarding the organization of the church, one of which is choosing one of their own to lead the congregation. I will be working closely with him, mentoring him to become the future pastor of the church. Please pray for James Nyandimo as he steps into this important role.

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Building Program

We are thrilled to share that we have received $5,700 toward the construction of two new church buildings in Ilikerin and Kipkirui. In Ilikerin, we are still waiting for the rains to stop and for access to the plot to be cleared before we can begin building. We are moving forward with Kipkirui and are collaborating with other pastors and churches in the area to start the construction.

Last week, I visited a neighboring village where we witnessed two souls saved, including Dorca, a blind woman who prayed with her face lifted to Heaven, asking Jesus to save her. It was a powerful moment, and I could only imagine her joy and the clarity she must have felt, envisioning the face of Jesus as she received Him into her heart. What a glorious day it will be when we see His face!

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Feeding Program

Thanks to a church in North Carolina, we were able to start a feeding program in Kisii through Calvary
Baptist Church in January. This program is serving needy church members, as well as their families and neighbors. We have been able to provide food packets to 9 families, with each packet costing about $40.

Please pray for this ministry as it continues to impact the community and reach souls for Christ. Calvary Baptist Church in Kisii is currently the pilot church for this program, and we hope to expand it to other churches once we have a routine and guidelines in place.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers, encouragement, and financial support. God is using you to accomplish amazing things here in Kenya, and we are so blessed to serve alongside you in this ministry. Please continue to pray for our health, the building projects, the ministries, and the many souls being reached through these efforts.

May God richly bless you,
Luke & Tonya Shelby
Your Missionaries in Kenya

Faith in Action: New Churches, Lives Transformed, and Prayer Needs from Kenya

Printable (PDF) Version HERE

Greetings from the hot shores of Lake Victoria, Kenya! We have experienced temperatures over 130°F during the past few weeks, with only a few refreshing showers to cool things down. Despite the intense heat, the fall season has been full of blessings and progress. Our Bible College graduated 13 students, and we hosted Olympic Youth Camp in Kisii (you can watch a recap video HERE). Apologies for the delay in sending this update, but we are grateful for your ongoing prayers and support.

Thank you for praying for Tonya. Her medical trip to Little Rock, AR, in November went well, and she received the necessary infusions. She is feeling some improvement, though she still struggles with low energy, especially in the heat. Please continue to keep her in your prayers as she continues her recovery.

Bible College Update:

Our Bible college has opened its doors for the new year with over 50 new students, bringing our current enrollment to over 115 students across the Certificate, Diploma, and Pastoral programs. We are excited to see God’s work in the lives of these students, and we will provide a more detailed update next month once I’ve visited all 10 branches and completed the first month of classes.

Calvary Baptist Church in Uwasi & Orphanage Update:

The Lord has been blessing Calvary Baptist with consistent attendance, and we are getting closer to housing a few boys at the orphanage. Some of the existing buildings on the property are being updated to accommodate them, and we expect to have them sleeping there next week. We have also been working closely with the church to finalize the selection of a new pastor. I have been guiding the leadership and preparing one of the men to take on more responsibilities, and getting closer for us to step away as they begin to operate everything on their own. There have been several funerals in the church over the last two months, which has affected some of our plans, but we are pressing forward.

We are not currently in need of additional funds for the building project, but we do need to raise around $500 to bring electricity to the compound. Thank you for your prayers and support as we continue to serve the children and the community here.

Maasai - Nkirukoto (Faith) Baptist Church in Ilkerin:

On November 17, we officially started our 34th church in the village of Ilkerin! The week of visitation and soul-winning was fruitful, with 90 souls saved. We had four baptisms on Sunday, and several others are ready for baptism as well. The Maasai people can be slow to commit due to a lack of education, but once they make a decision, they are incredibly faithful. We had over 35 people attend the first service, including many children.

During our visitation, we walked through fields with wildebeests, ostriches, and impala, and we even passed through a forest where elephants roam daily. At night, we could hear the hyenas from up the hill where we were sleeping. While the challenges are great, the opportunities are even greater. We would not trade this experience for anything.

Unfortunately, we were not able to build the church during our last visit, as we are still waiting for the county surveyors to complete their work. We have a plot number, but we have not received a map to locate it within the village. Once the land process is completed, we plan to begin fencing and building the temporary structure as soon as the rains subside in March and April. The cost for the fencing and building will be between $3,000-$4,000. As Ilkerin is far from major towns, materials and food costs are much higher.

Tumaini (Hope) Baptist Church in Kipkirui:

We are excited to announce that our next church plant will be in Kipkirui. The land process will be completed next week, and we will begin fencing and building the temporary structure this month. We do not have a set date yet, but the Bible study group has already chosen the name “Tumaini” (Hope) for their church. This church will be led by one of our students, Marsden Chahenza, who is doing a great job. We are praying for the remaining $2,500 to complete this project in the next month.

As always, we are deeply grateful for your prayers and support. Without you, we could not do the work God has called us to in Kenya. We are seeing lives transformed, souls saved, and churches established because of your partnership in this ministry. Please continue to pray for our family, the Bible college students, and the church plants across our region of Kenya.

May God richly bless you,

Luke & Tonya Shelby

Your Missionaries in Kenya

Prayer Requests:

• Tonya’s health
• Bible College
• Laborers for the harvest
• Leadership transition at Calvary Baptist Church in Uwasi
• Electricity for the Church and orphanage ($500)
• Fencing and church building in Ilkerin ($3,000-$4,000)
• Tumaini Baptist Church plant in Kipkirui project ($2,500)

Please use the KENYA LEGACY FUND account #501 for these projects. 

Thank you!