God’s Work in Kenya: Tumaini Baptist Church Opening, Outreach Success, and Family Blessings

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Dear Prayer Partners and Friends,               May-July 2025

Greetings from Kenya! We hope this letter finds you well. We would like to begin by offering our sincere apologies for the delay in sending out this update. Many of you were expecting our letter in May, and we deeply regret the oversight. During this time, Tonya traveled to the U.S. to be with Abigail for the birth of our second grandchild, while I spent time in the Maasai area with limited internet access, which caused some delay in sending this out. We appreciate your patience and are excited to finally share what God has been doing in our lives and ministry!

Family Update – A New Blessing
We are overjoyed to announce the birth of our second grandbaby, Nathan Cepec, born on May 25th, just a few days after Tonya was able to travel to the U.S. to be with Abigail and her family. Nathan was born four weeks early and required oxygen for the first 12 hours. But we are thrilled to report that he is doing wonderfully now! Abigail is recovering well, and they are just waiting on Nathan’s passport before returning to Guyana. We are thankful for the Lord’s timing and guidance during this special time for our family.

Church Updates:
We are Excited  to report that a NEW CHURCH, Tumaini (Hope) Independent Baptist Church in Kipkirui, officially opened on May 4th, with over 80 in attendance. This event was made possible through the combined efforts of 6 local churches in the area. In the weeks leading up to the opening, we were able to finalize the land and property details with the local community and the government. We built the church building, and on the opening day, we dedicated both the land and the building. It has been such a blessing to see the men and church members we have trained step up to take ownership of this new work. We are excited about the future of Tumaini Baptist Church, and as we continue to work together as a team, we trust God to enable us to accomplish great things for His glory.

In Siaya, we are making progress on the building project. The county government approved our request to move the remaining structures from the previous site, and we have transported some of the materials to the new location. Our next step is to complete the church building. Once finished, we will set up rooms in the existing structure to house children in the orphanage. We also had a successful Youth Rally at the end of June with 40 in attendance!

In Ilkerin, we have completed the church building for Nkirukoto (Faith) Baptist Church. The process took longer than expected as we waited for the land to be officially processed, but the paperwork is now in place. The church members have been working hard to clear the land and get things ready for future projects. We have built a 20 x 40 ft. church and will begin the fencing soon. We are also excited to announce that we plan to open a branch of our Bible college in Ilkerin in January, with a focus on addressing literacy needs and using a simpler approach to teach the Word of God. There are so many open doors in this area, and we are eager to reach the Maasai people and beyond. We are planning a  Thanksgiving Service on August 24th to honor the community and its leaders for donating the land to Nkirukoto (Faith) Baptist Church. This will be an opportunity for us to thank God for His provision and for the local leaders who have partnered with us in the ministry. Please pray that this event will lead to greater community engagement and a deeper impact in the Maasai region.

In Narok, we have the opportunity to purchase the land where Berea Independent Baptist Church is located. The land has been leased for the past few years, but the owner has now offered to sell it to us for just $3,800. The church has already built on this land, so no further construction is needed, but we must cover the process fees with the government. We need to raise $4,500 to complete this purchase, which will secure the land for the church's future.

In Raganga, at Raganga Independent Baptist Church, we held a powerful crusade that included showing the Jesus Film and a week of door-to-door visitation. Five local churches came together to support the event, and 14 of our Bible college students participated in a full week of soul-winning. By God’s grace, 55 people made decisions to trust in Christ for their salvation throughout the week. Additionally, we hosted a Youth Rally, further encouraging the next generation in their walk with the Lord.

Thank You for Your Continued Support!
We are incredibly grateful for your prayers, encouragement, and financial support. Your partnership with us in spreading the Gospel is what makes all of this possible. We could not be here or accomplish all that God is doing without your faithful prayers and support. As we continue with the work here, we ask for your continued prayers, especially for the new churches and ministries we are starting, as well as for Tonya’s health and continued recovery. Thank you for being such an important part of God’s work in Kenya!

May God richly bless you as you continue to serve Him.

In Christ’s Service,

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
• Purchasing the land for Berea Independent Baptist Church ($4,500)
• Fencing at Nkirukoto (Faith) Baptist Church in Ilkerin and Tumaini (Hope) Baptist Church in Kipkirui ($1,000)

Please use the KENYA LEGACY FUND 

account #501 for these projects. 

Thank you!

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

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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!