October Prayer Letter

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Dear Prayer Partners,

Thank you for your prayers for the country of Kenya during this year of elections; it seems that the politics will just never go away. The elections were nullified by the Supreme Court on September 1st, on a technicality, with no recount of any of the votes. They are rescheduled for October 26th, with the opposition saying that they may boycott the elections, because the ruling party is trying to change election laws before the elections. We have been writing other updates and will continue to do so; keep Kenya in your prayers, and know that we (personally) have not been in any danger, but there have been riots country wide over the past 6 weeks and will continue for the foreseeable future. Thank you for your prayers.

God is blessing the ministry, and nothing had to be postponed because of insecurity of our pastors and Bible College students getting to classes. The Bible College is doing well and will have a “College Days” at the end of November, where all of the students will be together for preaching and preparation for the new year. We will close the meeting with graduation for one student on December 2nd. We have 40 students total this year in 4 different locations and schedules. We are Seeing God bless in the new church plants in the villages of Kegogi, Sibuoche, and Og’eng’a with souls being saved. We had an Family/Leadership camp with 40 men and women from about 7 churches that were able to come. It was a good time of fellowship and refreshment. And the orphanage now has solar lights, and all of the orphans are doing well.

We have prayed that God will send us laborers to help us in the work, and God is doing just that. Matthew Rose and his family started deputation in January this year, and he is doing well. They are on full time deputation, and they need your support. They will be coming to work with us for a short time as they learn the language and culture before choosing a place to start their work. Also, a young lady named Erica Bohman, who is an MK from here in Kenya has the desire to come and work with us in children ministries here in Kenya. She just started having meetings about a month ago, and she needs your prayers and support for her to be able to come to the field to assist us. We are excited about what the Lord is doing and plans to do!

Our girls, Abigail and Breanne, are also looking for the direction that God has for their lives and will be taking a missions trip to the Amazon Jungle with CAMP BIMI ’s S.M.A.R.T. Trip on May 14 - June 8, 2018. They will also need to raise their support to make this trip possible. They will be writing letters and calling churches as if they are on deputation. If you would like to assist them in any way, we know they would appreciate it. Feel free to email us if you would like more details.

For Souls in Kenya

Luke and Tonya Shelby

Update 6 - Kenyan Presidential Elections 2017

Today has been a good day! It has been calm all day pretty much country wide (as far as we have heard). We had good services in Kisii Town & have had good reports from several of our other churches. So far, Bible BC of Rongo is the only one that was not able to meet on the church property, but they met in a members home for today's services.

The opposition leader did go into the large Nairobi slums today to speak to his supporters, but unfortunately he was NOT asking them to remain calm. He told them they have the right to demonstrate their grievances & urged them to do so.

So today may have just been the calm before the storm, but our prayer is that the opposition's followers will see that peace is the only way for Kenya to go forward.

Thank you for your continued prayers!

Serving Him in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby Family
Missionaries in Kenya

Update 5 - Kenyan Presidential Elections 2017

The Kenya Red Cross has said that 24 people have been killed during the protests & 93 have been treated for injuries. A majority of these were in Kibera (a slum area in Nairobi), in Siaya, & in Kisumu.

Our church in Rongo has been directly affected as well. The Pastor called us this evening to let us know that protestors had uprooted the church's sign & had thrown it into the middle of the road to make a road block. The Pastor told us that the streets were all on fire with burning tires & other debris.

We have been in contact with many of our churches, & so far everyone is safe although there has been some minor property damage.
We are thankful to say that Kisii Town (where we live) has remained calm, & today appeared as a normal day around town; so that was good to see.

Please be in prayer for services in all the towns & villages across Kenya tomorrow.

Thank you in advance for your continued prayers.

Serving Him in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby Family
Missionaries in Kenya

Kenyan Presidential Elections 2017 - 4

There still hasn't been an announcement for president, but the electoral commission made a statement that they believed they would have all forms by tomorrow (Friday) at noon and an announcement tomorrow late in the day or Saturday. (According to the law of Kenya, they can take up to 7 days to tally the votes! Hopefully we will not be waiting that long. 😊)

Thank you in advance for your continued prayers.

Serving Him in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby Family
Missionaries in Kenya

Kenyan Presidential Elections 2017 - 3

(This was in Kisumu, 2 hours from us.)


Please pray!

Things have been heating up throughout the day today here in Kenya, and we have begun getting some reports from some of our Pastors who have churches in areas known as being hotspots during elections. And they are already starting to see some violence in their areas.

Our family is safe at this time, but we have churches and church families who will be in some unsafe situations throughout the night tonight. Kisumu, Rongo, Siaya, Homa Bay, and Migori are currently experiencing trouble.

We covet your prayers for peace in Kenya, as it seems they are still not ready to declare a winner in the elections. Thank you in advance for your continued prayers.

Serving Him in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby Family
Missionaries in Kenya

Kenyan Presidential Elections 2017 - 2

We are 1/2 way through the day of Voting, & everything seems to be going more smoothly than it ever has before (at least since we have lived in Kenya-over 18 years).

There have been a few issues here & there, but very few so far.

The actual voting process has been good, so now just to wait for the announcement of the winners of the elections. This announcement is what has caused the chaos in the past, so we continue to ask for your prayers. Thank you in advance for your continued prayers.

Serving Him in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby Family
Missionaries in Kenya

Kenyan Presidential Elections 2017 - 1

Please join us in praying for Kenya, as the country braces itself for the presidential election tomorrow.  Elections here have a history of being times of protest and unrest.  We would appreciate your prayers for each Kenyan, each missionary family serving in Kenya, and each of our churches & ministries during the coming days. Thank you in advance for your prayers. Serving Him in Kenya, Luke & Tonya Shelby Family Missionaries in Kenya

March 10, 2013 - Update/Kenyan Elections

Dear Praying Friends and Family,

Thank you to everyone who has prayed for us and for Kenya throughout this past week. It seems like everything is back to normal in Kenya for the moment. We have not had any more reports of trouble since yesterday.

The opposition party still plans to take the election matter to court, so we may still see some tense moments in the days to come. Once they take their petition to court, the court will have 14 days to make a ruling one way or the other. March 26th is the day that is scheduled for the swearing in ceremony for the new President. So the court case could cause a delay for this date.

And we are happy to report that all of our churches were able to meet for services all across our region (Nyanza) of Kenya without any problems! After talking with many people all across this region, we are hearing the same thing from all areas; the Kenyan people just want peace to prevail, and they are willing to sit back and let the court decide the entire matter. This is a great answer to prayer!

Thank you everyone for praying!

Serving Him in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby
Your Missionaries in Kenya
Numbers 6:24

March 10, 2013 - Update/Kenyan Elections

Printable Version (PDF)

Dear Praying Friends and Family,

Thank you to everyone who has prayed for us and for Kenya throughout this past week. It seems like everything is back to normal in Kenya for the moment. We have not had any more reports of trouble since yesterday.

The opposition party still plans to take the election matter to court, so we may still see some tense moments in the days to come. Once they take their petition to court, the court will have 14 days to make a ruling one way or the other. March 26th is the day that is scheduled for the swearing in ceremony for the new President. So the court case could cause a delay for this date.

And we are happy to report that all of our churches were able to meet for services all across our region (Nyanza) of Kenya without any problems! After talking with many people all across this region, we are hearing the same thing from all areas; the Kenyan people just want peace to prevail, and they are willing to sit back and let the court decide the entire matter. This is a great answer to prayer!

Thank you everyone for praying!

Serving Him in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby
Your Missionaries in Kenya
Numbers 6:24

Election Results May Elicit Strong Response - News from the US Embassy Nairobi

This is to inform U.S. citizens in Kenya that on March 9, 2013, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission declared Uhuru Kenyatta the winner of Kenya’s presidential election.  The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi has received reports of violence in Kibera, Kisumu, and Kakamega.  The police are responding; however, these demonstrations could spread or erupt elsewhere with little or no warning.  U.S. citizens should avoid crowds of all types, and are advised to avoid common gathering places and protest sites, such as downtown areas, stadiums, large parks, and slum areas.  Also, expect major traffic congestion and possible road closures.  U.S. citizens are advised to use extreme caution and monitor local media for the latest information on demonstrations and traffic disruptions.

Election Results May Elicit Strong Response - News from the US Embassy Nairobi

This is to inform U.S. citizens in Kenya that on March 9, 2013, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission declared Uhuru Kenyatta the winner of Kenya’s presidential election.  The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi has received reports of violence in Kibera, Kisumu, and Kakamega.  The police are responding; however, these demonstrations could spread or erupt elsewhere with little or no warning.  U.S. citizens should avoid crowds of all types, and are advised to avoid common gathering places and protest sites, such as downtown areas, stadiums, large parks, and slum areas.  Also, expect major traffic congestion and possible road closures.  U.S. citizens are advised to use extreme caution and monitor local media for the latest information on demonstrations and traffic disruptions.

March 9, 2013 - Update/Kenyan Elections

Dear Praying Friends and Family,

We are doing well, and we want to say thank you to all who have been praying for our family and for the country of Kenya during the election process. This morning, Saturday, March 9th, at around 2:30 AM the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) finished tallying the results for the Kenyan Presidential Elections which took place on Monday, March 4th. It has been a very peaceful process so far. There has been celebrations taking place in various places around the country throughout the night, and it appears that all celebrations have been peaceful. The official announcement for the next President took place at 2:30 PM from the IEBC Commissioner. They announced that Uhuru Kenyatta to be the fourth President of Kenya.

Now we will wait to see what the opposition's response will be. The Kenyan people want a peaceful aftermath, but they are waiting to see how the opposition leader is going to react. Please pray that he will step up, accept the IEBC results, and continue to promote peace across the country. He received over 5 million votes during the election, and these 5 million people are awaiting his reaction.

The new President, Uhuru Kenyatta, also faces some challenges ahead. He has been indicted by the International Criminal Courts (ICC) with crimes against humanity from the elections in 2007. He and his running mate both claim innocence to these charges, but they will be required to face the ICC later this year. Because of these charges, the USA, UK, and other nations warned that there would be consequences to Kenya if Uhuru Kenyatta was elected President of Kenya. Exactly what those consequences will be is still unknown, and at this time we are not sure what affect they will have, if any, upon our family or other missionary families living and working in Kenya.

Thank you again for your prayers for our family and the country of Kenya during this time.

Serving Him in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby
Your Missionaries in Kenya
Numbers 6:24

March 9, 2013 - Update/Kenyan Elections

Printable Version (PDF)

Dear Praying Friends and Family,

We are doing well, and we want to say thank you to all who have been praying for our family and for the country of Kenya during the election process. This morning, Saturday, March 9th, at around 2:30 AM the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) finished tallying the results for the Kenyan Presidential Elections which took place on Monday, March 4th. It has been a very peaceful process so far. There has been celebrations taking place in various places around the country throughout the night, and it appears that all celebrations have been peaceful. The official announcement for the next President took place at 2:30 PM from the IEBC Commissioner. They announced that Uhuru Kenyatta to be the fourth President of Kenya.

Now we will wait to see what the opposition's response will be. The Kenyan people want a peaceful aftermath, but they are waiting to see how the opposition leader is going to react. Please pray that he will step up, accept the IEBC results, and continue to promote peace across the country. He received over 5 million votes during the election, and these 5 million people are awaiting his reaction.

The new President, Uhuru Kenyatta, also faces some challenges ahead. He has been indicted by the International Criminal Courts (ICC) with crimes against humanity from the elections in 2007. He and his running mate both claim innocence to these charges, but they will be required to face the ICC later this year. Because of these charges, the USA, UK, and other nations warned that there would be consequences to Kenya if Uhuru Kenyatta was elected President of Kenya. Exactly what those consequences will be is still unknown, and at this time we are not sure what affect they will have, if any, upon our family or other missionary families living and working in Kenya.

Thank you again for your prayers for our family and the country of Kenya during this time.

Serving Him in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby
Your Missionaries in Kenya
Numbers 6:24

March 5, 2013 - Update/Kenyan Elections

Printable Version (PDF)

Dear Praying Friends and Family,

We are doing well, and we want to say thank you to all who have been praying for our family and for the country of Kenya during the election process. Yesterday, Monday, March 4th, the Kenyan people turned out in very large numbers to cast their votes. There were some some places where there was some violence (Mombasa/Coast Province, Northeastern Province, and in the town of Kisumu), there were over 20 people hospitalized after being trampled, and 15 people were killed (police officers and some of their attackers). But our area of Kisii has remained peaceful and very quiet.

The vote counting began last night (March 4th) around 5 PM, and is still continuing today. The government has said that they will announce the new President today, but they are unable to give an estimated time. They have had some difficulties with their electronic equipment for sending the counts to the main tallying center in Nairobi, and so there are only about 30% of the polling stations which have been reported. So it looks like we still have a ways to go!

In 2007, it was the actual announcement of the President that sparked the violence, so please continue to make this a matter of prayer. The candidate that lost during the 2007 elections and caused much of the violence, is currently losing again. So please be in much prayer.

If you you would like more frequent updates, please feel free to follow us on Facebook (please let us know your name and which church you are from when making a friend request), Twitter, or at either of our Blogs: Ministry - Prayer Letters and Updates or Family - Shelby Summaries.

Thank you in advance for your prayers for our family and the country of Kenya during this time.

Serving Him in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby
Your Missionaries in Kenya
Numbers 6:24

March 5, 2013 - Update/Kenyan Elections

Dear Praying Friends and Family,

We are doing well, and we want to say thank you to all who have been praying for our family and for the country of Kenya during the election process. Yesterday, Monday, March 4th, the Kenyan people turned out in very large numbers to cast their votes. There were some some places where there was some violence (Mombasa/Coast Province, Northeastern Province, and in the town of Kisumu), there were over 20 people hospitalized after being trampled, and 15 people were killed (police officers and some of their attackers). But our area of Kisii has remained peaceful and very quiet.

The vote counting began last night (March 4th) around 5 PM, and is still continuing today. The government has said that they will announce the new President today, but they are unable to give an estimated time. They have had some difficulties with their electronic equipment for sending the counts to the main tallying center in Nairobi, and so there are only about 30% of the polling stations which have been reported. So it looks like we still have a ways to go!

In 2007, it was the actual announcement of the President that sparked the violence, so please continue to make this a matter of prayer. The candidate that lost during the 2007 elections and caused much of the violence, is currently losing again. So please be in much prayer.

If you you would like more frequent updates, please feel free to follow us on Facebook (please let us know your name and which church you are from when making a friend request), Twitter, or at either of our Blogs: Ministry - Prayer Letters and Updates or Family - Shelby Summaries.

Thank you in advance for your prayers for our family and the country of Kenya during this time.

Serving Him in Kenya,

Luke & Tonya Shelby
Your Missionaries in Kenya
Numbers 6:24