July 2002

Dear Friends,

We were especially thinking of our friends and family this month when we celebrated Independence Day. Many of the independent Baptist missionaries here in Kenya
got together for a nice day of fun, food, and fellowship.

These summer months are always busy for us. We are continuing with the building of our new church auditorium. It will be a two-story building, with the bottom
floor being the church auditorium and the top floor being used for classrooms and possibly a library. Our church property is small, and the best plan seemed to be a
two-story building.

We are excited to see the progress and looking forward to the day when we will use the new building! On July 15 the second-story cement slab was poured. All the
cement (213 bags, plus sand and gravel) was mixed in one regular cement mixer on the ground and then shoveled up to the second floor. It is very interesting to see
the way they build here. It also seems very tedious since Americans are so used to more modern equipment (like cement trucks).

The first week in August we will be helping with the missionary kids camp here in Kenya. That is always a fun week for us. We will be teaching the younger kids in
the evening services. The second week in August is our VBS at Jumapili Baptist Church. That is also another fun and busy week. We will have Bible lessons,
puppets, singing, games, and Bible memorization.

Michael keeps busy with Bible studies, preaching, the church building, and everyday life here. He does a lot of errand running for supplies for the new building. It is
amazing how long it takes just to do your everyday errands here. People aren’t in a hurry here like they are in the States.

The ladies’ Bible study Tina teaches each month at our church is continuing well. It is exciting to see the numbers increasing little by little. This month there were a
total of ten ladies. When we started, there was an average of about five. This is the tenth month to have this ladies’ Bible study. Tina also keeps quite busy with
everyday chores around the house and teaching Ashlyn K4. Ashlyn will be four this month, and Taylor is nearing one and a half years. We thank the Lord for our
children.

Please continue to pray for us specifically. We need continued spiritual strength. Pray for our physical health as well. We need God’s strength and help every day. We
(Michael and Tina) have both had several boils since we have been here ­ something that we never saw in the States. They seem to be common here, and several
missionaries have gotten them. They can be very painful. Please pray that we don’t get any more. Although we don’t enjoy the sicknesses we encounter, we have
learned to be very thankful that we can get good medical care. Many Kenyans can’t even afford to go to the doctor, let alone buy good medicine. We have so much
that we take for granted.

We have many praises this month. Every Sunday we take an older man named Jeffrey Kagwi to church with us. He walks with two canes due to a broken leg that
didn’t heal properly. He made a profession of faith two weeks ago. We also saw two teenage boys (Nicholas Kinyanjui and Joseph Nganga) saved the first Sunday in
July after the morning service. They are from Michael’s class at the local school, where we teach the religion/Bible class each Friday. These boys come to church from
time to time and expressed to us their desire to be saved. Please do pray for these three people to truly follow after the Lord.

The best address to use when e-mailing us is <mrains@mail.baptistworldmission.org>.

Thank you for your interest in our ministry.

Serving in Kenya,

Michael, Tina, Ashlyn, and Taylor Rains