The Shelby Family have been church planting missionaries in Kenya since June of 1997, when they started deputation. They finished deputation and were on the field by April of 1999, when they started their ministry in Kenya.

Luke and Tonya Shelby share the blessing of coming from Christian homes and from families that are dedicated to the Lord’s work; and they are very supportive of their children being on the mission field. Luke was saved in October of 1981, at the age of 7, while Tonya was saved under her dad’s preaching at the age of 15. Luke was called to preach when he was 16 and he surrendered to the mission field of Kenya the following year. Tonya also surrendered to be a missionary in her teen years. God allowed them to meet at Bethel Baptist College, which is a ministry of Bible Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Arkansas. They were married in July of 1995, and they now have four children (Abigail Nichole, 8/11/96, Breanne Michelle, 8/20/97, Caleb Anthony, 11/25/00, and Kay-Leigh Jeanine, 11/23/04).

They have completed Swahili language school, worked with a veteran missionary and have been living in Kisii, Kenya since January 2001. They have started the South Nyanza Baptist College and eighteen churches, that are under national leadership. They are working with pastors and laymen of 22 churches to evangelize their area by preaching in the markets, schools and prisons. They have already seen more than 6,000 saved, and there are many open doors for them to continue to work in the future.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact us at info@shelbysinkenya.org.

Thank you for your prayers and support for the Shelby Family.