MISSIONARY PROFILE
Tony
& Kathy
Stark
Missionary Update 01/03/2023
Dear Friends and Family,
I was scheduled to fly to Rwanda tomorrow. That journey has been postponed. At the present I do not have a new date. To be very honest I just was not able to make the journey. The seizure/spells continue to increase in frequency and intensity. My blood pressure is now being affected by pressure and stress. Recently it was 218/123. I wrote in my December praise and prayer letter that I was taking a special time for waiting on the Lord according to Isaiah 40:28-31. Waiting on the Lord is not just sitting idle doing nothing. It is taking definite time and effort to look to the Lord. Kathy and I are in Florida for the month of January waiting on the Lord. Thank you for your prayers. Keep on praying for me. I believe the Lord still has things for me to do in Africa.
Today I received an email from Pastor Hyacinthe in Ruhengeri. January 8th Victory Baptist Church will hold its first church service in their new building. While working with Enoch and Kinigi on the church building today, Hyacinthe led both men to the Lord. They both have families. Please pray they will bring their families and come to church this Sunday.
Your missionary, Tony Stark
Missionary Update 10/03/2022
Dear Friends and Family,
I will be leaving for Rwanda this Tuesday and returning on the 28th. There are a number of things I need to accomplish.
Please pray for wisdom in encouraging and challenging God's laborers.
Pray for more laborers according to the words of Jesus in Matthew 9:35-38.
Pray for physical, mental and spiritual strength for me daily.
Pray for adjustments to our approach in planting the last five churches.
Pray for the power of God to be upon Calvary Independent Baptist Mission.
Pray for the seed of God's word to fall on good ground and bring forth fruit.
The people that make the decision for our getting a radio frequency for Calvary Radio in Kigali called Ferdinand and requested a meeting. That meeting will take place some time today. Pray that they will grant us an FM frequency. A radio station will multiply our ministry of teaching and preaching the truth to the people of Rwanda and some surrounding countries.
Please read the attached article that was sent to me by someone in Rwanda. It will tell you why it takes us so long to get a building permit and why we are forced to build such expensive buildings for a church to meet. Pray for the President Kagame to be saved and to see the value of a good church. Pray for favor as we meet with government officials relative to church buildings. Last week Hyacinthe was fined $1000 because he used trees for scaffolding instead of finished lumber. He was told that the foundation for a 3 room nursery school had to be finished before we would be able to meet in our new church building.
James 5:16 says ...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Thank you for holding up my hands in prayer.
A praise from Pastor Santo who is from Uganda and ministering in Congo. "We lost one of the old ladies, she got saved two weeks ago, she was a Catholic, she was old 90 years. I conducted the burial and hundreds of people attended. The Catholics wanted to bury that lady but her children sent them away, and it made many to hear the gospel."
Your missionary, Tony Stark
Missionary Update 04/21/2022
Tony Stark's update #3 from Rwanda 4/19/22
Dear Friends and Family,
I know you are wondering about the meeting that was scheduled for buying an FM frequency. It didn't take place. It is a long story, and I won't take the time to write about it. I think the Lord protected us from a scam. People do get multiple frequencies and do sell them, but I don't think these people really had a frequency to sell. Today Ferdinand talked to the people who grant radio frequencies (RURA) who assured him some frequencies would be available in July, and we would be considered. We will have our studio in operation by then broadcasting on the internet. Keep praying!! One of these days we are going to broadcast the truth all over Rwanda and into other countries by way of an FM frequency.
Everyday we move about in one direction or the other in Sadock's vehicle or by foot. We are always loaded with seed to sow. By the time we return home our tracts are finished. Sadock then receives many calls from people with questions, resulting in some of them getting saved. Recently on the way to Kibuye, Sadock received ten calls through the night, and two of them received the Lord. Recently while Katy was out sowing seed, many called and one of them got saved.
On Saturday we had a meeting with some prospective students for the English BI. Although we only had five in attendance due to extremely heavy rains, it was a very profitable meeting.
Sunday we travelled to Kibungo on the eastern side of the country. Pastor Jackson and his new wife Grace minister at Faith Baptist Church. They are doing great. There were at least 100 adults and about 35 children in attendance. Pastor Jackson preached first, Then we had a song service with the youth choir, children's choir, and ladies choir each singing two songs. After Sadock and David sang a special, I preached on the resurrection. Lastly, we inflated the portable baptistry I brought and filled it with water by hose and buckets. I had the privilege of baptizing nine people. What a joyful experience. About 2:30 we ate lunch at Pastor Jackson's home. After visiting several people on the return trip, we reached our apartment about 8:30.
Yesterday Katy and I walked up the hill to a little restaurant and had a good lunch. I went next door to get my hair cut while Katy went up the road witnessing. Can you imagine getting your haircut in a shop where no one knows English and you only know English? I got my haircut plus a shampoo and what I believe was a facial of some kind. They just kept pointing and moving me from chair to chair. When they got done with me it cost me less than two dollars for everything. Would you be willing to let them cut all your hair off for the opportunity to give them a tract? I was able to give Kinyarwanda tracts which were gladly received. It was quite an experience.
Keep praying for the building permits for Calvary Baptist Church in Kigali and Victory Baptist Church in Ruhengeri. Pray for the radio frequency and more laborers.
Thank you for your help!!!
Tony and Katy
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Tony Stark