Bits of our Hearts - February 28, 2015

SHARE A COKE has hit Kenya! Jack recently had trouble moving around a local grocery store thanks to an aisle totally blocked by Cokes as customers emptied the shelves searching for their names and the names of friends/marafiki! Pray today that Believers will boldly and eagerly desire to “Share their Saviour with a friend/ na marafiki” today!

Bits of Our Hearts - February 27, 2015

Thanking God today for filling His children with His “Spirit… with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts” (Exodus 35:31 NIV). I’m thanking Him for allowing us to use these skills, abilities and knowledge to join Him in His work. Thanking Him also for the joy we receive as we use His gifts – as Jack teaches and guides the Kenya Baptist Theological College and as I write prayer items and take photos.

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Added note: The things for sale in this photo taken at the Zebra Curio Market in the Westlands part of Nairobi, plus the wobbly building, were created by hand, not by machine.

Bits of Our Hearts - February 26, 2015

Does a bird ever feel overwhelmed at the beginning of building a nest? Does it fear running out of energy before finding needed building supplies? Pray today that just as Nehemiah stayed focused on what God had put in his heart to do (Nehemiah 2:12), that Jack, I, and our co-workers will persevere, always claiming God’s strength, guidance and provisions as we do His work.

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ADDED NOTE from Bert: I love watching birds, but am lousy on knowing the proper names. I think this is an olive thrush.

February 25, 2015

“What God had put in my heart to do.” Nehemiah 2:12

Monday's Nudge to Action for SSAPeoples was an
invitation to "Take the Missions Personality Quiz,"
found at http://stories.imb.org/asia/interactives/
view/where-should-you-take-a-mission-trip.
I got MALI!  Why don't you also take the quiz?

Sneak preview: This week’s verse will be used tomorrow (Thursday) in a post on my Facebook page, as I try a new way of sharing Bits of Our Hearts with you. Like you, Jack and I are busy, so why did I choose to add something to my daily to-do-list in addition to posting Nudges to Action for Sub-Saharan African Peoples? BECAUSE our doing “what God HAS put in OUR hearts to do” requires you and your support!

Photo taken over the weekend to share
with our kids who still have not
acclimated to freezing weather in the
US. Then decided NOT to remind them
of our great weather on the equator!

YES, we are OLD EXPERIENCED missionaries, but we still need strengthening and encouraging from you as we work towards “Strengthening and encouraging” African Believers and YOU “as we engage lostness together” (Quoted bit is our personal vision statement from Acts 14:22, Revelation 14:6). We need your prayers. We need co-workers, including volunteers at KBTC. We need financial support which provides us with a place to live, a car and gas to keep it going, and our salaries.

Knowing that you have lots of things in your heart, lots of things you care about, we know that if we want to be included in your heart and in how you use your time, energy and finances, we must share our hearts with you. We must share our desire to obey our Father and do what He has called us to do, specifically what He has put in our hearts to do.

Not sure of the name of this little critter,
but though it was beautiful, it was a bit to
scary to use as a future "Bit of Our Heart."

So today’s update is to introduce you to the new Bits of Our Hearts posts, which I began sharing this week on Facebook and have shared in posts you will spot below this one. These will be personal mini-stories sharing our hearts, our lives, what we see and experience, what we think about these things, what God is teaching us and what leads us to prayer. Knowing that many of you are not on Facebook, as of today I will repost these Bits from Our Hearts posts on this blog. And if you want to keep up with the Nudges to Action for Sub-Saharan African Peoples and what God is doing at the Kenya Baptist Theological College, simply click the tabs at the top of our Yates-IMB-Kenya&SSAP blog.

Now for our current prayer needs: Pray for strength and wisdom for Jack as he has lots of meetings; meetings which will affect the revival and ability for KBTC to equip and train Believers to “reflect the presence of God and become qualified and capable workers in our Father’s Harvest Field.”* I need prayers for perseverance as I deal with computer problems. I also need wisdom and sensitivity as I ‘chat’ with co-workers from across Sub-Saharan Africa. My prayer is that as I share their stories and nudge you and others to action for our peoples, I will strengthen and encourage my co-workers. 

I don't know whether to ask you to praise God with me for birds which
appear at my window as I work OR pray that I stay more focused!

I also pray that what I’m sharing today and will share in the future will make sense to you and entice you to continue joining in our Father’s work! Not because I want more readers on our blog or FB friends, but because we want you to share our joy of doing what God has put in our hearts to do!
BERT YATES

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*http://bertandjackyates.blogspot.com/2013_01_01_archive.html

Bit of Our Hearts - February 24, 2015

"Spotted a ‘photo’ this morning!” Jack’s greeting after driving thru the city centre last week. His verbal capture of the untaken photo: Man in a suit walking along the road with a rumpled green shirt atop his head and a 20 foot tree limb balancing on the green cushion. Thanking God today for daily opportunities in Africa for conversations about the One who offers rest to the “weary and burdened.” (Matt 11:28)

Bits of Our Hearts - February 23, 2015

I took the Missions Personality Quiz* and I got MALI in Sub-Saharan Africa. The test is fun and easy to take and filled with a few surprises! Where should you take a mission trip?

*http://stories.imb.org/asia/interactives/view/where-should-you-take-a-mission-trip

Bits of Our Hearts - February 22, 2015

Some American co-workers may be wishing to be in THEIR home country among THEIR people today and enjoying the snow. I do miss our family, but I’m happy to view it all via SKYPE and am thanking God that when He asked us to “Leave OUR country, OUR peoples… and go to the land I will show you” (Genesis 12:1), it was to a land on the equator where this is one of the few white bits in our yard today!

Bits of Our Hearts - February 21, 2015

The Limuru Rd/Banana Hill intersection on the edge of Nairobi has morphed from a few shops to a growing town in recent years. With its colourful paint jobs, people and activity, it is a great reminder to “Shout with JOY to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious… Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man's behalf!” Psalm 66:1-5 NIV

Bits of Our Hearts - February 20, 2015

Missionary 101 Lesson: Did you know that band aids can disintegrate? Not sure if we bought these while on leave (most likely from a sale rack) or inherited these from retiring co-workers (the source of lots of our goodies). I also learned last week why the antibiotic cream had no pzazz – it was years past its expiration date! Thankfully, we still have plenty of un/less-expired items to use and are still healthy!

Bits of Our Hearts - February 19, 2015

Rural road jams are usually caused by donkey carts and matatus (public transport vans). The drive from Nairobi to campus took Jack 1½ hours this morning rather than 45 minutes and he left home at 6:30 AM! As we filled up yesterday at $3.50 per gallon (hovered in the $5 range for years), Jack asked about the horrid traffic and was told: Cheap gas! Everyone is driving rather than walking and taking matatus!

February 18, 2015

“I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre… My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you. My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long.” Psalm 71:22-24 NIV

How can you not praise the One who created
 this beauty found in our yard in Nairobi?

I do have some musical skills, so trying to praise God by playing a harp and lyre might be fun, but it would definitely not lead others to praising God! Yet, as I read Psalm 71 last Sunday morning at Jack’s suggestion (his reading during morning devotions), it was an awesome example of how “the word of God is living and active… it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 NIV).

Second-hand shop located near KBTC.  I'm not
sure they have electricity, but OLX is a free
internet service connecting buyers with sellers!

I had awoken that morning remembering a recent event when God was “my rock and my fortress” (v.3) as I faced a difficult situation of someone attacking my work – which is using social networking to “tell of HIS righteous acts.” At that time, I was astounded by God’s gifts of the right words and attitude, thus my initial response was thanking Him for His guidance. But for some reason, that morning my heart was broken by the hurt of the cruel and harmful (vv. 4, 24) attack. I might as well be honest, my dialogue with Jack at breakfast, BEFORE he asked me to read Psalm 71, had included my mentioning that I was “old and gray” (v. 17).

We also often thank God for His protection as we travel in Kenya
This photo captured mid-day, which is an awful time to take photos
in Kenya, was taken to get the men running with the donkey - not
quite sure why they were doing so.  Only while editing the photo did
I spot the motorcycle transporting a man hauling a wheelbarrow!

A bit later, we listened as Exodus 3:1-10 was read at Parklands Baptist Church. As Pastor Simon Mwangi preached, I found myself applying Moses’ ‘burning bush’ questions to my work on the internet. I questioned, “’Who am I’ (3:11) to do this work of sharing what you are doing in our lives, among Sub-Saharan African Peoples and at the Kenya Baptist Theological College?” Are people listening (4:1) and responding? And similar to Moses’s response about having never been eloquent and equipped in Exodus 4:10, I questioned if I should be doing media work as my degree was in Social Work, not Media!

I'm also currently using my hands and feet
to do a bit of sewing new covers for cushions,
curtains, covers around photos, etc., to
'spruce-up' KBTC offices.

Once again, God’s living and active Words to Moses spoke to me. “I will be AND AM with you" (Exodus 3:12). I have called you to do this work (v.15). “Who gave man his mouth (and her hands for computer work)… Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and teach you what to say" (4:11-12).

Every time we leave home, we see COKE signs
and water being hauled as many people lack
water in their homes and businesses. A great
reminder of the need to share of the one who 
provides "streams of living water" (John 7:38).

I am not sharing all this today due to a continued time of self-doubt or having a pity-party, but to share that missionaries are real people with real feelings, as well as times of self-doubt being hurt by the actions of others. Unlike Moses, I do not choose to ask God to “please send someone else to do it" (4:13). I choose to continue doing the work I know He has called me and equipped me in His harvest field.

One of the screens used as Parklands in their huge
sanctuary to help members see what is happening.

I want to fully claim the hope that only He can give and praise Him more and more (Psalm 71:14). I want to not just use my mouth, but the internet to “tell of HIS righteousness, of His salvation all day long… and proclaim HIS mighty acts” (Psalm 72:14-16).

One of my joys is claiming many members of
Parklands media team as friends!

I also want you to know how God answers your prayers for Jack and me, even your prayers for our unspoken needs. Included in last Sunday’s worship services at Parklands was an affirmation I needed as comments were share of how the church uses social media to “tell of HIS righteousness, of His salvation all day long… proclaim HIS mighty acts” (Psalm 72:14-16) through an internet LIVE STREAM of their sermons, a web site, Facebook, and many other media tools sharing a witness of His love and salvation not just in their city, but in their country, to their continent, “and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

I've said it before, and know I'll say it again: One way God
answers your prayers for strengthening and encouragement for us
is by sending us incredible views such as this spotted this morning.

Was all that happened last Sunday a coincidence? NO! It was a God-incident as He used His Word and fellow Believers to encourage and strengthen me and I know it was in response to your prayers! Last week, you prayed me through quick healing of an allergy attack. You prayed us through exhaustion and poor sleep. You joined us in praying that “we will see and hear exactly what God wants us to hear and see… share His story and be a true witness of His love and salvation.”

Old photo spotted this week, taken during a lunch
break at a church planting seminar in western Kenya.
I remember wishing I could imitate this little one!

We could share many more stories, especially stories of how God is sending the right people with the right skills and abilities – skills and abilities He provided to them – to join His work at the Kenya Baptist Theological College! Thank you for praying and please continue praying for us in specific needs we can share and for those that we are not able to share. BERT YATES

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Remember to view the daily Nudges to Action for Sub-Saharan Peoples which shares what God is doing among Sub-Saharan African Peoples and how you can join in His work through prayer, serving and giving! (https://www.facebook.com/SubSaharanAfricanPeoples)

You can also keep up with KBTC and what Jack is doing at https://www.facebook.com/KenyaBaptistTheologicalCollege. Both links are on FB, but can be viewed by anyone!

For link to the LIVE STREAM of Parklands Baptist Church, visit http://parklandsbaptist.org/.

February 11, 2015

"For we cannot help speaking about what

we have seen and heard." Acts 4:20 NIV

“What do I see and hear? Do I really see and hear the truth of the situation? When I speak and share what I've seen and heard, am I truly sharing the truth?” These are the questions which appeared in my thoughts as I read Acts 4:20 during devotions this past week. I have lots of notes and other thoughts that I was going to share with you today, but….

... Like the monkey that keeps appearing in our yard, I'm a bit out-of-focus today! Needed reconstruction on the KBTC cottage we call home during the week required painting and I may have seen and heard OK, but I didn't gauge the smells accurately and am in the midst of a rather severe allergy attack! 

So I'm going to just sit around today (like the better photo of the monkey hiding from the setting sun) as I know my thinking ability is limited! And rather than write a long update sharing more fully what we've seen and heard this week, I'll simply close with a few of the photos I had collected to help you at least see what we've seen and heard this week!

To be honest, we had hoped to return to our home in Nairobi two hours ago, but Jack added a new skill to his responsibilities as KBTC principal this morning!  He arrived at the office at 7:30 to find that the lock to the administration building, which always takes a bit of finagling, had finagled itself into a position that could not be unlocked!  He and others on the KBTC staff have just succeeded in rectifying the situation!  

Thus, would you pray this week that I will quickly beat this allergy attack and that Jack and I will soon be as perky as this chattering bird outside our cottage which perked me up this morning! Jack is a bit less perky today as my misery during the night became his misery, leading to little sleep!

Pray that in all we do in the coming week, we will see and hear exactly what God wants us to hear and see.  Pray that we will always truly share His story and be a true witness of His love and salvation as Jack serves at KBTC and as I shared daily nudges to action (praying/ serving/ giving) for Sub-Saharan African Peoples.  BERT

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Remember to view the daily Nudges to Action for Sub-Saharan Peoples which shares what God is doing among Sub-Saharan African Peoples and how you can join in His work through prayer, serving and giving! (https://www.facebook.com/SubSaharanAfricanPeoples)

You can also keep up with KBTC and what Jack is doing at  https://www.facebook.com/KenyaBaptistTheologicalCollege.  Both links are on FB, but can be viewed by anyone!

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I will add two more photo - the first which is easy to see and understand - how long-distance truck drivers in Africa dry their clothes! This truck was stopped and the driver was sleeping nearby (often under the truck), but we've also seen shirts, slacks, etc., tied to mirrors, etc., on trucks offering a speed-dry cycle as the truck heads to its destination!

The lizard in the second photo, unlike the monkeys above, IS NOT REAL, but a clay pot with a clay lizard painted with model car paint (it was all we had available at the time).

Celebrating God's Word

Do you remember your first Bible?  Do you remember the first time you heard a story from the Bible? Do you remember the first time you read the Bible?  Those who have waited years to hear or read the Bible in their heart language can likely tell you the story of the first time they heard His Words in their own language.

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"This is sweet! How did you find this in my language? This is my true, true language! I play the story and let everyone hear. I pass my phone around so everyone can hear. The words are so sweet." A woman’s response to SD memory cards with the New Testament left behind last year in a West African village by a volunteer sharing His stories - stories re-shared via cell phones and speakers. (February 5, 2015 Nudge to Action for Sub-Saharan African Peoples)

From the Zambezi Cluster: “We have the complete Yao Bible and are excited about having the Old Testament in Yao as well as the NT (available for several years). Pray that it be read to/by many who do not know nor love God, that the Holy Spirit open the hearts of understanding, and that many will grow in their love for their Father and in their Christian walk. Pray that this Bible will be used to grow the church."  (February 8, 2015 Nudge to Action for Sub-Saharan African Peoples)
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New Nudges to Action for Sub-Saharan African Peoples are shared daily at  https://www.facebook.com/SubSaharanAfricanPeoples.

February 4, 2015

"Be on your guard… On my account you will be witnesses … do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” 
Matthew 10:17-22 NIV

Change the little girl's clothes and this scene spotted
near KBTC could be a scene from Bible times.

When I read our Saviour’s commands to “Be on guard,” I usually interpret this as: BE READY for problems! I did search for this verse this morning due to a discouraging and painful meeting this week when I was not consciously being on guard. But as I read Matthew 10:17 in different translations, I realized that His command can be a positive!

The great views of flowers and birds
through the cottage's kitchen
window greatly enhances the
chore of washing dishes!

* BEING ON GUARD for God’s guidance: While washing lunch dishes one day last week at our cottage at the Kenya Baptist Theological College, I spotted Professor Chacha talking with a mzungu (person of European descent) woman. Chacha has many friends from around the world, so I thought it would be interfering to go out and meet the person.

I know the Spirit does nudges us to be a part of God’s plan, so after minutes of debate (and not simply to escape dishwashing), I ventured out of our cottage. I quickly learned that Chacha had just met Sheryl from Alabama, a guest at a conference at Brackenhurst (KBTC’s close neighbor) and was giving her a mini tour of our campus. He was on his way to meet students, thus I completed the tour.

I offered, but my new friend did not want to buy any
of these hand-made items available in Limuru.

I truly love my job which requires spending hours daily on the internet sharing what God is doing among Sub-Saharan African Peoples, but I do miss contact with people away from the computer and I quickly realized God had sent me a new friend! We visited often during the next few days, which also turned into Sheryl becoming a friend of KBTC and experiencing the real lives of missionaries as she shopped with me in Limuru, the nearest town, which is really a big village and offers adventuresome shopping.

Jack and Moses (Music Department Director) sharing
 their dreams for KBTC with volunteers whose original
plans were cancelled and a friend of KBTC suggested
they use their 'free time' to check out the college!

* BEING ON GUARD for God’s blessings: This morning, Jack had a scheduled meeting with two leaders of the Baptist Convention of Kenya. He always enjoys these meetings, but having lots of KBTC issues to discuss, he could have been disappointed when a third man joined the meeting. But he quickly realized that God was providing a blessing! A major issue at this Friday’s KBTC Board of Governors (BOG) meeting is accreditation by the Kenyan government. Jack is meeting with his new friend this afternoon, a Kenyan man with “tons of contacts and knowledge needed for accreditation” who wants to help KBTC.

Staying focused on the road  is a bit difficult
when spotting things such as this motorcycle
with it's colourful 'shield' windscreen!

* BEING ON GUARD means staying focused on God, His work, His plan and purposes: Jack reminded me of this after the disheartening encounter I experienced this week. He reminded me that our focus must be on serving our Father, which requires being on guard so we can know how to obey and serve Him!

Getting ready for the Board of Governors meeting is Jack’s focus this week which needs your prayer support. Pray that those on the BOG “will catch the spirit of accreditation.”

We definitely focused on this view as we travelled
to church last Sunday. Not sure if the driver is
in his choir robe or what!

My focus is sharing daily Nudges to Action (Praying/ Serving/ Giving) for Sub-Saharan African Peoples and posting info on other internet sites, as well as ‘spiffing up’ the entry way to KBTC’s administration building BEFORE the BOG meeting. Pray that I will always be sensitive to the Spirit’s guidance and allow God to speak through the work I prepare and in my good and not-so-good encounters with others. Pray that we will always be bold witnesses of our Father and rely upon His guidance in all we say and do. BERT YATES   

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Remember to view the daily Nudges to Action for Sub-Saharan Peoples which shares what God is doing among Sub-Saharan African Peoples and how you can join in His work through prayer, serving and giving! (https://www.facebook.com/SubSaharanAfricanPeoples)

You can also keep up with KBTC and what Jack is doing at https://www.facebook.com/KenyaBaptistTheologicalCollege. Both these links are on FB, but can be viewed by anyone!

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More views of the week which brought us joy.

Two of the children's' Sunday School classes at our church,
Eastgate Baptist, were taught last Sunday by men!
And you can tell that our church is a young
technology alert church - Member registration
was done last Sunday via cell phone messages!

Below, two of my favourite photos taken while visiting the

Naivasha Childrens Shelter where a friend ministers.

February 1, 2015 Nudge to Action for SSAPeoples

What did you give up to become a Believer? What risks did/ do you take? This man, baptized 7 years ago this week, was the first to believe in his village after workers sowed Gospel seeds for over a year without seeing fruit. Praise God for this man and others who daily take risks and face persecution as they boldly serve as His witnesses and sowers of Gospel seeds among their Sub-Saharan African Peoples.

For daily Nudges to Action (Praying/ Serving/ Giving) for Sub-Saharan African Peoples, visit https://www.facebook.com/SubSaharanAfricanPeoples.