July 2, 2008

I am writing this on Tuesday night as tomorrow will be another full day. It is Jack’s office day at the mission office and as I’m still the family chauffeur, I will be going with him rather than staying at home writing to you. Jack has warned me that more pastors and leaders than usual scheduled time with him tomorrow. A constant prayer need for Jack is that he be a good listener as he meets with so many people. To be honest, usually there is not much he can do to help their situations, especially when they are in need of financial help – but we are learning that often their greatest need is simply to have someone listen and to receive some encouragement and affirmation, so pray that Jack will have the “ears” and “heart” to accomplish this.

Usually, while I’m waiting for Jack on his office day, I hide in a small office and work on my laptop, but tomorrow I will be meeting with the regional media team to help them work on some promotional materials and a prayer time for an upcoming meeting. Jack and I are finding more and more often these days, that we are asked to do things not so much for our “smarts” but for our “experience” – a polite way of saying our we’ve been around a lot longer than most of our missionaries! Pray that we will be approachable and sensitive to the needs of our newer co-workers. We are finding more and more opportunities for encouraging and affirming these younger couples, so pray that we will do this as you praise God with us for these opportunities.

Today was a full day as it included routine work as well as opening our home for a group of 18 volunteers to shower before returning to North Carolina tonight. Before I left this afternoon for my usual Bible study time with Eunice, I learned that most of them had not been able to take showers in the last few days due to water problems everywhere they went. I found it rather humorous when I returned home to learn that the last person to take a shower ran out of water! Hopefully the storage tank in the attic will refill before our showers tonight, but I can’t complain – after living in Nakuru where we often went 6 weeks without water and even though at our present house we often have extremely low water pressure, this is the first time in almost two years that we’ve not had water in our house.

My Bible study time this afternoon was shorter than usual. First the normal 5 to 10 minute ride to our church took 30 minutes – one of those Nairobi clogged afternoons! Then Eunice wanted to leave a few minutes early to say goodbye to her mentor in the Street Kids Ministry. Sandy Wilson and her husband, Philip, are flying out tonight for retirement after 26 years in Africa! I ended up driving Eunice and two others who have been involved in Sandy’s ministry and Philips work with university students to where the Wilsons were staying. When we arrived, the living room of their temporary home was full of university students and other young adults. As I looked around, I realized that Jack and I know almost all of these Christian young men and women and I realized that there will be a definite void in their lives with the Wilsons leaving. Pray for these young adults, all who have been discipled well, as they continue the Wilsons’ work without missionary assistance. Please join Jack and me in praying that we will find ways to strengthen and encourage these committed young Christians during this transition time.

Thanks again for the assurance we have of your prayers, Bert