September 24, 2008

To be honest, I’m almost too tired to type at the moment! I have been working non-stop for a few days preparing a new blog – http://cpmturuturu.blogspot.com/ – to share the special day that Jack and I experienced last Saturday at the TuruTuru Celebration Report service of earlier CPM (Church Planting Methods) training. Many praises came from the day including how God is blessing the past and current Baptist work in the Central region of Kenya! Praises also include the fact that Jack was able to drive the distance without any difficulty and was even able to write on the chalk-board again! To be honest, I think it was the fact that he could no longer accomplish this necessary feat of teachers that led him to the shoulder surgery in April! Thank you again for praying him through his shoulder replacement.

Two bits of information are not on the blog – The trip to TuruTuru took over 1½ hours on roads that were better than many, but horrible in places, including a long stretch of dusty massive road construction. As we made the final turn to the church, the friend with us said, “When you return, go the other direction – that road is finished.” And it was – much of the return trip was on a brand new well-paved road that shortened the trip by 30 minutes! The only consolation of the longer first leg was that we were in the foothills of the Aberdare Mountains and the scenery was incredibly beautiful and the slower, longer way simply allowed us to take in the view a little better! I cannot explain why we were given the directions of the longer way initially – but this has happened more than once before!

Also, on the blog I include pictures of the meal served at the church. Earlier in the day while I took pictures of the “chefs”, they switched to Kikuyu and began giggling. About an hour later, I was called out of the meeting – turns out that as the women prepared lunch, which included peeling lots of potatoes, they had slipped a few whole ones in the coals to roast for their treat – and without realizing it I had caught them in the act. They called me out to tell me that MY baked potato was ready. It was one of the best potatoes I have ever eaten – but how often does one get to eat a potato that was still in the ground only hours before!

I’ve included this week a picture taken Sunday at Parklands Baptist Church during the commissioning service of the “Women of Impact” who recently completed a Bible Study. Early this year, twelve women of the church studied this discipleship book written by our pastor, Ambrose Nyangao. They then taught it to 12 women each and this group of over 100 of us are now “commissioned” to teach it to at least 12 others! The goal is for 20,000 women to be quickly discipled using this multiplication tool! Pray that those commissioned will have the needed confidence to share what they have learned. Pray for me as I begin teaching the book to two young women on Friday. I hope to teach it to a larger group later in the year. Pray also for a Bible study being held tomorrow evening by all the House Groups of Parklands. Their study is the one I wrote earlier this month – Discipleship: All you need (Ezra7:10). Pray that they will be challenged by the reminder of our Christian responsibility to teach all we know with others who can teach it to others (2 Timothy 2:2).

Jack needs prayer this week as he attends several meetings. Pray that he will be an encouragement to the others and that the meetings will strengthen our ability to share the Good News with the lost in Kenya and challenge Kenyan Christians to truly be disciple makers.

Sorry, this is so long, but your prayers are too important to us and I simply couldn’t make it shorter! Bert Yates

September 17, 2008

Thirty years since we left North Carolina and arrived in Kenya with four year-old John for a one year volunteer assignment with the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Jack came to be a teacher/librarian/puppet master at the Nairobi Baptist Centre at Shauri Moyo. My assignment was to be the jack-of-all-trades in the regional office. The one year stretched to two and a half years and we returned to the States with a new family member, Jennifer, and plans to quickly return to Kenya as appointed career missionaries. Miraculously this happened in less than ten months.

Many things have changed in those years. We have lived in 12 houses in four places (Nairobi-Limuru-Mombasa-Nakuru-Nairobi); survived multiple “paradigm” shifts with our organization including a change of name to the International Mission Board; added a second Kenyan born daughter to the family, Jessie; learned to appreciate a fourth meal in our daily routine – afternoon tea; and our kids have grown-up and all three now live in North Carolina!

Jack’s résumé has stretched to headmaster, church planter/builder, water project manager, relief coordinator, Bible School starter/principal, administrator, urban church evangelist, and volunteer coordinator among many other chosen, assigned, or inherited jobs! His current assignment is Legacy Work - encouraging and strengthening the established Kenyan Baptist work and churches as he serves as the liaison/trainer with the Baptist Convention of Kenya.

Over the years, I have served in many capacities with Baptist Communications/Kenya Baptist Media (trainer, board member, writer, editor, and administrator). My hardest work, yet greatest joy was being the Media missionary during the nationalization process – transferring the organization to the Baptist Convention of Kenya from the Baptist Mission of Kenya. I now serve as a Prayer Advocate and have the fun of sharing my love and concerns for Kenya as hopefully others get excited about being a part of God’s work through prayer support, joining us as short or long-term co-workers, and providing the needed financial support to do the work.

Jack shares these special memories: “At each change of jobs, some naturally, some imposed, some desired and some not at all desired – God allowed me a new experience, a challenge to my skills and talents, a blessing of new gifts and overall a sense of great personal growth. Through it all he has allowed me to partner with Him in church planting and growth. My greatest blessing has been to see the growth of individuals God placed in my work and life. My special memories of each stage of my experiences are of the people who matured in Christ during that time. There is nothing like discipleship that produces fruit!”

Our plans for tomorrow include visiting with LifeWay volunteers training Kenyan Sunday School teachers – a great way to celebrate as we are with Kenyan friends and volunteers who are striving to obey our Saviour’s commands to make new Believers and strengthen disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). Exactly what we hope to continue doing in Kenya for many more years! Bert Yates

September 10, 2008

As I planned what to share with you this week, I remembered my conversation yesterday with Kenyan friends of how our God works and I realized that I need to thank you for being a part of how He works in our lives. Recently I’ve read through Proverbs during my devotions. My tin of coloured pencils are always close by and the verses became extremely colourful as I marked those that “jumped out” anew at me – most about how I should relate to our Heavenly Father and how to build my relationship with Him. I found myself making more detailed notes than usual and I even remember asking myself one day – “Why am I doing this?”

The answer came last week through a phone call from a young man in our church. He asked me to write a Bible study for an emphasis of our church’s House Groups (church members who live close to one another and meet weekly to have fellowship, Bible study and possibly begin a new church in their area). I should not have been, but was truly amazed when I was given the theme – Ezra 7:10, God Is All You Need. As I read, “Ezra had devoted himself to the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel,” I realized immediately that the Bible study was already in my head, heart and notes! After just a little more preparation, it took me only an hour to complete the Bible Study once I began writing – not because of my smarts or gifts – it was the answer to your prayers!

It was also an answer to you prayers when I “bumped into” a friend as I left the sanctuary Sunday morning. Salome, one of the Mrema girls from Mombasa (their Dad was the long time pastor at Chamgamwe Baptist Church), was my first “job” with Kenya Baptist Media. I was asked in the early 80’s to be her partner/typist as she was trained to write African Sunday School materials. God had different plans for Salome and she did not continue as a writer, but it got me started! Sally, as she is now known, went on to marry an incredible young Christian man who was also discipled by Baptist missionaries. They are now active disciplers/teachers at Parklands, the parents of two beautiful kids, and she uses her accounting and administrative skills (sharpened at the Baptist Centre in Shauri Moyo!) with FEBA international Christian radio. As we talked about the writing project, she confirmed that an idea bouncing through my head was not just my idea, but God leading me to guide the study in a slightly different format – This was not coincidence or luck, but the answer to your “guided” and “unguided” prayers!

I try to share our specific prayer needs with you, but sometimes there isn’t time, etc, BUT even your “general” prayers make a difference in our lives and work even when I can’t share specific guides. Jack is certain of this when the many “unexpected” calls arrive each week and he knows how to respond, encourage and even correct at times. I am certain of your prayers when God brings my thoughts together as I write prayer requests and what evolves is not at all what I “planned”.

Our “guided” prayer needs this week are for wisdom for Jack as he advises/encourages/strengthens Kenyan Baptist leaders facing many challenges. Pray for me as I develop a blog to guide prayers for those facing poverty. THANK YOU for being a part of our work through your prayers and the other ways you support us! Bert Yates

Savvy Shopping and Prayer

Last night as I ate PALAK PANEER with a buttered NAAN – if you don’t know what I’m talking of you have missed some of the best food in our world! – I remembered the TV show we watched the previous night. Reporting from where we were eating, Diamond Plaza, the announcer called this place “Little India” – the place in Nairobi for homesick Indians. As we heard a nearby Mosque calling out the evening prayers to mark the end of fasting for the day and men praying in a part of the shopping area, I thought of another part of Nairobi, Garissa Market in Eastleigh. If Diamond Plaza was more active due to Ramadan, Eastleigh was “hopping” last night – but it is one of the busiest shopping areas in the city. Kenyan savvy shoppers say you can find anything you can imagine at Garissa Market at unbeatable prices! This part of town is also known as “Little Somalia” – another part of Nairobi with a very different cultural atmosphere! Some say more Somalis are in Nairobi than in many towns in Somali! And if you have ever been in Eastleigh you trust this statement! There are also many, many Somalis in northern Kenya in relief camps fleeing their warn-torn country or those who have settled in the northern arid parts of Kenya.

Why am I sharing this with you? This morning when I came to page 17 of the Saturday Nation, I was reminded again of Garissa Market as I read the article, “Why nobody dares touch the cash and gold in Eastleigh.” I’m also sharing this because the Somalis in Somalia, in Kenya and those in the United States are people who need to know of our Father’s salvation and love. The Joshua Project website shares that the primary religion of the vast majority of these people is Islam. There are Christians among the Somali, but a BBC article shares their struggles. “In a secluded house just outside the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, a group of men and women meet at least once a week to meet in secret … they live in constant fear of persecution” (“Somali Christians Struggle in Kenya”, BBC News/September 1, 2008).

So this month during Ramadan, the Muslim month of prayer and fasting, pray for boldness and opportunities for Kenyan Christians to share their source of joy and peace with the Somalis in our country. Pray for strength and fearlessness for Somali Christians. Pray that Kenyan Christians and missionaries will find sensitive ways to strengthen and encourage these few Believers. The Joshua Project, who provide research on people unreached by the Gospel, suggest: “Pray for effectiveness of the JESUS Film among them; ask God to anoint the Gospel as it goes forth via radio and television to the Somali; ask the Holy Spirit to soften their hearts towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel; and ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches among the Somali.” They share another prayer that is especially needed during Ramadan – “that God will reveal Himself to (those celebrating Ramadan) through dreams and visions.” Bert Yates --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
“Why no one dares touch the cash and gold in Eastleigh” – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/467668/-/tkbrmg/-/index.html
“Somali Christians Struggle in Kenya”/BBC News/September 1, 2008 – http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7464035.stm
Joshua Project/Country Listings: Go to this site and then click Somalia: http://www.joshuaproject.net/countries.php
Joshua Project/People in Country Profile/Somali – http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php?rop3=109392&rog3=SO
The Somali of Kenya – http://strategyleader.org/profiles/somalikenya.html

A God Story, Lottie Moon Story, Great Commission Story...

A God Story, Lottie Moon Story, Great Commission Story, 2 Timothy 2:2 Story – I’m not sure how to describe what you will find if you accept my invitation to log on to - http://legacycelebration.blogspot.com/

Yes, it is long and I can’t claim to be as gifted as Paul in writing long epistles worthy of being fully read and absorbed, yet, I do think that Pastor Samweli’s story will challenge you. I think you will quickly find that learning more of this exceptional pastor’s life will not lead to your honouring him, but to your seeking anew how you can bring honour and glory to our Heavenly Father as His servant. Bert Yates

September 3, 2008

We don’t know how many churches he started … he was always starting churches. I know of seven now pastored by young men who grew up in Mwimuto Baptist Church. All were sponsored to go to the Nairobi Baptist Association’s three year Bible School. All finished because of financial support by Pastor Samweli and his church … The church started before the village developed so it was among the first in the area. Of the 17 churches of all denominations now in this part of the city, seven of their pastors were led to the Lord, baptized and discipled by Pastor Samweli … Well over 60 Baptist churches were represented at the service. Pastor Samweli always drew people together.” These are a few of the quotes heard at the Celebration service held last Saturday for a “life well lived” by Pastor Samweli Kihugu. There were a few sad moments, but the day will be remembered as a day of praising God and seeing how He has been and IS at work in Kenya.

As I stood outside during the service (the church building is large by Kenyan standards, but the seats ran out quickly!), I realized that Jack and I were a part of the ongoing story of God’s living and active Word (Hebrews 4:12) that day. As I tried to decide if Matthew 28:19-20 or 2 Timothy 2:2 was the best scripture to describe the event, I realized the day covered both! We were celebrating what happens when God’s children obey our Saviour and “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20 NIV). We were also getting a glimpse of our Saviour’s Multiplication Table as we viewed one servant’s participation in Paul’s directive: “The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2 NIV).

Two parts of the service were especially moving – The prayers using the word “Asante” (thank you in Kiswahili) over and over and with the plea to our Father for forgiveness for those who killed the beloved pastor. Second, the plan of salvation shared at the close of the service as the cycle of making new disciples continued.

Do continue praying for comfort, strength and wisdom for Samweli’s family, the members of Mwimuto Baptist Church and the community. Jack has been given the opportunity to mentor the young man the church has called as their new pastor. Pray for this man and for Jack as they use their time together to grow in their knowledge and ability to serve their Father. Pray for me as I write this special living and active story of our Saviour’s Multiplication Table and share it with others as a way of bringing honour and glory to our Father and helping others realize how they have been and can be an active and living part of God’s Word and plan.

Thank you for also being a part of this story as you sent/send and supported/support missionaries financially and through your prayers – missionaries who have also been and are a part of God’s Multiplication Table! Bert Yates

Pictures are entitled: 1) 2 Timothy 2:2 in action; 2) The overflow from the church; and (3) Will they be discipled?