January 14, 2009

Sometimes I know exactly what I want to share in our weekly prayer update and at times my mind is blank, but most often I have a long list of potential information and I am unsure of what to share. There are so many areas in Kenya that could benefit from prayer, but with all the problems around our world, including the current economic pressures in the United States, I often struggle to select the items with the greatest needs and the ones I think you will feel worthy of adding to your prayer list. I also struggle to balance the needs and praises/negatives and positives.

I know that it is not a coincidence that I am reading through Jeremiah at the beginning of this new year. God used “Who will have pity on you…Who will mourn for you?” (15:5) to confirm a personal desire to share more of the needs of Kenya’s neighbours – peoples who may not be receiving adequate prayer support. Today I read chapters 20-21 and was challenged by Jeremiah’s complaint of being ridiculed, mocked, insulted and reproached as he did God’s work (and yes, we do have discouraging and frustrating times) – yet Jeremiah knew he had to share God’s Word as “his word is in my heart like a fire” (20:9). Please join me in praying that during this year I will totally rely upon God as I choose which of Kenya’s prayer needs to share and as I find ways to increase the number of people who will pray for and respond to these needs. Pray that I will have a burning and sensitive heart as I begin a series sharing the prayer needs of Kenya’s neighbouring countries – many are places where Christians cannot freely share God’s love and salvation and all are countries in need of someone having pity on them and mourning for them.

Jack doesn’t have time for his mind to ponder and roam this week as he is in the midst of four meetings within three days. Thankfully the first meeting yesterday morning left him excited and eager to share this report: Thanks to the vision of the IMB (International Mission Board) in beginning BARA (Baptist Aids Response Agency) in 2001, we can praise God for the April-December 2008 results shared at yesterday’s board meeting of BARA-Kenya
- 113,703 Youth have been trained in True Love Waits
- 72,504 Youth have been educated about the rewards of abstinence before marriage
- 40,199 Married Adults have been trained in True Love Stays
- 600 Parents have been trained in Family Matter
- 600 Children have been trained by their parents!
- 607 Young adults have been taught about Sexual and Gender Based Violence
- 20,414 Persons have been counseled and tested for HIV/Aids in the six BARA VCT (Voluntary Counseling and Testing) sites

I have said it before, but I cannot emphasize it enough – Your prayers are a part of His work being accomplished in His harvest field! Thank you! Bert Yates