April 8, 2009

A-comin’ and A-goin’ – This describes our current much-prayed-for rainy season. Rather than the needed daily heavy rains, the rains come for a few days and go. Jack and I grew up in farming communities, but living on the equator with seasons defined by rainy/dry seasons rather than hot/cold times, leads to a unique focus on rain. The survival of many Kenyans is totally dependent upon raising good crops or their animals receiving proper nourishment during the rainy seasons (long rains/March-May; short rains/October-November). Please pray that the rains will be adequate this season and farmers and herders will make the required profits to support their families. Pray also that food will available/affordable to the many Kenyans who live in the cities, especially the slums, where they cannot grow food.

Continue praying for requests in last week’s update: Pray that relief agencies and Kenya’s government leaders will find the best ways to meet the short and long term needs of the hungry in Kenya. Pray that Christians, including our IMB missionaries and the Baptist churches of Kenya, will be strong and able ambassadors of our Father’s love and salvation as we seek His guidance in responding to the needs. (Some of today’s pictures were taken during a Baptist feeding project to the Samburu People. For that story go to: http://omba4kenya.blogspot.com/2009/04/winnowing-remains-praying-for-samburu.html )

Now for happier news which I sent this week to CompassionNet* of Jack’s discovery when he and one of our pastors, Samson Kisia, took food to a tented IDP camp we spotted recently in the Rift Valley: “I met today with members of possibly the fastest growing church in Kenya!” … Pipeline Baptist Church (area named for the pipeline carrying petrol across Kenya) was begun earlier this year on land purchased by IDPs – Internally Displaced People, those displaced after Kenya’s post election chaos in early 2008. The government offered families money to restart their lives and resettle. A group of 1,000 families pooled their funds and purchased a farm in the Rift – each family’s share is the amount of land needed to pitch the tent they brought from camp. One man among the group is a different kind of IDP –an Internally Displaced Pastor. As the group settled in their new home, the Baptist pastor began a church for the new town of 6,500 people!

Praise God for the hope expressed by the people in this new settlement. Praise God for how those with some income are sharing with other families so that all will have a little food. Pray especially for the pastor of Pipeline Baptist Church as he seeks to minister to these people who are still greiving their losses and rebuilding their lives. Pray also that when the rains come, those in tents will not face increased misery and poor health. Thanks for praying with us, Bert Yates
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* CompassionNet - http://www.imb.org/main/pray/prayerrequests/todaysprayer.asp