Don’t stop praying – the rain needs to continue daily for weeks and be widespread over Kenya. Pray also for the other causes of hunger in Kenya. A report from USAID and others, says that of the 10 million starving Kenyans, one fourth are hungry due to the drought. Another four million hungry persons live in the slums of Nairobi and Mombasa, many unemployed since last year’s chaos. HIV/Aids leads to an additional two million hungry people as breadwinners are too sick/weak or have died and cannot support themselves and their families. The last group listed in the report are the thousands of Kenyans still displaced after last year’s turmoil.Please join us in praying that relief agencies and Kenyan’s government leaders will find the best ways to meet the short and long term needs of these people. Pray especially 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.
Another praise/answer to your prayers is how God guides me as I write prayer updates. It is truly amazing how when I will feel led to write a certain prayer item, the needed information appears. Last week, I knew a new prayer request for the drought/famine was needed. On Saturday, a local newspaper article sent me to the above research. With a busy week ahead, I planned to write the update on Sunday afternoon, BUT at the Sunday morning worship service, I learned of a gospel concert planned later in the day. While talking with one of the planners, a young man who has just begun full-time ministry, I knew I should attend the concert simply to show that Jack and I supported his work. I returned home, had lunch and almost finished writing the prayer update and arrived an hour late at the concert – but it was on African time and was just beginning. I quickly knew that God was providing the perfect pictures and story to illustrate the needed prayer update - including the story of rain during the opening prayers for the concert! **
I spotted another source of praise at the concert. A little girl in the parking lot was obviously not from a wealthy home, yet she was playing happily – not with purchased toys, but “found” ones. She was pushing an empty box with a broken stick and occasionally spraying water from an old/trashed detergent bottle. My praise: This little girl was dreaming and imagining, searching for joy – an important part of bringing change which is too often missing in Kenya.Jack’s greatest praise this week is a good one-year report on his rebuilt shoulder. During a quick trip to see the surgeon in South Africa, he was told: “Everything is A-OK.” We continue to praise God for the great care we receive as IMB missionaries – thanks to gifts to the Lottie Moon Offering and the Cooperative Programme.
Continue to pray for patience and strength as we prepare for our state-side assignment, May through mid-September. Pray for our children also: John as he becomes a self-employed carpenter; Jenny and Aaron as they await the birth of their first child and Aaron seeks full-time employment; and Jessie as she completes her senior thesis this week and other completions before graduation from Wake Forest University in mid-May. We do need and depend upon your prayers! Bert Yates--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
* “The Kenya Food Security Update” – www.kenyafoodsecurity.org/mod.php?topic=38
** For more few pictures from concert, go to: http://omba4kenya.blogspot.com/2009/03/well-beyond-rain-failure.html ; To receive the Omba4Kenya/Pray for Kenya Updates, simply send me a note and I will gladly add you to the e-mail prayer list for Kenya and the work of other missionaries.
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