hundreds of tendrils bearing scores of beautiful dark red flowers. She passed this tree several times a week – why had she never seen this before? When her husband returned in the late afternoon, she took him to see the tree. As they approached, the woman realized why she had never seen the flowers – the flowers seemed to melt into the tree when the sun was not shining brightly and many blooms had already fallen – the next day only a few would remain. The missionary went home and found her tree book* and learned that the Kigelia Africana or Sausage Tree is rare in Nairobi, usually found on open plains. The tree is draped by long thin stalks which support long sprays of flowers, which are unpleasant to smell. Later a yard-long heavy sausage-like fruit will appear. Poisonous when unripe, the ripe fruit is used as medicine for skin problems and to brew local beer. Those holding on to old traditional beliefs hang the fruit in their homes to protect their huts from whirlwinds.
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As I read about the tree, I felt that I was cast in The Parable of the Sausage Tree. This tree
describes our lives in Kenya: overlooked and short-lived opportunities; beauty mixed with the ugly (the beautiful, but bad smelling flower and the poisonous fruit); good intertwined with bad (the fruit used for valuable medicine or intoxicating drinks); and continued use of old traditional beliefs.
describes our lives in Kenya: overlooked and short-lived opportunities; beauty mixed with the ugly (the beautiful, but bad smelling flower and the poisonous fruit); good intertwined with bad (the fruit used for valuable medicine or intoxicating drinks); and continued use of old traditional beliefs.Pray that we will have spiritual alertness to all the opportunities we have to share the Good News. Pray for wisdom and sensitivity as both missionaries and Kenyan Christians seek to share God’s love and salvation with the wealthy and the many with no access to education, food, water, toilets or proper housing for their families. Pray that we will have a strong awareness of the Holy Spirit’s guidance as we relate to the many that are fearful of revoking their old ways as they choose to serve only one God, our TRUE GOD!
This week, our local news has had many articles about a musician with his own religious sect and of a funeral service where the faithful 
prayed that two pastors would be resurrected** – both heartbreaking examples of the lack of discipleship and Biblical teaching among too many “Christians” in Kenya and other parts of Africa. Pray especially for physical and spiritual strength as we seek to carry out ALL of the Great Commission – to lead people to a knowledge and acceptance of our Savior AND to disciple and teach them to obey all He commanded. Yes, all of this is rather “heavy” today, but hopefully the pictures in the “Trees of Kenya Photo Album”*** will lighten your load as you pray with us for these things! Bert Yates
prayed that two pastors would be resurrected** – both heartbreaking examples of the lack of discipleship and Biblical teaching among too many “Christians” in Kenya and other parts of Africa. Pray especially for physical and spiritual strength as we seek to carry out ALL of the Great Commission – to lead people to a knowledge and acceptance of our Savior AND to disciple and teach them to obey all He commanded. Yes, all of this is rather “heavy” today, but hopefully the pictures in the “Trees of Kenya Photo Album”*** will lighten your load as you pray with us for these things! Bert Yates* Trees of Kenya, Tim Noad and Ann Birnie, 1989, p.31
** Rare prayers to bring back dead pastors – Daily Nation, Tuesday, February 23, 2010, p.37 - http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/866782/-/vqm23b/-/index.html
*** Trees of Kenya Photo Album - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=199983&id=685050129&l=f311ffb6de
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