National Unity and Thanksgiving Day in remembrance of the National Accord signed on February 28, 2008, which brought peace to Kenya after two months of post-election uncertainty and chaos. The news reports were a good example of how Kenya is at peace, yet much political and tribal discord remains – The politicians couldn’t agree on the name for the holiday – some called it National Thanksgiving and Cohesion Day and another wanted the word HOPE added to the name!Nevertheless, we did experience a very special Day of Thanksgiving this past Sunday at Parklands Baptist Church. As I spotted friends while snapping pictures, I
remembered testimonies of how lives were transformed after the late 2007 national elections. I was in awe again of how many friends used this difficult and traumatic time as a trigger for growth and maturity, rather than discouragement. I took a new picture of the child who stars in one of my favorite photos – a picture taken at Parkland’s Healing Service on the Sunday after the National Accord was signed. In the last picture, my friend was two months old and sleeping soundly as his father prayed. Today, he is a rambunctious two year-old and his father has learned to keep his eyes open if he wants to keep up with his son!I also realized why, although we do face painful and difficult problems, we continue to find joy in our work in Kenya and an assurance of being where God wants us! There are problems, most which we cannot share freely – disappointments with fellow
Christians who are not the strong leaders God needs them to be; frustration when others fail; pain at seeing Kenyan friends suffer due to the economic/political/social problems related to living in a third world country, such as one who cannot afford needed medicine or the friend who may have to drop out of seminary due to a lack of finances and family support, etc.But there is also joy! The joy of watching the young deacon who led our church in last Sunday’s Thanksgiving Prayers and knowing he was discipled as a Shauri Moyo Baptist youth by our best friends. It was hearing my young seminary friend joyfully share how she used what she is learning to counsel a troubled friend last week. It is Jack’s joy of watching students share his joy of Church
Planting as he continues teaching this month at our seminary! I experienced joy as I put together a Prayer Slide-show of the new church we attended on Valentine’s Day, “Praying for a BABY Church”.* Joy also comes from knowing that we have people like you praying for us and supporting us as volunteers and through your financial gifts to Lottie Moon and the Cooperative Program. THANK YOU, BERT--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
* Praying for a BABY Church - Learn how a group of committed Christians in Kayole/Soweto Estates (Nairobi, Kenya) are obeying our Savior's Great Commission as they seek to "Reconcile their Community Back to God" – http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=203032&id=685050129&l=8bf3a63843 (Non-FACEBOOK members can access these pictures. To begin the slideshow, simply click the first picture AND make sure you get to the last one – I found a special surprise as I edited this picture!)
For more pictures from Community Baptist Church, go to "Sing, Praise, Proclaim His Salvation!" (Pictures of kids from the church with praises from the Psalms) at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=198523&id=685050129&l=c7d379bb73
AND "Valentine's Day Drive to Church" (A scenic tour of traveling across Nairobi with a few prayer incentives) at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/album.php?aid=196983&id=685050129
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