"Humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and … our possessions” (Ezra 8:21) – I wanted to share this prayer last week, but felt it was unwise to announce to the world that our home would be empty for several nights! Yes, missionaries do have to think of these things when living in a country where home security guards are a necessity! We did safely make the trip to and from Kenya’s coast and our home was also secure, BUT after viewing pictures captured along the way, I realized that I should have ranked our personal safety above our household items! Hopefully, a new Prayer NUDGE Photo Album, “Asking God for a Safe Journey”, will guide you in praying for us and other missionaries in the future!
Our 7+ hour journey to Mombasa was planned so Jack could attend a Mombasa Baptist High School Board of Governors’ meeting on Friday and their annual graduation on Saturday, as well as a bit of survey work. My job was to increase prayer support for coastal Baptist work. We returned home praising God for a successful time of work and a bit of rest – thanks to the greatly reduced rates at a hotel undergoing renovations, our room overlooked the Indian Ocean!
Our Father also blessed us with a renewed commitment to “Strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith” until the eternal gospel is proclaimed to all “those who live on the earth – to every nation, tribe, language and people” (Acts 14:22; Revelation 14:6). Jack was encouraged as he listened to the accomplishments, struggles, plans and dreams of the Mombasa Baptist High School staff as they continue in the footsteps of the early IMB missionaries to Kenya by being a witness of our Father’s love and salvation on the coast – an area where many follow other faiths. Many kids from non-Christian homes attend the school even though chapel and Christian Religious classes are required of all students. One student jokingly said she choose Mombasa Baptist because they served the best lunches of any school, but it was a time of praise for spiritual food as I watched students from other backgrounds join classmates, families and guests at graduation in singing “Jesus is the truth, the way…Believe in Him without delay… Only trust Him! Only trust Him! He will save you!”
Recommitment also came from hearing co-workers narrate the problems of sharing the Good News with the people who have captured their hearts – a People Group so controlled by fear and suspicion that they refuse to open their homes or hearts to outsiders. Praise also came as Jack shared that one of his seminary students is a teacher at a government school among this people group – which means there is now a Believer with open doors to the community!
As always, I could go on and on, but I will end by asking that you join us in praying for the staff and faculty of Mombasa Baptist High School as they lead their students in “Service to God and my country.” Pray that Christians on Kenya’s coast will be bold and wise ambassadors of their Savior. Pray for Jack next week as he teaches Church Planting Methodology with its bold challenge of sharing one’s testimony in a Bible School in Machakos, an area that borders the Coastal Province. Pray for me as I process the pictures from the coast and find ways to use them to lead others in prayer for our part of the world. BERT
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New Prayer Nudge Picture Album: “Asking God for a Safe Journey” athttp://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=316007&id=685050129&l=693203093d
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