November 30, 2010

I’m frustrated, very frustrated at the moment!  There are simply too many prayer items this week to fit into one concise prayer update.  Also, this is the WEEK OF PRAYER FOR INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS(1) - which means I was hoping to only share prayer items to strengthen that prayer emphasis; BUT there are two events happening tomorrow, December 1st, which need lots of prayer support – items which impact our ability to GET THERE in reaching our world for Christ.  Most of you receiving  our Prayer Updates awaken eight hours or more after our part of the world each morning; therefore,  I am sending this week’s Prayer Update a day early as one of these events will occur before many of you awaken tomorrow and the other event will be completed in much of our world!

The first special event is a National Day of Prayer in Southern Sudan.  Jack and I had the joy of hosting three Southern Baptist leaders from the US and Canada last weekend before they flew to Juba for this event.  One sent this message today: “The National Day of Prayer on December 1st is sponsored by Pres. Salva Kiir and will include government, church and civil service leaders. I had planned it for half day, but they have expanded it to last all day! PTL! Please be praying.”  These prayers precede a national referendum scheduled for January 9, 2011, to decide if Southern Sudan separates from Sudan, Kenya’s north/west neighbor – a key issue in an area riddled by war for 50 years.  For more information and prayer guidance, read Pray for the Needs of Southern Sudan/Christianity Today (2).  

December 1st is also WORLD AIDS DAY. Please take time to praise God for those ministering to individuals infected/ affected by HIV/AIDS.  Praise God for those teaching how to avoid this pandemic which affects many, many more people than those infected.  Praise God for better treatments and reduced suffering from all infected/ affected.  On this international day of awareness, pray that hearts will turn to finding stronger ways to eradicate this menace and minister to those suffering.  The Chuka Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centre (eastern Kenya) was begun by Baptist AIDS Response Agency. Today BARA(3) is an NGO ministering in many places in Africa, but its beginnings were linked to IMB missionaries in Kenya.  You can find additional information of how Southern Baptists can respond to the HIV/AIDS pandemic at World AIDS Day/Baptist Global Response(4).

One more item – a reminder, before I  end this epistle!  Please do take time to view  Lottie MOON 2010 Daily Prayer Nudge Photo Album (5), which has daily answers to “Are We There Yet” in touching the Unreached People of our World with our Father’s love and salvation.  You can find more answers from East Africa at “JE! TUMEFIKA? Lottie Moon 2010” (6).

Did you know that by reading this Prayer Update to the end you have lessened my level of frustration? The reason:  I am confident that you will be supporting our concerns in prayer.  We do depend upon your prayers, your sending personnel and your provision of finances as we obey God’s call in Kenya, BERT
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(1) WEEK OF PRAYER FOR INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS -  http://www.imb.org/main/pray/page.asp?StoryID=5624&LanguageID=1709
(2) Pray for the Needs of Southern Sudan - Christianity Today -  http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/novemberweb-only/56-11.0.html
(3) Baptist AIDS RESPONSE AGENCY IN AFRICA - http://www.baptbara.org/
(4) World AIDS Day/Baptist Global Response -   http://www.baptistglobalresponse.com/new/aids.php
       BGR in Sub-Saharan Africa - http://www.baptistglobalresponse.com/new/articles.php?id=3
(5) LOTTIE MOON 2010 Daily Prayer Nudge Photo Album from Kenya –   https://lottiemoon2010kenya.wordpress.com/ 
(6) “JE! TUMEFIKA? Lottie Moon 2010” at:  http://lottiemoon2010-kenya.blogspot.com/