And, yes, we did miss our kids, but SKYPING is a true gift for missionaries – which included watching our granddaughter open her gift from us, a little kitchen set, and joining her in ‘eating/ drinking’ her first meal prepared on it! We also enjoyed spending Christmas with our mission family, which included sharing Christmas Eve lunch with a family experiencing their first Christmas in Kenya and Christmas breakfast with a couple and their two youngest kids who are ‘home’ for Christmas, two young men whom we have known since they were infants and proudly claim as our nephews!
Today’s
Prayer Nudge from East Africa (photo on left) shares a bit of our experiences on Christmas Eve
Evening – “PURE JOY: The reaction of kids
to the twirling/ blinking lights, colours and sounds at a Christmas Eve Concert
at a Baptist church in Kenya’s capital city.
A missionary's reactions:
Disappointment when the first songs were not 'traditional' Christmas
songs – followed by a realization that after one sings praise and worship
songs, including "Here I am to worship… to bow down… to say that You're my
God,” with representatives of many nations, tribes, peoples and languages,
singing songs about the angels, shepherds and wise men bowing down to worship
our Saviour is indescribable PURE JOY!”
This
service at Parklands Baptist Church began with the worship leader asking
representatives of different People Groups to share what Mary would be called in
their heart languages. There were replies
from people from many African (including Mariamu/
Swahili), European and Asian People Groups.
I cannot begin to share how exciting it was to include this in a
celebration of our Saviour’s birth. This
service as well as our worship service on Christmas day at Parklands Baptist– Mombasa
Road, included a time of praising God and thanking Him for sending His Son, the
giver of new life. As on the previous
night, many of the songs included praises and thanksgiving for our Saviour’s death
and resurrection – which truly adds to an appreciation for the birth of our
Father’s gift to us, His Son!
We are resting
a bit more this week, but we still need your prayers. Jack is preparing for the next Board of governors meeting at Kenya Baptist Theological College, on January 5th,
with extra meetings next Wednesday.
Continue praying with us that KBTC will enter 2012 with newness of
life, a new creation able to serve our Father. My prayer need is for wisdom and strength as I continue
sharing how God is at work in East Africa via the internet, especially as I
explore/ develop new opportunities in 2012 to share how thankful we and our
colleagues are for you and how we do depend upon you as you support us through
the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Cooperative Program and through your
prayers and sending personnel. We are also praying for you, specifically
that 2011 ends well for you and for a blessed 2012, BERT YATES
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Don’t forget to view this weeks 2011 PRAYER NUDGES FROM EAST AFRICA – http://easternafrica2011prayernudges.blogspot.com/,
and yes, a new blog, 2012 Prayer Nudges from East Africa will appear next
Sunday! The Prayer Nudges and other bits of our lives can be found on my
Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/bert.yates),
and I am always looking for new friends!
Thank you for praying for Jack as he continues teaching Baptist Beliefs, History and Practice at our Kenya Baptist Theological College through Friday. Pray for Jack and others as the KBTC Board of Governors meet on Monday, December 19th. Critical personnel, academic, administration and financial decisions are to be made. Pray that their decisions will help KBTC enter 2012 with newness of life, a new creation able to serve our Father. BERT YATESGod does bless the many ways you support us, so I will close with our current prayer requests: Continue praying for me as I seek to harness/put into action all my ideas … to help you recognize how thankful we and our colleagues are for your support and how we do depend upon you. Pray also that our East African co-workers will be strengthened and encouraged as I find ways to share their stories. 
Another week of questions of what to share. Do I begin this week with the fact that we awoke to another flat tire this morning, a day after finally finding someone to tighten the back door of our car before it popped-open while on the road? I could begin with the humor found this morning in a co-workers remedy to missing Autumn in the States – a Fall party which included burning a scented candle, wearing a sweater in equatorial weather, and drinking hot cocoa (my personal remedy: adding pumpkin pie seasoning to my morning coffee). Or do I begin with a recap of some of the things seen during one trip around our city this week: an almost too-close encounter in a round-a-bout with a huge truck, beautiful fruit for sale at a street-side wheelbarrow shop, not far from a hand-cart shop offering locks, belts and Maasai trinkets, or the amazement/concerns that arose as we viewed the on-going expansion/growth of city roads?
From a young couple serving in East Africa: “We’re moving … and we are excited … God has graciously opened doors for ministry at a university. My hubby will teach a few classes – an awesome opportunity for access to many students and the chance to build relationships … He is already preaching on the campus … Me and our little one stroll around the campus a lot and she is such a magnet! People love to talk to her and hold her and she always responds with the biggest smiles. She has opened lots of doors for us and has helped us build relationships with so many people.” Join this couple in praying for wisdom as they seek God’s direction for serving among students as His Heart, Hands and Voice. (Photo is of the little 'magnet' trying to watch her Daddy preach on campus.
