June 15, 2011

I should begin today’s Prayer Update with the fact that I am extremely frustrated at the moment! I shared last week that “I’m learning a new computer and new programs” and I asked that you “pray for me as I send e-mails, prayer letters and post new Daily Prayer Nudges from East Africa.” Trust me, I have needed those prayers. After fighting the new “free” program for sending e-mail messages for two weeks, I finally accepted last night that it simply will not do what I need it to do AND it is good stewardship on my part to buy a program

that I know will work! That program will not be in my hands for at least two weeks, so I’m not sure if/when I will send you today’s Prayer Update!

Added to this, our internet is performing very iffy. AFTER I decided to focus this week’s Prayer Update on a prayer walk slideshow for Church Planting Training AND spent the morning creating it, my weak internet refuses to place the photos in the spot where you can see them, WHICH means I cannot send this message until the internet decides to cooperate and I can share where to find the Prayer Walk! The current slowdown in my work due to fighting the computer and our internet means that I’ve not been able to move on to the new work that was also a part of last week’s prayer request: “Pray for guidance as I plan my work for the coming weeks, especially as I plan what/how/when to do my old work and add new ways to help co-workers share what God is doing in East Africa and how you can be a part of this work” – SO KEEP ON PRAYING for this need!

Thankfully, Jack’s work was not frustrating this week! God is answering our prayers for his work – “Pray for Jack as he decides the who/ when /where decisions of teaching Church Planting Training to Kenyan Baptists in the coming months. Pray that he will choose to work exactly where God leads. Pray for us as we travel north of Nairobi on Friday for a Church Planting Training being led by one of the dedicated leaders who Jack trained earlier this year to train others in making and multiplying disciples.” Fewer people showed up at Turu Turu Baptist Church in the Abedares Mountains than expected, but Jack was certain that God sent the right small group of disciples who wanted more training in making disciples of others and planting new churches! To keep you praying, use the Prayer Walk, “2 Timothy 2:2 in Action in Turu Turu” at http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150325388720130.424085.685050129&l=fd5b5a838e

Another bit of news that did not lead to frustration this week was news from the IMB: “The LMCO (Lottie Moon Christmas Offering) total for 2010 is in, and we are grateful. The total is $145,662,925, which is the fourth largest total in history. Granted, this is $3 million less than the $148.9 million given in 2009, a 2.2 percent decrease, and $8.3 million less than needed to meet the LMCO income portion of the 2011 operating budget. Nevertheless, please be assured that we will be moving full speed ahead in pursuing the vision. ” Having just been in the States, we know that many of you are facing tough financial times, so we are very, very thankful for your gifts that allow Jack and I and our IMB co-workers to be in many parts of the world doing what God has called us to do. We agree fully with the last sentence included with the Lottie note: “Please be assured that we will be moving full speed ahead in pursuing the vision” – the vision of telling our world about our heavenly Father who “so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him share not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). BERT YATES

**** Only took five hours to post the Prayer Walk and begin sending this message! Just made another stewardship decision that I had been debating – Tomorrow I’m investing in another option for internet to use as a back-up! PLUS I realized a day later that for the FIRST time ever I forgot to add our newsletter to our blog! STRESS won yesterday - time to take a computer break!