While worshipping last Sunday with our church family, I made notes of the joy and affirmation of being a part of our almost one year old church. During this year, we’ve had a special view of how God is at work in East Africa and the results of the past investment of past and current co-workers, those from other countries, as well as East African co-workers. Plus it is always a joy to see “kids” we’ve watched grow-up serving our Savior as professionals, church leaders and parents. One of my notes told of watching some of the males in this category join Jack in standing as a child offered a thanksgiving/ blessings prayer for Fathers. But then, as often happens, something, actually two some-things, occurred that led my heart in a different direction for this week’s Prayer Update.
The first event happened as we returned home that day. City-centre traffic was heavier than usual, plus Jack likes viewing all the road work transforming Nairobi, so we took a detour, but soon the traffic stalled again. Finally, we spotted the cause of the slow-down – lots of people seemingly suspended in the air followed by a huge red item. As vehicles ahead of us found new detours and we moved closer to the bottle-neck, we realized that the ‘flying people’ were riding on the back of high trucks and the huge red thing was a part of a parade. The next morning in our Daily Nation (6/20/11, p.8) a photo appeared of men and a male toddler pulling the large red pointed item we had seen, accompanied by this explanation: “Followers of Hare Krishna took to the streets of Nairobi yesterday to educate people about the movement during the annual ... Chariot Festival … held annually to revive followers’ love for God.”
Thanks to ever-present pot-holes, my photo of the procession was not super, but I used it for today’s 2011 Prayer Nudges from East Africa. Also, included is my heart reaction: “Praying that those celebrating this festival come to truly ‘grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the Love of Christ, and ... be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.’ (Ephesians 3:18, 19)” To glean more Prayer Nudges for those celebrating the Chariot Festival, which includes those who worship at several temples in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, go to the sites listed at the end of this Prayer Update.
The second something happened last night. After sharing Indian food with two visiting friends, we viewed what some call “Little India” – a nestle of little shops with un-African looking clothes, jewelry and worship items. We had already passed a prayer room where worshippers gather five times daily, when we heard the loud clanging of bells. A growing strong smell of incense was also hard to miss!
Thanks to ever-present pot-holes, my photo of the procession was not super, but I used it for today’s 2011 Prayer Nudges from East Africa. Also, included is my heart reaction: “Praying that those celebrating this festival come to truly ‘grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the Love of Christ, and ... be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.’ (Ephesians 3:18, 19)” To glean more Prayer Nudges for those celebrating the Chariot Festival, which includes those who worship at several temples in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, go to the sites listed at the end of this Prayer Update.The second something happened last night. After sharing Indian food with two visiting friends, we viewed what some call “Little India” – a nestle of little shops with un-African looking clothes, jewelry and worship items. We had already passed a prayer room where worshippers gather five times daily, when we heard the loud clanging of bells. A growing strong smell of incense was also hard to miss!
Eventually we spotted two young men frantically ringing brass bells suspended from the ceiling of their highly decorated small prayer room of yet another faith. An older man and a woman were crouched on the floor chanting. Our ears, eyes and nose were all strongly affected, but our hearts were affected the most as we watched these people seeking to please their gods. Please join us in praying for those in East Africa who are still among those in our world seeking the true God. Pray that each of us will be strong ambassadors of His love and salvation in every encounter we experience with those of other faiths.
Please join us also in praying for guidance, physical strength, safety and sensitivity as we begin meeting and traveling with volunteer groups who have chosen to serve in Kenya during the American summer – including one group led by our youngest daughter, Jessie, and her friend, Amy! Many of these volunteers will be youth, so pray that we will find ways to share our joy in being where God has called us to serve. BERT YATES
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- For more photos of variations of what we saw and an explanation, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratha-Yatra
- Youtube of Jagannath Ratha-Yatra Chariot Festival Vancouver '08 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlFh2w-yfTs
- For photos of the 2011 celebration of this festival in England – http://avaxnews.com/appealing/Hare_Krishna_Ratha-yatra_Festival_of_Chariots.html
Please join us also in praying for guidance, physical strength, safety and sensitivity as we begin meeting and traveling with volunteer groups who have chosen to serve in Kenya during the American summer – including one group led by our youngest daughter, Jessie, and her friend, Amy! Many of these volunteers will be youth, so pray that we will find ways to share our joy in being where God has called us to serve. BERT YATES
*** *** *** *** *** *** ***
- For more photos of variations of what we saw and an explanation, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratha-Yatra
- Youtube of Jagannath Ratha-Yatra Chariot Festival Vancouver '08 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlFh2w-yfTs
- For photos of the 2011 celebration of this festival in England – http://avaxnews.com/appealing/Hare_Krishna_Ratha-yatra_Festival_of_Chariots.html
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