August 31, 2011

I could begin by saying that I’m exhausted, so this week’s Prayer Update will be short, but I know that as I review all the ways we’ve seen our Father at work this past week, excitement will override exhaustion – there are always too many things to praise God for and other items in need of prayer support to keep this short!

Jack is also a bit exhausted/excited this week after teaching last Friday/ Saturday in the new Kirinyaga Bible School at the base of Mount Kenya – a new Bible School found in a new Baptist association in a new county (Kirinyaga) formed by Kenya’s new constitution. Jack, who last visited this area over 20 years ago, says, “I am amazed by the incredible opportunities for church planting in this ‘booming’ area (1) with new roads, new development, and new hopes for even more economic, educational, etc., development. I want to see these five pastors/ church leaders obey God and be a part of the opportunity for spiritual development!” The Bible School was held at the Kerugoya Baptist Church – the photo (below) is their class/ dining/ bed room! At night the men plop mattresses onto two pews shoved together!

My exhaustion is from being extra hours on the computer! One reason: God put me at the right place at the right time Friday to spot a new internet offer at a great sale price – which made it affordable! Usually sale prices in our part of the world are in the two to five percent range, but it was at half price that day! The new system is not as strong as predicted, but it much faster/ better than what I was using. I still could not load a video for you today – high on my “all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18) – but unlike past tries, I was able to listen with no static or delays to radio stations from North Carolina over the weekend to keep up with Hurricane Irene! Via internet, we’ve learned that our family are a little damp and have lots of yard work, but they are all safe and sound!

The other reason for my exhaustion: This is the end of Ramadan and I’ve been working extra hours on the last Prayer Nudges with this emphasis and creating a new blog to be used for Praying With Those Who Celebrate Ramadan. As the special Ramadan prayer nudges developed, I was once again astounded by how God led me to information/ thoughts/ etc. As I’ve said before, I know it is not based on my smarts, but answers to prayers – yours and mine!

These prayer nudges did not turn out as I expected, but as these progressed, I realized that the prayer nudges were forming a basic introduction to Islam for Christians – thus the blog is prepared to be used as devotions, prayer walks or simply for information. My prayer is that Praying With Those Who Celebrate Ramadan will open the minds and hearts of Christians who have not realized the need to pray for and witness of our Father’s love and salvation to those lacking assurance of these gifts and to strengthen prayer support for friends working with people of other faiths.

I know I also say often: Thanks once again for joining us in God’s work in East Africa. We do depend upon your prayer, financial and personnel support. But this is so true! We do depend upon your support. THANK YOU! BERT

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(1) The Daily Nation (11-08-25) agrees with Jack on his definition of a booming Kirinyaga County (11-08-25) – “Let there be rice” – http://www.nation.co.ke/Counties/Love+and+hate+in+the+rice+fields+of+Mwea/-/1107872/1220754/-/11msljn/-/index.html

(2) Praying With Those Who Celebrate Ramadan – http://pray4ramadan.blogspot.com/

*** You may also want to view Loving Muslims with lots of stories, resources, prayer nudges, etc., for Christians who want to learn how to pray for and share their faith with those of another faith – http://www.lovingmuslims.com/

August 24, 2011

No special photo, but once again a bit about KFC – not Kenya, but Kentucky Fried Chicken – is included in this week’s Prayer Update! This is not what I had planned to share today, but Jack asked a question last night that led to a detour. His question: “Have you thought of including something in your Ramadan Prayer Nudges about the faithfulness of the early Muslim Arab traders? They not only brought their wares to East Africa centuries ago, they also brought and established their faith!”

As we talked, I remembered a review (1) of the new KFC in a local paper last Sunday. Complimenting the new restaurant, the writer shared a quote from the store manager: “We have done no advertising apart from the signage by the road (the huge rotating basket of chicken) … But (since opening) there has been a queue … It’s the special taste that people talk about.”

Now a few questions in today’s detour: What if our Christian witness, through our lifestyle and our planned times of sharing our faith, was as affective/ effective as the faith sharing of the early traders to East Africa? What if our Christian witness was as impressive/notable as many find KFC experiences? What if when we are scattered, running about our daily lives or when we move to new places, situations, jobs, etc., we imitate the early Christians “scattered throughout Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1) and other parts of the world (Acts 11:19-20)? What if we “preached the word wherever (we) went” (8:4)? What if we told “the good news about the Lord Jesus” (11:20) to ALL we meet in our life journey? What if we act like we “are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13)? Would people note our “special taste” and talk about us and our faith? I believe the answers are found in Acts 11:21, “The Lord’s hand was with them , and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.”

Sorry, I’m not trying to preach/ teach today! Preparing the 2011 PRAYER NUDGES FROM EAST AFRICA (2) during Ramadan has required much research on other faiths and as I read and learned, I have being challenged to look at my own life and how I live my faith. One thing that I discovered this week was a website with easy to understand answers to questions Christians may ask about Islam (3). It was the ATTACHMENT that one can download at Islamic Articles/ Ramada Schedules (4) that led to my re-evaluating my own commitment (click at bottom left of Excel page for separate pages on Commitment, Planning and Time Table) as a Christian to prayer, reading/studying/memorizing God’s Word, worship, time with other Believers, and on and on!

Some of you may also want to view Loving Muslims (5) which includes lots of stories, resources, prayer nudges, etc., for Christians who want to learn how to pray for and share their faith with those of other cultures who do lack the assurance of salvation that we have! I know that with recent world events many Christians may not want to “love” those of some faiths, but as I shared in the August 22^nd Prayer Nudge, one of the ways that I have challenged (taught, rebuked, corrected) this month is God’s Word linking loving my neighbor as myself (Luke 10:25-27) with my ability to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20)!

If you have made it through this entire longish Prayer Update – I think you have lots of ideas of how to pray for and with us! Pray that we and other Christians will “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that (we) have … with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15 – CLICK here for today’s Prayer Nudge and more). Pray that we will be affective/effective sharers of our Good News and that those who are not Believers will note that we“are the salt of the earth” and want to talk about our faith! BERT YATES

(1) The Kentucky Fried Chicken Kenyans are Queuing up for – http://www.nation.co.ke/Features/lifestyle/The+Kentucky+fried+chicken+Kenyans+are+queuing+up+for/-/1214/1222276/-/121w74x/-/index.html

(2) This month’s PRAYER NUDGES found at:

Praying for Others – http://omba4kenyaprayforothers.blogspot.com/

2011 PRAYER NUDGES FROM EAST AFRICA – http://easternafrica2011prayernudges.blogspot.com/

FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150148173250130.351345.685050129&l=47f55a92ab&type=1

(3) Information on Islam – http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/religion/Islam.htm

(4) Islamic Articles/ Ramada Schedules – http://www.jannah.org/ramadan/ramadanplan.html

(5) Loving Muslims – http://www.lovingmuslims.com/

Special NIGHT OF PRAYER Nudge

Centuries ago, possibly as early as the late 13th century, Ramadan was celebrated in the buildings now found in the Gedi Ruins (1) on the East Africa coast. On the 21st night of Ramadan a man may have removed a Qur'an from the large rectangular built-in shelf and read it by a light sitting in the smaller wall niche beside the oval-topped door. This special night is called Laylat al-Qadr or Night of Power, "the night Muslims believe the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad" (2). The exact date to be celebrated is not known, but tradition says it occured on one of the odd numbered evenings of the last ten days of Ramadan. As many celebrating Ramadan pray with extra zeal at this time, join them in praying that their prayer to truly know our Father and have an eternal relationship with Him will be answered!

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruins_of_Gedi

(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laylat_al-Qadr

CLICK the prayer caps above to see more RAMADAN 2011 PRAYER NUDGES

August 17, 2011

This week’s update begins with honesty:“Hhmmm … REAL missionaries DO go out for KFC!” And based on the ‘short-term’ missionaries identified by overheard comments and known ‘long-term’ missionaries who were also eating lunch there, the opening of a KFC in Nairobi is “definitely an answer to prayer for many missionaries!”

Jack and I enjoyed this feast and as our mid-birthday meal! This is our annual celebration week: My birthday was the 14^th, Jack’s is tomorrow (18^th) and we celebrate 40 years of marriage on the 21^st! We made no ‘special’ plans, but it has been a great week, beginning with lots of ‘gifts’ received thanks to internet – another part of our modern world that leads to answered prayers for missionaries! I was overwhelmed by all the birthday greetings via e-mail and FACEBOOK and especially loved receiving a video of our two-year old granddaughter singing “Happy Birthday, Bibi” (grandmother in Swahili)!

We also received another special gift on my birthday – one not wrapped in fancy paper and ribbons, but in precious memories, assurances and affirmations. At church that morning, Jack and I were asked to join a small group of leaders to pray with our new pastors and their families. As a kid, Victor Kimani, one of the two new pastors at our -year old Parklands Baptist Church/ Mombasa Road, was discipled by our best friends, who were living next door to Shauri Moyo Baptist Church/ Nairobi Baptist Centre. Victor ‘grew-up’ to become a successful businessman who used his ‘free’ time to serve in in his church, especially in mission opportunities. He has now chosen to leave the business world and to serve God full time in ministry.

Jack and I met Victor’s wife, Sally, before he did! Sally, the daughter of one of our first Baptist pastors in East Africa, was Jack’s student at Mombasa Baptist High School – our first assignment as career missionaries. I was her encourager as she played the piano for school chapels and I often relied upon Sally to watch our kids while I studied Swahili. Sally is now also a well discipled Christian woman who is committed to discipling others!

As we stood beside Victor and Sally on Sunday morning, I marveled again at how Jack and I are experiencing what few missionaries experience. We are seeing how God has blessed the past and present work of His co-workers in East Africa AND most exciting, we are seeing how the Great Commission is now being claimed and carried out by new East African co-workers. It was a special gift as I looked at other Kenyan Baptist friends standing on the stage and remembered how most of them had been touched by past IMB work, including student ministry, discipleship, mentorship, church planting, teaching, print media and even scholarship assistance!

Another good part of the week for me is ‘seeing’ how God leads in my work, especially the daily preparation of the 2011 PRAYER NUDGES FROM EAST AFRICA. I am constantly astounded by how these prayer nudges come together and know it is not based on my smarts, but another answer to prayers – yours and mine!

It also amazes me at how I will add/change something in a prayer nudge and it will be exactly what seems to touch people and lead them to prayer! As usual, I had prepared yesterday’s Prayer Nudge a day early and had it set to appear on the blog before I began the day’s work. But during my devotions yesterday, God led me to add another comment to the completed Prayer Nudge – and it is the one based on responses that I and others needed as a reminder to pray! To find that added comment (the last nudge to prayer) go to the August 16^th Prayer Nudge, with the photo of a fig tree with entangled roots, at 2011 PRAYER NUDGES FROM EAST AFRICA - http://easternafrica2011prayernudges.blogspot.com/.

Thanks once again for joining us in God’s work in East Africa – we really do depend upon your prayer, financial and personnel support. PLEASE don’t stop! Pray especially for me as I continue with the Ramadan emphasis. The last ten days of this month will be a special time of intense prayers and seeking God by those celebrating Ramadan. Please pray that every Believer will do what it takes in the next two weeks to share their Father’s love and salvation with others who seek a real relationship with Him. BERT

(Nairobi traffic photos taken as we returned from church last Sunday!)

August 10, 2011

“Hhmmm … REAL missionaries don’t go out for KFC!” I laughed at this comment to a photo posted yesterday on FACEBOOK. The writer, an adult MK (missionary kid), was probably in shock and a bit jealous as things like this were not available when he was growing up in Africa! And what elicited this response? A photo of the first-ever solar-powered rotating KFC bucket erected at a Nairobi shopping mall advertising that after an absence of decades, KFC is re-opening in Kenya! I also laughed at his adding a definition of REAL before our profession and the comments made by missionary co-workers who proved the truth of a note I added to the photo: “Sorry, this is not today’s Prayer Nudge … but it is definitely an answer to prayer for many missionaries!”

I’m not meandering as I write – there is a reason I am opening with this story: To lead you to prayer for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual strength for REAL missionaries, those of us who are in it for the long-haul and for short-termers. Most of us, most of the time, love what we do! There are many joys and blessings in our lives such as holding little ones, especially sick babies as they receive medical help from your volunteer team (top photo is a member of the FBC Amarillo, TX team ministering last week at the Baptist Children’s Centre in Nairobi). Our daughter and her friend experienced joy a few days before returning safely (thanks for your prayers) to their studies in the States. The remaining photos in this note shares the progression of Jessie’s and Amy’s followers at the Children’s Centre!

BUT missionaries also get stressed, strained and stretched as we seek to respond to the needs in our part of the world. I felt this way on Monday as I prepared the day’s Prayer Nudge from East Africa (also appears at Praying for Others) – “After reading the morning news, I decided that today's photo should be one that leads to a smile as we pray together! Today's Kenyan newspaper is filled with the usual politics, information on the suffering from the famine in our part of the world, and many greetings/ sales promotions related to Ramadan. Pray with me for wisdom…” Frustration comes from wanting to be strong workers for our Father, but knowing the best way to respond is too often complicated and time consuming – which is not your heart’s desire when you want to get to work! Sorrow comes from knowing that we can respond to only a few of the many needs we encounter!

Distress also comes as we do the needed ‘research’ to minister. An example is the pain that comes with learning the depths of the suffering of those facing famine in the Horn of Africa. It is also painful to learn about the beliefs of those of no faith or other faiths and realize what burdens and bondage they carry. I shared an example of this in yesterday’s prayer nudge – of people striving to please God, but following rules and regulations that do not lead to their knowing and claiming our Savior’s peace, love and joy.

Another frustration while I’m sharing – the definition of a REAL missionary! I know my friend who jokingly used this adjective shares my belief that every Christian is a MISSIONARY – all followers of Christ are to be on mission with our Father – we are to all to do His work. AND if every Christian does what God has prepared him/her to do, I believe without a doubt it will result in the day when a “multitude … from EVERY nation, tribe, people and language (is) standing before the throne” crying “Salvation belong to our God” (Rev 7:9,10).

Thank you for the chance to ‘vent’ and thank you also for being a part of our being ‘professional’ missionaries – thanks to the prayer, personnel, and financial support we receive from Southern Baptists and others. I am also thankful, very thankful for the many others who are our REAL missionary co-workers for long periods and short ones! BERT YATES

SPECIAL PRAYER NUDGE

NOTE: Those of you who follow the PRAYER NUDGES FROM EAST AFRICA have already seen this prayer nudge, but as it needs as much prayer as possible, I will re-post it.

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Not certain if the man is with the kids or if he is the owner of this 'hotel' or if he and the kids are hungry, but many people in the Horn of Africa are hungry today. Once again, it will not be easy reading more about this drought, but many specific Prayer Nudges can be gleaned from reading the two articles posted below. Remember as you read and pray that many of the areas in need of food are also in need of our Savior’s Living Bread as a large number of people in these areas are among those celebrating Ramadan!

"Bad roads derail bid for supply relief food" / DAILY NATION /

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Bad+roads+derail+bid+to+supply+relief+food/-/1056/1213740/-/6gqx44z/-/index.html

"Horn of Africa sees 'worst drought in 60 years'" / BBC News /

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13944550

August 3, 2011

As some of you realized from recent photos I’ve posted on Facebook, I was not sitting in chilly Nairobi as I wrote last week’s prayer update, but by the warmth of the Indian Ocean. We were not trying to hide that we had taken our daughter (Jessie) and her friend (Amy) to the coast for a treat, but it was one of those times when we wanted to ask for prayers for traveling – a great need always in our part of the world – but we felt that it was not wise to announce to the world that our house was empty for several days!

We did have a good time at the coast even though Jack and I were there to work – but viewing the ocean as I worked was much more inspiring than my usual office and walking along the ocean is a much better way to de-stress than walking to the store to buy milk after completing the day’s work!

Jack enjoyed having uninterrupted time for research as he read books on Baptist history. I also did a bit of research as we toured Gedi, an old Islamic town. Ramadan began this week and I will use the photos in a prayer walk later during this Muslim holy month. My greatest prayer need at the moment is for wisdom in preparing Prayer Nudges during August. Pray that I will find the right balance of sensitivity and clarity as I lead others in prayer for those celebrating Ramadan.

In the last two weeks, I have also updated two blogs. Yates-IMB-Kenya, our family blog which you are currently reading has a “new” look and an emphasis has been added on the current “Horn of Africa Drought.” Reading “Famished Somalis walk for days in search of hope” will not be pleasant, but the latest article added by Baptist Global Response will help you pray and minister in our Father’s name.

Praying for Others, a blog I began several years ago, also has a new look and during August, new prayer nudges will be added daily to help you join those celebrating Ramadan in prayer. My focus work is not with those of other faiths, but the fact that this is not our “focus” frees me to share and lead others in prayer in a way that co-workers and others working with these faiths cannot do!

Those of you who follow 2011 PRAYER NUDGES FROM EAST AFRICA on another blog or on Facebook will see repetition this month as I will use the same Prayer Nudges on both blogs. One reason for this is simply that the drought and Ramadan are our current greatest needs for prayer and they “overlap” as most of the areas in need of rain are also in need of our Savior’s living water as a large number of people in these areas are among those celebrating Ramadan!

Part of me wants to apologize for this week’s update being “longish” again and carrying so many prayer needs, but … We do depend upon your prayers for both our needs, which includes praying for Jessie and Amy as they return to the States this weekend, and for our blessings, which includes praises for what they have learned during their visit about serving our Father! BERT

Praying for Others at http://omba4kenyaprayforothers.blogspot.com/

Baptist Global Response at http://www.baptistglobalresponse.com/

2011 PRAYER NUDGES FROM EAST AFRICA at http://easternafrica2011prayernudges.blogspot.com/