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 14th, Jack’s is tomorrow (18th) and we celebrate 40 years of marriage on the 21st! 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 16th 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!)
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