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/
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