“Last weekend a couple serving in East Africa had a WOW
moment. As they drank tangerine juice and ate paneer chapatis and chicken
chapati wraps served with three sauces (hot, sizzling hot, and scorching hot)
they realized they were the only people in the packed restaurant with green or
blue eyes! Next came the realization that over half the diners wore clothing
different from theirs, with many men wearing white, grey or black tunics (long
shirt like garments) and women in black robes over their clothing and black or
colorful scarves covering their hair. The husband asked: ‘How boring would our
lives be if all the people around us looked like us?’ Their next reaction:
Praising God for allowing them to serve in East Africa, where so many People
Groups come together, providing so many opportunities to serve as our Father's
Heart, Hands and Voice!”
Last week I wrote: “Jack called… he had taken a photo of a student in his class for another great Lottie Story – which I will share next week.“ Here is that Past, Present and Future Lottie Story as posted in the Dec 11th Prayer Nudge:
Francis, a Baptist pastor of 15 years, may have never heard
of Lottie Moon, but his life has been transformed by the Lottie Moon Christmas
Offering (LMCO). “One of the original converts” of the Maasai People of Kenya,
Francis was a child when he first met an IMB missionary working among the
Maasai, thanks to the LMCO. After primary school, another IMB missionary
convinced Francis to attend Mombasa Baptist High School, begun thanks to the
LMCO, where an IMB missionary teacher helped Francis grow spiritually. After
graduation, he assisted two more IMB missionaries working among his people.
With their encouragement, he enrolled at the Kenya Baptist Theological College
– also begun thanks to the LMCO. He had to drop-out one month before graduation
in 1995, but today Francis is back in seminary, where some of his professors
are IMB missionaries supported by the LMCO. Soon he will graduate, an equipped
pastor ready to serve as His Fathers’ Heart, Hands and Voice among his people,
where IMB missionaries no longer work as there are now trained/discipled Maasai
Believers to share our Father’s Good News, THANKS to the LMCO!
Jack, one of the mentioned IMB seminary professors, added
later: “Francis has heard of Lottie Moon in his current Baptist History,
Faith and Practice class!”
The “IMB missionary (who) convinced Francis to attend
Mombasa Baptist High School” added: “Francis dropped out of seminary
because a cobra spit in his eye causing great damage. Having watched him grow
from a boy to a fine young man, you have no idea how proud I am that he is back
in seminary.”
Francis’ story share the old and present ways that the Lottie Moon Offering affects work in East Africa and more importantly, it shares the FUTURE story as he and others are continuing to work as trained, discipled workers in their Harvest Field among the Maasai! Thank You for being a part of this story as you pray, send personnel and support the LMCO and Cooperative Program.
Thank you for praying for Jack as he continues teaching Baptist Beliefs, History and Practice at our Kenya Baptist Theological College through Friday. Pray for Jack and others as the KBTC Board of Governors meet on Monday, December 19th. Critical personnel, academic, administration and financial decisions are to be made. Pray that their decisions will help KBTC enter 2012 with newness of life, a new creation able to serve our Father. BERT YATESGod does bless the many ways you support us, so I will close with our current prayer requests: Continue praying for me as I seek to harness/put into action all my ideas … to help you recognize how thankful we and our colleagues are for your support and how we do depend upon you. Pray also that our East African co-workers will be strengthened and encouraged as I find ways to share their stories.
PS: Our Christmas tree is finally up – and yes, it has a few
Maasai/Kenyan ornaments, but Jack and I have spent over half of our Christmases
in Kenya!
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* Daily Prayer Nudges, WHICH YOU ARE WELCOME TO SHARE with others, can be found at:
"Lottie Moon 2011 - East Africa" blog at http://lottiemoon2011eastafrica.blogspot.com/ and at 2011 PRAYER NUDGES FROM EAST AFRICA – http://easternafrica2011prayernudges.blogspot.com/
Or three options on Facebook:
Special Page: Lottie Moon 2011 East Africa - https://www.facebook.com/LottieMoon2011.EastAfrica ) or on my personal page, https://www.facebook.com/bert.yates or the new page for Imb East Africa - https://www.facebook.com/Imb.East.Africa – Yes, this may look as if I’m overdoing it, but I’ve learned that different pages/names expands the options for people finding our stories from East Africa!
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