December 21, 2011

"Why are you still in Kenya?  You could have retired long ago.  Are you sure this isn’t your ‘comfort zone’ and you should leave?”  A friend recently asked Jack and me these questions. Our answers:  Yes, with IMB policies, we could have retired long ago.  Yes, although sometimes the ‘going is rough,’ we are more accustomed to life in East Africa than North Carolina. Yes, we have asked God many times if we have stayed too long on this mountain (Deut. 1:6 is appropriate as Nairobi is a mile high), but even when we would prefer a YES, we know in our hearts that the answer is “No, this is where I am calling you to be at this time.”

So, once again we will celebrate an equatorial Christmas dressed in our summer clothes, with poinsettias not displayed as ‘extra’ decorations, but as the norm around our house, and rely upon SKYPE to visit with our kids, which will hopefully include SKYPING as our granddaughter opens her Christmas gifts from us!  Our Christmas parties/ special meals will be balanced with special times with our East African friends and our mission family.  We’ve already had the joy of sharing special Christmas luncheons with the Sema Leatherworks families(1) and with the Parklands Baptist Church leadership(2). 

New co-workers spending their first Christmas in Kenya will visit on Christmas Eve – our tradition of sharing an East African ‘summer’ lunch of grilled steaks and fresh strawberries atop brownies, definitely not an American traditional Christmas meal, with a family whom we want to know better.  That evening, we will attend a Christmas Concert at Parklands Baptist. On Christmas morning we will share breakfast with co-workers visiting from Uganda, including home-made Moravian Sugarcake, a family tradition from living in Winston-Salem, NC., the home of the real Dewey’s Sugarcake! Later, we will  worship with our church family at Parklands Baptist Mombasa Road. So, as you can see we are ‘comfortable’ here in Kenya and do expect a Krismasi Njema (Swahili for good Christmas)!

Jack has lots of catch-up work this week, as he tries to rest a bit, after teaching for three weeks at our Kenya Baptist Theological College.  Thank you especially for praying for the Board of Governors meeting at our college/seminary this past Monday.  The meeting was very productive and our prayers that “KBTC enter 2012 with newness of life, a new creation able to serve our Father” are on their way to being answered. Please join us in continuing to pray for this need.

Thank you also for your prayers for me as I continue sharing how God is at work in East Africa via the internet.  Without fail, every time exhaustion, frustration, or disappointment creeps in, God sends me an assurance that this is the work I should do!  I am planning to rest some during the holidays, but pray for me as I prepare for new opportunities in 2012 to share how thankful we and our colleagues are for you and how we do depend upon you as you support us through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Cooperative Program and through your prayers and sending personnel.  For a little extra Christmas cheer in the next few days, I encourage you to check out the daily Prayer Nudges from East Africa(3)!  Krismasi Njema from East Africa, BERT

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(1) Sema Leatherworks Ministry - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sema-Leatherworks/116367071750964

(2) To view a video sharing what I love about Christmas with Kenyan Believers – Parklands Baptist Church Leadership Christmas Luncheon, go to: https://picasaweb.google.com/105343089902291545775/ChristmasWithKenyanBelievers?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLfJ3N-jw_LwogE&feat=directlink

(3) For Prayer Nudges from East Africa, go to Lottie Moon 2011 / East Africa  – http://lottiemoon2011eastafrica.blogspot.com/  or 2011 PRAYER NUDGES FROM EAST AFRICA  – http://easternafrica2011prayernudges.blogspot.com/.   You can also find the Prayer Nudges on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bert.yates .  This may seem like overdoing it, but I’m seeking to offer ways that will appeal to different audiences!  Today’s, Dec 21^st Prayer Nudge is the first of three “NOT A MANGER SCENE, BUT” to be shared this week.