September 19, 2012

Staying put at my desk this morning in order to write this update required turning on music to muffle the sounds outside my window. One group of sounds is not enjoyable - The pounding and breaking of rocks as fundis (workers) reinforce the foundation of our fence which was eroded by heavy rains earlier this year! The second group of sounds is very, very enjoyable, but tempting! It is our spring time and lots and lots of birds are twittering/ flittering among the flowering trees and plants in our yard which makes staying inside and not viewing their antics very undesirable!

As I prepared tomorrow’s Nudge from East Africa this morning , I realized that I, like most missionaries, don’t like to emphasize the security problems we face. Between extra current precautions due to terror threats (which includes getting accustomed to police at church services and being checked before entering shopping centers) and upcoming national elections (which in Kenya and other parts of the world leads to upheavals resulting in death and destruction) we do need your prayers for peace and wisdom!

We may have concerns, but we continue to be amazed at how God is at work in our part of the world and praise Him for allowing us to be here! Another thing that we share with many missionaries is that we were involved in mission programs as children and a song that I learned as a GA (now Girls in Action) came to mind last Sunday as our church had Mission’s Sunday.

As I took photos of the university students and teens preparing for a Parade of Flags, the words, “We’ve a story to tell to the nations,” became very real! It was one of those moments of realizing the opportunities God has given Jack and me to tell His story to the nations, including Jack teaching students from all over Kenya and East Africa and as I use the internet to share His story!

What I really loved seeing last Sunday was the younger children, who were not running around, but standing and watching their older friends. As I shared in today’s nudge, I realized that the flag bearers, even those in primary school, “had already made mission trips within their city or among Unreached Peoples, which meant they were fellow workers in our Father’s Harvest Field.” I also realized “from personal experience that the little kids may remember this event as the day they began dreaming of serving as missionaries!” Needless to say, it is times like this that keep us going!

Please join us in praying that we will continue being obedient and adequate workers in our Father’s harvest field. Pray for wisdom and protection as we and others minister in ‘iffy’ situations. Pray for strength and wisdom for Jack as he encourages and enables our pastors and East African Believers as they carry out the Great Commission. Pray that I will ‘see’ what God wants me to ‘see’ as I share what He is up to in our part of the world and how you and others can also join in His work! BERT
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Don't forget to view this week's Nudges from East Africa at http://easternafrica2012prayernudges.blogspot.com/