October 17, 2012

Lots of frustration at the moment!  I worked for hours on a new slideshow to share what touched our hearts this week and then tried a new trick to speed up the process.  Simply said:  IT DID NOT WORK! So, before I could begin writing this update, I had to redo all that was zapped.  Thankfully, the group of photos which share “What Touched Our Hearts”  this past week is finally ready!

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Just had to take another hour break from writing this update and to be honest, with all that has happened since I sat at my desk this morning, I’m debating if God is trying to send me a message or the devil is busy making sure I either go crazy today and/or fail in accomplishing my planned work!  The extra delay occurred when I remembered to check if those of you who are not Facebook friends could see this slideshow and discovered that only a fraction of the photos appeared!  THEN as I began redoing everything, there was a series of bangs which included a flurry of sparks around my desk! 

The bangs were transformers blowing in our neighborhood (an almost daily and or nightly event as a major substation is across the street) and the sparks came from the voltguard which protects my computer and other electrical items on my desk.  As the electricity has not yet reappeared, I’m not certain, but rather sure that the voltguard is dead!  I’m not sure about the other things, but my computer is working great and I’m hoping this means the voltguard did its job and protected other things!  You might like to know that we have multiple ‘voltguards’ all over our house, not just on our computers, but on our fridge and freezer, television, etc.  The one that is probably fried is the one in the photo!

I just took a few seconds to debate if I needed to delete all the above and restart this update, but realized that my purpose today was to share what we see and experience, so I will leave the above and continue by sharing the good things which kept us busy this week.  I’m trying to learn some new skills to help me better share what God is doing in our part of the world, which includes expanding the ‘our part’ to all of Sub-Saharan Africa rather than only the East Africa bit – and as I’ve already proven, some skills aren’t working too well, so pray for patience and perseverance for me. 

Jack has been busy this week encouraging pastors and trying to entice others to join in God’s work in Kenya – which included our returning this week to the church we visited a week ago on the edge of the Mathare slum.  It is part of this story that I’ve tried to share in the slideshow.  To be honest, there is no way we can fully share all our thoughts and reactions, as the opportunities for serving our Father are so great and the needs we encounter are often overwhelming.  So, pray that Jack and I will always be able to overlook the frustrations, delays and disappointments, and be sensitive to what God wants us to do whether it be guiding others to come and join in His harvest work or the bits of the work we are to do! 

As it is now hours later that I hoped to ‘mail’ this letter to you, I will stop – BUT I will add, thank you for all the ways you support us which allow us to be working in Kenya!  BERT

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"What Touched Our Hearts” – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151443333050130.587856.685050129&type=1&l=96084b21aa

Remember that daily 2012 Prayer Nudges from East Africa  can be found at http://easternafrica2012prayernudges.blogspot.com/