November 21, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!  We had a head start last week on giving thanks and not just the beautiful things we saw such as the one above!  As our early day of celebration was the follow-up of something Jack did years ago,  I've asked him to share our thanksgiving story with you.
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Last week, I sat in the office of long-time friend and co-worker, Rev. Samson Kisia.  He showed me on his office map of southern Sudan, locations circled where he has former members, TEE (Theological Education by Extension) students, and churches.  There were at least ten circles!  It all brought back memories and assurances of how God answers the prayers of our hearts.

Over 20 years ago in the height of the Sudan Civil War, Samson started a special worship service for Sudanese refugees at his church, First Baptist Ruiru, north of Nairobi.  He taught them TEE, found them Bibles, and began to disciples these refugees. When a UN camp was built for the Sudanese near the Sudan/Kenya border, he began working at Kakuma.  Eventually, with the help of other Kenyan Baptists and missionaries, five churches were started in the Kakuma Camp.  When peace finally was restored, Samson became their mentor as they returned to their new nation, South Sudan. 

Near the end of 1989, while we were working in the Rift Valley, Nakuru Baptist Church began work among the Turkana (an Unreached People Group) in northwest Kenya by sending their associate pastor back to his ‘home area’ to plant churches.  Eventually the Baptist Mission (IMB) also sent personnel, and just north of where they lived was the Sudanese Refugee Camp at Kakuma – connections which led me to the area and the camp. 

Later, I joined others (IMB missionaries and Kenyan Baptist leaders which included Pastor Kisia) on a survey trip across the border to Narus, Sudan (South Sudan as of July 9, 2011) and found the Toposa People, one of the many Unreached People Groups of South Sudan.   I still remember Samson’s words to me, “Jack, this is the real Africa!”  Somehow though, our mission plans were put on hold.  Samson continued however and as a result countless Sudanese have graduated from our seminary, KBTC, and returned home to work in churches and schools for their new country. 

God honoured the ‘promise’ we all felt that day in 1990 as we stood in Narus; that we (Baptists) would be back and the Toposa of Narus would no longer be unreached! The reason we visited Samson at First Baptist Ruiru last Friday was to take a young IMB couple to meet him who will be moving to Narus in 2013!  God has prepared the way!

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BERT again:  A added bit of our excitement is that the young IMB couple that we took to meet Samson last Friday is from our ‘home area’ (term often used in Africa) – North Carolina!!! Hope you have enjoyed our early Thanksgiving event, and don’t worry, our turkey is already baked (iffy electricity leads to baking early) and we will share a traditional meal tomorrow with colleagues and friends.  Also be assured that your support of us will be high among the things we are thankful for tomorrow!  BERT
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Special THANK YOU gift for you – A slideshow sharing some of Kenya’s beauty can be found by clicking the top photo and viewing Thanksgiving –Psalm 118 guides you on a tour of scenes viewed by IMB Women of East Africa during a Prayer Retreat - a gift from those who give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151505000150130.597467.685050129&type=1&l=375eb07f30

Remember to view the new daily Nudges from East Africa/Sub-Saharan Africa at http://easternafrica2012prayernudges.blogspot.com/

All the photos in this week's update were taken this past week as we visited Samson or as we worshipped with our church family last Sunday or views in our yard!