Urgent Prayer Request from the Yates

A few hours ago I wrote the following in our newsletter: “In the last week, we’ve also seen one major obstacle begin to subside...” At the time I was writing these words, Jack was given a letter that disproved my first sentence – the obstacle was not subsiding, but just revamping to return with greater strength. So once, again, I cannot give you all the information due to the nature of the ‘issues’, but please join us in praying that those dealing with this new issue will truly rely upon God’s direction for their decisions. Pray that they will rely upon and claim God’s strength in carrying out their decisions. Pray also that we will have the right attitude towards those responsible for or involved in this new development and how they have handled things to this point. But most of all pray that we and all involved will truly seek to be a positive part of God’s current and future purposes for KBTC.

May 22, 2013

“Miracle, solution, wonder” – surprising words I discovered this morning not in God’s Word, but at http://thesarus.com while searching for antonyms for the word DILEMMA!  In the Bible, I also found God’s antonym or what he does when He lifts us out of our slimy pits of dilemmas – “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.”

Photos this week are views seen during the week that amazed us....

 I have read Psalm 40 many times, but as I reread it this morning, the conclusion of Psalm 40:3 had a new meaning.  “Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him” shares God’s miraculous, wonderful solution to our facing dilemmas when we rely upon His help and then claim and share that “new song… a hymn of praise to our God” with others!

... offered us shopping opportunities (cushions)...

Problems are continuing, but as we chose to focus on our heavenly Father and His ability to handle things, miracles, solutions and wonders began appearing!  As I wrote last week’s update sharing our new focus, Jack was in his office opening unexpected e-mails with assurances of support for the Kenya Baptist Theological College. We have not been able to share most of our specific prayer needs, but THANK YOU! We know you have been praying. 

... or simply brought us joy!

In the last week, we’ve also seen one major obstacle begin to subside, a true example of the miraculous ways of the one with the “power and might” which no thing or “one can withstand” as we obediently “take up… positions, stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give” (2 Chronicles 20:6, 17). But please keep praying that this and other obstacles from the past will be overcome so that Jack and others can focus on being workers carrying out God’s current and future purposes for KBTC.

Spotted this flower for the first time
last weekend in our yard in Nairobi...

God also blessed us with two other views of his miracles, solutions and wonders this past week.  We had the joy last Saturday of meeting with Parkland Baptist Church’s steering committee for work among the Unreached Turkana People.  We saw the results of answered prayers as we listened to their plans for ministering to this large pastoral people group.  The time sharing with this group of our experiences and what we have learned during the last 34+ years was an incredible reminder of how God is using African Baptists to carry out His Great Commission as they go, baptize, teach and make disciples of all people and nations!

... growing beside lots of these flowers.

The second ‘view’ was a special time of visiting with our young friends who recently had to evacuate from South Sudan.  It was sad to hear of the problems and chaos in South Sudan, but it was a joy to hear how God is continuing to guide, encourage and strengthen them.  Would you join us in praying for their greatest concern – that their Toposa neighbors will not feel that God’s messengers have deserted them and that the Toposa and other Unreached Peoples of South Sudan will have opportunities to hear and claim our Father’s love, salvation and peace?

Spotted outside a bedroom window last Sunday afternoon after....

Would you also join us in praying for a safe journey on Friday and a great day of celebrating our Father as 32 young men and women graduate from KBTC’s program in Malindi on Saturday?  God has already begun answering your prayers for our strengthening after all the stresses of the last few months, but pray that this time on the coast and two nights near a game park will offer us a needed time of renewal.

...first spotting this blur (low left) of colour!

This break will include my taking lots of photos to share with you in June, but it will also include a week’s break from the internet, thus no update next Wednesday and no new daily Sub-Saharan African Peoples Nudges to Action (Praying, Serving and Giving) until June 1st!  Thank you once again for your prayers and all the ways you support us, BERT

May 18th SSAP Nudge to Action

From afar, the dome of the Hindu worship centre appeared to be in three colours. Closer, a missionary in Sub-Saharan Africa recognized stages of painting. Then God asked: Do you make certain you are sharing my salvation in a way that is clearly seen and understood?

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For daily Nudges to Action - Praying, Serving and Giving for Sub-Saharan African Peoples, visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sub-Saharan-African-Peoples/100173880060607?ref=hl

(non-Facebook users can view this page).

May 15, 2013

View from our teachers cottage at KBTC
at 6 yesterday afternoon.

Dilemma – a good word to start our update for the second week! As problems at Kenya Baptist Theological College continued last week, we faced additional frustrations! As I wrote last week, I was in my fifth day of a flu with a horrible cough! Then last Thursday morning, my fever sky-rocketed so we cancelled our plans and returned to Nairobi where my doctor decided that I also had a sinus infection.

View from our cottage at 7 this morning - Jack
is hidden in the clouds as he walks to his office.

Jack returned to the KBTC campus on Friday morning and when he called at lunch, I reported that the antibiotic was working and I was feeling better. He replied with a series of coughs! When he returned home late that afternoon, there was no doubt that he had also succumbed to the flu! As of today, we are both finally back on our normal schedules, which leads to my sharing more dilemmas faced by missionaries which should be included in your ‘general’ prayer list.

These goats were experiencing no dilemmas as they
nestled this week in a drainage ditch in the centre of a
round-about on Nairobi's new northern bypass.

Pray for good health for missionaries as not only do we deal with the ‘usual’ illnesses, but ones not routinely expected in developed countries, such as today’s alert for dengue fever on the coast. We also must be careful about exposing our illnesses as many people we encounter may be more susceptible as they don’t have access to past, present or future adequate medical care.

Some would define meeting this on the road as a dilemma. I focus
on all the activity and colour beautifying the muddy, dirty road!

Another general prayer item is for patience as plans and schedules are more likely to be ‘fluid’ in Africa due to things such as the rain which leads to impassable roads, even within the cities. Another schedule breaker is the one recently faced by friends who live a day’s drive from Nairobi. When the husband hurt his knee, it meant a planned short stay in the city became a long one due to the lack of medical care in their work area.

Guess what company has just come to Kenya with lots of
colourful 'branding' on billboards, buildings and even homes?

Patience is also needed as we deal with electricity/ internet problems (electricity has returned in our cottage a few minutes ago after being out most of the night). Our friends who evacuated from South Sudan last week were very aware of the blessing of adequate electricity (their often cantankerous solar powered system was working last week) and internet strength which allowed them to easily share their prayer requests before their journey and their praise after arriving safely in Kenya. When you hear of problems in a country, do pray for good communications as this is often an issue during crisis.

More colour spotted yesterday at a roadside market.

Now for what God taught us this week about dealing with dilemmas! Last Thursday morning before the fever hit, God led me to 2 Chronicles 20. As Jack and I read and reread these verses while hibernating over the weekend, we realized that we had fallen to one of the greatest ‘tricks’ of spiritual warfare –focusing on problems instead of the One with the “power and might… that no one can withstand” (v.6).

Today's Nudge to Action for
Sub-Saharan African Peoples

Our prayer request this week is that we will not focus on our lack of power to overcome the dilemmas/ spiritual warfare, but keep our eyes focused on the one who does (v.12). Pray that we will not be afraid or discouraged as the attacks continue, but recognize that these “battles are not (ours), but God’s” (v.15). Pray that we will obediently stand firm, remembering that he is with us (v.17), praising and giving thanks to him (v.21) as God deals with the dilemmas and gives us rest on every side (v.30), including rest from coughing and needed restful nights of sleep!

I can assure you now that based on the miracles that have already begun appearing since we ‘refocused’, next week’s update WILL NOT begin with the word ‘dilemma’! BERT YATES

Another example of branding seen in Kenya - this one for a company
that offers phone/internet services.  And NO, I do not know how all
the hand-made sofas and chairs along the road stay clean.

May 8, 2013

Dilemma often faced by missionaries: How do you write a newsletter when the prayer needs you most need to share are ones that you cannot freely share. For some of our co-workers, the problem is based on security issues.

"A faith as precious as ours." (2 Peter 1:1). Questions I asked
myself when I read this verse during devotions last week:
How much do I value my faith?  Do I act as though my
faith is precious? Do I recognize all the precious gifts
my Father offers me such as these Common Waxbills...

Special sensitivity is required by those who work among People Groups where accepting our Father’s love and salvation can lead to persecution, not just for the new Believer, but for their family. This is one of the reasons that I do my work as a Prayer Networker for Sub-Saharan African Peoples – I seek to share their sensitive stories in a safe way so that can receive lots of needed prayer support.

... or these Weavers perched along the fence
leading to the new KBTC building.

Others face another security issue – their own personal safety due to rebels, terrorists and other threats in their area.  This security issue has led to the need for evacuation for many of our co-workers among Sub-Saharan African Peoples in recent months – often with very short notice, thus insufficient time to ask for prayer support.

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith
goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge,
self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to
perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness;
and to brotherly kindness, love."  (1 Peter 1:5-7)  My question
after reading this:  Am I willing to do all that is required to
accomplish these steps?  Am I willing to take risks?  
Photo:  A risky delivery of a sofa and chair!

Two young co-workers in South Sudan faced this dilemma last weekend.  They were able to share their prayer needs before and after they arrived in Kenya, but I’m sure this was only done after alerting and seeking to ease the fears of their families and closest friends. I have a note on my desk to ask their permission to share their prayer requests as future SSAP Nudges to Action for safety for those they minister among and that this difficulty be a stepping stone to the Taposa and other Unreached Peoples coming to know our heavenly Father and claiming his peace.

"For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure,
they will keep you from being ineffective and  unproductive
in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:8).
My question:  Is this not also what is needed for us to be
effective and productive in serving our Lord Jesus Christ?
Photo: Productive and effective use of one's head!

Another dilemma is when the problems are complicated and similar to problems often shared in God's word -  problems caused by God’s children.  When Jack began as the principal at KBTC in January, we knew there were many problems that had to be solved, but the depth and breadth of the problems have been and are continuing to be overwhelming as… I need to stop there!  But this does explain why Jack and I have found lots of strengthening and encouragement in the Psalms and the New Testament in recent months!

"...a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the
morning star rises in your hearts" (2 Peter 1:19) -  God's words
and views such as this spotted as we returned to KBTC early
one Monday morning are ways that God has encouraged
and strengthened our hearts in the last few months.

Jack and his staff’s desire is that the old problems be solved so that they can focus on the future and how God can use the college to bring glory to himself and no other.  Please join us in praying that the problems at KBTC will be solved and the staff will be able to focus on KBTC being 'once again a place where African Believers can be prepared to REFLECT the PRESENCE OF GOD and become qualified and capable workers in our Father’s Harvest Field.'

"The Lord know how to rescue godly men from trials." (2 Peter 2:9)
The current staff do believe that God will rescue KBTC from
its current trials and use KBTC for his purposes and glory. 

Pray for God’s wisdom, guidance and strength as Jack and others resolve the problems.  Pray that God will be glorified and his will be accomplished in all that happens.  Pray that KBTC staff members will remain patient and strong as they personally suffer due to the problems. Pray also for students who are to graduate in July, yet many are not ready due to recent problems, including the problem of unpaid tuition fees.  BERT

One of the newest changes at KBTC - a shop selling books to those
preparing to serve our Father.  Begun for the same reason that 1st
and 2nd Peter were written:"To stimulate... to wholesome thinking"
(2 Peter 3:1) God's children because our "Lord ... is patient... not
wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (3:9).

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One part of Bert's work is posting daily Nudges to Action for Sub-Saharan African Peoples on a blog, Sub-Saharan African Peoples Nudges to Action and on the SSAP Facebook page, Sub-Saharan African Peoples (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sub-Saharan-African-Peoples/100173880060607?ref=hl ). Non-Facebook members can visit the Sub-Saharan African Peoples FB page.

You can also learn more about what God is doing at KBTC on Kenya Baptist Theological College * Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/KenyaBaptistTheologicalCollege.

May 5, 2013 - SSAP Nudge to Action

Update on April 7th SSAP Nudge to Action post on recording 100 Bible stories for solar audio players in South Sudan: “I am continually amazed at how culturally relevant the Old Testament is to the Toposa… Joshua’s charge(Joshua 23) is very similar to the speech a Toposa man might give to his family or village. Pray for this project to be done well and help every Toposa understand God’s Word!"

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For daily Nudges to Action - Praying, Serving and Giving for Sub-Saharan African Peoples, check out  http://easternafrica2012prayernudges.blogspot.com/

and at Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sub-Saharan-African-Peoples/100173880060607?ref=hl

(non-Facebook users can view this page).

May 1, 2013

“As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual home… you are a chosen people… the people of God” (1 Peter 2:4,5, 9,10).  First Peter took on new meaning for me this week, possibly because I was watching the corner of the unfinished second floor in the newer building on the Kenya Baptist Theological College be transformed into a shower block during a time of torrential ‘showers’.

Back of building and
in the doorway...

Rains are continuing in Kenya and there was a rainfall last Saturday night that will be remembered for years. A neighbour of KBTC reported that his rain gauge, measuring up to 8 inches, was overflowing Sunday morning. That does sound questionable, but it could be correct as there were many mudslides that night leading to deaths and destroyed homes, roads and railway lines. Thankfully the damage at KBTC was not severe, though the newly repaired road to the upper campus became impassable again, which leads to a praise. Once again, God provided and with the help of the rented donkey, students and others hauling building rubble each time down the mountain, the road is now passable!

... the son of one of the chefs.

And in the midst of this rainy night and many others last week, the construction on the new shower block was done so that groups, such as a pastor’s conference this week, can meet, eat and sleep in one building. I guess these problems of moving around campus if you aren't able to stay in one building, added to watching stones create new rooms, as well as revived memories led to the new appreciation for 1st Peter!

This bird set atop the door at the front of the
building and constantly looked back at me.

I guess I should ask: Have you ever experienced quarried stones being turned by hand into usable blocks for construction? Thankfully the blocks used for the shower rooms were already prepared, but I have memories of listening for hours and hours for days and days as someone sat outside our home chipping-chipping-chipping on stones as they turned uneven shapes into a block ready for building, often with the piles of chips taking more space than the dressed blocks!

When I walked away, it flew into what I thought was
a wasp nest in the top corner of the ceiling, but... 

As I read of our being God’s living stones, I realized that this is what he must do to us! Thankfully the stones don’t feel (or at least I don’t think they do) all the hitting and banging needed to make them useful, but we do! Watching the men and one woman work on last week’s construction crew, I also realized that stone work is messy and hard work. The stones are heavy and often these must be moved up and down steps and even mountains (in Africa man power is used more often than machine power). Plus to get everything joined properly the mortar must be added in excess and then removed to form clean and balanced lines.

...it was a nest, which as this one under
construction shows, has two rooms - an entry
room and a larger  room for the babies!

I don’t want to dwell on negatives, such as on-going spiritual attacks as Jack and his team seek to resurrect KBTC, plus in all honesty, I can’t share most of these problems or identify specific needs! But as God’s chosen people, when we join him in his work, we will “have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1:6) , and be accused of “doing wrong” (2:12). We must keep our focus on the result – “that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory…” (4:11).

Another bit of construction viewed this week - a Hindu temple.
I thought the dome was being painted in three colours, but it
was simply three stages right to left of no paint, a base of
rose and the finished marble look - a definite future NUDGE!

All said (and not said), we ask that you join us in praying that we follow the examples set by our Saviour (2:21-23) and claim the “strength God provides" (4:11) as we seek to serve him this coming week. Pray that we will be “like-minded… sympathetic… love one another… compassionate and humble” (3:8) and in our “hearts revere Christ as Lord (and) Always be prepared (in all our actions/reactions) to give an answer to everyone who asks… the reason for the hope” (3:15) and salvation that we possess thanks to the “resurrection of Jesus Christ” (3:21). BERT YATES

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One part of Bert's work is posting daily Nudges to Action for Sub-Saharan African Peoples on a blog, Sub-Saharan African Peoples Nudges to Action and on the SSAP Facebook page, Sub-Saharan African Peoples (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sub-Saharan-African-Peoples/100173880060607?ref=hl ). Non-Facebook members can visit the Sub-Saharan African Peoples FB page.

Yet another type of construction - chapati making from balls to cooking. This photo was used on the Kenya Baptist Theological College * Facebook page. *https://www.facebook.com/KenyaBaptistTheologicalCollege