August 31, 2013

Today’s update is written by our youngest daughter, Jessie, as she shares a bit about the mission trip she and others from her church, Cary First Baptist (NC), made to Ahero, in western Kenya last week.  In less than a week, they helped build two homes, one for a widow and her children and another for a widower; visited five schools sharing a True Love Waits presentation; and ministered at two orphanages, before taking a break at the end to visit Maasai Mara, a local game park.  BERT

---   ---   ---   ---   ---

God doesn’t call us to a life of comfort.  I feel that this is a lesson that is always challenging me or a close friend in our everyday lives.  But you step out into that mission field and inevitably, you are not only out of your comfort zone, but you must rely on God as your only true source of comfort and joy.

 

Building the frame for one
the houses. Mud will be
added between two rows
of the poles to form walls.

I watched each night as the team shared their ‘highs and lows’ of the day and was carried along not only by my own roller-coaster of physical and emotional ‘ups and downs’, but by theirs as well.  And I’ll admit it – at times the level of poverty and need that we witnessed threw me into depths of discomfort that I have never felt outside of the mission field. AND then it was inevitable that I would come back to the hotel at night and face an Immense amount of shame when I complained about having to take a bucket bath and eat rice AGAIN!

One part of True Love Waits presentation

But I also witnessed how God was our comfort.  When we had all hit the highest barrier of emotions one night and still went hurdling up and over it – I prayed a single prayer for the team – that God would let us see joy in the midst of our discomfort. 

Kid enjoys his new book
and his sucker.

The next day involved a dispassionate True Love Waits presentation with the team fighting for the students to say or do anything AND then we drove to a local orphanage to participate in a once-every-other-day feeding program where at least 10% of the nursery students showed advanced stages of ring worm due to a polluted community water source.  Discomfort and emotional heartbreak spread all over the course of that day. 

And yet that night, we could not stop talking about the highs.  Individual students had opened up to each of us and we all had a chance to cross the cultural divide and laugh with pure joy.  Several of us had come together and brainstormed not only for a temporary fix for the ringworm, but several permanent fixes as well. And we had all watched the intense and absolute joy each of the nursery students had when they unwrapped their pieces of candy and tasted it for the first time and when they shared their ABC’s with us.  

The 'team shirts' were featured in today's
Nudge to Action for Sub-Saharan African Peoples

It was a good day.  NO , it was the best day, because it was 100% in God’s hands and He is the master, creator and giver of joy.  As Kenyan children still like to sing, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy,  deep down in my heart.” A lack of physical and emotional comfort hold no sway when God’s joy is present – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4!   JESSIE

***A slideshow of a few of the photos captured by Jessie and Amy during their trip can be viewed at Cary First Baptist on Mission in Kenya at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152062891920130.1073741831.685050129&type=1&l=46009c00c6 - Non Facebook members can easily view the photos.)

---   ---   ---   ---   ---   ---   ---

Bert's new FB cover photo - taken by
Jessie in Maasai Mara after the team
worked in Ahero.

For daily Nudges to Action - Praying, Serving and Giving for Sub-Saharan African Peoples

visit http://easternafrica2012prayernudges.blogspot.com/ or
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sub-Saharan-African-Peoples/100173880060607?ref=hl
(non-Facebook users can view this page.

Photo of the two Wake Forest University graduates (2009)
on the team, Jessie (right) and her room-mate, Amy,
who has worked twice before in Kenya with Jessie - drinking
their favourite Kenyan sodas, Orange Fanta and a Stoney!

July 28, 2013 SSAP Nudge to Action

Travel report from workers among the Samburu People (Kenya): Water over the bridges, hired human guard rails, drove through mud bogs, had a flat… stalled trucks blocking road… Such is the Missionary life! Comment with photo: Our truck has a snorkel. Thanks ‪#‎lottiemoon and‪#‎SBC!  Added Comment: Twice over the hood. The A/C quit working after this. Hm....? But we made it.

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

For daily Nudges to Action - Praying, Serving and Giving for Sub-Saharan African Peoples
visit http://easternafrica2012prayernudges.blogspot.com/ or
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sub-Saharan-African-Peoples/100173880060607?ref=hl
(non-Facebook users can view this page).

July 24, 2013

Even after almost 35 years living near the equator, I still find it hard to believe how cool (low 60’s today) the higher altitudes can be during our ‘barely south’ of the equator winters.  We are thankful that the sun did appear last week at our ‘mission’ meeting at Brackenhurst (7,500 feet), but since returning to Nairobi (5,670 feet) the sun has appeared only in the afternoons, which it is not doing this afternoon – thus the reason I just stopped to add more layers of clothing!

A special way that volunteers serve was shared in last
Monday's Nudge to Action for SSAP - providing VBS and
loving on missionary kids during our mission meetings.

It was a great meeting, with the highlight for me being spending Saturday with a group of our newest workers. Please pray for this excited group of men and women who have lots of hard work ahead as they learn one or more languages and how to live in very difficult places - requirements for carrying out the research needed to locate the Peoples who have not had an opportunity hear the Gospel and to find what it will take to help these people gain an understanding of the glory of our Lord (Habakkuk 2:14).

There were lots of special guests at last week's meeting....

Your prayers that the time would “be a week of rest, strengthening, encouragement and revival for co-workers and a week of great fellowship for the adults and the kids” were answered!  One special joy of the week was viewing the kids playing with chameleons and watching the adults enjoy their enjoyment!

... sometimes in unexpected places. 

Thank you also for praying for the safe arrival of Cary First Baptist Church volunteer team.   They arrived on Saturday night with ALL their luggage, which included lots of soccer balls to distribute in the schools and communities where they are working.  We were not able to travel with the team, but you can view a bit of what they experienced at First Baptist Cary Volunteer Team - 1st morning in Kenya.

To make room for all those soccer balls, Jack and I did a bit of
grocery shopping on Saturday evening for things the team
couldn't fit it - lunch fixings, mosquito spray and toilet paper!

Please continue praying for the team of ten as they minister in western Kenya by building homes and sharing the Gospel in villages in the mornings, followed by sharing the TRUE LOVE WAITS message in local schools and orphanages in the afternoons. We will visit with them again on Saturday afternoon before they head back to the airport.  Based on reports of last week’s trip, I know they would ask you to pray that they would not have to sprint through an airport on this return flight order to make a flight!  Thankfully, our daughter, Jessie, who will begin her first REAL teaching job in mid-August, will be staying with us for a week after the team leaves.

Have not a clue what Jack was saying to the group
or what Jessie and the two youngest members of
the team (standing to her right) where thinking!

Thank you also for praying for Jack’s Mom, who has now returned home. Will you join us in continuing to pray for quick healing and patience on her part as sitting still is not her norm!

The surprise view of the week spotted in along
Nairobi roads. You have to have lived in Kenya to
understand how truly unexpected viewing this was.
One more example of how things in Africa are changing!

We do depend upon your prayers support, just as we depend upon the gifts many of you give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Cooperative Program.  Your support allows us to do our work which in the coming week, when we are now simply enjoying having Jessie around, will include Jack completing vision papers for Kenya Baptist Theological College and preparing to teach courses in Baptist History and Church Planting Methods  at KBTC in September.  My to-do-list includes helping colleagues use blogs and Facebook to share their stories, as well as designing a new space on the internet to share the Nudges to Action (Praying, Giving and Serving) for Sub-Saharan African Peoples – so please pray for creativity and persistence as I tackle the work.  BERT YATES

Pray also for Bert as she prepares the daily
SSAP Nudges to Prayer, especially during Ramadan -
this photo was spotted in a local mall.

---   ---   ---   ---   ---   ---   ---

Daily nudges to prayer for Sub-Saharan African Peoples are found at Sub-Saharan African Peoples (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sub-Saharan-African-Peoples/100173880060607?ref=hl) and at SSAP Nudges to Action – Praying, Serving and Giving.

First Baptist Cary Volunteer Team - 1st morning in Kenya – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152037181315130.1073741826.685050129&type=1&l=d7e26070f5. (Can be viewed by non-Facebook members.)

Extra photos from the week at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152045439615130.1073741828.685050129&type=1&l=f3d3647580.

July 21, 2013 SSAP Nudge to Action

Pray for open hearts, spiritual conversations, and dreams or visions for those celebrating Ramadan. Ask God to reveal Himself truly to them. Pray also for Believers to have opportunities to share the hope within them, to be bold and purposeful in this time.

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

For daily Nudges to Action - Praying, Serving and Giving for Sub-Saharan African Peoples
visit http://easternafrica2012prayernudges.blogspot.com/ or
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sub-Saharan-African-Peoples/100173880060607?ref=hl
(non-Facebook users can view this page).

July 17, 2013

Writing today from Brackenhurst and for those of you who have experienced mission meetings (now called AGM’s) up on this mountain, you will enjoy knowing that we’ve awoken to cold mornings, but sunlight every morning so far and the days have been beautiful!  For those of you who have not experienced Brackenhurst at this time of year, you often awaken in July and August to cold/damp days with little sun as you live in the clouds!

Some of you may be disappointed when spotting the above photo and learn that “American eagle” is no longer THE game to be played on this beautiful spot, but I did try to get my two Missionary Kid (MK) nephews, who are now my co-workers, Tim T. and Chris, as well as our guest speaker, another MK nephew, Scott Whitson, to pose for the photo, but… For those of you who have not a clue why many MKS call the above spot THE American Eagle Field, just think of the kid’s game, RED ROVER, played by teen-aged boys with a few brave girls, and you can imagine why some missionary parents remember not the fun the kids had, but the bruises and even broken bones that occurred each mission meeting!

One of the many beautiful flowers at Brackenhurst.

I need to get to our meeting, so here are our prayer requests for the week.  The week’s theme  is IN CHRIST ALONE and I wish you could experience the joy I’ve felt each evening as we closed our service by the group singing, “In Christ alone my hope is found… For I am His and He is mine… the power of Christ in me… in the power of Christ I’ll stand.”  Pray that this will be a week of rest, strengthening, encouragement and revival for co-workers and a week of great fellowship for the adults and the kids.

All the teens are walking around today with coloured
hands and bodies after tie-dying shirts yesterday!

Would you also join us in praying for a special volunteer team headed our way this weekend?  To give you a clue as to why it is special to us, I’ll share the comments which our youngest daughter, Jessie, and Shem Okello, the Volunteer Coordinator for the Baptist Convention of Kenya, posted on Facebook:

One of the many contrasts that volunteers spot after arriving
at the international airport in Nairobi - a city with tall buildings
and men dressed in suits as well as those in their traditional garb!

An Excited Jessie: “I feel like something important is happening this week...but for the life of me I can't figure out what it is...Maybe I should pack just in case travelling will be required in some form.”

Shem:  “Coming to Kenya and meeting 7000 young people and teaching true love waits and working and feeding the orphans should make you happy and restless!”

One never knows what will be spotted
 atop buses headed to the countryside!

Pray for a safe trip this weekend for Jessie and the team from First Baptist Cary (NC) and pray for the visit next week to Ahero (west Kenya, near Kisumu) where they will be sharing their faith.  Pray also for a good visit as Jessie stays with us for a week after the team leaves.

This photo was spotted in the city at our church last Sunday,
but can also be spotted even in rural churches these days -
a Sunday School teacher using his computer as he teaches
and 'students' using their phones to read the Bible!

Would you also join us in praying for Jack’s Mom who was hospitalized recently for a cracked vertebrae?  She is now in a rehab facility in Rocky Mount, NC, receiving great care.  Pray for quick healing, great medical care, and patience on her part as sitting still is not her norm! 

A photo for Jack's Mom - Jack with his Sunday School class!

Thank you once again for all the ways you support us – which for those of you who give to Lottie Moon Offering and the Cooperative Program, includes providing for funds so our staff can have times together such as this mission meeting when we can receive training, encouragement, strengthening and a time to celebrate the opportunity to serve our Father in His Harvest Fields within Africa.   BERT YATES

---  ---   ---   ---   ---

Daily Nudges to Prayer for Sub-Saharan African Peoples can be found at Sub-Saharan African Peoples (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sub-Saharan-African-Peoples/100173880060607?ref=hl) and at SSAP Nudges to Action – Praying, Serving and Giving.

Spotted on the drive from Nairobi to Brackenhurst.

July 13, 2013 SSAP Nudge to Action

From a Believer who recently heard the Muslim call to prayer ringing multiple times daily from mosques while visiting a city on the Indian Ocean: “Pray for the power of God’s word to flow out among those who don’t know Him. Pray for opportunities and open doors of witness to plant a seed of truth that would encourage questions about Christ as God’s Son.”

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

For daily Nudges to Action - Praying, Serving and Giving for Sub-Saharan African Peoples
visit http://easternafrica2012prayernudges.blogspot.com/ or
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sub-Saharan-African-Peoples/100173880060607?ref=hl
(non-Facebook users can view this page).

July 10, 2013

Nairobi - a city with lots of people, vehicles, and tall
buildings, as well as lots and lots of colour! This
and the next few photos were taken as we took
diversions to our church last Sunday.

“I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever” (Psalm 145:1,2).  As I read the psalms, I often question the writer’s use of the word WILL.  Is he saying he WILL willingly and eagerly do the action? Or is a bit of effort needed, resulting in I WILL force myself do this thing which I should do?

A city with lots of street-side vendors selling sugary
snacks as well as healthy bananas...

This has been a week when praising our Father and extolling his name has been the willing/eager action on our part, a week of seeing His greatness and eagerly desiring to praise His works and tell of his mighty acts (v.4).  We experienced this last Sunday, although getting to church was a bit difficult this week thanks to a marathon blocking movement east of the city, where Parklands Baptist/Mombasa Road is located.

... and a special favourite, roasted corn.  

But after many diversions as we moved around the blocked roads, it was truly amazing to hear testimonies of His “abundant goodness and (to) joyfully sing of (His) righteousness” (v.7) with African Believers! We were blessed to hear a sermon in which we were challenged:  God has invested a great deal in your life.  What are you doing to allow His investment to fulfill His purpose?

One can also purchase clothing, new and used.  The choices
will increase after the sacks are emptied and displayed
on the lower row of barbed wire fencing.

Which leads to two always needed prayer nudges for missionaries:  Pray for encouragement and strengthening for missionaries ministering among Unreached Peoples as they often lack the opportunity to worship weekly with fellow mature Believers who know “of the glory of HIS kingdom and speak of HIS might” (v.11).  Pray also that as we serve our Father, which can lead to exhaustion and even frustration and discouragement, we will never forget that He wants “all men may know of HIS mighty acts and the glorious splendor of HIS kingdom” (v.12). 

Handmade furniture can also be bought along the roadside
and yes, some of the furniture in our home was purchased
at road-side shops.

We are also praising God for the opportunities we’ve had this week to be with volunteers, which included Jack showing one medical team what God is doing through His Kenyan Baptist servants at SEMA Leatherworks and the Kariobangi Baptist Youth Centre.  We also spent time with volunteers who are serving at the Kenya Baptist Theological College.  One of the joys of sharing these ministries with Baptist volunteers is showing them the results of their investments in prayer and giving as all of these were begun by IMB missionaries thanks to gifts given to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, the Cooperative Program and to Baptist Global Response!

We were not surprised when last Sunday's marathon blockages
resulted in the 3 lanes on our side of the road becoming five lanes.
The big truck coming in the wrong direction did surprise us!

We also visited last night with a special group of volunteers – family members of a young couple from North Carolina who serve among Unreached Peoples in northern Kenya and in South Sudan.  It was truly a time of praising our Father as they shared how the Turkana and Toposa peoples are responding to His Good News!

We did finally arrive at church, a little late, but in time
for a short visit with the toddler Sunday School class...

I could go on sharing our praises and prayer needs, but I will stop now and share only these current requests:   Please continue joining us in praying for the Kenya Baptist Theological College as decisions are made related to the college’s leadership and future in training and equipping God’s workers in East Africa. Pray that we will clearly see and know God’s desire for Jack’s involvement at KBTC.  Pray for me as I nudge you and others to action for the peoples of Sub-Saharan Africa, especially during Ramadan, a special time when more than one billion people in our world are fasting, praying and seeking the true source of forgiveness of their sins and eternal life. BERT YATES

... a class of a dozen or so kids - not quite sure as
 most are very energetic, even during snack time. 

Most have been born since our church began.

---   ---   ---   ---   ---

SEMA Leatherworks – http://www.semaleatherworks.com/

More on the Kariobangi Baptist Youth Centre at http://bertandjackyates.blogspot.com/2012/06/june-6-2012.html

Kenya Baptist Theological College - https://www.facebook.com/KenyaBaptistTheologicalCollege

Daily Nudges to Prayer for Sub-Saharan African Peoples can be found at Sub-Saharan African Peoples ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sub-Saharan-African-Peoples/100173880060607?ref=hl) and at SSAP Nudges to Action – Praying, Serving and Giving.

Spotted outside our gate as I walked to a 'real' store
to buy milk and bread last week.

July 7, 2013 SSAP Nudge to Action

Posted on FB by a missionary among SSAP: Our electric shower head (instant hot water) died 2 weeks ago. We purchased another one… the new one was faulty… frustration but wait.. Yesterday the new one (2nd time) came in. My husband, went to town to pick it up and shared the GOOD NEWS with 4 in the electrical shop. One said, "Yes to Jesus”… delay of a working shower head is nothing compared to the gift of eternal life in Jesus! ♫ O Happy Day! ♪

---   ---   ---   ---   ---   ---   ---

For daily Nudges to Action - Praying, Serving and Giving for Sub-Saharan African Peoples

visit http://easternafrica2012prayernudges.blogspot.com/ or 

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

(non-Facebook users can view this page).

July 3, 2013

Over a year ago, “at a large church, I left my 30 year old NIV Bible on the pew and the Bible ‘walked away.’” I shared this event in our January 4, 2012 update and how God provided me with a new Bible.  As always when I share our lives with you, I write much more than I can include, which always leads to lots of deletions.  This morning during my morning devotions, I was reminded of one of my responses to losing my Bible that I removed from that update.

Photos this week include scenes viewed as we ran errands
this week, such as this outdoor market of colourful pots...

My Kenyan friends responded to my loss by assuring me that “God will use your notes to speak to the one who ‘borrowed’ your Bible. He will use it to bring that person to Him.”  My reaction was not as ‘spiritual’ – it was embarrassment!  I worried about what the person who ‘borrowed’ my Bible would think of my many notes in the margins beside verses – notes related to my responses as God’s Words became “living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12a) – notes which included my usual response of lots of personally directed questions and responding with very, very honest answers as God “judges the thoughts and attitudes of MY heart” (Hebrews 4:12b).

... and colourful fruit..

Notes such as the following questions recorded this morning as I read verses about keeping my ‘eyes’ or ‘focus’ on God:

... and creative versions of some of God's marvelous creations!

Psalm 25:15: “My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.”  As a Believer, who is a ‘professional’ missionary, I’ve often told people to do this as I’ve mentored and in materials that I’ve written, but how often do I fully keep my eyes on my Father?  Do I worry and try to fix problems or look for His answers to any ‘snare’ I encounter?

Surprises are also spotted, such as scenes viewed in
Nairobi today that could have been spotted in Bible days

Psalm 118:23,24:  “… the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.  This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” In my work as the Affinity Networker, I have the joy of nudging you and others to the marvelous work God is allowing our co-workers among Sub-Saharan African Peoples to join Him in doing, but how often do I take time to be in awe of our Father, to thank Him, rejoice and be glad for all the marvelous things He does in my own life?

Photos this week also include scenes spotted during our
late May trip to the coast...

Psalm 119:18: “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”   Do I truly want to open my eyes and always “obey your word” (v.17) even when it is difficult, risky, uncomfortable, or even something I really would rather not do or face?

... including this elephant family... 

I think I’ve shared enough to help you see that serving our Father as a ‘professional’ missionary does not mean that we are free of frustrations, exhaustion, doubts, weaknesses, disobedience, and on and on.  If anything, it seems that the more our eyes are opened and we recognize His call on our lives and the burning He puts in our hearts (Luke 24:31,32), the greater the attacks the devil sends our way!  Which is my motivation for sending our weekly newsletters – we must have people claiming Hebrews 12:2,3 for us – people praying that we will “fix our eyes on Jesus… so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” – people like you whose eyes are opened and are ready to respond to our Saviour’s challenge in John 4:35, “Look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” 

... when we stayed atop a hill overlooking Tsavo Park.

It is difficult to fully share our thanks for your support which does encourage and strengthen us, but I can offer one small thanks this week – an event that brought us joy this past week – a video made last Sunday morning as Believers at Parklands Baptist Church sang “Bwana Mungu, Nashangaa.”  “How Great Thou Art” sung in Kiswahili will likely also lead to you rejoicing and being glad in the marvelous actions of our Father! 

The balcony of our room was the triangle in the centre -
a great place for viewing all the elephants below!

I can go on and on sharing – the reason I always, including today, must delete lots of thoughts and prayer requests as I write – but I do want to thank you for the many ways you support us and allow us to serve our Father in His Sub-Saharan African harvest field. I also ask that you join us in praying as decisions continue to be made related to Kenya Baptist Theological College’s leadership and future in training and equipping God’s workers in East Africa. Join Jack in praying that he will clearly see and know God’s desire for his involvement at KBTC.  Pray for me as I nudge you and others to action for the peoples of Sub-Saharan Africa.  Pray for me as I begin seeking nudges related to Ramadan. BERT YATES

---   ---   ---   ---   ---

Now it's time for you to focus a bit - can you spot the
elephant that entertained us during breakfast one morning?

January 4, 2012 Yates/IMB/Kenya blog post – http://bertandjackyates.blogspot.com/2012/01/january-4-2012.html

Daily Nudges to Action for Sub-Saharan African Peoples at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sub-Saharan-African-Peoples/100173880060607?ref=hl

“Bwana Mungu, Nashangaa” – https://plus.google.com/photos/105343089902291545775/albums/5896288918094168913?authkey=COWxvdat-uO92QE

Close-up - the 'rock' on the far right is an elephant...

...walking down the hill!