"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful… I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man
remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit;
apart from me you can do nothing… You did not choose me,
but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” John 15:1-16
After 36 years in Kenya, one might think that Jack and I have become very astute in making needed cultural adjustments as we speak, write and interpret God’s Word! We have made progress, but sometimes – truthfully often – we realize that there is still so much more we can and must learn!
One of those
“Hey, I never thought of that before” moments occurred last month at KBTC. As a pastor from Florida used John 15, a familiar passage to Believers, as his guide during chapel (Tuesday and Thursday when classes are in session), Jack looked around and realized that most of our students and staff had likely never seen a vineyard, nor had they tasted a grape!
So being the teacher he is, Jack returned to our cottage and added several packs of grapes to our to-buy grocery list. One of our perks in the last two years is that the green grocery (vegetables and fruits) where I usually shop is a distributor for South African grapes, and I can now buy a pack of super sweet grapes for three to four dollars. On my last shopping trip, the store also had incredibly beautiful imported peaches which I did not buy as a small, VERY small pack was priced at $12!
And as the photos prove, we did buy three packs of grapes and the students and staff loved sampling the sweet fruit! Jack’s next project is to locate the nearest vineyard and take the students on a field trip. The sampling session did help John 15 become REAL as the students experienced physical fruit of the vine and can now apply it to their own understanding of their Saviour’s teaching about spiritual fruit.
Just as we are thankful for the sweet grapes which we enjoy most mornings, we are also thankful for you allowing us to be in Africa and having the opportunity to be at work in our Father’s Harvest Field, which includes watching students sample fruit of the vine and understanding better His words and how to share His salvation and love with others. And you do allow us to do these things! You do so as you pray with and for us, when you come as co-workers, and when you give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Cooperative Program which provides our salary and budget needs.
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| One ongoing needed expertise at KBTC - Catching moles! |
This week as you think of us, will you praise God with us for how His children are responding to the needs of the Kenya Baptist Theological College? Jack returns home some days totally exhausted and his explanation is: KEEPING up with God keeps him super busy! Jack is also constantly being amazed by how God is leading people and contacts to help with needed work at KBTC, from teachers for new classes to those who can check the structural integrity of the building that needs to be completed!
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Not sure of the name of this bird,
but this was one of the few photos
I had time to take at the retreat! |
My praise is for a great retreat last week with 200+ of our female IMB staff in Sub-Saharan Africa. The highlight of my week was becoming REAL friends with so many FB friends whom I’ve correspond with as I serve as the Prayer Connector for our part of the world. It was truly a time of refreshment and renewal for me and I returned home eager to continue sharing
Nudges to Action for Sub-Saharan African Peoples and how others – including you – can join in His work! BERT YATES
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Did you view
"God created and it was GOOD"* last week? And as I explained while posting these photos, my "
plan was to use lots of God's Words to illustrate this, but His creations need no help in teaching what we can learn about God's care, as well as how we must claim his protection, from these babies as we enjoy them!" I found it astounding when I realized that this incredible event was photographed from the same spots where I stood to take photos during the Westgate Mall attack. *
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153141529050130.1073741849.685050129&type=1&l=312ae96ee5 (Can be viewed by anyone!)
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Two special guests at the KBTC chapel when grapes were served -
Pastor David Kiatu (above) and the day's speaker, Pastor Samson Kisia. |
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