As you may have seen, my
Bit of Our Hearts' post yesterday was a bit more honest than usual. No major problems, just lots of accumulated discouragements, disappointments and frustrations. I cried a bit, considered calling Jack to share my distress, and I even contemplated a l-o-n-g break from social networking and sharing
Nudges to Prayer for Sub-Saharan African Peoples.
I even checked on the year I began blogging and preparing Nudges to Action.* At first, the realization that I’ve been doing this for seven years plus only strengthened my desire for a break! At times I do get a bit overwhelmed by all the stories I encounter in our personal experiences and in the prayer letters of co-workers. Yes, there are lots of joy and praises, but there is also much sorrow, often sorrow that I cannot openly share with you. And although I am very thankful for the opportunities to encourage our co-workers (most often younger workers as we are definitely now in the ‘experienced’ phase of our missionary career) this often leaves me with a heavy heart!
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Tugs at the heart moments came last weekend as we watched a new
road being built in preparation for the reopening of the Westgate Mall,
the site of a terrorist siege in September 2013. Our first concern was
for the men scavenging for metal on and around the dump trucks
emptying rubble and huge out-of-sight backhoes breaking up the
rubble. The greatest heart tug came when we learned that the
rubble came from the bombed and burned bits of the Westgate Mall. |
And yes, social networking does require being more honest and ‘exposed’ than I would desire at times. BUT in these years of doing social media, I’ve learned that to help you pray and support us and other missionaries and the work God allows us to join Him in doing, it takes honesty and being exposed!
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Jack says that I now have a special category of thoughts - Prayer
Nudge thoughts. I admit that upon spotting this view, I thought of
using this to illustrate a prayer for teaching and encouraging others |
As all these thoughts passed through my mind yesterday, a memory surfaced. When I've hit low points such as this before, it was usually because God was up to something good and the devil was not happy! So, I took time for a Bible study on verses about the masquerader who wants to entrap us, fool us with his lies, and tempt us to follow his schemes, rather than God’s plans and purposes.
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This walking auto store may
also appear one day as an
a nudge to prayer illustration! |
Minutes after I completed my Bible study, Jack returned to our cottage at KBTC, on his way to teach about the ‘Education Ministry of the Church’ course to Class 112/113 and I was SOOOOOOO glad that I had not called him to share my pity party! His morning had not been filled with discouragements and frustrations, but he was exhausted – EXHAUSTED from trying to keep up with God! As he left for his class, I asked him to write a report of his morning to share with you, which he did, and YES, all of this happened yesterday morning!
– MY DAY – Psalm 133 – God’s Blessings – Our Commitment –
>>> My morning’s e-mails included a message sharing of funds sent to allow KBTC to being completion of our unfinished college building. Another e-mail assured KBTC of future support. We are on our way to raising the $200,000 needed to complete the Baraka Building used for classrooms, dorms, dining room, chapel, etc.
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Had this photo of Baraka Building been taken a bit later it would have
included students taking turns cutting the grass with the new mowers.
It was not the students on work scholarships doing the work of staff
members, but eager volunteers enjoying a new adventure! |
>>> A student at the language school located on the KBTC campus stopped by my office to share that his supporters have provided $4,000 for KBTC student scholarships. He also shared news of a potential partnership with a major Evangelical seminary which would bring Chinese to Kenya to study for a Masters of Divinity. He also shared his desire to help KBTC develop a School of Missions for African and Chinese missionaries – not just missionaries to Africa and China, but for missionaries who are African and Chinese!
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Smiles from one who answered God's
call to minister to street kids as she
watches a rescued boy talk confidently of
his new life and his new future which
is now filled with joy, safety and love. |
>>> A co-worker returned to work out details for the partnership between KBTC and the Naivasha Street Boys Rehabilitation Centre which will begin this week as two groups of our students and staff visit and minister at the Centre! (For more on this view the April 16th post on
KBTC FB page.
>>> Phone call from the Baptist Convention of Kenya Moderator concerning a retired US seminary professor coming to serve long term at KBTC. The woman is also offering KBTC her library!
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After I finished my computer work yesterday
afternoon, Jack sent me outside for a bit of
photo-therapy. Not having a clue of my
difficult morning, a passing KBTC student
laughed and posed for me, and thanked
me for my work sharing prayer nudges!
DEFINITELY a touch from God! |
Yes, this is long, so I’ll give myself a break and allow you to glean the nudges to prayer from this week’s update, but I cannot close without thanking all of you who sent notes of encouragement yesterday. Love can stretch around the world! I also must take an extra few lines to thank you for your prayers, your serving with us and your giving to the
LMCO and Cooperative Program. Yes, we do get exhausted and discouraged, but most of the time we are 100% certain that we are doing what God has called us to do and we thank you for enabling us to obey and serve our Father. BERT YATES
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*The Prayer Nudges for East Africa began on December 30th, 2007 -
http://www.omba4kenya.blogspot.com/2008/01/sunday-december-30-2007.html. Today's Prayer Nudges cover work among Sub-Saharan African peoples -
https://www.facebook.com/SubSaharanAfricanPeoples.
Our Yates-IMB-Kenya (now expanded to include SSAPeoples) blog began in April 2008 -
http://bertandjackyates.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html
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And a group of photos taken this week that show
the colours, activity and joy of life in East Africa.