“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6
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One of those 'anxious' moments in Kenya.
Will these empty containers (likely to be
sold for carrying water, kerosene, etc.)
make the journey or fly onto our car? |
I had today’s letter to you almost written, and realized that I was emphasizing the need for prayer and thanksgiving, but I was focusing on items which did not lead to
“not being anxious.” THUS, I’ve erased that bit, which is much easier to do on the computer than in our hearts and minds, and will share stories from the week which definitely lead to thanksgiving.
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View through the tea fields from Limuru Road, of the
new RED roof being added to the front of Baraka Hall, |
Students working toward Diplomas of Music, Christian Education or Theology arrived back on campus this week. The roof of Baraka Hall, where Kenya Baptist Theological College students study, eat, sleep, worship, etc., is still a work in progress, but the construction crew replaced the existing temporary roof over the shower blocks over the weekend – a definite thanksgiving for the students!
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Construction workers at work in
Baraka Hall and lots to clean
up before students arrived! |
Jack returned home twice in the last 24 hours with stories of students asking for a private word with him. Yesterday afternoon a new student from Mt. Elgon, an area in western Kenya with few trained leaders, shared how overjoyed he was at being enrolled at KBTC. This respected church leader talked of how all his life God had been preparing him for ministry, but he had no idea that he could enroll at KBTC. He was so thankful for the sponsor who is providing his support.
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View captured this week along the drive
up to Baraka Hall. A great reminder to
focus on what God is doing, not the
barriers - which is what the camera did
as it focused out the barbed wire
fence between me and the flowers! |
Before lunch today, a returning student from Meru, interrupted Jack to say,
“Thanks.” This gifted pastor and leader has been in ‘in and out’ of KBTC for several years due to fee problems, but now he and the KBTC staff are thankful that his graduation is now secure thanks to a scholarship.
Jack also met yesterday with our Chinese neighbor at KBTC who taught a class in June on how to witness the unreached peoples who are immigrating to East Africa from his home country. Our neighbor excitedly shared how he recently visited with two of the students in his class and was taken to meet people from his home country who are attending Bible studies started by the KBTC students!
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The sons of our next-door neighbors have also been busy -
caring for baby three horned chameleons! |
Yes, Jack has been busy meeting with people this week and he has many more stories of thanksgiving, but I will only share one more. A former student visited yesterday to share how God is blessing his work of sharing God’s Word through Bible Storying. He told of a time when he and his 12 year old son (his family were his first Bible Storying audience), shared storying in a church. One woman was especially attentive and he noted that she likely did not read as she had a Bible, but always held it upside-down. When it came time to review the story and share it, the woman was the star student of the day.
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Not a Bible story, but I would love to know
the story behind the load carried this week by
this three-wheeler and yes, that is a bath tub! |
Like our Chinese neighbor’s teaching opportunity, our Kenyan friend’s story also had a ‘fast forward’ bit. This woman continued learning how to share Bible stories and found an ‘unreached people’ in need of God’s stories. She now ministers on the floors of a national hospital where few want to visit, the floors housing the untouchables, those who are very ill with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other deadly diseases.
And now a prayer request for a future ‘fast forward’ of this last story. Jack invited Richard, the former KBTC student, to teach current KBTC students to use Bible Storying. Both men are also excited about using Bible Storying in refugee camps in Kenya to share the gospel with South Sudanese refugees and to train Believers in the camps to share their faith. Please pray for the logistics required for this new area of study at KBTC and ministry to the peoples of South Sudan and other countries to become realities.
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Some views in Kenya lead to being anxious,
but views such as this lead to joy! |
Pray also for students who have not yet arrived for the current classes due to lack fees. Pray that their families, friends and churches will value the studies offered at KBTC and help their pastors and church leaders receive training. Thank God with us for those who are providing scholarship funds and pray for guidance as KBTC staff find more options for offering support to students, especially local options.
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Views such as this on our
KBTC cottage porch also lead
to a reduction of anxiety! |
As you thank God with us for the soon-to-be completed roof on Baraka Hall, pray also that we will not be anxious, but trust God to provide answers to our petitions for all that is needed to turn the upper floor into dorm areas (men on the right end, women on the left), office space and additional classrooms.
It is cold today in our cottage (barely hit 60°F), but my chills at the moment are the result of reviewing all these great stories of how our Father is at work and allowing Jack and me to join in – Jack as he guides KBTC and me as I get to share Nudges to Action for prayer, serving and giving for God’s work in Kenya and throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. It is also gives me a few chills to realize how confident I am that you will be praying and God will answer our petitions, so thank you! BERT YATES
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Remember to view the daily
Nudges to Action for Sub-Saharan African Peoples, a part of Bert's work as the Prayer Networker for Sub-Saharan African Peoples at
https://www.facebook.com/SubSaharanAfricanPeoples.
For more from Jack's work, visit
KBTC's site at
https://www.facebook.com/KenyaBaptistTheologicalCollege
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Do you remember me sharing a photo in last week's update of the work on a new water tank for 'stored water' for our and our neighbors' cottage? It went up yesterday with only the aid of man power and a bit of ingenuity!
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