My Heart's Desire

It is Spring in East Africa, so rather than viewing colorful leaves, we are watching birds nesting, trees budding and I'm sneezing!  I'm sharing glimpses today of what we've experienced this week, beginning with the verse that captured my attention during my morning devotion and asking this question: How do you fill in this blank?

This has been a full week as Jack continues teaching Church Planting and Church Growth to one of KBTC's  two Diploma of Theology classes now on campus. Jack often asks guests to help teach his class which last week included a Kenyan pastor.  Our friend shared how medical camps, human needs projects and home visits led to the beginning of the church he now pastors in a part of Nairobi where most residents are followers of another faith.  For several years, the church family met in a building constructed by volunteers, but four years ago it was burned during a time of tension in Kenya. Many continue to fear returning to the building (steel  poles only/ no walls), so they now meet in the four Home Churches begun by the church, which has grown from 60 members to 120 members since the fire.  The pastor asked for prayer as the church continues meeting on Sundays.

Not yet a Nudge to Action for SSAPeoples, but a photo
I may use one day of one who cares for KBTC's flowers
who is a strong worker in our Father's Harvest Field. 

It has been pure joy this week for me to share special stories from our co-workers among Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Over and over I find myself writing letters asking if I can share their stories as these stories must be shared to show how our Father is at work and how we can encourage others to join in His Work! To view these daily posts, CLICK the IMB Sub-Saharan African Peoples tab above.

A special joy of Susan EVANS Brockway's volunteer
trip is visiting with friends of her parents, Betty and
Chuck Evans, who were IMB missionaries in Kenya. 

I've also had the joy this week of capturing photos of the on-going completion of KBTC's Baraka Hall and other happenings on campus, which yesterday included viewing a class in how to lead baptisms, communions and weddings; spending time on Monday with a returning adult Missionary Kid visiting with a volunteer team; and a few days ago taking photos of a very simple, but tasty lunch eaten by our construction workers which those who have moved away from Kenya often crave; and watching a bird create a very unique nest!  For a few of these photos CLICK the BITS OF OUR HEARTS and KBTC (Kenya Baptist Theological College) above, but you can view bits of the baptism in this "Training in Baptisms" slideshow!

There is so much more we would like to share with you, but I will close with these prayer items. Thank you for praying for us as we awaited more information about the VRI* offers being sent to IMB workers before we made our final decision.  We faced no "temptations, distractions, self-doubts" and were filled with the peace that only God can give as we submitted our decision to decline the offer and stay in Kenya with the IMB.

Jack and I had an unplanned mini-praise service as

we returned to campus on Sunday and viewed

KBTC's newly roofed Baraka Hall shining beyond

the tea fields in the late afternoon sun!

Please join us in continuing  to pray for colleagues still seeking God's will in what decisions they are to make as the IMB downsizes due to financial restraints. Pray for peace and strength for all (those leaving and those staying) during this time of transition.  Pray that each of us will confidently obey our Father as we determine when and how we are to complete the task He has assigned us. I also ask each of you to consider what God is calling you to do. How strong is your "heart's desire and prayer to God" for the salvation of the unreached peoples of our world?   BERT YATES

*VRI - http://www.imb.org/updates/storyview-3516.aspx#.Vfkl5xGqqko 

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I wish I had time to share more bits of our lives
and the joys God sends our way, but...

Photos captured during the students' lunch break after chapel last
Thursday. One young man read as others memorized scriptures.

And all enjoyed a sunny day after several cold and cloudy days.

The volunteer team from Jeffersontown Baptist Church shared
Monday morning chapel with the staff this week. The men of
the team have been teaching on campus this week while
the women are leading workshops in churches for women.
A special guest showed up to entertain them on Monday!

The hill side I climbed to get photos of the baptism class. These
boys also had difficulty navigating it, but had more fun than I did!
Afterwards I visited the class while they were learning
about preparing and offering communion.

Then I took a break and viewed the construction on the windows
and viewed the flowers.  To understand why I'm sharing these
flowers, you must find the special nest photo shared above at
the BITS OF OUR HEARTS tab.

I did return to class for the time of learning how to conduct a wedding.
And yes, the students re-enacted it everything EXCEPT THE KISS -
though the other students begged for this part also!