Lottie Moon Stories from the Harvest Field of Kenya

Do you need help promoting the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering in your church? Do you have questions about how much you can personally give to the offering this year? Do you have questions about what or who is Lottie Moon? Or do you simply like things organized? Hopefully, all the above questions and possibly more will be answered at a new blog – Lottie Moon Stories from the Harvest Field of Kenya

During the last year many Great Commission/Lottie Moon Stories of Kenya have been shared through Omba4Kenya , true, living stories of how God has been, is, and is continuing to be at work in Kenya thanks to the support of Southern Baptists. These stories were shared to encourage you to continue supporting us through your prayers, giving, and through joining us as workers in the harvest field, but also because they were great news that deserved praise, not for the people involved, but for our Heavenly Father!Why are all these stories now found in one place and why will new stories be added in coming weeks? To encourage and strengthen you! These stories tell of the good investments that you made in the past as you supported the work of the IMB through your prayers, finances through the Lottie Moon and the Cooperative Program, and through volunteering – investments that are still providing incredible returns even in these days of economic turmoil! These stories are shared to let you know your investments are appreciated. These stories are shared so you can share them with others. Most importantly these stories are to be challenges for you continue praying, giving and sending workers until the eternal gospel is proclaimed to all those “who live on the earth – to every nation, tribe, language and people” (Revelations 14:6).

So, now you know why this new blog is available. Why don’t you click on to it now at Lottie Moon Stories from the Harvest Field of Kenya – simply click these words and you should find your way to the blog!

And before I forget, thanks for your support this year and for all your prayer support of the prayer needs and praises from Kenya. Bert Yates

November 5, 2008

Thanks for your prayers for us last week. We did catch up on our sleep, although the Hindu fireworks continued through the weekend. Our major problem at the moment is no water for over a week. When the pipes were damaged on our street, the water company removed the broken bit and said the needed pipe was out-of-stock and would be for six months or so! This is the truth, not a glorified missionary story! Thankfully, Mr. Mwangi (Mwahn-gee), the mission’s plumber, received permission to make the repairs – a true blessing as they usually say it is illegal to do it yourself! He is working as I write, so hopefully we will hear gurgling within the hour! We have two storage tanks and can go for at least two weeks by conserving water and we are pros at this after living in Nakuru where six weeks without fresh water was the norm. I’m not sharing this to prove what a “hard life we live”, but to help you understand the frustrations we face in our adopted home. We try not to be frustrated, but focus on our blessings, such as unlike many Kenyans we do have water running into our home most of the time, but we don’t always succeed! In the last few months, we have faced an unusual amount of frustrations, so we need you to join us in praying that we will not allow “third-world” problems to get us down! AS I reread this paragraph, Mr Mwangi arrived to say the new pipe was in and fresh water is now filling our tanks!!!

Thank you also for praying for me as prepared prayer items related to the Baptist Street Kid Ministry and one of our legacy churches, Ridgeways Baptist Church. Between interruptions and things moving slowly, by mid-afternoon on Saturday I was ready to delay sending the prayer item until Sunday as I felt I simply couldn’t finish as planned on Saturday AND then my internet speed was better than ever and the right words flowed and I finished the project! Trust me – this had to have been the answer to prayers – lots of prayers! Do continue praying in the coming weeks as I prepare more special prayer items to help Southern Baptists recognize the good investments that they have made in the past as they supported our work through prayers, finances through the Lottie Moon and the Cooperative Program, and through volunteering – investments that are still providing incredible returns even in these days of economic turmoil!

Thank you also for your continued prayers for Jack as he works as the Liaison with the Baptist Convention of Kenya. The BCOK leaders have also faced many frustrations this year including dealing with a few pastors who appear to be more focused on their personal glory/power rather than God’s power and glory and problems at the Kenya Baptist Theological College. Many of the problems of our seminary/college can be compared to the maturing problems when a child has to make his own way and choices. Do pray for wisdom for Jack as he encourages and strengthens our local leaders as they deal with personnel and financial problems at KBTC. Pray that their decisions will not only solve the current problems, but will lead to long-term growth for the college and the convention. Bert Yates
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(Pictures are of the water tanks on ground level, one for each of our two flats on the property (we each have a smaler storage tank in the attic), flowers in our yard, one of the blessings and definitely not one of the frustrations of living in Kenya, and of Jack and Arthur Kinyanjui, one of our early Kenyan pastors and a former moderator of the BCOK who came by for a visit last weekend.)

A Thank You Gift for You

As I considered how to share my thanks to those of you who will be giving to the upcoming Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and to those of you who give to the Cooperative Program year-round, I realized that one way to share my thanks is by giving you reports in the coming weeks – reports of how your past investments in our Father’s work in Kenya has not only been blessed, but continues to provide incredible returns even in these days of economic turmoil!

During the last few months I have shared several of these Great Commission/Lottie Moon Stories – true stories of how God has been, is, and is continuing to be at work in Kenya thanks to your support (these are found in the right column). Yes, it is part of my job to encourage you to continue supporting us through your prayers, giving, and even through joining us in our work as a volunteer, but to be honest, as I prepared each of these blogs my motivation was simply that these stories were news too good to keep to myself – I HAD TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU so that you could join me in praising God for what is happening in Kenya.

And now I have another incredible story to share with you. Last Sunday I attended Ridgeways Baptist Church which was started in the late 1980’s by your missionaries and a very special group of people – second generation Baptists. Elijah Wanje, the pastor, and several others who began this church are the children of some of the first Baptist pastors in Kenya. In the new blog, “Bringing People to Christ,” a retired missionary who was a part of beginning Ridgeways shares her memories. The blog also includes another story – the story of Ridgeways Baptist Church becoming involved in a new ministry of bringing people to Christ – A ministry with the Street Children of Nairobi.

My prayer is that you will take time to join me in praising God for how Ridgeways Baptist Church is joining a few Christians – some of your IMB missionaries and Kenyans with a heart for ministering to street children – as they work together sharing God’s love and salvation with some of the neediest members of our world. I wish I could have wrapped this new blog in coloured papers and added an intricate bow to help you realize that it is my gift to you – my way of saying thank you for how you allow me and other IMB missionaries to be among the workers in the harvest field of our Father! Bert Yates
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To open the NEW BLOG, “Bringing People to Christ,” click the following: http://ridgewaysbaptistchurch.blogspot.com/