Another week of questions of what to share. Do I begin this week with the fact that we awoke to another flat tire this morning, a day after finally finding someone to tighten the back door of our car before it popped-open while on the road? I could begin with the humor found this morning in a co-workers remedy to missing Autumn in the States – a Fall party which included burning a scented candle, wearing a sweater in equatorial weather, and drinking hot cocoa (my personal remedy: adding pumpkin pie seasoning to my morning coffee). Or do I begin with a recap of some of the things seen during one trip around our city this week: an almost too-close encounter in a round-a-bout with a huge truck, beautiful fruit for sale at a street-side wheelbarrow shop, not far from a hand-cart shop offering locks, belts and Maasai trinkets, or the amazement/concerns that arose as we viewed the on-going expansion/growth of city roads?
I could add a reminder of what I shared last week: Blogs and photos albums I’m preparing “as a part of enriching your Lottie Moon 2011,” which includes a photo story at “Our Father’s Heart, Hands and Voice in Kerugoya, Kenya” (1), as well as “ all the Prayer Nudges from East Africa during the rest of the year will focus on the 2011 Lottie Moon emphasis,” found “in a special new blog, Lottie Moon 2011–East Africa (2) and Facebook Photo Album, “His Heart, His Hands and His Voice in East Africa” (3). Please feel free to share these with your friends and churches!
Oh, I must not forget to thank you for praying with us last week “for strength and wisdom as I led a prayer retreat for the staff of our mission guest house … for Jack as he takes newer co-workers on a tour of the Baptist work in Nairobi and as he prepares for a new teaching session at our seminary.” The Prayer Retreat went well and Jack is pleased with the new information he is finding to share with pastors and church leaders, AND I was wrong about the tour – three couples will join us THIS Friday, so continue praying that this will enable all of us to be stronger witnesses of our Good News in our part of the world.
But what I must share is what really touched my heart this week – comments written by a coworker: “Unreached, Unengaged Peoples (UUPGs) -- those who are less than 2 percent evangelical and have no one implementing church planting strategies among them. As our new president says, 3800 UUPGs in the world is unacceptable, thus the implementation of Embrace (4). And I would echo that sentiment -- 400+ UUPGs in Sub-Saharan Africa is not acceptable. Many of us have been working in Africa a long time, working alongside others … involved in evangelism and church planting, so how is it that there are still so many who seem to be without the Gospel … 400+ unreached, unengaged people groups with a total population of 24 million living in Sub-Saharan Africa? … 50 of these people groups have a population over 100,000.”
Closing this week’s prayer update is easy – I ask that you join me in praying the nudges offered by my friend for the Unreached/Unengaged People of Sub-Saharan Africa: “Would you join me in praying for these people? Would you pray that their hearts would be open to the Gospel? Would you pray that the Lord of the harvest would call out workers to take the Gospel to them?” BERT YATES
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(1) Our Father’s Heart, Hands and Voice in Kerugoya, Kenya” – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150507281490130.470953.685050129&type=1&l=7c093c486e
(2) New Blog: Lottie Moon 2011-East Africa – http://lottiemoon2011eastafrica.blogspot.com/
(3) Facebook: “His Heart, His Hands and His Voice in East Africa” – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.134181110019669.22008.133854790052301&type=1&l=4952d896ac
(4) EMBRACE – http://www.imb.org/main/lead/embracedefault.asp?StoryID=9651&LanguageID=1709
From a young couple serving in East Africa: “We’re moving … and we are excited … God has graciously opened doors for ministry at a university. My hubby will teach a few classes – an awesome opportunity for access to many students and the chance to build relationships … He is already preaching on the campus … Me and our little one stroll around the campus a lot and she is such a magnet! People love to talk to her and hold her and she always responds with the biggest smiles. She has opened lots of doors for us and has helped us build relationships with so many people.” Join this couple in praying for wisdom as they seek God’s direction for serving among students as His Heart, Hands and Voice. (Photo is of the little 'magnet' trying to watch her Daddy preach on campus.
