December 21, 2011

"Why are you still in Kenya?  You could have retired long ago.  Are you sure this isn’t your ‘comfort zone’ and you should leave?”  A friend recently asked Jack and me these questions. Our answers:  Yes, with IMB policies, we could have retired long ago.  Yes, although sometimes the ‘going is rough,’ we are more accustomed to life in East Africa than North Carolina. Yes, we have asked God many times if we have stayed too long on this mountain (Deut. 1:6 is appropriate as Nairobi is a mile high), but even when we would prefer a YES, we know in our hearts that the answer is “No, this is where I am calling you to be at this time.”

So, once again we will celebrate an equatorial Christmas dressed in our summer clothes, with poinsettias not displayed as ‘extra’ decorations, but as the norm around our house, and rely upon SKYPE to visit with our kids, which will hopefully include SKYPING as our granddaughter opens her Christmas gifts from us!  Our Christmas parties/ special meals will be balanced with special times with our East African friends and our mission family.  We’ve already had the joy of sharing special Christmas luncheons with the Sema Leatherworks families(1) and with the Parklands Baptist Church leadership(2). 

New co-workers spending their first Christmas in Kenya will visit on Christmas Eve – our tradition of sharing an East African ‘summer’ lunch of grilled steaks and fresh strawberries atop brownies, definitely not an American traditional Christmas meal, with a family whom we want to know better.  That evening, we will attend a Christmas Concert at Parklands Baptist. On Christmas morning we will share breakfast with co-workers visiting from Uganda, including home-made Moravian Sugarcake, a family tradition from living in Winston-Salem, NC., the home of the real Dewey’s Sugarcake! Later, we will  worship with our church family at Parklands Baptist Mombasa Road. So, as you can see we are ‘comfortable’ here in Kenya and do expect a Krismasi Njema (Swahili for good Christmas)!

Jack has lots of catch-up work this week, as he tries to rest a bit, after teaching for three weeks at our Kenya Baptist Theological College.  Thank you especially for praying for the Board of Governors meeting at our college/seminary this past Monday.  The meeting was very productive and our prayers that “KBTC enter 2012 with newness of life, a new creation able to serve our Father” are on their way to being answered. Please join us in continuing to pray for this need.

Thank you also for your prayers for me as I continue sharing how God is at work in East Africa via the internet.  Without fail, every time exhaustion, frustration, or disappointment creeps in, God sends me an assurance that this is the work I should do!  I am planning to rest some during the holidays, but pray for me as I prepare for new opportunities in 2012 to share how thankful we and our colleagues are for you and how we do depend upon you as you support us through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Cooperative Program and through your prayers and sending personnel.  For a little extra Christmas cheer in the next few days, I encourage you to check out the daily Prayer Nudges from East Africa(3)!  Krismasi Njema from East Africa, BERT

---   ---   ---   ---   ---   ---   ---

(1) Sema Leatherworks Ministry - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sema-Leatherworks/116367071750964

(2) To view a video sharing what I love about Christmas with Kenyan Believers – Parklands Baptist Church Leadership Christmas Luncheon, go to: https://picasaweb.google.com/105343089902291545775/ChristmasWithKenyanBelievers?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLfJ3N-jw_LwogE&feat=directlink

(3) For Prayer Nudges from East Africa, go to Lottie Moon 2011 / East Africa  – http://lottiemoon2011eastafrica.blogspot.com/  or 2011 PRAYER NUDGES FROM EAST AFRICA  – http://easternafrica2011prayernudges.blogspot.com/.   You can also find the Prayer Nudges on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bert.yates .  This may seem like overdoing it, but I’m seeking to offer ways that will appeal to different audiences!  Today’s, Dec 21^st Prayer Nudge is the first of three “NOT A MANGER SCENE, BUT” to be shared this week. 

December 18th Lottie Moon-East Africa Prayer Nudge

Yes, a new word was pasted after Baba (father in Swahili) on the East African handcart and the border was added, but the rest is the scene spotted by a group of IMB missionaries in November! Join those serving as our Father's Heart, Hands and Voice in praising God for the joys and perks He sends their way , as they request prayers for peace as many celebrate our Savior's birth far from their families - some for the first time. Pray for strength and comfort for those facing serious medical issues within their families - some far away.
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
New daily Lottie Moon 2011-East Africa Prayer Nudges sharing how God's children are serving as His Heart, Hands and Voice in East Africa can be found at: http://lottiemoon2011eastafrica.blogspot.com/
You are encouraged to view and share with other Lottie Moon supporters this blog site or the Facebook Page, Lottie Moon 2011 - East Africa -https://www.facebook.com/LottieMoon2011.EastAfrica

December 14, 2011

“Last weekend a couple serving in East Africa had a WOW moment. As they drank tangerine juice and ate paneer chapatis and chicken chapati wraps served with three sauces (hot, sizzling hot, and scorching hot) they realized they were the only people in the packed restaurant with green or blue eyes! Next came the realization that over half the diners wore clothing different from theirs, with many men wearing white, grey or black tunics (long shirt like garments) and women in black robes over their clothing and black or colorful scarves covering their hair. The husband asked: ‘How boring would our lives be if all the people around us looked like us?’ Their next reaction: Praising God for allowing them to serve in East Africa, where so many People Groups come together, providing so many opportunities to serve as our Father's Heart, Hands and Voice!”

Last week I wrote: “Jack called… he had taken a photo of a student in his class for another great Lottie Story – which I will share next week.“ Here is that Past, Present and Future Lottie Story as posted in the Dec 11th Prayer Nudge:

Francis, a Baptist pastor of 15 years, may have never heard of Lottie Moon, but his life has been transformed by the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO). “One of the original converts” of the Maasai People of Kenya, Francis was a child when he first met an IMB missionary working among the Maasai, thanks to the LMCO. After primary school, another IMB missionary convinced Francis to attend Mombasa Baptist High School, begun thanks to the LMCO, where an IMB missionary teacher helped Francis grow spiritually. After graduation, he assisted two more IMB missionaries working among his people. With their encouragement, he enrolled at the Kenya Baptist Theological College – also begun thanks to the LMCO. He had to drop-out one month before graduation in 1995, but today Francis is back in seminary, where some of his professors are IMB missionaries supported by the LMCO. Soon he will graduate, an equipped pastor ready to serve as His Fathers’ Heart, Hands and Voice among his people, where IMB missionaries no longer work as there are now trained/discipled Maasai Believers to share our Father’s Good News, THANKS to the LMCO! 

Jack, one of the mentioned IMB seminary professors, added later: “Francis has heard of Lottie Moon in his current Baptist History, Faith and Practice class!”

The “IMB missionary (who) convinced Francis to attend Mombasa Baptist High School” added: “Francis dropped out of seminary because a cobra spit in his eye causing great damage. Having watched him grow from a boy to a fine young man, you have no idea how proud I am that he is back in seminary.”

Francis’ story share the old and present ways that the Lottie Moon Offering affects work in East Africa and more importantly, it shares the FUTURE story as he and others are continuing to work as trained, discipled workers in their Harvest Field among the Maasai! Thank You for being a part of this story as you pray, send personnel and support the LMCO and Cooperative Program.

Thank you for praying for Jack as he continues teaching Baptist Beliefs, History and Practice at our Kenya Baptist Theological College through Friday. Pray for Jack and others as the KBTC Board of Governors meet on Monday, December 19th. Critical personnel, academic, administration and financial decisions are to be made. Pray that their decisions will help KBTC enter 2012 with newness of life, a new creation able to serve our Father. BERT YATESGod does bless the many ways you support us, so I will close with our current prayer requests: Continue praying for me as I seek to harness/put into action all my ideas … to help you recognize how thankful we and our colleagues are for your support and how we do depend upon you. Pray also that our East African co-workers will be strengthened and encouraged as I find ways to share their stories.

PS: Our Christmas tree is finally up – and yes, it has a few Maasai/Kenyan ornaments, but Jack and I have spent over half of our Christmases in Kenya!

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

* Daily Prayer Nudges, WHICH YOU ARE WELCOME TO SHARE with others, can be found at:

"Lottie Moon 2011 - East Africa" blog at http://lottiemoon2011eastafrica.blogspot.com/ and at 2011 PRAYER NUDGES FROM EAST AFRICA – http://easternafrica2011prayernudges.blogspot.com/

Or three options on Facebook:

Special Page: Lottie Moon 2011 East Africa - https://www.facebook.com/LottieMoon2011.EastAfrica ) or on my personal page, https://www.facebook.com/bert.yates or the new page for Imb East Africa - https://www.facebook.com/Imb.East.Africa – Yes, this may look as if I’m overdoing it, but I’ve learned that different pages/names expands the options for people finding our stories from East Africa!