New Year's Eve, December 31, 2008

We’ve had a good Christmas week. Our family’s traditional Christmas Eve mid-day steak cook-out was a success – our guests, the newest couple in our mission, are now good friends rather tool. I love preparing these blogs and sharing our work more fully with you, but it takes time, energy, and often more “smarts” than I possess, so I know it is your prayer support that enables me to complete the blogs – including the additional Lottie Moon Stories from the Harvest Field of Kenya I finished this week about theological education in Kenya: Spreading the Gospel through Education

In preparation for this month’s prayer calendar for our missionaries in Kenya, I asked my co-workers the following: What is the greatest thing that happened in your ministry this last year? How can we join you in praising God for the incredible opportunity you had to serve in His Harvest Field this last year?”

Jack’s reply reflects answers to your prayers! “As I think of a great 2008 moment in missions, I cannot help but see the entire year as a single moment. Hindered by a shoulder that would not work, subsequent surgery and the resulting order to not drive the rest of the year, I was grounded. Others may see 2008 as a year of Kenya in turmoil, but for myself, unable to do my usual active role, I relied upon my cell phone and watched as Kenya Baptists showed their maturity in dealing with the post-election violence and the uneasy peace that followed. Baptist leaders and churches responded magnificently and were ready tools in the hands of God in proclaiming peace, resolution and giving. It is not surprising that element of revival is growing within Baptists of Kenya!”
Thank you once again for your support! Your gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Cooperative Program allow us to be in Kenya and have the funds to do our work. Thanks to your prayers, we are able to be a part of our Father’s work in the Harvest Field – THANK YOU and Happy New Year! Bert
*Today’s pictures are three of my favourites from the year including a picture of a Maasai nativity disply at our house, a special reminder of the States in the “Hershey” hat worn by a Samburu herder (likely bought in a second-hand market), and a picture of Samburu shepherds – a modern day Biblical picture!

Spreading the Gospel through Education

After sitting through the Kenya Baptist Theological College Graduation Ceremony on December 18th for six students who had completed the Diploma in Church Music, I realized that I had to share this additional incredible example how God has blessed your gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering! To be honest, Spreading the Gospel through Education * cannot begin to share the excitement of the graduation service or the expectations shared that day of the five young men and one woman who have trained to be an active part of carrying out our Saviour’s Great Commission, but the pictures of proud students, parents, pastors, Baptist Convention of Kenya officers, and IMB missionaries, as well as many of their comments during the service will give you a glimpse of how God is at work in Kenya through theological education!

So, I invite you to view one more Lottie Moon Stories from the Harvest Field of Kenya and see what is happening at the Kenya Baptist Theological College – soon to be Kenya Baptist University – which is the dream that came true in Kenya thanks to your Lottie Moon Offering, prayers and lots and lots of work from many people, including your IMB missionaries and many Southern Baptists volunteers.

Plus, I know of no better way to wish you a Happy New Year than by sharing some really, really good news about how our Saviour’s Good News is being spread and how your prayers are being answered and your stewardship of time and finances is being blessed! Bert Yates

* http://omba4kenyaspreadingthegospel.blogspot.com/

December 23, 2008

It’s definitely “beginning to seem a lot like Christmas” in Kenya – The desk fan is set on high to counter our summer heat and this morning I finally spotted what likely signifies Christmas to our kids – the mechanical Santa that dances to the “Yellow Rose of Texas”! Yes, things are a bit different here! But truthfully, I like our summer Christmas times and many of our traditions are built around the nice weather!

Tomorrow we will share our traditional Christmas Eve lunch with the newest couple in our mission, the Rosses of the IMB’s Master’s program (for those over 50). Twenty years ago, new American friends on sabbatical at a Kenyan university were very homesick, so we invited them for a very UN-traditional Christmas Eve meal. It turned out so well that we have continued inviting new friends each year for a Christmas Eve cookout followed by fresh strawberries, homemade ice-cream and hot fudge sauce served on brownies (not from a box).

Tomorrow evening we will attend our mission’s annual Wienie Roast/Carol Sing. Our family began holding this the week before Christmas many years ago when a new young couple spoke of missing the traditional carol singing – which is difficult to do in Kenya. So we invited friends to roast hot-dogs and marshmallows at twilight and sing carols after it got dark over a camp fire! For a little explanation, being close to the equator, we always have almost 12 hour days, so the sun sets by seven even during our summer. And the s’mores have a Kenyan twist – we use a “hob-nob” British cookie that is similar to a graham cracker, but round with chocolate on one side for the cracker/chocolate candy. Our daughter brought marshmallows straight from Walmart for this year’s cook-out, but one year we had to use locally available pink marshmallows that were horrible! When we returned from our last leave, we learned that friends had continued the wienie roast/carol sing, but they now do it on Christmas Eve and almost all of our Nairobi staff and a few from out-of-town attend. Different, but fun!

Our traditional Christmas Day may be a little more familiar to you. Our family always have a breakfast of “Moravian Sugar Cake” – which I usually have to make, but our daughter brought some this year from Dewey’s in Winston-Salem, NC (known for their Moravian goodies). We will then share a traditional ham lunch with all the expected dishes with missionary friends, ending with a pecan pie – straight from Jack’s mother’s pecan trees!

Thank you for praying for the graduation at Kenya Baptist Theological College last Thursday. Only one class graduated at this service, but the six receiving a Diploma in Music were excited. Please continue praying for the college/seminary as they mature into a university. Pray also for the five men and one young woman who are committed to using their musical abilities in leading churches to carry out the Great Commission. Pray for me as I prepare a blog to share their dreams, desires and commitment with you.

Pray also for the six men and women that were commissioned last Sunday at our church, Parklands Baptist. These committed young Christians have completed an intense two year discipleship program in which they had worked through Growing in Christ, Follow the Master, and Masterlife. This was especially meaningful to me as all their study books are from Kenya Baptist Media, where I served for many years, and one of my last jobs was updating Growing in Christ. As I viewed this commissioning, I realized this was a very, very special Christmas celebration – a celebration of committed men and women who desire to grow as disciples of their Saviour and teach others to not only do the same, but make new disciples as He commanded not just in Kenya, but also in west Africa as two of those completing the study are from Nigeria!

Know that we are praying that all of you have a very, very merry Christmas and that we thank God for you and how you support us, Bert Yates