February 29, 2012

I was unsure how to share all we have experienced this week – until I read Psalm 107 yesterday and found my answer.  “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his loves endures forever.  Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their STORY… (of) his wonderful deeds for mankind.” (vv. 1, 2, 21) 

So, today, I will share the STORY of last Monday’s tour with a new couple assigned to East Africa of the Baptist work in Nairobi, which we quickly realized also included the history of Baptist work in East Africa.  I hope that the photos album, “TELLING OUR STORY – Living out Psalm 107 through a tour of Baptist Work in Kenya/East Africa” will help you experience the joy of hearing/ seeing what God has accomplished in our part of the world – thanks to your prayers, sending personnel our way, and providing financial support through the Cooperative Program and Lottie Moon Offering. 

Jack also has a STORY to share of a trip he made yesterday with another missionary and a Kenyan Baptist leader: Our family left Nakuru in 1992, closing the time of missionary involvement there.  During our seven years in the Rift Valley, God accomplished great things, including more than five new associations and hundreds of churches with discipled leaders who were moving Baptist work forward in all directions.  However, one of my ‘dream’ directions was not fulfilled –work along the Dundori to Ol Kalou road northeast of Nakuru.  Despite many attempts, Baptists had failed to find a home or reception there. 

Yesterday, I visited a new church exactly where I had prayed and worked towards establishing a place where Biblically based Believers could find a home.  As usual, God heard my prayers and in His time, he brought remnants together to form a new thing, Gataura Baptist Church. 

In 2007, Kenya witnessed the horrors of post-election violence.  Hundreds of thousands of people fled their homes and scattered across Kenya.  This was the 2nd or 3rd  time of violence for many and some decided to find their own haven of peace.  A group of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)  joined together to enter strange areas which were for sale.  They sold what they had left and trusting in God, they started anew in the area WHERE we were unable to start work!  Many of these IDPs had been discipled in their former Baptist churches in the Nakuru area, and yes, some had lost not only their homes during, but also their church buildings during the violence.

A Kenyan Baptist leader calls this settlement and people “Exodus” churches.  There are now three churches in the Dundori to Ol Kaou area – one of the first things that the new residents did! Their next decision was to call upon Kenyan Baptists to come and help.  The result is a Bible School training seven young adults.  They are already mapping their area for evangelism and church planting.  After all I saw yesterday, I have confirmation that God hears our prayers.  In His wisdom, He acts accordingly.  He brings all His promises to past.  After all, this is HIS WORK and HIS PEOPLE.  He is always faithful to those who wait upon Him! And one extra exciting bit:  Some of the items salvaged from the destroyed churches are now being used in the new churches! 

I know this is long, but as I tried to shorten Jack’s STORY, I realized it was too exciting – I have to fully share his STORY and give you an opportunity to join us in thanking our Father “for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds!” (Psalm 107:21)   BERT YATES

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TELLING OUR STORY  can be found at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150812747770130.513889.685050129&type=3&l=8922aa6346

2012 Prayer Nudges from East Africa can be found at http://easternafrica2012prayernudges.blogspot.com/ or find the Prayer Nudges and other updates from East Africa on Facebook – Bert Yates (https://www.facebook.com/bert.yates) or become a Facebook Friend of Imb EastAfrica  ( https://www.facebook.com/Imb.East.Africa ) 

February 26th Prayer Nudge from East Africa

Some children in East Africa had adequate food last week, others did not. Some slept in secure houses, others in refugee tents or on streets. The buzz of malaria-carrying mosquitoes kept some awake, while a few were awakened by cattle rustlers attacking their village or a fire spreading through their slum.  Floods caused some kids to flee their homes, while others tried to remember what rain looked like?  Some children attended school, while others tended animals or walked miles hauling water.  Some learned new Bible stories, while too many were still waiting for someone to tell them of the true God who loves and cares for children!
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To view the "2012 Prayer Nudges from East Africa" daily, go to  http://easternafrica2012prayernudges.blogspot.com/and become a follower via your e-mail or as a Blog Follower.  You can also view the daily Prayer Nudges as Bert's friends on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/bert.yates) or as a friend of Imb EastAfrica on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/Imb.East.Africa )

February 22, 2102

Another week of completing our update late in the day – Kenya is 8 hours ahead of Eastern Standard time in the US, which means it is 3:30 in the afternoon as I write, and 7:30 in the morning for our kids in North Carolina!  Today the internet is working properly and the electricity is not fluctuating (though it was off for 8 hours yesterday, as it was last Friday), but my problem is getting over a cold – not a winter one as many of you are nursing at the moment, but a summer one as we are in the midst of our summertime!  At the moment, I’m not sure the fogginess of my mind is caused by the cold or the medicine I’m taking, but as I knew my mind was working rather slowly, I decided to share this week’s update in photos rather than words only! 

My prayer is that these photos will help you understand how our lives are much like yours, but also different.  Our joys, sorrows and questions are also similar, but unique.  So to visit with us a bit and sample our lives, please take time to view “Joys, Sorrows and Questions.”  These photos are just a few of the views I captured last week (Feb 16-21, 2012) as we travelled around Nairobi working, shopping, going to church, etc. – views which left me with lots of thoughts and reactions, as well as a new understanding of Psalms 66 and 67!   Many of the photos are not that ‘great’ thanks to roads with all sorts of bumps, holes and traveling buddies and the sun being especially bright and glaring this time of year, which doesn’t always go that well with my ‘point and shoot’ style of photography, but my prayer is that these snippets of our week will strengthen your ability to understand our lives, as well as your ability to pray for us. 

So, although I know you are amazed, this week’s update is short for a change!  But I will add one more comment:  THANK YOU for all the ways you support us, which allows us to be where we are and do what we know God has called us to do!  Pray also that I haven’t shared my virus with Jack as we prepare for a trip to central Kenya next week, followed by a teaching session in early March in a Bible School in western Kenya.   BERT

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First two photos above are from Joys, Sorrows, and Questions - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150796511515130.511209.685050129&type=1&l=bd43ac7eca

Lower photo is from 2012 Prayer Nudges from East Africa  – http://easternafrica2012prayernudges.blogspot.com/ or find the Prayer Nudges and other updates from East Africa on Facebook – Bert Yates (https://www.facebook.com/bert.yates) or become a Facebook Friend of Imb EastAfrica  ( https://www.facebook.com/Imb.East.Africa )

To view the photo album shared last week, go to “Your love, LORD, reaches to…”  – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150775994625130.508717.685050129&type=3&l=407dcac196