Jack still needs lots of “HELP!”, but as he begins serving as the new principal at KBTC (Kenya Baptist Theological College), we are continuing to be totally awed by how God is at work and how His children are responding. He received word late last Wednesday that the Board of Governor’s meeting scheduled for the next day was postponed. This disappointment has limited Jack in some work, but given him more time to find/ locate/discover and sort through lots of past information which will guide future decisions. He has also used the added time to guide others in improving how the campus and offices look – which is helping others regain confidence in the college.
Thus, I can repeat the praise shared two weeks ago and offer it as a continuing guide to prayer: “
Thanks to your prayers, the moments of being totally discouraged, hopeless and even terrified are balanced with a sense of excitement about what can happen as KBTC is REVIVED/ RESTORED/ RESURRECTED/ REVISED/ RESCUED, RESULTing once again in a place where African Believers can be prepared to REFLECT the PRESENCE OF GOD and become qualified and capable workers in our Father’s Harvest Field."
Now to update you on other things shared last week: My trusty camera (some friends have dubbed it to be my best friend) did make a trip to the repair shop and you must have been praying! The old Asian store owner fixed the blurring problem in seconds and charged me nothing!!! The shower in our apartment is still dripping rather than showering, but it is a bit better and a bucket and jug are now ready for additional ‘pressure’ – which leads to a better attitude on my part as we continue searching for a solution!
After I shared our shower saga with you last week, one of those ‘reality checks’ which happens often to missionaries occurred. Jack had toured the KBTC campus that morning and during lunch shared new additions on his ‘to do’ list. High on his list was building additional toilets and showers for a group of workers' houses where thirty people (workers and their families) share one toilet and one shower – a shower that has never had anything but cold water running through its pipes, the norm for many, if not most people in Africa.
Yes, this ‘reality check’ did lead to my being more thankful for what I do have and enjoy, but it also reminded me that these ‘reality checks’ need to be on my list of things to nudge you and others in encouraging and supporting missionaries around our world as they face the stress that comes with striving for needed comfort/revitalizing moments and balancing these with what is the norm for their targeted Peoples. This is especially an issue for those working among the least reached and unengaged Peoples – Peoples who are most often far off the beaten path; Peoples who have different expectations of life; Peoples who lack what you and I would consider basic needs such as water, electricity, a diet of more than three or four food items, etc.
This week’s photos were taken during the week with my ‘restored’ camera and include photos of a Rift Valley church leader’s wife and granddaughter. The little one had never met Wazungu/ white people before, thus the long lasting huge tear drop, but we were friends before our visit ended lasted Monday morning. And, NO, I did not 'edit' the tear drop cropped from one of the photos - it was heart-shaped!
Which leads me to one additional prayer item before I close: Pray for insight as group work in this Baptist leader’s area on Friday, learning to do needed ‘field work’ as they assist
Baptist Global Response (BGR)*, a disaster relief and community development organization, in
“Connecting people in need with people who care.”
Thank you again for all the ways you strengthen, encourage and enable us to do what God has called us to do, BERT YATES
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*
Baptist Global Response –
http://www.baptistglobalresponse.com
