Joys, Sorrows and Obstacles

Before Jack left this morning for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Baptist Convention of Kenya (BCOK), I asked him to answer a few questions to share in this week’s update, beginning with: What’s happening at Kenya Baptist Theological College? What has brought you joy this week?

KBTC staff kids can also be very serious workers,
as proven by the young bike rider! 

JACK: My staff bring me joy every day because they pray; laugh a lot; encourage one another; fully support the college vision; anticipate the needs of one another and the school; get 120% of the work accomplished; and are loyal, confident, self-disciplined, wonderful Believers. We are family!

BERT: I want to begin sharing bits about students. Tell me about George.

JACK: George Kaniki is the chef for Brackenhurst Conference Centre (KBTC’s neighbor). He is a father and husband. He is a pastor of Tigoni Baptist Fellowship. He is a student at in class 112 (Theology). He is responsible for the food service at KBTC. He has studied 38 TEE (Theological Education by Extension) books in the last 10 years. He is a great guy!

Thankfully, we do not need to ask for prayers for no
squawking Ibises on the roof of our KBTC cottage
as they awaken BEFORE roosters! So far, these
characters are happy strolling outside our front door!

I didn’t ask Jack, but I know his answer to: How can others pray for you and KBTC this week? It would be: Pray for physical, spiritual and mental strength as new opportunities arise for KBTC to serve and train church leaders for ministry in today’s world, as well as opportunities to respond to people who are responding to God’s call to serve or study at the college.

One of my praises is for our Eastgate Baptist Church
family. Some would say that kids running in church
is wrong, even if  worship happens in a tent, but I
love seeing how excited our kids are about going to
Sunday School! Another joy? The usher on the left
in the long skirt is another KBTC staff kid!

Pray also for the church leaders who are making decisions this week at the BCOK’s AGM; decisions that affect our churches and their ability to serve our Father and share His love and salvation. Pray for the KBTC staff attending the meeting and sharing how KBTC can help our churches carry out the Great Commission. Pray that they will be great messengers of what God is doing at KBTC and the bright future, especially the progress in receiving accreditation by the Kenyan government. Please join us in praying for the KBTC Day to be held in BCOK churches on June 7th, a special day when churches can pray and give towards meeting the costs required to complete the accreditation process.

In last Friday's Bits of our Hearts post, I shared
of a God-incident which occurred as I went to
tell a friend of Nancy's death.  I used another photo
of this bird, but this was my favorite as Nancy
would have loved the humor of it hiding!

AND this would be my answer if Jack asked me to list my current prayer requests: In last week’s update, I shared of the need to “not give the devil a foothold” as in the midst of incredible God-incidents, we face “lots of accumulated discouragements, disappointments and frustrations.” We truly needed the added prayer support that you offered after reading that update. When I opened my e-mails last Thursday morning, we learned of the death of a retired co-worker who was a very dear friend, Nancy Jones, as well as news of the death of one of Jack’s cousins. To be so far from family and friends was difficult, as was sharing the news of our retired co-worker with Kenyan friends who also loved Nancy, many who had served God beside Nancy over the years.

Then yesterday I received news that another close friend and mentor had died in the States. Ann Smith, a Woman’s Missionary Union leader, personally walked me through becoming an adult on mission with our Father. She spent hours training, encouraging and strengthening me. Being able to communicate with mutual friends via e-mails and social networking during times like this is a true gift from God.

For more of my encounters with Bee-Eaters, visit last week's
Bits of Our Hearts posts by clicking that tab at the top of this page.

As I shared in yesterday’s “Bits of Our Hearts”, we are so thankful for those of you who stay “alert and always keep on praying for us EVEN when you OR WE are sure of the details!” Our God is listening and your prayers do lead to our being strengthened, encouraged and able to serve our Father. BERT YATES

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Remember to also view the daily Nudges to Action for Sub-Saharan African Peoples, a part of Bert's work as the Prayer Networker for Sub-Saharan African Peoples at https://www.facebook.com/SubSaharanAfricanPeoples.

And for more from KBTC, visit https://www.facebook.com/KenyaBaptistTheologicalCollege

Like the daily Bits of our Hearts posts at https://www.facebook.com/bitsofourhearts, it can be viewed by non-FB users and tabs at the top of this page, make viewing extra easy!

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Now for some photos that share our lives, our joys

and the obstacle course we encounter in our lives in
Kenya, beginning with this view as you leave Nairobi!

There were THREE hogs being transported in this THREE wheel vehicle.
No vehicle was used to move this herd of cows - which were moving
in a rather chaotic way -  which we realized upon moving to the front
of the herd was likely because THREE donkeys were leading the herd!

The rainy season is in full force - which leads to lots of mud
-  which leads to AN added appreciation for a bit or more of colour!

Not in Africa, but...

Nepal is located in South Asia, not in Sub-Saharan Africa, BUT believers in African churches will be praying today for those affected by yesterday’s earthquake in Nepal where “99 percent of… 28.8 million people are Hindu. Of the country’s 263 people groups, 252 are unreached.” Will you join African believers in praying and responding in “actions and in truth” as our Saviour commanded? (Matthew 25:40; 1 John 3:18,23)

When major events happen in our world in need of relief and you want to respond, make https://gobgr.org/news your first visit for trustworthy assistance. To respond to the current need in Nepal, visit http://bit.ly/1DKAq2j.

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The above was shared as today's Nudge to Action for Sub-Saharan African Peoples.  (tab at top of this page).  The following was shared as today's Bits of Our Hearts post after we returned from church. (You can easily view both these sites by CLICKing the tabs above posts on this page.)

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I planned to take my phone with a camera to church today to get a photo of something I knew would happen, what I had said would happen in today's Nudge to Action SSAPeoples, AND it did happen, BUT I left my phone home, so I could not share it with you instantaneously as today’s Bits of Our Hearts post. Thus I had to wait until we returned home to share this photo taken with my camera. The unexpected part was that as our church, Eastgate/ Parklands Baptist Church, joined other African churches in praying for yesterday’s earthquake in Nepal, there was a thanksgiving that the son of one of our deacons and his wife, good friends who were sitting in front of me as I took the photo, is in the area of Nepal, but not affected by the earthquake. Our world is big, but sometimes it is very small!

Not Giving the devil a Foothold!

As you may have seen, my Bit of Our Hearts' post yesterday was a bit more honest than usual. No major problems, just lots of accumulated discouragements, disappointments and frustrations. I cried a bit, considered calling Jack to share my distress, and I even contemplated a l-o-n-g break from social networking and sharing Nudges to Prayer for Sub-Saharan African Peoples.

I even checked on the year I began blogging and preparing Nudges to Action.* At first, the realization that I’ve been doing this for seven years plus only strengthened my desire for a break! At times I do get a bit overwhelmed by all the stories I encounter in our personal experiences and in the prayer letters of co-workers. Yes, there are lots of joy and praises, but there is also much sorrow, often sorrow that I cannot openly share with you. And although I am very thankful for the opportunities to encourage our co-workers (most often younger workers as we are definitely now in the ‘experienced’ phase of our missionary career) this often leaves me with a heavy heart!

Tugs at the heart moments came last weekend as we watched a new
road being built in preparation for the reopening of the Westgate Mall,
 the site of a terrorist siege in September 2013. Our first concern was
for the men scavenging for metal on and around the dump trucks
emptying rubble and huge out-of-sight backhoes breaking up the
rubble. The greatest heart tug came when we learned that the
rubble came from the bombed and burned bits of the Westgate Mall.

And yes, social networking does require being more honest and ‘exposed’ than I would desire at times. BUT in these years of doing social media, I’ve learned that to help you pray and support us and other missionaries and the work God allows us to join Him in doing, it takes honesty and being exposed!

Jack says that I now have a special category of thoughts - Prayer
 Nudge thoughts.  I admit that upon spotting this view, I thought of
 using this to illustrate a prayer for teaching and encouraging others

As all these thoughts passed through my mind yesterday, a memory surfaced. When I've hit low points such as this before, it was usually because God was up to something good and the devil was not happy! So, I took time for a Bible study on verses about the masquerader who wants to entrap us, fool us with his lies, and tempt us to follow his schemes, rather than God’s plans and purposes.

This walking auto store may
also appear one day as an
a nudge to prayer illustration!

Minutes after I completed my Bible study, Jack returned to our cottage at KBTC, on his way to teach about the ‘Education Ministry of the Church’ course to Class 112/113 and I was SOOOOOOO glad that I had not called him to share my pity party! His morning had not been filled with discouragements and frustrations, but he was exhausted – EXHAUSTED from trying to keep up with God! As he left for his class, I asked him to write a report of his morning to share with you, which he did, and YES, all of this happened yesterday morning!

– MY DAY – Psalm 133 – God’s Blessings – Our Commitment –

>>> My morning’s e-mails included a message sharing of funds sent to allow KBTC to being completion of our unfinished college building. Another e-mail assured KBTC of future support. We are on our way to raising the $200,000 needed to complete the Baraka Building used for classrooms, dorms, dining room, chapel, etc.

Had this photo of Baraka Building been taken a bit later it would have
included students taking turns cutting the grass with the new mowers.
It was not the students on work scholarships doing the work of staff
members, but eager volunteers enjoying a new adventure!

>>> A student at the language school located on the KBTC campus stopped by my office to share that his supporters have provided $4,000 for KBTC student scholarships. He also shared news of a potential partnership with a major Evangelical seminary which would bring Chinese to Kenya to study for a Masters of Divinity. He also shared his desire to help KBTC develop a School of Missions for African and Chinese missionaries – not just missionaries to Africa and China, but for missionaries who are African and Chinese!

Smiles from one who answered God's
call to minister to street kids as she
watches a rescued boy talk confidently of
his new life and his new future which
is now filled with joy, safety and love.

>>> A co-worker returned to work out details for the partnership between KBTC and the Naivasha Street Boys Rehabilitation Centre which will begin this week as two groups of our students and staff visit and minister at the Centre! (For more on this view the April 16th post on KBTC FB page.

>>> Phone call from the Baptist Convention of Kenya Moderator concerning a retired US seminary professor coming to serve long term at KBTC. The woman is also offering KBTC her library!

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After I finished my computer work yesterday
afternoon, Jack sent me outside for a bit of
photo-therapy.  Not having a clue of my
difficult morning, a passing KBTC student
laughed and posed for me, and thanked
me for my work sharing prayer nudges!
DEFINITELY a touch from God!

Yes, this is long, so I’ll give myself a break and allow you to glean the nudges to prayer from this week’s update, but I cannot close without thanking all of you who sent notes of encouragement yesterday. Love can stretch around the world! I also must take an extra few lines to thank you for your prayers, your serving with us and your giving to the LMCO and Cooperative Program. Yes, we do get exhausted and discouraged, but most of the time we are 100% certain that we are doing what God has called us to do and we thank you for enabling us to obey and serve our Father. BERT YATES

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*The Prayer Nudges for East Africa began on December 30th, 2007 - http://www.omba4kenya.blogspot.com/2008/01/sunday-december-30-2007.html. Today's Prayer Nudges cover work among Sub-Saharan African peoples - https://www.facebook.com/SubSaharanAfricanPeoples.

Our Yates-IMB-Kenya (now expanded to include SSAPeoples) blog began in April 2008 - http://bertandjackyates.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html

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And a group of photos taken this week that show

the colours, activity and joy of life in East Africa.