As I photographed the opening prayer of a concert this afternoon, I heard the most amazing sound – RAIN! I don’t know how you would have reacted, but to be at a Concert for Famine and to hear what – based on increasing clouds in recent days and intense heat that broke this morning – is the first rain of the much prayed for rainy season left me with chills and it was not from the cooler air! BUT don’t stop praying, Kenya needs a really good rainy season which should last for weeks. Pray also for the full end to famine. An article in yesterday’s Saturday Nation* reported: “Most of the 10 million Kenyans threatened with starvation are not … in the drought-stricken rural areas. They 
are … in the country’s urban centres ... 4.1 million people in Nairobi and Mombasa slums are threatened with starvation.”
The writer was quoting facts from “The Kenya Food Security Update”**, an report compiled by USAID, UN World Food Programme, and others, which “lays bare the reasons for Kenya’s hunger – and they go well beyond rain failures … Those affected by the extended drought are only 2.5 million – and they have among their number some 850,000 school-age children.”* Wait a minute! ONLY 2.5 million! How often do we allow ourselves to look beyond problems by adding little words like this ONLY? The number of 2.5 million may be ONLY one fourth of the total of “those threatened with starvation” in Kenya, 
yet they are 2.5 million people who need food and water. They likely also lack proper medical care and quality education for their children. Most importantly, many of them live in the pastoral (northern Kenya where raising animals is the major livelihood) which means their people groups lack a knowledge of our Saviour’s love and salvation.
Another group that are currently facing starvation in Kenya is “1.9 million people … affected by HIV and Aids” – this number includes those infected and their spouses/children/parents/etc, who have lost a breadwinner. The writer
also cites from the report that those starving include “150,000 people displaced after the elections who are in transit camps … the resettlement effort has only benefitted …16 percent of the revised total of 663,000 displaced people”.
Part of me wishes I had missed the bad news in these reports, but if I want to truly pray for the people of Kenya, I must know the facts. I also wish that Kenya was the only place suffering in the world, yet it is not. If you are also a prayer warrior for another country, google that country’s name followed by Food Security Update. These reports are not intended as prayer guides, but there is much in these reports that needs prayer. If your time in limited, choose and 
pray for one of the mentioned groups of people – those in slums or those in the countryside, those affected by HIV/Aids, those who are displaced, the children among these groups, the people groups unreached by our Saviour’s Good News, etc. Being a child of our Father requires that we do something and WE CAN PRAY! Bert Yates
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
* Special Report/Mokokha’s Memos/“Hunger’s in the slums and not the dry areas” (Saturday Nation,” 3/28/09, p.16) – http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/-/440808/553674/-/44obs7/-/index.html
** “The Kenya Food Security Update” – www.kenyafoodsecurity.org/mod.php?topic=38
"Well Beyond Rain Failure"
"I Know, But..."
A friend, who lived in Kenya for many years, returned this week for a visit. One night, a group of us went to her favourite spot for Indian food – Bhajias, palak and tika dishes, masalas, nan, etc – if these are unfamiliar, you have missed truly great food! By the time our guest’s order arrived, she had already sampled favourites from many of our plates – which meant she simply couldn’t clean her plate. Being a witty person, she said: “I know there are hungry children in Africa, but…”
We all laughed, but her statement, one that is repeated daily around our world in different versions including placing the children in China, later returned to me in the form of a rebuke during a prayer time : “How often do I recognize a problem of people suffering and add a ‘but’ before I move on to another concern?”
There are hungry children in Kenya and other parts of our world – children hungry for attention, food, clothing, education, peace,
love, etc. During this time of chiding, that I know came from God, I remembered several pictures that I took last weekend during a Church Planting training in the western Kenya town of Kitale. The first was of three children who stood for a short time outside the Tumaini (Hope) Baptist Church. In my pictures of the trio, the two older children expressed many different expressions, including a smile, but the youngest boy always had a look that … there are no words to explain the look in his eyes. But it did lead me to pray as I took the pictures and as I’ve looked back at these. The look in his eyes would not allow me to add a “but” and move on without praying for him.
I also remembered another captured scene that I will long remember. Three boys in threadbare clothes had played near the church most of the morning. After the pastors and church leaders
had been served lunch, beans and rice (not fancy, but tasty and nutritious), I spotted the pastor’s wife talking to the boys. She offered them some of the left-overs. The older boy refused at first and passed it to the two younger ones. The pastor’s wife insisted that the three of them eat, but the older boy made certain the younger boys ate most of what was on their shared plate. The woman must have also seen what I viewed – when the younger boys ran off to play, she brought another full plate to the older boy.
Then I saw another amazing thing – after everyone had been fed, including more neighbourhood kids, and the meeting’s afternoon session began, I spotted someone sitting behind the last pew. It was the pastor’s wife – she had finally found time to eat a bit of lunch! I don’t think I will ever read our Saviour’s words, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat” (Matthew 25:35) without remembering this lady.
Please join me in praying for the hungry children of Kenya and of our world. Pray that they will adequate housing, clothes, education, security and medical care. Pray that Christians in their midst will respond also to their spiritual hunger and be active and nurturing ambassadors of their Father’s love and salvation. Bert Yates
A little happy news for a change!
I don’t want to over load your e-mail boxes, but it seems that news these days rarely brings a smile and I made a discovery this morning that I think will brighten your day. Yesterday, I sent my personal prayer list a picture of a little girl that I spotted while we were in Kitale (western Kenya) this past weekend so that Jack could lead a Church Planting Movement training and I could take pictures and find new ways to raise prayer support for Kenya. I had snapped three pictures of this little girl who posed for me and as I scanned the
pictures more closely today, I realized that in addition to the little doll tied to her back, she had a small set of binoculars around her neck! It appears that not only was she playing “mommy,” she was also playing a favorite game of my kids when they were little – actually a favorite game of most African Missionary Kids – TOURIST! No offence to the many of your who have been volunteers, but we all have been entertained at times by “tourist watching” and many, many missionary kids have (or have had) toy binoculars, broken cameras, and safari hats, etc, among their toys for use when they include being a tourist to their repertoire of playing teacher, doctor, cook, etc!
Sometimes playing tourist comes with a little extra! When our son was four, we heard him talking on our balcony with three other people – one with an English accent, one with an Indian (Asian) accent and one with a distinct Kenyan accent. This was a little confusing as our apartment was on the second floor and we were certain that John was alone on the balcony. He was alone, but was trying out all the accents he was hearing in our multi-culture new home! We later realized that this is another common source of entertainment of Missionary Kids – perfecting and using new accents! AND YES, more than one missionary is also a pro at this!
Have a good day, Bert
(For the screensaver of the little girl, go to http://bertandjackyates.blogspot.com)
And now the "Really Bad" and the "Really Sad"
Earlier in the week, you prayed over the information in “‘Not Bad’ and Not Good” – now your prayers are needed for the “REALLY BAD and the REALLY SAD.” A week after the release of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exam results 
for those completing high school, the Daily Nation carried this headline: “Government runs out of cash for free school” (3/10/09, pp.1,2). The reason given for this really bad news – money budgeted to support the 9.5 million students in government schools had been diverted to import food. Thankfully, within a few days the news was, “At last, free learning funds released” (Daily Nation, 3/14/09, p.1,2).
It takes little imagination to realize how schools were affected by this delay, especially as funds were also limited last year which depleted supplies such as chalk, textbooks and lab equipment. “Booksellers deny credit to schools” (Daily Nation, 3/13/09, p.37) reported that due to a bill of Sh1.7billion ($25 million), a national bookseller association has “resolved to stop giving credit facilities to public schools … ‘it appears that the free education scheme is collapsing,’ said Chairman John Mbugua.” Pray that this prediction is wrong. Many Kenyans find it a struggle to pay even the reduced costs of government schools and private schools are not an option for many families. Pray that kids accepted into high schools and universities will have the needed money to continue in their education. 
Individuals involved in relief projects are also reporting that funds for free lunches at many schools have also ceased and thousands of kids are surviving on little or no food as Kenya faces drought or not attending due to hunger. As you pray for ample rains this rainy season – which could begin any day – pray that adequate relief supplies will reach those who are suffering. The local news continues to be filled with stories of graft and corruption in the government, so please pray that those making decisions for the country will make wise decisions that will benefit the poorest/hungriest/neediest citizens of Kenya.
The REALLY SAD news is 
that when the KCSE results were announced, girls once again scored much lower than boys. Only one girl was in the list of the top ten students and she was ranked fourth. There are many reasons for this discrepancy including traditional views and customs that lead to boys being challenged and facilitated in their abilities to study including less chores at home and more money spent on their tutoring and quality education. Praise God for schools like Nyeri Baptist High School who chose girls for their new Form One (Freshman) class based not only on the scores of the national exams for students completing Standard Eight, but on their class ranking – a good indicator of their desire to learn even in limited situations. Nyeri Baptist is also developing separate classes for the girls as research shows that in the Kenyan society girls who study in separate classes are more likely to reach their full potential. Thank you for praying, Bert Yates
"Not Bad" and Not Good
“Not bad.” This was Leonard’s answer when asked about his recently released KCSE (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education) score. Seeking a more enlightening answer, without possible embarrassment, I replied, “Will you be able to fulfil your dream?” His smile appeared. “I’m going to Strathmore University.” Leonard’s parents are likely not saying his scores were “Not bad.” Strathmore has high admission standards and their degrees are ranked the best in East Africa!
Thank you for praying in recent months for Standard Eight (Primary) and Form Four (High School) students as they took national exams at the end of last year and as they waited weeks for their results. Standard Eight students learned their scores in January – those who did well and had finances have begun their high school studies. Last year’s KCSE (High School) scores were released two weeks ago and unfortunately few kids received not bad scores. 
“Of the 305,000 candidates who sat the papers (exams), only 72,649 or 24 per cent scored C+, which is the minimum for university entry” (“Top Marks for Alliance” – Daily Nation, 3/4/09, pp,1,2,16). The scores were much lower than past years – not unexpected as last year’s post-election chaos led to many schools missing one-third of the school year, as well as disruptions when school strikes erupted during second term (May-July). To add to the discouragement, it was announced that of those who did qualify, “60,000 to miss varsity slots” (Daily Nation, 3/4/09, p.9) as “there are limited placed in the public universities” and they can only accept “about 10,000 each year … Of those who will not find a place in public universities, some 10,000 are expected to join private universities while another 10,000 will join foreign ones.”
What will happen to the 40,000 kids with a C+ or above score who will not be offered positions in universities/colleges, the 230,000 others who scored lower, and those who skipped the tests? Some will attend other types of professional training and many will have no further opportunities for traditional education. With all this bad news in need of prayer, there is one praise item. Most college/university/training programmes will not begin until next September or January ’10, so as students await further studies or make “What next?” plans, many churches offer 
special training for high school leavers (graduates).
Finding the Perfect Drought Story
We had finally spotted a river and I had the last picture. Added to the earlier shots of farmers preparing parched fields for planting, I was ready to complete another article about the ongoing drought. As we traveled towards Nairobi from an overnight stay on the eastern edge of Kenya’s Central Province, I began to mentally compose the new story – “The river was a babbling brook, not the customary mighty torrent. It could not begin to quench the thirst of the people, animals and fields along its way as it meandered to Eastern Province, just as it had left behind barren land and thirsty and hungry people in the Central Province.” A perfect introductory sentence…
Then it happened. We spotted people running with empty
.jpg)
bags. Seconds later, women and men carrying filled sacks or with gathered shirts and skirts holding something walked past the runners in the opposite direction. Then people appeared hauling damaged bags on their backs, heads, shoulders, bicycles, or between two sets of arms. A trail of corn kernels marked their paths.A scene that was a writer’s dream then appeared – a scene filled with emotions, activity, drama and possibly even death. We saw joy, hope, fear and greed all played out before us. Moving through the stalled traffic and scurrying people, we saw the wreckage of a truck. Hauling two trailers, the driver had lost control on the mountain road only minutes before our arrival. A mangle of metal remained, cushioned by bags of corn emptied on the highway. We spotted a clearly marked bag – it was labelled USAID. The truck was carrying relief food to starving Kenyans.
I cautiously clicked my camera as it was not a safe time to be snapping photos, but the most memorable views could not be recorded.
.jpg)
These were the evolving facial expressions as the arriving runners and bikers gathered the remaining split bags and scooped the corn from the road with their bare hands, filling whatever they could find. Some of the faces were lean and their clothing was threadbare. Others were glancing around, watching for police that might send them away. It did not take much imagination to sense relief and joy as the scavengers walked away with their filled bundles. It was not just my vivid imagination, but likely reality, that these people were hungry. Many were young adults probably taking corn home to their hungry children and elderly parents.There were also scenes of a joy that oozed of greed! It was painful to see strong men jump from the cars and matatus (public transport vans) ahead of us and throw open their doors and trunks. They then gleefully flung the few intact bags of corn in their vehicles before speeding away.
.jpg)
Finally we snaked our way past the accident scene. We never saw any sign of the driver or passengers in the truck. It is doubtful that they walked from the accident, so hopefully a Good Samaritan ahead of us took them to a local clinic. For the next few kilometres, we continued passing people racing towards the wreckage. Some were gaunt and weak looking kids and adults, others – to be honest – simply looked like youth who had been alerted through their cell phones of free entertainment!
It was last runner that I will remember even when this drought ends. She was a middle aged woman dressed in her Sunday best. Running is not the best word to describe her actions – she moved with a slowing limp. But her face showed an incredible determination. She was on her way to an obviously needed commodity. From her determination, I doubt that her thoughts were of herself, but of her children and others that
.jpg)
were starving. It was improbable, extremely improbable that this woman would return with food. At the rate the corn was being salvaged, there would only be a few stray kernels remaining by the time the woman traveled the distance to the accident scene.Yes, my goal was to share a great famine story with you, but not to win literary awards or merits. My desire is to share the perfect story for leading you to prayer. I know many of you, your friends and families are also suffering at this moment as our world faces economic difficulties. So why am I burdening you with the prayer needs of those who are starving in Kenya? Prayer is their only option. There is some relief coming their way, but it is impossible to adequately feed everyone until the rains come and crops are harvested in September or even next year. Some of those starving are the ones who lost everything during last year’s post-election chaos. Many are people who have no savings or even items to barter so they can provide their children with at least one meal per day.
.jpg)
I am also asking for your prayers because often, very often as these people face physical hunger, they also face spiritual hunger. They may be the ones who have not yet had the opportunity to know of and claim our Father’s Living Water and Bread of Life. Others are people who have neighbours, business associates from neighbouring people groups who lack the knowledge of the true God and His gift of Eternal Life. So as you pray for food and rain to end the physical hunger, pray also that Christians among the starving and those ministering in the famine areas will be strong and bold ambassadors of their heavenly Father during this difficult time. Bert YatesPray for Those Ministering to the Hungry and Thirsty
My greatest frustration as a prayer advocate is the thoughts that pass through my mind after I send an update – the bits I wish I had added! Today while writing our weekly personal prayer update (Yates-IMB-Legacy Work), some of these delayed thoughts returned, thankfully not-too-late for inclusion. So, I’m sharing my personal update with you today, not simply to correct my mistake of omission, but because my prayer is that these added notes will enable you to be stronger prayer advocates for those in Kenya facing starvation and to give you insight into how to pray for drought/hunger situations in other parts of our world.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
I closed the last update to my prayer list for all Baptist work in Kenya, Omba4Kenya , with these words: “pray for … Kenyans who are hungry and thirsty … the maturity and wisdom gained from last year’s post-election chaos is being expressed as Kenyans respond to the famine … Pray for wisdom, sensitivity and strength for all those planning relief efforts. Pray also that ministering Christians will be strong ambassadors of their Father’s love and salvation to all those “who live on earth – to every nation, tribe, language and people” (Revelation 14:6).
As I considered what to ask you … to join us in praying this week, I realized these words covered our concerns. We are praying for the 10.6 million Kenyans who are starving. Although raising the finances is difficult, the answer appears simple: Feed the people! But the answer is much more complex. Decisions must be made: Who/where are the starving? What are their greatest/true needs? How can they be helped in short-term ways that will benefit them in the long-run? (Example: Pray for my husband as he determines how much money to request for corn for eating and corn for planting. The seeds saved for planting have been eaten!) 
Who has the best time/experience/ability/energy/assets to meet these needs? Where/how can the best, but most economical resources such as food and milk be found? How can the resources be delivered so all those in need will benefit? How can we be the best stewards of the available resources? Etc…
As you pray for those facing starvation, pray also for those who are responding to their needs. These men and women are facing physical, emotional, and spiritual battles. Pray that they will have exceptional strength in all these areas. When Jack saw a specialist this past week (Our praise: Tests show no sign of the kidney stone that delayed his relief work last week!), he asked if Jack was working in the famine areas. The doctor is not a mystic – he knows from experience that people in dry areas, the areas of famine, face a high chance of developing medical problems such as kidney stones – both those suffering from famine and those ministering to them … we also know that those ministering suffer emotionally from all the pain they see. Plus, the devil works overtime to discourage these helpers whether it be broken down vehicles, administrative delays, greedy government officials and suppliers, family problems, depletion of spiritual strength, etc.
As you pray for these things, join us in praising God for how Kenyans are responding to the needs of their brothers and sisters. Praise God for a renewed desire of Kenyan Christians to obey their Saviour and feed the hungry and give something to drink to the thirsty (Matthew 25:31-46). Praise God for their deeper commitment to prayer. I wish you could have stood with Jack and me during our last Sunday morning worship service as our pastor led hundreds of us in committing ourselves to our Saviours’ words in John 15:7 (NIV): “If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you” – which leads me to how you can truly minister to those hurting in Kenya – PRAY! And I’ve made it easy today – prayer guides are in red. Bert Yates
"Cows are dying and many, many people are very hungry"
From the Maasai Team: “Cows are dying in Maasai area and many, many people are very hungry. This is true for many parts of Kenya but due to a faulty … report … Maasai areas have been excluded from the government food provisions … we have close to 200 pastors gathering and counting names of the ‘poorest of the poor’ in all areas of Maasai-land in Kenya..jpg)
Unlike some other organizations, we give food to those who need it, whether or not they be church members or even believers … a Baptist feeding project of about 90,000 people (was completed) in 2006, this project will be much larger, currently estimating about 180,000 people to receive food … working hard on the getting prices of food and transport (arguing and haggling over the price would be more like it) in order to get request submitted. Please pray for God's will to be made known in this matter for if the entire project is approved, it would take over a month of daily sending out trucks to deliver food! Meanwhile, we ask you to pray with us for rain … Our pastors say that they need about two weeks of steady rain in order for the grass to grow sufficiently to feed their remaining animals. Meanwhile, the men are gone long distances from their bomas, searching for any grass whatsoever where ever they can find it.”
From the Samburu Team: “We plan to do a feeding project this month. Pray that the food 
will go miraculously far. The numbers being given to us are exceeding the amount we feel we can feed with the requested money. Pray that it will not only make an impact in people's physical lives, but in their spiritual life, as well.”
From missionaries in the Naivasha area: “The people of our area are desperate for food and water. There are some local efforts struggling to carry through. Please pray for these folk.”
Today, please do pray for the estimated 10.6 million Kenyans, a third of all Kenyans, who are hungry and thirsty. Praise God for His servants who are responding to the needs of those facing famine. Help is needed from missionaries and international relief groups, but throughout the country, the maturity and wisdom gained 
from last year’s post-election chaos is being expressed as Kenyans respond to the famine. Last year’s turmoil has also led to a new spiritual awareness of what God expects of His children and the importance of prayer. Many churches heard pleas such as I heard this morning at Parklands Baptist Church as a deacon challenged church members to give what they could – from a small bag of cornmeal to a sack of dried milk that costs 8,000KSH ($100) – so “We can feed our brothers and sister.” Pray for wisdom, sensitivity and strength for all those planning relief efforts. Pray also that ministering Christians will be strong ambassadors of their Father’s love and salvation to all those “who live on earth – to every nation, tribe, language and people” (Revelation 14:6). Bert Yates
Posts
