"Strengthening and encouraging as we engage lostness together."
Acts 14:22; Revelations 14:6

In September, 1978, Bert and Jack Yates moved from Greensboro, North Carolina, to Nairobi, Kenya to serve as one year volunteers with the FMB (Foreign Mission Board of the SBC, now International Mission Board, IMB). Their assignment extended to over two years, followed by a short visit to the US for appointment as career missionaries.

The Yates, who have lived in Mombasa on the Indian Ocean and in Nakuru, an agricultural centre of Kenya, now live in the capitol city of Nairobi. Bert worked for many years with Kenya Baptist Media as a writer, editor and administrator. Jack has worked as a teacher, high school headmaster, in church planting and in many other areas of Christian education.

Today, Bert is the Communication Connector for the Equatorial Cluster of Sub-Sahara Africa. Jack serves as the Church Planting Trainer with the churches of the Baptist Convention of Kenya. Their team or people group is officially the LEGACY WORK - so Jack and Bert, the team Prayer Advocate, have the joy of working with the Baptist churches and areas where Southern Baptist missionaries have worked since arriving in Kenya in the mid 1950's. To find the team's prayer updates go to: Yates/IMB/KENYA

Our Kids

John, who was four when we moved to Kenya, now lives in Zebulon, NC, avoiding deer rather than the buffalo he and his friends encountered while trekking the forests around RVA (Rift Valley Academy) or the camels during their piki-piki (motorcycles) tour through Kenya's Northern Frontier. The artist of the family, he uses his creative skills in home building and remodeling - We didn't know when he got his first "toy" tool kit that he was preparing for the future, he also gave insight into his "dreams" when his only request when we moved to Kenya was that his Tonka construction trucks had to make the trip! His African background is still very evident - don't ever give him a desk job, keep him outside with nature and the critters which thankfully the special woman in his life, Melanie, appreciates!

Kenyan born Jennifer insisted on beginning school at age two, but then that first school was more than a little unique. We lived in Mombasa and the school was located on the Indian Ocean - definitely no need for a sand box at this preschool. Jennifer, who began planning all the family's birthday parties, etc, during those preschool years, now works at a Marketing Specialist for a large law firm - her job includes planning their special events! She married Aaron Bernabi in June, 2003 and they live in New Bern, NC, Aaron's hometown. Aaron, an avid golfer, has recently joined the banking industry. His and Jenny's greatest current joy is parenting Isabella Ava who arrived on April 24, 2009!

Jessie, who is also very proud of being Kenyan born, is a recent graduate of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC. Her major was English Literature which is a perfect choice for this kid whose favorite way to play with her dolls as a toddler was to "read" to them - not only before she could read, but before she had mastered talking! She also could do a great mimic of hippos, the animals she saw weekly at the Nakuru Game Park which was near our home, long before she began talking for herself rather than relying on her older siblings! Jessie's dream is to be an Victorian English Archival Librarian.
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