SUNDAY THIS WEEK found me sharing Paul's words to the Colossians, as written in the Bible.     It was the 3rd time I had shared, and I was still in the 1st chapter of the Letter.     Sunday Church, here in Testimony Faith Homes, is held in the School Hall which can seat four hundred or so.    Sunday will see some 100 School boarders,  120 children and young persons from the four family homes, plus a further 60 adults all attending.

It was good to be there with Esther, 

and take Communion together with all the young people, especially.   The LORD our God was so  very Prresent with us all. we were Blessed, even though the weather has been rather cool, and very wet with unseasonable rain.   A time of NEED in our Sunshine Country as it passes through a cloud of economic problems, and the prospect of famine.

How do we face such times when they confront us?   Well it needs endurance, patience, and faith.   I had it in mind when preparing my times with the family here on a Sunday.

This is the Way,  Walk in it. - this became the title of my topic, the topic generally, contained in Paul's Letter to the Colossians...     PAUL had heard about the little group of people that made up the Church in Colossae.    People were talking about them.    They were different.    They were so engaged with each other, so caring, so integrated, united!   They were just so loving in their attitude generally, to each other primarily, but also to those with whom they lived in Colossae      Paul was full of joy to hear it, for it proved to him that these young believers had truly let Jesus spiritually into their lives, and were already learning to 'lean their entire human personality upon Him, in absolute trust and confidence in His Power, wisdom and goodness.'     And it meant that they, like Jesus Himself, had joined in witnessing and demonstrating the ways of the invisible God.     They had taken the First Step, and had Believed in Jesus and were letting His Life, revelutionise their own.    All things were becoming NEW, Different, world changing.

None of this was new to PAUL.    It had happened to him.   He had himself been 'Born Again' - starting all over again with a NEW World-view of eveything.    Nothing was ever the same for him, and it thrilled him to meet, and hear of others that had also been found by that 'Man of Calvary', the man on the middle cross, the one who was Crucified, dead and buried, and decended into Hell - but who Rose AGAIN, and is for  ever ALIVE, and able to be found, and known.  His name IS Jesus.

PAUL was moved in his heart to write a letter to these NEW Christians, before they became too old.  And in this Letter Paul shares that he is going to PRAY for them all, and tells them what he will pray about.    His heart is filled with 'love' for them.    He felt the need to protect and assure them from the 'roaring lion (satan)' who would only seek the destruction of heir testimony and themselves as well.

Paul's motivation in writing  is seen repeating itself in the Letter of  Jude verse 3 as he writes "I have found it necessary, and was impelled  to write you,and urgetl appeal to, and exhort you to content for the  faith......"     Paul writes to assure enthusastic, newly found Christians that he was praying for them, because he knew full well, they would need prayer if they were to GO ON, and not be tempted to be conformed to the world.   Paul prayed for these converts to 'Know God's Will' Romans 12v2.  Then, also to 'live a pleasing and fruitful life'  and finally that they may be 'strengthened by they Holy Spirit.  In other words he saying,  I am praying for you all not to fall behind in anything;   ARISE, every day with the immedate and determined mind to let JESUS Shine out into the darkness.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, let us not allow daily life suffocate Christ in us.   Let us thrust off every weight, every wet blanket, and wake up to Jesus in our living.   We must be NEW every morning.    He needs to be Seen, Heard, and felt in us, not hidden or put to sleep by values outside of God's Kingdom.

++++++

YESTERDAY WAS THE NAIROBI MARATHON.   It was truly wonderful to see the crowds - more than ever before - that took part.     It was a very special Event - now let us see the ongoing result of this demonstration of national unity, and togetherness.      I just love to see such a move.     No doubt many of those who took part were Believers.   But not identifiable.    How wonderful if we in whom Jesus LIVES might stand out from the crowd just as these walkers did.      I believe that this is the time for  

Christian to be empowered to STAND.      It is needed.     NOT as 'showmen and women' putting themselves forward, but as plain men and women putting GOD in Christ forward, simply, honestly, and for free.

   1820 - 1912

His Words have virtually become true

Our World is perilously near an END

And although a sombre note to conclude upon, I conclude with HOPE, nay every Asssurance, that our God is in control of all things, and that all who will put their trust in Jesus Christ will be held fast in the Hand of God, no matter what confronts us..

Our Love to you all in Jesus Name.      We are ALL well, our children also well.   Next time, soon, I will Report on the state of our Four Family Homes and the School.   We do Thank God, with all our hearts for His hand upon us all, and especially my dear wife and sister, Esther, who is so strong and full of joy.

God be with you all, as we also pray for you,

John, Esther, and Daryl Green.

.

.

 

A TIME TO BE FAMILY TOGETHER

 ON SATURDAY 15TH September 2012,we had a visit from friends from Weshoughton Pentecostal Church.  They came with gifts for the children, as seen on the left;  Foot-balls and Basket-balls, AND a full size Table Tennis table together with net, bats and balls - all the way from England!    The  latter quickly found a following of interested youngsters, and it also found a following of players from the School who eventually formed a competitive Team, and went on to win many prizes up to the present day.     

On the DAY the 'Table' arrived, it was set up in what is now a dining room for School Boarders.   A tiny part is being shown as it was set up, at the time,  in a photo we published at that time.

The Table Tennis, and other sports equipment had been brought as a Gift from the Church, as a Body in Christ, without any warning to us, and it was indeed quite a special surprise and delight, which continued to reap a great deal of pleasure and use for  many years.     Right up to the pleasant in fact.

In this photo to the left, Martin Speed, then Pastor of Westhoughton, and his wife Margaret, can be seen at the door with me.

To the right is a photo taken in 2012 of me and Esther with Martin and Barbara Speed on the left and on the right Deacon Eddy and Grandson Luke who came with them from Westhoughton Church.

We had great fellowship.   It was only the 2nd time we had met Martin and his wife; the first time had been in 2011 when we were ourselves in the UK for a brief visit.   I had never seen the new BRICK church but our relationsip with Westhoughton went back to 1968 which was the very first time I found myself there.    The saints there never forgot me, and the Holy Spirit continually reminded them 

to pray and support us as they  were able.   

And so it was again a great happiness to have Martin and Margaret with us for a week or so, this time - as from 19th July.

Martin bought a new supply of table-tenis bats and balls, and we arranged for him to present them in the School Hall - and, to demonstrate Martin had not lost his touch,with a Special Match with Daryl!!  It was a very enjoyable time, and brought a lot of laughter and happiness to our children - many who were not with us in 2012 and many who were, and who remembered !  

Over the 53 years of our existance here, we have had to  trust God alone for many things. We have needed our Daily Bread, of course, and all the other individual daily needs of life, and living for a group initially of only three, but which has slowly grown to one of more than 250 including the Children and  support staff.                                        Our Father in Heaven has been so Faithful to us, and never failed to provide, as we have testified to that Faithfuless, and prayed only to Him.        Yet, though He has supplied our necessities, He has not forgotten  to surprise us all with  extra - unasked or expected - shafts of sunlit happiness.     Oh What a Father we have watching over us. And we have to SEE and feel this even in those other times when events and attacks of the Enemy might lay us low - as (for us, recently) in the loss of our 'son' Tyson.   Whatever we go through, good or bad, easy or difficult, we realy should never lose sight of the fundamental GOODNESS of our Father in Heaven.      JESUS came to show and demonstrate this to us all, right to. and through the CROSS.

O how great is thy goodness, which thou haste laid up 

for them that fear Thee.    That thou haste wrought for them

that trust in Thee, in front ot the sons of men.

Psalm 31v19

It is so precious when we can stand with you,  any one of you,

who has prayed for, or in any way supported us in Jesus,

and who has been able to visit us, and SEE

God's Faifhfulness

We love for you to come, and  to feel and know you are part of us all;  part of the family. It is such a special Bless-ing.    But, whether or not we are per-mitted to see each other down here in the vineyard of His labours in the kingdom, I do believe we shall KNOW each other when we stand with HIM in Heaven, and enjoy to the full the 'Ties that Bind' us together in HIM.

Finally, for now, a photo  of  DARYL, Esther and myself outside Green Cottage - good to see us together, for once.     But we are indeed always together since our home is but fifty yards from his office.   We breakfast most days together.

Daryl is planning to be in Machester, England as from first week in October this year.    He may be able to remain for one or two months,    if you would be interested to meet with him in some way 

you could find out more from our son Steven Green, in  Manchesteer,  either by phone  (+44) 7890527890 or via his e-mail address <s1green@yahoo.com>   I know he will pray to meet as many that pray for us as he can.

We commend him to you all, fully supportig him in his position as my successor. 

God Bless and be with  you all in these latter days, when Light is diminishing, and the 'tide if iniuity' almost fully IN.     SHINE dear ones and let the Spirit of God give you Strength, and Courage to BE Christ's Witness wherever you are, and in whatever you are doing.

Lovingly in Him  Who Loves us

John, Esther, and Daryl Green

and all the children and co workers with us in this pace.

;

DEATH IN THE FAMILY

 

WHEN Esther, my wife, and I moved into this house in December 1972,

we already had twent eight boys staying with us,

and we moved in as a Family.

When we Married in 1971, I had already begun to collect children.    And Esther knew that in marrying me, she was agreeing to be Mother to the twenty that were already living with me in my mud house.   The house was known as Testimony Cottage, just because it was a daily testimony (withness) to the Goodness of God Who was our only sure provider of what we all, together, needed; He was then, and remains today, our Daily Bread,     The TESTIMONY came wth us to our new house, and slowly it becme kown as the Testimony Family.......Esther and I were ' Mum and Dad'.  We were to continue so, until February 1998 when we moved out to become Grandparents, though - in a way - still Mum and Dad to all those who had grown up and moved on until then, and to the more than 120 children in the FOUR different 'family' homes we then concisted of; close neighbours in truth ONE BIG Family.         (The photo above was taken in January 1973 after moving to Eldoret with twenty children, including three girls.   I am almost invisible at the back, left, holdine baby Steven, our firstborn, and Esther is at the extreme right, wearing an afro hair do.)

INITIALLY Esther  and I had felt that we needed to reach out to the many homeless children I had encountered in Maseno, Western Kenya.    What did they need most ?  They needed what they lacked most; family, and loving parents.     But would we be able, oursleves, to find the strength ?  How would it be to bring up our own children ( if God gave us any) in the midst of so many strangers?   God said, 'FEAR not, I will be with you'.    And so we had yielded and accepted to offer a home, and a family (our own family) to any child that came to our door, destitute and orphaned.    The Lord led us to move away from Eldoret in December 1972.   But the Vision remained unchanged, and God WAS with us.  We also worked along with the Kenya Children's Department, as it then was, and they helped us to help the truly destitute children.   But later on occassionaly pressed us to also help others who did have families of their own, but which were prevented by severe illness or some physical calamity, to provide home and security to their children;     In the first 28 years Esther I saw more than 110 boys and girls grow up - often from their birth, to become young men and women, all together as family, in Testimony House.    Altogether, today, we can say 370 have come to be part of the Testimony Family, brought up in one  or another of our four family homes, who having comleted education, have left to live indendent lives.

The majority still keep in touch, and  visit us, and introduce their own husbands, wives and children of their own to us - their children's 'grandarents'.        They keep track of one  another, and readily step  in to assist a famiily member going through difficulty.        I would say The Family is very tight knit  in its care and interest in every member..   

A view of some 350 Family members, including some wives,
husbands, and even children, taken in 2019, as they came 
home for the day to Celebrate 50 years of Family together.
Expanding all the time!!

BUT  at the same time we do, from time to time suffer a loss, and it is always felt by all  of us.

On the 5th July this year we lost a son, and one who had been with us here in Testimony, part of the Tyndale Cottage family, for seventeen years.   TYSON Simiyu had been abandoned, with his sister, Monica, by their single Mother.     All alone, in the small room they called home, hungry and afraid,  they were brought to us.  Tyson was 5, and Monica 7     Two very sweet kids, who were soon revelling in other children of their age to play with, and regular meals, their own bed instead of the floor, and a loving Mum and Dad to care for them.    Both entered school together and completed their Secondary Educatrion.

TYSON grew to be a strong young man.   He loved reading the Bible, and to talk about the Lord with others like him.      He was a strong Footballer, and swimmer.    He was on the brink of commencing a Polytechnic course in Mechanical Engineering.       

Tyson Simiyu

The morning had dawned bright and sunny, and getting up Tyson was consciouse of feeliing realy well.

He had been to the doctor two weeks earlier feeling week and unwell.  The Doctor said it was a viral infection and sent him home under medication - but no antibiotics.      On the way out after breakfast he sought out Catherine and Mica Yego who were his parents and sharing how well he felt, he Thanked them for taking such good care of him.   Always appreciative.      He crossed the road into Testimony House Compound and met the Director, Daryl Green, coming out of his Office...    Again he testified to how well he was now feeling, and that he was on the way to the pool for some exercise.    It was about 9a.m.

At 10a.m, Daryl ran into our house, and just stood staring at us.  

"Whatever is the matter?" I asked.

"TYSON  Simiyu is DEAD!" he croaked out,  and sat down

We were stunned; totally incredulous.    'How?" I asked

It seemed that Tyson had gone to our Swimming Pool as he had said, and commenced a lengthy exercise, completing it strongly and well.     Getting out he went to sunbathe, and fellowship with a group of his peer who were also there.    They enjoyed each other's company teelling stories, laughing and joking.    THEN, suddenly, Tyson began to convolse.    The Pool Life-saver, and Swimming Trainer ran to the aid of the startled group  -  Tyson went on convolsing until he los consciousness.   HE was was rushed to the hospital, but he was DEAD on arrival.     Nobody could believe it.     The immediate sense of LOSS was great to all, and almost immediately Members of the Family who heard of this tradgedy began to ring, and send Notes to assure us of their support and syapathy.   School was suspended, Children and adults all at a loss walking around almost in a daze at this shocking and unlooked for death.

The Cause of Death, after a Post Mortem, prooved to be 'Asphyxiation /Severe Pneumonia due to Collapsed Lung.    The Doctor conducting the Post Mortem felt that the lung had been collapsed for a lengthy period.     It IS possible to have such a condition, though rarely,  without it making you aware of it.     BUT Tyson was a serious and hard working sportsman all his life!    And he had felts 'on top of the world' that morning.      No real answer here, except that his LORD needed him, and took him quickly.    We had Memorial Service for him, held in the School Hall on Sunday afternoon at 2p.m. 

The Hall  packed to the doors, went on almost three hours.   One after the other stood up to speak about the loving, and caring life of Tyson, at hom.e and at School.     A friend to all, ever willing to help, councel, and encourage those in need.

He was buried on Monday, 10th July in the City Cemetary, with  friends and family members from Testimony Family from all over the area; a congregation of more than 150.    Pastor Sospeter read the Reading for the Day from the Bible,  and Pastor Mark Epa, both with A.I.C., gave the Sermon, and The Very Rev Archdeacon of the Anglican Church Diocese, Jotham  Chege, gave a Blessing.    THEY all are sons of Testimony, as were dozens of others too, and as many sisters.    It was a unique family occassion,  One that brought home to us all once again the importance of Home and Family as God has planned it.        It WAS a sad occassion, yet on the other hand there was a wonderful sense of happiness and joy there.     After all we had not really LOST for ever a valued son, brother, grandson - just bade him God speed on his mission - we shall be with him again  in the clouds, when the Trumpet sounds.

The Government may still vote to close us down one day, with all the other Homes in Kenya, but even if it does the Family that was begun in Testmony House will continue to expand and grow, and further the Vision we have always had for Family, and family life, with God at the Centre.

God BLESS you all.

John, Esther, and Daryl Green

Testimony Faith Homes, Eldoret, Kenya.             

 

 Ete==

 The Blessed and only Potentate,

The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords;

Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can appoach unto;

whom no man hath seen, nor can see; to whom be honour and power everlasting.

AMEN

THUS SAITH THE LORD, the King of Israel, and his redeemer, the LORD of hosts;   I AM the first and the last;and beside me there is no God

'IS THERE A GOD BESIDE ME?      YEA, THERE IS NO GOD;  I KNOW NOT ANY.

Isaiah 44v6 -8 

THUS SAITH THE LORD,THY REDEEMER,  that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroard the earth by myself;   Isaiah44v24

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, and will not remember thy sins.

There is no God else beside me; a just God, and a Saviour.     Look unto me, and be ye saved; for I am God, and none else.   Isaiah 43v25&44v22 / 45v21-22

THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME.  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God.   Exodus 20v5

                            

A WEEK OR SO AGO, King Charles 111, soon to be Crowned, was reported to be at odds with the Church of England, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

The King wants representatives of Faiths (Religions) other than his own, to be fitted into his Coronation Service, and allowed to offer a prayer.    The Church replied that the Coronation was that of a Christian Monarch, of a Christian Nation, in a Christian Church.    Those of other Beliefs could not minister.    As I write today, it seems this matter has not been resolved.  Which way will it go, I wonder?      

Commenting from Girard Alliance Church, in Girard, Ohio, U.S.A., Michael Nikolishen has written  -  'It's a bad idea.  Who are they praying to?   Christians of different denominations can pray together, but when Christians accept the prayers of other Religions, they are denying their own Faith.   Validading the prayers of other Religions is say that there is another God, or that there are other paths to God.      Christians know that no one is acceptable to God, except through the sin atoning death and resurrection of Jesus.    By denying the Deity of Jesus, other Religions are 'anti-Christs'.

IS the United Kingdom still a Christian Kingdom?   Was it ever a Christian Kingdom? 

It all began way back in history when a man called Egbert was King of Wessex.  He forged the Saxons into one nation, comprising  Northumberland, Mercia, Wessex, Sussex, Essex, and EastAnglia.

And Egbert was a Christian, a believer in Jesus Christ, and the Gospel of Salvation.     He was crowned KING in 802A.D.   And it is said that King Charles 111 is his 40th great grandson, and that he can thus trace his geneology all the way back to Egbert.

England began with Egbert, a Christian King, and he slowly led his people to beleieve in Jesus. 

When EGBERT was Crowned, he made a Promise to God, in front of the Bishops of his day, publically in the Cathredral.   It is written that  'after receiving the crown Egbert swore a Royal Oath that he would preserve and protect the Christian Church, prevent iniquities from coming to any of his subjects, and would render good justice'.

This Oath has continued to be made by every English Monarch ever since, including our late Queen, Elizabeth 11.    Her Majesty, at her Coronation in 1953 virtually said in front of God and the Nation

1.  I solemnly promise, and swear, to govern the Peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand ......

and of all my posessions, and the other Territories to any of them belonging. or pertaining to their respective laws and customs.

2.  I will, to the utmost of my power, cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be ezecuted in all my judgments. 

3.  I will to the utmost of my power maintain the Laws of God,  and the true profession of the Gospel.   I will to the utmost of my power maintain, in the United Kingdom, the Protestant Reformed Religion established by Law.     And I will maintain, and preserve inviolably, the settlement of the Church of England,  and the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in England.   And I will preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of England, and the Churches there committeed to their care, all such rights and privileges, as by law do, or shall, appertain to them, or any one of them.

THESE things which I  have here before promised, I will perform and keep.

So help me GOD.

Elisabeth R.

The Truth is that England, from it's birth, was founded on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God's Son.

The Kings and Queens that wore the Crown, promised to maintain the Laws of God, and the true profession of the gospel.   They maintaned a witness to their own allegiance to God.    NOTHING has so far changed.

YET,  we hear, more and more, from Law Lords and other leaders, that England is no longer a Christian Nation.      IS this  really so?    SHOULD it be accepted?    Is the History, the Culture, the FAITH of more than a thousand years to be just lost, wiped out, and discarded progressively in orders to  please strangers who do not hold our values, or begin to understand from where we have come, in a thoussand years of civilization.      I grew up in an ENGLAND that believed in Christianity.      The WAR was not won because of a Man, it was won through the faith of ordinary believing people - both at home, and in the theater of War -who trusted in God, and in His abiliity to bring us through.  God alone was our  HOPE and, EXPECTATION - our dear departed Queen learned it from her father, King George V1. and she went on learning it through her long and challlenging reign.   God is all we need - if we will let Him direct the way we take in our daily lives.

Will we see it in King Charles?      Will he, CAN he right now stand for Christ and the Gospel as THE only way to God's heart.        He wants to streamline the monarchy.  It may be necessarsy, but I hope he will not 'throw out the baby with the bath water.'      HE wants to reduce the Coronation Service - to save money?  to keep up with the 'times'?    Will he SPIRITUALLY devalue the Service itself, so that he, and all who will share in it, miss GOD speaking to, and challenging the life of, everyone watching and listening.      It is NOT meant to be a 'spectacle' but a WITNESS to each one of us inwardly about our reason to be alive - to put God our Maker up front in our lives.   He made us for Himself.

Where will  this King lead us?   To GOD - or to Nature Worship, Idolatory, and Heresy?   Yet he will own a Christian Crown - even if it is more adorned with worldly ornament that that of Edgar's

 Where is our new CULTURE leading us?     My generation of children in the 1940s were not troubled about their sexuality, as they have been made to be today.       Did  I just say 'made to be'?    YES I did.    We altogether live in a WORLD that is fast becoming a picture of Genesis 6v5  where it is written '..the wickedness of man was great upon the Earth, and every imagination ( purpose and desire) of the thoughts of his heart/mind was only evil continually.'    And a little further on in verses12 and 13 GOD looked and saw that the earth was corrupt/spoilt, because all flesh/mankind had corrupted/spoilt his way upon the earth, and the earth is fill with violence because of them.

The BIBLE has told us that the LAST DAYS  would be like the days of NOAH.    There might only have been three million souls upon the earth then; now it is far worse.

Where can we be SAFE.    Only in and with JESUS.      HE says 'COME to Me, come just as you are;  I will give you rest from all your confusion, doubts, struggles.     I am the Truth, the Way, AND the Life.         You will find none of these anywhere else.

                                                                     

JAG

LET US BE FORWRD LOOKING,,,!

 HOW TIME FLIES !!    We are at the Beginning of MARCH already, and so much going on in world all around us - and yet we seem hidden from most of it, in our small and almost insignificant compound.     But, those who know the Lord, are forced to notice that things are changing in our world, and even in friendly, sunny, Kenya.

Much harder to find paid employment, of any kind;  Food available, but not affordable, and the Kenya Shilling dropping in buying power all the time.   Hardship everywhere.

At the same time Education is becoming more expensive, with a NEW Syllabus, touching both the Primary and Secondary School System, forcing parents to find NEW books, and even School equipment, previously unasked for.     Petrol, Electrity AND WATER, all constantly rising in monthly costs.   This is causing considerable need to economise on every hand.

Conversely our School began, last year, to commence MUSIC as a curricular subject, SO many students have risen to the challenge, and parents have remarkably done the same, and have assisted; by  themselves buying instruments of a wide  variety-currently a small Band is being put together with considerable excitement and fervour.

WE NOW HAVE a School of 800 odd, including our own 124 from the Homes. A New Syllalbus was commenced six years ago, our own School chosen to be one those PILOTING.   Previouly we had a System known as 8-4-4-. This has now been replaced with 6-3-3 ( six years in Primary, three years in Junior High, and 3 years in Senior High before going to College or University.This year was our FIRST year to see our 1st year of Junior High commence.   Below is a photo of some of these first timers - ages approx 13

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR

to all our friends and family

for 2023

CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE 2022

All our childlren and staff gathered after the Service,

including Esther and I, and son Steven.

A wonderful Christmas Day, full of Worship, and Joy.

Posting this on New Years Eve,

life finds us preparing for the Year Ahead.

We are taking down our Christmas Decorations,

and all that speaks of 2022.

.As we finish, we expect midnight to be upon us.

A Great Shout will go up!

In the Town motor horns and sirens will go off together,

and here in the Homes 

ALL our children and staff will as usual burst out of their houses

and seek to Greet each other/

There will be the first shared snack of the New Year.

THANK YOU, LORD JESUS

for bringing us all through the Year Ended.

We look always, and only to you Who art Faithful.

 

Go in front of us all into this New year.

Help us to BELIEVE in Your Presense with us.

Remove any doubt or apprehension for tomorrow,

and enable us to just  simply TRUST YOU,

and to Rejoice.  Amen

GOD BLESS YOU ALL

and Keep you Safe moment by moment

TESTIMONY FAITH HOMES & SCHOOLS

Eldoret - Kenya - East Africa

 

LIVING IN HARMONY WITH ONE ANOTHER

I have felt a little sorrowful for Lady Susan Hussey!  Just a year younger than she is, and one of her generation, I see how easy it is, in the  'Here and Now', for us to be found out of tune with current trends.   I was initially surprised by the whole incident involving Lady Hussey, and Mrs. Ngozi Fulani (alias Marlene Headley) the C.E.O. of Sistah Space, a Community Based initiative dealing with Violence against African heritage women and girls; an Invited  Guest to Her

Majesty the Queen Consort's, Special Reception, to discuss Gender-based Violence.    Just HOW could it happen that such a well known guest, could be put down on the 'door step' so to speak, even before she had opened her mouth.   

On the one hand Lady Susan Hussey, 83, a very experienced courtier, and long time friend of the Royal Family,  a widow, and a grandmother.   She had been asked to be at the  Reception, in Buckingham Palace to greet and welcome those invited.  

On the other hand we have Ngozi Fulani, 60, a well educated, well known activist on behalf of women; un-ashamed of her African heritage, a widow, mother of four, and grandmother.   She was not a great admirer of Royalty, but had accepted the Invitation,  and had arrived at the Reception with friends.

It sounds, as it is reported, as if she had actually entered the Room, and then was accosted by Lady Hussey, who without introductions reached out to move Ngozi's hair away from her Visitor I.D. in order to see her name.  then she asked "Where are you from?"

Fulani "Hackney

Hussey "I mean where do you really come from?"

Fulani   "Lady, I am a British National; my parents came here in the 50's''

Hussey "I knew we would get there in the end.  you're Caribbean."

Fulani   "No lady, I am of African heritage Caribbean descent, and British Nationality."

Ms. Fulani describes the enounter as an Inerrogation; unpleasant; degrading.  A racial abuse!

O couse this conversation is recorded as 'hearsay',  and copied down by others.    I have read at least three copies and each is differrent to the other in some aspects.   We may never know. perfectly what was said, or even HOW the exchange sounded.    It is impossible to actually know how the dialogue  went, and thus difficult to discover any real abuse implied.

Was it, after all, real abuse, designed to belittle or demean Ms Falani?

Or was it a miss-understanding, based on lack of awareness of normal opening gambits when meeting people for the first time?  Perhaps,  if she had been greeted with "Oh, Ms. Fulani what an interesting dress; where did you find it?,  Fulani might still have replied 'Hackney' truthfully without intending any offence, but still refraining from giving the definitive answer required.

Perhaps it WAS just a 'storm in a teacup', which modern over sensitiveness and trends have been  allowed to be a MOUNTAIN on offence, instead of a mole-hill of normality, as it realy was.

If Lady Hussey was really on duty to meet and greet on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen Consort, then it would be surprising for her to go out of her way to insult, abuse, or distress any Guest invited.    She was not on Police Duty, but instead was assisting the Queen Consort in welcoming and putting at ease the expected Guests, at a very important Reception.     

If she at first moved the hair of Ms. Fulani, it was only to forstall the necessity of asking her name and not intended to offend, but to ease introductions.  

And then she asked 'Where are you from?'

Did she ask officiously,  haughtily, without a smile, or did she ask quietly, with geuine interest as one meeting an expected and valued friend.    These details were not mentioned, and it is the WORDS alone that are said to be the cause of all the racial abuse aimed at Ms. Fulani.

I live in Kenya, and in the Township of Eldoret, the 5th largest town in Kenya.    I am constantly meeting people in my everyday work and even on the street, and am frequently greeted and asked where I am from - they know I live in Eldoret.    The want to know where I  have come from, and -  had I been a Kenya Citizen - they  would still have want to know from where I had originally come from.  They would ask because I am white, but not because of that alone.    It is a normal, harmless, curiosity.     We have more than 60 ethnic tribal groupings in Kenya.   It would be vey difficult for me always to identify from where an individual Kenyan came from, unless I had become very conversant with their individual cultural heritage,      I constantly Greet and Ask -' Oh, Hello! Nice to meet you, where do you come from?"   I am excitedly informed, with reciprocal interest, and delight. People here are GLAD to have a chance to identify with who they are, and where they identify the most.  I do not find this offensive, and neither do Kenyans.   Indeed on both sides we find it natural to give expanisive replies to such questions

Might not Lady Hussey, in meeting Ms. Ffulani, whom she not known at all previously, just have stopped, and trying to get a closer look at her Visitor Identifcation, said,  "Ms. Fulani, Welcome to this Royal Reception.   "Where are you from.?''  

Ms. Fulani was certainly looking like a Visitor from further away than Hackney, but it was a reasonable answer, although I rather think that as an educated person having grown up in England, she would have immediately known she was being asked to identify her Ethnic origen.    I think she did know, but I think instead of proudly announcing her history she took offence, thinking that she was being diminished or demeaned in the eyes of her questioner.

I think she jumped the gun.    I think she misjudged the 'lady' she was speaking with.

Lady Hussey was doing what any of us 'old relics' would naturally do to break the ice of a first meeting, and YES, as one of the Palace Staff has reportedly said, she has been doing it for all her life - without meaning to even create  any offence or abuse.   Good  for her! I do it too, and will continue to do so, I suppose.    I understand she has appologised to Ms. Fulani.      I also hear that she has withdrawn from sixty years of Service to the Crown.   Did this Lady give up her life, and mar a faultless reputation in social integrity, as one trusted to aid the monarch in bridging the gap between her and her People?

Esther, my Kikuyu wife of 52 years, and I,  began a Children's Home 50 years ago together and personally, for 28 of those years lived in one house with 30-35 children at a time aged from 0 to 18 from more than fifteen different tribes across Kenya.   We lived together as a totally integrated extended family, our own three children being born into it, and growing into it.     We had no serious disagrements or fights based on differences between the diverse cultures, and indeed we ended up with a real Family - not just ourselves, but the 96 others who came to eat, sleep, live and GROW with us as family.     The world seems FAR from that, still.     But it COULD happen.      I speak  as a follower of Jesus the Christ.   I have known Him as my friend and Saviour for 65 years.    I have never been ashamed to say so, and never discovered any other whose Word has proved more sure and safe to depend upon, than HIS.    

Brothers and sisters, Men and Women of Planet Earth, respect one another, and respect your own history and culture.    And remember to respect each other's nationality also, and not judge.    The Christian Faith demands that we, each one without exception, should Love our neighbour, the one next to us, whoever they are, whatever colour they are, AS WE LOVE OURSELF.     And underlining this Commandment, REMEMBER this - LOVE does no WRONG to one's neighbour (it never hurts anybody)  Love is the fulfilling of the LAW.       Romans 13v8-10 and then Romans 12v14-21

God Bless you all

John Green