UPDATE

SATURDAY, 6th SEPTEMBER 2008

This is the NEW GUEST HOUSE which is situated just behind Testimony House. It looks out across the lawns to the perimeter fence, and has accommodation for forty with TEN rooms providing bed space for TWO, FOUR, or Six to EIGHT in different rooms. It is built as a hollow rectangle around a small courtyard, and has its own bathrooms and toilets. We think it has turned out well, and it is already being used for those of our older boys and girls who are just home for Holiday times from their respective Colleges. It makes a good 'Halfway House' for those nearing the time when they will finally leave home and find employment. They are still in their respective Homes for food and fellowship, but sleeping out in the Guest House. Still space for guests as well. This is a good thing since friends and relatives of the houseparents are now able to also visit whereas before there was little or no space in the actual Homes to accommodate them. Now at least they can have a bed and privacy as well as being able to eat and fellowship with the children in their individual Home. Also useful for giving accommodation to those who may be here for a Seminar or even a Week-end Challenge.

The Term has started. Everyone back to school, and college. It is always a very 'rushed' and almost 'breathless' time. Last minute shopping to find replacements for worn out uniforms, shoes and so on leaves those involved quite weak at the knees! Town is just not a nice place at such a time, swollen with parents and children all hectically squashed into the shops trying to find their needs in competition with each other. I am very glad NOT to be one of them now since I am no longer a houseparent!! But then there is the task of trying to eke out the daily house-keeping that is being seriously competed with by the College and School fees.......... I can be alone in my office sorting out priorities of expenditure and find myself between cold and hot perspiration. What a relief to write the last cheque, hand out the last cash to the last outgoing student..... This year we have spent more on education that any previous year. Since January more than £12,000 has been provided and spent this way. So glad there are not 4 School Terms in a year! We are all left feeling rather like deflated baloons, but glad to be intact, and able to continue . God is good.
Now we look ahead day by day. NEW, every morning, is His Mercy. How very wonderful that is. Great shortage of water in Nairobi, but WE still have gallons of it falling every day! People here are grumbling that it is STILL raining and that this is the DRY season. YET we have not had ENOUGH rain this year, and we NEED more rain. How strange men are that when they should be thankful they moan and groan, and when they have what they really need they cannot see it.

Who is your favourite for the next US President? Its quite a hot topic here in Kenya. It is interesting in many ways. Mr. Obama in his final speech at the Party Convention said
'If you elect me as President, I will CHANGE THE WORLD!' Really made me stop and listen. Not many people would say that. They might say I will change America, but CHANGE THE WORLD - that is quite a boast, quite an aim, quite an Agenda. I can't think of anyone else that might make such a claim about this time - no one, except perhaps just ONE!
Keep praying, and keep watching.

God be with you always

John and Esther