NO TIE REQURED?

IN TODAY'S DAILY NATION on page 16 I noticed an Article entitled 'Uniform at University'. The writer suggests that Kenyatta University is determined to introduce uniform to its students under what it describes as 'Dress Code.'

I must say that currently the general impression one gets from a visit to one of Universities anywhere in the country is that 'anything goes' with regard to dress. This libertine attitude to dress probably extends to the moral standards as well. One gets the impression that one has suddenly entered a world of slovenly, yobbos who spend most of their time wandering aimlessly about with one another during the the day, and partying drunkenly all night! Little inspires one to consider the Campus as place of 'Higher Learning' inhabited by the intellectually elite.

KENYA is a Country where uniforms are still very much part of the scholastic system. Nursery through to Secondary all have their students in uniform of one kind of another. Where the Administration of the School is interested enough this CAN be attractive to behold, but for the most part students look as slovenly and ill kept with uniform as without it - and in many ways it is worse. Uniform is also a very costly and expensive proposition to parents that may be unemployed or poorly paid, and who find it hard to even provide casual clothing for their children. Uniform may, on the other hand, save wear and tear on whatever other clothes a person may have - if he has any! Of course the upper and middle classes seem to have more than enough cash to spend on clothing for their children. But they are not the majority within the population. The majority suffer WANT at all levels.

ANOTHER ARTICLE also read not long ago,in the Sunday Nation this time,was captioned "Image Matters" I wonder if it really does? Does the way we dress ourselves make any difference? Is it so important for a man to wear a collar and tie instead of a tea-shirt?

I can remember all of my early life having it pointed out to me that there were two types of dress for the average person - Formal and Casual. Formal was for the Office, Church, and Special Functions. Casual was for leisure and sport; so you could come home from your work and change into leisure clothes, something more 'comfortable'. Clothes somehow condition a person for the work at hand, or for leisure time to be enjoyed and relax in. I think it DID make a difference psychologically, and perhaps even added something to life. Certainly there is

no doubt that clothes can make a person 'feel' different - just as a new hair-do can change a woman's image of herself, and even her self presentation. Clothes can give us an 'AIR'.

FOR MYSELF I would find it hard to take my Bank Manager seriously if I found him lounging behind his desk in a tea-shirt and jeans. I would immediately think he was relaxing and not working; I would lose trust in his ability to concentrate on my need; I would lose some confidence in him. You may think I would be unjustified, for after all, whatever he might be wearing he remains a Bank Manager with the necessary training and knowledge. Yes, but he may have the wrong attitude to his work none the less. Because of his casual attitude to dress he may take his responsibilities to me as his customer too casually. He might in fact be too free, too loose in his attitude. It IS possible to be too casual all the time, when in fact there ARE times when it is important NOT to appear as if one has just been harvesting in the field!

CASUALNESS about our appearance might also reflect a casualness about other matters and style as well. With this kind of image goes a careless regard for the use of language tending to denigrate it with obscenity, slang - 'sheng', and lack of attention to grammar. Conversation is more and more affected by depreciation. Our speech full of unnecessary oaths and trashy phraseology;In face the art of conversation and speech in general is depreciating. Our young people seem to becoming in every way more shoddy, shabby and unrefined in their conversation in every way. Perhaps humanity is becoming less human? Perhaps we are on the way back to the 'jungle'? More likely we are going there for the first time!!

LOOK at Jeremiah 6v16 in the Bible. He writes there -

'Thus says the Lord; Stand by the roads and look;

and ask for the eternal paths, where the good old way is;

Then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.

BUT they said 'We will NOT walk in it.'

And I set my Watchmen over you saying

Hear and obey the sound of the trumpet!

But they said, 'We will not listen or obey!'

There is a spirit of rebellion everywhere as never before. Rebellion against the well tried ways of our fathers. CHANGE is being pursued,even demanded on all fronts. Man is being enticed and railroaded into believing that he can change himself for the better, and now that the DNA Code has been broken he believes that he can now rebuild and reprogram himself into something almost perfect. He is progressively turning his back on what was, and what has been, learning nothing from it. Thus SOLOMON in Provers 22v28 -

Remove not the ancient landmark

which your father shave set up.

BUT NO! We do not need a Dress Code. Relax, hang loose. Be Cool.RELAX.. travel on the WIDE ROAD uncluttered by social ethics, unhindered by rules and regulations. COME travel on this pleasure road; the road to freedom. Its a FAST road, and is its easy going, downhill all the way to the bottom where ultimate ruin and destruction awaits us. A TIE IS DEFINATELY NOT REQUIRED ON THIS ROAD. You can be as flamboyant, fashionable and modish as you like; as sexy and rebellious as you feel.

Some feel strongly that they have the right to be as unconventional as they wish, and to break away from old ways and what had been previously acceptable standards and manners; they feel this is healthy, progressive society. BUT the truth is that unconventional people are those who have refused to give respect to convention - to the well tried and tested principles of society rooted in our history and our forbears. To ignore convention is to REBEL, and rebellion is lawlessness and every evil thing.

THE KING IS COMING! No tie required! Really? Is that right?

The King IS coming, and we are told that WHEN he comes a CROWN will be upon His head, a SCEPTER in His Hand, and He will be dressed in Robes of State identifying Him as THE KING. It will be a very formal occasion. We will not be greeting someone that looks like a football supporter, or a yobbo from the street. We shall BOW to a Man clothed with Honour and Glory in the Robes of Royalty and State! I think a 'tie' will be required! We shall need to observe a dress code then. Come to THAT occasion in the wrong dress and you may be turned away, refused admission. There IS a need to know where we ARE, and what is expected of us THERE. There is a need to remind ourselves that not everywhere is a soccer field or a disco.

A need to pull ourselves ourselves up and to remind ourselves that we have an IMAGE to keep in mind. Each one of us is created in the Image of God, and we have a need to make sure it is kept up unchanged just as God is unchanged. We need to make sure it is recogniseable.

Yes. I do think Image Matters.

I think a Dress Code is Good.

I think a Moral Code is needed.

We need to be identifiable as from GOD rather than the JUNGLE.

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JOSEPH ALAN and BEATRICE ROP finally joined our staff as Dad and Mum in Jacaranda Cottage on the 16th of this month. They had applied many months ago, but at first there was no opportunity for them, and then after Philip and Roselene left we had felt a need to offer Edward and Esther an opportunity to discover the Lord's will in their lives. At the end of their visit of three months they both felt it was not of the Lord and felt they could not in all honesty say they could stay on as houseparents. We immediately let Joseph and Beatrice know, and

they IMMEDIATELY PACKED UP and disposed of their family ties, and arrived to BEGIN. Joseph is 50 and Beatrice is 45. They have four sons of their own - 3 grown up and working, and 1 doing a Degree Course at Moi University.Joseph was in Management with Kenya Housing and Finance and Beatrice has been for many years a Postmistress in various towns. Both took early retirement in order to follow together what they felt the Lord would give them to do as service to HIM. They believe very much that this is it. They have been with us 12 days - and today one of our older girls who is part of the Jacaranda family - Damaris - who became pregnant late last year, gave birth today. Both Joseph and Beatrice have been running round telling everyone that now they are grandparents. I know the feeling! It is good to have a couple who really want to BE Mum and Dad. Please do pray much for them.

TODAY is also the School Sports day and our compound has been completely covered up with the cars of School parents come to watch their children run, jump and whatever else was laid on. More than 500 parents and 600 kids!! Including ours of course!! It has been a very good day.

Thank you all for praying us through this month, and for your support in every way in Jesus Name.

Lovingly as always

John and Esther

IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON?

I THINK this may be the first time I have shown a photo of Pope Benedict 16th. Some in the Christian Family (especially some of the protestant communion) may be surprised to find him here. However, although we may not agree with everything this man may say where it may apply to his thoughts towards non Catholics, we ought to consider his clear-sighted and often very Christian opinions and comments that he takes time to pronounce. Indeed it is his voice and his voice almost alone that has fearlessly spoken out on issues that for the most part seem to go unchallenged in our crumbling world. Many will be convinced the Pontiff of the day will be the Anti Christ. Others will be appalled at his willingness for 'dialogue' with Islam and Hinduism. Today I do not wish to digress into these interesting ideas AND thoughts. I just want to comment on ONE thing he has recently been reported as saying in the Kenyan Press. He has been heavily criticised for saying it. And the criticism seems to come from all quarters. BUT Benedict the 16th usually is quite forthright, seldom politically correct, and no 'man pleaser'. I like him for being fearlessly honest to the light and understanding that he has. Here, then, is what the Kenya Press have reported this last Friday in the Daily Nation -

'condoms increase the problem of AIDS'

Immediately he has been challenged, criticised and even condemned on every hand. He is certainly not a 'popular' Pope from the World's point of view. Indeed he is more pro than anti Christian in his attitude and stance towards Christian Morality and Practice.

The French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner said on Wednesday - 'I am very worried by what has happened. I think this is the opposite of tolerance and understanding, and I am very sorry about it.' (He wants sexual promiscuity to be better tolerated!)

The Human Rights Minister Rama Yade said she was "dumbfounded" by the Pope's comments,, saying that they risked undermining the fight against Aids. (She is NOT saying NO to free sex.)

Other Politicians went further, questioning the Pope's ability to run the Church. (They all want him to run the Church like the 'World'.)

Former Prime Minister Alain Juppe was also quoted by French Television as saying "This Pope is beginning to pose a real problem." (He does not want to KNOW what God wants - rather perhaps he would like to get rid of God!)

All this because he does not encourage the use of condemns as a means of getting rid of AIDS!

The Vatican spokesman defended the Pope's stand saying Benedict was merely re-stating the position of his predecessors that fidelity within heterosexual marriage and abstinence are the best ways to stop AIDS!

ABOUT TWO YEARS ago I was a Member of the Uasin Gishu District Board of Medical Management. The Government of Kenya had been busy distributing hundreds of thousands of condoms to College and University students. I asked the District Medical Officer WHY they were doing this. He replied that it was part of the drive to eradicate AIDS from the Country.

I then put it to him that condoms - even the best quality (which those being distributed were not) were not in fact fail-safe. He readily admitted this fact, but excused the distribution on the basis that the masses had to believe in safe sex or run riot!

Of course we KNOW that there is no such thing as SAFE-SEX outside of the marriage bed. At best it is a matter of 'Russian Roulette'. We also know that it is ridiculous to believe that man will desist from illegal sex outside of marriage. From this standpoint it can be said that condoms MIGHT help decrease the incidence of HIV and AIDS.

HOWEVER, SINCE CONDOMS ARE NOT FAIL SAFE, we might also say that condoms could increase AIDS by giving false confidence to their users, and encouraging them to continue in illicit intercourse. It is a sop to those willing to enter into fornication and adultery, tacitly approving such behaviour, or at best compromising with it! THE POPE WAS RIGHT TO POINT THIS OUT, no matter how unpleasant, and I wish MORE people would face up to the TRUTH and do the same!
The world needs a re-rival of moral rectitude. Why accept that Immorality is a Fact of Life and refuse to fight against it - especially when we see clearly the connection of such behaviour and consequent physical and mental deterioration. As I have often pointed out before Christians need to stand up and be heard on behalf of a Holy Life Style and a Godly Morality, and this with the understanding they will not be liked for it. Perhaps ALL those who seek to proclaim Holiness will end up being seen as 'a problem' to the World around them. Perhaps they might become the Enemies of society and be persecuted........

JESUS SAID in John 15v18-

'If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you.

If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as its own. BUT because you are not of the world (no longer ONE with it), the world hates and detests you.......If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you!'

Are you ONE (do you agree with) the World and it's standards. IF not THEN those who do will hate and detest you. THINK ABOUT IT.

WHERE IS THE VOICE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS? Has the Church of God gone soft, lost its Strength and Power? Where ARE the men and women of this generation who will stand up and witness to Christ in the Spirit that inhabited the lives of Men like Peter who asked those who were apposed to their Witness of Christ - 'What is right in the sight of God, to listen to you and obey you rather than God? YES those who KNOW the Lord should constantly be asking 'What is right in God's Sight - to obey and proclaim HIM, or be silenced by a godless political and social Leadership? The Early Church knew their answer to that and went to their death singing psalms. John Bunyan and many like him went to prison rather than have their faith and life in Christ diluted by godless legislation and Satan's threats.

STAND UP, STAND UP, STAND UP, FOR JESUS! Stand up for your FAITH in God, and His Laws.

0000000000000000000000

This morning we spent our last shillings paying for the week-end shopping. TONIGHT we have received word that the LORD has again answered our prayers, and our need yet again is being met. Our walk and life is tied to faith in a LIVING GOD Who hears and answers our prayers. We cannot be ashamed to be known to believe in GOD ALMIGHTY, and His WORD (both written in the Bible, and experienced in Jesus Christ). It is our privilege and JOY to proclaim HIM in front of all comers, and especially in front of the children He brings us to care for. We pray for courage and strength to continue to so proclaim Him in front of a confused Government, and the watching community.

God Bless you and prepare you for His Coming.

John and Esther

THOU SHALT NOT STEAL !!!

TODAY one the UKs political Labour Lords - Lord Malloch Brown (Commonwealth Minister) has been quoted as saying in respect of corruption in Kenya -

"The belief is that if you pay public servants well

they will not steal!

Well in Kenya,

they ARE paid well, and they still steal!"

Not a very happy statement. But certainly in Kenya this is not surprising, since MONEY is the focal point of most people's thoughts these days. BUT it is none the less scandalous that the RICH should stoop to corruption and theft. We have over 40 Ministers in the Cabinet - each earning approximately 10,000 ++ pounds per month!! Tax FREE! For doing approximately nothing at all apart from 'occasionally' sitting in Parliament, and making statements to the Press. As I have pointed out before the average wage for the majority of Kenyans is averagely between 50 and 80 pounds a month with teachers and similar employees able to go up to about 500 pounds maximum per month. Then we would jump to University Lecturers and professionals such as doctors, lawyers, etcetera earning upwards of that figure but STILL far below the extravagance of the politician. Rising prices, and general economic decline, together with this increasingly widening gap between the RICH and poor can hardly be expected to curb the incidence of THEFT at every level. AND, since the VERY POOR are usually also unemployed and might account for 60% of the population it is also unsurprising that it is the Middle and upper classes that are more and more attacked, conned, and forced to pay up wherever possible. ADDITIONALLY in business and mission alike, where men and women are in paid employment the salary is rarely enough, and where it IS ENOUGH, it is still not more than desired, and so theft continues in the form of pilfering, embezzlement, and just plain THEFT. Life is short and HARD, and getting harder. Why WAIT when you can TAKE.

THIS IS THE GENERAL OFFICE OF TESTIMONY FAITH HOMES IN ELDORET, KENYA. It comprises the Director's (my own) Office, my Deputy's, the School Principal's, and the School Finance Office. It is a solid building and a busy one.
The Finance Office has a staff of 6 including the Chief Accountant. All are paid well above the average approved rate of pay laid down by the Government. Yet over the years we have had to remove one member of the work team after another - because of petty theft. PETTY theft - not major hauls of money or blatant embezzlement, but just petty pilfering very cleverly done. All have had 'testimonies' and were church goers - YET they still stole - even after being caught and warned at least once!. THIS MONTH - after careful checks and investigations - we have with the help of Desmond Hales - unearthed a whole network of carefully worked out scams concerning the Petty Cash Transactions in more than two of our School Accounts. We estimate ( a detailed backward check has now started into the last 4 years ) that we will have lost up to 2 or more THOUSAND POUNDS! And although this involves two of our internal staff, we have now to also consider the possibility that our Auditor might (unless he is totally useless at his job) also be involved! This is more than disappointing and upsetting - with little that can be done in the way of redressing the matter. The funds not easily traced now, and probably spent, are very unlikely to be restored to us. Retribution by way of prosecution, imprisonment also seem to be unproductive. We shall on Monday LOSE the questionable services of our two 'Christian' employees, both highly qualified. It will be hard for them to find alternative employment and they will now be faced with a very uncomfortable future. They have 'more or less' grudgingly agreed that they have manipulated our cash in their own favour, but seem quite unmoved to repentance. Both of them had been involved before in, September last year, and had been severely warned, reprimanded AND forgiven with no alteration to their conditions of service, and apparently with no change of heart or dishonest practice! YET is still unpleasant to see them go and know that their wives and children will also suffer. Not an EASY week!
BUT we have learnt a lot in it all, and trust that henceforward a number of loop holes in our accounting practice have been stopped and attended to and that we shall be that more safe and protected than we were before. Yet at the same time we are aware of an increasing sense of loss - loss of individual integrity. A kind of background murmur telling us to suspect everyone around us, and to beware of trusting anyone. This is very unhealthy spiritually, and reminds me of the outworking of the Love of God in us described by St. Paul in 1.Corinthians 13v7 (Amplified Bible) =

Love bears up under anything and everything

that comes.

It is ever ready to believe the best in every person.

So hard to BELIEVE the WORST of any person - even when it has been proved beyond doubt. God must still weep a great deal over the many that do not turn away from the evil, even after so many proofs of His own desire for them to live and be blessed; so many proofs of His Love.

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WOW it is the middle of March already! So much to do, so much to arrange, so much to BELIEVE for and to dream for, and all of it with both eyes scanning the 'sky', and both ears scanning the sound waves, for ANY sign of the return of the KING of all the Earth. NOTHING must divert us from that ever present sense of expectancy......... STILL very DRY and HOT here in Eldoret. The Town is full of dust, motor vehicles and people. SO MANY PEOPLE. There seem more and more week by week. More window gazers, more idle pedestrians, more beggars, more POOR .... and less and less prosperity, means to live, hope for the future.

EASTER will soon be with us - and in EASTER is the HOPE of all the WORLD. Satan would obliterate it if he could, and works hard in our world to actually accomplish it. BUT WE will SHINE even BRIGHTER to catch the eye and be noticed in the darkest darkness the world has ever known.

Our continuing love and prayer

John and Esther

CAN'T RESIST just a few more shots of Janet at our Tea Party for her and her family last Saturday. It was a joyous occasion, and so many there to rejoice with. THE WEDDING will be on Saturday, the 22nd August, here in Eldoret.

And already we are a week into MARCH! Time is flying, and there seems so much to do ........ One's mind races ahead to planned events and occasions in such a way that life seems never ending, and the future unstoppable. How easy to lose all AWARENESS that Time is in God's Hands together with the future.

Watching SKY news these last weeks has been quite disquieting as the world economy slumps more and more, and the ability to actually be able to budget and plan for daily life becomes progressively more unpredictable - if not almost impossible. With all that is going on Christian Mission is also beginning to falter as income also slumps and slows in response to financial instability. Surely this has now become the time 'when upon the earth there will be distress (trouble and anguish) of nations in bewilderment and perplexity (without resources, left wanting, embarrassed in doubt, not knowing which way to turn)......men swooning away or expiring with fear and dread and apprehension and expectations of the things that are coming on the world...' Luke 21v25/25 Amplified Translation of the Bible. Even here in Kenya the effect on Mission is clearly felt. Projects around us coming to a standstill, and and ministry being curtailed even as steps are taken to economise in the face of dwindling financial support.

Additionally as the economy begins to eat into the meagre earnings of the average labourer, and unemployment (now at 70% here) leads to hunger and thirst, crime increases. THIS WEEK we have had to dispense with the services of TWO of our clerical staff who have been found out stealing cash from the Petty Cash in the School Accounts Office. Both with Christian Testimony and good credentials. And these are those paid above the average, and not in so great a need as many others around them. Great grief and sorrow of heart have assailed us because of it. Both has previously erred and been forgiven. This time we have had no choice than to dislodge them and chase them away. So how CAREFUL we must be not to forget that although the future may be filled with attractive planned activities, nothing in fact is certain sure in our world, and that the END of all things could be upon us all in the twinkling of an eye. NOT that I seek to bring a sense of foreboding or melancholy upon us, but it is necessary that we remind ourselves that SEEING the time that it IS evil, we should EXPECT the Coming of our Lord with Gladness and Joy. For all the HAPPY things that may be in our mind's eye, the HAPPIEST must be to see His Face, and to know finally that all is well with our soul.

Life in this world is fraught with many dangers to our soul - that part of us meant for eternity.

This world is ruled (spiritually) by EVIL POWERS devoid of all godliness. It actually lies and wallows in wickedness, soaked in and permeated by it. And this seeks ever to seep into all mankind, infecting and affecting him to his destruction. Not a nice picture is it. We can easily lose sight of it, and pretend it is not so. So much of it doesn't look too bad after all........

But the world and all that is IN it is ruled, governed, and organised by the DEVIL against GOD.

We should remember it. The JUICY FRUIT held out to EVE looked good to eat, seemed reasonable to accept and enjoy - but it was POISON and DEATH disguised.

SO, with the prospect of a long awaited WEDDING of a beloved son, AND the Happy 40th Anniversary and Family Reunion of Testimony Faith Homes a week later, plus all kinds of other pleasant hopes and expectations, we also have to grapple with the effect of increasing financial constraints and political pressures, and remind ourselves to be ready for the unexpected as well as the expected. In the midst of it all we should lift up our eyes to scan for the Coming King. I do not want to be SO occupied with anxieties and daily business AND the prospect of human pleasantries that I FORGET the LORD! He must be in focus all the time.

Philippians 2v12-15

Work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal and fully complete)your own salvation

with reverence and awe and trembling self distrust,

with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation,

timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the Name of Christ.

NOT IN YOUR OWN STRENGTH

for it is God who is all the while effectually at work in you

(energising and creating in you the power and desire)

both to Will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight

THAT

you may show yourselves to be blameless and guileless,

innocent and uncontaminated children of God without blemish,

(faultless, unrebukable)

in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation

(spiritually perverted and perverse)

among whom, you are seen as bright lights

(stars or beacons shining out clearly)

in the DARK world.

DESMOND & VIRGINIA HALES came to be with us on 20th January this year, and will be soon leaving us to return to Northern Ireland in about ten days time. We have known them both from the 70's when they were working here with the Africa Inland Mission. It has really been so good to have them both with us for this time; we just seem, to have gelled like family members - which of course we are, in Christ. But Desmond was not here for a holiday but to be our 'In House' detective to flush out some 'Cash Rustlers' from our School Accounts Office. He looked harmless enough at 78 with kindly eyes and smile - but underneath he was a determined and ruthless book-keeper who left no stone unturned or question unasked. He is a fan of Agatha Christie's POIROT as well!! He has worked tirelessly, and with daily energy - 9a.m to 5p.m. - and unearthed a whole lot of wily cons operated by the two pilfering clerks who were at the bottom of it all. Virginia, enjoyed the Kenyan climate, read books, took photographs, and got to know everyone, making friends everywhere she went as the loveable, friendly person that she is. We have been VERY grateful, and even more BLESSED in having them in our home as part of our family, and firm friends. We feel SAFE now in our School Office, and able to take note of Desmonds comments and advice as to how to prevent this kind of theft from ever happening again.

DARYL, seen here with Becky and wife Carol, has completed his first week as my Deputy, and has been busy all over the place with his own usual energy. In particular this week he has worked toward buying for the School a NEW 52 seater bus to replace an old 32 seater that the School is selling. It has been fraught with the usual hassle of paperwork and so on, and kept him running from post to post but it is all done now and we should have the bus by next week painted and ready for use. He has also been helping to investigate the Cash Leak with Desmond Hales, as he, together with me, looks after the Home's Account ( TFH has TWO Main Accounts - one for the running of the School and one for the running of the Homes - but which are Audited together as one annually. Our current Auditor had not picked up the problem, with the School account, and so we may have to change HIM as well!!

However, so far I have not noticed Daryl too much since I have been even busier than usual and seem to be accumulating more work!! I think things will ease eventually. But it has been comforting to have his support around and about, and to know he is more actively keeping watch than I can, and even more to have his felllowship in prayer.

The weather is hot and dry. Usual for this time of year though long ago we would be looking for RAIN. For the last few years - in this area at least - it has not usually rained much before the first week of MAY! We are DRIER than usual I would say, and so the prayer of everyone is that RAIN will come earlier this year. Our River that passes through Town is almost dry as well, not a good sign. BUT there is still water in the tap thank God. So much to be Thankful for in the midst of SO MANY who WEEP and who progressively have LESS.

Our Love to you all, and our prayers flow up to Heaven for each one of you.

John and Esther

A NEW BEGINNING BEGINS

TODAY - THE 1st MARCH 2009, marks the day that I have finally Appointed our son DARYL to be my Deputy over all the Ministry of Testimony Faith Homes. He will be 37 this coming September, married to Caroline and with three children - Jesse 11, Beckie 9 and Jeremy 6. Daryl and his elder brother Edward were orphaned in 1980 when their Indian father died suddenly of a heart attack. Their mother - a Kikuyu from Kenya had deserted the home years earlier when Daryl was about three years old. They both came to live with me and Esther in Testimony House that same year in which they lost their father, and later we adopted both them into our own family. Daryl completed Form 1v of High School and then went on to Theological College where he attained an Advanced Diploma in Theology. Since then he has also studied Business Management, gaining yet another Diploma successfully in that discipline. He has worked within Testimony Faith Homes as a Houseparent, a Chaplain, administrator so has quite a hands on experience of most of the work that goes on here. Caroline also teaches in our School.

I have wanted him to take the post of my Deputy for some time, but he has felt unready to actually take the responsability until now. But I have always felt he was the best one to come into the work in a more authoritive way, and perhaps if it became God's Will even the one to follow me as Director. SO tomorrow we commence a new era, and with it perhaps also a lot of changes within the ministry here which we hope will make it possible to continue, and to flourish.
Please pray for Daryl and his famly, that the lord will honour this decision and confirm to them His Will in all that it will mean for the future.

Healthwise it is getting a little inconvenient for me to travel a great deal, or to be away from home. Not a life threatening condition, but just physicaly a litting binding on freedom of extended movement. Esther and I would like to take on a few trips, and and I had intimated early in another blog, that we have been invited to spend some weeks in Australia in October. But I think it might not come about - will be having a medical check up soon which will give a clearer picture. In the event, if we find ourselves forced to stay here without travelling too far afield, I might think of sending Daryl to visit friends and churches so that there might be the beginning of a transition in people associating TFH with John Green, and John Green with TFH. John Green cannot go on for ever after all, and it needs to be seen that when I have gone or at least retired from active service, there ARE others that are carrying on the work in the way it was begun and founded.
I still suffer from hypertension and a mild diabetis, as well as an enlarged prostate (benign) and my doc says this cannot but increase the number of times I need to urinate. This is rather restricting when considering travel - and even visitation. I share this as I want to be clear and not give anyone reason to think I am SERIOUSLY unwell!!! I am in all other ways still strong, alert, and ACTIVE.

This has been a good Sunday, and I trust you also have been blessed in it.

Much love in Jesus

JOHN