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
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