HOW MANY ORPHANS still needing a home in Kenya? Well over TWO MILLION. To combat this problem Kenya Government is promoting a drive towards 'Adoption' and 'Fostering' hoping to eliminate the orphan factor by 2020. Because of this it has been determined NOT TO ENCOURAGE the incidence of MORE Children's Homes!! The Provincial Children's Officer for Rift Valley Province, Abdi Sheikh Yusuf, writing to me recently said -
"....it is important to note that as a policy the government is gradually going away from institutional care to family and alternative care. That is why we wish to promote Foster care guardianship and adoption. This is in line with the international protocols that say placement in an institution be a last resort and for the shortest time possible. We are not encouraging opening of more institutions. While they may be necessary they are not ideal for up bringing of children."

Children that have been orphaned or abandoned need the security of home and family. Children in Kenya that have lost their parents to AIDS (whether or not they themselves have HIV /AIDS or not) have lost both; their parents being dead and their family retreating from them as from the plague! Others have seen their homes burnt and their parents murdered before their eyes in tribal and other conflict. To actually recover from this emotional attack upon the expected peace and tranquility of family life, they need to find the nearest alternative to what they have actually lost. Not easy. All options are open to abuse, and in this generation, these abuses are so much exposed and sensationally advertised both in the media and social services that it seems nowhere and no one is safe enough to ensure the safety of the child in need. Indeed it may be that all children are in danger of being distanced from normal human affection, emotional stability and basic humanity by this (in my opinion) over emphasis and fear of the paedophile and other human abuse, and that we shall in fact produce even more unbalanced, unstable, and psychologically disturbed adults. If natural parents and blood relations can abuse their own children, it is obvious that the same risk extends to foster parents and even adoptive parents. Prevention of such cruelty depends on supervision, and appropriate measures in place to punish the offender. Most governments, especially in the third world just do not have the ability to put enough supervisors on the field to keep watch over how children fostered or adopted are in fact treated, or even how government financial funds offered in assistance are used. In January 2007 The Kenya News Desk reported:-' According to Vice President Moody Awori, Children's Homes will be phased out within the next 20 years so that at the end of the period all orphans will be placed in homes where they can grow up in a family environment . However, an Editorial in the Daily Nation adds ...'This raises a number of crucial questions. What measures have we taken to ensure such children will be better in foster homes than in Institutions? How is the Government going to monitor the millions of children involved, considering that right now the Children's Department is almost moribund?' Even in the developed world it has been found difficult to monitor just how orphaned children are being treated in adoptive and foster families. So how will the Government ensure that the children it has farmed out to foster homes are not turning into slave labourers? How Will it guarantee they will not fall into the evil clutches of paedophiles?'

NO ANSWER has ever been given to these questions asked not merely by the Kenya News Desk and the Daily Nation but by countless other Children's Organisations across the Country including Testimony Faith Homes, and the Uasin Gishu Children's Services Forum. Of course we are not suggesting that Children's Homes are perfect in every event - any more than we might say that all foster parents and adoptive parents are paragons of virtue and beyond the possibility of maltreating and even neglecting the children placed in their care. BUT we are saying that Children's Homes should not all be counted as less than useful. Children's Homes run as family homes (as many in this country are) CAN offer the possibility of a stable home and loving family ongoingly. TFH now in its 40th year can safely say that the majority of those who have passed through our hands managed not to be disfigured by their past, nor injured by their being in a Children's Home. But we are not perfect either and we admit that not all children - even with their natural parents will always be happy. Nevertheless we do not see the current need of institutional care diminishing by 100% - perhaps not at all! For this reason, as we have many times before stated, we feel it is unfortunate for the Government to discourage charitable investment in the building and support of children's homes. RIGHT NOW we do not have enough to cater for the NEED............

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A FEW WEEKS BACK I described a visit to the home of 'Obi' a Christian taxi driver suffering from AIDS. He shares his home with 12 children also with AIDS.

The U.G. Children's Services Forum (I am General Secretary) have been encouraging this man and his wife, and have also managed to interest a donor in the U.S.A. to help him. The outcome has been for this Donor to provide for a completely NEW mini-bus to replace the one existing and ready to die, as well as to assist build a NEW home for the children. I was there with him in the Compound this last Wednesday with members of the Forum and also the US donor. It was truly a joyeous occassion, and very moving to see the HOPE and HAPPINESS given. The Deputy Mayor of Eldoret, Cllr. Mrs.Magut was also present. 'OBI' supports his orphans and home by running his taxi. At the same time he uses every opportunity to witness to his passengers concerning the truth about AIDS as well as to the power of the Gospel of Jesus to CHANGE lives. He will continue running his old 'bus' until it no longer can run, and thus as least for a time, hopefully double his income, and help MORE children.

ESTHER WAHOME, well known Kenyan Christian Evangelist and Vocalist, has recently thrown in her lot with MALTA GUINESS a non-alcoholic drink made by the GUINNESS GROUP. This has given her quite a lot of flack from other Christian Groups within the Country, who feel she is out of line in supporting and also taking support from a Company which is employed in producing alcoholic beverages. She seems quite determined not to see anything wrong with her action; she insists she is supporting a bona fide 'health drink' totally non-alcoholic. No doubt she is paid well enough for her Image and Endorsement now increasingly seen on public bill-boards, hoardings and banners across the land. The complaining 'churchmen' are outraged that she should be linked up to a 'brewery' and taking tainted money from it. What do I think? - Well I think GUINNESS is anxious to encourage the young generation, not yet turned on or tuned in to alcohol to get used to drinking its product so that later they will go on to imbibe with equal quantity their other ALCOHOLIC product. It's the NAME that counts here in the company's psychology. MALTA Guinness is just a 'bait' to hook you. As such it is dangerous, and to my mind not to be encouraged - though probably unable to be prohibited very effectively. Privately, and completely without any evidence, I could easily believe there might just be a very small 'teeny-weeny' and perhaps almost undetectable drop of 'something' in it to kind of prepare you for the stronger element later on!............
Sorry Sis. Wahome - you might just be encouraging those who have, so far, clean escaped to eventually drown in GUINNESS or worse, pulling down their homes and families round their ears. Should you risk being a wrong guide, and having to answer for it later on?


Hope this will find you all well and ready to FIGHT for your FAITH.
Love to you all in Jesus Name


John and Esther

THIS IS THE KIPKAREN RIVER in Kenya. I couldn't resist taking the picture as it was so peaceful. Kipkaren is a small town on the main road from Eldoret to Uganda. There is a home for children here run by an American Organisation called Empowering Lives. The UG Children's Services Forum were visiting the Home - but, for a change, you have a photo of COWS instead of children!!
This river feeds the Trans Nzoia River, one of our largest in the Region.
As you see it here it is in drought - and may continue to shrink since the current outlook by the meteorological Services reported yesterday announces - ' ..although April is the rainfall peak period for the March to May long rains season, Nairobi and most parts of the country will continue to receive deficient rainfall for some time.' Oddly the Report then states that Eldoret, amongst other areas, are in fact receiving 'enhanced' rains. Not quite sure what 'Enhanced' means in this contest, but am supposing it means 'heavier' / 'more prolonged' rainfall. Those of us living here IN Eldoret might be surprised! So far over the last SIX weeks there has only been TWO days of 'prolonged' rains plus about another four days of limited heavy rainfall lasting just a few hours on each occasion. Generally our area seems to be receiving DEFICIENT supplies and thus Dams and Reservoirs are not being sufficiently replenished to prevent eventual water rationing and perhaps even severe progressive shortage - quite a worrying outlook.
Yesterday the NATION also reported a LEOPARD on the loose in Nairobi City!!

The Caption reads 'A VICIOUS LEOPARD IS ON THE LOOSE IN CITY ESTATE'. The Reporter then writes - 'The vicious cat attacked dogs on Wednesday night and killed several sheep in the densely populated part of the City......That this had happened far from any national park and in a densely populated area has puzzled residents leaving them to wonder how long the 'animal' had been living in their midst.'
Apparently they have not so far been able to trap the mysterious animal designated as a 'leopard', and whilst the hunt continues some residents have gone ahead and roasted the unfortunate sheep.......'
It seems rather droll that in a DENSELY (humanly) populated area there should be room for SHEEP - perhaps even goats, and chickens and even a COW or two! How can a 21st century capital city still permit its residents to keep farm animals cheek by jowl with them? Is it hygienic? Is it what one should expect in an URBAN - as opposed to Rural - area.
As to the so called 'leopard' the question remains "IS it a leopard?" Still more odd that in many parts of the UK such animals are also reported seen in both country and town! It is just one more indication of the apparent breakdown of law and order. Soon it will be hard to know where civilization and jungle diverge!
LAST NIGHT our Watchman discovered two young men hiding in our back yard! They were apparently very drunk, both clutching bottles of beer. The Watchman had seen them both jump over the wall and make for the rear of Green Cottage. He actually caught up with them and beat them with his cane. They were quite blotto and had little idea of where they were or what was happening to them. They turned out to be university students. They were escorted out of the compound and warned - though it is doubtful if they understood or even heard what was said to them. What a waste of years of investment by struggling parents - what a sad foretaste of what our intelligentsia and leadership in Kenya will become....... But booze is not just a problem for Kenya is it? And basically its not so much the booze but the inability of people to discipline their habits in order to be moderate rather than extreme.
PROVERBS 20v1 in the Bible reads -

'Wine is a mocker,

strong drink is raging;

and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise'

The Bible also says that GOD is NOT mocked - He is not to be scorned, laughed at, or made a joke of - Galatians 6v7. And MAN (male and female) is made in the IMAGE, (likeness) of God. When WE allow ourselves to be 'JOKES' - then God also becomes a joke!!? Do YOU want to be JOKE - someone to be mocked and scorned?

ALCOHOL in any form affects our whole personality and mentality. When used immoderately and without self discipline, ALCOHOL can render us unable to control our speech, thoughts, and even actions until we are altogether OUT OF CONTROL. It is at this point that we become a joke in the sight of others. We can also become DESPISED as well!

Some take alcohol because they think it will give them courage to face a problem, or to get over their 'shyness' and inhibitions. They seek boldness to DO things that normally they might be afraid of doing. Certainly ALCOHOL can blot out our natural good sense and moral restrictions. BUT THEN we become released to do what is NOT convenient - or even good. SOME drink in order not to lose out with their 'peers'. SOME drink in order to forget sorrow, fear, or pain. BUT ALCOHOL is not a permanent cure all, or way to happiness. It is in itself a MOCKER, and it mocks at YOU.

ALCOHOL makes us unconscious of ourselves, and totally forgetful of good manners and culturally acceptable social behaviour. Opinions and words that we would never normally let pass our lips, just tumble out of our mouths, often loudly, rudely, and ignorantly, leading to argument and even violent behaviour - Proverbs 23v29-30

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife?

Who has complaining? Who has wounds without a cause?

Who has redness and dimness of eyes?

Those who spend a lot of time with the wine;

those who go to seek and try mixed (alcoholic) drinks.

Those who habitually take in excessive alcohol become, to a lesser or greater degree, acquainted with the results listed above.. AND they become also to a lesser or great degree, DEBAUCHEES (habitually careless and loose in their moral life) having suppressed the 'likeness' of God normally restraining them by way of thier God given conscience. - Ephesians 5v18

SO THEN Alcohol CAN tempt us and lead us on to DRUNKENNESS which is a state in which we are no longer able to control ourselves sensibly. Such a person will experience, trouble, strife, wounds, eye problems, hallucinations, immoral behaviour, mental confusion, physical unsteadiness. This is a picture of a LIFE MESSED UP. It is a picture of HUMAN RUINATION AND CONFUSION. Don't forget to read the rest of Proverbs 23v23-35. This is a description of a SPOILED AND DEGRADED human being.

Look at Isaiah 5v11 - you can end up drinking day and night, spending all your cash on booz! You will be poor, and the poverty of your wife and children. Proverbs 21v17

HABAKKUK 2V15 says that some will use alcohol to purposely destroy moral inhibitions so that illegal sexual intercourse can take place! It is a work of darkness - it wrongs and hurts.

PAUL THE APOSTLE says that he would rather NEVER drink (alcohol) if it would help him NOT to hurt or destroy another person's life. Romans 14v21 / 1. Corinthians 8v13

FINALLY FOR TODAY I have just seen the SUNDAY NATION with a most distressing photo of a Kikuyu woman who on Thursday evening was forced to watch Police destroy the ragged tent she was living in at the Camp For Displaced Persons in Eldoret Agricultural Show Ground. No doubt a further effort to discourage the 4,000 or so (the government puts the figure at only half of this) remaining there from staying put. On page 9 the following is reported under the Headline

'Refugees left in the open after police destroy tents'

'Tents of displaced people at Eldoret Showground have been destroyed by police.

The internally displaced people were caught by surprise when police stormed the camp on Thursday evening. Camp Chairman, Wanjohi Ndung'u 68, said tents were destroyed in two hours.

And it is raining on and off. The elderly, women and children are now all at risk. The National Conscience seems quite willing to see them all die if necessary. So sad! Probably Scrooge would say ' Never mind, it will assist to reduce the surplus population'!!

GOD BLESS you, and seek to give you a SOUND MIND in the days ahead, wherever you are.

John and Esther

ROAST LAMB !
Easter for us began on Maundy Thursday. We arranged for our Fellowship and all the children and staff from the Children's Homes to sit down to Supper together at 6.15p.m. in our School Hall. We had never tried this before, and it took time to actually get everyone ready complete with a plate of food. Almost 200 souls! Lamb had been ROASTED, and was served with bitter
herbs, chapatis, rice and potatoes. The lamb was roasted over charcoal, and the smell of it kept everyone hungry all day. There was plenty for all, and some had been busy all day preparing it.

Eventually everyone had been served and as the Supper went on we read verses from the 26th Chapter of Mathew.
As plates became empty and cleared away I took a loaf of bread and broke it and it was passed round. Then Juice was Blessed and also passed round to all, just as it had been on that fateful night of the Passover. We all found ourselves reliving that evening with Jesus and His Disciples. A very meaningful evening.

It was very different to anything we had done before, and many were moved and their eyes opened!

Finally we sang a hymn together, as the very youngest and some of the others who are not Saved returned to their houses. The remainder of us all stayed for an hour to pray and watch. It was a VERY Blessed time, in which the Lord was very close to us, and we feel that it was indeed a very good preparation for the whole weekend.

On Friday morning we met again at 10a.m. for a Reading of Matthew 27. Various people read various verses and commented briefly. There were hymns and our choir sang. Once again it proved a very different but very impressive time. We shared a cup of tea and hot cross buns with each other at the close.

Green Cottage was quite full of visitors. Ian and Diana Hogley were with us up until today, and on Friday afternoon we were joined by Pastor Martin Speed and his wife Margaret from Westhoughton Assembly of God, near Bolton Lancashire. Martin will be our speaker on Sunday. We also had Esther's nephew, Martin, and his wife and eight month old daughter arrive on Friday, and today his sister also joins us. Manu is still at home as is also Helen, so our house is jammed packed - Praise the Lord.

I have little or no time to add to this. I just wanted to send a few pictures and to re affirm that we have been Blessed. THANK you to all that sent Greetings to us. I hope our own to you were also received - although there seems to be a problem with our E-mail address. Let me RE-STATE it here. Our mail address is tfhomes@africaonline.co.ke

IT IS NOT 'africaonline.com'

Love to you all

John and Esther

WALKING IN THE RAIN!

IT HAS BEGUN TO RAIN IN ELDORET - AT LAST! The photo to the left depicts a couple of Street Kids looking at the puddles at the Show Ground - no doubt with mixed feelings. There are STILL more than 3,000 souls camping out in the now ragged and torn tents. The RAINS will hardly be kept out of them, and those within might be better off outside! Daryl and I were there this week, and the sight and situation was more than pitiable. Most of the charitable support and assistance has either been removed or prohibited in an effort to encourage people to leave and return to where they came from. The problem is that many have nowhere left to go to, and others just do not want to leave!! For THESE people, in their tents, spread across the Country, the prospect and experience of RAIN may not by any means be attractive.
BUT this youngster seems thrilled to see the raindrops falling - he also resides with his family in the Show Ground Camp for Displaced Persons. For him a long awaited but very natural occurrence gives him excitement, and even perhaps JOY. All the people in the Show Ground are totally destitute of this world's good. The little that a few of us try to do is like scratching the ground for just a grain of maize. The UN and the Red Cross both continue to have expensive Stations in Eldoret.....but their ability to alleviate suffering seems to have waned somewhat. One wonders why they are still here! Our Leaders have also visited the Camps in and around Eldoret. They Came, they Saw, and they LEFT. With their self awarded millions why should they really be concerned after all. The poor read the Newspapers, see the expensive suits and
cavalcade of cars, and wonder what they come to look at.........before they return to Nairobi. Life does, none the less, go on. But some ARE dying.

LAST SATURDAY a mother of five died in her ragged tent, leaving her children to fend for themselves. Two are under 10, the rest in various stages of teenage. All hungry; all without a hope for the future. Just five out of 3,000 outcasts from society. TFH had gone to see if anything could be done. We ourselves are rather needy as well just now, but not as needy as these. We may take the two youngest into the Homes. Two older girls might be given a home by another Charity that we work in fellowship with. The eldest boy we might try to find some kind of training for in the hope of getting him employment later on. As we stopped at the TENT of this family people came running for the other tents in the vicinity, but news of us spread backwards and outwards to the far perimeters of the Camp so that we began to be surrounded on every side by the entire populace of the Camp - all hoping, struggling, and anxious to find some help and answer to their situation. It was quite overwhelming. We just had to bundle the children we were interested in, into the car and escape with them to a place we could talk quietly with them, and them alone..............The RAINS started that night.......MUD, wet and cold welled up upon the Camp, and the people within it. Sickness and Disease will inevitably follow miserably to plague and trouble them all.

CHILDREN ARE IN NEED ALL AROUND US, not just in IDP Camps. Here is a photo of ESTHER Bihati, now six month old. Esther's 'single' mother died of AIDS in the Moi Referral Hospital in Eldoret. She was also diagnosed as having HIV, and Pneumonia. Her only responsible relative her mother's mother; her grandmother, herself suffering with AIDS and some 60 years old, unemployed, and with no settled address. One of the huge population of truly POOR amongst the greater population of Eldoret. This woman has seen three of her five children die from AIDS.

Testimony Faith Homes have been able to give a roof to THREE of her grandchildren, orphaned by AIDS. Esther will be the FOURTH, and arriving on Tuesday of this week, she is now part of Tyndale Cottage Family. She is just three kilograms, but bright and pretty. She was still very congested on arrival and we took her off to our own Doctor for appraisal. He joyfully told us she was no longer HIV and that he felt she would thrive with care. Well CARE she is having, and already we see the difference.

TYNDALE Cottage has Micah and Senge YEGO as parents. They married in 2003 and have remained childless. Their loving hearts have just overflowed with love for the children God has brought to them, and as if in Reward, Senge has heard this month that AT LAST their prayers have been answered, and God has opened her womb, and she is expecting. Oh JOY.

ALSO having joined the Tyndale Family this week, IVYNE who is 7 years old has also come in from the 'cold' of social stigma (his parents both died of AIDS) and found a safe place to be loved and cared for. He has been with us three days, and already looks relaxed and happy.

We keep saying that we are FULL, but it is very hard to say NO to a child in distress. We are still praying for the funds to expand our 'TENT' and be able to shelter even more kids in need.

Joseph and Beatrice ROP are doing well in Jacaranda Cottage, and one can feel the warmth amongst the family members. DAMARIS, gave birth to a baby girl of 3 kilos last week. She had a difficult birth ending in a C.section, but both are doing well. Damaris you may remember was in the midst of her Teacher Training when she discovered she was with child. The young man involved wants to marry her, and in May she expects to rejoin her College (she has continued her study privately whilst at home) and complete her Course. A lot of details still to be prayed over and worked out with the Lord, but we believe all will work out well for her finally.

I HAD A TOOTH EXTRACTED ON MONDAY. It was not an easy extraction - it was not willing to leave me - after almost 62 years! Poor dentist was sweating, and had to make quite an effort - but he won in the end. Just a little less of me to carry around!

The FIRST School Term is almost over, and the School will break up for Easter on Thursday of next week. We are expecting MANY visitors over the week-end, but I will do my best to share a thought on Saturday as usual.

Until then may Our Father in Heaven Bless you all in Jesus Name.

Lovingly in Him

John and Esther