ON THE MOVE ONCE MORE!!

AT LAST, we seem to be coming out of the Wilderness - at least for a spell!! We have just taken delivery of a 2002 re-conditioned TOYOTA Voxy, an eight seater people carrier!! VERY nice indeed. It is to be used for small Outings and other family matters as between the FOUR Homes.This has been hanging fire since last year when we received a donation of 10,000 pounds from a Christian motor charity that was winding up its affairs, and knowing our need felt to assist us. The funds arrived when we were totally without funds for general purposes, and since the donors had clearly specified that it was to be used to refurbish our transport needs, we decided to put the funds on one side where we would not be tempted to use them. We did not feel it would look very well (to others here that keep an eye on our progress) if we were seen to suddenly buy an expensive vehuicle whilst at the same time seriously economising and lowering our general standard of living in an effort to survive!! At the beginning of last month our housekeeping needs relaxed enough for us to feel that this time was right to go ahead and look for a fresh vehicle AND to also refurbish our old Nissan. The Nissan should be here as I write, and I will hope to include some picture of it as well. The Nissan has been slightly modified to provide more space for goods to be carried, whilst at the same time providing seating for 7passengers. This will now provide against all the Home's needs transport wise. A tremendous provision.

Perhaps an even greater Provision has been the total removal of accrued debts amounting to more than Ksh.1.2 million which have slowly accumulated since February this year. For the first time in the year we are, as of today, without any burden of debt. We do Praise the Lord yet again for His Faithfulness, and for the prayers and help of many in making this possible, and for teaching us Patience!!

MICHAEL JACKSON is dead! I suppose the first time I noticed him was on TV sometime in 1972 - he would have been about 14. Still with his family, a young man of obvious talent and good looks. Some will say he grew up to be even more talented and good looking - one of the Greats (if not the Greatest) of Pop Icons; the KING of Pop in fact. But to me although his ability as a song and dance performer went from strength to strength, he himself seemed to steadily deteriorate, and even become a grotesque shadow of the young, attractive teenager he had once been. Of course we all do grow up, and not always for the better. Constantly we are exposed to the erosion of all the elements that the world has to offer, and this must in effect change us, if no resistance is met with.

I think is true to say that we all come into the world handicapped in some way in our nature and personality, quite apart from physical disabilities that are often connected. Sometimes we wrestle to overcome, and sometimes we just allow ourselves to be hindered, and at times even defeated by our particular challenge. We give in to the handicap instead of determining to overcome and win through to the real reason and purpose which God had originally intended for our lives. It can be a lonely business. I think Michael became lonely at some time and sought consolation and satisfaction without success. It is a fact that we cannot improve or MAKE ourselves to be better than we are. Only God can change us for the better in any way. And Michael, in seeking to modify himself, only managed to lose his real beauty until he was in fact unrecogniseable as the child he once had been. I have often prayed for him. I still hope that somewhere along the way he did hear the Message of God's Love, Redemption and Healing. I know God loved him, as He loves you and me. He died for Him. I hope that Michael did in some measure come to know that for himself. If not he lived his life in vain!

INTERLUDE!

JUST BEEN CALLED back to my office. A family of SEVEN in dire straights.

The mother, an Agricultural Government Officer, died of cancer in 2007, and the father, a sixty year old retired Primary Headmaster, thereafter deserted the family of seven kids. They had to leave their home and find shelter in one room, from which they have now been evicted due to unpaid rent. The eldest daughter of 18 is very sick and bedridden. the next eldest at 17 has completed school but is unemployed, and has to beg to find a meal for all of them. Her younger sister aged 10 and two brothers aged 16 and 13 have had to cease schooling due to lack of money, and are all together destitute. What to do - what help can we give? Well we talked and managed to piece together all the details of this misfortune, and gathering all our staff we have managed to find places for the three youngest children here with us. We also managed to find temporary accommodation for the two elder sisters plus medical treatment for the eldest and a job for the follower. Now we can only trust that they will find a way forward in the Lord so that all the sudden misfortune will be turned into advantage. God is good. Their problem is not the usual one that we assist, but I felt unable to send them away empty handed so ragged and despondant as they are. God will Provide! God will do great things.

OUR BOARD OF MANAGEMENT met yesterday evening, and it was felt by all that the Secondary wing of Testimony School be given a period of three years to prove its worth and discover a way forward that will be self sustainable. However it was also felt that we should go ahead and plan for a Boarding fascility specifiically for the Secondary School in order to attract more students from outside of Eldoret to swell the numbers and assist in financing the daily running of the School. This will be somewhat of a risk, but it was felt that the Lord had not permitted us to open Secondary in order to close it down again.

STILL NO RAIN to be seen, but we know it WILL rain eventually. We press on toward the mark. Lots to prepare for as the days go by. The School Parents Day coming up on the last Saturday of July, and then the Kenya Wedding of Michael and Janet on 22nd August and the 40th Anniversary of TFH on the 29th. So much to DO and think about, but we believe the Lord will bless all our endeavour. Michael and Janet were actually MARRIED ON 8th

June in UK by Civil Ceremony. They are very happy. Steve, Anjie, and Elisabeth were all able to join them for the day, as also one of Janet's uncles who lives in London. From the photos it looked a truly joyeous occassion, and it was a blessing to be able to see another of our children settled in holy matrimony. Only Manu and Helen left!!!!

We are looking forward to having the whole family all here together for once - if only very shortly - something all too rare for us.

THANK YOU ALL ONCE MORE for being with us in our labours here. God Bless you ALL

John & Esther

NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS LORD, LORD!

LISTENED AND WATCHED the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's speech on SKY yesterday. I knew little or nothing about him since he took over the role of his predecessor, the Founder of modern Iran, the Ayatollah Rulollah Khomeini. He seemed meek and mild at the onset of his meanderings. In fact I was initially astonished that he could suddenly silence and quell all the multitudinous demonstrators, and command immediate attention - nation wide - with a commensurate exhortation to 'Remember God!"

He went on to encourage the masses to pursue personal 'piety' (a holy life of service toward God) and to thus cultivate a 'calm and peaceful' attitude and spirit. It seems in truth a Call to the Nation at Large to turn to God and to seek His Presence .................He also said -

'Our youth are in a materialistic world in a time of turmoil.

They don't know what to do.

They need to understand spirituality.

They need to get back to spirituality, but they don't know how.

His words struck a chord in my heart for a moment. It is certainly true of the Western cultures that there has been an enormous shift away from our Religious roots and Faith, to a purely secular and irreligious attitude and outlook with little or no reference to solid foundations laid down by either God, our founding fathers, or our faith. All has been swallowed by greed,

arrogance, and the wisdom of Man. Our egotistical humanism made us wise in our own conceipts. So much ground has been lost, and truly it is very hard to somehow restore it; it is possible it cannot be restored. The up and coming generations do not know what their fathers knew or believed in. Many, if not all of those who gave their lives at Dunkirk or at any other point in the Great or 2nd World Wars, might wonder what they fought for....... The world has changed. And I believe it is because God has been consigned to the waste bin as 'old hat' and unenlightened nonsense. The Media pumps it into our homes and minds day and night, night and day. This is a generation that knows not God!

JUST FOR A MOMENT I felt the Ayatollah in Iran had caught sight of a truth, and that this was why he could say quite clearly that Iran had a BETTER democracy than any other democratic nation - because GOD was honoured in it; God was supreme in it. The Ayatollah is NOT the President of Iran. Yet, representing God, his voice is the guiding wisdom sought out and listened to and taken into account even by the elected government. I wondered! IS there any voice say in the United Kingdom, that speaks out in God's Name drawing attention to God's Will and to whom the Nation will give time to listen to?

BUT THEN he went on to talk of many things '....of cabbages and kings.' (and yes I am thinking of Alice in Wonderland). His voice did not change; his rather slow, deliberate, and uninspiring (to me) delivery did not alter, or falter...............But slowly and surely he manipulated the crowds until it they were stirred to hatred and bitter antagonism against the non Muslim world

at large. A man posing as God's Representative and Voice, initially exuding a holy and benign spirit, slowly and surely turned the air sour with careful, undisguised innuendo and bitter accusation, until he turned a quiet crowd into a murderous lynch mob. Tens if not hundreds of thousands all erupting into thunderous and frenzied shouts and screams of -

'DEATH to the British!

DESTROY the UK!

I suppose being distantly British, and even a 'Christian' I suddenly cringed with the force of

the blast roaring at me and my countrymen from the TV set. But it was MORE than that. I had begun to 'regard' the Ayatollah, and to credit it him with at least spiritual sincerity and integrity..... but how can sweet and sour water issue from the same fountain? I was thrust back to the BLIND HATRED that issues from Islam which at the same time speaks of God's Mercy and Love for all men. Of course it is not purely and simply a Muslim problem. I mean I have heard Christians damn whole nations to Hell just because they - or part of their society - spoke or did something unacceptable. But even the ' unacceptable' may be forgiven by a Loving and Caring God. What spirit are we of? In the Bible we hear of an incident where the disciples of Jesus were, together with him seeking shelter for the night in a village as darkness fell. When some went to enquire they were rebuffed and doors shut in their faces. - Luke 9v54

The disciples were annoyed and came to Jesus and said 'What shall we do - shall we call down fire upon them, to burn them up?' Perhaps a very human retaliatory re-action. Certainly a reaction that speaks of Man's selfish, self centred, bitter nature. Not admirable, surely not God like. JESUS said, rebuking them, -

'You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.

The Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.'

SO WHAT KIND OF SPIRIT DOES Mr. Khamenei have? What kind of spirit does Allah or His Prophet have? Is it a Spirit of LOVE? Is it a Spirit of ANGER and MALICE?

It is along this line that there is a divergence in understanding between the Christian and the Muslim in particular. GOD SO LOVED everyone, that He sent JESUS to heal, deliver and save them from their sin, purchasing through his own vicarious suffering and death, their forgiveness. Is there MORE than one God. Surely NOT! So then which God is GOD? Which God should we choose to worship, adore and serve? Surely the one that desires our good, the One who would DIE for us, rather than see us condemned to death and consigned to Hell. So IS Allah such a God? And if so what of all this determination to KILL, and DESTROY? Where is the justification for it? Where, in such a faith, is their need for Peace, and Calmness, and Patience to bear

our enemies. Here then is an anomoly. It needs to be noticed and discussed. There needs to be opportunity for dialogue and open exchange. There needs to be a change of mind and heart that will do away with Threats, Innuendo, and Revenge. Come let us sit down together and find a way to God's heart......

MY CHOICE OF PHOTOGRAPH above does not depict the Ayatollah well. Not a benign face, not a kindly eye. Instead a beetling brow and bristling eyebrow. Remembering his

predecessor, opposite, there is reason to believe they may have been edowed of the samespirit and driving force of mind and heart . A man of desperate, fierce, and angry countenance, unforgiving, vengeful, in his intentions. MY mother used to say that our 'eyes are the window of our soul' through which we view the world, and sometimes as we look into each others eyes we may catch a glimpse of what kind of soul the other one has! Quite scary - but often a useful exercise. We should constantly take a rain check on the spirit that inhabits and controls us - what it is, and what is is making us to be. What will be seen in OUR eyes?

Please forgive me should I have in any way offended any ones religious sensitivities - I am not racist, nor am I seeking to devalue or destroy the faith or religion of any. I just want to share the impression and resultant thoughts that came to me as I - by accident - caught the telecast from Iran yesterday.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

AND WHAT OF ELDORET? What is happening here? Well nothing especially sensational.

But the Government has notified in the press that TEACHERS salaries are to be raised, and this means that we ourselves have to consider our own rates of pay to our own teachers. If we are found to be too far behind we will not be able to attract teachers to stay with us for a reasonable term of service. So far our Primary School Scales are not far off the mark, but the Secondary School Teachers (all with Degrees) are now almost 60% behind the government advertised Scales. This means that we may have to close the Secondary section of the School, and this will mean that we shall have to start paying for our own Homes' children to attend outside Government Schools in our locality. A decision must be taken before our AGM scheduled for next Friday. Of course we could raise Fees, but the % rise might not be found viable to our parents, and so we would just not be able to pay our way. If we close Secondary we can then use the premises to expand Primary, and this will definitely assist the School to improve itself at that level and even help more students. Please pray for us during the coming week to come to the right decision.

RELATIVE TO CHILD CARE, Kenya has been rocked by accusations against Catholic priests that they are sexually abusing children. The media is always quick off the mark, and this time they may be found to be partly miss-representing the real picture - although there is little doubt the incidence of such abuse - generally - is increasing. HOWEVER, I personally feel that media usually overstate the situation world wide, and in doing so wind everyone up, and encourage all kinds of new legislation that in stead of improving society is slowly eroding it, and especially family life. I am sure that you will all have your own opinion about this relative to where you happen to live. Statistics printed into today's Daily Nation state that -

11% of natural fathers abuse their offspring more than any other relative

31% of ones neighbours are also found to sexually abuse our children.

None of this encourages us to feel safe, and in fact slowly destroys what 50 years ago would have been normal human relationships between adults and juveniles. Inevitably society is in fact changing - and not for the better. The future looks unhealthy and abnormal. But who is saying so. We are, as a world society, being slowly manipulated, and persuaded dishonestly, into a new way of life that will alter forever the trust we may have in each other. Not a pretty picture. Is anyone likely to take up the challenge of turning the tide?

All for now - except to say that yesterday we received the son of Colin and Jane Foster to spend about six weeks with us as a visitor. Simon has completed his 2nd University year and wanted to get a view of what is happening here - encouraged I think by his Mum, who when she was in her early life helped set up our Nursery School in 1981. Out of that initial labour has grown Testimony School as it is today. She has never seen it, but it is a real delight to have her son with us well over 20 years later to see the development. We shall try to keep him entertained and busy whilst here.

Much Love to you all in the Love of God

John and Esther

LOSING OUR GRIP !?

IT CAN BE QUITE SCARY --- just hanging on!! Since December last year this has, in a sense, been part of our daily situation. Week by week it seemed a strand of our lifeline was snapping, until, by the end of April we were hanging by just a 'thread' - and we went on hanging, waiting to find ourselves just free falling..........

We were unable to share much of this very plainly since we in no way wished to give the impression that Faith in God's Provision was not working out - even though at times WE ourselves had begun to wonder!! We HAD begun to shout out to the Lord 'Don't you care that we are going to perish ?' - NO reply!!

This was a very tense six months of one trial after another the effect of each one seeming to worsen our general situation, and forcing us to consider the possibility

that the Lord wanted us to up, and Testimony Faith Homes and all that sail in her go down! The photo to the right sort of sums up how some were feeling at the time. NOT one of our staff, I hasten to say, but I feel the young woman in the photo gives a real human insight into how we feel when it looks as if we WILL lose our grip andFALL! Fingers slowly straightening out and the nails beginning to slide down the face of the cliff! NOT a nice feeling. For us not the first time, but definitely a progressively worst time. And we continued in prayer, and exhortation, reminding ourselves of all the times before that we have been delivered! And this Monday, with unpaid Bills going back to March, half of last month's and all of this months salaries, amounting altogether to more than ten thousand pounds sterling, as well as the months housekeeping in front of us, the Windows of Heaven opened - completely without a Fanfare of Trumpets. TWO E-mails arrived to announce the soon arrival of ALL we need to pay our debts and and other expenses to the end of June. We had no idea of how the Lord would or could SAVE us on this occasion. We felt right out of our depth........but he had worked it all out, and we need not have feared. Reading back in our Newsletters I find countless occasion of a similar nature, but I think this has truly been the worst period we have been through - and STILL He has provided and shown that He knows how to take care of each one of us. We Praise the Lord, not just for the provision, in which many of you share, but also for showing us how much stronger He is than ourselves, and how forgiving of our little faith.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

ALSO ON MONDAY, 8th June, our son Michael married Janet Mwangi in the UK at a Civil Ceremony.

I stole the photograph from Facebook and have no idea how old it is. We have no recent photos other than it - but at least they ARE together - the BIG BASH still to take place on 22nd August. His sister Elizabeth Joseph and Brother and Sister in law, Steve and Anji Green were all able to be with them for the Occasion, and also a few other friends and relatives. Wish we could also have been with them, but we there in spirit, and are very happy for them both. We still look forward to MANU and HELEN finding life partners! AND STEVEN, our eldest, will be 37 on the 16th June. He and Anji and their two Children live in Accrington, Lancashire. Steve was born in Truro Cornwall in 1972, and Michael was born in Nairobi, Kenya; both chose to become British Citizens..........but maybe feel they made a mistake.

THE RAINS

HAVE FLED.

Skies are blue and cloudless again at present. Rivers that had begun to fill up have already dwindled back to a trickle. This IS very unusual and prospects for the rest of the year are not good. Need to PRAY much for our national ECOLOGY - perhaps even more than for the Economy! And we are in prayer about it of course for it will affect the Water Supply as well as the Harvest. Without GOD in it all, we will be in great trouble.

The photo to the left was just too, too, nice for me to ignore, and it sure is a fact that even the animal creation around us here need to pray for themselves since so many die every day from the effects of this dry weather. I look at the 'innocence' expressed in this picture, and wonder where it goes once our kids start High School and College. Oh that we might all stay as 'little' children.

This must be enough for this week. We are at peace, and we at REST. Sunday lays before us. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Sincerely

John and Esther

RELIGION & LIVING

THIS IS CHIEF TECUMSEH of the Shawnee Nation!

At first glance he looks rather fierce and arrogant. He writes this -

'So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion;

 respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours.   Love your life, perfect your life.  Seek to make your life long and its purpose the service of your people.  Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.   Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place.   Show respect to all people and grovel to none.   When you arise in the morning  give thanks for the food and for the joy of living.    If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only yourself.   Abuse no one and no thing for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its  vision.    When it comes your time to die be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their times comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way.  Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.'

Tecumseh lived approximately from 1768 to 1813 and is considered a national hero in Canada.      He also said - 

 'Let us form one body, one heart,

and defend to the last, our homes, our liberty,

and the graves of our fathers.'

WHY have I introduced him here?    Because he represents a minor religion, yet at the same time represents a way of LIFE.     A way of life based on GOD and the practice of the presence of God.      In him this 'life' saw the intrinsic value in every man, and caused him to work for a common cause that would benefit all.    What is more remembered - his 'religion' or his way of life?      Definitely his way of life.

PRESIDENT OBAMA addressed the Arab Nations from Cairo University this week.     Quite early in his Speech he said - '

I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly to each other the things we hold in our hearts and that too often are said only behind closed doors.   There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to respect one another, and to seek

common ground.   As the Holy Quran tells us, 

Be conscious of God and speak always the                                                                    truth.'....

Part of this conviction is rooted in my own experience.   I am a Christian.  But my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims"     

Is he apologising for being a Christian, offsetting the possible offence by citing Moslem ancestors?   Why would he need to do that I wonder.    IS Religious affiliation important more than one's relationship with God and what is Godly?       Chief Tecusmeh knewlittle or nothing of the Moslem or the Christian or the Jew - yet it is obvious he had discovered what pleased God.......

The President is at pains to bridge the gaps, not so much in culture but in RELIGION.     However it is a fact that our cultures have all been influenced and affected by RELIGION.     Regretfully Religion has been used to dogmatically exclude those of another view or persuasion from reaching out to God.        The President mainly considered the differences and conflict induced by the BIG THREE - Judaism, Christianity and Islam,     However, we cannot leave out Hinduism in all its forms, Buddhism and many many others.      ALL of these Religions have been founded by a personality of one kind or another, upon whom has been built ritual and ceremony and religious law.      Even WITHIN these religions conflict and difference have arisen and produced splits and denominationalism - all built on the human opinion of one and another.

GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD;    He does not approve of the Honour, Praise and GLORY due to Him going to another.     He is not interested in factions and parties brought about through petty leadership.

HOW AND WHY DOES IT HAPPEN THEN?     Perhaps because Man does not want to listen to GOD but to himself, his own view or explanation of what God is saying - a result of Satan's Question - 'Has God really said?'

THIS FRIDAY, on Testimony School Parade I spoke on the topic CHILDREN OF GOD.   I asked the Question 'Who ARE the real children of God?    Then I quoted from the Bible, words found in Galatians 3v26

'You are all children of God by faith in Jesus Christ;

for as many of your have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ

THERE IS NEITHER JEW NOR GREEK,

there is neither bond nor free, male or female

FOR YOU ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST.

and

IF YOU ARE CHRIST'S

then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the Promise.

JESUS CHRIST says that He came to reveal, to lead us, to the ONLY God.       He went on to say that He only spoke the words He heard God say, and only DID those things He saw God do.    He did this in order that we might catch sight of exactly how God is - and to follow HIM.      Jesus actually said 'Follow Me!'    But in fact in saying this He was encouraging to be like Him in his fixed habit of being exactly like God, to the very best of our ability.

He said BEGIN again (be BORN again) and follow ME.         Be baptised as a sign you have come to your senses and repented of going YOUR way without reference to God, and that you have BEGUN a new and different LIFE.     Admit your error, and claim my life for your own.        Jesus was not a CHRISTIAN He was the THE EXAMPLE of a REAL Child of God.           When we stand in front of God IN THE NAME OF JESUS - that is when we stand in front of God representing and displaying ALL that we have seen and heard in Jesus required of a true child of God, THEN God will hear us and do for us whatever we ask.

THIS IS NOT RELIGION it is a Way of LIFE and LIVING - the only way truly pleasing and satisfactory to GOD, the God of Abraham.    ANYBODY CAN DECIDE TO REACH OUT FOR THIS LIFE.    There are NO exceptions, but when you do you will not be a Christian or a Islamic, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist - you will be a Child of God.       You will all be unified by the Life Christ came to demonstrate, offer and GIVE to any that believe for it.

President Obama said in his Cairo speech that we all need to see ourselves the same as one another - no divisions or race or religion.      It is a good and desirable vision.    But without the LIFE that Christ alone can give living in us, there is NO WAY we will accomplish it.       We need to come to Christ - NOT TO CHRISTIANITY - asking Him to give us HIS life, and with that Life a new HEART and Spirit.

When each of us comes to stand before God we shall not be asked what Religion we have served, but WHAT LIFE we have LIVED.      God will ask - 'Have you lived the life of a Child of Mine.      Have you lived the Life My Righteousness came to give you - the life of the One called JESUS?

ARE you a Child of God - really and truly ?    Can you demonstrate it without turning to RELIGION?   Can you live toward others as God lives toward you, with long suffering, forbearance, justice,compassion, Mercy, and forgiveness.    CAN you actually do to others what you might hope they would do to you?     President Obama was applauded when he trotted out this phrase.      I have heard it said that 'He who kills a Christian or a Jew does service to God'.      Can it really be held by a CHILD OF GOD, someone with a heart like God's that it is service to Him when we kill another - whoever and whatever they are?

THE BIBLE SAYS, in the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel chapter 18 verses 31-32 

Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby you have transgressed;

and make you a new heart and a new spirit;

for why will ye die O People of God?

For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God:

Wherefore turn yourselves and live ye!'

((((((((((())))))))))

TURN TO JESUS FOR HELP

TURN TO JESUS FOR LIFE

TURN TO JESUS FOR PEACE, COMFORT, AND FORGIVENESS.

and then

BE ACCEPTED AS A CHILD OF GOD.

ssssssssssssssss

THE LORD OUR GOD, has kept His Hand upon us through this week, and as a new month dawns we are glad to be able to say that He has Kept us and Provided against our needs.       We want to THANK all those who may have felt led to help in His Name during this last month and recent days.    All our College kids are now safely back to work in their various places of learning and rejoicing at the mercy of God.      One of those who completed their training a year ago and is now working as an Accountant with a Bank, called in this week and left 250 Sterling (Ksh.25,000/-) to help pay for the College Fees of another living in the Homes,   Very encouraging and worthy of praise.

Keep living the Life,  you will be unstoppable.

With our Love in Him

John and Esth