DEPARTURES

MANU IS LEAVING US TO move into his own lodging. He is 26, and it is not really too early for him to go - but we will certainly miss him in the house. Indeed, it will only be me and Esther now!! But of course he will not be far away, and we are sure to see him quite often. He will be living less than a kilometre away, but quite on his own in a small self contained cottage - sitting room, bedroom, kitchen, shower & toilet. The whole area is about 30x20fit!! He Will pay 7,500 Kenya Shillings each month. Not bad as things go in Eldoret for a stone house with security. In this photo, taken at Michael's Wedding, he is seen with his niece, Elisa, our great niece). Manu still works in Eldoret, at the sprawling University Teaching Hospital known as The Moi Referral Hospital. He seems quite content and happy there.

TWO OF OUR 14 YEAR OLD BOYS have also left the Homes this week. One from Jacaranda Cottage and one from Drakeley Cottage. They are not related to each other, but both have been unable to settle with us since they came in 2004, and have continually absconded, been recovered, brought back, and then after a few months repeated the whole thing again,.

From Jacaranda, STEVEN OUMA, (pronounced O-oo-ma) initially part of the Tyndale Cottage family, had come to us from the Streets of Eldoret - he was a 'street boy'. Very bright and intelligent, currently in the v1 Grade of Primary School, and apparently Born Again, he has just 'taken off' on a whim and gone 'walk about'. He never has any explanation - just that he 'feel the urge' to go! It may be that the Call of the Street lingers in his mind, and that he has been unable to resist it. He left us this time ( the 6th time ) in company with a boy from Drakeley Cottage during lunchtime.

FROM Drakeley Cottage DENNIS ADIKHA (pronounced a-dee-ka) also 14 did not come to us from the streets of Eldoret. His maternal uncle, who was then the Anglican Provost of Eldoret Anglican Cathedral begged us to take care of him. The Provost's sister, a mother of three, Dennis being the youngest, had contracted AIDS and had only weeks left to live. Dennis's father had deserted some years before, and she was living with another man who had given her two more children. This 'step-father' did not want Dennis in the house either. It was felt that once the Mother had gone the life of Dennis would be in danger. This was also in 2004, Dennis was then 8. We agreed to take the matter to Court and the magistrate agreed that this would be the best course. BUT Dennis loves his Mother. Has never understood that he had to leave her - and she has NOT died, but having obtained good medical attention is (although still suffering from AIDS) well and robust, and has recently had another child by her '2nd husband.'

Dennis has run off 4 times either to his home, or to the home of a relative - always because he wants to be with his Mother. We have talked to her, but she remains afraid that if he returns home her 'husband will harm him'. He and Steven were picked up late in the evening of the day that they left us some 40 kilometres away headed for the town of Nakuru. the Police picked them up and they stayed the night in the Police Station until we collected them at 7a.m. the next morning. After much discussion, and thought and prayer, we have agreed with the Children's Office that they should be transferred from us to a more secure institution, where they can be prevented from running away again. We are not set up as a Detention Centre; no one is under lock and key. Each time they have run away the whole community, children and adults, have been disturbed. It has been unsettling for many and unhealthy. If they had only been willing to settle down and agree to control their sudden urges, we could have easily put the past behind us and given them yet more space. But we have been unable to feel that they can yet be trusted. They will be there at least until they are 18. They will continue with Schooling within the Centre they will go to, and even receive assistance to continue on from there.

THEY seemed quite undisturbed by this turn of events, and were quite dry eyed and nonchalant about it all. Some of us shed a few tears all the same. We don't WIN all the time. There are some failures to leave at the Cross, and to continue to pray for - at a distance.

By the 25th of this month our funds had dwindled, and we looked yet once more at the end of the month looming, and all the labourers working together with us waiting for their wages. BE ANXIOUS for nothing the Word of God says, but it is not very easy to always eradicate our human fears and anxieties - either for ourselves or for others. Not ALWAYS easy to leave everything at the Cross. The Enemy is never quite silent at such times of challenge.....BUT of course we need NOT to be anxious at all, and HE has proved it to us again and again and again. How Patient and Gracious and FAITHFUL He has been and is with us. He knows our frame; knows our weakness, the frailty of our flesh. THUS we have had, yet again, our current anxieties blown away, and His Hand has prevailed to provide all our need, and the needs of all that live and work with us. What CAN one say about God? He is just too wonderful to describe, and so absolutely amazing in how He lets us into His Miracles. We are all shareholders in His Greatness in and through the Name of Jesus. Thank you AGAIN for being partners with us for His Sake.

Lovingly

John and Esther