SO MANY CHILDREN!

MORE AND MORE CHILDREN ARE BEING ABANDONED. A dozen or so are in this photo, and they have all been committed to the care of Testimony Faith Homes. BUT they do not live with us, and are not physically cared for by us. Horace and Phyllis Leister together with their two young daughters care for them. The Leisters are from the USA, and Phyillis is a woman called of God to just love and care for kids. Her husband Horace is a builder and he is the Home Provider - the one to actually BUILD the family home. So far they all live in a rented house not far from us whilst the NEW house is being built adjacently to the rented one in the same compound. Horace and Phyllis work with a Mission known as 'Children With Hope'. They have been in Eldoret for more than two years, but still the Government hasn't Registered their Children's Home. This meant that although they were having time space and funds to care they were unable to legally have one child to live with them as long as they were unregistered. NOW the Certificate should come any time soon......but in order to assist them Testimony Faith Homes offered to have children admitted to themselves, and then fostered them out to the Leisters Home which is called Tumaini Children's Home, just kilometre away from us. They were, as a couple, legally allowed to Foster children privately under their family name. This means I have to visit them often to make sure the kids are safe and cared for - and they ARE. This is a work of love and sacrifice. To have so many babies and toddlers in your own house, demanding your every attention 24 hours a day does need sacrifice. It has been a great blessing to know them all, and to see the Love of Jesus in action. Even if physically we are not part of it, we feel somehow part of the family. Some of these little ones are physically and even mentally disabled as well. No one is refused, but how many more can they take? ------ well the way it looks they will just go on opening their arms and their hearts to as many as are brought to them!
I just thought you would like to know about them, and the fact that TFH is not alone in reaching out to the needy children around us; there are many. Wonderfully Jesus works with all of us, welcoming so many into His Kingdom. SIX of the tiniest ones in the lower photo were brought to us, and then fostered by us to Phyllis just two weeks ago, and Esther and I were in their Home this last Wednesday. What joy and real happiness to see them already safe and settled. SOON, when their Certification has arrived, TFH will be handing each of these little ones permanently to Phyllis and Horace. TFH will have no more responsibility for them. BUT it will always have been a privilege to stand behind and with them. I am sure we shall still want to watch them grow and develop as God gives us life and Strength.

NEXT WEEK on Friday we are expecting 35 Staff and Students from Tyndale Christian School in South Australia to arrive. Some old friends and faces, and some very new. They will be with us for 14 days, and some will also be helping Joshua and Miriam at Neema Children's Home, going to and fro daily from us. These young people and their mentors have ever shown themselves to be willing for anything; hardworking, generous hearted, and very out-going. We are always blessed by their times with us all, and we especially rejoice to know Mike and Dani Potter and their family who are in fact very much OUR own family in every way. God is so good at bringing people together. You may remember that Tyndale Cottage is named after them.

To the left is a photo of the 2008 Party that were with us. The School visits bi-annually, and each student works in out of school hours to provide their air-fare and other costs. They come to work and to give of themselves freely. This year they will probably be building fences and painting and even laying foot paths! They will this year be again staying in the LILLIE HOSTEL, which stands just behind Testimony House and can sleep 40 comfortably. Maybe the last chance they will get to stay there, since NEXT TERM we are letting it out to Testimony School as a Dormitory for Girls learning in the Secondary Department. Our Secondary School both for boys and girls has been a DAY school since it opened, but many have been pressing to attend from a distance, and we have not been able until this year to consider providing at least some boarding space to accommodate them. The School will also rent an adjacent property to assist boarding some 40 boys. Quite a new venture.

ESTHER AND I have felt the Lord leading us - if possible - to spend two or three months in the UK as from late August this year. Previously, I had felt very unable to travel, but since the operations this year I feel very different, and relatively free to go anywhere and do anything!!!

We have missed seeing our UK grandchildren as well and feel we need to at least to catch a glimpse of them again before they have become adults! However I would also like to take any opportunity that might arise to visit friends and churches that pray and support the ministry here, and who have encouraged and been our stay for so many years, when we have been almost invisible here. If you thought that we could meet up somehow so that we could share a little, first hand, of our life here in Eldoret, please do let us know, or get in touch with Allan Nicholls or our son Steven Green - I'll leave the contact details for both at the foot of this Blog.

If we do come, who will we leave behind? Well we will leave Anthony Ndungu who has led the School since it began in 1983 to be in charge of the School, and then leave Daryl our son to watch over the Children's Homes. A shared responsibility. We discussed this last night at the AGM of our Board, and they were quite at ease and happy with this arrangement.

Please pray with us that He will Guide and provide for every detail. This is the first time that WE ourselves felt led to journey out of Kenya. Every previous occasion it was God that dug us up and out of here - not always when we felt happy about it. But this time the leading has come from WITHIN, though no less from the moving of His Spirit upon us, we believe.

God Bless and be with you all

John and Esther

Contact Addresses:-

Mr. and Mrs. Horace Leister,
Tumaini Children's Centre
Box 3828 ELDORET 30-100 Kenya
E-mail hpleister@gmail.com

Mr. A.E. Nicholls, MBE., FRGS., Secretary The AENON Trust

137 Belvedere Road, Bexleyheath, Kent, DA7 4PA - England

Telephone: 020-8303-5216

E-mail - allan_nichols@btinternet.com

nicholls_allan@hotmail.com

Mr. S.I. Green,

20 Waverley Road, Baxenden, Accrington,

Lancs., BB5 2TT, England

Telephone 1254 871208

E-mail s1green@o2.co.uk

S1green@onetel.com.

MEDIA CONDITIONING

THIS HAPPY COUPLE ( I couldn't resist them) HAVE BEEN MARRIED WELL OVER 40 YEARS, AND PLAN TO STAY MARRIED FOR THE NEXT 40 AT LEAST. I have included their photo here because of the Kenya DAILY NATION's banner headlines today, and the two double page spreads inside expanding on it. The Headline reads A MARRIAGE CRISIS. The varied articles within are all very negative when it comes to Christian Marriage in particular, painting such a daunting picture of the problems confronting both partners, and giving the impression that 'Come We Stay' partnerships are likely to be more successful and enduring! According to the survey carried out by INFOTRACK, the NATION says '3 out of 10 Kenyans are unhappy with their married partner - approx 29%. Although they go on to say that 40% ARE happy, the Paper then prints a number of related articles revealing the growing trend toward Broken Marriages.
In addition there is open discussion concerning the lack of seriousness with which 'traditional' ties are seen. It is expected that both parents will have 'affairs' on the side. Then again the old complaints put forward in mitigation of marital failures, such as 'Infidelity'; nagging partner;
interference of in-laws; desire for more Educational Qualification by one or other of the partners;
inequality of financial income, seem to form a general attitude that no marriage can last.
This is turn brings out the question which gives way to the loose 'Come we Stay' relationship which is neither binding or committed. Reading all that was printed I was persuaded, yet again, that in reporting 'NEWS' the Media generally adds to social problems, and conditions the public to its own views and opinions which are not often founded on the TRUTH.
Indeed I must go further and say that in my view the Media at Large is a tool being used to mould attitudes in Mankind generally that are intended to take him away from God and Godly concepts, and thus from his 'likeness' to God, and his humanity.

Looking at my smiling 'anonymous' couple above I am quite sure that over the many years of their marriage, as also with mine, each has had to contend with many expected and unexpected situations in the partnership. There will have been differences of opinion, clashes of temperament, even irritation if not anger toward each other. Nevertheless the marriage went on - NOT for the sake of the children, family expectations or pressures, but because we genuinely loved each other when we Married, and because we brought GOD into it as a Third Party to make sure we were KEPT in love for each other. I WILL concede that without GOD there is every rotten reason for believing a marriage WILL fail. BUT what hope have our children, grandchildren, or even the World at large, if we downgrade the concept of marriage? If we Scrap the God given concept of Marriage, and we scrap home and family - we become even LESS than a society of Apes! Dr. Richard Leaky might have erred in saying we have evolved from apes! Perhaps instead we are devolving below them. The TREND seems to be in divesting ourselves of all that once identified us as HUMAN..

'What right have to expect nations to stand by their promises, and to keep their vows to each other

if men and women do not do it even this most solemn and sacred union of marriage?

We must start with ourselves.

We must start at the Beginning.

We must observe the Law of God (Not Moses) in our personal individual lives.'

(Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones)

'MARRIAGE seems to be a very fundamental necessity. It is the crucible in which a human being may learn about Love - the Love that GOD Himself is, the Love that comes from Him alone. It is in Marriage them men and women will learn to suffer each other, that consequently others. also. They will learn to forgive each other. They will learn unselfishness and Patience toward each other.

The will learn of God, and about Submission and Meekness. Marriage, I believe, may be a Divine Illustration of the union there is meant to be, and will be, of ALL things with the Creator; with God Himself. Thus Marriage as the perfect state is of supreme importance.

The Springboard of Life is Marriage. It is IN the coming together of a man and a woman that TRUE LOVE becomes visible and tangible. A home and family are created and an environment built that can demonstrate every facet of God's Character and Personality to the the Husband and Wife first, and thence to all around them. This is why God initiated Marriage in the first place, and we need to examine the order in which it was given.' (The Wolves Are Among Us by John A. Green 1989)

Instead of downgrading and discouraging Marriage we should be extolling its virtues and broadcasting its successes and

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SO SORRY I AM LATE TODAY but the day took me out to a neighbours Thanksgiving with Esther, and we got home later than hoped. It was a good time, well spent, with the Lord the centre of Praise as a Mother gave Him Thanks for bringing back her son from American where he had been for ten years - an especial blessing since her husband had died a few months back this year.

Some may remember him (those old boys or girls who lived with us in the 70s and 80s. His name is Julius Omondi OGANDA.

The Ministry of Works are laying a new surface on our School driveway today as well. They have not finished, and hope to do so tomorrow before the School opens again after Half Term.

All done by hand except for the compacting and rolling of the asphalt. Not so perfect as it might be done in UK or USA but good enough for us, and expensive enough as well. The School has had to find a thousand pounds sterling to put it down. The rest of the driveway, almost as much again, that gives access to Testimony House and then also to the School main driveway, also needs attention. We are hoping the Contractor may have pity on us if he has any material left over, and patch the worst parts for us free of charge!! Pray with us!

The School actually commenced Half Term on Thursday this week. The weather has been very WET and cold - not very jolly for a holiday - probably not the best for laying a driveway either!

Please pray for Brother and Sister Rop who are Mum and Dad in Jacaranda Cottage. Beartrice has been suffering on and off with haemorrhoid's, and has now been told she must have an operation. Her blood count has been down (due to bleeding) and is only now after medication getting up to a safe level. Joseph has also not been well has had a bad attack of cerebral malaria which took him to hospital as from last Tuesday. Fortunately they have an Assistant in their House, so the children are safe and well looked after. We hope the Lord will undertake for them both and heal them.

NOW I must top once more as it is getting late. Please pray for US all at this time, and assist us to Wait upon the Lord with Patience and Faith as always. God Bless and keep YOU all during these increasingly difficult times.

John and Esther

STIGMATIZED!

THE PLIGHT OF CONVICTS LEAVING PRISON, having served their Sentence, and also of those completing community Service or Probation for some Petty crime committed is often overlooked. It is said that as many as 80% or more find their way back to Court, and even Prison within 18 months! WHY should this be so? For the majority it is because they were unable to find employment. Fingerprinted by the Police, and with a Record, it is rare for a prospective employer to have either the compassion or faith to risk employing such. At least in prison there is 'something' to eat, somewhere to shelter from the elements......one thing leads to another. Of course there are some who are purely and simply set upon a life of crime and anti social behaviour. BUT there are many others - a majority in fact who, - if they could find the means, - would want to 'go straight' and keep away from crime. The little Graphic above declares how ones 'finger-prints, can find you out - for good or bad. For example Many Employers now insist on any one seeking to work with them obtaining a Police Certificate of Good Conduct. This costs Ksh.1,000/- and is only given if your finger prints are not on Record as evidence of your involvement in any previous conviction. HOW might these people be helped in a State that has no Welfare Benefits, a huge Unemployment Problem, and a failing Economy? Indeed the situation is so acute that, as was seen in 2007 during the Unrest, many were willing to 'murder their own grandmothers for a shilling'! REAL hunger can push people to the limit and over.

In June 2009 a Revolving Fund was begun. It was implemented through discussion between myself and the District Probation Department with whom I have worked and assisted since coming to Eldoret in the early '70s. So far about Ksh.70,000/- has been put into the Fund.

The idea is that small amounts up to a maximum of 10,00-, can be loaned interest free to any young or old first offenders on Probation or having served a Prison Sentence who may wish to set up a small business. Funds so loaned are used to buy equipment or stock to assist in setting up such business, and agreed to be paid back by monthly installment within a fixed period of time.. funds thus repaid will be given out again in further loans.

SO FAR we have seen some FOURTEEN assisted in this way. They have managed to see their efforts rewarded and their business enterprise succeed and many have already repaid their loan in full. Thus we can see that this fund proving money so invested is well spent. Not only does it inspire and encourage those in need individually, but it also is contributing to the reduction of crime in our society. We are pursuing this and hope to encouraged more to put some money into it so that many more can be lifted out of poverty and temptation to rob and steal.

The general JOY and SURPRISED happiness this adventure has caused in quite amazing. It is seen how a VERY LITTLE aid can achieve so much when there is a willing heart and a will to work hard. We are the FIRST to augment such a Scheme in this area of society. We may also be the first partnership between government and the private sector that has seen productivity toward the general good.

The UG CHILDREN'S SERVICES FORUM discussed the Tax Problem facing Joshua and Miriam Mbithi's ministry and how it will probably affect the rest of us. Considerable concern was demonstrated. Joshua and Miriam are STILL being pressed to pay Ksh.11 million in back taxes on donated income for the last TWO years only! Legal advice is now being sought, and we are believing that there will be a solution forthcoming.

YESTERDAY we had the Public Health Inspectors in to check us out. Part of the requirement for Re-Registration of the Society. They were very impressed and gave us a clean bill of health. Thus our Application is now complete, and will be sent off to Nairobi next week. A costly enterprise, but glad it has now come to an end - just wait for the result in patience!

TOMORROW I shall be speaking at our Sunday Fellowship, and DARYL will be Leading the Meeting. He continues to be seen clinging to the Cross once more, and we continue to pray for him that the Holy Spirit will provide him with all he needs to overcome himself and the Enemy. JESUS is all the Strength we need. A broken heart and humble spirit is all HE needs to impart that Strength mightily within us.

We are continuing to study the Letter of Jude together, and have gone on looking into the need to STRUGGLE to hand on to our Faith - our Salvation. Jude progressively reveals himself as a man sold out to the SIMPLE GOSPEL and the all important need to WITNESS to it and about it.

So many in our world are of a different ilk. If we have faith it is often without any witness - without any ACTION to demonstrate it. Jesus was always a 'demonstrator' - speaking and DOING the words and actions of GOD alone. He did nothing of Himself. Much harder now in this present degenerate generation of self centred souls. We are now almost overwhelmed by our necessary comforts - or at least in the pursuit of obtaining them.

This generations is in fact reminiscent of Haggai's. in which the people's thought was far from caring for the Temple of God, so taken up with their own homes and affairs were they. Haggai 1v2-10. The world-wide recession, and the current awful constrictions coming upon The United Kingdom and other nations must surely be the result of national neglect of God worldwide. Where are the Men and Women of God standing up to call the Nation to Repentance? Are they afraid to speak - to go against the tide - to be a Mighty Minority for God? Are they without the heart of God, caring not the Lord was Crucified, caring not for those He died? Where are the Voices proclaiming the Message, the GOOD NEWS that Satan would cover up, make souls blind and deaf to? There is a need to SOUND THE ALARM, a need to ROUSE up the sleeping church of God, to RALLY ROUND the Banner. Lets get ready and GO for it. This is the character of JUDE. He says if you don't have this spirit burning in you it is possible you are not doing the Will of God, and even though you have the 'label' and the 'name' you may not be SAVED in that Great and Terrible Day. You may be living in empty life - you might be a Cloud without water! Ah! Woe is me if I am deceiving myself. OPEN my eyes, UNSTOP my ears Lord God, in Jesus name, for I would do YOUR Will and not my own. Let me stop and examine mySELF - let me truly know and and reconfirm my belief that I AM Born Again into that NEW life that Jesus ever holds out to me and daily supplies to me. WAKE ME UP to renewed FAITH in the Good News, the ONLY news of Joy and Happiness that can motivate a difference in my life.

God Bless you all, and be uplifted and encouraged, for if God IS for you, WHO and WHAT can succeed against you.

Lovings in Jesus

John and Esther

WORSE AND WORSE!

WITH THE ECHO OF THE MINISTERS CRY FOR HELP ringing in our ears, the Kenya Revenue Authority has begun to give THEIR attention to those running Children's Homes - at least in OUR area.

NEEMA Children's Home run by Joshua and Miriam Mbithi have this week been asked to pay ELEVEN MILLION Kenya Shillings in back taxes on donations received from outside of Kenya over the last five years! This after a three day Inspection of their work and ministry!


WE applied for Tax Exemption some 15 years ago, and received an Exemption Certificate. However, last year when applying for RE- Insurance of our School Buses, we were told that we would have to pay a special Road Tax to KRA. On Inquiry we were advised that all commercial vehicles had to pay. Of course we pulled out our Certificate and said we were exempt, and that the buses were in any case not running for profit or for any commercial venture. IMMEDIATELY they told us that our Certificate was INVALID, and that Certificates were issued only for a THREE year period and then had to be re-applied for. No such condition or warning is printed on the Certificate. We have had to re-apply for Exemption and have been turned down. We are in the midst of an appeal, but we expect to hear that we also will have to pay back taxes on Donations received that will run into millions of Kenya Shillings. Both for NEEMA and ourselves this will be impossible and we will face having our property sold under our feet to meet the Bill! This is far from just Taxation, but nearer to Extortion, and robbing the poor in the most blatant fashion. Indeed the Government on the one hand CRIES OUT for their poor to be aided, and with the other snatches the bread that is given to them right out of their mouths. Taxation, unjustly made upon the population, will surely bring universal penury. But is this purely another effort to discourage the operation of Children's Homes in Kenya, but without actually saying so?
INTERESTINGLY, when on the Web, I visited the Kenya Revenue Authority Website. This is what I found written in their own manifest - I quote

'Charities may claim EXEMPTION from tax

on most forms of income and capital gains,

if they are applied to charitable purposes.

ONCE a body has been accepted as being a charity for tax purposes,

it normally retains its charitable status until such time as it ceases to exist

either in its original form or altogether.

FOR ITS INCOME TO BE EXEMPT FROM INCOME TAX

an organization must have been established solely to relieve poverty or distress

of the public, or to advance religion or education. In addition, the commissioner of Income Tax must conclude that the income is expended either wholly within Kenya or in a way that benefits the residents of Kenya. (Income Tax Act, First Schedule, Section 10).'

We shall, together, of course take advice on these matters, and we ask you to join us yet again in prayer for this further challenge to the furtherance of ministries such as ours. So far, this year we - as a Ministry - have paid out more than Ksh.250,000 in Government related fees and charges related to the work we are doing. In Kenya it is costing more and more to offer voluntary aid to its needy people. To actually HELP you have to PAY!!

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YESTERDAY, FRIDAY, we took in a further SIX babies aged 6 - 18 months old, and we expect to take in another FOUR, three of them girls, next week aged between 3 and 9 years. There are more than 80,000 in the queue! Our ability to help is so small against such a backdrop of continuing and even growing need. BUT we are grateful to have been able to help even a few to a better life and hope, whilst even more importantly pointing them to Christ, and Eternal Life.
WE ALSO COMMENCED BIBLE STUDIES ON The Letter of JUDE this week. Did he look like the portrait opposite? No idea, but who knows?
His Letter is an Exhortation to the those who have believed in Jesus Christ as their Personal Saviour and Lord; that they should 'contend (fight for, struggle for their FAITH - the simple Message of the Gospel.'
This simple gospel (without all the many trappings of tradition, and doctrinal variations injected by men) is perhaps most clearly set out in in Paul's First Letter to the Corinthian Church chapter 15v1-5

'...Now let me remind you'(since it seems to have escaped you), brethren, of the Gospel (the glad tidings of salvation) which I proclaimed to you, which you welcomedand accepted and upon which your faith rests,AND by which you are saved, IF you hold fast and keep firmly what I preached to you, unless you believed at first without effect and all for nothing.

FOR I passed on to you first of all what I also had received, that Christ the (Messiah, the Anointed One) died for our sins in accordance with (what) the Scriptures (foretold) Isaiah 53v5-12. THAT He was buried, That He arose on the third day as the Scriptures foretold (Psalms 16v9-10) - AND that also He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the Twelve.'

Paul emphasises this 'simple Gospel 1(.Corinthians 2v2) where he writes -

Í resolved to know nothing to be acquainted with nothing,

to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing)

among you, except Jesus Christ the Messiah

and him crucified.

This is very different from our day when there are SO MANY DIFFERENT denominations all emphasising something MORE than this simple gospel; some christian teachers even using the gospel for commercial and selfish reasons - misleading the rest ....... JUDE was VERY concerned about this in his day. As also was Peter writing in (his) 2nd Letter and the 2nd chapter. It is STILL a message of IMPORTANCE in our own day when there is so much confusion - we NEED to sort out the wood from the trees. We need to affirm once again the Basic TRUTH that Saves us, and ditch the rest. We will be continuing this next week from v.5 to 16. A lot of good interest being aroused.

Nothing more for this time. Some ask why I do not comment on Kenya Politics. Too confused, too unstable, too discouraging to give time right now. Nothing remains the same from day to day except general lack of decision, and willingness to reduce corruption. Better left alone. Our petty governments worldwide and without exception have nothing to contribute when compared to the knowledge that GOD is over-all and controls our future.

Be encouraged to WITNESS. Be encouraged to TRUST in Him alone!

Lovingly

John and Esther