JOHN MATUMBWE aged 9 when he first came to us in 2005, is a destitute child, whose origins have remained a mystery. He had been dumped, quite literally, at a 'Street Children's Rescue Centre' in Eldoret Town. He was thought to be stone deaf, and so there was no communication sought either way, and it was assumed he was mute as well. BUT in 2005 we admitted John to Tyndale Cottage here at TFH, and Mica and Catherine Yego soon discovered that he was NOT stone deaf! He WAS deaf however, but could hear when an effort was made to speak loudly and carefully. He was a happy child and of an easy and peaceful temperament. Now he is 14, and we have had nothing but problems in trying to find help for his deafness. WE have sent him to doctor after doctor, consultant after consultant, until finally they could only say that IF he was fitted with Hearing Aids he might do well! The devices they prescribed all cost well over 500 pounds each and could not be discovered in Kenya! It is amazing how UNHELPFUL the medical profession can be at times. THIS MONTH we have been introduced to a Catholic Clinic about 200 kilometres away from us. We sent John there with Mica, and they have already fitted him with an Aid costing only 20 pounds! They think his other ear will need an operation next year, but with the hope that he will be able to hear after that. Suddenly the sun is shining for John. SO 
THRILLED to be able to HEAR so much that had escaped his notice, and SO anxious to learn! He can lip read a little, and he is of course attending our School. He has taken in a great deal, but now the world is opening up for him. Please do remember him in prayer. How wonderful that he may now be able to hear the Word of God, and find added reason to BELIEVE in Him as Saviour. ALL 
of the children in the photo are 'Throw-away' kids from the streets of Eldoret. They all came to us at very young ages between 2 and 5 years and although every effort has been made to trace their families (if any) no progress has been made. But they are a happy crowd, and Tyndale Cottage is very much their home, and Catherine and Mica much loved as Mum and Dad.ELDORET TOWN, according the Municipal Council is a still a Town of some 300,000 souls. However, recent research has put the number, including women and children at around 900,00 to one million. Such has been the expansion over the years. When Esther and I first arrived here in January 1973 there was said to be only 40,000! The town centre was originally laid out with wide roads (wide enough for an ox-waggon to be turned around full circle without hitting the curb), side walks, lined with ornamental trees. Today there are some new buildings and even multi story blocks of offices, but generally the street scenes have not changed apart from crumbling side walks, and fewer trees; the increasing numbers of both people and vehicles. The MAIN road through t0 Kampala in Uganda and our own capital, Nairobi, passes right through the centre. A busy thoroughfare, 
and often impassable with traffic blocks. It is said that 60% of the population is unemployed and under the age of 20 years. It LOOKS like that. A good climate, never too hot, and quite pleasant generally through the year ...... Still a little unpredictable seasonably these days. Never-the-less it is inclined to be a progressively congested city, pressed upon on three sides by what amount to slum areas where the majority live in unplanned ramshackle estates. The escalating cost of living more and more restricts general welfare, and it is for this reason, mainly, that children are coming on the the Town Streets to beg, steal, and ply some trade or means to make a living. For all the current attempts to solve this problem it seems unable to go away, and instead grows the more, whole families having been born on the street and still living upon it. Of course to some extent Street People exist in every Country; a universal manifestation of our day and age! IN THE PHOTO above we are looking EAST from the Town Hall (bottom left) towards that side of town where we live in Testimony Faith Homes - just where the seen buildings seem to merge with greenery - about a 30 minute walk to the town centre. The Lord gave us a nice place to be, with no slum area in our immediate vicinity, and therefore quieter and less open to crime and violence as other parts of the town boundaries. Hard to think I have been here for 38 years already. I may be the longest service missionary left in the area!
and often impassable with traffic blocks. It is said that 60% of the population is unemployed and under the age of 20 years. It LOOKS like that. A good climate, never too hot, and quite pleasant generally through the year ...... Still a little unpredictable seasonably these days. Never-the-less it is inclined to be a progressively congested city, pressed upon on three sides by what amount to slum areas where the majority live in unplanned ramshackle estates. The escalating cost of living more and more restricts general welfare, and it is for this reason, mainly, that children are coming on the the Town Streets to beg, steal, and ply some trade or means to make a living. For all the current attempts to solve this problem it seems unable to go away, and instead grows the more, whole families having been born on the street and still living upon it. Of course to some extent Street People exist in every Country; a universal manifestation of our day and age! IN THE PHOTO above we are looking EAST from the Town Hall (bottom left) towards that side of town where we live in Testimony Faith Homes - just where the seen buildings seem to merge with greenery - about a 30 minute walk to the town centre. The Lord gave us a nice place to be, with no slum area in our immediate vicinity, and therefore quieter and less open to crime and violence as other parts of the town boundaries. Hard to think I have been here for 38 years already. I may be the longest service missionary left in the area! Our old PEUGEOT is being repaired. Had to cut the chassis in half and then weld it back together - it was so much bent out of shape. All done, and the body work replaced and where necessary beaten back into shape. Still some parts to find (not readily available) but we think it WILL be back on the road. We did not take the Workshop Manager in town into our confidence financially so, unknown to himself, he has been working step by step in faith with us and OUR faith toward God. I look forward to sharing all about it in a very positive, and I hope challenging manner when we go to settle our account. God is SO wonderful to give us so many extra opportunities to share the Good News.
ONE week to go before the School Parents and Price Giving Day. Hope the weather will be free of RAIN by then. We are still hoping for our usual crowd of five hundred or so parents to attend, but we shall also then only be a few days away from the much talked about Constitutional Referendum on 4th August. The government is already putting security personnel in place - Eldoret is full of uniformed guards - as a deterrent to expected riots. A lot of people feeling stressed out about it, and this may stop them from attending outside functions until the final Results are over and calm restored. Yesterday the DAILY NATION'S headlines read 'FEAR, TENSION IN HOTSPOTS' - Frightened by threats of eviction, a trickle of displaced persons is heading back to IDP Camps. But this time it's different (from 2007); 15000 ADDITIONAL SECURITY OFFICERS ARE ON THE GROUND AND 9,000 MORE ARE ON THE WAY. But OUR trust is in the LORD, and will ever remain so no matter what is happening around and about us.
Our Love and Prayers are always rising up for you. God Bless and Keep each one of you through the coming week.
John and Esther
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