THE RICHEST MUNICIPALITY IN KENYA?

THIS IS A VIEW OF ELDORET. A Municipality of approximately 600,000 (NOT the official figure) including its surrounding slum areas. We came to live here in December 1972 when the population was only forty thous-and. A great deal of building has been done in the Town centre since then but very little expan-sion of facilities. Although the majority of its roads are mettled, many of them are in bad repair and quite a few are still pure mud! The Town itself is some 6,400ft above sea level, with a good temperate climate, but it is also a malaria area, and not good for asthmatics and those suffering from sinus problems. It is a mixed society of African Tribes plus Asian, with many European and American missionaries and business people. Not an unpleasant Town to live in, but certainly it has problems. For example Electricity goes on and off at the most unexpected times. Water also can suddenly disappear. For example, since last Thursday, we have had NO water at all in any tap. Not too easy with 154 living on the compound, and another 700 when the School is open, as it has been until yesterday. TODAY the Municipal Roads Dept decided to clean the main highway that passes through Town. They had some of the road roped off, whilst labourers chipped away at hardened dust that had collected over years at the curb-sides, and then washed away with precious water. AND whilst all this was going on traffic piled up to such a degree that EVERY town road was jammed packed with vehicles that were unable to move for well over two hours. Unbelievable! Daryl and I were in the midst of it,,,,,, ESTHER was stuck in a Clinic~ she has been unwell with a bacterial infection of her stomach. General chaos. BUT we are not after all here just for comfort, and the majority have NONE at all. We are here to WITNESS to the Good News that He loves and cares for all souls, and seeks their Salvation and their love.

LAST WEEK we said Farewell to our Primary School Graduates, and this week we said the same to our High School Graduates who had completed their four year course of study up to the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education. This took place on Tuesday, and teachers students and Esther and I shared a lunch and fellowship together in the School Hall. Very similar to the Primary function but differently arranged. 74 graduating students, boys and girls.

Towards the end of Term this time, we discovered two or three of the boys importing alcohol into the School. One was Expelled. I was asked to speak on this evil for the few minutes usually allotted to me on these occasions as here below.

'WHERE ARE YOU GOING FROM HERE? Will you make it to College, to University? Will you make in LIFE? For four years you have been making the transition from child to adult. Have you managed it? You are older, taller, and perhaps braver than when you commenced Form 1. BUT are you Wiser, have you put a shine on your childhood years in Primary School? OR have you played around?
MY MATHS TEACHER in Secondary School was an elderly man who kept a bottle of whisky in the book cupboard. He was good Math's Teacher, but addicted to whisky. He died of sclerosis of the liver. When he was tipsy with whisky we thought he was a real joke; we laughed at him.

We laughed at his shame.

IT IS EASY TO GET OFF TRACK, and to find yourself on the wrong road, in the wrong company, and heading for disaster. Partying, strong drink entices many. It seems to be the IN thing for an emerging adult. It looks COOL. But where will it all take you in life?

The Bible in Proverbs 20v1 says - 'Wine (strong drink) is a mocker'

It laughs at YOU. It gets you so disorientated that you do not know what you are doing or saying. It makes you a laughing stock, causing hurt and injury that you can even be unaware of. Whilst you laugh and enjoy a 'hyper-moment' you can become hooked by an Enemy that will slowly 'reel you in' for the KILL. I KNOW! I have been there personally. Before I was 20 I drank a lot - often until I was drunk and disorderly. Not a pretty sight! I lost prestige and my job. I finally lost respect even for myself. Yes Wine - strong drink- is a mocker. He who is deceived by it is a fool.

ONE GLASS leads to another and another. Then drunkenness becomes a habit of life. A habit and state that renders us unable to control our own walk, speech or even thought. And from drunkenness we will easily proceed to a habitual habit of over drinking which will eat away at our internal organs and finally destroy us. I KNOW! I watched my father die in a hospital bed after years of alcoholism corroded and ate away his liver. He took a long time to die - painfully, and it hurt him, AND many others. You will say not everyone that drinks ends up a drunkard or dying of liver cancer. You are right. But 6 out of 10 in Kenya DO. You might be 'lucky' you might not. Exciting? - FOOLISH! if you become one of the SIX! Life is NOT given to us to gamble away - to fritter away - in foolishness.

I knew a Pastor long ago. This is a true story. At a Wedding he conducted (in another church) Champagne and other stronger spirits were being handed round at the Reception. Present was a young eighteen year old friend of the bride who had never tasted 'spirits' and he wondered what he should do if he were offered some. He decided to watch his Pastor, the same one that had conducted the Service, and whose church he had recently joined. Glancing across the room he found the Pastor already holding a glass of champagne. This was his cue, and when the waiter came to him with the drink tray he also took one. He liked it, and took another, and another..........He did not look at again at his Pastor. He went home drunk from that Reception.

He did not continue long in his Christianity.

FIFTEEN years later the Pastor was called to a Prison where one of the inmates had requested to see him. He did not recollect the name, and wondered why he should be so called, and how the criminal had got to know his name. He felt very curious. On arrival at the Prison he was taken to a Cell reserved for those awaiting the Death Sentence. The 33 year old man waiting for him inside turned to him and said -

"I am here for murdering my wife and two children!

I did it in a drunken rage."

He continued to explain that his drink problem had begun at the Wedding I have mentioned. He was the 18 year old looking for direction at that Wedding. He had taken it, not looking back, and it had ruined his marriage, and was now about to take his life. He said -

"I followed your example; that's why I'm here!

I wanted you to know."

The Pastor was already retired from his pastorate, but he never recovered from the shock and horror of that confrontation. You see the fact of the matter was he himself had never tasted the drink the young man had seen in his hand. He had accepted it out of politeness, and soon after poured the contents into a flower pot near at hand. He himself never drank anything that was alcoholic. But his careless action caused four people to DIE. How very responsible we are are for one another.......... How very responsible YOU will be for the rest of your life - or maybe just careless and IRRESPONSIBLE. Each one of us IS our brother/sister's keeper!

I ESCAPED. God was merciful to me, and pulled me back from the brink of the abyss. I had begun to drink because by colleagues at work drank. I thought I was clever. Eventually I just drank for the pleasure of it! Life seemed dull without it. One night having gone to bed the worse for drink I awoke suddenly. I felt awful. I got out of bed and vomited over the bed, myself, and the room around me. I fell upon the floor, and from that place of degradation I cried out to God to deliver me. To take the desire and attraction right away, and to give me a CLEAR mind and a HEALTHY body. And He answered my prayer. This happened in 1962, 48 years ago. I have never touched beer or strong spirits since that night. I was Blessed. I left a VICE that was eating my life away, and put myself in front of God. JESUS became my Strength, my Salvation, and my Consolation. I have never regretted it. AND if you also call upon His Name and put your Life in His Hands YOU will never regret it either.

HE KNOWS where you are going - He also knows where you OUGHT to be going, and if you let Him He will make sure you get there - safe and in one piece.

SO don't make your life to be a JOKE, but secure yourself and let Jesus Lead and Guide you."

And now they have left and gone their way..................

And the week has gone. Esther is just here with me as I write. She is lying on the settee covered with a blanket watching TV. She is now recovering. She really has had an uncomfortable few days, but she looks and sound a little better now. God Bless you all, and keep on praying for us, and for the children and all those working with us. We need you to do just that.

Lovingly in our Master

JOHN AND ESTHER