WASTAGE OF A LIFE!

HERE IS A PHOTO OF LIFE EMERGING! I recently came across a Poem which set me off on a train of thought. But it has in fact focused more as days have passed. The Poem is the work of an author I have never heard of, but for all that still beautifully constructed, and with a good point made. I will repeat it here now.
It is written by Coral Copping -

That Timeless Mystery

THAT TIMELESS MYSTERY, a plant appearing,
A fragile leaflet silently uncurled,
Helpless and harmless - potent as a kiss -
A tiny tongue put out to taste the world.

No one has ever seen this common marvel;
The soil that is in secret forced apart,
The frail green piercing the crusted surface.
Earth's greatest power is down there in the dark.

Nothing a seed can know of all its blossom,
Nothing of fruiting, colour or the sun,
Only the impulse, constant and compelling,
The upward urge until its life is done.

We are not plants but masters of our fortune,
Cream of creation on our special star,
Yet universal law prevails....How should we feel
If we were programmed thus? Perhaps we are

CERTAINLY, it must be that we know nothing about where we are coming to whilst we grow in the womb. We are thrust suddenly from darkness to blinding light, total change, and the chaos of the unknown. Surely nothing in our previous unborn state could have prepared us for what was one to day burst upon us. Nothing to provide any expectation for the future or how we would prosper or fail. Born in innocence and ignorance of all that awaits us, good and bad, we are inevitably born, I believe, and planned for. But the plan is not itself inevitably executed or carried out. Much may happen to spoil it along the way. We ourselves, unlike the simple seedling, may use our own will and way to go against the plan and spoil the programming. A host of elemental, pyhsical and spiritual forces range themselves against us. And The Enemy of all natural life , and of God Himself, constantly at work to bring us all to nothing here on our 'special star'.

ONE NIGHT THIS WEEK, at 4a.m I was roused from my bed to speak with an 'old boy' from the Homes who was at my door. (The photo is not of him, but gives a good impression of the state of mind that he was in). I left Esther in bed, and went to meet him. He would not enter the house, and so we sat outside, on the veranda. The security light was on so we were not in the dark. He sat right at the furthest end, and I found a seat beside him. He is well known to us, though he left the Homes some while ago. He has a good job in the town, and is generally liked and considered hard working and responsible by his employer. But he drinks heavily outside working hours, and lives beyond his means because of it. It was cold on the veranda, and I was still in my pyjamas and without even shoes on the cold terrazo floor.
He turned to me, looking unseeingly at me with eyes that seemed dull and lifeless, as if he was in another place talking to someone else - not me. The compound stretched away from us in heavy silent darkness....................
"Oh! I am such a bad and wicked person! I am so bad! I am SO bad! I do so much wrong, and I do it all the time. I am SO bad. I cannot know what to do - I am in despair! he began to sob and laid his head on my breast. 'I have TRIED! I have really tried to get myself right. I have tried so many times, but I cannot succeed. I am worthless and hopeless.'
My own heart was breaking for him, but he was not really speaking to me, but to himself or some other unseen being. He was desperate, and I also was full of desire to help him. I knew he could never help himself. BUT I knew the ONE who could and would help him. I spoke gently telling him of the One Who had found me and become the Answer to MY distress. But he made no sign of hearing me, only continuing to sob and groan. In the daytime when he is sober he is very self-confident and assured. Smart and vigorous he is good company and shows no sign of feeling dissatisfied with himself, or his life-style. He dons't want to talk about God when he is sober. HOW STRANGE that only when the effect of alcohol has dulled our awareness, and some how freed us from pretense, we then demonstrate who and what we really are, and what we really have become. When sober we cover up ourselves, letting our deceiptful minds assure us that all is well with our soul. Both Esther and I had 'fathers' who drank took much every day. Daily they would come confessing their error and weeping over their sins, like sinners to the Cross. But as soon as they awoke the next morning they went off nonchalanly about their usual business, immediately forgetful they were ever ashamed or sorry for their foolishness. I knew this young man to be no different. I prayed with him, comforted him with the Word of God and trusted that in the Mercy of God perhaps at least ONE word might prove powerful and effectual enought to pierce the unreal, dreamland in which he was confined. He thanked me and left. He was not unsteady. I watched him go; he would reach his own home in just a few minutes. He would be safe. I returned to bed. Esther was still awake. We shared a little and prayed. We still hope to SEE his Salvation and Deliverance. We are glad to know he KNOWS he is wrong deep within himself - we pray the knowledge will one day confront him at a SOBER moment, at a time when he will TRULY SEE the truth, and call upon his Savour. Perhaps one day he WILL remember who he is and what his needs really are. And then perhaps he will remember the one who answered him, and turn his eyes to Jesus.

DO YOU have youngsters with you, growing up, or even grown up and now away? Do you pray much for them. Do you look carefully to discover any stone of stumbling that YOU can remove that might cause them to trip or fall? Esther and I have often searched our hearts. We all, I believe, try to do our best, but it is easy to just not SEE that little stone of offence.
PAUL in 1. Corinthians 8v13 writes -

'...if food makes my brother stumble

I will never again eat meat

lest I make my brother stumble.'

Pretty stong words! And in Romans 14v20-21 he also says -

'Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.

It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine,

nor do anything by which your brokther stumbles

or is offended, or made weak.

I read this week that 50% ( a conservative estimate) of the world's population drink to excess.

Perhaps there are some that are drinking wine, spirits and alcohol without excess. Even in the families of those who have knowledge of God some drink. It is more and more socially acceptible to have wine with a meal - to have alcohol in the house and in the office as a social must! But one thing does have a habit of leading to another. Usually progressively so. Perhaps not all will fall for such example or temptation, but it is certain sure that many will. A little wine can lead to MORE wine and from wine to hard 'spirits' and the beer hall. It can look harmless, social good fun and fellowship for you - but what about HIM or HER over there. Are you ready to be responsible for encouraging them to a catastrophic future...? The pictorial warning to the left clearly defines the dangers to our physical bodies that are having their root in alchohol of an excessive kind. I am not condemning un-excessive use of alcohol, but neither am I encouraging it. Am I a kill joy? Am I just a pruddish, straight-laced pharasee? I hope not. BUT I am very much convicted about being my brother's keeper.

GOD asked CAIN (in Genesis 4) where his brother Abel was. Cain had in fact murdered and buried him. Cain answered God trulently and said 'AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?' God told Cain that his brother's blood ( LIFE) was crying out against him from the ground where he had buried him. He had to give an account! So will we........

It is our DUTY to watch out for the good of our brother/sister. It is our duty to sacrifice our own comfort, liberty, and even personal enjoyment for them if it means keeping them from harm, and from missing their way following God's Plan for their lives. We will not be forced to do it - but we will be asked to say why we didn't and to bare the responsibility when a brother or sister we might have helped from error, ends up ruined because of our own selfishness.

The week has been hot and dry, with high winds full of dust swhirling around Eldoret. But the sun has shone, and we have kept close to God. Every morning we have met together with Him and Praised Him and Thanked Him for Who He IS. We are GLAD in the Lord.

Bless you all and receive it from HIM. He loves you. He cares for you

JOHN and ESTHER

HUFFING AND PUFFING

HERE ARE SOME BOYS from Jacaranda Cottage. Eight of them, and amongst them TWO new children. Two boys aged 10 and 11 whose world was torn apart late last year when both parents died of AIDS within just a few months of each other. Oh, they still have many relatives that might have offered them a home, but none of them would! WHY NOT? Because they all were afraid to do so! SOME thought they too might catch the Virus if they had the children anywhere near them (no matter that they have been carefully informed as to how the Virus is transferred one to another, as well as the fact that neither children even have the Virus themselves!) And Some just do not want anyone to know that any member of their family has had AIDS and thus perhaps even an immoral life; they do not want to be stigmatized. You may wonder, after so many years, how people can insist on being SO ignorant and even unwilling to learn. The Children's Magistrate begged us to take them in - and even though every bed WAS taken, we 'pushed our elastic walls out' and brought them to stay. Both in School already, and to some extent settled and secure. How we wish we could take more, and more, and more. But at present it seems the Lord is confining us to present numbers - we now have 150 altogether in the four Homes.

You will see from the photo how dry the ground is, parched in fact and beginning to crack. NO rain. But this IS the right time of year for droubt! But there seems annual increases in the damage done, and already our people in the northern regions are dying because of the current lack of rain. EVEN here in Eldoret there are signs of trouble - the River that supplies our dams and water for the Town is almost dry, and we can expect the rain to hold off at least another month if not two or even three as it did last year. Much need of prayer as we see how this will affect daily life even here where few have every suffered from lack of water. Only God can keep us and that we know full well. We often look at our well ordered compounds and life, and wonder what changes might be coming to challenge us. Will WE be depending enough on Him to move Him to honour His Promise and bring us through ANYTHING - even a prolonged drought? Of course we trust we shall not be found wanting. We KNOW He will not! Many others who DO NOT have God in their lives may have no recourse or relief. We pray for them with all our heart, and if there is poverty in our town slums - and there IS - it will only become the more unbearable if drought hits us hard. It is not far from us in fact. Less than 200 kilometres away! The Enemy is 'huffing and puffing' all the while around us here in Kenya; he would love to see the Nation brought to its knees, and the 'light of the Gospel' to be dowsed. Pray for Kenya, and for His Church in Kenya - the Church of the First Born!

Last Sunday I spoke to our Fellowship on Psalm 121 - THE LORD IS OUR KEEPER.
On Monday Esther and I sold our car, an elderly Peugeot 504. The Lord had with-held His hand and funds had ckome to an end. The car was still useable, but we had been unable to renew necessary parts after the accident last year, and the engine was in a bad way as was also the gearbox. It was hard to part with it, but it was in fact a life bringing sacrifice for us all and we were able to Thank God for it, even though it was in fact a little sad. It had givien a great deal of joy and happiness not just to us, but to the children as well. And now the shiny and less dignified VOXY stands in its place. Well we thank God for that too, though methinks it will not last as long as the Peugeot - so much weaker and softer.......BUT it will still make a lot of kids happy as they get out and about in it. It is already well used! A great shopper and even occassional 'ambulence'.

ALSO THIS WEEK. I had a visit from Eli Rop, the Director and Founder of SAYARE Radio and Tv - our local Christian Station, now with branches and coverage statewide and even into Uganda. Many years sago when they were launching the Station TFH stood with them, and in a very small way encouraged them. I was able to provide programm material and we had in fact TWO weekly slots which were broadcast for many years. ELI had been remembering those days, and the Lord spoke to him and asked him to contact those initial compatriots and to give them Thanks. His 'Thanks' to us is to be the gift of a FREE 30 minute Television Documentary about Testimony Faith Homes defining its work and testimony. It will be aired twice on the Network here, and we shall also be given a copy. Wonderful! On Monday this coming week a Team will come to discuss how to present the Work here, and to map out the way the doc will unfold and be presented - then soon after they will come and finish the job!

ALSO on Monday the Kenya Revenue Authority will be descending on us to go over and investigate our finances and to see if we owe any Taxes. You may remember that I mentioned last year how they had gopne to Joshua and Miriam at NEEMA Children's Home and had told them after two or three days of 'turnover' that they needed to pay about eleven million shillings on back taxes not paid on incoming donations to the work there. SINCE then two more Missions have been visited with demands of between 12 and 16 million Kenya Shillings. On Monday they will commence with US, and may still be with us on Wednesday. We are not expecting it to be very easy, but are trusting God to be with us, and to give us peace in the midst of what might be a tense situation. NO ONE has paid so far even a shilling out to the KRA.
Again we see the 'HUFF and PUFF' of the Enemy in all this. But I think he is wasting his breath trying to blow any 'house' of God's making down. One almost feels sorry for him!
We are neverthless sensible that we are under attack in more ways than one, and would ask you to pray and stand with us. The Enemy threathens to starve us, to put our house in danger, and to try our faith.............He has permission to do so ..........and GOD has trusted us to STAND and come through it all - AND WE WILL.

Our continuing love and Thanksgiving to you All

JOHN AND ESTHER

A CRY FROM THE STREET

THE REPRINT and slightly updated edition of my Book first published in 1997 is now available - though I have limited information as to exactly HOW it may be obtained! Hopefully I will be able to communicate more perfectly about this next week, but at least SOME guidance will be provided today.

The Book is basically a sharing of my life spanning almost 70 years as from 1940 to 2008. The first 28 years were spent in and around England in various circumstances often uncomfortable. The rest of my life is described as it has unfolded here in Kenya; the second part of the book dealing with the the years 1968-1997, spilling over into the next 11 years. This part tells of my coming to Kenya and how this led to ministry and work amongst destitute and orphaned children. It tells how much may be achieved with only a little - I had only a Sixpenny piece in my pocket when I arrived in Kenya in 1968.
It is a very personal story, but TRUE, and as honest in every respect as I have been able to make it. I have quoted the Bible often - some may think too much - but do not regret having done so in any way. Nothing makes sense without the Word of God, and none of what I have written either about myself or Testimony Faith Homes which I later founded has any meaning without that same Word of God. Because of this many will have little choice than to bracket it as a product of the Christian Faith and not another. I must aquiesce to this appraisal or apology, but I feel that there is no bar or barrier set up that shuts out ANY person of any other Faith from reading it and discovering the very FACT of God, since I believe He IS the same worldwide, race wide and otherwise - a Loving, Forgiving, Seeking Father, Whose one desire is to hold each one of us in His Arms for ever.

The Book was first printed in 1997 and printed by Redwood Books and published by AENON Trust at a cost of 5 pound sterling per copy. The Reprint is printed due to the help and kindness of my family in the UK - Steven, Michael and Elisabeth. It has been published this time round by -

FASTPRINT PUBLISHING

Peterborough, England

www.fast-print.net/store.php

Printed and Bound by

http://www.printondemand-worldwide.com/

As I have already said I do not have a complete idea as to how you might obtain a copy, but we do understand that it is possible to go ON L INE direct to FASTPRINT at their Address as above.

When I went to the Web page I could not immediately find any sign of the book title. HOWEVER, I then discovered that I had to choose the Subject which in this case is MEMOIRS/AUTO BIOGRAPHY - AND THEN GO TO SEARCH

Having done this I had to type in the last THREE digits of the ISBN No.-861 And then the TITLE of the BOOK - A Cry From The Street.

AGAIN press SEARCH

THEN a picture of the Book-cover pops up and an invitation to VIEW the book

If you go for that you will be led to a preview of the book AND instructed how to receive a copy.

The advertised price this time is Pounds Sterling 11.99p plus postage. No too bad if you are living in UK but almost prohibitive if you live overseas.

If you have any difficulty ( should you seek to procure a copy ) please contact our son -

STEVEN I. GREEN

E-mail - s1green@yahoo.com

Mobile phone +44 792 990 4002

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For this week, this all I have time for. The week has been without event, though quite a trial to some of our College students who have been waiting on the Lord with us for their fees. Today ALL have managed to return to their place of learning. Thank you Jesus and all those who have worked together with Him. Continue to pray on for us who have been left behind and who will as always also continue to pray for their daily bread.

Much Love in Jesus from us both

John and Esther

HERE WE ARE AGAIN - Happy as can be!!

YES INDEED! 2011 has finally dawned, and we truly send to you all our very sincere and Loving Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ, for a VERY Blessed New Year. Most of the children in the four Homes were up until Midnight playing board games. THEN, as the hour struck they all poured out of the houses shouting and jumping, laughing and singing, and hugging each other and their parents as they Greeted the New Year. A few fireworks going off from the neighbours, and hooters and sirens sounding in the Town. Traditionally, after this exuberance, everyone takes down the Christmas Decorations. Nothing of the Old Year must be left. As everything is slowly and carefully packed away, some left over nuts, crisps and perhaps even a little cake is shared out with juice to drink. About 1. a.m. all is done and all repair to their beds. Esther and I did the same last night, and then sat down to chat a little about the year gone by and the prospects that the New Year offered.

In ENGLAND the Country of my birth, a hundred years ago, a new King was waiting to be crowned. This was George V, son of Edward Vll, son of Queen Victoria. Edward died in 1910, and George V was proclaimed King Emperor and crowned in Westminster Abbey in 1911, George was to reign until 1936 when he was 71. He was King during the 1st World War. He died just four years before I was born. His image was still circulating on stamps and coinage. As a man he was often out of step with society around him, a quiet man, disliking change and the growing dissolution of the old institutions of the Victorian Age. Yet he himself was not always polite or well mannered, and smoked heavily, the latter being the general cause of long illness ending in his death. He was also our present Queen's grandfather, not too distant from us; not too much beyond us historically. I have always liked to feel in touch with the past, both the immediate past, and also the distant past. To be without any knowledge of it at all leaves us without a foundation or tradition to base the present upon . It is said in the Bible that there came a 'generation in Egypt that did not know Joseph'.

They did not remember him, and were not influenced or socially affected by his life and example any longer due to their lack of interest. This generation is a similar generation, for it seems totally disinterested and without concern for all that has gone before. And thus perhaps our world society is in danger of slipping backward into the forest and the jungle. We lose touch with our past at our peril.

YESTERDAY Esther and I attended a House Blessing! A member of our staff from the 80's (Nicholas Mwangi ) and his wife invited us to their home to Bless it. They live about three kilometres from us, on the outskirts of town, on the way to Kapsabet. During the political trouble of 2007 they were invaded in their homestead by those of another tribe to their own, but also neighbours of many years. Their house was set on fire, and they, hiding in the bushes, watched it burn to the ground, their belongings and livestock burnt as well. They left Eldoret for a while, but as Christians did not feel it was right to run away. They returned. Nicholas to his small Electrical Business, and his wife to Nursing in one of the biggest Hospitals in town. They are Kikuyu. After three years they managed to scrape together with God's help enough money to rebuild their house. And yesterday they felt was the Day to Dedicate it. We were not the only ones to attend, but interestingly at least four others were from the Testimony Family. We prayed, shared light refreshments, and then shared the Word of God together before formally Dedicating the House and Family to God's Service in the Community where they live. It was a very moving occasion. They believe strongly that by returning and re-building God will demonstrate his love to those that previously sought their destruction. I shared very briefly from Isaiah 61v1-4 and Ezekiel 36,36 FIRST to the fact that when any of us give our life to God HE will empower us to be His Witness in demonstrating His ability to rescue us from all our troubles. He does this in order that we might then be called (known) as Trees of Righteousness, planted, empowered, by the Lord that He might be glorified. And the Scripture says

''And they shall rebuild the old ruins!

They shall raise up the former desolations

Everlasting JOY shall be their's

THEN

shall the tribes which are left all around them

know that I the LORD

have rebuilt the ruined places

and planted what was desolate.

I the Lord have spoken it.

The house is strongly build, not pretentious, but a simple statement of confidence and faith.

It was good to be there with them, and together manifest that faith to each other, and to the neighbourhood who had watched the first house burn. Surely the glory of this ''latter'' house will be greater than the FIRST? After all

Men build houses.

God builds Men

GOD has the Greatest Honour in all of this.

UNLIKE my Christmas Blogs this will be SHORT. But each Saturday I will, God Willing, continue to add a little in thought and experience relative to the daily life and living within Testimony Faith Homes. God Bless you all, and carry you into this New Year with confidence and Assurance that He IS with you.

John and Esther