TESTIMONY FARM IS GROWING!!

WELL this used to be MUM'S Woodshed, but has now in a week has been re-discovered and converted into a COW Shed and Milking Station for up to TWO cows!! The cows will hopeful appear soon!! Daryl has been pushing his small workforce in planting and many other matters such as putting up a 1000 litre water tank, capping the well, fencing and PLANTING. All has gone well, so far except for two sadnesses. The first was that the night before we capped the well, leaving it with a temporary timber cover, our oldest German-shepherd, Rupert, fell through it and drowned in the well before anyone could rescue him - it happened around dawn. Then having planted hundreds of cabbage plants we found a number of them dying off, having turned brown. It seemed that the labourers who had been planting had also been putting down chicken manure without mixing it.!! So a slight set back, but we have replanted, and other veg such as the spinach is growing well. There is progress and it is still raining!! God walks with us and we are much encouraged.

This week a second well is being dug on the Jacaranda Compound so that hopefully we shall have water there too to irrigate the second Allotment! Also final touches to the Chicken House will be made. We have found it is a little larger than we really need it to be, so part of it now will be used as a Feed Store for the Chickens. Daryl has been so busy he has become more of a Farm Manager than an Executive Director. But without his drive and flair at this initial stage we might have not been able to carry things through. We now have good foundations for the future, and no doubt he will gradually hand over his agricultural responsibilities to another.

Many areas in Kenya continue to have little or no rainfall so that drought conditions continue - very much being aggravated by the Sudanese Refugee problem, with hundreds of thousands running into Kenya. Food prices continue to escalate week by week, and electric power is being seriously rationed, also adding to the general economic crisis. Things do not look good in a general sense with government and other politicians stirring animosity and bad feeling as the time gap to the next Election in August 2012 shortens. Not a

comfortable or stable outlook. More and more concerns are being voiced by the average Kenyan, and there is a growing anxiety that the near future will only worsen. BUT God is with His People. It will be our opportunity to demonstrate that those who put their trust in Him will be saved. A demonstration which may well bring many into the Fold of the kingdom of God.

ON THURSDAY of this week, we buried our 'son' of many years, JOHANNA Nanjelo Okombo. He was 53 and had come to us when he was eleven. He passed away in hospital in his sleep.

He was confident of his Salvation. A large portion of our staff that had known and worked with him over the years, in addition to old boys and girls and of course ourselves were all at the graveside. The civil cemetery is about 9 kilometres from Eldoret Town centre at the end of a rough mud road often waterlogged at this time of year. One comes upon the cemetery suddenly. There is no fence or wall - suddenly the open fields give way to grave stones and wooden markers, and then almost as far as the eye can see they continue on every hand. It is a most desolate untended and uncared for place. There we held a Service. Joshua Mbithi, himself an AIC ordained minister was there with his wife Miriam, herself an old girl of Testimony House, plus three other ordained pastors who had grown up in Testimony House. About 100 of us altogether. It was grey and cloudy but warm. We were glad it was only the body we left there. A forlorn place to leave anyone in. But the Service was good and there was a spirit of Victory and Praise as so many Testified to His Saving Grace and remembered the miracle of Johanna's own Salvation. His young sister, Grace Atieno, and brother Edward Majimbo where there. Grace a mother of 10 children herself at 48 stayed in Green Cottage with Esther and me until this morning, when she left for her home in Maseno. Edward, working in Nairobi returned there the same day as he had only an allowance of one day to be away from his job.

ON MONDAY next week we shall commence using the Central |Kitchen for providing meals for the FOUR Homes. Everything is now ready including the two chefs - both old boys - who will be managing everything. Additionally the Central Laundry will also commence serving the four Homes as well. Things are moving along, and we hope and believe it will all assist in lowering our outgoings whilst also increasing our efficiency. Change is not only in the air here with us, but is very much the atmosphere in which we live.

Thank you for your continued prayer as you follow us via the Blog. We need those prayers; they are our strength and confidence day by day. God Bless and be with you always

John and Esther

SEARCHING FOR WATER, this young man has dug down more than 20 feet already. He says water is not far! We hope so, and we also hope he gets out alive!! Well, but this is his job in life, and he tells us he has gone down to 60 feet many times AND found water. He is sure WE will have water from this well - enough to irrigate at least the Home Plot of land now already half planted.
All through this week the Rains have been continuing, and the cultivation of the first big plot has progressed until now we can actually see cabbage plantlings instead of grass! Work has gone ahead well and Daryl has been pushing ahead with the whole business of getting Testimony Faith Homes at least partially self sustaining. In conjunction with this he has decided to also initiate and start a small Dairy! At the top left of the picture to the left you will see a small shed. This has been Esther's WOOD shed in the past, but is now already partway being changed to a Cow Shed!!

We think that with a small grass paddock and alternative feeds we will be able to comfortably support 1 cow and her calf as a beginning. Who knows.. next week we might have a COW to show you all.

All the work so far - since the completion of the Chicken House - has been concentrated on this side, but next week the chickens should finally arrive, and then also the planting out of the Jacaranda Agricultural Garden will also begin.

We are also roping in some of our senior boys who are waiting either for College places or Employment outside. Indeed in one way or another we are ALL roped in and joined together in a unified desire to see this Project not only 'take off' but also to prosper. Already this week our Bank has offered to supply us with roof guttering and water tanks to harvest rain water from the roof of one of our largest buildings in recognition of our desire to 'help ourselves'!!! Wonders will never cease!.

One or two of you have been wondering why we had never thought of doing all this a long time ago! Well in truth we did have one or two stabs at it, but somehow it never took off until now. Also the 'Authorities' always insisted that we kept enough 'play space' for the children. But we really have had more than enough play space, and now with the adjacent School Field the surrounding house lawns have become less necessary. No doubt there is a 'Time' for everything with God - and it looks as if THIS is the time.

ON TUESDAY of this week one of our Old Family Members, SAMMY KIRUI, left us to return to Oklahoma in the U.S.A. where he is studying for his Phd.

Sammy came to stay in Testimony House with me and Esther in 1983. He was then in the 3rd year of Secondary School. Always a quiet, studious boy, he loved Jesus as his Saviour. On completing Secondary he chose to go to Bible College for two years, gaining a Degree in Theology, and thereafter pastored a Church in Naivasha. Of a loving and gentle disposition Sammy has many pastoral gifts, and continued to dig into the Word of God. In 2009 he was offered the chance continue study in the U.S.A. and is now just a year away from completing his Doctorate. Sam has always kept in close touch with us, and never misses an opportunity to visit. He was able to be with us for just a week, full of encouragement and excitement at our new developments.

Everywhere he goes JESUS is right there with him, and so although still a student he is also very much a 'minister of the gospel', bring a sturdy, and positive message of Hope and Happiness wherever he goes. He is friend to all he meets without judgement or criticism. A man in whom is no guile! He is now about 44 years old. We believe the LORD has something and 'someone' special for him in the not too distant future. One of our 'stars'. THANKS Sam for being so much with, and part of us all. We are praying for YOU too.

ANOTHER OF OUR OLD BOYS, one of the oldest in fact is seriously ill in hospital. JOHANNA OKOMBO came to stay with me with his brother Doudi in Maseno in 1969. He was then about ten years old. Bright and active child though he was he had also been addicted to Marijuana. This had affected his mental health a little, but we had high hopes he would overcome. Esther and I took him with us England in 1972 when we visited, and eventually he completed Secondary School in Form 4 - but then he deserted us and dropped out of sight. It was 1980. He left in rebellion to God and man in the gall of bitterness. We wept for him. In 1987 he was arrested for armed robbery and imprisoned for ten years of his life. We tried to discover which prison he was confined in but all to no avail. Then, in 1997 we received a letter from him! He wrote -

Dear Mum and Dad,I have always known you both loved me,

and that you brought me up in the knowledge of God.

I would surely have died in sin if you had not done this for me,

and if it were not for you and God, and Jesus,

I might have died in this prison.

Because of this I and many others in the prison have been Saved

and Accepted Jesus as our Personal Saviour!

I am busy now telling others how I have spent ten years in prison

and how I have found JESUS here!

Thank you for loving me, and for loving God.

Since Jesus came into my life, even immediately as He drew me to Himself,

I have been able to give up the things I used to do and be.

And YES, if it were not HIM, I would have died in sin, in the prison.

But He has set me free. I am out of the prison now, and I am working!

I am a new person.

Your son always - Johanna Okombo.

Johanna continued to work and earn his own living, but also was often afflicted by the affects of those early years of addiction to Marijuana. He WAS Saved, and learned to trust in Jesus during moments when he felt unable to control his feelings. He bought a small piece of land and built a small simple house upon it with his earnings. He is now approximately 52. He married and has a six year old son. But his wife deserted him and is now married to another.

Johanna is now in Hospital. We found him there this week in what are called The NYAYO Wards in the huge Referral Hospital. We found him emaciated, dumped on an unmade and dirty bed together with another man who was himself near to death. Johanna has AIDS. As a complication of this he is also suffering from Pneumonia and Gastro-enteritis. Very weak; himself near to death. The Ward in which we found him was hugely overcrowded with the dying and seriously ill, (most of the two to a bed) their relatives all around them even more distressed. No sign of a nurse or a doctor. No sign of care or hygiene. It felt like the ante-room to Hell itself. A truly 'horrible' place in the midst of what has been recently built to the most modern and up to date specifications. Beautiful buildings, but only ruin and lonely despair within.

We have rescued him from there. He is in a cleaner place, where he will get at least some attention. The SAME hospital, but the care comes at a price!

We have him in our prayers. We know Jesus can heal him. HE knows that too, and is remarkably cheerful. He seemed to have no idea why he is in the hospital, and it seems he slowly became ill and just neglected to attend a doctor.

He is also part of the Testimony Family. Takes all kinds to make a family, doesn't it? And even as I write there are more tears in my eyes for others on my heart right now. Tears of Joy AND tears of deep distress as well. God sees them.

The discomfort with my right foot has gone away in answer to Prayer. Now Esther has a bad throat and needs prayer. We both plod on, glad to be here, and glad to be able to plod whilst others jog and run. We are relieved that Daryl is taking up the reins and responsibilities. We feel rested but not rejected - still part of the scene - still part of the general activity and ongoing adventure of Testimony Faith Homes. BLESS you all for your love and prayer and support. God IS good.

Lovingly - John and Esther

A START HAS BEEN MADE, and already work has begun on erecting a Broiler and Layers House. IN THE PHOTO are some of our friends from The Tyndale Christian School in Southern Australia who are here with us just now - in fact they leave us on Monday morning having been with us almost two weeks. These young people have entered into our labours with all their heart and have been busy throughout. THIS chicken House, though simply made, will cope with about 150 broilers and 100 layers at a time. We should have the first lot in within two weeks, perhaps earlier. It is sited in the compound of Jacaranda Cottage. ANOTHER one is going up in the Home of Joshua and Miriam Mbithi, at NEEMA Children's Home using the same labour force as ourselves.
SO FAR we have ploughed up all the land we had earmarked for development, and should start planting next week. The new Economy wood stove has also been installed AND the two washing machines - all with the assistance of our friends from Tyndale - and it is hoped to commence our new centralized plans for cooking and laundry by next week. This is FAST progress, and we do Thank the Lord for not only giving us Vision and Sight, but also the financial ability and physical help to bring it all to pass! AMAZING. The weather has also been on our side, with rains continuing with intermittant sunshine and warmth. There is a very definate sense that we have turned a corner, and walked into a new chapter of life.
During these days we have been reading the Book of Joshua in the early mornings. Recently we read in Joshua 3v3-5 -

'Commanding the people...

When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God

being borne by the Levitical priests,

set out from where you are and follow it.

YET A SPACE must be kept between you and it

........come not near it,

that you may be able to see the ark

and know the way you must go,

for you have not passed this way before

And Joshua said to the people,

Sanctify yourselves (that is seperate yourselves

for a special holy purpose)

for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.

The LORD had given Esther and me opportunity to step back and, in some respect, even distance ourselves from the work of TFH, when He took us to the UK for those months. And from a distance we began to SEE new things in a new way. TOO close and we stop seeing all that needs to be seen. We had needed to take that step back, and still need to keep our distance! Do you see what I mean? We can be so blind when we live right up close to each other, to our work, and even to the LORD.

Joshua says take a step or two back and get a BETTER view, a clearer view of the Lord and where He is going. Especially NOW because He is going to take you places you have never been before!

YES we feel on the way to places we have not been before. A sense of great expectancy and anticipation - HE will do 'Wonders' amongst us!

So keep praying for us, that we do not lose our way, and that all will be well with us as we follow Him from a respectful, viewable distance.

oooooooooooooooooooo

TODAY is the 30th Parents & Prizegiving Day for Testimony School. A bright sunny morning fully of promise. The Mayor of Eldoret is the Guest of Honour today, and some 500 people are expected to attend the function which includes a School Walk Around, lunch, and a School Concert in the afternoon followed by Prize Giving. Quite a lot of work. I am escaping from the Walk Around today since I have sprained my foot and it is still rather painful. Will manage all the rest of my offical duties.

AND TOMORROW we have our Morning Service in the open air in front of the Baptistry - more than FIVE to be Baptised. It will be VERY cold water!!! Always an exciting service, and we expect a great Blessing. The students and teachers visiting from Tyndale School will also be with us, and at least one of their number is also to be baptised. THEN on Sunday evening the Team from Tyndale will host a supper for EVERYONE - all the children and staff - in the Homes. Should be a fun evening for everyone and a chance to take farewell of each other. It has been a VERY full week..........We thank God for His Providence and Goodness to us all.

Much Love to you

John and Esther

NEW BEGINNINGS

SAFELY BACK IN ELDORT, and thrust into active service once more at breakneck speed. We left Heathrow on the 28th June, and were met in Nairobi early on the 29th by Joe, Mary Kibe and their daughter Mugure. We journied about 40 ks to their home in Ngong where we were joined by other members of the family, and later still in the evening by Daryl who motored up from Eldoret. We had a happy reunion and time of fellowship.

The next morning we departed for Eldoret, and Testimony Faith Homes arriving about 4.30p.m. our time. A LOT of Greetings awaiting us there. AND a lot of CHALLENGE!! But before proceeding further Esther and I just want to again THANK our family and friends in the UK who welcomed us, feted us, and gave to us renewed impetus and strength to face unfinished ministry here amongst the children of Kenya. Since our arrival we have found ourselves plunged into a great deal of activity demanding immediate attention and energy - and we have not felt so FRESH and VIGOROUS in applying ourselves to it for a long time! We have therefore suddenly realised that indeed we received EXACTLY what we needed in being away for the work here, and in having what amounted again and again to what seemed an almost 'forced' rest. We ourselves I think had not realised how much we both needed renovation! We have returned like NEW people, finding renewed vision and adventure bubbling up everywhere - and still in the midst of a very adverse economical scenario.

Prices still soaring on basic foodstuffs and some basic commodities just not available in the entire area - for example maize meal, cooking bananas which for the foundation of our diet quite unobtainable. The government so far seems unable or unwilling to sort the situation out. Countries around us such as Ethiopia, Sudan, and Eritrea are all suffering severe and prolonged lack of rain and thus famine greater than they have seen for perhaps as long as 60 years. But Kenya although also experiencing drought in one or two regions has had rain enough to produce annual harvests.......but where did those harvests go to? We have had enough to actually feed ourselves, yet now the government is in denial and refuses to accept that it is in any way to blame for what they now claim in a national food shortage. Of course it is as usual the man in the street, the unemployed, poor that suffer the most........and we also with them.

We arrived with just a thousand pounds in hand to throw into the Housekeeping need and then threw ourselves into considering how to bring down our own cost of living within TFH. Daryl, Esther and I met together with our Houseparents to consider options, and we came up with the following ideas.

FIRST to turn our hand to providing our own vegetables, milk, eggs, and even chicken meat in a bid to reduce our monthly food bill by almost a thousand pounds. Rather ambitious, but not impossible as it turns out. FIRST we took a long look at the lawns that surround Testimony House and Jacaranda Cottage, as well as some of the School amenities that have encroached on our ground. We saw that some of these areas could be put to agricultural use and it has been decided to -

(a) Create a Small Market Garden

by resiting the School Nursery playground from Testimony House grounds

to the School playing fields, AND by ripping up some lawns on the Jacaranda

Cottage side - 1 and a half acres altogether! We have now already had it

ploughed up and made ready for planting - WE have rain!!!! We hope to put

down some MAIZE, and also enough green vegetables, onions, tomatoes,

and even root crops

to feed our community of 150 hungry kids.

(b) Adventure into Animal Husbandry

by establishing a small (two cow) Dairy to supply MILK,

and also a Chicken Project to provide for EGGS and CHICKEN to eat.

RIGHT NOW the actual structures for these projects are in the process of being researched and put up. Additionally we intend to

(c) Centralise the Catering & Laundry

for the 4 Children's Homes. Each house has cooked its own food in its own

kitchen with it's own cook. But now we are going to use only ONE kitchen;

the one in Testimony House, to cater for ALL. Food will be prepared and cooked

there and then distributed to the Homes in 'Hot pots'. This will be in respect of

daily Lunch and Suppers. This will reduce the number of cooks we need.

The Houseparents will prepare Breakfast for their own children in their own Homes,

and also evening tea before bedtime.

Similarly the New Room of Testimony House, which adjoins the Kitchen

will become the Laundry for ALL four Homes with one woman

in charge.

To assist this to run well we are having to put in two economic wood stoves for cooking in the Central Kitchen and two washing machines (very simple, durable top loaders) in the Laundry.

We hope to have most of this at least beginning to run as planned within one month. It will mean laying off surplus domestic staff - about six in all. Altogether we expect to save between 2 and 3 thousand pounds per month finally.

Ushering all this in, our Board of Management met last night and delightedly encouraged the whole enterprise. They also saw fit to appoint Daryl, who was holding the fort here whilst Esther and I were away to be Executive Director over all the ministry of TFH. I myself will still be here as General Secretary responsible to correspondence, finance, and local public relations. I shall conduct most of this from Green Cottage, and Daryl will move into my Office. In the end everyone seemed to think

this was a very good initial move to secure the

ongoing future and direction of the work here.

DARYL was eight when he arrived here with his brother in 1980. He was educated in Testimony Primary and Secondary Schools and the Kenya Highlands Bible College, Kericho in 1997. He married Carol, his wife in the same year, and both found employment with us in the Homes until now - Daryl with just a short break - and Carol until she left Teaching in our School to start a small educational institute of her own in Town. They have three children, Jesse, Rebekah and Jeremy, and live in their own rented house about two kilometres fro us.

Daryl also has a Diploma in Business Management which he obtained at night school. As many of you will know Daryl has had a challenged Christian life, but it has been good to see his fight to overcome, and we believe that he is back on track for Jesus, and stronger and more sure of himself than before. His family also rallying around him.

I have run on and on! Tyndale School staff and students (25) of them are here right now all helping with implementing some of the above projects and enjoying time with our children. They have offered to help with the purchase of the the capital items mentioned above, and also with the building of the chicken house!!! And they knew nothing about it all till they arrived and found us in the midst of these innovations.

God Bless you all - we are all watching and waiting together.

Lovingly in Jesus

John and Esther