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