INTRODUCING 'ROSIE', cow number one - AND by way of a surprise, cow number TWO in the photo, lying down, has also come to stay - just a day ago! Things have really been changing. All this in just over a month since 6th July when we first ploughed up the ground for a Garden! It is quite WONDERFUL in our eyes! Rosie cost us a hundred pounds and her little sister at sixty - all through the goodness of a local farmer who has himself been supplying milk to the Homes. Real Christian kindness! Generally they will be on 'Zero Grazing' but we did not want them to be imprisoned entirely in a concrete jail, and so they do have a walk about area as well. So far so good - NOW Daryl is looking into a Bio-Gas System! Rosie is four months with calf, and No.2 is six months.

JOSEPH ROP, our Houesparent in Jacaranda is currently doing the job of Cow-man, Milking and Mucking-out - but this is only temporary, and we should be getting someone special to b

e the Chief Dairyman! Who knows in the future we might make cheese !!!!Shades of Gromet!

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHICKENS? Yes I am sure some are wondering why we have said so little. Well we ran into a few hitches with the Chicken House. It is a very roomy and well planned building, but on inspection it was found to be NOT rat proof and so we have had to make a few changes to make it safe.

RATS are very plentiful in our locality and of course we cannot risk our little chicks becoming a prime attraction for them. All is now finished and NEXT week we plan to get the first batch of layers. We are not buying day olds, but a bit older first time round. This will also save a bit on Feeds. AND latest news - we have found MORE water very close to the Chicken House so now we have two sources. Very exciting.

AND Centralised Cooking began on Wednesday, and the Central Laundry opened the same day.

Both are working out. SO, all systems GOing well!! Thank you Father, we know you are looking down upon us - still as children in your sight. May we remain so day by day.

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LAST WEEK we buried Johann Nanjelo, one of our first boys. On the day I wrote the Blog we later heard of a further loss. A loss to the School, to us personally, and to all the staff and students who had known them. TWO of our longest serving Teachers (they joined us in 1990) a married couple, JOSEPH AND RACHEL OCHIENG, both died in a car crash that morning. They had been travelling to Nakuru to meet with their children, and future in-laws of one who was to get married. Joseph was 55 and Rachel 51. Both taught in the Primary School. They were alone in the car, and died immediately. A real tragedy, and plunged the School into mourning. The Funeral was yesterday and they were buried together in the same cemetery as Johanna. The School had a Memorial Service for them on Thursday morning in the School Hall. I managed to attend although I have been struggling with a bout of bronchitis. I was unable to attend the actual Burial but Esther and Daryl went. We shall all miss them enormously. Great numbers of family, friends, and students attended the Funeral.

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FINALLY, for this week, we have to announce a change in our Staff.

Steven and Emily Situma, houseparents in Drakeley Cottage since 2003 have left us. Steven has taken a position as Caterer in a large Nairobi Mission. He was trained for this years ago, and has always I think missed that kind of work. Some of you may remember that last year we had a problem in the Homes with discipline. We had discovered some of the children had been beaten. One of those involved, and who in fact stood accused of abuse of this kind was Steven. He had been warned on several occasions, and we feel that he and Emily had decided to leave us - and children's work - as a result. We wish them well, and trust that the Lord will continue to lead and guide them into His Perfect Will. We already have replacements, and are happy to see that the general atmosphere in Drakeley Cottage has become much happier and freer. It is remarkable that this change should have also come in this first month. And still the RAIN pours down upon our favoured part of Kenya whilst the greater part continues rainless and parched.

Continue to pray with and for us. We all need strength from each other in the Spirit of God. We all need each other's prayers. May our Father in Heaven keep you safe and sound by His Grace in the Name of our Lord JESUS.

John and Esther

NB - Apologies for not putting this up yesterday, but we were unable to get onto the Web due to some external technical problems.