AND AT LAST THE CHICKS HAVE ARRIVED! 204 ALTOGETHER - 100 Layers and 104 Broilers.

They are all snug and growing daily in a special Brooder where they will probably stay for some TWO weeks before being transferred into the main Poultry House. So now all is set up for the FIRST Round.

The NEXT BIG EVENT should be the birth of our expected calves!! Maybe even in the coming week. SO everything is now moving along well and truly, and what was only and 'idea' ten weeks ago has become a working reality.

However, we still have room to EXPAND the whole project, so if the next six months is a success then we may double the input!! Daryl is already planting a small ORCHARD now with Apple. Orange, Paw-paw, and Avocado trees.

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Last week I shared that our School had re-opened for the 3rd Term. BUT for the last week all the Government Schools have been unable to function due to all their Teachers being on strike.

In Kenya the 3rd Term of any year is always the most important, since in October/November the National Final Examinations for both Primary and Secondary are attempted. Students now shut out of class are obviously going to seriously suffer from deprivation. Basically Teachers are complaining about poor conditions - some are forced to take Classes of more than 80 children - and also, of course, inadequate salaries. So far no end in sight. BUT it does seem even more unfair to use the future of children, dependant upon their expertise, as a 'lever' to get what they want, however legitimate it might be. These days it seems that 'the end justifies the means' in any situation!

WE, of course, are NOT on strike since we are a Private Christian School which generally has been successful in providing good working conditions.

THE NUMBERS of children now on Eldoret Streets are increasing. Since Esther and I returned from UK we have noted a worsening situation on our Streets. Children of ALL ages and sexes seem to be coming in every day. Also the majority seem to be in poorer circumstances and also already clutching 'sniffing' bottles of glue. There seems no official reason or comment on this from the Local Authorities. This is quite worrying - mainly since it seems the Children's Department in our area has become inactive. Early in the year I would have known a little more through the Uasin Gishu Children's Services Forum, but this body has somehow become less well informed and also less involved in current trends. Also I have in fact resigned as its General Secretary due to the fact that generally the Body has become more moribund with a more academic approach to children's social services, and also a concern amongst its members on how to raise funds. However, I remain connected to the State Probation Service, and also to the Juvenile Court. In the next weeks I hope to poke my private nose into some of these matters and find out exactly what is happening.

In my opinion we still need our local Children's Service contributors to come together in order to monitor what is going on in our immediate area and locality, and to become a VOICE that will be able to bring attention to bare wherever it is necessary on behalf of Children. We still have more than 2.8 million homeless children in this Country.

Generally in Testimony Faith Home, we are all well. Even with increasing bad weather, which has now extended beyond the normal seasonable limit, we have experienced less illness than usual. Rain is still visiting us daily, and the days are almost continuously cloudy, with temperatures of 18C on an average - not too cold by UK standards, but VERY cold for us in Eldoret and Nairobi where we live about 6.500 ft above sea level, and perhaps the thinner air makes us all feel chillier! Hoping warmer weather is on the way by the end of this month.

The general material fabric of the Homes (two of our Homes are between 60 and 100 years old) and the School (some of the buildings first built in 1986) still looks fair from the outside, but they ARE ageing and needing repair and renovation in many places. Things like bedding - again especially in the two first implemented Homes - long overdue in provision of replacement of components. But we are still functional and able to continue onwards. We remain a secure, homely environment with added ability to offer above average educational facilities.

MORE THAN THIS we are seeing a move of the Spirit of God amongst the children both at home and at school. Since our new Chaplain, Wykliffe Ondanga, arrived last year we see Decisions for Christ almost every Sunday. This has been the most significant and wonderful factor to note - and even at such times; times of material want and challenge. Truly God has been and IS good to us. And in saying this I must also recognise that all of His Goodness and Care was expressed to us through your own fellowship and support. A verse of Scripture I have often quoted in past years remains very close to our hearts because of its truth and relativity, daily, to our ongoing lives together. It does not describe our permanent situation, but it certainly can be found to apply many times in our ongoing experience. Let be quote it again now from the Amplified Bible Translation -

'For we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about the affliction

and oppressing distress that befell us --- and how we were so utterly and unbearably

weighed down and crushed that we despaired even of life itself.

Indeed, we felt within ourselves

that we had received the very sentence of death,

but that was to keep us from trusting in and depending on ourselves instead of on God

Who raises the dead.

For it is He Who rescued and saved us from such a perilous death,

and He will still rescue and save us:

in and on Him we have set our hope( our joyful and confident expectation

that He will again deliver us from danger and destruction and draw us to Himself.

While you also cooperate by your prayers for us (helping and labouring together with us).

Thus (the lips of) many persons

(turned toward God will eventually)

give thanks on our behalf for the grace

(the blessing of deliverance)

granted us at the request of the many who have prayed.

2. Corinthians 1v8-11

And this brings to a close this week's update. We pray and trust that you are yourselves all well and blessed. Receive of our love always in Jesus our Saviour.

John and Esther