A LITTLE BIT OF ICE CREAM...!

THIS IS YUSUF TAJIRI, aged 8 years old.       He had just arrived home as of yesterday afternoon, having had a Tonsillectomy the day before.    His smile reflects the unexpected 'delight' of being fed almost solely on ICE CREAM ever since!

Yusuf has grown up in TYNDALE Cottage with Senge and Micah Yego since April 2006, when he was not quite two years old.   he has been the 'boss' of his age group, but in a most applauded manner; greatly loved and admired by his peers for his bold, outgoing, and good natured style.

His parents are (we think) both alive.   They are first cousins in their family, and according to 'custom' within their Tribe, it is impossible for them to be allowed to keep the child themselves.   Both were under age at the time, and it is likely they will not even have been told what happened to Yusuf.    WHY is he called YUSUF - he is not from an Islamic background?   We do not know.     It is no longer remarked upon here, and YUSUF is just very much Yusuf to us all, and very much a Joy and Delight.   He has suffered serious and recurring Tonsillitis since he was 2, and last year our doctors felt that to safeguard risk to his heart a Tonsillectomy would be necessary.   He has come through, as you can see, quite resiliently - by God's Grace, AND in part no doubt to the ICE CREAM that has followed it.   I remember feeling much the same and for the same reason, after my own Tonsillectomy when I was six - Yumms!!!

TODAY our very dear friends IAN and DIANA Hogley have left us.   They were with us for only a few days this time, but God willing we hope to see them again later in the year - probably September.   We have felt so very blessed that they are able to frequently visit Kenya and us!      Esther and I have known them since we got married, and we have remained friends throughout.     Additionally the Lord led them to also become involved in another Children's Work on the outskirts of Nakuru Town - RIZIKI Children's Home.     It was started by Julius and Esther Kivindyo, a very dear and loving couple, and you may remember that we also attended its Official Opening with Ian and Diana in 2010.  It has continue to flourish and care for needy children, and Ian and Diana will by this time be with them all.    They will continue for some days there till it is time for them to return to Huddersfield.

AND NOW HERE WE ARE ALONE ONCE MORE in Green Cottage and we are already halfway through February - we are left quite breathless by the speed of passing days and events.   This week-end is our School Half Term, so for a moment, at least, we feel held in limbo ...... before finding life forging ahead again into the next chapter of events - whatever they may be.    And after all it is only another ten months until Christmas.

The weather for this last week has been wonderful.  HOT and DRY, but not in the least uncomfortable, with light to moderate breezes, blue skies and peacefulness.    How fortunate we are!    BUT, a few days ago there was torrential RAIN in Nairobi, and yesterday our own area became suddenly overcast with cloud ........could it be a little shower might come our way also?    That would be SO refreshing, for after a while the DUST does get up one's nose, and the earth beneath the feet, is parched and cracked.   

BUT the weather HAS been good for building works, and now the back end of DRAKELEY Cottage has been completely repaired, and we only wait for the final drying before painting and tidying up.

THIS WEEK the builders have been mending cracks and replacing tiles on the inside bedrooms and bathrooms.   They have also completed refurbishing the Kitchen.   It all looks good.    And now this coming week they will continue down to TYNDALE Cottage to do the same for their Kitchen, and then back to JACARANDA as well.     We feel happy that the Lord has helped so much to be done on this side of the road.       Just the Driveway left - quite a big one made of earth and stones, muddy in the Wet Season, and DUSTY in the summer.      It has been endured since we moved into Jacaranda in 1975, but it will be nice one day to see the dust laid, and feet and shoes kept cleaner.

HERE above is also one of the most recent photos of the completed end wall of Drakeley Cottage.    The Contractor had to dig under and into the foundation eventually and then bolster and re-enforce it with more concrete.    Then a new Retaining Wall was built along the whole length with four Buttresses as well.     He says nothing will ever move.     We hope and believe so.    Once the site has been properly cleaned up and the grass re-grown it will all look fine.

FRANCIS and Eunice, Dad and Mum of the Home, are truly glad to have the full use of the two bedrooms and bathrooms back at last - after months of restricted and uncomfortable 'make-do' living conditions.    AND glad for the Kitchen Face Life as well - a  photo here included.     You may remember that last year we had decided to experiment and centralise cooking for the four Homes.   Each Home up to that time had used its own kitchen to prepare and cook its own food - with its own cook.    THEN we turned Testimony House Kitchen into the Central Kitchen for all four Homes, with just two cooks.    Everything was prepared and cooked there, and then distributed at meal times.     This did in fact save a lot of money.     But we also discovered that it took away some of the family homeliness from each house - it just wasn't the same.     SOOOO!    We have now returned almost to where we were - each house with its own working kitchen but without a professional cook.    NOW the Mum in each Home is the Cook as well.     This was not immediately seen as a good idea by the Mums, but NOW they wonder why we had not done it before.    It has brought so much more bonding between the children and the Mums. and now the Kitchen has become what it always ought to have been - a Meeting place to lend a hand, laugh and joke, and generally generate that homely, family atmosphere we have all these years been trying to improve.    Thank you LORD, for helping us to go on LEARNING?

THE FARM is carrying on.      Water still in our wells but not as much as we had hoped.    We can still water daily, at night, and it keeps us going well enough to grow enough.    But the air and earth is DRY.

The Gardens begin to look a bit more burnished than green - kind of shut down a little.     The Cows are fine.    One that calved latest contracted Mastitis, and although she recovered, lost a lot of weight and of course milk production.    The other has continue to supply ALL that we need alone.    Both bull calves born earlier have now been sold.      Our third cow and the BIGGEST is also in calf - may deliver by the end of this months - another cow we hope, rather than a bull.

AND the CHICKENS continue to lay eggs at least 50 every day at present, AND another 200 Broilers growing bigger every day.     Yes the Farm is working,

And so I will close once more, for another time.       Thank you for your prayers and good wishes always.

We feast upon them, and in return pray for you and yours just there where you are.     Truly this is 'Working Together' and it IS most remarkable.      God BLESS you all

John and Esther

PS_  To Dear Friends John and Alison ATKINS - we have become disconected from our end.    We would love to be able to write to you, so if you should read this please do e-mail  a contact address to us.

To ALL our friends and Family - if you have ANY suggestion for making this Blog more interesting, eye catching, or challenging please feel free to tell us.