ASSURED BUT NOT COMPLACENT

THIS WEEK ON WEDNESDAY, a nine year old Asian girl from Class 3 of the Primary section of Testimony School, was dropped by her mother as usual, early.   She ran into her class to join others, also arrived.   Ten minutes later she was called out by another student (the class did not begin till 7.30a.m.!!)    She returned almost immediately saying she was going home again, but would be back soon - she left her school bag in the care of her friends.    She seemed excited.
Outside some five hundred yards from her classroom in the School car park, in full view of other students and arriving parents, she got into a dark blue car and drove away.      The teacher, knowing nothing of this when she arrived for the Class, marked her absent.      No one took any notice until her mother arrived to take her home at the end of the afternoon lessons.      KIDNAPPED?    YES it certainly seemed that way, and almost as soon as the child's mother arrived home, there was a phone call demanding a million shillings if the child was to be returned safe -  (about £10,000).   Panic.    We have a number of Asian children in the School, and immediately phone calls to the school by many of them saying they would take their children out; the school was not safe any more.        Nothing WE could do about that!    It had been SAFE for more than 25 years!    The Media and the TV took the event up the following day, and the School once more pounced upon as being 'insecure' and our children unsafe.     But during the evening the child vanished, her father and members of his community visited me and Esther, and we sat and discussed every facet of the matter.      We had gleaned a few more pieces of information and together we went over every thing we knew - the result being that, it was realised that the child went willingly, and therefore knew who she was going with.        There were also other clues that suggested that the assailants were themselves Asian, and may have been more than acquainted with the girl's family'

The Police Flying Squad Team were called in.         The next day went by and the child was still not found, and no further news filtered through to us.      However on Friday, just after lunch, we were advised that the girl had been restored to her parents, having been left at a well known location for the parents to pick up.  She was upset, but unharmed.       Yesterday she asked to see some of her teachers and class mates and they all went to her home.     She was anxious to return to school, and it seems she WILL  do so with the full support of her family, on Monday next.!        Was this 'kidnapping' for REAL?    Was a Ransom ever paid?  We do not know.   BUT there is a kind of feeling about it that it was almost a practical joke to provoke the child's family......or maybe to WARN them of what can happened to them..........

On our side we are SO GLAD and relieved the little girl is safe and well.    PRAYER had gone after her from the moment it was known what had happened.    God is Good!      We also appreciate so much the continuing trust and faith the family are showing to the School by being so willing for the child to return.

However we have felt concerned that maybe we COULD have done more, and certainly it is a warning to us.    We are therefore considering putting up some hidden surveillance cameras in the public areas as an added security factor -  not counting possible kidnappings, the crime is rising in  this town, so it will be a useful precaution even against theft for the future.       It is sad that life seems to become more threatening and anti-social as days go by - and not just in Eldoret!!     A sign of the times?   Certainly a sign of progressive deterioration in our world societies as a whole.    As the Word of God tells us - ' things WILL wax (get) worse and worse,'  before the END comes.      Those who trust in GOD can be assured He will watch over them, but none of us should be so complacent as to think that we can never be touched - we are all marked and pursued by the Enemy.
THE SAME DAY that this child disappeared from her classroom, the father of our Primary School Head-teacher (a local businessman) was SHOT DEAD on his way to work!!    As weeks go this one was far from peaceful, or uneventful.      It is not always like this - Thank God.

This looks GOOD !!

The BACKDROP to all these goings on remains the daily life of the Homes and School.     The School is more or less unchanging day to day, it's ebb and flow largely budgeted for from the incoming fees from the 400 or so families that send their children to school here.      Our 140 or so in and out of the classroom day by day, and the 550 from outside dropped and picked up - all in between running from class to class to the command of Bells and Buzzers to be taught by some 53 teachers.      Busy!      Not untouched by continually rising costs in relation to school needs such as food, stationary, text books, classroom equipment and son, but still able to to make ends 'just' meet, without having to consider increasing the School Fee yet.        The Homes are unable to budget because they cannot predict income at any time.    The Ebb and Flow can be higher or lower, but never constant.       On Monday of this week we had an empty Bank Account.       We were glad of our chickens, eggs, vegetables and milk.    We were able to still eat.     We had also had a gift locally, from a farmer, of Maize and Beans, so our diet, although rather unexciting, remained nourishing and filling!!    On Wednesday we heard that the Lord had encouraged some to send funds to us, and so although still waiting their arrival we were heartened by knowing that He continued to secure OUR daily lives at home.    The rains are continuing but the SUN is shining as well, and the children are happy AND safe.        This is where I throw in a few photos of EATS times.     We eat three times a day in the Homes.   Each Family enjoys the same dietary components, but please themselves as to how to prepare and present them.    Provisions are bought for a week in advance when funds allow, or a day at a time.

Micah Yego having lunch with Tyndale Family

Each Family Home is given the same items according the number eating in each house.    So Breakfast comes first of course, then Lunch, and then Supper.   Mum or Dad, or both, always sit down to eat with the children.     Not ALL the children re-act with the same delight to see food on the table in front of them as those  above - BUT all do enjoy eating, and nothing is EVER left on the plate!!!!    One of our united rules is that whatever is asked for is put on the plate, and it MUST be ALL eaten - waste not want not!!

It seems to work well.      BREAKFAST is not very heavy.   It consists of Tea or Porridge  with homemade bread, and margarine

LUNCH is always a cooked meal consisting of stewed maize and beans OR Ugali (a kind of stiff pudding made from maize flour) with stew,( or eggs, onions and tomatoes), or cabbage.    Chapatis (a thick pan cake) plus stew can also be served weekends.    SUPPER is the same but usually different to the lunch.    MEAT or CHICKEN is added twice or three times a week.

FRUIT is also bought (oranges, apples, bananas, plumbs, mangoes - whatever is available) and one per person handed out twice a week.      EVENING COCOA also usually provided mid evening before bedtime.        The House Mothers are the Cooks these days, and have their hands full, but the older children chip in at week-ends when they are home from School, and also help washing up and so on.

The menu is plain, but nourishing.       Generally we will hope to be able to spend something in the region of Ksh.400,000 per month on food - (£3,000) or £20 per person per month.  (together with the parents, there will be 150 sitting down to eat daily.  (Before we started the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry this would have cost us another £1,000 - £1500 per month!)

We give our each of our house parents £100 per month.    They have a bedroom of their own, but their children share dormitories with the others.    They are on call 24 hours a day, with one clear day off, when they are free to leave the compound or whatever they feel like doing.    They also have the usual 21 days holiday plus National Holidays, - but this has to be taken outside of school holidays.    They must clothe themselves, see to private family needs, and so on without further help from us.     This salary will be on a par to that  of a 'domestic cleaner'.     Considering that they also have to given up freedom of movement, and family privacy we feel this definitely needs a 'calling' to make it acceptable.    Sometime soon I will publish photos of each 'Dad and Mum'.

Well I am trying to fill in the background for you.     Questions and comments remain welcome.   Week by week I hope to add a little more, and maybe tell a story or two.      Hope this will keep you in the picture, and give you just a little feeling of being IN the work and ministry here together with us.     

FINALLY this week, a few photos of our rather 'rustic' green house - busily growing tomatoes.   We hope for a really good yield,  and eventually, perhaps, one day a bigger and stronger Green House to grow even MORE for us to eat.

The last of our College students have managed to go off to their respective Colleges as from yesterday.    Always feels good to know they are going on towards their final goal of being independent and able to take their own place in society.  Two teachers, one nurse, four accountants, two chefs, an electrician, and four computer technicians.   Wow.

God Bless you real good this coming week, and undertake for all your own needs, and anxieties.     We are so glad to have you with us as we pray together.    

John and Esther

ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY

LAST WEEK I PROMISED to bring our children back into focus, and perhaps to spend more space talking about day to day affairs related to our four families that make up the BIG ONE FAMILY of Testimony Faith Homes.   As I am typing this I can look out through the BIG picture window of my sitting room in Green Cottage directly across the lawn to Testimony House - I still miss being Dad to the forty or so boys and girls that grew up there with Esther and me.     But even though most of them have left, the ones that are there now still wander over to spend time with us - Older now, and grandpa and grandma instead of Mum and Dad, but it is still good to have a place to fill, and a part to play in family life.  

SO TO BEGIN WITH a photo of the current Family of one hundred and forty children with their house parents taken outside Testimony House last week.    Some are in fact missing, since there are about another ten in College pursuing higher education who still are counted part of the 140, spending holiday times with the family until they complete education and have found a job

TESTIMONY HOUSE makes up a family of 36' 24 boys and 12 girls aged from 3 to 22 years.   Hesketh and Alice Muli are House parents (extreme left and right front).  
The house has a long history going back to 1908, built by Dutch trekkers who came up from Cape Colony.   It is a mud brick house, warm and comfortable, though not modern.   Since 1972 when we first began to use it, it has been a happy house, and I believe it must have seen and known only good and happy things since it was first built as a farmhouse for a family of 7!   It has seven bedrooms, and a nine hundred sq. ft. living room.

JACARANDA COTTAGE has a family of 37.  31 boys and 6 girls aged 4 to 22.   They have the biggest group of teenage and above youngsters.   2 in College, and 4 looking for employment right now.    Joseph and Beatrice Rop are Dad and Mum in this house.     It is not SO old a building as Testimony House;   probably built in the early thirties.    It is situated across a fifty foot road just opposite the Testimony House and School Compound. We began by renting it in 1975 but it now belongs to us.   It is NOT such a happy house in character and personality as Testimony.    A bit Gloomy, and not well planned.  It does not have a good history either with a rumour of a murder having taken place in it.      Eventually we would like to knock it down and put down a lawn and play ground, rebuilding opposite in the still spacious compound.    But the current family seem at peace in the home, and a lot of joy and laughter can be seen there.    The Rops are our oldest couple  serving as house-parents - now in their middle late fifties. Beatrice is on the far left and Joseph on the right.    

AN UP TO DATE INCIDENT !     This week, yesterday in fact, we had to take one of the 13 year old boys from Jacaranda Cottage to the District Children's Office to be confronted by the District Children's Officer and the LAW!      Melvin (not his real name) came to us when he was four years old, an outcast from his family, disowned because of the circumstances of his birth (hardly his fault) which are held in taboo by his particular tribe.     This year he has twice been found trying to molest seven year old girls in the School classrooms during breaks.     This was of course thoroughly gone into with the Teachers, and Melvin, who is a very polite, and inoffensive boy, was counselled.      However last week he was discovered yet again with one of the youngest (6 year old) girls in Jacaranda.     This seriously disturbed the house parents, and we were confronted with the problem of what next to do.      We do not feel the boy is mentally or even psychologically disturbed.     He appears quite normal in his general behaviour in all other respects, and is trying in School.     Probably just teenage and his sex drive kicking in.......yes maybe, and certainly this cannot be ignored.      BUT...........he has a friend at school ( day scholar from outside of the Homes)  who has been now discovered with a mobile phone (forbidden in the School).    It is able to access the NET, and the boy is accessing hard porn and sharing it with his friends.     We think this has opened up quite a few cans of worms that have got into our Melvin's head.       Our Pastor has talked at length to Melvin and feels that he will be OK, but needs careful watching, continued counselling and good fellowship.   This is the time good mentoring needs to be lovingly given by his house parents.
Standing in front of the Children's Officer yesterday morning - he is not very tall - he looked very much alone and in pieces.    I was there, with Daryl, and the House-mother.       His case was set in front of the Officer, who then went into the seriousness of the matter and set out what should now happen - ie Melvin should be removed to a Remand Home, and thence later perhaps to another more serious type of Correction Centre.        WE had previously stated we were still willing to continue keeping him and that we felt we could persevere and see him come through his present problem.       THUS, finally we were able to return home with him.       NOW it remains for US to do our part.      With a big family it is easy for a house parent to sit back and hope everyone will be happy with the status quo,  BUT Esther and I always found that there is a necessity to keep an eye on everyone, and to make sure they were well supervised, well loved, and well noticed.       However we feel strongly that with continuing prayer and encouragement to his teachers and 'parents' Melvin will find himself,  manage control of himself, and become a fine young man with a happy future before him.      The Bible does say LOVE NEVER FAILS, and never gives up.   Something we all must remember in our dealings with each other throughout life.

DRAKELEY COTTAGE - was built in 2007/8 on the same compound as Jacaranda Cottage, about a hundred metres away.     It is the sister house to Tyndale Cottage which is at the other end of the narrow compound of some 2.8 acres, built at the same time.      Drakeley is parented by Francis (one of our old boys of many years ago)  and Eunice Lahol.   They are a family of 30 + their own son and daughter.  Basically 21 boys and 9 girls. aged between 8 and 22.        Francis and Eunice are the second set of House parents to be caring for this family.    They have only been with us for six months, but are managing very well indeed.

AND FINALLY - TYNDALE COTTAGE - a family of 37 children aged between 4 and 18.    25 boys and 12 girls, all cared for by Micah and Catherine (Senge) Yego the house-parents.   Catherine is also an old girls of ours from many years ago.     They are at present the youngest population wise of all four homes, and are a very happy group  indeed.       In addition to those mentioned Micha and Catherine have a baby girl, and an infant son of their own living in with them.

This now brings an up to the minute picture of the children in our care and the first insight into the many aspects of daily life here.     As we continue on I hope to open up a lot more, and any questions or comments are welcome.

THE RAINS are continuing - Friday another very heavy hail storm which has once more laid low our much needed vegetables.     Right now it is a BEAUTIFUL day.     But we find ourselves waiting on God to hear OUR prayers.         It feels as if our prayers are being blocked or held up as they were for Daniel.  But we know God HEARS, and that He will answer.    Please pray against the Enemy of our souls, that he may be cast down and out of our affairs, and that we may be relieved of our present severe famine.

God Bless and be with you all

John and Esther  

A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY

YES IT HAS BEEN MY BIRTHDAY, yet again, yesterday, Friday the 11th May!   72 now - and commencing my seventy third!   It was a good day, beautiful weather, many Greetings from family and friends all over.    AND for the first time I received a phone call from my very own SISTER in Bonny Scotland!!    Very special it was to be able to talk together once again.   It remains more remarkable than I can begin to say that after a lifetime we are are in touch and aware of each other.   God is indeed good.

In the evening we were able to enjoy a Family Dinner together.    Esther and me, plus Daryl and Carol, their children. Jesse, Becky and Jeremy, with our sons Edward and Manu.     It was a good time with a CAKE later in the evening.    I 'managed' to blow out the candles ( not a BIG deal really!) with the help of our youngest grandchild, Jeremy.     Balloons, laughter, and good fellowship all together - what more could one wish.     I was filled with Thanksgiving.     The only real regret was that our three other children, Steve, Mike and Elizabeth, their spouses, and children could not also be with us.     Something that rarely happens.    But we were able to speak via SKYPE with Steve, Anji and their children, Tonia and Eric during the evening, and messages via face book from Mike and Janet, and Liz and Prem.    Not bad.........!       What more can I say, taking as I do each day of Grace as it comes; with a kind of curious expectancy and Wonder about whatever will happen next!.....
I can merely REPEAT what I wrote this week's on Face Book  -
ONLY that the One Who first Thought of me, designed and created me, has faithfully WATCHED over my life every second until now!   As I look back, I only see proof of His Care, the Truth of His Word and Promises, and a PATIENCE with me that puts all my own relationships to shame.
Thank you Father, for giving me opportunity to live, time to find our why, and love that has continually found ways to save and deliver me from all my errors, doubts, and anxieties.
Let it be known that I was not brought up or TAUGHT this.   I was SHOWN this, and now I BELIEVE in God Almighty, and in JESUS CHRIST His Son, without Whom nothing (including you and me) could have been Created or have Existance;  by Whom I am  Forgiven, Cleansed, and still patently being prepared to BE in Eternity with Him.    I look forward with anticipation to Everlasting LIFE, and the commencement of THE Great Adventure.........

....................................................... 

MR RAILA ODINGA, 65, is the Prime Minister of Kenya, and aspires one day, if he can, to be the next President.    Although greatly maligned and said by some to be heavily implicated in the 2007 riots and national violence, he is an able statesman.   THIS WEEK he was speaking in Parlaiment, where he warned that possible VIOLENCE ahead of the next general election could take place, and pleaded with the political class to 'cool' the politial temperatures and stop them from 'overheating' along ethnic lines.    He SAID -

'The National Security Intelligence Service 

has warned that mobilisation of the political elite

in order to advance personal and community interests,

to the exclusion of other sections of the community

                                                                            is posing a threat to national cohesian and security'

A prouncement of this kind is a little worrying since in 2007 the NSIS had made a similar warning to the Government regarding the state of affairs prior to the National Elections which had been suppressed.   The fact that Mr. Oginga has thought fit to make a similar Warning public might come from a genuine desire on the part of the Government to prevent further unrest in the Country, but on the other hand it may even further destabilise, and encourage, a REPEAT of what occurred in '07!!!      The fact is that there are those who are pressing forward with policies that clearly give credence to the Warnings being given, and so far no sign of them being restrained.       The National Election was supposed to take place in the coming December but the High Court has determined they should take place in March 2013 instead - this amidst much argument and controversy, and which has now gone to the Court of Appeal.    Thus we are still not quite sure WHEN the Elections WILL be!!?      Some might be impatient to get on with things, and some may have a desire to become President sooner rather than later!      Who can say.

Kenya is very divided politically and now with growing tribal awareness and feelings being encouraged it could be that the Nation will become a 'seething pot' of trouble.         We pray for common sense and the Rule of Law to prevail, and finally for a completely NEW and untarnished man or woman to become the National Leader able to bring all the tribes together toward a truly National Identity and Policy without any of the old guard of selfish men and women seeking personal power without integrity to be amongst them.

PRAY for the Peace of Kenya, and for the Safety of the innocent but easily manipulated population from being turned one upon another by corrupt, ruthless and self seeking political adventurers.

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Cows in for Milking

NEXT WEEK I will hope to include a photo of ALL our Children and House parents just as a reminder that this is still our ministry - against the backdrop of the support projects of the School and Farm etc.  It is easy to talk of many things instead of the REASON we are actually here, which is the welfare of children in need.     So starting next week the Blog will be majoring in presenting the need of Children in Kenya and our part in assisting in helping them.

The Rains, and more especially the HAIL has very effectively shredded most of our broad leafed vegetables, but in the last few days this has eased off, and the sun has come out for part of each day.  This is now good growing weather, and things are already looking up.     The lawns are being cut as well this week for the first time since before Christmas!       However, we are still 'mopping' up some of the mess and damage caused by those heavy storms last week, and this also makes inroads of our normal house-keeping budget and needs.    This has also come at a time when our College students were poised to return to their study centres, and also when last years O'Level students needed to join a Higher Course or University.     TODAY we saw the last two off to College.      One more to go, out of a total this term of some fifteen.   Not easy to find the Funds needed, sometimes s much as 50,000/- (approx £400 or $620) each!       Daryl, now CEO, finds this - as I always did - one of the worst testing times; trying to balance whatever is on hand between daily essentials and sudden extra costs.     Still it provides opportunity to share  with the children our dependency.

                                                  THE NEW PLASTIC Green House (it is visible in the bottom photo just to the right of the Poultry House) is filling up with Tomatoe plants, all of which are doing well, and we hope for a good yield in a month or two.     The garden plots have been replanted and seeded, and everything seems to be going on well.   We are now into the SECOND year of our farming adventure.

(Sorry that photos are a bit mixed up here - finding it a problem to position them on the Blog for some reason ).

This must be all for this week.    Work carries on, and we know life will be carrying on for you all also.

Our prayers and love will continue to reach out to you all.    God Bless and Keep you

John and Esther

THE STAFF OF BREAD!!

COW NUMBER FOUR in the foreground has now become quite at home and used to the three residents that preceded her.      MILK is still flowing  daily, and providing quite enough for everyone in the four Children's Homes.      The small paddock the four 'sisters' share is not quite so pleasant during the RAINS since it is a bit wet and muddy at times.
HOWEVER, we have found a way or letting them all out for a an hour or two into a set area, different each day, where they are now able to munch FRESH grass at last, instead of the winter HAY.  They very much enjoy that.    They all continue healthy and happy, and provide a great deal of joy and satisfaction to all of us - children AND adults.
And the GARDENS have also sprung back into abundant life once more, and are perhaps the least disturbed by daily RAINS - although the Cabbage and Kale are not  too happy when the rain comes down in marble sized hailstones that rip through their leaves;    We have had TWO very fierce and heavy 'stonings' from the sky during the last week, reinforced with torrential rain and 'huff and puff' winds.     Quite a lot of the Kale has had it's leaves perforated with holes, and blocked gutters and drains (because of the quantity and accumulation of hail stones) caused a lot of flooding - especially to Jacaranda Cottage which suddenly was invaded with water coming in from under the floor and even through the walls.    I would say this particular storm was the worst we have seen here for thirty years.        We always do have to put up with damage in the Rains - probably the long period of hot, dry weather and then the sudden onslaught of water and cold cause shrinkage and or even expansion in wood, tin, and joints finding out holes in the roofing especially where water will get in.
Ah well, the joys of living in the tropics are many and varied - and from what we read it is not much different to living in England - except that maybe the sun IS warmer when it shines.....!!!?
The CHICKENS continue to lay - that is of course the Layers.........and the broilers continue to grow and to be eaten at intervals.     The current batch have caught a cold due to the very sudden onset of cold and rain - rain which also found its way through roofing nail holes into their housing.    We have had to COVER the roofs this week with re-enforced plastic - just in time to avoid further flooding from the second storm of the week.     All warm and cosy again, but some have not weathered things  and have succumbed.       But general population remains buoyant and robust, and the eggs continue to be laid generously day by day.  

Last week I mentioned that we had commenced a pilot project Baking BREAD.      Well it has taken off and is going very well indeed.      For those of you that may be acquainted with Testimony House it may be interesting to know that it is in that House that the Bread is being made.      There is quite a large room which we have been using for all kinds of different purposes known here as the NEW ROOM, next to Testimony House kitchen, and it is there that the Bakery is being set up.    We have had to move the Laundry now to Jacaranda Cottage.       We have purchased two charcoal cookers that can take about 100 small loaves each, and also another contraption for inducing the dough to RISE before putting in the oven.      We can produce at present 200 loaves every 30 minutes!!!  We can supply Bread now for the School Breaks, as well as to the Homes, and we plan to go public and offer bread for sale to the locality.       Everyone is delighted with the outcome and say it is more delicious than any bread they have so far tasted - perhaps due to the milk and eggs we use in the mix.      Very much a self help effort.    But once more seems to have the Blessing of God on it.   Definitely cheaper than the local retail options.


We shall be Breaking Bread with it tomorrow morning in our Sunday Service.    We shall be thinking of the Bread that was broken for us those many years ago.    We shall be remembering that Staff of Life broken that we might be made whole and furnished with a NEW life and Strength to live it.  Yes JESUS is that Living Bread that comes down from Heaven so freely given and attainable.

WHY do we so often still spend money for that which is NOT bread, and work so hard for what does not satisfy us?      Come my brothers and sisters, turn again to JESUS, to the Living Word; turn again to the WORD of God, and let it be taken in, devoured and digested;  it will nourish, fatten, strength, and change us into His Likeness - from one degree of glory to another.    Isaiah 55v2 / 2.Corinthians 3v18 (in the Amplified Bible).     If we, the Children of God, are to 'be manifested' in this Time, then we need to get ourselves back to the Word of God  -   then perhaps we shall indeed shine as the sun, as He Who Is our Live dawns upon us truly!
THUS you will find a few photos of current activity in this area

Outside it is raining again.   Esther is getting ready to start preparing supper for this old man writing.  She says it will be chapati and stew - not bad for a COLD wet evening.     We shall enjoy it together and then settle down for the evening.        God Bless and be with you all.      We still need your prayers and trust that God will be with YOU in the week ahead.

John and Esther.