THE INBETWEENIES!!

CHRISTMAS has passed once more, and we are, as it were, in between the Past and the Future. Christmas 'not quite' ended, and the New Year not yet begun!       Green Cottage, so FULL over the holiday is now empty; family and friends all departed and returned to the UK. But the Cards, the decorations, and the Tree still remain, somehow rather forlornly. OUTSIDE the day has dawned drab and grey.    The skies'  opened yesterday afternoon and spewed down a deluge of RAIN that continued non-stop through the rest of the day, through the night until now even.  Truly INCHES of rain must have fallen, yet still the Eldoret Weather Station insists we have only received one millimetre!! Amazing, but rather typical of the kind of 'miss-information' for which Kenya is famous. It does feel a somewhat precarious - 'hanging' - position to be in after the joy and happiness of Christmas itself, and the sunshine and good fellowship - WILL the sun shine ever again? Will life go on into another year? The photo above just had to be included here as it is so expressive. A quite amazing illustration of how life can be. However in another way it is rather depressing since the unfortunate sheep seems unable to go back or forward, but must just wait for the inevitable disaster or experience an unexpected miracle! WELL, but WE must expect the miracle of life to continue for us, and I hope that NEXT Saturday, God Willing, I will be able to express Good Wishes and Hope for the New Year so nearby.

THIS IS THE FIFTH CHRISTMAS since I commenced compiling this BLOG.    Looking back I find each one to have been an amazing experienced of God's delight in delighting!     We have each time found ourselves without any prospect of a comfortable or easy time, yet by Christmas Eve, we have found ourselves with food enough,  and funds enough not be embarrassed financially or unable to give a special 'shine' to the Festival of Christ's Birth.     God has been SO good and faithful - not to us only we hope, but we believe also to ALL those who have looked to Him for help and providence.
THIS year, as I have previously shared in previous days, we (Esther and I ) have had the special blessing of having family and and friends with us.     Green Cottage quite crammed with life; life that overflowed into all the four Homes around us to intermingle and enliven the lives of the rest of the staff and children here.
LAST WEEK I shared how that Daryl slipped an fell about 40 feet from a ladder in the School Hall.   He suffered no lasting damage, but has had to cope with quite a lot of latent pain and bruising - which he has not allowed to interfere with his own continuing drive to bring a lot of active good cheer and enjoyment to everyone.     As our old friend Pastor Stan Hyde would say - a 'good soldier for Jesus'.   He continues to be fine though his left hand is still a pain, and he still has to visit the dentist about his jaw and lost teeth!!

Christmas Day was warm with a good deal of sunshine.    We enjoyed a glad Morning Service together; only a small group since most people that usually worship with us were away visiting their own families, and of course the School Boarders were away on holiday.     For all that it was blessing, and a joy to have with a number of old boys.        A light lunch, various groups out walking, playing board and outdoor games. THEN each house managed its own Family Supper - especially enjoying our own CHICKEN.   Thank you Lord

BOXING DAY began very cloudy with the threat of rain.    Daryl and Carol had arranged for ALL the children AND staff (including ourselves) to travel 20 kilometres beyond Eldoret to a Camp and Recreational Centre known as the SOY Country Club.      Thirty years ago it had been a very beautiful and quiet place to enjoy.  The day we visited ( having especially booked to have it all to ourselves ) we found it quite run down, and in ruins.    The mini Swimming Pool and dressing rooms all in disarray, and in a general state of neglect, as also every other facility.     A grate pity and sadness.     However the children were glad to have a change, and entered into the spirit of a pic-nic and spent the time in recreation, entered into and led by Daryl and the houseparents.      Finally a successful day - even though we found the Managers of the place had not closed it and kept the facility just for us - the locals also were let in with us!      BUT it WAS a good time, and cost very little in fact even  though we had to bring everyone in TWO Bus loads (our School buses),    ALSO it had a special significance for some of us since it was on THIS day in 1972 that I arrived in Testimony House, Eldoret with 28 kids.     We moved that day from 130 kilometres away in Siaya District.    SO it was  another 40th Anniversary - and it did not rain - in fact the sky remained BLUE above us all the time we were there.    And the kids loved every minute of it.        On Wednesday Simon and Rhianna Hogley left us, and on Friday Steven and our two grandchildren also left.         All is quiet and sodden outside now as I type this.  The sky a kind of dirty grey colour, a light COLD wind stirring the trees, and wrapping itself around the houses.     A few irrepressible kids playing in heavy jackets and sweaters........ Looks a winters day indeed.

I am reading a book just now - a paperback.

It was published by COLLINS - Fontana Books 1969 at a cost of 6/-

It is entitled

JESUS REDISCOVERED

by

Malcolm Muggeridge

I recommend it - though perhaps with a little trepidation; it might not suit or appeal to everyone, but it is a book thata certainly makes you THINK and I personally find a great deal worth reading and considering

The Grandchildren

afresh.    Muggeridge gives his own testimony in the book together with his 'christian' views on many other matters relative to his understanding of salvation and the Christian Life.     It is very individual, and not very 'orthodox' in it approach, but I am persuaded of great sincerity behind its writing; an honesty as well.    NO, it is NOT without fault perhaps, but then nothing is, is it.     I recommend it to any who might like to read - in itself a not very common pursuit in the younger generation at least - all my grandchildren seem to prefer their mobile phone, i-pad, or the internet.

My own Book, reprinted and updated in 2010

A CRY FROM THE STREET

ISBN 978-184426-861-0

may still be obtained from 

FASTPRINT

www.fast-print.net/store.php

This must be about all for this week.     We are glad to say that each member of each Family here are well and happy.     School will open in one week, and so some business beginning as we consider school uniform needs and other clothing with which to commence the Year.    Always something extra to consider in a family isn't there?    But this is life.    Nothing seems to last for ever, and certainly not things like shoes and socks!!

Poor parents have all these things to worry about whilst their carefree kids consider their lives gladly.   Oh to be a CHILD - so why do we find it SO hard to BE as a child with our Father in Heaven......HE wants to take ALL the CARES of our lives upon Himself and to let us BE free of them  - why IS that so hard to accept and believe for?        When we get to heaven we will no doubt wonder why we insisted on taking care of ourselves so religiously!!

With our Love and Affection to you all in Christ Jesus as 2012 ends and the Year of 2013 Begins.
May God Bless you and give you confidence and hope as you - with us - cross the line to NEWNESS!

John and Esther, Daryl and Carol