NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH!

ALL THE CHILDREN IN THIS PHOTO, together with all the abandoned, destitute orphans in our world, are victims of disobedience and disregard to the LAW of GOD.     And do not jump up and say that I am speaking as a Christian bigot.   I am speaking as a reasonable observer of the world we live in.     The Koran, the Vedas, and indeed ALL the Religious holy books basically AGREE with the Bible when presenting GOD's idea of what is Good and Bad.   FORGET God, Who and What He is, then we dilute our ideas of Right and Wrong, and our moral and ethical standards begin to get 'watered down' and even turned inside out.       Look at these kids.  Just a small sample of millions - the product of violent quarrels between their parents, adultery, murder, fornication, family disputes of all kinds, and even ethnic bitterness.   Maybe just one per cent of those in my photo lost their home and parents due to what we might term 'natural courses' such as sickness.            WE all live in a world just as LOT lived in his with his wife.  Lot had actually chosen his spot!!    They did not always admire the society they lived in, but they more and more put up with it, got used to it, and even compromised with it for the sake peace and comfort.   (2.Peter 2v8)Lot vexed his soul with it all at times, but was still loath to leave, and his wife looked longingly back to what she was leaving.     Neither prospered in the end since their eyes were not on God but on the world around them.   Read their story in Genesis 19.   These two are often talked about in church as examples of weakness and worldliness -yet in truth TODAY, they could be part of a growing majority.     Remember again that, their world included, and became judged because of, Sodomy!!!


IN EVERY CLASSROOM of our School hang the TEN COMMANDMENTS, and on a regular cycle teachers and others will refer to the effect of these Commandment on our society today.    We have youngsters from godless families who never attend church.   We have -in our School - children from Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and other Faiths as well as Christian.     Their parents all strongly support us BECAUSE we are setting before their children a strong Moral and Disciplined backdrop to life.      It makes a difference NOT TO FORGET what is real TRUTH about Right and Wrong - Truth that every child ever born has been enlightened by - if only dimly - through what we term 'Conscience'  (the candle of God searching us out).    WHEN that little candle flame of awareness of Right and Wrong is confronted by that same truth, in any form, it WILL grow and prosper.      BUT when it is enveloped in willful ignorance and the darkness of this world, it can become put out.............   Thus with world animosity against all that is RIGHT in the real sense of that word, we are all poised on the edge of an Abyss.....OR as Ezekiel says in chapter 7 of his great and wonderful book -

'And the end has come!   The end has come  - (the end - after sleeping so long)  awakes against you.    See it has come.....'    Ezekiel 7v6.

It is worth spending time with Ezekiel -his words are so relevant even in this present time.   Esther and I, plus our houseparents are reading a chapter every morning at present, as we meet for prayer - early before breakfast.     It is a WORD resounding with Warning - Warning and Prediction of His Coming to Judge the World.     It is a book that demonstrates and describe,s so TERRIFYINGLY, of the completeness of God's Wrath and Judgement.
And, as one reads, one begins to realise the Wonder of what Jesus Christ obtained for us when He gave up His life for us on the Cross - SUCH, Forgiveness!    Such GRACE!    Such Loving Kindness.    SUCH A FULL SALVATION!

This Sunday in our Morning Fellowship I shall begin again (for the 9th time since I began) to set forth the Commandments of God to our children.      It is FIVE years since I last did so.    Without the KNOWLEDGE of God's WAY for us, we will never SEE our need of forgiveness;  never realise desperately enough how helpless and hopeless we are; we will never see our Saviour and open our heart and mouth to CRY OUT to be SAVED!    The LAW, the 10 Commandments of God, is our Schoolmaster to lead us to SEE our need of CHRIST if we want in any way to fulfill God's Purpose in creating any one of us.      Pray for me dear friends, that I may still be used as a prophet - a preacher - a messenger of God; even to those who in the church!!!    Pray for me also that I might still 'feel' after God in all my ways, and not be led by my own feelings instead, and that He will help me to be courageous for His Sake in all my ways.

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ESTHER AND I,  have just become Grandparents once more!      Our son Michael and his wife Janet received their firstborn son on Friday, 28th of June during morning hours.      The babe waited unduly, and eventually had to be induced.    Not an easy time for them, and after the birth, Janet continued to bleed and be in pain so that this caused a little anxiety again.      BUT as I write the Lord has undertaken for them all, and Janet much better, and babe doing well.     His name is LIAM ALEXANDER GREEN.     We, Esther and I, are both very happy and excited.     Thank you AGAIN, Lord for your Goodness to us all.

We now have FIVE grandchildren in the UK, and three with us here in Kenya - Daryl and Carol's children.

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On TUESDAY this week we had our usual fortnightly Meeting to discuss Finance, and other Management matters (Esther,Me,Daryl,  PLUS Anthony Ndungu, our School Principal, and Okoth Otieino our Treasurer).          We were quite desperate for funds as we met at 10a.m. our time,   but at 11a.m. our Bank advised us that funds had arrived..........Oh Father !     What perfect timing yet again; what cause for Praise, and WHAT relief.          

We also had to discuss the two boys suspended a while back and to review our decision.   Both the Ministry of Education AND the parent had hoped to change our minds.   However we felt, on further review that this was a necessary action on our part, and that although sorry for the students involved, and for their parents, we could not be seen to do less in front of those whose lives had been libellously harmed and the student body, which carefully observes the standard of our discipline, hoping to find a loophole to take advantage of.

We also decided to make provision for EARLY RETIREMENT for one of our  Cleaners, Mary MUGO.       Mary has helped with domestic chores both in the Homes and in the School for the last 28 years.    She will be 60 this year, and due to Retire at the end of December.    However, for the last few years she has suffered progressively from Diabetes, and now find she cannot easily cope with her duties.    She has been a good faithful, and hard working person all her life.    She will now leave her duties this week, but we shall continue to pay her until the end of December when she will be able to draw a little pension as well, to help her along.

Finally we noted a need to put a Security Camera at the new pool area,  provide for 12 emergency lights in the School to accommodate regular power cuts during evening study for the School Boarders, AND to renew bedding in Drakeley Cottage.

Just a little glimpse into the many things that go on in a week here.

On WEDNESDAY I took myself off to the dentist for a root filling of a long painful tooth.    Went quite well, and it has now quite settled.

On THURSDAY Daryl and I attended a Probation Meeting in the District Headquarters.   This is a special meeting that addresses matters related to helping probationers, concluding their 'time', not to find themselves back in Court.      A voluntary Revolving Fund has been set up which seeks to help some in starting a small business or some other self help enterprise. It has worked well, and TFH has from time to time also donated a little in order to increase the numbers assisted.      The money is loaned individually to those cases that have shown worthiness, and is gradually REPAID by the Borrower over an agreed period, then to be relent to someone else.

On FRIDAY it was the Annual General Meeting of our Board.   This is a fifteen man/woman Committee that meets quarterly and officially stands as our Management Board.     Fourteen are Christian men and women from town.   Some are teachers, accountants, lawyers, doctors, hoteliers, and Lecturers.    And ONE is a Muslim.       He came to be on our Board in 1974.   He was then a Municipal Health Officer and had shown us much kindness and spiritual encouragement.     He is with our Chairman the longest serving member of our Board.    Esther, Daryl and I are also Members, part of the 15.

IN BETWEEN children, staff, and visitors coming and going all day, sometimes well into the evening still.

Eventful, busy, and sometimes just a little tiring for us who are well over 60  -   Oh, there is only ONE of us so far, and that is me.        But I am well and doing well -perhaps too well, as a rather meddlesome old man at times.

OUR LOVE to you all.    We do not forget any one of you, knowing that you also have busy days and are challenged more than we know.      This is life.     We need to have care of each other always, and to pray for each other whenever the Spirit stirs up our memory of each other.

God Bless and be with you through this week

John and Esther & Daryl and Carol

      

WHY NOT TAX THE AIR WE BREATH?

CERTAINLY LIFE ON PLANET EARTH IS BECOMING NO JOKE because of worldwide increasing TAXATION!       There is little doubt, as one reads the papers and watches TV news, that internationally governments are progressively finding new ways to fill their coffers via Inland Revenue - TAX..
You will all know of Joshua and Miriam Mbithi's trauma with the Kenya Revenue Authority, where two dedicated Kenyans engaged in caring for HIV babies and infants are being hounded to pay Kenya Shillings eleven million. (approximately eighty eight thousand pounds sterling).     They themselves have no personal income,working virtually as volunteers, and often in need.    All for the love of God and of the unfortunate and destitute children of the State which in liable to provide the care themselves without charitable intervention.      And in doing so are now expected to PAY the Government for the labour of assisting them.      And not the Mbithi's only but ALL Charitable works and ministries are being threatened, including ourselves, with the same determination to extract funds from donations given for the poor of the Country.     Does anyone cry SHAME?     I have not heard any!
INDEED Kenya is even now considering increasing VAT on essential commodities.    Increases that will impoverish the general population even more, reducing many to penury and perhaps near starvation levels of  existence.     A step that will definitely lower the standard of living for the majority.Let me insert here part of an article from The STAR printed on the 19th June this year.

Kenyans Mobilise Against Taxing the Poor

On a side street in Nairobi's bustling neighbourhood of Shauri Moya, Gaisal Ngila shouts to street vendors, motorbike taxi drivers and pedestrians - 'Do you know taxes are increasing in Kenya?'     He is trying to drum up opinion against a new Bill currently in front of Parliament.  The Bill seeks to apply a 16% VAT rate on basic commodities that have remained un-taxed until now.  These to include Rice, Bread,Maize, Flour, processed milk, and sanitary pads!... ...............many worried citizens are worried about the Bill's impact on their already meagre incomes.     'I am not really working.    Sometimes I do casual labour washing dishes and clothes' says Julia Njoki, a mother of four.   'If they add tax to maize bread and milk I will not be able to buy anything.'

The current average wage for the non-skilled majority in Kenya is often seven thousand shillings or less in a month.    (approximately Fifty-six pounds sterling a month).         Few such families can afford, even now, to include MEAT in their diet,which amounts mainly to maize flour and vegetables.      The general prospect is not promising.
Reading another article found in a Readers Digest published in South Africa in 2004 I was interested to read the following-

GARTH ZIETSMAN a statistician with a major South African Bank states that an average South African worker toiled from January 1st to April 30 just to pay his or her year's Tax - approximately 31.7% of the working year paying taxes alone.   Stated differently all the money spent by governments is taken in taxes from the people.   It is mainly the salaries of the cabinet, parliamentarians, provincial council members, civil servants, the army, police, teachers, judges, magistrates, city councillors, municipal official, health workers and all the other people on the government payrolls that swallow up the first 116 days of earnings of the entire nation.  AND you thought your children were your only dependents.........   !!                                         ............At some stage the increases become an intolerable burden on a country's productive citizens and reduce their capacity and will to produce goods and services.       ............... .................Government expenditure was declining in the '90s but has increased again in the last three years.   Even worse, government has promised to increase its spending even more in the near future, so get ready to pay higher taxes.    This is an unfortunate prospect considering that freedom from excessive taxes encourages people to work harder, produce more, and hire more workers..'

Recently world media reports that governments worldwide are going to increase tax in the coming months.
Is it necessary?   Is such increase justified.......Consider Kenya's parliamentarians and senators demanding higher salaries - and they WILL get them one way or another - and the proletariat will PAY whilst taking a lower standard of living themselves.      It was this kind of selfish, greed motivated attitude to deprive the French nation of bread two hundred years ago - they finally rebelled with disastrous results not just for themselves but for the world.     An increase of 16% on our basic expenditure on food and essentials will increase our monthly outgoings by more than 200,000/-.         Many charities are already closing down.  
What will happen to Kenya's poor when the majority of the free help and aid channelled through charity is forced to be taken somewhere else?     Will the Nation find the shortfall and fill the gap?    It is very unlikely -  the poor will be poorer,     Many will not survive.      It is going to be a world wide experience.   Woe to the World.

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SOME THREE WEEKS ago I wrote about some boys in our High School who had maligned three or four of our Teachers through the Internet and on Face book.       Out of about SIX who had conspired in this matter TWO (the ringleaders and chief perpetrators) were expelled.      They had finished their Course-work for their final year in High School, and have two months left for Revision before sitting for their examinations.     Though Expelled they have been given permission to return to sit their Mock and Final exams and additionally provided with all text books they need for revision.        I had hoped it might not have had to come to this myself, but the damage done has been ongoing with one of the teachers having her marriage almost destroyed, and the other two feeling quite demoralised.      The facts of the matter as reported on the Internet were all proved to be false, including photos that had also been published in support of the text.  We were able to trace the Web Page Owners and had it deleted.

To have the boys back in class would have meant to loss of at least two of the teachers who were victims; they would have found it untenable to teach the culprits of the case equably.     To have boys back in class would have meant that any student could virtually get away with anything.    School discipline and respect for staff would have slumped, and morally none of our parents would have been able to trust the management to deal effectively with such unethical behaviour.

The Department of Education feels we have acted in an 'imature' and incorrect manner.    They feel every child has the right to learn, and that NONE should be expelled without their permission.    We acted without asking what they thought, and they felt slighted - although we did later carefully present all the evidence of the case and explained our position, and the reasoning behind our opinion.      The Director of Education merely said (to their face) that our teachers were 'imature, and should grow up' and that the so called crime was no worse than 'writing graffiti on a toilet door.'    We were admonished and reminded that the Right of the Child came first, and that indeed it was what was best for the child that should came before consideration of the adults feelings.

Apparently discipline had no place in the objective judgement of the Director.       However she refused to DIRECT us to reverse our decision, only strongly urging us to do so.      We have not done so, and have little intention of doing so.    

A SERIOUS kind of week, but we all continue well in the midst of rain and coolness.

During the next week I will be writing to those of you who may have sent a gift to us over the last two or three months.       I  may also be sending a monthly Prayer Letter via E.Mail to all those whose address I have no record.      The BLOG may still continue, but some may not have time to accessing it and it may be  easier for some of you to just pick something up from your mail.

Our continuing Love an good wishes to you all from us all

John and Esther & Daryl and Carol.

COMINGS AND GOINGS!!

SINCE AUGUST 1969 there have been constant 'Comings and Goings', Arrivals and Departures from Testimony Faith Homes.
As with any Family there will be new arrivals, and eventually they will grow up and move on and away.  The ebb and tide of family life.      For us, there seem more that COME than those that GO,  but in fact no one stays for ever.      THIS current year has seen fifteen come IN and nine go OUT.
This week, on Friday, we had a Farewell Fellowship at Jacaranda Cottage for two of their 'family' that have now left the home and are living independently!      Usually each home likes to have a special time to say farewell to any of its members leaving.     We spend time singing, encouraging, praying and sharing cake and soda.     There is also Presentation of a Bible and a Gift of ten thousand Kenya Shillings to each one leaving.      Always a good time of real family fellowship - a little emotional at times as well.
On FRIDAY we were say goodbye to FAITH KIVITHE and DENNIS ASIEVERA.
FAITH came to Jacaranda in 1991, when she was just a few months old.  She had been abandoned in a hotel in town;  no one ever came forward to claim her, and no one was ever traced in efforts to find out more about her.     She was truly orphaned and destitute.     Joshua and Miriam Mbithi were the Mum and Dad in Jacaranda Cottage at that time, until 2003, and since there were vacancies in their home at Jacaranda, Faith was taken there.     Faith was a quiet and rather introspective baby and child.    She did not smile a lot, and was almost too serious and 'old fashioned' and 'staid'in her attitude and personality.        I often wondered, as she grew up, what she would do, so severe and strict she seemed to be.     But she was a well behaved, helpful person, and although not brilliant at School she was studious and attentive to her lessons.   Suddenly in the midst of her teenage she began to come out of her shell, so to speak, and to blossom.       She chose Early Childhood Education as a career, and amazingly the strict, severe, and unsmiling girl has become the teacher ALL the small children seek after.       For the 22 years of her life Jacaranda has been her only home.    For the ten years since Joshua and Miriam left, Joseph and Beatrice Rop have been parents in the home, and she has formed a close bond with them as well.      There were a few tears on Friday Night, but no sense of insecurity about her.     With Jesus, her Saviour, beside her she has gained strength and peace.    She is working locally.   She is not lost to us.   She will be calling in for sure......God Bless you daughter!
DENNIS came to Jacaranda Cottage in 2001, ten years after Faith.     he was from another town more than a hundred kilometres from Eldoret.    He was just thirteen years old, older than we usually allow children to be admitted to us here.    But his need was very special.   One fateful night in April 2001 his father rose up and killed his wife and most of the family without any apparent reason or provocation.     Dennis was one of those that survived, but it was considered urgent to remove him from the area for his own future safety.         Dennis had no smiles on his arrival, and was a silent and lonesome boy.    On the other hand he was keen to learn and at school and applied himself to study.
On leaving High School he took a Course in Accountancy, and is now employed locally as a Stores and Procurement Officer.     He has grown up and away from the trauma that brought him to us, and has become a smart, responsible young man of 25.      He leaves many 'family' friends behind him,and we know that he also will be visiting what took time to become a home from home, and a refuge in a time of storm.  The Lord be with you, our son.

ON WEDNESDAY we admitted four children from a single parent family of nine siblings.   The Mother is still living in great squalor in one of our town's satellite areas.    She is about 40,un-married and having born nine kids.      She is at this time having the youngest at her breast, and another of two years, together with a 13 and 17 year old boy.     They have until now ALL resided together in a small room of some 12'x12' without running water, electricity or sewer line.       The case was reported to us as one of gross poverty rather than neglect or cruelty.    Since then the Mother has been medically prevented from bearing further children, and we have agreed to relieve her immediate burden in caring for the four of her children now being admitted.      Other parties will assist her with food and later when the baby has been weaned, steps will be taken to help her find employment or some way to support herself.    Perhaps then, if the need seems apparent, she will have her children returned to her.     She will of course have access to her children whilst they are with us, but they will not be able to return residentially to her, or even visit her until her material and moral situation has improved.
TWO of the children are in Jacaranda Cottage.    The are June aged 9 years, and her elder brother Meshram aged 11.    By Friday they had already settled down and seemed happy and glad to be with us.    The other two are in the Drakeley Family - they are brothers Ronnie aged 7 and Brian aged 5.   They too seem happy and without any trace of sadness       All had their heads shaved in order to get rid of lice when they arrived - you might not immediately recognise the girl amongst them.  (top right)
AND SO  as some were leaving other were arriving for an indeterminate stay of  what ultimately will be years.   The beginning of a new chapter in their lives.       And so the Ebb and Flow goes on.

from top left - Meshram,  June, Brian, and Ronnie

IT CONTINUES TO RAIN OUTSIDE, drumming on our iron roof loudly - temperature at 65f  still COLD for us here,     Most of the children just now home from Saturday lessons at School and inside their respective homes.        Real JUNE weather!!     Might go on to September!!!   Daryl has been called away to Nakuru for the afternoon on business and Esther and I have just come in from celebrating the 50th Birthday of one of our Danish missionary friends. Whilst I attempt to complete this week's Blog, Esther is now in the kitchen putting a cake together for tomorrow evenings Prayer Fellowship which will be in our little house this week.    About 30 brothers and sisters attend for prayer and fellowship.    Wonderful times of spiritual encouragement and oneness in Christ.

Life goes on.    Right now it goes on whilst we are to all intents and purposes facing bankruptcy!
Don't be alarmed.      There is nothing you can do for us that we might be saved in time...................
God must have arranged it all long ago - ours is but to wait.  To WAIT and yet to also GO ON, and as we go, HE will provide and undertake for all our need.      This is always how it has been for us since we began.     God does not change.       How Long, Lord?   How long?     We may often, all of us, be heard to ask that question in times like these 'seige situations'.      Perhaps not for long.    The Evil Power comes strongly upon the Church of the First Born, and we wait for and expect the coming of the KING soon.      Somewhere I read recently that a Messianic Jewish Rabbi has said the Messiah must come soon - before the end of the decade.   He says that He should come within the generation started in the year Israel was declared a State once more in 1947 - a generation generally calculated to be 70 years in Jewish thought.      Do WE wait for and expect HIM to come more than the answer to our petty needs and aspirations? Do we want HIM more than the healing, the deliverance, the modern miracle?      Will we be ready when HE comes;  will we be hungering and thirsting for HIM  more than the relief of our material problem of the moment.?          Oh COME Lord Jesus.      Surely these ARE the days of LOT - we have arrived in the midst of them SUDDENLY, when even 73 years ago they were considered inconceivable.................SUDDENLY He IS coming - WILL come and arrive......
Have mercy on us.\

Our continuing thought and prayer on the behalf of each and every one of you.    We labour together = let us together receive the Prize with JOY/.

John and Esther & Daryl and Carol

MORE GRIT IN OUR FEED

I WILL NEVER ACCEPT THAT TWO MEN OR TWO WOMEN LIVING TOGETHER CAN EVER BE CONSIDERED AS BEING MARRIED, as God intended or meant it to BE!   I cannot see how it can be understood or seen to be Marriage!  To wipe out what has been known and accepted civilized social behavior for thousands of years is without sense or sensibility!    It is just degenerative misuse of free will and determined ignorance.
The British Prime Minister has said that 'same sex 'marriage is to be 'accepted' practise in the UK,  and that we should now address the problem of how to keep married couples TOGETHER!     He is concerned with 'BROKEN' marriages, and their growing number.     BUT does he have any chance of finding an answer, since it is obvious he does not regard the Word of God on which successful society is built.

I found this broken egg photo interesting!   Mainly because of the fragility it demonstrates - but is it, or should it be used to demonstrate marriage?       Marriage has become an 'institution' that in one way or another the 'christian' world (godly or otherwise) has followed.      BUT not all marry in a RIGHT spirit, or for a right reason.     My own 'parents' split up when I was ten years old.     My dad was a heavy drinker, and physically abused my mum almost every night.   He was the only bread winner, and he spent it all on booz.      It was a difficult and unloving relationship.       She finally got up one morning and left.      She took me with her......Much later I was to write -

'My Mother often asked if I thought she had done right,

to leave her husband, and if I felt hurt because of it.  She was always worried about it in her heart.

Then I would say to her that everything was alright - 

and that God wanted her to be happy anyway.

ANYWAY?   No, not anyway, not by ANY means.

But I had still to learn that.

Certainly God wants us all to be happy,  BUT there is no real happiness apart from HIM; 

outside of HIS Law of Love.

And my mother was never happy either.

HER marriage had lasted about 14 years.   That 'eggshell' took a bit of cracking - but it did crack!

Recently I saw a marriage of 17 years crack open.    The husband had been -maybe continues to be - unfaithful for many years.     Suddenly the wife got up and left him, AND her three kids.     What a mess - both say they are Christian, and that they had loved each other once, and meant their Wedding Vows as binding till death.  Yet the ties that bound them did wear thin, and finally, at least for one of them, they snapped.        In Kenya today this occurs more and more frequently - even within MONTHS of marriage.      What IS wrong with our 'eggshells' - don't they have enough GRIT?

JESUS, the Messiah, said there was something of prime necessity that any follower, disciple of His needed to do.     He or she needed to LOVE ONE ANOTHER, JUST AS HE HAD LOVED THEM.

The Disciple has to LEARN how to LAY down his/her life for the other.      MARRIAGE, I believe, is the crucible in which we LEARN about love and loving from God's point of view.   OUTSIDE of marriage we may still have some licence to come and go in our human, general, relationships with each other - but NOT SO in marriage - in Marriage we BIND ourselves, in front of God and Man, to our partner - for life.     We lay down our life, let go of its rights and privileges for the sake of the other.

THIS is NOT easy, humanly - it may not humanly even be possible!    BUT WITH GOD, nothing is impossible - and SO, if Christ be IN us, then we may receive from HIM the power needed to lay down our lives - even as HE received power to lay His down for US -for me. and for YOU.

Men and Women are always full of excuses for themselves; what they allow, what they cannot bear, what they cannot give up!   BUT none of mankind are created to do or be what they themselves determine; we are created to do God's Will.      If I come to understand this, then GOD will and does give me POWER (in and through Jesus Christ) to achieve it.

I can be stubborn and insist on doing what I want - or I can submit to God and lay down what I want in order to do what HE wants.        I learn this in Marriage, and can demonstrate it in Marriage.

'If a man would saves his life - or seeks to save it - he loses it, and destroys it.

BUT, if HE destroys his own life, gives it away, suffers the loss of it,

THEN HE WILL SAVE IT

This is the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven, and we are here and alive to LEARN it.    Marriage is to be one of the ways we may learn about it.     Esther and I will say of our own marriage relationship - it has not been easy; it has suffered hardship, sorrow, even hurtfulness along the way.  BUT it has endured and lasted for the 42 years since it began, and NOW we can say truly, that we love each other more and more.      Whilst that is true for us, then there is hope for the rest of the world.   But it is founded on the ROCK of God's LIVING WORD,and in DOING what it says.

I am sure, if you read this, you will have many things come to mind (humanly) in the way of mitigating circumstances, and compassionate grounds, to argue the case for desertion, separation, DIVORCE.     Moses was given a reason for permitting  Divorce -but JESUS still put it clearly when HE said, that from the Beginning it was NOT meant to be like that.      That it was because of the HARDNESS of Man's heart, that it was allowed.         Yes it is always our human, self-righteous, unforgiving, HARD and unyielding heart/mind that causes us to DESERT and GIVE UP on each other.     A clear indication that we have a deficiency in our diet......we are not TAKING in and DIGESTING God's direction for our lives.    THIS is the 'grit' we need to make the 'egg shell' of our Marriage STRONG and ENDURING - the 'GRIT' of His Love, loving another through Jesus in us.

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NOTHING OF GREAT IMPORT to report or write about this week.      The RAIN has returned - just as we were filling the swimming pool with water!    The skies grey and overcast, and the temperature quite cool in the middle f60s  -  yes I know that WILL sound quite warm, but here at the Equator it can FEEL quite cold even.     We are entering the Winter Season here now.     Life, by His Grace and Care, has gone quietly and uneventfully on.     We know His Eye is upon us, as it is upon the Sparrow.

We often feel as if we are in another world, here within our compound, and as we pursue the daily routine of our work and ministry.     A small group of men and women, boys and girls barely noticed in the World at large.      BUT Jesus is in our hearts and He walks and talks with us, as He does to others everywhere.

Well the building works have now ceased.      I told you much earlier that is is the SCHOOL that has been building with the help of the Bank.       Four new Classrooms for the Secondary School section of the School, with a new Library AND a hostel for 60 boarding students - all in one.   THEN at the same time provision of a Standard size Swimming Pool which is hoped to be used by other schools as well as our own, since it the ONLY one still in working order in the whole district open for school's to use.        It has all cost a packet of money, but it well supported and encouraged by the parents of the the children (not ours of course) that attend.    Indeed School parents have once again this year renewed their determination to permit the Homes children (140 of them) to all attend the School FREE.      We had built the school with this in mind, but we have always sought the good will and agreement of those sending children in from outside on a Fee Paying basis.

What next?       Well maybe not much.      On the School side they will seek no further expansion in the next decade.     On the Homes side Repair and Maintenance and Refurbishment all demand constant attention, our daily bread being the main focus of our prayer.      But, one day, we hope to renew Jacaranda Cottage which is full of defects and recurring material problems.    The Lord knows, and He knows the future.      Many of us feel time is running out.......We watch more intently now than ever before.    We Watch and we pray............and we Thank God for what we are enabled to DO and for every young life we are able to reach and touch for the Kingdom of God.

The LORD, who will soon return, be with you all, and Thank you for your fellowship always.

John and Esther & Daryl and Carol

IMAGES

HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH'S LATEST STAMP IMAGE..    One British Newspaper comment was to the effect that it was 'hideous', and resembles a 'bloke wearing a wig'.   Rather cruel, and quite uncalled for I feel.       Always a little difficult for an Artist to paint the truth of what he actually sees, whereas a camera, they say, never lies.     Not a 'bad' rendering though, to my way of thinking - thought not exactly her.      
SIMILARLY a new photo of Her Majesty dressed up in the Highlands did her (or the Highlands) little justice.     She looked rather as if she had been taken and placed - almost pressed - upon the scene behind her.  Her tiara or crown also seems awkwardly placed - more like a cake perhaps.   Her face also appeared to me bloated, and more like one of her ancient Hanoverian ancestors - heavy in the jowl!      I mean no disrespect to the Queen - it will have been the fault of 'light' and 'esposure' used by the photographer.        I did not like this photo.    To me it was just not Queen Elisabeth, and not her way.     But she must have agreed to it........     As a photo it seemed a bit pompous and outdated, and rather an 'imposition' on the landscape -  some 'nationalistic' Scot might say on the Nation as well, though quite unnecessarily so.       As a boy, and long before I could lay any claim to being in any way Scottish, I was on the side of the Jacobites, and would undoubtedly have followed Bonny Prince Charlie........yes and probably would still - though without any real rancour or bitterness against Her Majesty.      ANYWAY this particular photo -in all its scenic grandeur and histrionic import just did not ring true to me.       I AM a monarchist, and I respect the Crown of England AND of Scotland, but this was not, as a photo in my opinion, either inspiring or encouraging to my pride or gladness in my Head of State.     Too bad - BUT there are really great pictures to be found that reveal a Woman of strength of character, Christian tenacity and a kind heart.      Not sensational pictures but REAL.

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A WEEK HAS PASSED  here in Kenya.       On Monday Daryl and I met with the School Administration, and also with the students involved in the 'Testi-Leak' story I regaled you all about last Saturday.      The parents of those students were also with us.    It took some time to unravel everything,but finally the culprits were identified and confessed their faults.   Two were exonerated by any real evil and permitted to return to School.        The prime culprit refused to apologize for any of his actions and was duly asked to leave the School.      His friend and assistant was one of our own boys from Jacaranda Cottage.     He apologized very fully and sincerely, but was also expelled from the School.    BOTH are in their final High School Year, and both will be permitted to return and sit the National Certificate of Secondary Education later in November.      All the Course Work has been completed and so the remaining months will be REVISION.      They have been permitted the use of their text books, since both are very bright academically we feel they still have a chance to perform well in the Examination.      We also hope they will consider their actions and to learn from them.

The School together with ourselves felt that we had to send these two out of School since they had been so injurious in their actions towards two members of the teaching staff - to remain in class even with apology would have only caused further discomfort and even disruption.      The parents concerned agreed and supported the outcome.

Micah and Senge Yego

THREE weeks ago one of our 14 year old girls - part of the Tyndale Cottage Family - ran away on a Saturday afternoon.     We reported the matter to the Police.      After a week we were tipped off by an employee of a friends of ours that she had been seen in a 'slummy' area of town, and that he thought we could be shown the very house where she was staying.       That evening we sent a vehicle and a small team and she was in fact found and brought back to us.      She was discovered alone in a dirty room in the midst of drug addicts and alcoholics.      She was dirty and had lost a lot of weight.   She seemed almost in a hypnotic state and all she wanted was to be taken BACK where we had found her.

The following day we took her to the Children's Office - she had broken her Court Order by running away, and she was now Arrested and Remanded whilst an ongoing investigation continued to look into the matter of exactly WHO had stolen her away.  The young man (21) was found and is also arrested.     Mercy spent a fortnight in Remand.      She spent it very uncomfortably.      She finally came to Court once more on Friday, and although she had stubbornly requested to return to where she had been found, she NOW pleaded to return home to us and to School.     The Magistrate therefore has returned her to us conditionally.    If she runs again she will be transferred to Approved School or Corrective Detention.       Much Prayer has gone up and is continuing to go up for her.

Poor Micah and Senge have really suffered,worrying about her, and all the family with them.   They are glad to see her home, but obviously her coming home is also fraught with risks.    

We see CHANGES in the society around us; changes in the attitudes of children sent to us, AND in those that attend the School.    Children's Rights as being presented by the UN and our Social Services are now reaping their reward - it is not in the best interest of our world society.   Taken with the changes in family life and in ex education and values there is little doubt things will worsen.  What WILL the next generation be like?

NEXT WEEK we hope to have progress on the Task Force for Street Children, AND the opening of the new Swimming pool.       There is progress.     There are inroads being made against the Enemy here, BUT he is VERY busy it seems, and we would ask you to join us in Rebuking the Devil in his efforts to affect the work here in every way.       Esther and I both feel, looking back, that we now are facing the worst opposition and challenge to this ministry in all previous years, both internally and externally.        We are not alarmed - but we have now come to the place of STANDING our ground immovably, refusing to giving to ANY of the Enemies Fiery Darts.

We are praying as I always tell you - for YOU.

Lovingly in the Lord Jesus Christ
 

John and Esther & Daryl and Carol.