Approximately 6,300ft above sea level, with a reasonably pleasant climate - though changeable. This year there has not been a LOT of sunshine or even HEAT! Rather more RAIN than usual and some very cold spells - but right now not too bad. We have an increasing population in excess of 600,000, - sixty percent under 20, and unemployed. There is a sense of overcrowding with so many on the streets, and cars the roads and pavements! The Town itself is noisy, dirty, and throbbing with activity. Dozens of Banks, Hotels, Supermarkets, chemists all mixed in with old and shabby shops and kiosks, and crumbling side walks.........Not an attractive town but in the 40 years we have lived here we have felt at peace in it, and happy in it - even having also gone through the 'Troubles' of December 2007. But apart from high rise buildings going up from time to time there has not been much upward progress in the prosperity or general services in the town. YESTERDAY, Saturday, I could not write up the Blog due to failure nation wide of Electric Power. This interfered with access to the Internet. Also the WATER was cut off Town wide all day... Not so unusual, and in a week Power and Water can go off a dozen or more times interrupting daily life at home, at school, and in business. Not too inspiring, or even hopeful for the future....BUT then there are many much worse places to be. One should not grumble..even though there ARE times!!
No doubt everyone, wherever they are, will find something to grumble and be discontented about. The child growing up in SYRIA right now, or in many even poorer Countries around us here in Africa, will each one face problems - even despair.
DAVID, one of our young men who is now employed here in our Bakery was asking me only on Friday if I had ever wondered what life is all about, and whether it had any real purpose - and if it was really bearable!
He is 25, still unmarried, earning about a hundred pounds sterling a month, and living alone in one room in Eldoret Town, fending for himself. Quite a big change from living within a family group of 40 with everything taken care of. He believes in Jesus, is normally of an optimistic and happy nature, and usually content with what he has. He wants to trust fully in Jesus, but at times he is faced with a life that seems to be leading and going nowhere. He is feeling real happiness and well-being are getting further away from him. BUT he has a job - he is NOT one of the 60% unemployed. He gets up at 4am to arrive early at his job to bake enough bread for 800 souls for the day. Hard work! He will leave at 4.30p.m. and spend an hour getting home to his empty uncomfortable room (it WILL slowly change for the better). Once home he will cook a simple supper for himself, watch a little TV and go to bed early. He has little time for friends or entertainment outside of his TV. This is how his daily life is now - without a wife and children - it is a kind of drudgery, and it seems it can only get worse when he finds his own family, children to feed and educate. There is a real hopelessness, and even discontent in the hearts of the masses.....and yes I know this is something experienced all over the planet - not just in Kenya.
YET DAVID does himself have hope and generally he tackles his daily life and duties happily. But I think when he leaves work and arrives at his shabby comfortless room he MUST suddenly feel ALONE. And within Kenya, and all around in the world outside, anxieties about the future increase...........To live on planet earth seems to be a very depressing concept.
The Syrians have one week to list all their Chemical Weapons - as if they do not already KNOW what they have, and already HAVE a list!! No doubt they will use the time (whilst they continue to kill each other) to devise a way to deceive those that need to KNOW what they are hiding. Did not the President of Iraq do the same quite successfully? And then - nothing immediate will happen.....but later the gloom and shadow of War and Violence - the very stalking-horse of fear of the future - will descend upon the people.
THE WORLD KEEPS AN UNEASY PEACE - and its people have no confidence in it - and thus they try to blot out their fear and apprehension with drugs, with excessive sex, alcohol, and a multitude of questionable and inconvenience pleasures and pastimes. And their Leaders, the Men of Power RULE recklessly without any real CARE for the people. Yes indeed, look around you - are we not all jostling precariously upon a slippery slope? Oh that Jesus would come NOW, and whisk us all away - yet we know that He will not grasp everyone's hand, to SAVE them, and that SO MANY will slide inevitably DOWNWARDS to even worse than what they now fear and flee from in their minds.
WELL, I DO remember feeling like David when I was sixteen in the UK, living under the cloud of Russian Missiles.....but I went on living, and came through to know the reason why. MANY of our boys and girls, as they grew up with me and Esther in Testimony House, came to such moments in their thoughts. It was interesting to notice the difference in them - in those who had found PEACE from their FAITH in CHRIST, and those who had no faith at all in anything. The latter would suddenly be found sitting disconsolately staring into space, hearing and seeing nothing - as if the bottom had dropped out of their world. But the others, who walked with JESUS entered into a REST - a Sabbath - and a respite from all the worries of this world; looking away to JESUS, and trusting in His Promises - They found purpose to LIVE for God, and in living they found HOPE....... YES we ALL need to shake of 'dull sloth' and to LOOK up from the daily disappoints and boredom's and get NEW VISION about what REAL life is all about. We need not to fear, but rather gather great encouragement as we focus on the Coming of the KING of ALL the WORLD.
AND IT IS GOOD TO KEEP IN MIND and understanding the FACT that all that we go through and come to know, as we live upon the earth, is meant to prepare us, and even nudge us on, to be involved in the Great Task that still awaits to be unfolded to us - a TASK that will take us into Eternity, and even Beyond.
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| Steve & George |
Many of our children are now grown up; they are married with children of their own that call us Grandpa and Grandma! Life is not all roses for them, BUT they have had, and continue to have, times of JOY and HAPPINESS as they progressively discover that they do now walk (live) alone - GOD is WITH THEM, and will rescue and deliver them from AL their troubles. The KNOW why they were BORN.
To conclude a few photos of children now grown up to be husbands, wives and parents. FIRST is George, who came to us when he was eight. He is now 37. He is now happily married with a family. He is now a small Business man in a nearby town not too far from us. He is seen here with STEVEN GREEN, and his first born son. Steven of course also grew up in Testimony House, now married with two kids of his own. He and his all are trusting in Jesus - HE is just turned 40
THEN there is Francis posing here with his wife and firstborn son. Francis did not do too well at school but started out as a Shoe-maker. Now he is a Security Guard working with a Christian Mission. Life was a great struggle in the beginning but now JESUS walks with him and his family, and they are confident and sure that they are SAFE in his hands. Francis grew up in Jacaranda Cottage from when he was 11. Now he is 40
AND LASTLY here is Wycliffe, our Pastor and Chaplain, with Miriam and his wife (centre) and thier daughter Lydia. He is now back in service with us all having recovered well from a recent operation and also, just last week, from the sorrow of losing his young sister. He has two children in High School. He and his wife trust in Jesus and no matter what confronts them they know HE will be with them as they face the problems. Wycliffe is now 52, a seasoned School Teacher by profession but with a life laid out for GOD. NO, these are not just a small handful but a sample of the many, many others who came - grew up - left us - and continued to GROW with God by their side. They came destitute, came to know their poverty of spirit, trusted in Christ, and are now waiting in confidence for His RETURN, and for the Establishment of a Kingdom ruled by and with RIGHTEOUSNESS. A Kingdom that will endure for EVER - no more tears there, no pain or hurt, no fear of the unknown - the restoration of that SEVENTH DAY when God opened the door and welcomed humanity to REST with Him........and to those that BELIEVE it will never more be interrupted. HALLELUJAH!God Bless you all
John and Esther
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