AS LIFE GOES BY

IT WILL SOON BE OUR 43RD Wedding Anni-versary.     Hardly seems possible, but I was reading this from my 1974 Diary and found myself celebrating our THIRD anniversary; a big party and get together with the children - we had 40 then - with us in Testimony House.   We all had a soda and a bun!     God is indeed Faithful, and has kept us together, well and still standing for Him forty years further on.
Wonderful.    AND this year Esther will celebrate her 70th Birthday, and by this time next week we will have welcomed our daughter Elisabeth, and her family who will join us in that Celebration.   Steven and his family to arrive a few days after that, and many, many others.......all in time for the 17th August, Esther's Birthday.    Quite an auspicious week and month.     But so far the 'winter' weather is building up,  clouds, rain, and cold days and nights.       But there ARE some moments of warmth and sunshine....and our children still SWIM in the big open air pool - makes ME shiver just to look at them.   THEY are thrilled and just jump in and splash around as if it were central-heated!!!
SCHOOL is winding down and will CLOSE on Wednesday next week.    Termly exams are all over and marked, with Reports being written.   A busy, tense but excitable week.     AND THEN three weeks School Holiday, and freedom from the 'Bell' and lessons.     Hooray!    Well - for them rather than us!
Our youngest member of the family, Abygail, is growing fast and well, with four lovely teeth.   She seems to be coping fairly well, but she still has a Bad Day here and there.    Otherwise a constant delight and source of laughter - a real personality indeed.
One of our teenage boys living in Jacaranda Cottage has suddenly shown serious anti-social traits. He has been with us since he was 5 years old and although he has been a 'slow' learner at school he has always demonstrated a quiet, and pleasant disposition.     On leaving Secondary School he commenced a Course in Welding some forty kilometres away at a Boarding Polytechnic.      He complained of abuse there, and refused to return, so we had decided to try another method, thinking that he might still do well, but as a day scholar at another school.  He is 17.   He he has so far not attended his classes, and has been found wandering around aimlessly, and seemingly a quite different person.     Of course many have tried to get alongside him and tried to council him including myself, but so far it is looking unsafe to keep him at home..       Our Children's Officer has advised us to get rid of him  -   Yes .....but this is not as easy as it looks.      Apart from ONE, there is no full time residential care home for those who may be psychiatrically disturbed,     And even though there ARE Psychiatric units at District Hospitals they only take temporary cases, and thereafter return them home.      This boy has no home but us!   So please, we would value your prayers.       We have had worse to deal with before, and the Lord has helped us, and one by one has helped them to have a life and a future.      Reuben has a sister with him in the same house, Daisy.    She is fifteen and has just concluded her Primary Education - very clever and happily settled.      She inherited HIV from her mother.    She is under medication but well and strong so far.  In 3rd World Countries such as ours, fascilities for special needs are rare if not quite non exisitant,    Humans of any age found below par are either ignored and left ALONE, Locked-up in a room like mad dogs, or done away with - just as Street Children in South America are shot by the Police to keep the streets clear of their nuisance value.      Of course there IS danger and risk in helping those whose minds run on abnormal tracks, a different 'gauge' to the standard.    Even George Muller said that if he came across a child who, after repeated council and advice, contnued to demonstrate an anti social trait he removed that one from the Home.     He did not say what he did with them though.
But he did it for the good of the rest........      ANOTHER recently qualified Sociologist sent us an SMS to advise us (she knows the 'Homes' very well)  'Reuben should be got rid of NOW, before he hurts our children'.      Did she forget, I wonder, that Reuben is one of our children too?    What will he do, where will he go, how HURT will he become?      What happened to Pity and Compassion?   What happened to Faith in God............?       What has happened to US, to humanity.....?  

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IN 2009 A NEW ORGANISATION was Registered in Kenya. 

The Association of Charitable Children's Institutions of Kenya (ACCIK)

It is a National Organisation with up to 47 County Representatives nation-wide.      ACCIK has various programmes to do with Children's needs.     Membership is limited to Legally Registered Charitable 

Children's Homes within Kenya.     It is a completely independent body, but works closely with Government as well.

On THURSDAY this week an Introductory Meeting was held here in TFH, in our Board room.   A number of CCI managers attended together with a Team from ACCIK chaired by Rev. Steven  Ndungu (above left) who is himself the National Chairman of ACCIK.    

At the end of the day it was agreed by those present, including ourselves, to form a CHAPTER for our County, and Daryl P. Green was elected County Representative and Leader of the new Chapter.  I personally feel the ACCIK has a good vision and that it will be very beneficial to ALL CCIs to have an available source of fellowship and information to draw on.     Initially our chapter will meet bi-monthly and here in Testimony Faith Homes.       It is hoped that membership will increase as more CCI managers get to hear and understand more about it.

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TOMORROW I am to be the speaker at our Fellowship's MEN"S SUNDAY.    It will be the last Sunday of the Term and so all our Boarders will still be with us, making for a well filled Meeting.  Then for three weeks we shall just be our usual 200 or so in the Fellowship Meetings, Children and Staff as well as a few locals.      I shall be sharing about Micah, a minor prophet of some stature.   A truly brave and courageous MAN who would not live with evil unrebuked.     He lived in a world society very much like our own, He grew up in a rural area, but was unafraid to tackle Urban problems and decay,


God Bless you all.     Hope you will all be kept safe and well during this coming week.    Remember HE who is our very Health and Strength, our Saviour, has made His home within US.    Who and What can hurt us if GOD be with us?


John and Esther & Daryl and Carol