HOW GOOD IT IS TO LIVE IN UNITY!?

THE QUESTION IS CAN WE ACTUALLY DO SO?   ARE WE ABLE TO DO SO?    When mankind WERE apparently all together of one race and tongue, they immediately set too, to climb up to where God is, in order to dispossess HIM of power and government over them.      HE threw them down from their arrogance, and confused them utterly by making each speak a different language to the one next to him - and thus they were scattered and kept apart.  (Genesis 11v1-9)   In this case it seemed GOD was against Man's Unity of purpose.   Perhaps because He knew what is in Man since his initial Rebellion in the Garden, and knew that he would forever war against himself.     Think of the havoc Men do now, even divided as they are - put them all together in ONE universal situation, and it could be much worse.    
Mr. Salmond has resigned as First Minister of Scotland, as if that were not enough for his ambition.   What more did he want - to be KING or PRESIDENT?     And a good percentage AGREED with him in Scotland.      So far no one has asked the English what THEY felt about it.   BUT Mr. Salmond has assured the English that although he is stepping down, the fight/ struggle/national determination to BE independent will go on - TODAY I am reading in the Press that in America 1 in every 4 States are also now considering seceding from the United States !!!!  Looking at the world scene in general it is clear that Man lives in a churning bucket of worms all wriggling to improve their position whilst smothering the rest as they do so.

If only we all COULD live together peacefully and of one mind, appreciating and caring for each others welfare.   If only we could so in the small parameter of our own family relationship, or within our own tribe, or nation?

King David seemed to have discovered, at least to some degree, an occasion when such unity had been experienced.    He wrote in Psalm133 -

'See how good, and how pleasant it is,

for brethren to dwell together in unity.'

Some centuries later Paul the Apostle writing to the Ephesian Church - chapter 4v3 encourages them

in following Christ in His Spirit to -

'Try to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is ONE body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called

in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism

One God and Father of ALL, who is above all, and through

all, and in you all.'

The same Apostle, writing this time to the Roman Church exhorts them in Romans 12v18 to -

If it is possible, as much as lieth in you,

live peaceable with all men

(the whole chapter is very relevant)

I wonder what he would make of to-days Christians, and their multiplicity of different 'ways' of following Christ - their endless man-made traditions, and laws, that have been heaped upon the simple Good News, and which more and more divide and separate the Family of God.

And really the way to peace and togetherness which, summed up, makes for unity amongst us all, is to simply FORGIVE one another,       BUT Man is not, it seems, very forgiving, fettered as he is by the effects of SIN, and his fall from Grace.      Even with Christ to help him out, he still seems to prefer his own opinion and self righteousness.      The very divisions of our main world religions demonstrates this thoroughly today, in what is happening among the Nations of the Middle East, egged on by politics,    Look at what is happening in world families - see the increase in Divorce, Adultery, Fornication, Human Abuse; indeed the very idea of 'family' is fading from society.

AND SO THE UNITED KINGDOM in which I grew up still survives - but how sincerely is it humanly UNITED.        Each Nation, given opportunity, makes belittling jests and puns about the other nationally - even individually.      Does the multi-racial Englishman, Welshman, Northern Irishman, or Scotsman truly VALUE each other and themselves.    Even the Olympic Games denies this, since there the United Kingdom is not displayed as a true unity, in ONENESS, but one more seen as three separate nations competing against each other.       It is so easy to put our nationality first instead of each other as human beings.  Here in Kenya it is continually stated that we are ONE Nation - not many.
This in an effort to de-tribalise our culture and attitudes.
Surely this OUGHT to apply to the United Kingdom (singular).  It is not THE UNITED KINGDOMS!    The error seems to be that each nation within the UNITY has failed to integrate.      We criticise (in the U.K.) Asians,  and Muslims from working at integration instead of hanging on to THEIR culture which often separates them from ever being British.  ( Well yes it IS also true that the English must also be blamed for not making it easy for them - at times).       Mr.Salmond's parting words were in some way threatening -   'I am leaving, but Scotland will continue the struggle against you'. (not verbatim).  Even he has set Scotland man against man.     IF ONLY all men COULD learn to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

How Little HEAVEN will resemble EARTH socially!

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TO THE LEFT is a photo of our recently born bull calf, safely delivered of his mother, currently our ONLY cow.    His mother is quite a hefty one, but a good milker.     We hope to soon obtain another cow for her to keep company with.        We plan to sell the calf as soon as it is weaned and use the money to assist buy the envisaged second cow.      But I must say I always find it hard to think of selling such an appealing and innocent animal.    But at least we can do our best to give proper care, and kindness to those animals God entrusts us with.      In Kenya, as in many  Countries around us, animals of any kind are still considered 'dumb beasts' and therefore of little need of consideration.     They are dumb not merely because they cannot SPEAK, but because they are truly DUMB and without understanding or FEELINGS, and therefore you can treat them as badly or carelessly as you like.      It is a lie of course - they are NOT stupid, but bright and intelligent - and they do, of course, FEEL pain and kindness just as much as WE do.     I wonder how God, who sees and cares about the falling sparrow, feels about the WAY we treat the rest of creation?

TO THE RIGHT is a group of our Old Boys with Daryl taken at Esther's 70th Birthday Party.  At the Back is Pastor Anthony Bones, then Business man Richard Ochieng,,then Lucky Kiprotich,..then Pastor Christopher Kosgei, and Michael Green.  On the front row is Francis Lahol, houseparent to Drakely Cottage, Daryl Green and next to him David Koech, business man, and Steven Green.    Michael and Steven were both visiting shortly - both in the UK involved in Computer work.

Daryl continues to be our CEO and is hoping to possibly visit the U.K sometime next year (2015) and maybe also Germany very briefly in November this year.    So far he is coping fairly well.      I now have the Office next door to him as General Secretary, so we tend to be more together in the daily routines.

I have recently re-listed all those on our Address List, relative to the County in which you all live.
This partly for two reasons.   The first in order to try to discover exactly WHO is NOT having access to the Web and E-mail.    The second in order to consider increasing knowledge of this ministry.  It is some time sine Esther and I have been able to travel,  and we hope that next year Daryl will perhaps make a short visit.    We are considering him coming with a portable projector and video of the work here as an UPDATE.      ADDITIONALLY the thought has come that perhaps we might find someone who could Represent us as a Travelling Secretary.     He or she could perhaps visit little Groups of existing friends and supporters, and show the video,      Perhaps not full time but intermittently as time and opportunity allow.    I will let you all know how this develops.     If any of you might be interested to start a Coffee Group or something please let me know.      It is difficult to visit you all individually, but if there was group or place you could be with others it could be very possible to arrange a visit on a regular basis.

In future Blogs I will endeavour to include more about the children, and actual ministry that goes on here, and perhaps more from my Diary, even an extract from our Book - A Cry from the Street.

We hope and pray that you are all well,     God Bless you all so much


John and Esther & Daryl and Carol