ACCEPTING CHANGE WITH FAITH

HERE, AT LAST, is a photo of the Macharia Family who have come to make their Home in Jacaranda Cottage with the Jacaranda Family.    On the left is Agnes, carrying her daughter Esther aged 2, and then Oliver aged 10 and lastly Joseph Macharia.     They have settled in well, and seem to be well accepted by the children.       On Tuesday morning Daryl, Esther and myself, plus all our other houseparents went to Jacaranda to welcome them (they arrived the previous afternoon) and we enjoyed coffee and fellowship together.    A very nice time.      We Thank God for introducing this family to us, and for making it possible for them to fill the gap left by Mr. and Mrs. Rop.        Oliver is already romping around the place making new friends, and it is good that both children seem to have taken this new situation to their hearts.   They are both already part of the Family.       But little Esther will probably be the heart breaker - such a pretty child, and so outgoing !      A real 'Sweetie' - and I think she knows it as well!
SO this is another Bench Mark in the history of the Jacaranda Family, and of course not only a NEW FAMILY LEADERSHIP, but also a NEW HOME progressively going up in front of all our eyes,   It is all very exciting......
THIS WEEK our photo will not show great change as far as the building is concerned.    All the brick work above the Ring Beam now completed and also the  Gable Ends to the roof. It now begins to really show promise of the coming Roof.    The contractor tells me he hopes the roofing will be completed by NEXT Saturday!!!     Then all the interior works will begin.    The GOOD thing of course is that the RAIN has held off still and this bodes well for the roofing which hopefully might still not get rained on.

ON THE 2ND FEBRUARY you may remember we Admitted TWO girls - also to Jacaranda - who already had two of the family resident  (Lawrence who is currently now in University, and Vincent).     The two Admitted are sisters of Lawrence, but had been put in another Home, in Nairobi, which was lately CLOSED down as it was unregistered.    Beatrice will be 12 in August and Cynthia will be 8 in May.     They also seem to have settled in well, and are very happy at School.       Lawrence as you know was left to care for all his own and step family on his mother's death some years back.     We have been glad to assist with placing some of them with us.    The biggest worry was another sister aged 13 who is having a mental age of six and has been unable to learn or be accommodated residentialy due to an explosive nature.    Much prayer has gone into finding an answer, and this year, very recently, she was offered a residential place in a Special School.     This will make a big different to Lawrence who has had all the burden upon himself - he has done very well all things considered.    A very industrious hard working and spiritual young man.

FINALLY - relative to Jacaranda, we have today lost yet another of our girls, Maureen, that I have shared about in a previous Blog.    Now Esther aged 17 also in Jacaranda family, and in High School with us, has been found to be very much without repentance in being pregnant.       One of the 'outside' students is responsible,  she says but no more beyond that.  She leaves behind a sister called Joan aged 15; a serious student and of a quiet disposition.    Both girls were left when their mother died in 2004.     Their dad is a drunkard and without means having suffered from cancer also for many years.       Esther will now go to stay with a close friend of her mother's sister.    After the birth of the child, and depending how the situation will then look, we may let Ester back to complete here High School on a day to day basis - not residentially.         Since we began in 1969 we have seen 7 of our girls become pregnant - but not because of ANY of the boys living in the Homes.     7 out of 400 is not too bad a record, but still a very real disappointment and worry.      We are glad at least to say that nearly all have gone on to make a good life for themselves and their children.    One or two have even married and established a happy home and family base.     God is Good.    It has been Jesus in their lives that turned everything round.

AND NOW THE LATEST PICTURES OF THE NEW COTTAGE as taken today.

Our Love and Thankfulness to you all.      Be Blessed and Watchful as the Day draws near for all of us.

Sincerely

John, Esther and Daryl Green