WHO CARES ABOUT US? God does, and Will

YESTERDAY THE GOVERNMENT ORDERED ALL SCHOOLS CLOSED BY MONDAY - Government AND Private Schools!!       I surmise SOME government teachers did NOT strike, and kept their school going until now.       If I am right then I must admire them for trying to do their professional and honourable DUTY, just as all those in the Private Schools are also to be admired for doing the same!   They showed CARE for the Nations children, and for the future of the Nation.   BUT now the Government has ordered School to be CLOSED regardless of how that will affect the children or the State.    This is totally insensible.      Our own School should also shut down, UNLESS that is, Private Schools opt to stay open whatever happens.       As with the majority of Union action these days it is very much pinned to politics,     The last time the Teachers seriously went on Strike it was about the same time of year, and was meant to force government to give in for the sake of the Children.   In October / November the Nation;s Primary Graduating class - Grade 8 - are due to take their FINAL exam, the outcome of which will affect their future in Secondary School and beyond.     In the same period the nation's Secondary Graduating Class - Form 4 - will be taking their FINAL exams, the outcome of which will determine what their future, academically, and beyond, will be.    A VERY tense and life determining time.
In it's latest Communique the Government has said that although School will be closed as from Monday, Standard 8 and Form 4 students can continue to attend School WITHOUT TEACHERS in order to revise alone with their books!     A lot of good that will do them without guidance.   WHO they are, I wonder, these intellectual academics that are foisting their heartless and inexperienced ideas on our already depressed kids?     I wonder if THEY ever went to School themselves.   I wonder if they have any idea of the psychological damage they are wilfully causing countrywide.

Private School interview and employ trained government Teachers to teach in their Schools.   Some are able to charge high enough Fees to provide competitive Salaries for their teachers.    Others do not have this possibility and are forced by the state of the general economy of where they operate to only ask fees that might be affordable, meaning that teacher's salaries my have to be offered at a lower rate than the current Government rate.    There is no shortage of teachers, and they come to teach, not blackmail, the Managements to increase salaries beyond their ability to pay.  They have done us all proud, and as I have written before they are worthy of Praise and Thanksgiving.     NOW the government wants to SHUT our privately owned and managed Schools down.   BUT they do not finance or manage them.       If we shut down we cannot lay our teachers off - on the other hand parents will not pay Fees if their children go untaught!!     It is a serious matter for the Private School Sector.     In our own area in and around Eldoret we have some 40+ Private Schools.     We have more than 800 pupils ourselves - say the average Private School population is 500 - that means some 20,000 + will be out of School next week.     The Government as about the same number of schools in our area with another approximate population of some 70,000 (government schools class number are bigger,)     So just here in Eldoret and around, more than 100,000 can be expected out of school - without any end of the Strike in sight,.

Nurses, Doctors, Lecturers are all threatening to strike as well,  and will if THIS one seems to succeed.     Others will join the Band Waggon, and Kenya will go down the sink with it's people/
The Government needs to ACT, and to act strongly and sensibly for the sake of the Nation, not just a part of it.

TESTIMONY FAITH HOMES has not yet decided what to do.     MONDAY a decision will be made.     It may well be we shall say we will not close, which could put us on the wrong side of the law!      It may also put us, our property, teachers, and even students, at risk from the Strikers themselves who will no doubt feel badly about out lack of support for their cause.     Our main consideration will be for the Children - but we must also consider that to shut down the School might bring it down permanently.       SO we are praying through this week-end to see where we will end up standing, by Monday Morning.   We know we are one of many other school in the same predicament.
Those who do not have God int he Boat with them, might easily cease to exist, and literally hundreds of school close for ever.     Think what that well mean to Kenya.

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ABOVE is a 2007 School picture of some of the students of the year. with one of the School Blocks shown centre with one of our Buses.    It is really interesting and challenging to look back and see faces that have long left us, and continued with life.    Many of them, of course, will have been part of the Testimony Family.      One of our family from Testimony House, Edwin Ngobia has MARRIED today, here in Eldoret, in a Church where another of our old boys is co-pastor (Rev. Moses Ongonga)

Here is Edwin, recently take with his fiancee,
Sabrina.     Edwin came to us with his sister, Salome, in 1995.   He was ten.   A bright child, he did well at School being quiet and studious. He eventually found a place in Busoga University i Uganda, and took A Bachelor of Commerce course with a bias in Accounting.  He did well.
Of late he has been working in Dubai, and having established himself well there he returned a few weeks ago to arrange his marriage to his long time Sweet-heart Sabrina.    Very soon they plan to return to Dubai, but not for ever; home is home!!      Esther and I were proud to stand with Edwin at his Wedding to day.   He had introduced Sabrina previously to us, and we also fell in love with her, for she is a lovely lady.      Quite a few of Testimony staff and children attended the Wedding as well, and Sabrina's Family also came in vast numbers overnight to be with us, from Embu.    Esther is still at the Reception, so am hoping she will bring a photo at least that I may include here.       It is good to have hope for the future from so many of our children.    And to know the Lord is with them, watching over them as He has done with us.

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THIS WEEK we have had the pleasure of Diane and Ian HOGLEY staying with us from Huddersfield.    They actually visited together with Janet and Stuart Brown, and so we were able to let them see the NEW Jacaranda Cottage first hand - they were thrilled.    The Browns actually slept with the Mbithi's in Neema Children's Home just up the road from us, and visited with us during the day.

Ian and Diana slept with us, and also were able to visit Joshua and Miriam in the daytime.  The all left on Thursday, but we are expecting Diane and Ian back with us later this afternoon (is now 5p.m. our time!)

We also had great joy in having an added, though VERY brief visit, from Rev. Phillip Baskerville from Gursney with two members of his Team, touring Kenya.    He had a team of 8 altogether and they had also been staying with Joshua and Miriam - it was Joshua Mbithi who brought the three to say Hi.     Wonderful.

Our Love in Jesus to you all, as always.     Please do keep us in prayer.

John, Esther, and Daryl