LOOKING BACK

HERE IS ONE OF MY OLDEST KENYA PHOTOS! Taken in early 1969 at weekend Retreat with the Roving Team.    To attend it, in Lumbwa, I needed to take my first journey by train at night in Kenya.    A very elderly steam locomotive chugging along under the stars suspended in a clear moon ruled heaven. The gauge was narrow, and the speed was slow, but the 'atmoshpere' was just SO amazing and special.  God spoke to me very specially at that Retreat.   It was led by a very dear Man of God - Rev. Gilbert Mulaha,
I, of course, am the one with the beard in the photo.
To my left is Elijah Akhahenda, now in the States with his family, and to my right Evelyn Achenje a School teacher.    We were with a number of others including Dr. Nelson Munala, Dr. Johanna Mruka, Elijah Malenge,  Micah Amukobole,    Rahab Kimani,  Harry Cotter, and Joseph Yobera.   There were many others.    Some of the most well known have already past on to Glory, and we begin to be conscious of a passing Era, and with it the present need to see more equally noted brethren rising up with commitment to the Word of God, and the energy and dedication to proclaim it.    I was very blessed to know so many of them, and to be not only encouraged, but also accepted as as a friend and brother in those early years when Green was truly a 'greenhorn.' in matters Kenyan and African.    They were my preparation for all that came afterwards in the founding and development of Testimony Faith Homes.
IT IS GOOD TO LOOK BACK.

Just a year after this photo was taken, I met Esther Iguru, a high School teacher of English and Home Science.    I had about 28 boys staying with me by then, but had travelled some 400 kilometres to Machakos, from Maseno in Western Kenya where I was living.  I had gone to speak at a Boys High School for the Week-end.   Esther came to supper with my hosts there, and immediately I saw her I knew she would be my wife.     She says it was the same for her when she saw me that evening.   And so we were in fact married in August 1971, and have been together every since.   28 years as parents to our own children, plus some 150 others who came to live with us in Testimony House until 1998, and then as Grandparents to all the 350 that have been part of the greater Family of Testimony Faith homes since its onset.    It has been a wonderful experience, and a wonderful partnership.    I was 31 and she was 27 when we married.

IN MARCH 1972 we had about 30 boys and had moved from Maseno to Ramula in Siaya District.   We were able to leave TFH with Duncan and Christianne Munn for some months so that we could visi the UK..   THEY were on their way to Congo and needed time or get used to climate and so on.   We were away nine months. We took one of our first boys with us, Johanna Nanjelo Okombo.  Esther was pregnant with OUR firstborn, Steven, and was to give birth to him in Truru Hospital, Cornwall on 16th June.    Johanna stayed with us till he had completed High School but then ran off. and became a thief.   He eventually killed a man, and was imprisoned for life.    Whilst in prison the LORD met him, and Redeemed him.    Many in the prison were saved because of his witnessing, and eventually he was released early because of his Good Conduct.    He came to work with us as a Groundsman and Cleaner, eventually dying from heart failure brought on by Malaria in 2010.  He was 52.

ON BOXING DAY .we moved from Ramula to ELDORET, about 130 kilometres east.   We came to a compound of some 5.15 acres comprising of just one house - which we called Testimony House.   It had been empty for some three years, and was built of MUD brick and timber, the walls externally plastered.   It had been built in 1910!!    It had a huge sitting room some 900 square feet, and seven bedrooms.
It became Esther's and my home, and home to our three children, plus an extended family of more than 40 at any one time over the next twenty six years.    It was a happy house, and we always felt the warmth of a happy history in it all the years we were there.
We purchased a SECOND house in 1975 - Jacaranda Cottage just across the road from us, and in 2007/08 we built the third and forth houses on the same compound - Tyndale and Drakeley Cottages, all now with a combined total of some possible 140 children plus staff.     I am not going to go into details about these Homes since previous BLOGS do this - especially those of the most recent review of the ministry here dated as from 1st November 2014.
THE SCHOOL did not get going until 1981 when we started Nursery.  Then Primary started in 1983, and High School in 1994   -   Once again the School has been reviewed in Detail previously.

In JANUARY 1973 we were joined in Eldoret by a young High School graduate, Francis Wainaina,.
He became a very real and valued assistant to us both, and in 1974 married Elaine Johnson, a High School teacher from the UK, who was on the staff of a local school.    Elaine came into the ministry with Francis, and until 1977 were Mum and Dad to Jacaranda Cottage.     Eventually the left us, to work in the UK.   Francis was ordained in the Anglican Church of England where he still ministers.
Esther and I were standing with them at their Wedding (also with our second born Michael).     From here on I will insert a few more photos from around this era until about 1977.    

.ABOVE is a group of some of those who were in the Family of Testimony House around 1975. From the left is George Muturi, John Francis, Abwao Ongondi, Wafula Wanjala, Then also Patrick Najok, and John Etabut, both soccer players.  Patrick played for Kenya, and John for Bata.  Both have now died, and Patrick was in fact murdered in Nairobi, leaving a young wife and children.   All very distressing at the time for us all.
AND HERE IS Francis Wainaina with our TWINS Christopher on the left and Anthony on the right in the photo. They both grew up wanting to serve God, and are both now in the ministry and pastoring churches; Anthony in Nairobi with his own wife and children, and brother Christopher here in Eldoret with his wife and children.    We thank God for them both, and see them frequently.
IN FEBRUARY 1983 Esther and I again visited England for the 2nd time round.
We left Nicholas Mwangi in charge at that time.    He had worked with us as my Assistant for some years by then, and he proved himself more than reliable and efficient in all that he did whilst we were away.     Although he was eventually to leave us in 1988 to go into private business, he remains, with his family a valued and close friend both of ourselves and of the Homes.

Nicholas is standing on the back row of this photo to the far left.    The photo includes almost all those who were in the Testimony House Family at that time, and you can see how well he kept them.     Our thanks Nicholas, always for all you did for us at that time.   Following on from you on the back line going right can be seen, John Ngugi, Moses Ongonga, David Koech, Joseph Kihara, Daniel Kinyanjui,  Anthony Wanyama, Mwangi Macharia, (and  Peter Kalulu - staff member). Then IN THE CENTRE is Sara Njeri, and Catherine Senge.    Finally the bottom row left to right - Jotham Chege, Ezekiel Kipchumba, Samuel Macho, Christopher Kiptisia, Peter Wangolo, Anthony Kiprotich, David Senoga, Richard Ochieng, William Oyongolot, Charlie Green, Daryl Peacock, and Sammy Kirui,   Five among them all are now full time pastors and servants of God.
This goes back up to 32 years ago, and jogs the memory of the FIRST fourteen years that we had been existing.    They were good years in the main, though not without a great deal of challenge and disappointment at times,    AND, of course JACARANDA Cottage was also having its own family from 1975 alongside our own.  WE had grown.      And we continued to grow even until now.

TODAY one of our old girls, Purity Abwona, now an Early Childhood Development Teacher with our Nursery School is having her 2nd Pre Wedding Party in Testimony House.    She and her fiancee hope to marry in December.     Esther and I will be there, although of course Mum and Dad in Testimony House is now Hesketh and Alice Muli.     One of the wonderful things about Testimony is that it IS a Family, and even when children grow up and leave us to become independent, the majority still remain in touch to some extent, and often find themselves back with us to celebrate as well as to cry. That is very special and encouraging.

DARYL is away in Nairobi today.   He is looking over possible 'equipments' for a Day Care Centre that has at last been identified as the first of THREE projects that we feel can be housed in the shell of the old Jacaranda Cottage and also assist us in attaining at least a little 'self sufficiency'.      It is also hoped to install a Tailoring Department which will make and sell UNIFORM to our School parents and perhaps even to parents of other schools.    And finally to move the Bakery from Testimony House into the same facility.
THEN we will go public and seek Licence to sell our bread to other schools and the general Public.  We would appreciate your prayers for our father's Guidance about this, but we believe it will be a very great assistance to us, and enlarges the benefit of having been given the funds to build a NEW Jacaranda Cottage.      Kirkby Trust say they do not wish to be thanked in writing for all their Gift has meant to us, but I guess they will never be able to prevent our hearts thanking them goingly and for ever. Surely God will Bless them so much, and also Stuart and Janet Brown, their Trustees.

For the first time I have felt glad to have been able to retire from all the work here, and to be able to leave it to a younger man, with inspirational energy and vigour.      It took a while!     Recently I have been feeling very weary, and tired.       I am still up and about and able to share with Daryl when and where necessary, but I am happy it is no more than that.      Esther,contrariwise, is still spending four hours a day involved in School business, as well as looking after me and the visitors that come to encourage us and share friendship with us.        We thank God together for being well enough to do the little we do, and for giving us mental and physical health enough to still enjoy each others love and fellowship.

God Bless and be with you all till next time

John, Esther, and Daryl.