MEMORIES!!

THIS IS A LITTLE FAMILY GROUP PHOTO TAKEN IN AROUND 1983. Esther and I, plus Steve and Lizzy Green, were visiting others of the Testimony family in and around the Luanda area in Western Kenya.    Henry, standing to the left of me was in High School at St. Mary's Yala,   Hendrika, standing between Mark Auma and his wife and child, was in a boarding Primary school in the same area.  We usually packed a pic-nic lunch on these visits and made a day of it.
HENRY, now married with grown up children is currently living in the U.S.A. and is a lawyer.    HENDRIKA is also in the U.S.A. working hard in Business.   And MARK has been engaged in Primary Education in Nyanza area here in Kenya.   He has been a well known Headmaster, and also Inspector of Schools in his area, and is well respected for his Christian Testimony and consistent life.    All of them now older of course.   We are in touch with them all, and this Christmas we are hoping to see Hendrika and friend with us for a week or so.    We also see Mark and his family, though not too frequently - and on a very rare occasion may also see Henry.     It is a huge delight to see a photo like this taken in a rather arid area, when we were ourselves suffering some privation, and at the same time managing to see so many young people being given a chance to hope for their future.    And we were were all in it together; an ever increasing and expanding family..........SO much to thank God for.

AND HERE ARE THE 'GIGGLING THREE' Sarah Njeri on the left, then Lizzie Green, and on the far right Catherine Senge.  Not sure of the date, but at a guess, sometime in 1985/6.
SARAH now a senior Bank Manager with Equity Bank.   LIZZIE a mother of two, married to Pastor Prem Joseph pastoring in Rochdale, Lancashire, England, and her self, qualified teacher and accountant..   And on the far right SENGE now Mum in Tyndale Cottage, married to Micah Yego with two kids.    Such good friends and 'sisters' still.     So good to see the
m in this photo, and to know the bonds between them have not been broken or spoilt by the years between and the general process of 'growing up'.

BELOW is photo of Richard Ochieng looking more like a Tibetan or Chinese peasant, than the Father of three and a successful Business man, as he is to day!   He was always a joker, and up to fun and games, and it is so good that he remains local and close to us all.   Again it such a pleasure to look back and to remember days gone by, and the times of good family joys and fun we all had together.   Yes, of course, it was not ALL fun, and each member of our BIG family was and is an individual.   And each one had to bear and suffer things within themselves that did not always promote happiness; many of them had memories of home and family lost, and others with the pain of not knowing their true parents or history at all.  But, I think, in the main, we did help each other to be healed from our pasts, and to embrace the future with God.
We have many photo albums going back all the way to the year we began.    A wonderful source of encouragement to us.     I hope you will enjoy seeing at least a few of them, and in doing so, feel yourselves the more connected to the Testimony Family here in Kenya.

FINALLY for this time, here is a photo of three boys, all brothers.    They also came to us with a forth brother, (Percy) and sister ( Francina)   The three came to us 1986/8.   Steyne on the left NOW aged 32,  the Robert aged 35 and Gordon aged 37.   All married with children, but not so far very successful in life.     Poor Robert is a long distance lorry driver, and has suffered the death of to wives, and a serious accident in which both his legs suffered multiple breaks.    He is still recovering.   Steyne and Gordon have both had problems in holding on to various jobs which has not been easy for them.  BUT they are all very likeable young men, and we are still in touch with all of them including Francina now 50 and married with a son and daughter in Nairobi..  Francina has also come to know and trust in Jesus - We continue to pray for the boys as well.
We have shed a few tears for them over the years, but when I see this photo, I always feel, rising within me, a great deal of affection and hope for each one of them.

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I AM WRITING THE BLOG today - FRIDAY !     Esther, Daryl, Manu, Hellen and baby Abigail, plus three of Daryl's children have all motored down to Nairobi in order to attend the Wedding of one of Esther's nieces tomorrow.     Steven Green is also in Nairobi having flown in from England yesterday to attend the same function, and then will come back up with the others for a week with us in Eldoret.

Daryl will be remaining in Nairobi until Thursday next week for some special Meetings to do with Child Welfare.      The house is very quiet!,  but it is quite a blessing in its own way - baby Abigail is quite a lively and demanding young lady of 18 months.!       Why did I get to be left behind?   Well it is to do with with the Diabetes I suffer from, and it is somewhat difficult at times to be too far from a toilet.    Otherwise all is well, and my doc, says I must be patient !      Well that is not altogether bad advice, for I am a believer in letting 'Patience have its perfect work....'!     Sometimes I find myself a little impatient though - for the work to be done in me.

Daryl and the Management have agreed now to go ahead with the idea of a Day Care Centre, and a great deal has been done in the last week towards repair, redecoration and equipage.   Might be able to include some photos next week..     God be with you all, and always keep you safe.

With our Love and affection in Jesus always

John, Esther and Daryl Green