DAY TO DAY CONTINUING

                                                                             

MOTHER AND CHILD!    Helen Green and her little daughter Abigail now aged 1 year and eight months.    They have both been staying with us since a few months before Abigail was born in March 2014.    We were not too sure we would be able to cope with the way things were, but we were wrong, and the Lord truly moved our hearts with His compassion, and Aby was born into warmth and joy; a Mum full of love for her, and Grandparents who were at once enthralled by her.    Truly a child unexpected, but received with surprising JOY.   She has grown up peacefully and well, wriggling herself into every heart she has come in touch with.

But she was born out of wedlock!    Surely nothing good can come out of that?   Yes will there may be a good number who will believe so...BUT God is the GIVER of life.    Each baby imagined, fashioned and designed by a LOVING Father in Heaven.  How can we not rejoice to see one no matter the manner of their birth.     

AND THIS morning, at 3.30a.m. they both left us to travel up to Nairobi to begin a new life together as Helen commences teaching again.   Rooms are not easy to find in the Capital, and on hearing of one Helen just had to pack and come before someone else snapped them up.   Hesketh Muli and Francis Lahol drover her up with all her belongings, and as I type are on the way back again.    We shall - are already -missing them - but the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away.   However this doting grandfather will take awhile to get used to not having her around.    But of course we hope to see them both from time to time, especially during School Holidays, so at least we shall be in touch, and not cut off 

forever.    

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 LAST WEEK, I said I would try to insert a picture of the kitchen and washroom/toilet facility at the Day Care Centre.
So far we have not completely fitted them out, but we are almost ready.   To the left is one of our senior girls trying out the cooker in the little kitchen area adjoining the main play area.
Not a lot of space, but it will finally be enough.   You are looking towards one end of the room, and there is at least three times more space coming back this way.
To the right opposite is a view of the toilet and wash room.   This is a larger room, bright, and with good access and plenty of room.      We are also including a few photos here of some of the Homes' youngest children having a preview of the play area.    They enjoyed themselves and we feel glad that their reaction tends to encourage us into believing all will go very well when we finally open.     Interview for Carers to be held next week.

Exterior work is also still continuing, but again is almost com-plete.   There is a very definite 'feel' that we have been well guided in following this idea, and although not originally our first thought in relation to using the Old Jacaranda house, it does seem RIGHT.      God often liked to but in and adjust OUR plans, and to say  'What about THIS idea...?   Not very 'business like' but much more exciting.    And really it is how everything started for us, and probably how it will continue.     We hope you will enjoy these latest photos, and that you will go on praying for us.

Another ten days and the month will be over again, and we shall be entering December.    Christmas almost upon us - and nothing to be seen - no sign of it's nearness- in the town, or anywhere.    As usual here in Eldoret you would hardly KNOW,     To start with, of course, Christmas comes almost in the midst of Summer as well.    And it will be same even on Christmas day apart from a few unreal and almost bawdy electric Father Christmases at the doors of the supermarkets.    In the main this is good, since Christmas is approached without the tawdry and unwanted 'glamour' usually attending it, and thus comes almost as a surprise. except for those 'expecting' Him.      THIS WEEK on the 26th some of us will be attending Thanksgiving with the majority of our Missionary Fellowship, to just REMEMBER all He has done (not just in rescuing the early pilgrims fleeing from Europe to the Americas two hundred and more years ago), but for all He has done for us over this last YEAR!     We usually make a crowd of a hundred or so we pray, fellowship, and enjoy a common meal together.     It is good, and it kind of ties up the year for us, and gets us focused on the New Year ahead.

No other news so far since last Saturday.    We have all gone in His Grace and Mercy, kept safe against cold and sickness.   We give Him the thanks, rembering ALL of you in His Name.

John, Esther and Daryl Green

TESTIMONY DAY CARE CENTRE

YES,  this IS front door of the Old Jacaranda Cottage, which is NOW the front of the TESTIMONY DAY CARE CENTRE,
BELOW THIS PHOTO, on the left again, is another showing work still in progress on the NEW front.    We have let the front grass grow some more, hoping it will become a safe grass play ground.    We have had to re site some of the play equipment put in by Tyndale School to another adjacent site.   A new fence has been erected all around the immediate external area, and a further fence from the drive and across, just beyond the Bamboo Plant, to the far hedge.    A new double door exit gate has also been cut through the roadside hedge as a separate entrance to the Centre.   Parents will drive in and around the Bamboos and out again after dropping their child/children.
NEW pathways have also been laid from the Drive to the front door.     Landscaping has not quite been completed but it is well on the way.
DARYL has been well occupied supervising this work, and also in changing and refurbishing the interior rooms...  so far we have had to spend some  two thousand pounds sterling, but we seem to have done well since a lot has been achieved; more than  expected.     Still some more items and work to buy and finish, but it is hoped we might open before the end of this month with potential staff being interviewed in the next week or so.
THE NEXT PHOTO shows the new reception area as you step through the front door.    This leads, once past the barrier, to one of the 'Sleep rooms' on the left, and on the right to a further sleep area, also joining a bathing and potty area.
The room on the left has two baby cots so far but we will be adding floor mattress beds as well in both rooms.    All the decor is Daryl's idea, and for the most part we feel he has really done a remarkable job in the choice of colour..   ALL the flooring is CARPET, throughout.
Below Right is a view of one of the Sleep rooms.
This used to be The Girls Bedroom in the Old Jacaranda.     Big window on the right, out of sight.


Below left and right are two views of the main play area
which used to be the sitting room of the old House.    Still more items to get to make sure we have enough play things, but we are getting there.    To the left the fire place (it will be boarded up) is a small bedroom which is just now being fitted up as a Kitchen.    Once this is complete we will have the Public Health over to make sure we have followed their directions.
But we are happy with progress so far, and it has all been done quite quickly.     This is Phase 1 of the Jacaranda 'Turn Around'.    The rest still to follow as the Lord allows us.    We feel very excited and encouraged.

This is quite a 'blossoming' of the Old House with its drab gloominess.  It has certainly been 'jazzed up' a bit, but it has really changed the entire atmosphere of the place, and made it take on a new lease of life.     Thank you LORD, for leading and guiding in all of it.


It is late on Friday night, and I have made an effort to get words and pictures sorted out before tomorrow dawns.      Saturday is our Spiritual Emphasis Day for November, and all our staff, School and Homes, join together with us for prayer, worship and to hear the Word of God.    I am the one to bring that Word on this occasion.     I shall hope to speak on 2 Chronicles 30 - the account of how King Hezekiah endeavoured to bring all the Nation back together from a time of division and coldness.     Not everyone joined in, but those that DID were BLESSED.    I pray that we also will be once again knitted together to be closer to the Lord, and to each other.   Please remember us.

Our love to you all, and our very special Thanks for gifts JUST received that will lift up all our hands with Thanksgiving -  may God Bless each and every one.

Lovingly in Jesus,
John Esther and Daryl Green

LITTLE MAIDS ALL IN A ROW?

THIS WEEK, I am starting off with a photo of Esther.s Quilting Club members showing off one of their latest adventures.    The are all very diverse and lovely sisters, and really enjoy doing what they do.....more drinking coffee and chatting than Quilting I think - and this one rather hurts my eyes and jumbles my mind.
Colourful but kind of offensive at the same time!!      They DO achieve good work as well though, and the main thing is the good fellowship and togetherness that has been achieved in just coming together and taking part, and being ONE.   In the end, because of this, everything becomes beautiful!!

Quite an international group as well - Kenya, Goan, American, South African, !!  Esther is forth from the left by the way.... and the photo taken from in front of Green Cottage, looking towards the School under the branches of our Big tree.     The smaller photo is just an extra shot of our 'ladies' admiring their work, and recalling how it all came to be put together.   All the work takes place in our sitting room - which means - Yes I am pushed out onto the veranda to continue my literary adventures.     They do bring me tea though!


NEXT Esther and me at the Eldoret International Airport with baby Abigail, to say farewell to our son Steven, who was flying to Nairobi to connect with his KLM flight to the U.K.   He had been with us since Monday, after attending Mugure's Wedding.    We had a great time, just being with him, with time to chat and reminisce,     We truly enjoyed ourselves.    However, we also missed having Anji, Steve's wife, and our grandchildren with us as well.

We felt somehow as if we were on another planet, with all our kids scattered on in different solar systems!!

The Airport is about 18 kilometres from us and 9,000ft above sea level.   It is nearly always rather cool, and windy.    Not very comfortable.    He had a safe trip to Nairobi, and on to U.K.  Maybe next time he will bring all his family with him.

Michael and Elisabeth also need to make a visit.    But probably not in the near future.    Next visitors will be for Christmas - Tammy and Liz from Adelaide , South Australia,  and Hendrika and Terry    from the U.S.

Secondary School closed down for Christmas  this week, on the 4th, and today the Primary School also shut down for the Period.    National Exams for the Form 4s in High School continue for a little, and next week the Primary National Exam will be done - Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  THEN it will be quieter by about 700 kids daily.     But our 137 will still be around, and they are not usually unnoticed !!    The WEATHER is somewhat colder. There is some rain but not deludes, and really in our area we are not seeing, even now, any real EL NINO symptoms.    The harvest so far has been good, Thank God.

IT IS HOPED that before the end of November our NEW 'Day Care Centre' will have opened in the OLD part of the old Jacaranda Cottage, opposite the NEW.     The old part frontage is shown in the photo to the right, and is the MUD brick end. Midway on the right you can just see a little of the ridge roof that covers the other end of the house - that part built with breeze block.     DARYL has been VERY busy trying to re plan the interior and get it equipped and furnished - not at all easy when finance was not really just lying around waiting to be used on it.    As soon as work started the Lord just gave us all faith and assurance that this IS the next step.    Hopefully next week I will send some photos of how it will look inside.   We are thinking of starting with up to 20 one to three year olds, and see how things. go.    So far we are happy with how things have been developing, and once again Daryl has been demonstrating his ability to make something out of nothing - with nothing in hand to actually do it.

AND THIS IS IT for this week!       Continue to pray for us, and help us to press on regardless.
The Lord is with us, as He is also with you.    He laid His hand on our Cleaner, Harbert, and he now out of hospital and in good recovery.    All has been provided for his need and the cost of his hospitalisation.    A real answer to prayer all round.    God IS Good!

Lovingly always in His Name

John, Esther, and Daryl