JUST A FEW MINUTES AFTER writing the Blog last Saturday, I got up from my desk in our sitting room and went and sat on the veranda to have a cup of tea and some fresh air.
It had been a beautiful day weather-wise and I had been for the most part couped up in the house. It was 4.15p.m. and after some fifteen minutes I went back inside to complete some other work on the computer. As I neared my desk I realised that where the computer had been was only a BLANK and BARE space. It had GONE! And not only the computer, but also my mobile phone which had lain next to it. Whoever had gained entrance had come through the back door. They would have to have been watching carefully since I was sitting on the veranda with my back to the big plate glass window - the 'thief' would have seen me clearly - and if I had turned I would have seen him - or her!
IT WAS TOTAL SHOCK. The back doors had been left open by our own trusted house-girl, but it seems she had only left the house briefly. Nothing like this has ever happened before. We have found no clue as to who may have been brave enough to do this, BUT for the rest of the week-end we became disconnected from everyone. I have missed it (exactly as the one illustrated to the left) as it had done me good service for a number of years, and I was very used to it. I also use it continuously. Now I have to get used to another, and all its foibles. But, amazingly, the very evening after this happened we had an unexpected visit from dear friends, who without knowing what had taken place left me with a gift that almost completely paid for a NEW computer!! My phone is another matter. But I am managing. It also made me aware of how dependent we can become on new technology, to the point of feeling paralysed and helpless without it. ANYWAY we do Thank the Lord for restoring our losses, and permitting us once more to be in touch.
ALSO during last Saturday one of our Form IV boys, who had obtained an unexpectedly low Result in the national examination, began to show signs of mental disturbance. He began by accosting a lot of us to talk to him. He said he was not worried about his Result, but rather was concerned with his own personal Identity 'Who am I?' 'Why am I?', and so on. He said he needed prayer, and wanted to be Saved. He was well counselled wherever he went but it did not seem to assure him, and on Sunday he suddenly lost control of himself, and his houseparents had him admitted to hospital where he was sedated. He remain in hospital for four days, and was then returned to us apparently in his right mind and quite his usual self. Joseph is a boy who has never fully known about his past or his parents, At eighteen this has become a concern to him, On his own admission he had been dallying with Marijuana over the last six months, and our doctors believe this, and the admix of his unwanted Result, and his own inner questions about his own worth and human inheritance had just thrown him into a depression. I went through something very similar myself when I was about his age. It was the Lord who brought me through that time, and it has been the same for him. Home from hospital he has confirmed that during his 'breakdown' his underlying urge had been to be close to God, and this never left him. On Friday he gave his life to Christ amidst tears and joy. He is overjoyed and continuing on with his goal to be an Engineer.
IN 2007 the Kenya Government passed an Act of Parliament
which, among other things laid down that every Employer had to pay Fifty Kenya Shillings per month for every person employed, towards 'training costs'. For some reason we did not see the announcement in the paper, and went merrily along in ignorance. THEN a letter arrived in 2014 putting us in the picture and demanding payment. However, we found it quite confusing, since the demand appeared senseless to us - we had no one in training, and no need to train anyone. We decided to ask our Lawyer to look into it, and to find out if Charities like us still had to pay. After a few weeks he told us to just ignore the matter; that it would not apply to us.
THIS week, after hearing rumours of others who had ignored the issue being sued, Daryl went to Town to see what he could discover. On meeting the County Head of the Department for Trade Training he was told in no uncertain terms that we had ignored the Law and faced a fine of TWO million Kenya Shillings plus payment of all our dues going back to 2007. After lengthy discussion Daryl was told that if a letter was written explaining our 'default' then the Fine might be remitted, BUT we would have to pay the Dues (more than 4 thousand pounds before the 31st December this year. The Officer seemed fairly sure the fine would be remitted - but this still leave us with quite a problem. We have also heard from Joshua and Miriam Mbithi that they have also ignored the Act, and may now face a similar situation.
It has been a recurrent and progressive sadness to us, that although we came with every intention of bringing FREE aid, and even a free gift of help to Kenya, we have felt threatened continually by Government legislation calling on us to have to pay more and more for the gift given! From a small MUD house 20ftx40ft we have seen God provide FOUR substantial Homes for Children and a large and well equipped School for more than 800 students. Additionally we have, in the process of this development been able to provide jobs and income to more than a hundred Kenyans. Not a SMALL Gift from the heart of God, but one seemingly unnoticed or appreciated. We predict that very soon, in the next three or four years, it might be impossible to truly be charitable, or to give charitably in Kenya since more and more of what is given for direct help to the poor and needy is being eaten up by Taxation and more and more government levies. Very disheartening, and very short sighted of the Government, which in the end might find AID being diverted elsewhere, and their poor become poorer. We view this matter as a further indication of the Governments lack of appreciation for the free aid it receives through Charities and NGOs in general. We are still going to look into the matter further in the hope that some sympathy will be discovered to relieve us of this demand. But please do pray for us. Fifty shillings a month is not a lot. We have 118 paid staff. If we had understood our liability from the first we could have born it, We would never have profited from it of course, but we would have been spared what is now to be seen as an inordinate burden put upon us.
EXPECTING A SURPRISE VISIT from our long time friend and brother in Christ, Dr. Frank Guiness on Monday next week. Hopefully he will be with us for at least three or four days. We are also now expecting Mike and Dani Potter from Adelaide to be with us from about 16th to 22nd April.
We seem to be 'filling up' and maybe we should take a more serious look at the possibility of becoming the host and hostess of Green Cottage Lodge. Certainly the weather has been more than enticing for those living in the northern hemisphere. Temperature between 70 and 80f with cool breeze, azure skies.....lovely! Still we are getting near to RAIN ...in fact we had two days of continuous heavy rain early this week! It is expected to set in soon - late March/April. but it is really unpredictable these days.
WE have just heard that another transfer is on the way from AENON so, with all our thanks, do expect one of our written updates soon. Our love always in Jesus.
John, Esther, and Daryl Green
ALSO during last Saturday one of our Form IV boys, who had obtained an unexpectedly low Result in the national examination, began to show signs of mental disturbance. He began by accosting a lot of us to talk to him. He said he was not worried about his Result, but rather was concerned with his own personal Identity 'Who am I?' 'Why am I?', and so on. He said he needed prayer, and wanted to be Saved. He was well counselled wherever he went but it did not seem to assure him, and on Sunday he suddenly lost control of himself, and his houseparents had him admitted to hospital where he was sedated. He remain in hospital for four days, and was then returned to us apparently in his right mind and quite his usual self. Joseph is a boy who has never fully known about his past or his parents, At eighteen this has become a concern to him, On his own admission he had been dallying with Marijuana over the last six months, and our doctors believe this, and the admix of his unwanted Result, and his own inner questions about his own worth and human inheritance had just thrown him into a depression. I went through something very similar myself when I was about his age. It was the Lord who brought me through that time, and it has been the same for him. Home from hospital he has confirmed that during his 'breakdown' his underlying urge had been to be close to God, and this never left him. On Friday he gave his life to Christ amidst tears and joy. He is overjoyed and continuing on with his goal to be an Engineer.IN 2007 the Kenya Government passed an Act of Parliament
which, among other things laid down that every Employer had to pay Fifty Kenya Shillings per month for every person employed, towards 'training costs'. For some reason we did not see the announcement in the paper, and went merrily along in ignorance. THEN a letter arrived in 2014 putting us in the picture and demanding payment. However, we found it quite confusing, since the demand appeared senseless to us - we had no one in training, and no need to train anyone. We decided to ask our Lawyer to look into it, and to find out if Charities like us still had to pay. After a few weeks he told us to just ignore the matter; that it would not apply to us.
THIS week, after hearing rumours of others who had ignored the issue being sued, Daryl went to Town to see what he could discover. On meeting the County Head of the Department for Trade Training he was told in no uncertain terms that we had ignored the Law and faced a fine of TWO million Kenya Shillings plus payment of all our dues going back to 2007. After lengthy discussion Daryl was told that if a letter was written explaining our 'default' then the Fine might be remitted, BUT we would have to pay the Dues (more than 4 thousand pounds before the 31st December this year. The Officer seemed fairly sure the fine would be remitted - but this still leave us with quite a problem. We have also heard from Joshua and Miriam Mbithi that they have also ignored the Act, and may now face a similar situation.It has been a recurrent and progressive sadness to us, that although we came with every intention of bringing FREE aid, and even a free gift of help to Kenya, we have felt threatened continually by Government legislation calling on us to have to pay more and more for the gift given! From a small MUD house 20ftx40ft we have seen God provide FOUR substantial Homes for Children and a large and well equipped School for more than 800 students. Additionally we have, in the process of this development been able to provide jobs and income to more than a hundred Kenyans. Not a SMALL Gift from the heart of God, but one seemingly unnoticed or appreciated. We predict that very soon, in the next three or four years, it might be impossible to truly be charitable, or to give charitably in Kenya since more and more of what is given for direct help to the poor and needy is being eaten up by Taxation and more and more government levies. Very disheartening, and very short sighted of the Government, which in the end might find AID being diverted elsewhere, and their poor become poorer. We view this matter as a further indication of the Governments lack of appreciation for the free aid it receives through Charities and NGOs in general. We are still going to look into the matter further in the hope that some sympathy will be discovered to relieve us of this demand. But please do pray for us. Fifty shillings a month is not a lot. We have 118 paid staff. If we had understood our liability from the first we could have born it, We would never have profited from it of course, but we would have been spared what is now to be seen as an inordinate burden put upon us.
EXPECTING A SURPRISE VISIT from our long time friend and brother in Christ, Dr. Frank Guiness on Monday next week. Hopefully he will be with us for at least three or four days. We are also now expecting Mike and Dani Potter from Adelaide to be with us from about 16th to 22nd April.
We seem to be 'filling up' and maybe we should take a more serious look at the possibility of becoming the host and hostess of Green Cottage Lodge. Certainly the weather has been more than enticing for those living in the northern hemisphere. Temperature between 70 and 80f with cool breeze, azure skies.....lovely! Still we are getting near to RAIN ...in fact we had two days of continuous heavy rain early this week! It is expected to set in soon - late March/April. but it is really unpredictable these days.
WE have just heard that another transfer is on the way from AENON so, with all our thanks, do expect one of our written updates soon. Our love always in Jesus.
John, Esther, and Daryl Green
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