THIS IS A VIEW OF the 'SHREE SWAMINARAYAN' Hindu Temple which stands not far from us, at one end of Elgonview Road - a rather odd design of ancient and modern - but not ugly at all.   From what I can gather it is estimated that there may be as many as 60,000 Hindus living in Kenya today.    There were as many as two hundred thousand at one time, but there has been a considerable exodus to Europe, the United Kingdom, and Canada.      As to how many currently live in Eldoret I am not sure.    The Town's present total population is put at 1.3 million.    The Hindus, currently living here may be around 1%, but I should not claim to be anywhere near the correct estimate.



To the right a snap of the Almadiyya Mosque in Eldoret.   There are in fact many small mosques in Eldoret, although the Muslim population may be even less than that of the Hindus.     It is the Christians who are said to be more in number - some say 88%,  - but in truth they many not all be very committed or observant of the Christian Life.  'Thick on the ground, but not very deep in practice'. However, generally speaking all communities have and still do live together in peace and quietness in Eldoret.   An exemplary example to all.
The City is more than 300 kilometers from Nairobi to the south east.   It is some 6,400ft above sea level, with a very pleasant climate.     Basically set in an agricultural region known for its wheat and maize, with tea plantations also found not far distant.   But when Esther and I arrived here it was just a small Market Town of some 40,000.   That was in 1972.   It has grown since of course.  The Town spreads on both sides of the Uganda/ Nairobi - Mombasa main road, with its main commercial streets found on the south eastern side of that road.    Few cars in those first days - fewer than about eight might be found parked anywhere at any time.
We shopped with Aziz & Akbar, a small retail grocers.    It is gone now.   But I came across a photo of it, and brought back a lot of memories.   The proprietors were Muslim, and were most courteous; full of respectful charm, and able shop-keepers.     I think they kept more on their shelves than any of our current Supermarkets that came to replace them.   This photo was taken in the early eighties I think - more cars already apparant,     In the 70s I used to walk in to Town with about eight of our kids to do the shopping there and in the open Market.     We are four kilometres out of town and would, in those early days, walk back home again laiden with sacks, bags, and boxes like a Caravan of old.     Caused many a raised eyebrow as people looked curiosely at this white man and his retinue passing by.     This went on for some years until I could drive, and the Lord provided a car of our own - until about 1975 I suppose.    There are still three good shopping streets, and of course many other services crammed into the Town centre.    Town Hall, Law Courts, Police Station, Fire Station, plus many hospitals.    We also have a Town Library, and more recently an established University. Indeed Eldoret is a progessive City and the Chief County Town of Uasin Gishu County.

The photo to the left is one of the intersections in the main shopping area - just to show that we can be a busy, jostling, traffic infected town at times - and it is far worse today!!
AND in the next photo we are coming down into the very centre of town on the Uganda/Nairobi road. There are times in the day when it can take TWO hours to travel from here to the other side where the white sky-scraper is standing on the left. nearest to the road.!!     The roads are busy ALL day with ordinary vehicles, trucks and lorries, as well as motor cycles in abundance, AND pedestrians who tend to be worse than 'Jay-walkers'.     It is very dusty in the dry season, and very WET when the Rains come.     There are frequent power blackouts, and sometimes a shortage of water.     BUT for all of that, and the hustle and bustle of life, Eldoret is not a bad town to live in.
Well I must confess I did not have a lot to talk about this week.   I hope you will forgive me letting you have a peek into our town.      That town is now much closer to us than when we arrived, and we no longer feel as it we are in the countryside.    But it is still far enough away for us not to be very disturbed by it in relation to noise.   On the other hand we are more and more aware of its influence in relation to providing a lot of temptations and attractions away from good morals, and social behaviour.     Crime is growing, and Drug (and even People) Traffickers are increasing.    We thus feel the pressure of this both in the Homes and the School.     Much Prayer is needed to keep on the straight and narrow paths that lead to Life.

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Do you feel days and weeks are speeding up?    We do.    It is more and more as if each week goes by faster than the one before.    An incredible feeling of acceleration!       Life continues here reasonably uneventfully - the restorative and progressive works continue to near completion, and everyone is feeling a little thrilled by changes that are to come.     Nevertheless the hum drum daily matters of just living keep us busy in prayer, and in trusting our Master and Lord.   We hope to send out another brief Update to all those whose electronic address we have on record.    Till then may God our Father in Heaven keep you close, assuring you of His Love for you.

Sincerely in His Mercy and Kindness

John, Esther and Daryl.

CHANGES ARE ON THE WAY - AGAIN!

HERE WE ARE AGAIN!  Yes, it IS a photo taken from Testimony School Gate, of the roof of Old Jacaranda Cottage.    To the right, out of the picture, is the Day Care Centre.     THIS is what is slowly taking shape as the new Girl's Hostel.     Alterations are on the way, and here we can see the old dorma windows roofed in prior to a complete repaint.     Interiorally this roof comprises open space, plus 3 bedrooms.     However, in future it will be used for storage, and PERHAPS, a kind of semi permanent Team Base for the Tyndale School Teams coming out from Adelaide, Australia each year.
You might ask why block in the windows?    Well they have always been a trouble, in that they have posed a security risk as well as an unsightly provision.      As a Store and Team Centre it will probably only see real use for ten days a year.  It is wired for lighting.     Access will now be from the spiral staircase that used to be inside.   This will now be re-sited outside the Entrance (left , out of the picture).   AND on the FAR side, again beyond our view, are the two dormitories, and the warden's bed/sitting room, facing towards the New Jacaranda Cottage.
UNDER THE ROOF, and out of view behind the hedge, will be the kitchen/dining/ and toilet/ ablutions,    (The smaller photo shows the Dining room wall (left) facing on to the side of the Ablutions Area.    A lot of restoration work on the sewerage plumbing has also had to be done and is still to be completed.
The photo to the right is taken from what will be the Wardens quarters down the existing passage way leading to the two dormitories on the right, and dining room, kitchen on the left, as one goes out.  THEN to the left shows where the spiral staircase once was (see gap in ceiling), and some of the storage area that will be re-sited under the roof above.      The last photo, right is of the interior of the ablutions area.    It has to be totally refurbished and restored.    It accommodates four showers and toilets plus hand basins and mirrors;
There is direct access from the what was the old Dining room (now to be sitting and dining room) and also from the Wardens quarters.     Quite a lot of work, but it should be completed mid June.

Work on the Bakery, and the Poultry Unit, will also be taking off next week,

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ABOVE IS A RECENT PHOTO OF THE NEWLY ELECTED 6TH ARCHBISHOP OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN KENYA,   The Most Rev. Jackson Ole Sapit.    A BIG man for a BIG job.

The Archbishop is 52 years old, and now faces the task of being Shepherd to more than 5 million Kenyans within his Church denomination.     He stands well over six feet tall, and appears to be, at least physically, a very formidable

man of what has been a very outspoken and Evangelical Communion.

The Most Rev. Jackson  Ole Sapit

My Prayers have to be very much FOR this man; that he might be strong against  all the unright-eousness of the world in which we live, and indeed within Kenya herself.   Visually he makes me feel we have a strong man - a giant - come to lead his people.      We hope he will indeed live up to his appearance, for we live in times when we need men of power and strength in the Spirit of God to rise up in these darkening days.   Pray for this man. He is to be enthroned in Nairobi in All Saints Cathedral on the 3rd June.

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WE ARE ALL WELL, but looking as always unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith.

May He ever be with you all, keeping you our of the hands of the enemy of our soul.

Lovingly as ever

John. Esther and Daryl.

NEW LIFE !

THIS IS THE SITTING ROOM of Testimony House, as it is today.   The Upholsterer is in to commence giving New Life chairs.    The RED ones in the picture are old.   We bought them in 1973 for Ksh.100/= each from Eldoret Club.   They must have been there at least twenty if not thirty years!  They have WORN well
but they have long needed attention,
including the many other lighter chairs around the perimeter. MANY now need attention, and by God's Grace we are now able to spare funds to take the matter in hand.
Daily wear and tear in a home for some 40 people is considerable, and at times it is too much for us to take care of out of meagre housekeeping needs.    We get shabby at times, but not uncomfortable and it may be that we are happy when shabby since we have kind of aged with our surroundings, and feel at home with them.       I am sure that these well known furnishings, once renewed and recovered, will take getting used to in a way.    But hopefully they will still be with us for another forty years or so with this injection of loving care.    
MOSTLY we either buy second hand or receive furniture no longer needed by others.   However, there are times when we find other things come in with the furniture - wood worm for example!   Jacaranda Cottage discovered they were being host to a suite of arm chairs all being devoured by wood room.   It is now far gone, and so we hope to buy a NEW suite for then this coming week.
AND in Drakeley Cottage a NEW carpet is also hoped for next week.   The one they have in their sitting room is full of holes and frayed edges after almost seven years of continuous wear.    Yes, things are always wearing away.     It is always a great JOY to find ourselves able to have enough in hand to 'replace' or 'renew' what has come to the brink of extinction!  Additionally we have also been able to replace    And thus we DO thank God for an opportunity to take care of a few of these needs due to the loving legacy left to us by a dear sister in Christ, who lived and worked not far from us as a Teacher for some time in A.I.C. Kessup Girls School.     We did not see each other often, but she knew the work here well, and prayed for us earnestly and fervently,  long after she retired to England. - I know she would well understand and approve of us putting part of her Love Gift to work in this way.

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DURING APRIL / MAY we have been receiving more children; five in all.
JOHN arrived on the 11th April.     He is not exactly an orphan.    His Father died of an heart attack, He had already deserted the family after his wife became blind after
contracting Meningitis in 2006.
Neighbours have been helping to feed the family since the Mother became blind, but her relatives, have backed away from her since she became blind.    A lot of sorrow and sadness in the home.  John is 12 years, and his Mother and the Children's Department approached us to help give the boy a hope
for the future.     We agreed, and so he has now become part of the Drakeley Cottage family.   He has already taken on a new lease of life, and seems quite settled and at home already.      We have allowed his mother and older siblings opportunity to visit from time to time.

DOMINIC, 15, CLARE, 9, STELLA, 6, AND ALLOYSIOUS, 4 were all admitted on 2nd May, the Girls with Tyndale Cottage and the boys with Drakeley Cottage.   Dominic is HIV positive.    These children's Father is in prison for brewing illicit liquor.    He is an habitual drunkard.  The Mother deserted the home a while back, and so far has been unable to be traced.   Since it is unlikely that the Father will now be given custody of the children once he is out of Prison, the Children's Department (who have been following the case) have brought them to us.     During the interim, before coming to us, neighbours and well wishers near by had helped and even fed the children.      They have all settled very quickly and happily.    Dominic was in his final Primary Year, but having missed a lot of Schooling he will not enter Class 7 in Testimony School, and attempt his final year in 2017.   His younger brother, Aloysious has been the one to take time settling.    This is the 5th day for him to be with us - he is beginning to smile and play.
                                                       
IT IS RAINING AGAIN.    Pouring down in buckets of ,Cats and Dogs,!!    Still it is so GOOD to see what was once 'normal' weather once again.

FINALLY, JUST A FEW OF OUR CHILDREN who have been growing up day by day with us - just to enjoy their faces, and their happiness !

When I see the faces of each one of them my heart takes a little leap up-wards, and I thank God for all His Love and his Mercy in allowing even these few to find happiness, and what is more, an opportunity to KNOW Him, who has each one of them in His eye.   Oh Bless the Name of JESUS.

Our love to you all, and we do hope that more and more may have the chance to rejoice with us to see the unloved LOVED, and the uncared for CARED for, as we, all together, LABOUR in Jesus to make it happen,

Lovingly

John, Esther and Daryl.