BIRTHDAYS

OUR DAUGHTER ELISABETH was born on the 13th January 1977 in Kitale Hospital, Kenya.   I was back in Eldoret entertaining guests from UK.      AND now here she is with her husband, Prem, and their two children, Rachel to the left and John-Finney on the right.      .We don't get to see them often -though Liz was with us for fortnight last year, just on her own.     We have always let our Father in Heaven order our times with our children and grandchildren in the UK, since they all chose to reside there, and work there.    I arrived in Kenya, single, in December 1968.    Then in 1972 I was there with Esther, married, and our first son, Steven was born in Truro.     Then again in 1983, eleven years later.       again in 1994, and again in 2003, 06, and 2011.    But though we do not see them often our joy is in knowing they all keep close to each other, and with the Lord our God.

In the next photo, to the left, she is seen carrying baby James Manu, our adopted son born in 1984 when Lizzy was seven! She went to Primary School with us, and is seen to the right (front left) in her 8th Class. Photo above right.
After completing her schooling here she was accepted in my old Bible College, The I.B.T.I. in Burgess hill, Sussex, where she met Prem, her husband to be.      They married in Chennai, India, in 2000 and then later returned to Rochdale in Lancashire, England, where
Prem in Pastoring.

We always rejoice when Birthdays come round once more and we see the Faithfulness of God in keeping each part of our family safe and sound in the Faith together, in LOVE.
Esther and I both had difficult family lives as children, and saw little but pain in our parents relationships.  For us to look back and see the Happiness our children have enjoyed, and their own children have grown up in, means so much.     We did nothing but pray and entreat our God to be Merciful and Kind to them for our sake.

Liz was 40  on the 13th of this Month, Her brother Michael will be 43 on the 27th and Steven will be 45 on June 16th.      By the way notice, if you can, our son Michael's wife Janet Mwangi, 2nd from the right in front of the Standard 8 photo.     I wonder if either knew they might be married then!!?
SO Michael will be NEXT on the 27th, then Manu will hit his 33rd in April,  John will hit his 77th in May, then Steven in June and Esther's 73rd in August.  And this does not include grandchildren, and all those coming after at the latter end of the year.   And everyone a cause of JOY and Thanksgiving.   God IS SO good.


TOMORROW,  in the afternoon, we are holding a Going Away Party for three of our boys and one of our girls who all found work and accommodation, and now leave TFH to begin their very own independant life.     ALL the Family resident will come together to give them a Real Send Off.  There will be a Special Cake,  Prayer,  a Bible and small monetary gift for each, and the assurance that they will always be welcome home for a 'Cup of Tea' anytime.    Photographs next week hopefully

TODAY, ABOUT 5 P.M. our time,  Esther and I are to be visited by old friends of Esther's whom she knew when still teaching - before she even knew me - Jack and Mercy Fry from USA, together with three others with them on a special 'trip'.     Should be quite interesting, and hopefully also a very happy occassion.     We are looking forward.

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Some have asked if we could share more about what we Believe, as Christians and also how we operate and run Testimony Faith Homes.      This time I will briefly run through our Aims & Objects, together with our Tenets of Faith, but I am in the midst of updating our Fundamental Principles first laid down in 1970, and revised a little in 1980.      Once I have completed I will consider putting it all on our Web-site.    

AIMS AND OBJECTS  (Extracted from our Constitution 1973)

a)     To give to all who have eyes to see, a visible proof that God is now and always a Living God, responding to the prayers of all who trust in Him, through Jesus Christ, by establishing a NON-PROFIT MAKING and NON DENOMINATIONAL work of Faith in God alone, for the residential care and education of the orphaned and destitute children of Kenya.

b)       To set up Residential Homes for such orphaned and destitute children and young people who have been deprived of the benefits of responsible family life, and where each such child or young person may feel loved and cared for; in which they may find only a sincere and gentle instruction in the fundamental Gospel of Jesus Christ, with the intention that each such child or young person might become a dedicated Christian man or woman, and an upright member of the Nation of Kenya.

c)         That in accordance with (a) above the financial structure is based on Faith in God, and that through Prayer HE will provide.    For this reason TFH will not enter into any publicity openly soliciting funds, neither will they openly apply for any financial assistance from any public or private body, except when voluntarily invited to do so by the body concerned.     Being  non-profit making, no income will be, in any way, shared out, allocated or given to any individual as a dividend or payment (apart from contracted salaries paid out to those employed) but instead be applied to running the project, any surplus being ploughed back

OUR TENETS OF FAITH

a)      Testimony Faith Homes accepts the Bible as its all sufficient Rule of Faith and Practice, believing that both the Old and New Testaments are the Inspired Word of God, infallible, and Authorative at all times and in all circumstances.

b)      Testimony Faith Homes accepts the content of the Apostles Creed as a basis of Faith.

c)      Testimony Faith Homes believes that all men are concluded to be sinners, and under the Wrath of God, condemned to Death, and awaiting Hell,  -  needing Salvation. 

d)     Testimony Faith Homes believes that ALL men need to be Saved, and that Salvation may only be found through Repentance toward God, through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Redemptive work wrought on Calvary's Cross.    That Baptism in Water provides a clear witness and testimony of what has been believed in the heart of a true believer -  1.Peter 3v21 and 1.John 5v5-10

e)      Testimony Faith Homes believes that the INWARD EVIDENCE of such Salvation is from the direct witness of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8v16) and that the outward manifestation is in a NEW LIFE of righteousness and true holiness  ( Ephesians 4v24 and Titus 2v12)., and that thereafter growth in Sanctification will progressively take place.

f)       Testimony Faith Hones believes that the Ministry of the Holy Spirit is to be seen working in and through all believers through the Gifts and Graces which He severally gives to each one, as he pleases.     (1.Corijthians 12v1-31)  for the care, encouragement, and comfort of the Body of Christ - the Church.    

We run a Christian Fellowship with a responsible Pastor and Chaplain.      He arranges our Sunday Service, and also regulary visits all the Children's Homes and Hostel week by week..    He also holds prayer and Bible Study Meetings for all our staff through the week, and also TWO weekly Christian Unions attended by all the students in the School.        His name is Pastor Wykliffe Ondanga, and he is an Ordained Protestant Minister. .     His wife, Miriam, is our Head of Nursery School.      Pastor and I actually share a lot of ministry as well.     We Thank the Lord that by His Grace we see a weekly Harvest brought into the Kingdom.


All for this time.     Our visitors have just left after a wonderful time of fellowship.    Our Love to you all, from all of us in the Name of Jesus.

John, Esther and Daryl Green