RUN THE RACE, RECEIVE THE CROWN,

MARK came to stay with us in Testimony House in April 1970.   He was just about 12 years old, and older than we usually admitted into the Homes.  He was introduced to us by an elderly Anglican deaconess who knew us well, and who we also trusted and respected.     Mark's family had been evicted from their home, and their mother, a widow, now had to bring up her family of two boys and two girls in very difficult circumstances, and practically without any means whatsoever.      Surely we might be able to help just one, and the lot fell to Mark,  a very serious, intelligent, and purpose filled young man.     As the years went by, he eventually entered Eregi Teacher Training College, and Mark became a much honoured and looked up to family member.    He did not forget his roots or his family, and as he developed and grew he always had their welfare at heart, and ever dreamed of being able to help turn around their fallen state back to some secure prosperity.   In this he was joined by his elder brother Peter, later Doctor Peter Ouma who also had been assisted to promote his education overseas.      Mark showed himself to be man of Christian faith and principle, and also a dedicated Teacher.      He maintained with close ties with us, and we did our best to follow his progress with interest.     We attended his Wedding, and have watched the development of his family through his determined leadership and care.      He did not forget the poor around him, and he and his wife also opened up their own home and family to help less fortunate children around them.    Mark was not a striking figure of a man.     He was well below six foot in height and of a light, boney, structure.  Yet for all this he rose above many as he strove to succeed in his chosen profession.    ' He became Headmaster quite quickly, and later was also to be promoted further as a Divisional Education Officer, earning himself a place of respect among many of his peers, and a reputation morally strong and incorrupt.       It was his son who phoned me in deep distress this morning.     I just could not believe it,     'Dad passed away yesterday.....' and John broke down in tears.   He is not a child either but a young man heading his own family, and earning his own living in Nairobi.     He writes -

'He was a great man, my Dad.

My mentor, my best friend, my everything

We talked and laughed at length together last night.

Little did I know that I would never see him again alive

Rest in Peace Dad.  Nind gi kwe Baba!

It seems Mark had left home on a motor cycle, on his way to Kisumu from home, when a vehicle hit the bike and killed him.     And a light that we shall all miss, went out.     We shall ourselves deeply miss him, and his regular contact by phone, and also times of physical meeting - he was with us last in August last year when he attended the School Parents  Prize Giving as an honoured guest.  The photos at the top  was taken that day.     All those who grew up with him here, and who came to know him later, will be grieving with us all.    BUT his memory, and his family will always give meaning and purpose as to WHY Testimony Faith Homes was born.      We shall be 50 years old in August 2019, and Mark and his family would have joined with us - perhaps one or two still will!    I do Thank our Father in Heaven for taking care of us, and for planning a harvest from all that He plants along the way.     Thanks for Mark, our son in Jesus.     Thank You for his wife and family, and for his constant testimony to Your Faithfulness to him.

I feel unable to say more this week.       He was a great encouragement and support to us, valuing his time with us, and ever thankful to the Lord Jesus.     He always gave us a cause to lift up our head.

God Bless you all,    We know you will be praying for us, and also for Mark's devestated family.

John, Esther and Daryl

TIME AND TIME AGAIN!

THIS WEEK WE HAVE RECEIVED FRIENDS FROM 'ALL HALLOWS' Church in Bispham, Blackpool, on the north Western coast of England.     Bispham was mentioned as long ago as 1066A.D and even previously known in Roman days.      Now it is part, quite a big part, of the City of Blackpool.    Esther and I were invited to visit the Church for a Tea Party way back in 1983, and ever since then we have kept in touch, and they have prayed for all of us here in Testimony.     God has also often answered our prayers through them.      This week FOUR members of the congregation have been with us - Will and Ann Hulme and Martin and Denise Ormond..   We had not met before, and it has been so good to have with us in our home, and for them to be able to SEE what they have only heard about, and to MEET so many whose faces they had never seen before.     They have also been able to travel around a little, and have visit Riziki Children's Homes in Nakuru, and Neema Children's Homes just nearby, here in Eldoret.     The weather has been good, and we have found wonderful fellowship together in the Lord.

THIS is 'All Hallows' Church.    It was built in 1883, but there had been other churches build on the same site going back to about 1345 A.D.   The photo on the right is of the interior.   It is not too unlike the interior of St. Matthews here in Eldoret.   And, of course it is a pattern for many other Anglican Churches throughout the world.
THE NAME ' All Hallows '  means basically ALL that is Holy, and set apart for God's use.     It can also be taken to mean ' All the Halo's of the Saints' or 'All Saints'.  Not a very used Name, and it mainly flourished during the mid nineteenth century.
In the grounds of the Church is a Sundial.     A Sundial is a CLOCK.

The Metal Shard, or upright, will cast a shadow on the plate surrounding it, when the sun shines that is.    The Plate is marked out in hours and the time is discovered from noting the place where the shadow falls on the plate.
The plate is mounted on a column of stone which is held upright by an octagonal stone base.   It is said this was put up about 1780 AD, and that previous to this a CROSS had stood there.     Many Church Yards, or Cemeteries, have a sundial.  Certainly the dead are not conscious of the passing of time, but those who visit the graves might be the more concerned.      I have not seen one, so far, in Kenya!!      Quite a long way from today's timepieces.      THIS WEEK I have been watching a Film entitled LONGITUDE. It is the true story of how to measure longitude whilst at sea, and starring Jeremy Irons.   I have found it quite fascinating, and again something very much involving TIME, and the measurement of time.  I strongly recommend it.
Thinking of Time, we found ourselves discussing with our friends from Bispham what happens when we die - are we at once with the Lord in Heaven, or do we 'sleep'?       I personally feel that the body moulders away in the grave, until, on The Last Day, when the Trumpet will Sound, it is resurrected from the dust or ashes into a new body.     BUT at death, our spirit/soul no longer trapped in the body,  and sleeps.    However, we will not be aware of how long has gone by, from when our eyes close down here, and we open them, spiritually, in heaven.     For the dead, no time seems to pass, and even those who have died before or after us, will in fact be found WITH us in heaven as soon as we arrive.     Remember we are NOT conscious of time passing when we are asleep.    (1.Thessalonians 4v15-18)    It is only those who continue to be awake who are aware of TIME.   Thus, the ones left behind when a loved one dies, mourn, but the one who has died, rejoices for it is as if no time has passed and when he awakes in heaven it will the same moment as when those left behind have arrived.     As Paul has written in Thessalonians - those who have died before us will not see Jesus before WE who are living and caught up into the clouds at His Coming see HIM.     OUR sense of time is quite uniquely different from Gods Eternity.      Amazing.  All the tears of Earth are left behind in heaven.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

ABOVE IS A PHOTO of a puzzle communally completed by me, Frank Guinness, Allan and Margaret Nicholls, and Paul Davis.    Frank Guinness started us off.     We had no picture to help us, and had to feel our way, piece by piece.     It finally reveals a scene from one of Agatha Christie's mystery novels.      It was quite a teaser.

Well the week has almost ended.    I am preaching tomorrow on 'How to Keep Pure'. and there is also a Men's Meeting in the afternoon.     Plenty to do and think about.    Our friends will be flying back to Nairobi, and later home to the UK early on Tuesday morning, and the next day we hope to see Ian and Diana Hogley for a few days before Allan and Margaret also return for a second visit.     Our love and thanksgiving to you all, as always.

John, Esther and Daryl Green

TOGETHERNESS SHOULD ALWAYS ENDURE

 ABOVE IS MARGARET AND ALLAN NICHOLLS, welcome once again at our breakfast table after eleven years or so.     They are both here for a split visit together with their son in law Paul Davis, their daughter Fiona's husband, here for the first time.     Really a very special and longed for visit.     a VERY GLAD WELCOME, Paul!


We first met in 1972, when I was invited to speak at Christian Life Centre, Rowan Road, Bexleyheath.   And again in 1983.     Allan is Secretary of the AENON Trust in UK, and after overseas incoming mail began to be tampered with in Kenya, in the middle, late Eighty's, he suggested that those who might feel led to support Testimony Faith Homes in the UK, might find it safer to do it through the Trust than via Kenya Post.     In 1991 we agreed, and they have been involved ever since in assisting funds sent on to us by well wishers and friends.    Paul, who also works for the Trust is here with us now as part of a plan for him to get more practically conversant with the work of TFH, and also other similar ministries that seek to rescue needy children, and help them find hope for their the future.

In 1996 they visited us in Testimony House, with their daughter Fiona.    They have opened their hearts and home, and family to us over the years, and whenever we have been permitted by the Grace of God, to visit the UK, they have ever welcomed us, and loved us.
With us. also at breakfast this morning, were Ian and Diana Hogley, our dear friends from Huddersfield, whom we have known and loved since 1968.    The three of US first set foot in Kenya in 1968 within a few months of each other.  All  celebrating 50 years this year. They are sitting to the right in the photo, and my dear wife is trying to promote BLUE BAND margarine, among other things..........It is Blessing to have them with us, and to rejoice in all that the Lord has done -  for each of us over the last almost 50 years.

AND NOW !!   -   THE SATURDAY NATION for today 10th February 2018

IS MARRIAGE

FACING CRISIS?

THE JOY, PAIN...

What a Headline!    And on the FRONT PAGE of a National Newspaper!   Because 'Valentines Day' is in the air!   Unfaithfulness, interference from 'In-Laws' and poverty the main causes of divorce, they say!

On page 4&5 of the Paper, a comprehensive Article examines the front page Alarm Call.    I did not read it all.     We all should know, and I know you will already accept, that the incidence of Divorce has increased alarmingly since the 1960's.      TODAY, we talk more and more about FAILED marriages, until the fact has already been in question for some time - the question of whether or not Marriage has any place in world society generally.    It began as the cornerstone of Home and Family;   the sure and permanent foundation to build them upon.       MARRIAGE was not just two people coming together for sexual gratification.    It was meant to be a ROCK of unbreakable and united Agreement, and everlasting fidelity, between two people yielding themselves to one another in a single unity, for ever dependable, and faithful.    A REAL marriage produces the REAL MAN,    On this the house (and perhaps the Species) could be built, the family born into, and given the security and hope needed to grow up, and themselves establish their own home and family.        And THIS was based on each person being unselfish enough to die for the other, just as Christ died for the Church.      It was a Promise to each other of sure confidence that it would not, for any reason, other than death, be broken.     A promise entered into with a Third Person present as Witness and Accuser if the Promise is broken;   NOT a man, or a woman; not a priest or a Magistrate;  BUT GOD ALMIGHTY.       A solemn promise, not made as a piece of bureaucracy or civil law, and not entered into as entertainment or a piece of erotic or emotional excitement, glitz or glamour.   NO.     Marriage is a SOLEMN, binding, and unbreakable Agreement.   A Completion.

THAT IS MARRIAGE.      It was brought into being by GOD, for the good of Man, and for the Honour land Glory of God Himself.     

In the Article in today's Nation we are informed -

That 42% divorced couples are divorced in their 5th year of Marriage.

77% divorced by their 10 year of Marriage.

World wide, the incidence of divorce is climbing, and more and more homes and families are in a state of fragmentation, with more and more children finding less and less to hope in, for their own future, and indeed for finding any reason to pursue such hope!       YES,   A Crisis IS upon the world in this respect.     Children will be born without faith or trust in humanity at any level.     Children who have been shown nothing but selfish unfaithfulness as a norm, and given no reasonable hope for themselves to see anything different in each other.       We doubt the REAL and LASTING love of each other in marriage, or friendship of any kind.    We doubt the moral integrity of all mankind, and are fearful of trusting in any relationship.       We are all encouraged to mistrust and suspect each other of almost ANY lie, deceit, or even attack.     We are not learning to LOVE each other, but we ARE learning to doubt in another person's love, and even to do without love altogether, in case we get hurt.      A very uncomfortable, cold, and and purely cynical world, where everyone is more and more looking over their shoulder in case a 'knife' of some kind is coming our way.     A spiritually peaceless society where there is less and less peace of mind.     A quietly, terror struck world from the cradle to the grave.

I have been married 47 years this year.     But it hardly matters.    People of Seventy are divorcing all around me, and it is a truth in today's appreciation of Marriage, that a couple can divorce at any time for any reason - even the day after the Wedding - even after living together for 3, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or MORE years together.     And at whatever time a couple marries they testify the love they have for THEMSELVES and not for the other.     They demonstrate how much they lied at the altar.  They show how FAR away they are from understanding, appreciating, apprehending and believing in from GOD.     I love my wife.     I love myself too.     There are times I do not love what I see in my wife, and there are certainly times she will not see something to love in me.    If we let these occasional imperfections, and dislikes about each other come to the surface and interrupt the very real LOVE that brought us together, then we shall destroy it.     We all NEED to suffer each others revealed imperfections.    We need to suffer and forgive them as a MARK of the LOVE we have for each other.      The longer we do so, and more we persevere, the MORE we shall KNOW the love each has for the other, and we shall find increased capacity to forgive.       I have a feeling that if we cannot forgive an go on loving, WE ourselves will one day be shut out and away from LOVE and forgiveness until the very last drop of our offence has been sucked out of us.

I find my heart and spirit crying out for broken lives, broken marriages, homes and families.  Crying out for children thrown to one side, and left in the dark, alone, homeless......... Yes, and I hear the Devil revelling in it all, and enjoying the evil, the pain and sorrow brought into the world just by letting us love ourselves more than God.   Our Homes are full of the result of this evil, and regretfully if may go on repeating itself......   Pray for our children.     Pray that we may be able to give then at least a little that has been snatched from so many of the, and to provide in Jesus an even greater hope than they may have lost or even never known.

Love to you all

John, Esther, and Daryl Green

HAVE YOU EVER HAD THAT 'SINKING FEELING' COME OVER YOU,  and suddenly feeling God is not at home?      Well I have, and I must say, not only once in my life    Quite recently we found ourselves getting behind in paying our way.      Yes but nothing has changed, and our Testimony in Jesus remains just at it was when we began almost 49 years ago.    God will Provide - and He has!    But once or twice it has felt as if He was quite unaware  of us..........  AND like the brethren on the lake, in the boat in the midst of an over-whelming storm, we were crying out to Him - 'LORD, do you not care if we perish?'
On this latest occasion we had of course taken our problem to the Lord in prayer, both individually and unitedly.     Days went by and funds did not come in to relieve the situation.    Worse still just a week before funds HAD come in, and we had been able to clear all our immediate needs.      But in clearing them we left ourselves nothing to go on into the next month.......Unforeseen events began to happen, as with receipt of the Electricity Bill for more than double the usual month's charge.    Other expenses were also unexpectedly dropped in our lap........we ate, but we could not pay our way.      More than twenty of our older boys and girls were still waiting to start College, and for us to find the Fees.
everyone of us raised our voices beseeching the Lord to deliver us all.   
The Bible was open in front of me, and I found myself reading from Luke 5-10.

   'Which of you has a friend, and will go to him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of  mine in his journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.       Here I am to see myself in a desperate situation of needing to fulfil the expectation of another, waiting upon me.    And I immediately see myself knocking on God's door for our desperate need to be provided.    And in our own plight, God's door remained shut.   I read on -

    And he, my friend, from within his house says  Trouble me not; the door is now shut, and my children are in bed, I cannot rise and give you.'    I, JESUS, say to you that 'Though the friend will not rise and give him because he is his friend, YET because of his importunity he WILL rise and give as many loaves as he needs.

SO, I SAY (Jesus) UNTO YOU.

Ask, and keep on asking, and it shall be given to you;

Seek, and keep on seeking, and you shall find;

KNOCK, and keep on knocking, the door will be opened to you

(the Amplified Bible Translation)

Knock and KEEP ON KNOCKING!      I knew this verse, and the story behind it, but when I read it afresh that morning, it was as if I had NEVER read it;    I felt the witness of the Spirit within me, that God was pointing me to ACT.     I HAD prayed every day, but this was not it!    I needed to pray more determinedly, more insistently - my Friend was inside the house, and He WOULD attend to my prayer.        Maybe this is what 'Storming the Gates of Heaven' is talking about.      I began to pray again, bearing this all in mind, and LAST NIGHT  heard that exactly what we had been praying for had been provided and was on the way to us - and ONLY God had known.   I am very certain this was not just a co-incidence.    It has been quite an eye opener to an old man who should have known and acted on this premise in the days of his youth - although in His Grace and Mercy he heard my feeble attempts -  my prayers have not been too 'fervant'.          I also was reminded of a woman from Canaan who begged at Jesus table in Matthew 15v21-28.     She was not an Israelite, but her daughter was possessed of a demon, and she desperately wanted her to be helped.    Thus she ventured to approach Jesus, even though He was not of her tribe or nation.    She believed in Him; believed in who he really was and she cried out to him  -  'Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David!'

'BUT JESUS ANSWERED HER NOT A WORD.'

but instead pointed out to his disciples that HE was not sent to any 

except the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

And the woman came again saying persistently - 'LORD, Help me!'

And THEN Jesus said to her  -  "It is not right to take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs.'

And the woman, persisting still replied -

Truth Lord; yet even the dogs eat of the crumbs

which fall from their master's table.

And JESUS said to her

O Woman, great is thy faith.

Be it unto thee even as thou wilt.

And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

THIS WOMAN, though a complete stranger in Israel, and to the Lord was not to be put off from making sure that her own desperate need was given every chance of catching the attention of Jesus.

Even when He appeared to refuse her, and to insult her by referring to her people as dogs, she would not give up.     She persisted in her quest for help, did not give up, and pursued help from the only one she believed could help her.        And Jesus granted her request.

NOT because she clever with words and repartee,

but because she BELIEVED in Him.

She would not give up.    She persisted, even when she knew she was being importunate, she continued UNTIL she had what she wanted.

I must say, personally, that I have often lost my momentum in my prayer life, and there is little doubt that when things have gone slowly for me, and when it has seemed as if God has wilfully gone to sleep, unwilling to attend to me, it has been due to my own lack of faith; faith that thrusts again and again upon the Lord, the ONLY HOPE any of us can have in our lives.       As it is written 'Without Faith it is impossible to please God,' and surely in letting our faith lapse, or sleep, we bring upon ourselves more than His displeasure - even His disappointment, - and instead of His mercy and compassion being aroused to cause Him to come to our aid, He turns away His face from us   -   UNTIL we CRY out to HIM in waking desperation of having lost all hope.

I Thank Jesus for His love and Mercy with the wonder of a child who understands so little, but His love and mercy are only a reflection of our Father's in Heaven, and I bow before HIM as an otherwise fatherless child, amazed before HIM.       Amen.

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THE TESTIMONY HOME FAMILY 2018

And YES we are all still here, and living with God in Mind.

The Government have now replied to comment and question from the Charitable Children's Homes.  The Permanent Secretary to the appropriate ministry has apologised for causing any uncertainty or anxiety and assures the Management of the many Registered C.C.I.s that they are well appreciated for the important work they do.     Those C.C.I.s already Registered or awaiting Re-registration, can expect to carry on as before, but NEW applications for NEW, never before Registered, will not be considered for Registration for the time being.

This news was received with mixed feelings since it has not removed the warning that by 2020 there will be no further need for CCI,s of any kind.       We do not believe the Government can allow this to actually be the case, due the lack of infrastructure needed to actually make it happen on the ground.    Nevertheless CCIs will certainly be considering what to do, just in case, and have Plan B in place before 2020 so that we shall all somehow continue to reach out to the poor and needy children in the land of Kenya.

DARYL is travelling up to Nairobi again tomorrow with DAN NDUNGU for a further, and we hope, a final Check before they announce a date for the Operation.     He remains outwards fine, and still attending School.    Please do continue to pray for him.       He will be at the Hospital on Monday morning very early, and if all goes well will return home once more to wait for op.

MANU was away at his Eye Clinic at Tenwick Hospital again this week, and returning yesterday was much encourage by good news from his Doctor there who recognises some good improvement in both eyes.    We give all the Glory to God who alone is the Healer of all our ailments.

We have 21 young people in Colleges - 2 in University this year.     This has always put extra pressure on our daily need, even though the cost is spread through the year.    So far ten are now back at their respective desks, and the remainder, who have not yet started their Courses, are still idle - and we have time to pray in what each will need.      It is always a good opportunity to pray with them and to yet again challenge them in their faith, and in the knowledge of God.     This year we have two training as Teachers,   4 training as Accountants,   1 in Actuarial Science, 2 in Mass Communications, 1 in Bible College,  1 in Nursing, 4 in I.T.,  2 in Procurement and 2 in Community Development.      Just one more to place.      There is not a problem in finding the placement opportunity for training.     The real problem is finding job opportunities there after.

I will close for this week.       We are expecting visitors this week coming, and more will continue to come through the month.     I shall enjoy talking about them as they spend time with us, and hopefully even a few photos.

God Bless you all, and be sure our Father in Heaven has us surrounded and protected in the Name of His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour/

Lovingly in Him,

John, Esther and Daryl Green

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