Hi Everyone!    Sorry I missed last week, but we are all well, and here I am back again to say that our God is Faithful and Good, and that in the midst of this World Crisis, and depression, we remain FREE and GLAD in the knowledge that His Arms are all about us.   
This MORNING the POWER went off early, and the day dawned wet, cold and grey.     I had woken at 7 a.m. to begin writing this blog.    BUT found the electricity OFF.    No computer, no Internet, no light, no power to boil the coffee..........What to do ......and suddenly the Lord whispered, Adam never had it, and did not miss it -  because they were with Me!     Ha!    Truly, I felt rebuked.   Adam had invented his own 'power' basis, and came to believe in THEM, more then in the Power that is in GOD who made him.    We have come a long way since then.....AWAY from faith in God's power to keep, provide, and protect us.    Perhaps that is why so many of us do not SEE HIS Power too much - our whole expectation is toward the wrong direction; our faith is in ourselves, and Man generally, rather than in the prime source of ALL power, even its Creator, GOD, and in the Name of JESUS CHRIST, to whom, and in whom ALL POWER has been given by the FATHER.       And, think about it, Jesus lives in those who are His; and He has given us all power over all the power of the Devil.     Why is it so difficult to appropriate it?   Probably because we have been 'conditioned' away from really believing in it.      This is the day we begin to see the whole WORLD running hither and thither in desperate confusion and fear.   And AGAIN I cite the word of Jesus found in Luke 21 in the Amplified Translation of the Bible and in verses 25 - 26  in the last days  -  'there will be (on the earth\)  distress, (trouble, and anguish) of nations in bewilderment and perplexity (without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not knowing which way to turn.............Men  swooning away or expiring with fear and dread and apprehension and expectation of the things that ares coming on the world.....'    Certainly we are nearer, if not actually IN, the culmination of these words.

ABOVE is an old photo from the 1980s, when we were going through a time of considerable need, and funds seemed to be cut off from us altogether.    Many days began with nothing to put on the table.
On such a day we suddenly were visited during the morning hours by a quite astonishing group of ladies from the local Mothers Union of the Anglican Church.   They came walking, and CARRYING sacks of maize, sugar, beans, cabbage, PLUS also boxes of toilet rolls, soap, and many other things God had put on their heart to bring.    They had not said they were coming!    WE had not in any way advertised our need.  Were not even in touch with them!    It was a Day where once more our LORD demonstrated His ability to keep us and protect us.    Truly not an isolated day, though not something regular.    Indeed we did not see these dear sisters in Christ, again.     But we have seen God's hand deliver us from every threat of disaster - just in time!
AND AGAIN THIS WEEK we have  received gifts of basic foodstuffs from local people we had never met or known before, who just appeared at the gate to say ' God  Bless you.'!

KENYA continues to confront  the Virus.  The National Restriction on society of Curfew, and Lock Down continue, with very precise, well ordered, and commendable action, communicated daily  by radio and television.     TODAY we are advised that Kenya has a total of 621 confirmed cases since the beginning  with 29 fatalities.   It is also noted that 202 have recovered..         Most of the cases are confined to the Nairobi/Mombasa areas, but cases are also now being recorded in many other Counties throughout the Country.     The Health Authority feels thing will get worse, and are not in any way feeling complacent.       Neither are WE, here in Testimony!     Though we are all occupied we are not stressed nor in a state of anxiety.  No, I would say all are somehow with high spirits and working well together - from the smallest to the oldest among us.   It is joy to see, and an evidence of the sense of family and  security God has been fostering all these years.     

Another view of Testimony House taken from just outsides Pastor's Office.  It looks SO quiet and pastoral - but it is still home to 37  kids, and is often still invaded by 90 more from the other three family homes.    Not always so quiet, but always somehow with a sense of PEACE.

THIS IS A PHOTO OF OUR SCHOOL teaching staff, a year ago,   Some have moved on an been replaced, but the same number remain.   ALL of them are currently out of work, although tacitly we have not terminated any.    We cannot pay their salaries without the School Fee income, which of course is not available in a time like this when the School is forcibly closed.    We ARE  doing our best to help them a little, but basically they are on their own, and could out of paid work for some time.

To close this week I want to print a hymn by the German Hymnist Joachim Neander.   

Neander was born in 1650 in Dusseldorf, Germany.     He studied Theology in his home town from 1666 to 1670, initially without any commitment.   In 1669, having been convinced, after listening to a sermon,  he committed his life to Christ.   He went on, in 1671, after his Graduation to become a teacher of Latin in Dusseldorf.   Then in 1679 he took a pastorate in the  city of Bremen.  He is credited with writing more than 60 hymns, the most remembered being the one printed below.   Joachim died of Tuberculosis in 1680 at the age of Thirty years.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation;

O my soul,   praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation. 

All ye who hear,

Brothers and sisters draw near, 

praise Him with glad adoration

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper they work and defend thee:

Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee;

Ponder anew,

What the Almighty can do,

If with His love he befriend thee

Praise to the Lord, who, when tempests their warfare are waging.

Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,

Biddeth them cease, 

Turneth their fury to peace,

Whirlwinds and waters assuaging

Praise to the Lord, who when darkness and sin is abounding,

Who, when the godless do triumph all virtue confounding,

Sheddeth His light,

Chaseth the horrors of night,

Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord!  O let all that is in me adore |Him!

All that hat life and breath, come now with praises before Him!

Let the Amen

Sound from His people again;

Gladly for aye, we adore  HIM.

God Bless you, encourage you, and draw all of us together closer and closer to the KING our sure salvation   -    Yours in His POWER    -    John, Esther and Daryl Green