GOD'S WAYS ARE NOT MAN'S

 SURPRISE !?

WELL, It must have seemed a surprise to many at the time.   I only came across it yesterday, and I was very Surprised indeed.      I discovered that in June 2019 the Kenya Senate had moved a Bill for the Establishment of CHILDREN'S HOMES in Kenya!

And it WAS a surprise, since 2008 the Government has been threatening the closure of ALL Children's Homes by 2020.    Also the Mover of the Bill, Senator Agnes Zani  (see photo right) seemed to be ignorant of the fact that Children's Homes had already been established in Kenya since well before 1963,  and that the 
Regulations for Children C.C.I (Charitable Children's Homes) 2005 were, as far as I can see very similar, for the most part, to this 2019 Senate Bill.    Were the Senators properly informed of what the Government had already established through the Department of  Children's Services, or were they quite ignorant of such matters?   Had the Senate, in addition, not taken notice of the Government plan to dismantle, and disestablish Children's Homes?      OR was the Senate, knowing the whole subject inside out, of a decidedly different opinion?   On the face of it the Senates proposed Bill seemed like a slap in the face for Government.

The SENATE Bill was moved on the 20th June 2019, and on 26th September of the same year, we were to read the Headline  "KENYA TAKES STEPS TO REPLACE CHILDREN'S HOME WITH FAMILY CARE"  ............And the Senate Bill never went further than the 1st Reading.    It was stopped dead in its tracks.      VERY SURPRISING - The difference of opinion, I mean.

MY QUESTION NOW would be 'Does the Government merely DICTATE Policy to the People, rather than making sure the Voice of all the people is, in fact heard?     When the Government called a Meeting here in Eldoret, our civic center, to present the Government's determination to close all C.C.I.'s by the end of 2021, those attending were told that there would be no ground for argument.  The matter was settled.     Not very democratic.    And not very appreciative of more than 50 years of private investment in alleviating the Government's responsibility in caring for it's own needy children.    INSTEAD we are being TOLD that 'ALL Children's Homes are unhealthy and bad, and in the best interest of children must be closed.'    Willy Nilly.    A decision made without any regard to the available evidence that not ALL Children's Homes are bad, and many are providing exactly what the Government is saying  children need most - a stable home and family; and they provide it free of cost to Government.    

All in the midst of Covid 19's destabilising fears, and social upheaval,  rising death rates, rising economic challenge,  increasing unemployment, and general discontent. 

    

What are we doing in Testimony Faith Homes and Schools?     We have been told to work hard to discover how we should re-tool from caring for orphans to whatever..!

Well this is what we are trying to work out -

1. To Repatriate - This is first of the Governments reqirements.    We do not have very many children who CAN be repatriated, since they were either abandoned without traceable family, or they are victims of tribal clashes which annihilated their homes and families.     The twenty or so our of our 130 who may have family were originally brought to us, with few exceptions, by the Children Department who felt sure it was necessary in order to ensure the safety and best interest of the child.     Each case will now we re-assessed.     Any case were a Relation is found to exist. and be wanting the take a their child, and if the child is also found willing and happy to be reunited, and if the material sistuation proves satisfactory, it will be further investigated.    Where all seems safe and satisfactory in such a case, the child will leave us.

2. What next..... The Government wants to arrange Adoption or Fostering..    But we are already fostering ourselves in our four Cottage Home.     Children have grown up  with us, and are currently settled, and attending School.     Each Home runs as a family, and the 4 Homes see each other as a wider or expanded Family.      We  will do all that we can to seek  ways and means that there might be for us to be permitted to allow those left with us, after 'reptriatrion', to remain with us until they complete education, and find employment.       Thereafter, however long it takes, the premises being used for HOMES will most likely be used for the expansion of the School, which it is hoped will continue for many years to provide Christian Education.

If we are allowed to keep the residue of our  children, as suggested above, we could perhaps treat them as Boarders in the School, and though still staying with the Family, so to speak, would not come under the designation of  orphan in a 'home'.

We began with a real desire to help the needy children of Kenya.     We have ever tried to have a good working relationship with Government, and I believe we have.   We would want to do all possible to continue to do so.

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We, all remain WELL, and Thanking God in our hearts for all His Care of us all.    All is continuing!

I personally have not been too well for about three weeks.   It started with a pain in my left hip joint. The doctor has diagnosed it as a trapped nerve, but it has not improved, and now the whole of my left left is a bit painful -  not constantly, but on and off, and once or twice has just given way and I have fallen.   I have not finished the course of drugs prescribed and next week I may go in for a Scan.  Otherwise I am well, and quite occupied.     God Bless you all -  I will be dropping a word from time to time, right up to Christmas.    We are with you all in Prayer.    All our Love in Jesus

John. Esther, and Daryl Green, and all Testimony

mony

 

HELLO EVERYONE !   On the left is the badge of The United Kingdom of Great Britain, representing the Nations of England Scotland, and Ireland.    Wales is also included under the flag of England of which it is a principality.      SOME ARE SAYING it may soon have to change it's name!     How very sad that will be.

The FLAG of this Nation has not only stood for political unity but for the Christian Faith.   The National Flag, adopted in1707, displays the crosses of St. George of England, St. Andrew of Scotland, and St. Patrick of Ireland, and in doing so has stood for all that Christianity stands for; the proclamation of Salvation of all mankind in and through Christ the Saviour, and the advancement of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. Wales does not appear on the emblazened shield, for  it is counted as being part of England itself.  It is Not a Flag that should be laid up and lost to sight.  The world needs to know how sinful it is, and how in need of forgiveness it is, and how GOD in His Mercy has given a Saviour, to SAVE all those who  will believe in Him, before He comes as KING over all the Earth, to Rule with all Authority, according to God's Pure Holy Way, instead of ours.      BUT, AND IF THIS POWERFUL FLAG should falter and fail, then it must be that the KING of all the Earth is soon to appear with His own Banner, more glorious then any other, to take control, and enforce God's Will.    We should take care we are ready to receive HIM.         

I was born in England, so you should understand my sentimental affection for its flag.   I was brought up to admire and value those men and women in our history who demonstrated courage, honour, and morality; our National hero's such as King Alfred the Great,  Sir Francis Drake, Isaac Newton,  Florence Nightingale, Admiral Lord Nelson, to name but a few; people and characters stood out and revealed special qualities one could look up to, and aspire after.     And, as Shakespeare wrote so often, in love and pride of England's scenic beauty, and human courage and  bravery -  'THIS ENGLAND, this royal throne of kings, this scepter'd isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars; this other Eden, demi-paradise, this fortress built by       
nature for herself against infection, and the hand of war.  This happy  breed of men, this little  world, set in a silver sea  .........This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England!......this ENVY of less happier lands.'  Was England like this in 1359, the year it was written about in the play?   Was it even true in 1597,  two hundred years later, when Shakespeare wrote the play, and put the words in John of Gaunts mouth as he died...?    I think it was !

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BUT NOW,   420 years further on, tis  becoming less of all that...........THAT ENGLAND, that was wont to conquer others, has made a shameful  conquest of itself'     

And this is not entirely due to the Virus, Covid 19!  What was and IS England, is being repudiated by strangers who know nothing of our history, or how we, through hundreds of passing years, struggled in peace and in war to LEARN, by the Grace of GOD, how to attain what now is near to be pulled down.      But does it matter?   Is the glory of the earth more than the Coming back again of its true King?      If HE should return tomorrow then yesterday will be forgotten anyway, and totally obliterated by the glorious brilliance of His Coming.     Sometimes we are deceived into hanging on to what is past or passing, and in doing so are made to MISS OUR WAY, and even to cease in going forward at all, as we travel on this 'pilgrim Way', for we ARE all pilgrims on this journey of life, as we continue onwards on our way to worse or greater things.    I often find this in myself, and get up  and shake myself, and open my eyes to SEE where I am, and to consider once again WHERE, and with WHOME I am going.      Will it be Biden?     Will it be Johnson?   Will it be GOD?     I must wake and put God first, for I am supposed to be heading Home, back to my true and meant roots, and God must be ahead of me, my Guide and the one Who will welcome me on  my arrival.      Yes we need to take great care that no-one and nothing, cheats us or prevents us, from getting there, and achieving our Crown of Life.

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HERE IN KENYA
We persevere with Government Rules, Covid 19, unseasonable weather, three quarters of our School still closed until January 2021.   I have also been made lame with my left leg.   Mr. Doc says it is trapped nerve in the vicinity of my left hip.   Previously, last, year he said it was a kidney stone!   Well he gave me some drugs, and after almost a week my leg is a little better.   I am believing it will soon be healed.     I have the same     occurrence with the same leg three times in the last few years.   I guess it just might be a nerve.

COVID 19 continues to be almost the only news.    According our Health Department numbers continue to rise, and the Nation still fairly shut down, Hotels, cafes, sand bars, shut down but Churches can hold services with no more than 100 per meeting.     School will remain shut till January, except for the 4 Classes that have already returned to School.

AS ON 10/11.20  we have 63,44 Confirmed Cases // 42,658 Recoveries // 855 Deaths

Hot Spots Today  -   Nairobi 371 //  Mombasa 82 // Kiambu 52 // Busia 35 // Uasin Gishu 34 

The weather has continued to give forth rain.   This is not usual for this time of year when wheat and maize needs to D R Y on the stalk in order to have a good harvest.    Not this year, and it looks like it will be quite a hard year next year altogether.     WE have not planted cereal crops but we have planted other vegetables in our plots, and they have yielded, and continue to yield bountifully.    But no doubt we shall have to pay heavily for MAIZE which we use to make a staple basic food - Ugali  

We our selves are still living in 'Green Cottage' opposite Testimony House were we began fifty years ago It is a bit like a shop, with so much coming and going.   All the milk and bread comes to us from the Dairy, to be shared out to the four family homes,  and then the children are always dropping in to see Grandpa and Grandma.   Old boys and girls also suddenly appear, and this week we had a surprise visit from MELVIS Oduor, who came to us in 2000, aged ten years, together with his elder brother and two sisters.

He completed his education with us and found a job in Uganda, since when we have never seen or heard of him - but he was at home with us today - and we were very glad and happy to see him grown up, and

trusting in God.      It is really great when our children droop back in after leaving here, and many do so. We feel did manage in a small way to build a home and family where there was none.

Christmas is soon to be, and and out of school our children from the Homes are preparing for our usual Christmas Concert, which is open to the public on the 23rd December, and our Carol Service during the evening of Christmas Eve on the 24th; we have that in front of Testimony House.    School will have closed of course, and we shall all come together for our Christmas Morning Service on the 25th.   This year we shall be repeating our Nativity Play for the Concert night; it was well received last year, and we are thinking of making it an annual event.

The year seems to gone quickly for us.   Always so much to think and pray about, AND to actually be involved in still.   Esther and I are still involved in management and have places on the Board of Management as well as the Bi-weekly Finance Committee.     But it is still to the LORD we look for Guidance, and for all our needs.     Without His Holy Spirit in our midst, our human efforts would come to nothing.

May all our Friends and Readers recieve our Love and Greeting in Jesus Name, and know that our prayers ascend to God each day, in love for Family of Friends, and for all those in the world beside, that you may be blessed and protected from all harm.

John, Esther and Daryl Green, and all at Testimony Faith Homes