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!
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
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