HOW LITTLE TIMES CHANGE.......

In the photo above a man is displaying a bottle of 'bootlegged' whisky, which he found consealed in the wall of an old house in Virginia. U.S.A.    Whisky was illegal at the time (1920s) and had to be SMUGGLED from an illegal distillary to whoever wanted it.   If you were found with a bottle in your possession you were in real trouble.    People really loved their Liquor in those days - AND they do NOW, to an even greater degree and from earlier and earlier ages!!  Its use actually begins at home with parents, and so, of course, we now have to be ready to find it being brought into School - especially by Boarders, who may be missing it the more.

And indeed we have already, in the last month, found Whisky on the School premises.    Did I hear gasps of horror!  - or maybe just a yawn or two?    After all, all over the world this is the kind of thing that has been cropping up in School life everywhere; especially High School, College, and University.      It would be much cheaper, for  parents, if kids were to just stay at home and drink - after all what kind of academic mind is going to emerge from a primal soup of mental fire and brimstone.

DARYL, as director over all, feels he has a duty to walk about every day to keep himself aware of how the School and Homes are enduring the wear and tear of so many children.    One morning he entered  one of the Schools Boy's Toilet blocks.    He found three Cisterns unable to flush, and always ready to investigate, took a screwdriver out of his pocket and took off the lid of all three of the cisterns.  In EACH ONE he found a bottle of Whisky - and it had not been put there a hundred years before, but very recently.    Each bottle had been wedged in the cistern in such a way that it prevented the flushing handle to work.        But how did they get there.     The Toilet Attendant is beyond reproach and had no reason to hide whisky in one of his own toilet cisterns.    It had to be one or more students.    Ah, how very disappointing, and after the School has been running so well and happily since it opened again fully in January.    A week later a further bottle was found, also in a toilet cistern, and this time with a wad of Marijuana as well.......Well, but this is a well organised, well disciplined School!   A Christian School!  How can such students be involved in alcohol and drugs.    Well no school is a prison and students come in and out every day, and at home and abroad, even close to the school, are places both of the desired commodities can be obtained ....!         The BIG problem is to control it, and to successfully steer young people away from them.         Did we discover our Whisky smugglers?    Oh yes, and necessary action has been taken to prevent it happening again - but it WILL.     Where there is a MIND, a way will be found to obtain what is wanted.       AND then what?    After discipline, correction, even serious effort to rehabilitate - YET no change of mind is seen, THEN finally we have to see someone LEAVE the School - and even leave the HOMES.     It is heartbreaking, but is happens.    

Alcohol and Drugs Kill.

At the least they damage and impair life permanently

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ALL OUR COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY students, from the Homes, have joined their Courses.   God Provided for each and every one and each one gave all the Praise and Thanksgiving to Jesus.    Our Father is so Gracious, and so very kind.       BUT one of our young men, who had joined University last year has been unable to return.      His name is Mark, and he has been part of Jacaranda Cottage Family since he was 9.     His family have never been traced.     He grew up well, and did well in School.    However, on joining University, he discovered Bhangi (Marijuana) and eventually - un-expectantly - arrived home very unwell.   He had to be hospitalized.     He recovered, but was put on medication.  The University willingly received him for his 2nd Semester but AGAIN he became quite wild, and behaved in a very unacceptable manner so that he was again sent back to us.    HE was again hospitalized, an currently he is still needing care.        His latest medical diagnosis is that he is Schizophrenic.    Mark gave himself to Jesus before he started at University,      He is not violent, but of quiet and peaceful nature - BUT during his recent 'episodes' he has in fact turned violent, showing a quite different nature. This is basically what is understood by Schizophrenia - a duel personality.     Jesus would have just seen it differently.      We have prayed, and continue to pray for him, that he might be delivered from this  attack on his life.      He IS intelligent, and has wanted to be a Teacher.    He longs to rejoin his University, but there seems little chance for the time being.      And it is in the University that the greatest incidence of alcoholic and drug addiction is highest.      So much so that we are seriously considering encouraging our children in the Homes to bypass University and apply to local day College foundations instead.

THE WEATHER HERE IN ELDORET, has been better than usual, and the normal DRY  season is currently being noticed.     Temperatures are lower that we remember  30 years ago, but still in the mid 70fs.     But already water is reducing in the tap.     Eldoret has almost doubled in size in the last three to four years - from 300,000 to 1,600,000!    Rainfall has reduced during the period, and the few reservoirs that feed the down are not enough, and soon reduce at the slightest reduction in rainfall - as now when it has not rained for for eight weeks.      AGAIN Daryl has been using his head to seek ways and means to improve water supply to the School and four Homes, but the problem in PRESSURE so that we cannot get water into our storage tanks.     Daryl is putting mini pumps into the system to offset this, but now the Town is rationing water.   Drilling for water is also a considefation.   Well, it keeps us all looking unto Jesus.

THE CURRENT COVID 19 VIRUS SITUATION   -   In our area not much has changed.    An average of 1 case a day; sometimes none at all are reported for our County.      We are entering the 6th week of the School, with daily comings and goings from more than 500 families, and all seems very normal.     The latest reported figures are as below-

TOTAL TESTED   1,206,161

TOTAL POSITIVE  101,534   RECOVERED 84,268    DEATH  1,776

Yesterday  5859 were Tested out of which 195 were found positive.   No  deaths.

BUT  it seems to us that we are FAR from overcoming it, or even knowing the TRUE picture.

schools remain open.   Masks must still be worn in all public places.    Distancing still observed.

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ESTHER and I are well.     Busy here and there,  with days passing very fast.     My LEG has more or less mended - just an occasional twinge, and am walking almost normally again, thank God!  I have not returned to the doctor.     I am sure he will not mind since the poor man is marooned in his surgery with his enormous waiting room crammed more and more - though it cannot be with Covid cases.  

Daryl has been VERY glad to receive letters from so many, and I do thank you as well, since it has really helped Daryl to believe in a future without US -  not that we look like dying just yet, but you know what I mean, I hope.     And it has now meant we can see each other's situation without being in each other's way - and I will be able to be more prompt with letter writing. 

We have been asked to consider going ZOOM and connecting to Christians in the UK.   We are looking into it this coming Monday, and if it seems viable we could think of linking up with other groups.  Any offers?

And I think I will break off here till next time.    We are praying with, and for you all.   We follow the news especially for the U.K. and Europe  in general in particular.      The Weather!!  The political climate that seeks to divide instead of unite!    The continued privations and rebellions caused by Covid 19 with all the innuendo, rumours, and HYPE still.     BUT in the last FEW DAYS there have been just a FEW glimmers of more positive and HAPPY announcements and comments - a BIT of a change from all the negative, and apprehensive words of doom and ever increasing negativity.         HANG ON to your Faith dear ones.  Look simply back to the Cross, and to Jesus.      I watched a Film on U-tube recently entitled SHEFFEY.    It is a true film about an itinerate Circuit Preacher in an American outback in the 1830s onwards.    Well acted and well produced.     A Very SIMPLE UNADORNED story that portrayed the very simple TRUTH of a very simple and uncomplicated peace of Good News.    Something that was not welcome even by Christians in the 1830s.      I liked it.      Look out for SHEFFEY and spend a quiet hour and a half re-considering your life with Jesus by your side - not just in the church.

Love to you all in His Wonderful Name

John and Esther  Green