The Reverend Doctor Samuel Kirui, in his early Fifties, is no longer with us on earth, but with the Lord.   But I am not jealous for him, now;  for I know that he will not be there with Jesus BEFORE I am, or even before ANY who right now believe in the Gospel here on earth, or even before any who may have died in the Faith before us.  The Bible says this in 1. Thessalonians 4v`4-18F                  hi

The Bible says that all those who die in faith, believing and trusting in the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will in fact SLEEP.        We shall ALL sleep.     We are quite unconscious of 'time', whilst sleeping, and when we wake it seems as if we just set our head upon the pillow.    And so it will be 'in some mysterious way' that all Believers will find themselves, on leaving their body, immediately present with the LORD, and with all those who have died, or who are WAITING, still alive, for their time to come.     What an AMAZING moment that will be, and very especially for those who were, without realising it. asleep - to wake up and find themselves unaware that time has passed.  We WILL all 'seem' to 'arrive' TOGETHER - What a day of REJOICING that will be.     But, for us still bound to time on Earth, we must from time to time, suffer the separation  that physical death brings.  BUT, for the 'Believer', as for our dear departed brother Sam,  it will, and must be, that seemingly, in a blink of the eye, as they even 'hear' the sound of the Trumpet, they find themselves with us who they left behind.      No one will SEE the lord BEFORE another.    We shall ALL see Him together.   It is a mystery, but it will happen.

Sam had begun a ministry called Barnabas Leadership Ministries.     He had a real passion and desire to stir up young men and women to places of leadership in he Kingdom.     So sad if it has to close or be discontinued, just because Sam has gone.     We do pray for those who encouraged Sam in this work, Mike and LeeAnn McGee and family,  that they might also pray and see if the Lord might provide for another 'Leader' to keep BLM alive and active.

Sam was not WITH us physically for a long time.    He came when he was approximately 15 as a boy who needed help; his family had suddenly ceased to finance his education, and he was left stranded and alone.    It  so happened that we met each other on that day, and he came home with me to spend the night.    The next day we sent him back to school, and he remained boarding with us.   This was in 1965 and he boarded with us for eighteen months, after which we only saw him during vacation times whilst he was in College, and less frequently after 1969 when he began pastoral work.   Then after he left Kenya for U.S.A. we saw him physically less and less.    He became more engrossed in furthering his Education, and we cannot say that we know a great deal about his many years, until now, that he has spent there.    But he persevered and obtained his ambition, and finally achieved his Doctorate, in May 2021.    But he kept closely in touch, and he himself became a real part of the Testimony Family; very much loved, respected and appreciated.    We cannot help but miss him. 

We would like to remember all those in California who have helped and encouraged, and generally interacted in Sam's life over the years.    Thank you all for loving and encouraging and assisting to guide and council him.      We know you did it In the LORD, but we also thank you for your open heartedness and grace. 

one last photo

To the left is Moses Ongonga, now Pastor of AIC Fellowship Church,

Eldoret, will be burying Sam on Wednesday.  They were both

students at Kenya  Highlands Bible College in 1968/9

Esther and I were grateful to have them as 'sons' in Testimony House.

I am in the middle

And SAM on the right, Graduating.

TOMORROW  is Tuesday7th June, and at 1p.m. our time, at the AIC Fellowship Church in Eldoret there will be a MEMORIAL SERVICE for Sam.     Please do come if you can.      THEN on Wednesday Sam will be buried at Equator where his brothers and sisters live.    Sam has always kept in touch with them down the years, and neve fails to visit them when in Kenya;  he had planned to visit them at the end of this week in fact.      More than a bus load will be attending from the Homes.

Thank you all who have been in prayer for us, and for the family, and who have visited, phoned, e-mailed and written with their sympathy encouragement.    Bless you all.  

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