DEATH IN THE FAMILY

 

WHEN Esther, my wife, and I moved into this house in December 1972,

we already had twent eight boys staying with us,

and we moved in as a Family.

When we Married in 1971, I had already begun to collect children.    And Esther knew that in marrying me, she was agreeing to be Mother to the twenty that were already living with me in my mud house.   The house was known as Testimony Cottage, just because it was a daily testimony (withness) to the Goodness of God Who was our only sure provider of what we all, together, needed; He was then, and remains today, our Daily Bread,     The TESTIMONY came wth us to our new house, and slowly it becme kown as the Testimony Family.......Esther and I were ' Mum and Dad'.  We were to continue so, until February 1998 when we moved out to become Grandparents, though - in a way - still Mum and Dad to all those who had grown up and moved on until then, and to the more than 120 children in the FOUR different 'family' homes we then concisted of; close neighbours in truth ONE BIG Family.         (The photo above was taken in January 1973 after moving to Eldoret with twenty children, including three girls.   I am almost invisible at the back, left, holdine baby Steven, our firstborn, and Esther is at the extreme right, wearing an afro hair do.)

INITIALLY Esther  and I had felt that we needed to reach out to the many homeless children I had encountered in Maseno, Western Kenya.    What did they need most ?  They needed what they lacked most; family, and loving parents.     But would we be able, oursleves, to find the strength ?  How would it be to bring up our own children ( if God gave us any) in the midst of so many strangers?   God said, 'FEAR not, I will be with you'.    And so we had yielded and accepted to offer a home, and a family (our own family) to any child that came to our door, destitute and orphaned.    The Lord led us to move away from Eldoret in December 1972.   But the Vision remained unchanged, and God WAS with us.  We also worked along with the Kenya Children's Department, as it then was, and they helped us to help the truly destitute children.   But later on occassionaly pressed us to also help others who did have families of their own, but which were prevented by severe illness or some physical calamity, to provide home and security to their children;     In the first 28 years Esther I saw more than 110 boys and girls grow up - often from their birth, to become young men and women, all together as family, in Testimony House.    Altogether, today, we can say 370 have come to be part of the Testimony Family, brought up in one  or another of our four family homes, who having comleted education, have left to live indendent lives.

The majority still keep in touch, and  visit us, and introduce their own husbands, wives and children of their own to us - their children's 'grandarents'.        They keep track of one  another, and readily step  in to assist a famiily member going through difficulty.        I would say The Family is very tight knit  in its care and interest in every member..   

A view of some 350 Family members, including some wives,
husbands, and even children, taken in 2019, as they came 
home for the day to Celebrate 50 years of Family together.
Expanding all the time!!

BUT  at the same time we do, from time to time suffer a loss, and it is always felt by all  of us.

On the 5th July this year we lost a son, and one who had been with us here in Testimony, part of the Tyndale Cottage family, for seventeen years.   TYSON Simiyu had been abandoned, with his sister, Monica, by their single Mother.     All alone, in the small room they called home, hungry and afraid,  they were brought to us.  Tyson was 5, and Monica 7     Two very sweet kids, who were soon revelling in other children of their age to play with, and regular meals, their own bed instead of the floor, and a loving Mum and Dad to care for them.    Both entered school together and completed their Secondary Educatrion.

TYSON grew to be a strong young man.   He loved reading the Bible, and to talk about the Lord with others like him.      He was a strong Footballer, and swimmer.    He was on the brink of commencing a Polytechnic course in Mechanical Engineering.       

Tyson Simiyu

The morning had dawned bright and sunny, and getting up Tyson was consciouse of feeliing realy well.

He had been to the doctor two weeks earlier feeling week and unwell.  The Doctor said it was a viral infection and sent him home under medication - but no antibiotics.      On the way out after breakfast he sought out Catherine and Mica Yego who were his parents and sharing how well he felt, he Thanked them for taking such good care of him.   Always appreciative.      He crossed the road into Testimony House Compound and met the Director, Daryl Green, coming out of his Office...    Again he testified to how well he was now feeling, and that he was on the way to the pool for some exercise.    It was about 9a.m.

At 10a.m, Daryl ran into our house, and just stood staring at us.  

"Whatever is the matter?" I asked.

"TYSON  Simiyu is DEAD!" he croaked out,  and sat down

We were stunned; totally incredulous.    'How?" I asked

It seemed that Tyson had gone to our Swimming Pool as he had said, and commenced a lengthy exercise, completing it strongly and well.     Getting out he went to sunbathe, and fellowship with a group of his peer who were also there.    They enjoyed each other's company teelling stories, laughing and joking.    THEN, suddenly, Tyson began to convolse.    The Pool Life-saver, and Swimming Trainer ran to the aid of the startled group  -  Tyson went on convolsing until he los consciousness.   HE was was rushed to the hospital, but he was DEAD on arrival.     Nobody could believe it.     The immediate sense of LOSS was great to all, and almost immediately Members of the Family who heard of this tradgedy began to ring, and send Notes to assure us of their support and syapathy.   School was suspended, Children and adults all at a loss walking around almost in a daze at this shocking and unlooked for death.

The Cause of Death, after a Post Mortem, prooved to be 'Asphyxiation /Severe Pneumonia due to Collapsed Lung.    The Doctor conducting the Post Mortem felt that the lung had been collapsed for a lengthy period.     It IS possible to have such a condition, though rarely,  without it making you aware of it.     BUT Tyson was a serious and hard working sportsman all his life!    And he had felts 'on top of the world' that morning.      No real answer here, except that his LORD needed him, and took him quickly.    We had Memorial Service for him, held in the School Hall on Sunday afternoon at 2p.m. 

The Hall  packed to the doors, went on almost three hours.   One after the other stood up to speak about the loving, and caring life of Tyson, at hom.e and at School.     A friend to all, ever willing to help, councel, and encourage those in need.

He was buried on Monday, 10th July in the City Cemetary, with  friends and family members from Testimony Family from all over the area; a congregation of more than 150.    Pastor Sospeter read the Reading for the Day from the Bible,  and Pastor Mark Epa, both with A.I.C., gave the Sermon, and The Very Rev Archdeacon of the Anglican Church Diocese, Jotham  Chege, gave a Blessing.    THEY all are sons of Testimony, as were dozens of others too, and as many sisters.    It was a unique family occassion,  One that brought home to us all once again the importance of Home and Family as God has planned it.        It WAS a sad occassion, yet on the other hand there was a wonderful sense of happiness and joy there.     After all we had not really LOST for ever a valued son, brother, grandson - just bade him God speed on his mission - we shall be with him again  in the clouds, when the Trumpet sounds.

The Government may still vote to close us down one day, with all the other Homes in Kenya, but even if it does the Family that was begun in Testmony House will continue to expand and grow, and further the Vision we have always had for Family, and family life, with God at the Centre.

God BLESS you all.

John, Esther, and Daryl Green

Testimony Faith Homes, Eldoret, Kenya.             

 

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