John Green's notes from Kenya

HOLDING THINGS TOGETHER!!?

2012-01-28T13:47:00.004+03:00

REPAIR AND MAIN-TENANCE has commenced on Drakeley Cottage. To the right you can see the beginning of work to expose the problem under and above the damp course. Basically it seems that two previous attempts to compact the infilling of the foundation at this end of the house failed. This produced various troubles, from forcing the wall outwards, to also interfering with plumbing. The Municipal Engineer has instructed us to put in three steel reinforced vertical columns keyed into the wall together with a horizontal reinforced beam just above the damp course, about a metre from the ground level.. You can see in this photo on the right how this end of the house has really begun to bulge and move outwards.
It is SO SAD that a man with a Christian Testimony such as the contractor that built this house, could have been so willing to cut corners and even evade structural issues in order to make money out of his brethren. Faults with the flooring throughout the house, general fittings and plumbing as well as many other matters have, during the four years of it's existence, necessitated continued and repeated expense in keeping it up and workable. Yes Drakeley Cottage was completed in 2008 and has needed more help to remain in good shape than we have spent on Testimony House - an old (circa2010) MUD brick house - in 40 years.
I guess it is the same with human beings as well. Some age faster than others - but we all age, and need constant maintenance!!!

(I am 71+ and overweight. I have always been heavier than I should, but my heart seems in good shape. Yet this year, suddenly my Blood Pressure has shot up and my Blood Sugar as well. I have Diabetes 2 and I have not watched my diet as I should - BUT really I am well ,,,,,,, But I now am aware that I have to take myself in hand. In many respects I resemble the stressed stonework in the picture above. My doc says not to worry, but not to be complacent. For this month he has been changing my drugs almost every week with no apparent change in my situation. Start a new cocktail of more drugs today! - and oddly every new drug to try seems to cost more than the last one.........BUT my Bunyan is completely better, and I am walking more. NO I am not physically discomforted, and I thank God that the GREAT Physician watches over me, maintaining me, and not just patching me up along the way, but healing me. He provides and maintains the physical side of TFH and I know He will maintain and keep me in good repair and health. Hallelujah!) 'IN HIM all things consist (cohere, are held together' - Colossians 1v17

To the left is another view of the ongoing work on the exterior of Drakeley Cottage. We have dug down well below the damp course and foundation, and you can see the iron skeleton columns waiting to be fixed - one at each corner and another in the middle. Already the worse affected part of the wall - far lower right - has been repaired and straightened, and you can make out the recess being made for the horizontal retaining beam at the lower part of the wall.
This this should all be completed this week together with the plumbing and drainage repairs and replacements.

THEN we shall go INSIDE and repair internal matters. Immediately behind the wall shown above and starting from the near end is a bedroom for 8 girls, a toilet and shower, and then a Guest Room for 4 plus en-suit toilet/shower. Internal walls have been slowly cracking due to a drop in the floor level. At the right is a view of one of the shower rooms with a serious structural crack caused by faulty plumbing leaking water into the wall.

The Kitchen also needs attention in respect of the flooring and work tops, and also three Shower/Toilets. We expect that ALL of this work will cost around £1,000, and as I told you before these funds are already to hand as well as £2,000 more which we hope to use in further needed restorations in two other of our children's Homes. Many of these material repairs have been pending some time, and it is truly a great joy to at last see them getting attention. There IS a time for everything.
THE FAMILY PHOTO is of Francis and Eunice LAHOL and their two children. Francis and Eunice are Mum and Dad in Drakeley Cottage now. Mum and Dad are both trained Chefs in fact, and Francis actually grew up in Testimony House whilst Esther and I were Mum and Dad there (1984-98). He was only 10 when he was admitted. They are a happy family, and are proving themselves to be with big enough hearts to be parents to the 30 other children that share the Home with them.

On the 1st February, next week, we shall be welcoming Mike and Dani Potter's son Ben with five friends for a ten day stay with us. They will come to lend a hand the Homes together, just a they and other have done before when their School - Tyndale Christian School - has also come to do the same. It will be really great to have them here. ALSO hoping to have Ian and Diana HOGLEY our friend from Huddersfield here again toward the middle/end of February. A good beginning to the year altogether.

Esther is well and fine, and we both send our Love with Thanksgiving to you all

John and Esther

PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES

2012-01-21T19:35:00.003+03:00

THIS IS A PHOTO OF Harvey and Marion my most recent nephew and niece!! The are having a brief refreshment whilst shopping in the heat and tumult of Eldoret's rush hour streets. They caught the sun - just a little - and may well already have lost it again since returning to freezing Scotland on Wednesday this week. They also caught Testimonyitis and may never be free of it! The children loved them as if they had known them for ever, and they had very good times together. We are always delighted when folk come and want to take an interest in the children. It is very rewarding to all concerned, and we just love to see them happy.
Almost every day of their two week stay they were followed everywhere by laughing and happy kids. They are now very definitely Aunt and Uncle to all.
THANK you both for opening up YOUR hearts to our children and becoming immediately part and parcel of THEIR family as well as ours!
Whilst here they did a lot of exploring for themselves, took a lot of photos and videos. Also tried their hand at cooking, sport, and Marion even joined Internal Security and did a turn at the Main Entrance Gate!! They were willing workers, outgoing and friendly to all.

NOW THEY HAVE GONE, leaving their Mum, my SISTER, still with us for about another three weeks. She seems fully of spunk and a 'ready for anything' attitude to our Mad Compound. She is often left on her own, however, since both Esther and I both have time when we must be away, and about the compound. But we still spend a lot of time and fellowship with each other and we hope her time here will be more and more enjoyable as days go by - perhaps she won't want to go home!!?

Just to divide this letter here are a few views of the School. The first on the left shows the double storey tuition block at the end of which, in front of the tree, will be the 4 new classrooms joined on. On the right is where the new Boarding Hostel will be built.

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MANY YEARS AGO, in 1969 I was just beginning this ministry in rented property in MASENO, Western Kenya. During that time I met a Norwegian Lady who was also working temporarily in Kenya. Her name was, and still remains, GRETA RIMINGTION. We got to know each other quite well and then she returned to Norway. We lost touch for many years but later she sent me a book that she had written and put together with illustrations of some of her Artwork. GRETA is in fact a gifted creative artist. She paints a lot, but she especially felt God leading her into ecclesiastical artwork. This found an outlook in producing priestly stoles and vestments, and also altar clothes and fronts. Reading her book and for the first time also getting to know something more about her Christian Testimony, as well as SEEING God's Spirit at work through her fingers was a very moving and wonderful thing for me. It is remarkable and wonderful, the people God brings into our lives to leave a mark or memory that will in fact add to the sum result of who we ourselves individually are. This photo was taken circa 2004.
I am going to share a little of her story here as it was printed in 2004 when she was 70.

FROM HER STUDIO in Son, Greta Rimington looks out on a calm and cold Oslo Fjord. In front of her easel she is working intensely on a new motive "Shooting Stars". It is the first in a series entitled "The Universe". Whilst painting she finds that she is one moment in the present, and the next she is a small girl looking at stars with her father Claude Rimington. At the age of 70 the artist is ready to tell her story, looking for the golden thread and the hand that has drawn the patterns in the tapestry of her life. She strives to find a harmony that was once, but that then disintegrated early on in here life.

Greta was born in Pretoria, South Africa on 13th February 1933. Her father Claude Rimington was an English scientist, and her mother Soffi was Norwegian. After a few years the family moved back to Europe, settling after the war in England. Greta attended St. Helen's School for Girls in Northwood in North London. On finishing she went on to attend The Slade School of Fine Art at University College, London. On finishing, instead of pursuing Art, she decided to enter the Teaching profession. She explored the possibility of teaching in Africa, but eventually took up opportunities to teach Art in Norway.

Her story is an alternating one of joy and pain. Early on she appeared to be mature beyond her years. As she grew older she gave the impression of being an independent and adventurous woman. Yet the ice that encased her heart as a child had created a shell preventing her from really experiencing joy to the full.

Only later in life does the cold heart start to thaw. Her mother Soffi, died in 1982. After her death Greta took the dramatic step of becoming a full time artist. With the constant support of her father an ever widening circle of friends she moved into the most creative period of her life -painting, designing and decorating church interiors. It was also at this time that she moved from an intellectual commitment to God, to a warmer embrace of Jesus Christ. Her belief is in Christ as a warm and close life-giving force. In her art she wants to give a positive indication of this.

At 70 Greta is flowering both as an artist and as a person.She is more productive than ever. Her inner journey has given hr more insight and answers. She is no longer tied and bound by her past. With a childlike inquisitiveness she is still on a voyage of discovery in art and faith.

Greta is an inspiration to us all to keep on going on. Especially those of us who have passed death to life, we need to enter into the never ending aspect of our Life, and cease looking for our physical death as at best an interruption. We have every reason to look and to plan ahead.!

Much Love to you all. I shall be giving the Word of God once more tomorrow morning and will value your prayers. The last in the Series it will be of course Thou Shalt Not COVET..

Sincerely

John and Esther

SUNNY DAYS IN ELDORET

2012-01-14T18:08:00.000+03:00

LIFE GOES ON HERE. And this last week has reminded me of the early 70's when the January days were filled with brilliant sunlight under clear azure skies, a gentle breeze helping to mitigate with the heat and the dryness. In the midst of it all plans for School Development have been progressing, our teenagers sent off to College, trips to the dentist AND the doctor, School open and busy, and my sister, son and daughter in law all basking in the warmth, the altitude and the adventure of slowly getting to know US, and the 150 children that live here with us. I think they have enjoyed themselves, though all have had their own physical 'high's and 'lows'. Generally good health has prevailed against the threat of sickness. Mainly it has been a case of adjustment to the difference in climate between here and Scotland.
My sister, Pat, will be staying on with us till the first week of February. But Harvey and Marion are beginning their trek home to Scotland on Monday morning, when they will be flying from Eldoret to Nairobi on the first leg. We shall miss them. They have made a lot of friends as well amongst the children, and I know that in a short time friendships have been made across generations, colour, and race. Hearts have been won, and a lot of memories and happiness trapped on film, both still and moving.
The two little girls in our first photo have discovered a warm and happy friendship for each other. The one on the left is the five year old daughter of one of our staff, and the other is from Testimony House. The one with loving parents and a stable home, and the other abandoned and without home or parents until she came to us.
Not sure if it was Marion or Harvey that took the picture - they have been taking so many - but it surely is a winner. And also the one below it. The little boy is also a son of a staff member, the brother of the one above. Again in living here it is almost impossible to see any difference in the 'orphan' cared for and the children of stable families living with and amongst them. I am always happy to see it, and these photos just underline it.
We are hoping that this short exposure to our happy, loving kids will entice Harvey and Marion back to us again soon.......??

The NEXT photo this week is one of building under construction in the centre of Eldoret. I think it was taken to emphasise the way buildings actually go up here. Not quite the ideal expected in the UK. This building is being erected behind Eldoret Town Hall. It towers above it totally spoiling the old sky line, and also the entire aspect of the main high street.
The Town Hall had been set well back behind lawns, and still is a fairly unassuming yet respectable civic structure pleasant to the eye. From the Mayor's Parlour on the 1st floor you can look down the main high street, (Kenyatta Street) witch is one of the main shopping and banking areas of the town, sloping quite steeply down to the river valley. From the opposite end one could look up and see the Town Hall as the centre piece of good town planning. Not any longer though with this awkward, ill designed and sited edifice towering lopsidedly behind it. Whoever allowed the plans to be passed, and the Civic Centre to be humbled beneath it should be fired. URgh!!

Just a little glimpse of ELDORET the town - a town once spacious and airy but now crammed tight with traffic, humanity and restlessness. No longer a quiet country town, but a growing County Metropolis, somehow taken by surprise. It is now too fast and too crowded for me. And soon it will catch up with me since where once Testimony was at the extreme edge, and verging on open fields, we are now almost surrounded by building estates, with hardly an open field to see anywhere. How time changes things, and how LIFE DOES GO ON irresistibly and progressively.

WE ARE GLAD to report that the funds promised to us toward building repairs and maintenance have just arrived, and that work on the sinking foundation of Drakeley Cottage will probably now be able to commence next week. It will throw the 'Home' into a little confusion for a while, but there is no doubt that we shall now be able to save the house, and this is a great thrill to all concerned - including the children who are every excited about it all.

We are also going ahead with School Expansion, and hope to get Plans past soon to erect a further 4 classrooms in order to put in a second Stream of Secondary School classes. The photo shows part of the area where development will be taking place. For those who know the compound intimately the Basket Ball Court is sited in front of the photo.
As you know the School pays for itself from incoming School Fees paid by those parents from around Eldoret whose children attend the School. These fees pay for the Teachers, consumable materials, and everything else needed to run the School. Additionally the School - through these same fees - provided FREE places for each and every Orphan in the Children's homes. Otherwise nothing else is diverted to the help of the Homes. Thus the Homes stand apart and alone, dependant on God only. Since Daryl has taken on the job of Chief Executive he has also made it his business to consider the School, and he has been given the job of watching over the building project.

We have just had a word from AENON Trust, and we do thank all those who have recently send help to us through their kind assistance. Spot on timing, as usual. Quite amazing that it is so, month after month.
Yet we never get used to His Provision, and can never KNOW exactly what He will do or HOW. We only know that He remains utterly FAITHFUL in answering the prayers of so many on our behalf.

Much Love from us all

John and Esther

LOVE AND MARRIAGE ?

2012-01-07T14:20:00.000+03:00

FROM SCOTLAND TO KENYA! At last united with my Sister Pat, and with Harvey her son and daughter in law - Marion. SUCH a joy to actually have them WITH US.
Daryl went up to Nairobi as planned to meet them with Carol his wife and their eldest son, Jesse. From there to Ngong about 40 kilometres away to the home of Esther's sister Mary where they spent most of that day (4th January) and the night. There they met Mary's husband Joe, and their children and their families!! Quite an overwhelming introduction to our side - the Kenya side - of the family of GREEN. Then on the morning of the 5th they all made their way to ELDORET, arriving about 5p.m. in the afternoon. Since THEN we have been enjoying each others company.

YESTERDAY, 6th January was Steven and Anji's 16th Wedding Anniversary. The photo here was taken in our grounds on their Wedding Day. We were able to get together with them last night via SKYPE. It was great.

My sister Pat had been married to her husband Donald almost 50 years before he sadly died. Esther and I have been married 40 years. So many people have evinced their astonishment that anyone can stay together for such a lengthy period in Marriage! - MANY tell me quite seriously that these days the majority of marriages do not last even three years, and admittedly we hear of those that end within a year!
Are those that stick together for longer to be considered foolish?

MARRIAGE is intended to demonstrate a permanent and enduring relationship; the relationship that there OUGHT to be between every man and woman - and GOD. A relationship that will not be altered or upset by changing circumstances or events, but one that will be willing to endure with long-suffering the faults and failings in both parties, as well as to enjoy the admirable and loving qualities found in each other.
MARRIAGE - more than the incoming idea of 'partnership' (or 'Come we Stay' theology found here in Kenya and increasingly all over the world) - is meant to be seen NOT as a RISK, but as a considered and sincere COMMITMENT of a Man to a Woman, or a Woman to a Man. (Gay Relationships are not found acceptable in either the Bible or the Koran.)
NO ONE should sensibly enter into MARRIAGE unless they mean to remain together for life, come what may! I make no apology for presenting the Christian view of Marriage. It has been around a long time, and prior to this wayward and sexually orientated generation, worked very well. It rests on an Ideal that if followed through must affect all of Creation, and the Security of the Universe.
MARRIAGE, as it is set out by the Church of Christ, is more than a mere Contract, it is a serious Agreement made seriously in front of God, each of the two involved vowing to the other that they will remain constant and faithful to each other for all of their respective lives - for better or for worse...........!
THIS is something that a Home and Family can be built upon; it provides ongoing SECURITY and ASSURANCE that such home and family will always be there. A reliable Point of Reference.
The Faith that GOD existed, and was a Binding Witness to the Promises made between the Man and the Woman gave REASON for couples to persevere, endure and even suffer if necessary whatever might come to disturb or challenge the Marriage. One could not, surely, walk out on God - breaking the promises made in His hearing? It was not the EASY 'come or go' attitude found in so many unhallowed relationships of our current world.

HERE IN TESTIMONY FAITH HOMES we have tried to uphold the idea of Home and Family built on a Marriage in Church in front of God, and witnessed by family and friends. We have endeavoured to proclaim to children who have been the victims of broken promises and careless relationships that there IS a safe foundation to built their own home and family upon, providing for their children what so many of them were deprived of, or just never had in the first place. Oh yes! We do readily admit that many have not readily followed our example. Some HAVE entered into uncommitted and even loosely tied together relationships AND suffered the consequences - though some later brought themselves either to church or to the local administrative government to finally commit themselves to each other. The had failed to find peace in a relationship that lacked trust and faith.

Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones writes - 'What right have we to expect nations to stand by their promises and keep their vows to each other, if men and women do not do it even in this most solemn and sacred union of marriage? We must start with ourselves, we must start at the Beginning. We must observe the Law of God (NOT Moses) in our personal and individual lives.'

Good, Seriously entered into, enduring Marriage is the mainstay of our humanity. If we are to rescue our own Generation and provide against the security of the next we must determine to uphold MARRIAGE, and thereby SAVE our home and family from a sure anarchy and repudiation of all human morality. And remember nothing is gained without sacrifice. We enter into Marriage determining to lay down our life for the other - indefinitely, for ever. Your children will see it and feel it, and rejoice in the knowledge of your true love for each other, learning from it.

I believe that my sister Pat and I, having both to some extent been victims of a broken marriage and selfish parents, have been greatly helped in holding our own marriages, and thereby our family members in the home, together, realising how it felt to be without the security and warmth generated by a persevering, forgiving and loving father and mother that remained faithful to each other through all the ups and downs of life and also the let downs and disappointments experienced in each other. We were indeed inspired NOT to be as they were, but to aspire and reach for something more lasting and certain.

We have both lived 70+ years without knowing anything about each other, and now meet, having lived very different lives in very different situations yet in marriages that endured well enough, to progressively deepen the friendship and loving bond that joined us and continues to join us together with the one we promised to live with till death parts us.

GOD BLESS you all, and if are celebrating this Year, Rejoice for each year successfully spent bearing each others shortcomings in Love and discovering the growth of your own bond of love for each other.

John and Esther

CHANGE, & CHANGING...........

2011-12-31T12:53:00.001+03:00

GEORGE V and QUEEN MARY attending a DURBAR in INDIA where they were Crowned King Emperor and Queen Emperor. This took place on the 12th December 1911 - just a hundred years ago. What a lot of change was ahead of them - in less that 50 years! And since I was born WHAT even greater changes have swept us all along into the space and technological world. Faster and faster into yet another year - the Year of 2012. SKY tv proclaimed THIS current year as one in which the world has seen the GREATEST change! They went so far as to say that 'the world will never be the same again!' Well I believe they are right.
NOTHING ever has remained as it was, and the world has continuously been changing since it began.

OOPS! our Electric power supply has just gone off! It was off yesterday as well for some hours. There is quite a lot of apprehension everywhere just now because of Al Shabaab and the fear that they may seek to cause disturbances here and there. Very much hyped up fears I think, and so far Eldoret has been quite untouched by any terrorist incidents. BUT it IS annoying to be without electricity. Hope it comes back in time for me to send this out today.......... (the unpredictability of life!). In case anyone is now feeling alarmed for us let me say that Kenya Power Authority goes off quite often in a week. Can be due to maintenance being carried out on the lines, or because a tree falls on a line, or because lizard gets short circuited in some local transformer.

For us this has been quite a year, and certainly there have been many challenges. We opened the year needing more than £5,000 to pay School fees, buy uniform and pay salaries to our workers. As usual we continued quietly in prayer, and on 5th January more than £7,000 arrived to provide for all this great need. Surely God hears and answers.
On January 3rd Manu, our youngest adopted son, working and living away from home, was suddenly rushed to hospital with appendicitis! The operation took place the next day, and was successful; he was sent home on the 7th, good as new!
EARLY FEBRUARY it became necessary for us to find ways and means to obtain Birth Certificates for ALL our children in the Homes. The majority did not have one, and to actually discover their early history and obtain needed documents to support an Application became VERY frustrating and time consuming. We managed..........! At the same time the Inland Revenue visited us and decided we needed to pay up about £100,000. Eventually with the help of our Auditors this was reduced to £30,000. We still felt this was unfair and without foundation, so we did not pay (could not pay) and the matter is currently in abeyance.
IT RAINED a little mid MARCH! Finance a bit wanting, but non the less we ate every day.
Our children in the UK - Steven, Michale and Elizabeth decided to pay for Esther and me to fly out to visit them all. Funds were at this time at their lowest. It did not seem an appropriate time to leave Kenya.
IAN AND DIANE HOGLEY visited shortly on the 5th April, with Pam Wilding. On the 11th Daryl, our son, was appointed Acting Director and General Secretary over all the Work.
On the 13th Esther and I flew to England. We were basically spoilt by our children there, who just wanted to be with us. We enjoyed ourselves. We did manage to visit just a few old friends, but on the whole entered into very little ministry.; But we did journey to Northern Ireland for the first time ever, and again were wonderfully blessed by the kind generosity of our friends Desmond and Virginia Hales of Port Stewart.
BUT on getting off the plane on the 14th April, my left foot erupted into terrible pain, and inflammation. It was to discomfort me for most of the trip, almost to the day I left England. My Diary was not written up whilst I was away from Kenya, and Daryl once again discovered that its not all 'Tea and Cake' being the one responsible for everyone's well being - especially when times are hard - which they were. Thank God for E-mail the the ability to be able to share and talk things through.
At the end of April, just before the Royal Wedding took place, Esther and I, plus our daughter Elizabeth and husband and two children, plus Steven our son, motored up to the Scottish Highlands to meet my long lost and quite unknown sister, Patricia and celebrate her 72nd Birthday. It was a very special and amazing occasion which of course was well covered in the Blog of the time. She, together with her son and his partner will be arriving HERE next Wednesday!!!! EXCITING. prospect.

ARRIVING BACK in Kenya on 30th June we were met by Daryl and were soon wondering if we had ever been away!! The financial strictures had continued whilst we were absent, and Daryl had learnt a lot from the experience BUT we had both been in prayer regarding the future of the Work, and so we were soon exchanging notes. The main innovation which both of us had felt the Lord speaking to us about strongly was toward using some of our grounds to open up vegetable garden that would provide us with year round vegetables - AND a small Dairy to provide us with Milk, AND a Poultry Project to provide us with eggs and meat.!! This was soon embarked upon and has indeed been a tremendous boon with more than an acre of garden producing, three cows, two of which have already given birth to a bull calf each, and one still waiting, AND the chickens supplying beautiful eggs and broilers to eat. WOW.
Daryl was appointed Chief Executive Officer; Director of the Work of testimony Faith Homes in total, with me given a watching brief as General Secretary for as long as the Lord might grant me strength. He continues to do well.
We had both also felt that we might do well to centralise cooking and laundry activities. The LAUNDRY seems to have really been a good idea, but over the period until this week we have felt that taking food preparation out of each individual Home has deprived each family of a fundamental element of homeliness and comfort - SO as from next week each Home will again be using its own kitchen to prepare food for the family. BUT we shall not employ cooks for each Home as we used to do. Instead the Houseparents will be responsible for cooking and preparing food with the children's occasional help.
IN LATE JULY our friends from Tyndale Christian School in South Australia again visited, and finding us in the midst of change, piled in to help, helping in particular with the conversion of vacant buildings to a Diary, and also putting up the Poultry Project houses. We expect another small group of EIGHT to visit this coming February and another larger contingent once again in July. REAL commitment, and hard work that has produced SO MUCH real support to us all - and ALSO to Joshua and Miriam Mbithi at NEEMA Children's Homes, just three Kilometres away.

A SEASON of Death then began to disturb us. First, on July 25th Johanna Okombo one of the very first of our children who came to live with me in Maseno in 1969, died suddenly and unexpectedly from pneumonia. He was only 47.
On the 30th July two of our longest serving Primary Teachers Joseph and Rachel Ochieng) from Testimony School both died driving their car to Nakuru. They had been with us 22 years. The School and us as well were all plunged once more into mourning.
On 14th August Esther and I Celebrated our Ruby Wedding - well we would have done, but she was away at the time visiting a long time sister in Christ who was her close friend recovering from Cancer.

The days passed quickly and we had almost managed to forge the double sorrow of those deaths in July, when again, suddenly, on 18th October, another of our children passed away. This was Paul NGUGI who had been with us since 1974. He was only 4 years when he arrived. He developed a disease known as Hurlers Syndrome, which blinded and crippled him progressively over the next 36 years of his stay with us. Doctors had only given him a life expectancy of SIX years when he was Admitted. He was 40 on his eventual death. He spent his entire life in TESTIMONY HOUSE. He left a great gap. Hundreds of Old Boys and Girls attended his funeral, revealing to us not just how HE had influenced so many lives by his own Christian Testimony and attitude, but also the 'Family Feeling' that there is amongst them all. Out of this has been born a Family Association.

In November Esther and I have both been wrestling with various challenges to our health, but currently we are both feeling well and strong. Esther had been having unexplained palpitations, and my Blood Pressure and Sugar had been rising too high. Both our doctors are now apparently happy and satisfied with us, and we ourselves, as I have said, feel fine now. We do thank God for His Health and Strength.

AND SO CHRISTMAS came and went, leaving us ALL very happy and contented. It has been a very Wonderful Family Time for all the children and for us. His Spirit Blessed us throughout, and whatever need we were confronted with HE provided for it. Thus we had no anxiety, and were free to enjoy HIM, and each other. All the predicted activities and events I described last week, too place and were enhanced by perfect weather. MANY guests and visitors spent time with us too, contributing to our joy, including Dr. Paul Mbugua, his dear wife Elizabeth and two fine sons, David and Samson. Paul is now an Associate Professor at Kenyatta University and we have been family friends for me than thirty years.

AND SO HERE WE ARE ON NEW YEAR'S EVE! We feel, even more than usual, on the brink of momentous events. We also feel the comfort of His Presence with us. We wish you ALL a very Happy New Year, but more than this! We wish you the power and strength to face whatever may be coming upon us all; we wish you the wonderful knowledge of His Fellowship in and with you day by day.
Let us remember one another, praying for one another, and encouraging one another till He COMES.

Sincerely in His Great Love

John and Esther

YOU SHALL CALL HIS NAME JESUS

2011-12-24T11:23:00.003+03:00

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you all, and most of all let it be a true Renewal and Rebirth of Jesus in all our lives, for this is our greatest need.
In the midst, for many, of good food, personal gifts to each other, and for others a scarcity of all these things, LET US REMEMBER JESUS - for this is a day to understand that GOD in Heaven GAVE to each one of us past present and future a priceless Gift - the Gift of His Own Son, and through Him, by His Death on the Cross of Calvary, the Gift of Free and Eternal LIFE.
WE give each other toys, chocolates, and whatever we think might express our love to the other. GOD gave us Himself. IF we are to also GIVE let us give ourselves - first to God, and then to each other, and then to those in need around us who are in the wide sense all 'family'. Greater love, says our Saviour, has no man, than that he should lay down his life for his 'friend'. So when we say we love God......our husband, wife, child, family friend, the man or woman on the street in the wide world around us.....just how MUCH to we really love them? Do we love them enough to lay down our life as JESUS laid down His own. No FORGIVENESS until we love like this. When I would give my life for you, then I must forgive you all your sin as well.
So brothers, sisters, friends make this Christmas special. Forgive each other, reach out to and for each other, and give the GOOD NEWS to each other - Tidings of Comfort and of Joy - A Child has been born and given into the world that has become the means of our cleansing and forgiveness so that we might once more be what we were created to BE - children of God.

THE SUN IS SHINING HERE IN ELDORET, KENYA - A BEAUTIFUL DAY of Light and Warmth, and Colour. Last night a busload of our children went out into the neighbourhood singing carols from about 4p.m. to midnight!!! Tonight our Family Christmas Eve fellowship on the lawn in front of Green Cottage. All the children will be there again as they were last year, and we expect to have a wonderful time together sharing and remembering the Birth of all our Hope and Happiness.
TOMORROW the Christmas Service, an afternoon of family togetherness - some will play games, some will go for 'Family Walks' and in the evening each of our Homes will share a good Christmas Meal together.
And on MONDAY we expect, God and the weather permitting, to ALL go for an all day outing and pic-nic to a nearby School Swimming Pool facility. We usually arrive about 10.30a.m. and leave about 4.30p.m. All four Homes join together for this outing, and it is now a tradition that we all go and fellowship and have fun. Old boys and girls also come if they are nearby, and even friends.

LAST WEEKEND Esther was away in MBALE a Uganda Border town about 100 kilometres away. She was with her sister Mary and brother in law Joe Kibe. They left here on Friday last week and returned on Monday. On the way home, (Joe driving), a white saloon (top) made as if to overtake them. The were just about 20 kilometres out of Eldoret. Then suddenly the overtaking vehicle, radio blaring, turned abruptly into the rear offside of Joe's car, ramming it, and making it spin around to face the direction it was coming from. Somehow both vehicles were now locked together and the Joe's car was then dragged along backwards by the 'rammer' who continued on his way, for twenty or thirty metres before separating and overturning on the road. Fortunately there was no oncoming traffic, and a policeman appeared immediately on the scene. It was very scary. BUT no one was hurt in any way, although both cars had to be towed to the Eldoret Police Inspection Unit, they were both on the road again the next day!! Poor Esther and family were quite shaken up, and although they had started their journey back here at 10a.m. did not finally arrive until 7.30p.m.
It was yet another proof of how we are all watched over by appointed Angels. Thank you Father for your servants who constantly have the care of us.

GOING BACK now even further to 2007 Tyndale and Drakeley Cottages were both being built by the same Contractor. He proved himself (although with a Christian Testimony) to be very unfaithful, and put in very substandard material into the construction, and also was found careless.
DRAKELEY Cottage especially has suffered. The house is built on sloping ground and one end needed a lot of 'filling' in putting in the foundation. This filling of ballast and earth later was found not to have been properly compacted, and in 2009 we found cracks in the outer wall of the one end.
We had another contractor in and the floor was dug up, but by 2010 the problem re-appeared until we could not use one bedroom and bathroom for fear of collapse!! The cost of repair, which will necessitate a great deal of work on the floor, foundation and outer wall of one end of the house was something we could not contemplate. So we told the Lord about it and left it there. Just this month we were advised by a friend in Northern Ireland that a group had heard about the ministry here, and having funds on hand were offering to put them at our disposal to BUILD a new Home for the kids. However although a sizable sum of money it would only have accounted for perhaps one quarter of what we would have needed to put up a new house. I replied that we really could not contemplate building in the near future anything substantial, and suggested that maybe the Lord would have the funds used somewhere else where an immediate project was in view. HOWEVER, I did say that we could use the funds for repair of a building that was in need, if this might fall within their vision for their use. They have written back to say that they will be delighted for us to use this money for this purpose. GOD is so good to us. SO we hope to start work there soon.
I shared this because it is yet another example of us only sharing our needs with the Lord - but HE puts them on the hearts of those who have not known from us anything at all! Surely this IS a Wonder. He IS Wonderful.

This year has almost ended, and 2012 is very close. A NEW year! Yesterday I heard someone talking on SKY tv and saying that our world had changed completely since the beginning of this year! No doubt he was referring especially to the Economic & Financial Crisis. But in truth our world has been changing faster and faster over the last 50 years of my life. And since the advent of 2000 things have speeded up even more. CHANGE? Yes I would think so, and I still have in mind that our Lord said that the generation that saw the Fig Tree (Israel) putting forth her shoots once more (1947) would not utterly disappear before His Return. CHANGE is imminent more than we can imagine. WATCH therefore, more than ever before..........HE who was born IS coming again - this time tall and majestic with the Crown upon His head. NOTHING will ever be the same after that.

God Bless and enfold you in His arms

John and Esther

KEEP FOCUSED on HIM!

2011-12-17T13:18:00.001+03:00

MY PERSONAL PRAYER for myself is that I might know Him, and the Power of His Resurrection, more and more. It is so easy to begin well and enthusiastically, and then find the cutting edge of our life in Jesus has been dulled or blunted. And whilst we may still know the theory and language of our faith, we can at the same time be losing the inspiration and the energy to actually LIVE the LIFE. I think that is why I appreciate Christmas - it is a time to take a rain check to the BEGINNING just to confirm that my face is still set like a flint to go all the way with Jesus to Jerusalem!! Am I still walking in His steps; am I still hanging on His every word?
JINGLE BELLS and Father Christmas quite apart; the world's 'Christmassy' distractions put aside, am I keeping up with Him? Is my dependence solely upon Him? Or have I slowed down, turned aside and lost the passion and sparkle of my first burst of love for HIM Who IS my Life? Oh yes, I may still look to the Cross, but I need also to look to the Manger. I dont' want to end up like King Asa, in 2.Chronicles 14-16. HE began well, and his heart / mind was perfect with the Lord all the days of his life - but towards the end he somehow hung back and compromised with his faith.

THESE LAST FEW WEEKS I have been hampered once again with a very painful BIG TOE on my left foot. I have had it before. It does not seem to be an ingrowing toenail or related to the main joint - just the tip of the toe which is red and tender. This started in March on arrival in UK, and has come and gone two or three times. I have so far done without seeing a doctor about it..........
but this week it has been SO painful and frustrating.........and as King Asa in the cartoon I have cried out 'MAYBE I should have this looked at.' And he DID. He took that problem to the Doctor and NOT to the Lord, and he died. Well I am still enduring... I hope to continue so to the END.
The BIBLE teaches that the one that ENDURES to the end will be saved, and secured - the one that keeps on GOING ON. the one who FIGHTS the Good Fight with ALL his/her might to the very last moment of life - THAT one will be SAVED.
look at Hebrews 10, 35-39 in the New Testament! It says there -

'DO NOT FLING AWAY your fearless confidence in Christ Jesus, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward, FOR YOU HAVE NEED of steadfast patience and endurance so that you may perform and fully accomplish the Will of God, and thus receive and carry away and enjoy to the full what is promised. FOR YET A LITTLE WHILE, a very little while, and the Coming One will come, and He will not delay. BUT the just shall live by faith, and if he draws back and shrinks in fear, my soul has no delight or pleasure in him. But our way is not that of those who draw back to eternal misery and destruction, but we are of those who believe e - who stick to and trust in and rely upon GOD through JESUS CHRIST

And again in Galations 6v9 & 2 Thessalonians 3v13 where it is written - 'Let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time we shall reap if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faith. (if we continue without weakening).'
IT IS SO EASY TO FLAG!
LOOK AT REVELATION 2V2-3 -

'I know your industry and laborious toil, and your patient endurance, and dhow you cannot tolerate wicked men, and have tested and critically appraised those who call themselves apostles, and found them to be impostors and liars. I KNOW you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My Name's Sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary, ---- BUT - you HAVE left, abandoned, the love that you had at first - you have abandoned Me, as your first love! REPENT THEREFORE, change the inner man to meet God's Will, and do the works you did previously when you first knew the Lord!'

In other words, instead of being a FORCE for Righteousness, it is very possible to become a PUSH-OVER by the World and the Enemy - becoming WEARY of well doing!

A WEEK TODAY will be Christmas Eve. During that evening we shall all (staff and children) assemble on the front lawn near the huge Mahogany Tree, and sing carols, listen to the story of the Nativity, share prayers and our supper there under the stars and a few lanterns. We did this for the first time last year and it was a truly wonderful occasion which we will probably continue to enjoy till He Comes.
IN TOWN this morning Father Christmas (an electronic one) swayed to the canned music of the saxophone he was supposed to be playing. Better than the one they had last year I suppose. Just one little kid taking an interest. The shopping mall was overcrowded with noise and bustle, but still no other sign of Christmas to be seen. Outside the town flooded with a mass of traffic and people. HOT, dust filled, dirty. BUT the sky was blue, and the trees green; just needs one to look up, and things seem better already, and God closer!!
At home the kids are all happy and playful in the sunshine, and in the safety of our grounds. Truly a little Oasis of Love. The children are just full of Baby Jesus, and the Wonder and Beauty of it all. A summer breeze of excitement and expectation. OUR prayers are with you all, and we know and trust yours are reaching out to US.

Lovingly in the Name of His Majesty

John and Esther

LET THEM EAT CAKE!

2011-12-10T16:05:00.007+03:00

DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION in 1789-99 the populace of Paris were starving, and clamouring angrily at the gates of the Palace of the French King, Louis XVI. There was no food in the City, not even bread, the most common commodity. And the people cried out for Bread. Queen Marie Antoinette, Louis' wife is reported to have asked what all the clamour was about, and on being told that the crowd were shouting for the want of Bread, she replied 'Then let them eat Cake!' Cake was even more expensive, though there was plenty of it in the Palace. If the people were too poor to pay for the little bread available it was unlikely they would afford the food of the rich. She is therefore credited with being both ignorant and unfeeling, almost oblivious of t1he plight of the starving masses of her people living on her doorstep. She and her husband, Louis, had their heads Guillotined by the masses just a few months later. According to the latest historical comment, however, it would seem that Marie Antoinette might never have said those words - but someone DID. And the sentiment so expressed has not really altered over the last two hundred years. It seems the People and the Rulers rarely understand each other.

The truth remains that those who HAVE money easily forget how it is to have NONE!

HERE IS A CHAIR!

It is not an ordinary chair, although it looks cheap enough. THIS chair costs Kenya Shillings 200,000/- (approximately £1430 OR US$2220 per chair) BUT these chairs are special. They are to be the NEW chairs planned for installation into the 're-furbished' Parliament Chamber, hoped to be completed in March 2012.

It seems that this NO 'casual' receptical for the backside of a Member of Parliament. According to a recent Press Release THIS chair, and those like it, (about 35o of them) will be made of 'State of the Art' materials which will be the best that money can buy. It will have an expected life of more than sixty years, being impervious to wear and tear. This chair is also FIREPROOF - in case, perchance, the occupant becomes overheated! It is adjustable, but unable to be moved or lifted from the floor - in case some irritated 'Member' might want to pick it up and throw it at an adversary! It is maintenance free, and will never need cleaning or even dusting! ORIGINALLY these amazing chairs were to cost DOUBLE the current advertised cost of Ksh.200.000/-. Realising, however, that this might seem a little TOO expensive, the Government turned to the Kenya Prison Service to take on their manufacture - instead of the specialised company first approached. Kenya Prisons use the prisoners to make, amongst other things, furniture of all kinds for sale, as an aid to funding the cost of the Prisons daily running. But how well-made will these chairs turn out to be? Will they be worth the money they are asking of £1400 a chair? Or may be the chairs will finally be made in China for a mere fraction of the advertised cost.

BUT PERHAPS, after all, it is JUST A PIECE OF CAKE!

Something beyond the reach or understanding of the ordinary Kenyan who barely has enough today for even a loaf of bread. Something to UNDERSCORE, the almost total insensitivity and irresponsibility of the Government for its people. The MP is paid £5,000 or so a month to SIT in Parliament, and will SIT on an appropriately VALUABLE chair worth almost a quarter of a million shillings paid for from Taxes demanded from the already poverty stricken populace.

The average wage of a common single labourer, domestic, or clerk is around £42 a month. The rent for the room he lives in might have to be anything from £7 to £14 a month. His food - just basically - up to £25 minimally. Not much left then to buy clothing, pay for medicine, transport to work and all the other unexpected expenses that might arise. - AND REMEMBER more than 60% of the available workforce is UNEMPLOYED to start with. The GAP between the common man or woman, and their Rulers is immense and growing all the time. Do not the Rulers SEE - do they not CARE? Can they really be so willing, as the Roman Emperor NERO was, to just sit and while away time, watching Rome BURN without lifting a finger to help? Well Kenya is just a little piece of planet earth, one of the least of the Nations - but what is happening here is, in fact, happening everywhere - and the peoples of our world, more and more, begin to ROAR like the SEA, rising up to revenge themselves and to overwhelm their rulers.

THIS INNOCUOUS CHAIR IS A SCANDALOUS CHAIR!.......It has shocked the common man who has in this current year suffered more and more economic disasters, one after another.

One Reporter has commented -

'Not too long ago, the Kenya Shilling lost its value

by the biggest margin ever.

This has led to sky rocketing fuel and common commodity

prices.

The cost of living has risen so high that one wonders how

ordinary Kenyans survive.

The life of the common man has deteriorated in so many

ways that many see no hope of survival in fact.

This is already leading to crime and social unrest.'

On the other hand we should probably not feel to bad about. It could be much worse! Just today I came across another expensive chair. I include a photo of it to the right. It is an entwined Fork and Spoon. It is quite innovative and probably most apt for an M.P. who for the most part SITS in order to feed him / her self. It only costs £48,000 or US$75000!!! However it seems you can get it for less - just depends where you shop! I saw another wood and leather chair as well selling for between 2 and 3 million EUROS!!

THE TEN UPHOLSTERED circa 1950 Club chairs that I purchased from Eldoret Club in 1974 cost me only one hundred shillings each - they were quite elderly already, but have continued to provide homely and comfortable seating for innumerable children and adults right up to the present day!! NOT made from anything very expensive or pretentious.

LAST NIGHT, FRIDAY, we had our quarterly Board Meeting, We have twelve members of the Board. Esther, Me and Daryl plus Anthony Ndungu the School Principle and EIGHT

others who are from our locality, and all Christian educationalists and businessmen. Last night the School was under discussion and the upshot was that it was agreed by all that in the next twelve months we will hope to BUILD four new Classrooms. This will permit our High School to add a further academic stream of classes, making TWO streams all-together. It has been very costly to run the school on four classes only due to the number of teachers that are needed. The same number can service eight classes just as easily as four, and hopefully the income will be that much greater with more students. The School as you know is open to the public who must pay for a child of theirs to be accommodated. The Homes' children go FREE.

The current buildings were all put up in 1987. They still look good and in good shape. BUT, yes there is a but ..... all the floors were covered with a vinyl tile that both cracked and

wore badly. All the floors have now become an embarrassment to our general testimony of care. SO we obtained permission to relay ALL the classrooms and office block, commencing with almost immediate effect. We hve come a cross a DUNLOP Vinyl & Quartze tile which is both supple and hardy. The School of course is paying for all this, hopefully, from expected incoming fees. But of course we have no guarantee as to how many children will be with us at any one time - they come and go......! SO there is also a large element of FAITH involved in all this as well. But the School has become very popular because of its good academic performance. Please pray for Daryl who, as the new CEO will for the most part be up front and responsible for the progress of these projects. Pray for Kenya too as 2012 arrives and proceeds toward the expected Election at the end of the year.

THE RAIN at last seems to have given way to sunshine, at least for the moment BUT it is still quite chilly.

Currently a Prayer Conference is going on in the School, and a large number of our older children have taken themselves off to it. From the sound of it they are being Blessed. Thank you Lord!

NEXT WEEK a group of 18 small boys will be circumcised, but we think they will be bouncing around by Christmas just the same. Generally, with few exceptions, it is a cultural tradition that boys are circumcised - usually around the age of 13 and under. This is done at our local Teaching Hospital.

Decorations will go up next week. Christmas is still invisible to the naked eye, but SOON it will be seen to spring forth with JOY to the world bursting all around us. NEW Hope is also on the way, and with it strength to come out of our sorrows and defeats into a WIDER PLACE of new opportunity and expectations. Continue to pray for us.

God will walk with you in the days ahead. Endeavour to keep focused and not to be sidetracked by the world and all its glitz.

We love you all

John and Esther

2011-12-03T11:48:00.011+03:00

CHRISTMAS IS HERE AGAIN - almost!!

I wonder if this tree at the White House will yet again be referred to as the HOLIDAY Tree? I guess it is already there.

WE are a week or two away from even thinking of putting up our usual meagre decorations. No sign at all that Christmas is coming in Eldoret Town. No lights, no sights, nothing at all. A few of the larger Supermarkets will begin to decorate soon, and one might even have in incongruous Father Christmas! Very few, if any, know who Father Christmas was. Every year on our streets in Eldoret one can see a couple of vulgar men dressed up in red and ermine pretending outlandishly, even rudely, to be this Father Christmas, but their display is so ill mannered and course as to be offensive. SO.........

Christmas here is almost naked here, often ignorantly observed, and more often passes unnoticed apart from days off from work, and more drunkness than usual. Sad.

BUT we shall have a good and pleasant time together. For not only will we be making our Homes aware of Christ's Birthday by dressing up the rooms with Cards, and balloons, and even a Tree in each Home, but we shall also be REMEMBERING all that the Birth of Jesus means to each one of us. Yes, by His Grace, we will eat and play games, and enjoy friends visiting with us, AND observe His Presence with us in the midst. There will be carols, prayer, and exhortation. There will be storytelling, laughter, and fun. There will be Thanksgiving, and Joy. Each year it is so for us, and each year the reality of Jesus blesses us all together. Even old boys and girls come to visit, and fellowship, and the sense of home and family once again comes alive for both those who hare here and for those who have left. Already a Christmas

Concert is in preparation and Carol Singers practicing. Now next week we shall be thinking of how to provide against Christmas Services and other annual events. It is a time to be remembered, and I think all those who have left, take a special impression of Christmas with them, and the certain knowledge that God in His Love gave Jesus to be born into this world

to SAVE us from our sins. Praise Him.

The photo on the right is of our daughter Elizabeth and some of the children during the 2007 Christmas time.

This week we have seen two of our children leave us. One was a 13 year old boy called Peter, who had been part of the Jacaranda Family since 2004. He had been picked up on the streets and taken to the Eldoret Rescue Centre. He was supposed to be an orphan and destitute. However the truth was that he had run away from his home three times. Recently his real birth mother had come to visit, looking for Peter. They had a very emotional meeting, and the upshot has been that they have joyfully been repatriated. Peter's mother has a Stall in Eldoret Market, and is a very pleasant and motherly lady. It was very evident that both she and peter were VERY glad to have found each other again.

The other was a girl of 13, Faith, who had been in Tyndale Cottage Family also since 2004. This was a very different case since she had come into the Homes by deceit. The grandmother had come imploring help since her daughter had died leaving a family of three, and she herself was dying. leave us.

The truth was the mother of the children was alive and well, and the plan was just made in order to find a way to get the children a place in Testimony School. Over the last year an 'aunt' had been visiting always giving Faith money or clothing before leaving. Then this year Faith has gone missing only to be found staying with this 'aunt' who now has been proved to be Faith's birth mother. Both cases were taken to the Children's Office, and after verification both cases were dealt with. Peter, as I explained, was allowed to return to live with his Mother, and Faith was also returned to her mother (she is quite financially able to care for her).

NOT EASY for us when this happens, but on the other hand we are not here to care for children who have viable home and family.

On Wednesday I attended a by-monthly meeting of the Eldoret Court Users Committee, which is an opportunity for the Magistrature to meet with heads of District Departments and others that use the Courts. I was there as a Member of the Probation & Community Service Case Committees. Always a good and constructive time, and keeps us in touch with a great deal that is going on within the Municipal and County Administrations.

Gordon and Joyce Lovering left us for Nairobi on the way to UK on Thursday. We had a lovely time with them both.

Everyone is well including Daryl and all our houseparents and the children. The RAINS? Well up to yesterday the rain continued to pour down heavily upon us, and temperature remained COLD as ice! Today the sun is shining - but still cold. Has the rain GONE? I'll tell you next week. God bless you all.

John and Esther

REFLECTIONS .......

2011-11-26T12:00:00.027+03:00

ROBERT EMSLIE, (right) seated with Steven Green in 2009. They grew up together in many respects, and are close today. Nice to see a photo of them both, and good also to be able to say that Robert is progressing well after his road incident.

The amputation of his right leg below the knee went ahead, and all seems to be healing well. We spoke to him on the phone a day or two ago, and he sounded fine. It is also a time that has made it necessary for Robert to look to the future - he is unlikely to continue to drive heavy long distance lorries.. Also it has made him think deeply about his relationship with Jesus which had been weakening. Thank you for praying for him, and please do continue. The hospital bill will be very high finally, but we are believing that God will see it all paid, and again we have to thank SO MANY Testimony Family Members for contributing already, and lending their support to Francina as well. It was this photo that made me look back to our 40th Anniversary in 'o9 when so many of our old boys and girls returned to celebrate with us, and also with our own children who had also joined us for the occasion. SO many photos - like this one above - were taken on that day, and it will be an everlasting joy to have them always to hand. Some of our 'children' are now in their late fifties, married and with children of their own. Others still young, only just left and still building their lives. Each one with memories of their time with us, and of course, many memories of our own about each one. NOW we see our dream of 'family' being manifested. So many have grown up and left us to start their own lives and families, but they have not forgotten the home and family left behind, and we are more and more realising that Testimony IS a great and growing ' Family.

AND then we also remain surrounded by those still with us, more than 140, of all ages and sizes. And we have to Thank God for the wonderful ties that continue to bind us all together and that have given us all that special sense of belonging. I will try to bring a few of these photos together here just to give a little representation of this big 'family' of ours.

FIRST photos of Faith Kavithi, (right) hiding behind the flowers, and training as a Nursery Teacher..
And then on the left, a group of Tyndale girls with our grand-daughter in the pink dress - Ton-ton! These are just handful of random photos of some of our family. The majority are all employed in different fields, and full of dreams for their own futures. Many are engaged full time in God's Service as pastors, accountants, teachers, agriculturalists, electricians and so on. Lastly, this time round, a group photo of some of more elderly family members!!

From the left in a white suit is Mark Owour, now a Primary Headmaster and senior inspector of Schools. Next to him Wyckliffe Ondanga recently retired, and now Chaplain to Testimony School. On the far right is Moses Ongonga, now pastor of one of the largest churches in Eldoret. (his wife Miriam is in the red costume - she also works as School Cateress for Testimony School. Next to her in white is Eunice Lahol, Francis Lahol's wife. She is now Mother in Tyndale Cottage. On Miriam's right is Anthony Bones wife. then Miriam Ondanga, Wyckliffe's wife, and then Emily Stuma, Steven Stuma's wife - he is standing the back next to Moses. Moses Stuma is one of our old boys from Testimony House, and he and Emily have previously been houseparents in Tyndale Cottage.

ON THURSDAY this week we were thrilled to receive to friends from way back when we first arrived in Eldoret in 1972. Gordon and Joyce Lovering from the UK - only they had come from Southern Sudan and not the UK!! In the early 70's Gordon and Joyce both lived in Eldoret. He was a Teacher in Moi Girls High School and she was nursing in the Eldoret Nursing Home. They left in '74 and returned to UK, but last year accepted a call from the Lord to set up a school in a very remote area in the newly created state of Southern Sudan. In their late sixties this was quite a challenge since the area is SO remote as to be almost totally without any modern conveniences and demanding a VERY spartan lifestyle. Their stories and experiences have been pouring forth and kept us both on the edge of our seats. Truly God, our God, is GREAT, and with HIM any of us can do anything. They will be with us for another 8 days and then will return to the UK to consider the next step for Jesus.

It was also THANKSGIVING on 24th November, and Esther and I, and also Carol and Daryl plus their kids were invited to a large gathering of multinational missionaries whose American members hosted a Thanksgiving Feast for us all. It was a VERY blessed occasion, and although we were more than a hundred in number and from many different ministries and denominations, the sense of ONENESS and Love was wonderful to see and experience.

The RAIN has continued - or restarted....? Nobody quite knows what it is doing. Normally the sun should be shining the warmth of the sun increasing daily. BUT it is sodden and COLD still. Good for the gardens, AND for the cows since it assures them of more grass and so on. God is Good to us.

It was also our half yearly medical check for all the children this week and we had our usual team from our doctor's clinic here for two days. All were found well and healthy Thanks be to God. Naturally we try to take good care of each of the children's health as well as our own, but we also are required by government to ensure every child is seen at least ONCE a year.

NOW everything is gearing up for Christmas, and already the children are practicing for the Christmas Play, Carols and the Christmas Services. In between there is soccer and basket ball and general play as well as the daily chores of housecleaning and so on. Busy, busy, busy time for all. We shall be praying and remembering you all and our prayer will be especially that you will know Him even more perfectly during this time of Rejoicing in Him.

God Bless and be with you all

John and Esther

ANOTHER GRADUATION DAY!!

2011-11-19T17:10:00.021+03:00

EVERY YEAR ABOUT THIS TIME, Primary and Secondary students completing their respective Syllabi Graduate from Testimony School. THIS year - for the first time - the NURSERY Section also decided to Graduate their Top Class. NEXT year they will, God Willing, all enter Class 1 of Primary School.

The Celebratory function took place in the School Hall. There were Presentations, Songs and even a Traditional Dance, all to follow a special Luncheon for all the graduates, and their teachers plus a few guests. I did not attend. I guess I am just not modern enough to believe that holding Graduations for Nursery Students is really necessary. Sorry parents - know you just love to see the kiddy-widdies up front an all¬!¬! Well I did not try to stop it from happening after all, and I am grateful my staff did not insist on them all wearing gowns and mortar boards as is the custom of other schools around us. I never did get to wear one - and I have no complaint since in those days you could not wear one till you got to University and had obtained a Degree. I did not manage to earn that privilege. I did not feel underprivileged about that, and have continued to respect and honour the intellectual prowess of all those that were able to so prove themselves. My sorrow today is that in many cases the Degrees awarded are not always of the high standard one might expect. The honour not so much of an honour - at least in Kenya.

SO why try to kid the kindergarten child that he or she too is an academic genius worthy of applause, glitz and glamour! Well because its just NICE for the parent. WE did not invite the parents. This was just a little SPLASH for the kids to mark the end of the first chapter in the learning process - not quite so ostentatious or pretentious as it might have been. But each did go away with a colourful Certificate to certify they had indeed completed their Pre-Sch00l Course - each with a clear, distinct, photo of the whole Class printed upon it as a Memento of their time together.

They had a good time - starting at 1p.m and going on until 4p.m. - and I thought you would like to see a few photos. Children start Nursery / Pre-School / Kindergarten in Kenya by the time they are three. - They enter Primary ONE when they are 6. By that time they should be able to read and write in English and Swahili, and do simple arithmetic + + +!! Classes start at 8am Monday to Friday and continue on to approx 3 in the afternoon. For the very young there is time to sleep, and for all time to just play. Each year in our Nursery Department, approximately SEVENTY move on to Primary School out of a total population of about 120.

NOT ALL of the graduates from our school will continue on into Primary with us. ONLY those who have passed the Primary ONE Examination, Primary School has set, and if the parent wants them to do so. There is always a waiting list for places in our Primary School so the competition is quite stiff. Our Primary Entrance Exam too place on Saturday 29th October.

ON THE 9th November one of our Old Boys - Robert Emslie aged 31, married with two kids; a long distance lorry driver, was involved in an incident which has confronted him and his family with life changing challenges. From what we have been able to gather, as he was driving towards Nairobi in the early evening, and nearing the lake town of Niavasha in the Rift Valley, his lorry overtook another which, as he was passing steered into him, hitting his vehicle. Having passed, Robert then stopped and got out of his cab to go and talk to the driver of the other vehicle which had pulled up a little way behind him. THEN, as he was walking towards this vehicle, the driver, who was still sitting in his cab, moved off, and drove toward Robert as he was coming towards him, knocking him down and running over him!! He then drove off.

A number of people were in the vicinity by the roadside and saw the whole incident. There seemed no real provocation. The lorry driver was eventually stopped further on and gave himself up to the police. Robert was taken to Naivasha Hospital. He was unconscious, and it seemed that at least one of his legs was broken. The hospital admitted him but did not have any medicine!!! Nothing was done for him, but they notified Francina, his elder sister, who works in Nairobi and told her to come immediately since his condition was very serious. They refused to tell her what was wrong - imagine her anxiety and fear.

On arrival early the next day she arranged to have Robert moved to a private hospital in Nairobi. THEY did have medicine, and looked after him, but at the end of the day told Francina that Gangrene had set into both legs and that they would need to be amputated.

She panicked and again had Robert moved to yet another private hospital for a second opinion.

THEY assured her that his legs were safe and that all would be well. At THAT time it seemed he had broken four ribs, and one leg in two places. The Hospital then operated on the leg and put in steel pins to hold the broken parts together. However, the leg continued to swell and show signs of renewed infection. THUS on Thursday they informed Francina that it would have to be amputated otherwise he might lose his life as well. Quite a 'medical saga' - one that had cost up to that moment £2,000 (not yet paid). So Robert has lost his leg. By yesterday he was still very unwell, and hallucinating. Much prayer will be needed to pull him through, and to enable him to re-arrange his life. It is VERY unlikely he will be able to continue with his driving job. He is not highly educated. Unemployment now at its highest and most unhopeful stance.

How quickly life can change. How completely unable each of us is in being able to predict the next few moments of our life. How devastating to meet such an unexpected catastrophe without Faith. This is going to be hard for Robert - hard on his family. They all need our prayer - they all need to KNOW GOD for themselves in a way that will enable them to face the situation with the confidence that HE is ABLE to see them through.

We do not have an up to date photo of Robert, but I am publishing one here of him taken with his younger brother Steyn (left), and his elder brother Gordon (right), but now working south of Nairobi.

Of course we are all bound up with everything that happens to our children. They are not orphans to us, but sons and daughters God brought to us to love and care about. Robert was only SIX when he came to live in Testimony House. He did not get on well at school and only managed to complete his Primary Education. He was then 14. In the interim he has grown up, become responsible and is the breadwinner of his family. At 31 we still see him as a son of ours. Some may feel this is too much to take on. But it is what the Lord required of us both, and still requires. Even those coming in today, quite new, are non the less seen as 'Family'. We are not Mum Dad to these, but they find us here as 'grandparents' now. .

Yesterday Esther and I had the blessing of being taken out to lunch by another mad couple who God called to do just what we are doing. It was a special privilege to be able to just be with them and for the four of us to be able to share our vision, and aspirations AND experiences. It was encouragement of great immensity to us. They are beautiful people. They also do not look after orphans - but children! Children who have been orphaned, but now have found a home and a family to replace the one they lost. Praise God for His great Mercy and Compassion. And Thank Him for being a parent, and acting like one toward each one of us.

Love you all, and pray your blessing and happiness in the coming week. And Remember Your Father in Heaven is with you to give you status and worth wherever you go and whatever happens to you.

John and Esther

THERE ARE TWO WAYS........!

2011-11-12T14:12:00.016+03:00

THIS IS A PICTURE FROM THE PAST taken in 1978, thirty-three years ago! On the left is Moses Otunga with his wife, Elizabeth, and on the right is Daniel Koech with his first wife.

Daniel came to us when he was about 17. He was a Probationer that I had met up with at a Probation Case Committee Meeting. His parents had died in a ferry that sank in Lake Victoria when he was a very young child. He survived and was brought to Eldoret. His guardians at the time were not bothered about him, and he ended up on the street, becoming involved in crime. This led to him being on Probation. We offered him a place on our Mechanics Course, and later he also trained in electronics.

During his training he stayed with us in Testimony House; a period of about two years only. He worked for a while in town, and then later partnered with Nicholas Mwangi in a small electronics business in town. He was the practical and senior partner. Mwangi was the business head. Initially they did quite well. But as they prospered Daniel turned to drinking too much. Dan had never shown interest in Christianity or any religion. His was a godless life. He had purchased a small plot of land though and built a house on it. But little by little he was able to work less and less, and business went down. As his drunkenness increased his wife left him. Later he married again, and for a little while it seemed all was well. But then one Saturday people he owed money to accosted him and his wife in their house and killed them both before robbing them.

They also raped the wife before murdering her, and then threw her body headfirst into the water well in the garden. They left Danial sitting dead in his chair staring at the place where the TV had half an hour before been entertaining them. (NB - the salient facts related here are as they have been given to me. They may not be quite accurate, but regretfully generally events would seem to be very similar if not exactly the same as I have written. My apologies to any who may know better or more than I do in this matter.) A very bad end, no matter what. And nothing left to show for a life lived hard and for the most part unhappily.

MOSES also came to us when he was also quite old - 15, in 1971. Instead of joining Secondary School after completing Primary, Moses went to Nairobi and studied Painting & Signwriting at the Christian Industrial Training Centre, and went on to work as an Instructor in various Polytechnics. He made a very definite decision for Christ, and later he later founded his own Church denomination, Children's Home and Industrial Training Centre in Korongocho slums in Nairobi. Recently he wrote to me saying - .

'I want to thank our heavenly Father for making Testimony what it is to us today. I thank God for the way He used our time in Testimony to transform our lives for his own GLORY. Do you still remember when we used to have a family devotion, and you used to beat (out a rhythm) on a drum. I can remember you now singing -

It's coming down! It's coming down!

The Glory of the Lord is coming down!

When the saints begin to pray

the the Lord will have His way;

So the Glory of the Lord is coming down

I can testify now how the Glory of the Lord DID come down and it transformed our lives into what they are today. AMEN! Thank God for Testimony Faith Homes. It has been God's divine purpose to use it to bring transformation in our lives - and in return He has and will use some of us to transform the lives of many other children in our local communities where He calls us to serve. I am called to serve in the slums of Korogocho.

I never experienced such a loving and caring family as was given to me in Testimony Faith Homes. The Love I learned there helped me to bring up my own children and support them all, so that they were enabled to complete their High School Education - even though I never managed to do so myself. The LORD even provided friends that helped them go to university. This is God. I never went to a formal Bible School, yet God has helped me to complete my Master's Degree in Theology. Who could have thought a Primary Class 7 boy, dropping out of school, could have managed such a thing. Who could have imagined that he would build a school and employ university graduate teachers to teach in it?

This has taught me never to ignore the potential there is in every child we see around us. God is no respector of persons - we just need HIM to BE in our lives. May the Grace of God God be with you always - Your son in Christ, Moses Otunga; and Elizabeth sends her Greetings.

TWO BOYS, teenagers! Both with difficult childhoods, and both with so much potential. One makes shipwreck and dies ignominiously. The other reaching out for the Hand of God grows

And all that DO make the right choice do so by the GRACE of God, and He alone receives the Praise and the Glory for it.steadily from strength to strength, on the way imparting strength to others in God's Name, the Name of Jesus. They are typical of all the children that pass through our hands. And it has been a wonder and privilege to see the hand of God on so many, and a heart breaking disappoint-ment to see others turn to the venial things of this world and so being deceived by them fail and sink, cut off from God. Truly there ARE two WAYS. One will lead to DEATH and everlasting sorrow. The other will lead to LIFE and eternal happiness. For us brought here to be carers and encouragers, it sometimes is a hard thing and humbling to realise how little we can actually do for another. Everyone makes their own 'furrow', their own choice, their own. We long that ALL would make the RIGHT one, but they cannot be forced to do so. Testimony Faith Homes and those of us that have been Carers there cannot say ALL that have come left transformed - though some were later, and perhaps are yet to be - in retrospect. Some left unaltered, and some maybe, even worse. What each of us does with life we go through it remains very much what we choose to make it.

Last Sunday I asked one of our High School leavers from the Homes what he desired for his future. He had at 17 recently given his heart to Jesus, witnessing immediately in the Sunday Service. He looked at me, and said - 'I would like to serve God. Rather than go to university or College, I would like to enter Bible College and prepare myself.' Born into great poverty and neglect, with both feet facing back to front, he had little initial hope of anything. Now tall, and his feet having surgically been turned to face the right way; an indefatigable footballer; and a playful nuisance to his teachers, SUDDENLY the heavens have opened, and LIGHT has shone and CHANGED everything - whilst we all stand back in amazed joy and happiness. God IS good and He IS Faithful, and WILL answer our prayers for HE IS ABLE to do what we cannot.

If a 'butterflies wings' gently folding and unfolding can affect the weather on the other side of the globe WHAT can the simple prayer of one believing heart achieve for others, however far away?

ALICE, our second cow, has been ill this week with a bout of Milk Fever. The vet came and she was fine again a day later. The vet was a bit cross with us for not knowing a newly delivered 'mother' cow needed special diet as her body was trying to adjust to her new state. Well we were very sorry to be found ignorant but glad that we have been in time to learn, and that we will not let it happen again. She is very proud of her new son,

who is a handsome youngster and the darling of all the children.

One of our old boys, Richard Ochieng who is in Business in Eldoret and has a small farm of his own, has just donated the maize stalks from his five acre harvested field to help feed Alice and her 'sisters'. We are glad and thankful to Jesus for sons and daughters that remember us, and provide us with encouragement even in the midst of their own challenges and needs. Hallelujah.

THIS WEEK the old and ailing mother of a boy we used to sponsor arrived in my office. Her son had long ago been Head Boy in our Primary School, very bright, but from a VERY poor and needy family. He completed his Secondary Education and got a place in Nairobi Polytechnic as a aeronautical engineering student. He was due to graduate in two weeks time. His mother came to tell us that he had died two weeks ago in Nairobi in the bomb blast that had blow up a small cafe - initiated by All Shabaab terrorists. A great shock to us. But his mother was more shocked that the cafe in reality was a bar, and that they boy had turned to drink. Another 'choice' perhaps - we had not heard from him for some months and had begun to consider contacting him to find out why.

The Primary Finalists completed their exams on Thursday and now have all gone home.

The Secondary Finalists will complete on Monday morning. The rest of the classes will continue on for one week doing their normal term end exams, and then the school will shut down for the 'summer' holiday until January. A quiet few days thereafter...........maybe!

Thank you for your prayers. God BLESS you, each and everyone!

John and Esther

SHIFTING SAND

2011-11-04T15:57:00.008+03:00

'THE EARTH IS DEFILED BY ITS INHABITANTS!

Because they have disobeyed the Laws, changed the Ordinances,

and broken the everlasting covenant.' - Isaiah 24v5

The United Kingdom's Prime Minister, the Hon. Mr. David Cameron, has come under further criticism for threatening this week to withdraw Aid to African Countries within the Commonwealth that follow anti-gay policies. It appears that David feels very charitably toward those that make up the World's 6% community of Gay people. Enough to attack the moral integrity of independent Nations and their Sovereignty.

He is already under attack for assisting to undermine the National Sovereignty of his own Nation by refusing to obtain the national opinion of his countrymen in relation to giving away The United Kingdom's sovereignty to another power collectively known as the European Union. What DO the British people think about the many far reaching decisions and laws being made by a handful of men and women that act more like a Dictatorship than a Democracy?

A number of FOREIGN Leaders are already showing considerable disapproval of this current threat on behalf of gays.

None of them - including David Cameron - are in fact perfect or beyond making a gaff or two. Not the least of them all is the current President of the Republic of Ghana - John Evans Atta Mills. He has made an unequivocal and very plainly expressed statement of his position and that of his own Nation. He says -

'NO ONE can deny Prime Minister Cameron his right to make policies, take initiatives and make statements that reflect his social norms and ideals. But he does not have the right to direct other sovereign nations as to what they should do especially where their social norms and ideals are different from those which exist in Prime Minister Cameron's society. I, as President of this Nation, will never initiate or support any attempt to legalise homosexuality in Ghana. As a government, we will abide by the principles enshrined in our constitution. Let me also say that while we acknowledge all the financial assistance and all the aid that is given us by our development partners, we will not accept any aid with strings attached if that aid will not inure to our interests.'

WELL DONE say I, for here is a man who stands on the sure unquestioned ground of his Country's Constitution. It is the GROUND of governance based on the nations history and moral traditions. No SHIFTING SAND there. And his integrity cannot be bought either!

UGANDA, our neighbour, is also considering to forge ahead with new laws confirming that Homosexual acts are unlawful. THESE laws are in fact NOT new, but OLD. Oddly the Laws that are still on their Statute Books and now up for re-affirmation all originate from the British Colonial Legal Code of a bygone era.. What has caused this total turn around by the British Law Makers? A turn around that finds no reason from their own history or moral belief.

According to the Word of God I would say it is because they have chucked that Word out of the proverbial window, and adopted there own misguided ways. The erosion of the ROCK on which our National Identity and Character is built has been chipped away at for some years already, but NOW it seems great chunks of it are being broken up until now we do not look to the Bible and our Christian foundation any more but to the humanistic EEU and the Bill of Human Rights for guidance and even governance.

KENYA is not one of the Nations apparently threatened. However Homosexuality is not smiled on by people of this Country. Indeed the Anglican Church of Kenya has been on the verge of withdrawing from the Church of England communion because the whole issue of Homosexual marriage and ordination into the priesthood.

If we were in England today, conducting this ministry (Testimony Faith Homes), we might easily be shut down for NOT teaching that homosexuality is acceptable to our children - just like the coloured couple in UK who after 19 years of being successful foster parents, have now been barred from continuing because they refuse to agree to teach children in their care that gays are living an acceptable lifestyle! Amazing.

Does it really matter? After all traditions, and even law changes, doesn't it?

NOT if it is God's Law. God does not change, and the result of ignoring His revealed Will has not changed either.

BUT I am not in favour of inaugurating a 'witch-hunt' for gays. I do not condone their persecution or victimisation. They are human beings that God made and loves. He did not create them to be homosexuals any more than He creates one to be murderer or a drunkard.

There is no trustworthy proof that its in the genes. NO my problem is not with the Gay person, but with the Gay Life-style. The Bible clearly teaches that That cannot be condoned, or encouraged by any God conscious person. Fornication, which is sexual activity of any type outside of normal marriage, is against our own physical health (1.Corinthians 6v18). It is AGAINST God and His Character. SODOM, was destroyed by GOD (2. Peter 2) to demonstrate how much sodomy (homosexual practice) was against His Plan and Purpose. He says it will stand for ever as an example to the rest of us of what will happen to all those following the same social status. Paul the Apostle, having seen this clearly himself, states more than once that such people who do such things will not be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 1.Corinthians 6v9

Should we as Christians not be concerned when our society is slowly being allowed to slide into one matching that of Sodom - and indeed actually encourages its neighbours into the same?

SORRY! I know some of you will be groaning and wishing I would shut up. I know news of the children and the farm is more welcome, and that this is what I should concentrate upon, but regretfully I HAVE to comment, when comment is necessary. The CHURCH is more and more silent and even IGNORANT about the Law of God, AND consequently also about the need to uphold it in a lawless world.

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HERE ON TESTIMONY FARM, the drip feed piping has at last been put in place. In the photo you can only see SOME of it. The rest is hidden under the crop foliage. We are now able to ensure water is there year round on both sides of the allotment (Testimony AND Jacaranda).

However it is STILL raining!!! We are indeed thankful for its continuance as well - but I suppose we would like an opportunity to see if the new system actually works.

TODAY we had a Prayer time for the Class VIII Primary students who will be sitting the National Exam on Tuesday next week. The 70 odd students plus their parents and the Teachers all joined together in the School Hall for about three hours for prayer, and encouragement. Daryl and I joined them a little late as we were also attending a Memorial Service 10 kilometres away for a fellow missionary who passed away recently Everything went very well and continued to about 1p.m. Now Daryl has gone off with Jesse for a Pizza.

During the week I attended the District Probation Case Committee. We went through some 40 Cases. Currently the full case load stands at about 800 cases. Out of these 80% have committed crimes related to alcoholism! They are also unemployed. The two factors going together. Very sad and provoking. There are Rehab Centres around but they charge up to £200 for a three month stint. Well above and beyond an unemployed, poverty stricken persons means. Began to wonder about the possibility of getting involved into the REHAB business.

Well, you never know!!

This must be all for this week.

God be with you all and give you clear spiritual sight and judgement in the midst of so much confusion and debunking of world society.

John and Esther

PUPPIES and EGGS!!

2011-10-29T13:56:00.008+03:00

THIS WEEK our hens are producing!! One egg a day from our 26 first layers. Great excitement as each of our Homes shares out the first round of eggs to be laid! A further 27 layers out of our 100 hundred chicks are growing apace and will soon be joining those already laying AND already a further 100 layers chicks coming up behind. There will be EGGS galore in the not too distant future. We are very happy, although we still need to add more nesting boxes and perch sites. Little by little things are progressing, and finally we know we shall have a good little poultry unit really assisting in our little economy.

On the same side of the road - the Jacaranda

Cottage side - the Allotment is also doing well. The entire plot is now under cultivation. In front of the Poultry Unit seed beds are giving way to individual growing areas, and then over towards Drakeley Cottage the maize is coming on well, as also the potatoes. All this development since July this year is changing the general look of the compounds a great deal - all for the better. A real face lift, which as well as improving us is also tidying us up, and making us more self supporting. All this activity has also attracted quite a lot of local attention and many wander in to have a look at how we are managing the land and the livestock.

ADDITIONAL BLESSING has come to us during this month with the advent of a litter of puppies. Now some weeks old, our FIVE little 'bears' are quite a handful, and Mummy is finding their inordinate appetite for food rather tedious and tiring. They will soon go over to more solid food and thus give her some relief. We shall be selling some and keeping some. All are pure German Shepherd.

THE PAST WEEK has been quiet - and wet! Yes we are told these are the 'Short Rains' though they usually occur mid-November rather than this early. Good for our gardens, but oddly they have ushered in a season of influenza probably due to the sudden drop in temperature. The Laholls, in Drakeley, the Yegos in Tyndale, and the Mulli's in Testimony are all having a dose! Also our Pastor who has handed over his Sunday morning Sermon to me, in order to give his throat a rest. Hallelujah. Good to be a 'back up' which really is what I am more and more becoming. Slowly I now begin to see the wisdom in taking a step back and away from the front row of Management. Daryl is going ahead well, and as he finds his feet as a CEO it is very interesting to see other key players in running the work learning to come to terms with a quite different personallity at the Top. It looks good! Thank you Lord.

TODAY the Primary Standard 1 Interviews have been taking place. Some 70 kids attended to do the Interview, accompanied by their parents. We have 70 places in Primary Class 1 (two Classes of 36 student places each) This has been a good turn out - and there will still be others trying to get in later. Each child is interviewed and also is required to tackle a short though comprehensive Test to assess their basic knowledge in the three Rs. At least half of these children will have been attending our own Nursery School previously, probably since they were about 3 years old. Those competing for a place in Class 1 Primary today will be between five and a half and six years old.

ELDORET remains crowded, busy and PEACEFUL. Bomb blasts in Nairobi and the shadow of the Somali Terrorist Groups such as Al Shabaab continue to be in the news, and in one sense this does bring some apprehension. But we are not currently anywhere near the real theatre of 'war' or even terrorist activity. This so far is limited to the Nairobi/Mombasa and North Eastern corner of the Country. The School children, nationally, are all in School, and the National Examinations are all either in progress or about to begin. Life is proceeding normally though still with stringent economies and privations in many areas and communities.

AND FINALLY THIS WEEK, an old Harry Furnis Cartoon drawn for PEARS SOAP in 1889

Apart from finding it amusing, I include it here because a few weeks ago I happened to find some Pears Soap on sale in Eldoret in our Supermarket. It has hardly changed in appearance from the day it was first made in England in the seventeen hundreds. BUT the ingredients have changed a little in recent years. I bought a cake of it, and have been using it. I have been quite amazed to find that it appears to have arrested a 'dandruff' problem that I have been suffering from for some years. I have tried practically every kind of remedy including some well known modern shampoos. No luck - until now...... SO I went back to get some more today only to find the whole stock has been removed from the shelves - no reason given. Ah well, I still have a little left of that experimental cake. After that is gone, perhaps I also will use 'no other'!!

God Bless you all, and keep you safe and witnessing.

John and Esther

ANOTHER WEEK - ANOTHER FUNERAL!!

2011-10-22T07:45:00.010+03:00

THIS IS PAUL NGUI, aged 40.

Paul was brought to Esther and me in July of 1974. He was then just three and a half years old. Neighbours had alerted the Child Welfare Office in Eldoret that a child seemed to have been abandoned in a house nearby. On investigation the Welfare Officer had indeed found Paul alone and weak, lying in a locked hut. His Mother had apparently died and his Father had taken the body to the parent's home for burial more than three hundred kilometres away. He had not returned. AND SO Paul was scooped up and brought to us.

He could not stand or walk. His hair a sandy yellow from malnutrition. His eyes also looked as if they were infected, swollen and sore from untreated Measles, and it was obvious he had

difficulty seeing. His ankles, knees, wrists - and even his facial features also seemed somehow distorted. He weighed 28 lbs and measured 35 and a half inches from head to toe! As he sat, propped up, in one of our lounge chairs whilst the Welfare Lady chatted to Esther, he deposited six round worms as think as a man's finger and about six inches long in the chair. I had never in my life seen such things come out of a human

being - I was still, even in 1974 - as green as green could be!!

SO THERE HE was a helpless child. Could we really take him on? We had 50 children in the Home already. Could Esther cope?

"It's just for a few days till we sort things out" pleaded the lady from Welfare. But in the end he stayed until the Lord took him to his Eternal Home early Tuesday morning of this week. And as the months went by he responded to regular meals and good food and put on weight and learnt to stand and even walk. Steven and Michael used to make a wobbly threesome with him walking around the garden. He was intelligent, humorous and friendly from the beginning to the end of his life. But physically life seemed against him.

In 1976 Paul attended Kenyatta Hospital in Nairobi. They attempted to improve his sight by surgery, but although this did improve his vision a little, the improvement was not to last, and eventually he became totally blind.

In 1981, when he was 11 Paul was admitted to The Salvation Army Blind School in Thika, just beyond Nairobi. He did not like it there, though coped well with learning. In 1982 we transferred him to another Salvation Army School near Kisumu. He initially got on well there, coming always 1st or 2nd in his Primary Class. But his physical state was deteriorating. We had met a Doctor who was also a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in England, and he was immediately interested in Paul's condition, and after a lot of tests and research discovered that he had Hurler's Syndrome, a metabolic sickness passed on through the female line. Only ONE in every 10,000, incidents are recorded off such a sickness. It attacks the blood cells and collects them at the joints, eventually affecting the skeleton causing progressive paralysis. Finally it attacks the brain leaving the victim a vegetable. The prognosis given to us was very daunting, ad especially as we could SEE Paul's condition worsening all the time in front of us. But his brain remained quite unimpaired, and continued alert and competent to the very end.

His facial features became very distorted about this time, and partially sighted students and even staff in his school began to speak about him as 'the monster'. He became VERY distressed and as he also had to be aided more and more in everything he did, so that our home doctor felt - (baring in

mind that he might die at any time) - that we should bring him home to Testimony House. Paul was happy with this. He knew all about his sickness. We offered him the chance to continue education in Testimony School, but he refused, saying he would learn privately. Thus we purchased a Braille typewriter and braille books, and he applied himself in earnest to learning what he could. He was 17. He had left regular schooling at the end of Standard V Primary. And now he needed a wheel chair, just to get around.

By 1988 his fingers could not provide enough pressure to use the typewriter. Eventually his fingers could not even feel the raised braille symbols that had to be read. He relied more and more on RADIO, and especially enjoyed NEWS and SPORTS world wide. He also loved all Christian programmes having himself discovered his own Faith in Jesus when he was 15.

Paul's Father eventually, after about two years turned up. He had been a drunkard, and after taking his wife to be buried had not hurried home. But then he himself found Christ, and his life changed for the better morally, though regretfully he contracted cancer. He had married again, and there were two step brothers and a sister all younger than Paul. BUT the family was living in poor circumstances, and it was increasingly impossible for them to be in a position to properly care for Paul. His Father also died in 1993. They visited. Many of them attended the funeral on Thursday of this week. There was no bitterness in Paul against God or man, for his physical ill health or confinement to a Children's Home; no jealousy against his brother who went to University and prospered into a respected Administrator and Christian. Only happiness and joy at having a family - and one much larger than he could ever have normally enjoyed.

Esther and I were Mum and Dad to Paul from 1974 to 1998 when we moved out of Testimony House to Green Cottage just fifty metres away. We continued to be his Mum and Dad until the last. On Saturday last week he was diagnosed with Pneumonia and admitted to hospital. Mr and Mrs. Muli, current houseparents in Testimony House in which Paul still resided, together with ourselves and many of his past and present Faith Homes brothers and sister, his own younger brother, and other blood relatives were constantly at his bedside.

On Monday he succumbed to coma and early on Tuesday morning Paul passed away. We laid his body to rest on Thursday morning with more than 150 of his brothers and sisters from Testimony Homes, and others from his own blood family attending and Thanking God for his exceptional example and life.

From the day of his birth Paul was doomed. He had a life expectancy of only TEN years.

YET he was to live for FORTY. During all this time of progressive debility, deprived of sight and freedom of movement, he never complained or moaned about his condition. He once said that he did not want anyone to take him to Prayer Meetings to be prayed for; he said that Jesus could and would heal him in His own good time, and that He could heal him just where he was if He wanted to - and it he wasn't healed then it was because JESUS had a good reason and purpose behind it, and he was content. And this was exactly how he lived. As he grew up in adulthood Paul advanced as a friend and councillor to all. He loved people, and he loved all those that surrounded him in the Homes. He showed no sign of feeling different to anyone because of his varied conditions in body and health. He hated people to comment on his ailments or frailties. He did not pity himself, and hated others to do so - he was happy and content - and God was his Friend in whom he trusted. He was also an ardent fan of Manchester United, and although he could not SEE a match on TV, would non the less 'watch' it avidly, commenting and enjoying it to the full.

Now he is with Jesus. He is walking and talking with HIM, looking into His face, and SEEING Him - yes and seeing ALL the beauty and glory that he missed on earth, multiplied and expanded all around him. I am so personally grateful to the Lord that he did indeed take him before his mind gave in to the sickness that pursued him throughout his life. He was full of fun and humour; full of delight and interest in life around him. Full of the Word of God which he constantly dispensed fluently in three languages to whoever came near to him. He is missed already, but we shall ever REMEMBER him who knew him.

For Esther and me the funeral was a real blessing. As I shared above so many of our old boys and girls were there from way back, as well as the recent past. As years have gone by and so many grew up and left, there were often times when WE wondered how much of a 'family' had in fact been built. On this day we were SO moved to see the family ties that still bound so many together into a fellowship spanning lifetimes. And WE were still Mum and Dad to so many of them, and they as our own sons and daughters even though so often our time and affection was so thinly spread.

AND it is still raining in Kenya - in Eldoret even! AND the sun shines in a blue sky!!

Kenya is a Miracle Country, full of beauty and Adventure. And a Nation noticed by God AND the Enemy also. Pray for Kenya, for our PEACE, for as much as you might pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. Kenya is a place of pivotal importance relative to the Gospel, and to the Witness of JESUS.

God Bless you, and our heartfelt and very sincere thanks for all of you who have written in or otherwise expressed you sympathy at our loss over this week.

John and Esther

AN EXPANDING UNIVERSE?

2011-10-15T08:33:00.019+03:00

WE ARE EXPANDING! This week the Lord granted the safe birth of our FIRST calf, a bull calf, and the son of Cow number Two - (we have named her ALICE). She was I am SURE very delighted to feel lighter, and to see her load of

many months delivered of her. She was immediately busy cleaning him up. How amazing to see the 'Mother Instinct' so instantly

demonstrated for her first calf! An immediate bond between them; immediate care and concern from mother to child. Rosie, our FIRST cow, will be NEXT , and then the latest, the THIRD of our cows, DAISY. She arrived on Thursday of this week, and she is only three months into her pregnancy. SO quite an increase in this last week on the Dairy side of things.

THIS IS DAISY on the left now. She is supposed to be a Jersey cow, but we have our doubts!

She has not been well cared for, and came HUNGRY three months pregnant. She is settling in a bit now, but on arrival she just made for the Hay and shoved the other two cows to one side - she was SO hungry!! More satisfied now, she has made friends! So now we have THREE cows; ONE bull calf, and a goat (picture next week), So fortunate that we have found a good man to take care of them all.

WITH THE CHICKEN PROJECT

we have suffered an initial loss, and a complete 'wipe out'

of the first 100 day old layers - they were in their 7th week. Very

sad, but on Monday they were replaced with another 100, and at least this time we have clear idea of whatto do and when to do it. Our hopes are high that this time we will be successful. The older Layers that we also initially began with have now begun to lay - all 28 of the them! GREAT JOY and interest especially from the children. SO we see things going on with the EGG side of the program so that NOW we can resume having EGGS as part of the weekly diet.

When we began we also had 100 day old chicks that would become Broilers. These, in their 8th week are now ready to be eaten!

We have learnt a lot in the first two months, and now, on Monday, we hope to be joined by a Poultry Man who will oversee There day will probably be today. A further 100 day olds will replace them, and this w the continuing and repetitive program. This will certainly ensure that we shall have something to eat at Christmas time.

ON THE LAND crops continue to thrive and grow and each week more is able to been harvested and eaten. Already we can say that almost a 50% reduction in cost to us has been achieved in the provision of vegetable needs for everyone living here. We Praise and thank the Lord We have purchased the 'Drip Feed' piping and are in process of having it laid down. We had taken a little longer than planned to do this, but the Lord has helped us by providing a few extra days of gentle rain for our gardens. He watches over us. Once the 'drip feed' is in place we hope to double the space currently in use for crops. If all goes well we may be able to even SELL some of what we grow to our neighbours. THEN, in January, we may initiated our first FISH pond. Looking ahead we seem to have healthy strategic plan for the next year!!

TESTIMONY SCHOOL

is gearing up and getting the Top Classes in Primary and Secondary ready to commence this

year's National Examination. Form IV Secondary students will begin their Practical examinations and the rest as from 23rd October (equivalent of UK's GCE O'Level) this coming week. Primary Class 8 students will begin their examinations equivalent of our old 11+ ) in early November.

Discussing the School's future recently with the School Principal, Anthony Ndungu, and the three Heads working with him, it was felt the time had come to consider a serious expansion. Last year the Secondary School especially had done well, and it was expected to continue and do even better this year. This would almost certainly mean that more parents would want their children to attend the School. So far there has been only ONE stream of four classes in this part of the School, and financially it has been hard to maintain it. ANOTHER stream would make the school pay for itself, and might even assist the Homes more. CAN we build another FOUR classrooms? Do we have space?

YES, the answer is YES. It would mean a little re-planning of what we already have, but we feel it is more than possible. It would establish the School financially. It is still owned and Managed by Testimony Faith Homes, but it stands financially alone, with its own Bank Account. It runs from the Fees of parents that use the School from the locality. From the Fee structure the School provides FREE tuition to all the children in the Homes from Nursery to Form IV. It also gives 20 free places to academically bright children from the poorest families in Eldoret. It is registered as a Non-Profit Making Private Christian School. Please do make time to pray for the current plans under consideration - we do not want to go ahead of God, any more than to trail behind Him in catching His Vision.

AND LAST BUT NOT AT LEAST - What about the Children's Homes. Well, we do not want to expand exactly, We have room now for 150 children comfortably spread within FOUR fa

mily Homes. But we have had a change in mind for some years now. We still feel this change will come about, and this would be a good time to think of implementing it. JACARANDA Cottage has long been expensive and inconvenient to run as a children's home. It is also having ongoing and progressive problems structurally. We would like to pull it down and build a NEW home exactly opposite to the present site and between Drakeley and Tyndale Cottages. The Plans are drawn up for a house of the same design as the other two, but just a little larger, to take upto 45 children. Whilst being built, the old house would remain, then on completion of building the Jacaranda family would move into the NEW house.

THEN we would demolish the old house (apart from the breeze block end which has a slab roof. We would convert this area into a Central Laundry AND a Central Maintenance Store and Workshop for the four Homes.) We would clean up and level the rest of the site and turn it into a new Play area. We believe this would considerably reduce our running costs and contribute to our current aim of economising generally in the whole work.

This is the direction we are praying in for the future. DARYL is the one who will be praying these matters all through, and carrying the weight of being in the 'driving seat' with God by his side as the ministry of TFH moves forward. We believe that we have a Witness in this Town and area of Kenya. We believe the LORD will keep it bright and burning till He Comes. Bright in a dark place pressed by need to SEE that there is HOPE in trusting JESUS. Please remember us in your prayers, and let us together SEE the Answers come to prove the Reality of the Living God.

Our love to you all in His Great Name, and may He keep you confident and ready for anything, fearless, and without anxiety ever day.

John and Esther

WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED!!

2011-10-08T08:38:00.005+03:00

DEATH SEEMS TO GO ON FOR EVER, as the eye surveys the sea of graves stretching almost as far as the eye can see in Kiplombe Cemetery, Eldoret. Burials continuing every day here. And today we in Testimony will be returning there for the third time already since Esther and I returned home from the UK in June this year.

Alice Muli's mother passed away last week due to heart attack and will be buried today. Graves here in Kiplombe seem to be dug just about wherever you choose, even randomly. It is a forlorn and very unhappy site, isolated and far from the town; with an almost abandoned, 'no man's land' feeling about it. But at least, for the present, there is still room for more!! This may not be the case for long. Land is at premium in Kenya, and less and less space seems to be allocated for the dead, when the living are so greedy to have some. Some cemeteries are already over-used. We recently heard of some that have bodies buried one on top of the other to within a foot of the surface in order to save space. So why not encourage Cremation? After all we have it written even in the Bible 'Dust to dust and ashes to ashes' - WELL NOT QUITE. This phrase is used often by churches in their funeral services, but in fact it is not found in the Bible at all!! THE BIBLE in fact mainly refers to humanity as being from the DUST, and that it will return to the dust. Just ONE verse in Genesis 18v27 records Abraham as having said of himself - '..which am but dust and ashes'. No explanation as to why he includes 'ashes' as a constituent ingredient of Man.

I personally like the idea of my body being buried in a quiet and undisturbed place where it might hope to remain till the Trumpet Sounds. BUT that boyhood appreciation of what a grave should be is not part of this present world's tumultuous experience. Few indeed stay long in this world's graves or 'hallowed ground' before being able to be legally ploughed up or just built upon!! Not a great deal of expected peace even for the dead these days!! Less and less expectancy of permanency in our world. Generally it is stated that are all made from dust, and to dust will return - Genesis 3v19. THUS it is hardly allowed in Christian Scripture that one should be cremated - but neither is it clearly forbidden.

SO what about being Cremated? More and more are choosing this method of disposing of their body after death. In this last year TWO friends of ours have been cremated here in Eldoret using the Hindu Crematorium! The second was cremated just this week in fact. BOTH were seen as somewhat extraordinary events by their friends and associates. In Kenya, so far, it is distinctly something that is just not done - a still very unusual occurrence. Recently a well known celebrity in Kenya, Professor Wangari Maathai, was also, upon her death, cremated at her own request. Many were quite shocked, even dismayed, by this action on her part, but I cannot see clearly that it is a sin to be cremated. I can see that in today's over-crowded

world it may even become a necessity in order to conserve space and hygiene. BUT............

My Esther firmly feels that this is not her 'cup of tea' as she puts it. She wants a regular burial in a 'safe' spot for her remains; to let them rest till the Trumpet sounds, and the dead shall arise! Bible language somehow makes little allowance for seeing a cloud of 'ashes' locked up in Urns or sprinkled over land or sea, actually 'arising' from open graves in recognisable human

form. But who knows? Whatever the case may be, the dead IN CHRIST shall rise ......!!!! Even so come Lord Jesus

Well this week seems to be DOWN! Nearly all our three week old chicks (the layers) that had seemingly escaped disease and death, have now suddenly been struck with sickness and DIED. Quite distressing for all of us but especially for Beatrice Rop who has been a real 'Mother Hen' looking after them. It seems that one necessary injection had been given too late - and all was lost. BUT the 28 eight week old layers are flourishing still, and on Thursday ONE of them laid her FIRST (ours too) EGG. Marvellous. We also imported a further 100 more layers (day old chicks). We have also now employed a full time experienced poultry-man to be responsible for them all.

On Thursday of this week Daryl and I visited a Dairy Unit right in the midst of town. They have 15 cows happily providing MILK three times a day in an enclosure about the same size as the one we have for our TWO. They make their own feed and look after each cow as it it is a member of the family! They seem VERY fat and contented, not a least disconcerted by our visit as we moved amongst them. Their accommodation was scrupulously clean, and the atmosphere further improved by the provision of piped Christian music all day which seems to truly almost hypnotise the cows!!! We spent almost three hours talking and seeing, and came away with a whole lot of new and good ideas.

Friday we went to purchase the 'DRIP FEED' piping for the Allotments. We should begin to lay them out and set them to work by Monday of this coming week. SO we continue to advance.

NB - Sorry about the cartoon - it IS a little in bad taste I suppose - but could not resist it.

Love you all

John and Esther

2011-10-01T13:34:00.010+03:00

OUR LONG TIME FRIENDS Ian and Diana HOGLEY are here again! Also David Brook, also from Huddersfield, (did not manage to get a snap-shot of him this time round) has been with us for part of the week gone by.

Always good to see them, and this time to also show off the new progress, and

changes, that have been continuing here.

Last year about this time we were with them at the opening of another Orphanage in Nakuru - RIZIKI CHILDREN'S HOME, Blog for 2nd October 2010. It is still progressing and growing well, and also working hard to be see how self supporting they can be, just as we also are. It is SO good to be able to enter into the lives of other 'Family Members' in Christ, and to be able to pray and love them for who and what they are.

ESTHER and I have been reading Hebrews recently each night.

but I had independently found myself earlier reading the 13th chapter. In a way this made me think of 1. Corinthians 13........How

interesting that they should in a way be so similar.
I was reading in the Amplified Bible. There is an underlying aspect of 'caring' in God's Love that is affected by nothing, except death. The World's love is affected by anything that interferes with its own pleasure and selfish covetousness in a general sense, and can be cut off by a word, a look, even an accidental hurt!

JESUS SAID ' Love each other ( in the Christian Brotherhood) just as I have loved YOU.'

He said ' BY THIS shall all men know that you are My disciples - that you love one another - if you keep on showing love among yourselves!'

I have been wondering about myself in this respect; how do people see me? How do they recognise that God's Spirit lives in me? Is it by the way I love my 'Christian' brothers and sisters over and above all others. Are WE Christians demonstrating the exceptional and saving Love of our God amongst ourselves in such a way that those outside our fellowship are attracted to it, and hungry for it themselves? Perhaps most of us will feel that we are doing alright - but I wonder. We rarely, I think, are really conscious of how we sound, what we say, and even how we look at each other!

Hebrews 13v1

LET LOVE FOR YOUR FELLOW BELIEVERS

continue, and be a fixed practice with you;

NEVER let it fail.

Never let anything bring it to an end .

Love never takes account of the evil done to it;

pays no attention to a suffered wrong.

It is ever ready to believe the best of every person;

it's hopes are fadeless under all circumstances,

and it endures everything without weakening.

Love never fails.

It never fades out or becomes obsolete,

or comes to end. (1. Cor. 13v7-8)

Comparatively the slightest hurt felt or done to one of us immediately reduces our good will and even kindness towards the one offending us. When we are robbed, attacked, taken advantage of, we immediately want to justify, revenge and in so many ways somehow redress the hurt against the one acting in such unfriendly ways toward us. We will not turn the other cheek will not let go of our possessions willingly, will not go out of our selfish way to do the bidding of another. We want self justification for the 'wrong' done or imagined against us. We will even go to Court before unholy unbelievers and there try to force an issue against another - one that Paul suggests is another brother or sister in Christ. BUT surely those saying they are 'Christian' would never be guilty of a wrong against ME? Oh yes they could! Remember we are purchased just as we are from Satan, but we are STILL sinners under the 'covering' of Christ's Blood - still able to follow a selfish desire, lust - still able to BE unrighteous. YES! And if there have to be offences that we are guilty of toward other members of the 'Family' we should know how to deal with them IN THE LOVE OF GOD. - 1. Corinthians 6v1-20 in the Amplified Translation if possible.

AND the Love of God that Saves, Forgives and Cleanses US can so easily be forgotten in our dealings even with our fellow Christian, himself forgiven and cleansed by the SAME God that did if for me!!

HOW MUCH DO WE CHRISTIANS FORGIVE EACH OTHER?

How much to we CARE for each other, even when we see one of our number sin and fall from the WAY? Are we ready to really DIE to our human rights for each other? Are we ready to crucify ourselves upon the Cross with Jesus - for the sake of one another? Think about it.

How much of our Christianity is still coloured by our OLD NATURE and understanding so unlike the nature and character of God Himself.

It is great to find a FRIEND like Jesus, in another brother or sister. What a treasure that is, no matter how still spoilt that treasure may still be until the final Trumpet sounds and we are ALL finally changed and the last vestige of sin in us falls away for eternity! I have been wondering how good a friend I am and have been since I came to know God's unconditional love for me. And I am troubled to see how critical and judgmental I still am, how set in my Christian views and how easily I can turn away from others that do not agree with my opinion, viewpoint, feelings on a matter - even another Christian! Woe is me, I am undone - I have been found out. FORGIVE me Father in Jesus Name, and never let me forget that only JESUS in me can produce anything worthy. Less of ME is yet STILL needed, and MORE of you instead.

How truly deceitful and sick SIN is in us all. Even so come quickly Lord Jesus.

THE WEATHER has been slowly changing, and now is quite pleasant - not over hot, but sunny most days, with still a little rain at times, but progressively moving on toward summer time.

Our gardens have continued to prosper and have begun more and more to abundantly supply so that we are all eating every day something harvested. Our cows continue to be well, the one so heavy and READY to give birth that she can barely stand for long, and there still giving milk but also herself heavier and wearier. But happy and contented. Our chicks also growing healthily, and next week we shall be bring in a further 100 broiler chicks. All goes well.

ALICE MULLI, Mother of Testimony House was away on Thursday to attend the Graduation of one of the sons of the House (Edwin Ngovia) who was receiving B.Com Degree at a University about 200 kilometres away. Onthe way back by bus last night she was told by phone that her 62 year old Mother had suddenly passed away at her family home here in Eldoret. A GREAT shock and LOSS for Alice who went straight there without returning to the HOME. Esther and I plus our friends went round to the family home this morning to share in the grief. She and her mother were VERY close, and it will be hard for a while for her. Her father is also unwell; he suffers with his legs and feet, and although he has an elder daughter at home looking after him, he also will be VERY sad, since he and his wife have always done everything together all the days of their long marriage. BUT the Lord is with ALL the family - each of them knowing Him, and thus He will find ways and means to comfort them and to fill the gap. But please spare a little prayer for Alice at this time.

LASTLY this week we are now on SKYPE, and Steve our son in UK has just connected with me for the first time - really AND to see the place he was speaking from AND all the family members there with him - WHAT a great privilege and thrill. WOW!

God Bless and be with you all

John and Esther

2011-09-24T16:26:00.007+03:00

WELL, here are the LAHOL FAMILY. On the left, in the pink, is Eunice, wife to Francis, and Mum to Ken and Esther. Also Mum to 30 others that share Drakeley Cottage with them. Francis is an Old Boy of Testimony House, and as well as being Housefather to Drakeley Family he is also the senior Chef and Supervisor for the Kitchen providing meals to ALL the four Homes.

There Home is full of young children aged from 4 to 24!! Boys AND Girls of course - NINE girls and twenty-one boys. This photo is taken from in front of Drakeley Cottage, which looks out upon the new Allotment and the Chicken Project.

The chickens continue to thrive. We bought 204 chicks and so far after three weeks have lost only 4, which we hear is something of a record amongst local poultry keepers! So we have 100 broiler chicks which should be ready to eat in between three and four weeks time, and 100 Layer chicks which will take a further five to six months to begin laying eggs! Additionally we have another 28 Layers which are already two months old, and which we hope will commence laying in about another two months. All healthy and contented. We also had 24 Cockerels, and these we have now slaughtered and put into the diet. SO we have now begun to see a return, if only still small, for our labour. We are encouraged.

THE RAINS have tapered off a little, and we have seen none for almost a week. But it is still cloudy and there may be still a little rain to come. But the crops have continued to grow apace, and here in front of Drakeley we can see Maize and Potatoes going on well. Still to plant on this side is Cabbage, Spinach, Beans, Peppers and even more!!

This week we also arranged to start a small FISHERY in JANUARY next year on Jacaranda Cottage Compound. I wonder where all this is leading. We also now have TWO goats instead of one!!.

This all sounds very much as if all our problems are answered. However we are still facing considerable challenges in carrying on the ministry here. We still stand in need of prayer, and this is good for us. We are not our own, and we are no

t able to provide everything for ourselves, but must remember our dependency on our Father in Heaven. And indeed HE is our delight and the encourager of our souls.

FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH THEE

be not dismayed for I AM your God

I will strengthen you - yes I will help you!

I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness

Isaiah 41v19

Well, well I hear the rumbling of Thunder! As I glance up from the computer I am made aware of the dark rain clouds that have quietly covered the sky - RAIN it will - Thank you Lord for ours IS a thirsty land, and every precious drop from Heaven must always be a Blessing to us all.

Our guests from Scotland left us on Wednesday morning for Mombasa. We had a truly lovely time with them and trust that they will now enjoy a further week - this time in the sun!

On MONDAY, this coming week, we shall receive three more friends for a short stay with us. All from Huddersfield - Ian and Diana Hogley, and David Brook, all OLD friends going back a very long way. We feel blessed to have these visitors come to encourage and also enliven our day.

The School teachers' strike ended and all schoolchildren are now returned to School. Good! An answer to prayer. God does answer prayer - no matter what it is about. Nothing is without interest and concern to Him! And although a few have endured colds, the majority of us all are now well and in good health. Esther, my darling wife, has not been feeling too bright of late though. She has been having palpitations and got quite worried about it. I took her off to our local cardiologist yesterday, after a thorough examination, found nothing wrong with her heart or even blood pressure. We have both had a few stressful happenings over the last few weeks, and no doubt the old Enemy made an inroad on her emotions. We often get very much - sometimes too much - involved with the one and another of the children and young people here, and at times even with a staff member. But last night we Praised the Lord with Thanksgiving on our bed as we prepared to sleep. How good He is to us, and how faithful to always hold our hand, and ensure our peace. Already - today - she is a new person!

WHAT a Friend we have in Jesus -

All our sins and griefs to bear;

What a privilege to carry,

everything to God in prayer.

OH what PEACE we often forfeit

oh, what needless pain we bear

all because we do not carry

everything to God in prayer.

Joseph Scriven

We all need to watch our step each day; the Enemy is seeking to upset, destabilise and press us down. We must always be ready to FLEE to Jesus at such times, for HE will always lift us UP, and put the Enemy in his place = DOWN.

God Bless you and keep you all through the coming week.

John and Esther

2011-09-17T13:51:00.007+03:00

£40 FOR A GOAT!!? This one cost £30!

Just recently a friend from a Church group in Lancashire, England sent a donation of forty pounds for us to buy a goat with. In fact the goat had been a Birthday present given to the donor! 'Maybe we could add it to the Farm!'

Well, not really, as we do not have a LOT of spare

land, and goats can be quite destructive of anything that grows.

NO we shall not keep it as a long time resident! We shall fatten him up and eat him during Christmas!! The only problem with this is that everyone will get quite fond of him by then, and probably not very keen on eating him... but finally will no doubt be glad and happy to do so. A present of this sort is VERY useful to us, and Christmas is usually a time for us of economic depression. NOT because we spend more money than usual but because funds are more scarce during the month as a whole.

THUS. to have food on hand is often a great boon and and blessing to us. SO we are very grateful to our Brother for this timely gift which will only grow BIGGER over the coming weeks.

OUR COWS are still growing bigger too! Our Vet says that they may deliver by the END of this month! We had hoped it might be sooner, but well, it seems difficult to be very sure since we are without a clear knowledge as to when they became pregnant in the first place.

24 of our CHICKENS were slaughtered yesterday!! All cockerels!! When we purchased the first batch of Layers the one we were buying from threw in the cockerels as well!! So now they each weigh about three kilograms, and are all frozen down for eating later on. The first batch of layers are almost laying and the 200 chicks all alive and well, thriving and growing. God be Praised in Jesus Name!! AND everything planted growing well, more and more able to be harvested.

IN 1978 a young man from Dumbarton, HARRY SPEEDIE, A STOP Worker with TEAR Fund UK came out to Testimony Faith Homes to head up a new Course we had begun in Automotive.

He remained with us for two years, and the resultant Course continued on until 1981 when we began to implement Nursery School in preparation for a full Primary School that opened in 1983. Almost ALL the youngsters that Harry taught during his time with us found employment and remain therein, many also having found the Lord as their Personal Saviour.

In 1982 Harry married Flora, and it has been a special happiness to have them BOTH here with us this week together with their son Ewan. It has been good to reminisce and to have fellowship after all these many years, although of course we have been in touch by letter.

The 'group photo' shows Harry (standing on the left) with a group of the first students on the Course. The gentleman standing on the right is Jan Bloomhof who also worked with Harry for a short time. It has been good to look back and to see that for all of us God has been Faithful and True to us.

We have just had word from AENON Trust that funds are on the way to us. We do thank all of you who may have contributed at this time, and truly if YOU have sent something to us through the Trust recently then you are indeed the Hand of God to us. Life for us here is quite stringent, but we also know it is stringent for all of you as the world as a whole is moving through dark and scary days. Bless you for your compassion on our children and upon us who live here with them.

BRING BACK CORPORAL PUNISH-MENT!

In the Kenyan Daily Nation today it is reported that 'Students were charged with Torching a Hostel' - ' Four students were yesterday arraigned before a Court and charged with setting fire to a dormitory and destroying property worth Ksh.3 million. The Form 3 students from Lwak Girls High School in Rarieda.'

It is also reported that 91% of all parents in Kenya want corporal punishment restored. Also 47% of all students AGREE, saying that teachers cannot be respected when it is known they cannot mete out punishment and correction of a serious nature. Students feel this is unfair to the teacher and damaging to the general success of the student who needs to be kept in check and also respectful to his or her mentor. It is unlikely that the Government will do much about it due to the fact that they take their orders from the United Nations and not from their own citizens. These days it looks often as if democracy means that the people cannot have much say in government - even a democratic government because even governments are being dictated to. What will become of the world - we have already this year seen a taste of it. We can expect Anarchy to be a soon to be reality. Are you still watching out for His Coming? He is hopefully not too far away from actually arriving.

Love you all in Jesus

John and Jesus

2011-09-10T13:56:00.005+03:00

AND AT LAST THE CHICKS HAVE ARRIVED! 204 ALTOGETHER - 100 Layers and 104 Broilers.

They are all snug and growing daily in a special Brooder where they will probably stay for some TWO weeks before being transferred into the main Poultry House. So now all is set up for the FIRST Round.

The NEXT BIG EVENT should be the birth of our expected calves!! Maybe even in the coming week. SO everything is now moving along well and truly, and what was only and 'idea' ten weeks ago has become a working reality.

However, we still have room to EXPAND the whole project, so if the next six months is a success then we may double the input!! Daryl is already planting a small ORCHARD now with Apple. Orange, Paw-paw, and Avocado trees.

=====================

Last week I shared that our School had re-opened for the 3rd Term. BUT for the last week all the Government Schools have been unable to function due to all their Teachers being on strike.

In Kenya the 3rd Term of any year is always the most important, since in October/November the National Final Examinations for both Primary and Secondary are attempted. Students now shut out of class are obviously going to seriously suffer from deprivation. Basically Teachers are complaining about poor conditions - some are forced to take Classes of more than 80 children - and also, of course, inadequate salaries. So far no end in sight. BUT it does seem even more unfair to use the future of children, dependant upon their expertise, as a 'lever' to get what they want, however legitimate it might be. These days it seems that 'the end justifies the means' in any situation!

WE, of course, are NOT on strike since we are a Private Christian School which generally has been successful in providing good working conditions.

THE NUMBERS of children now on Eldoret Streets are increasing. Since Esther and I returned from UK we have noted a worsening situation on our Streets. Children of ALL ages and sexes seem to be coming in every day. Also the majority seem to be in poorer circumstances and also already clutching 'sniffing' bottles of glue. There seems no official reason or comment on this from the Local Authorities. This is quite worrying - mainly since it seems the Children's Department in our area has become inactive. Early in the year I would have known a little more through the Uasin Gishu Children's Services Forum, but this body has somehow become less well informed and also less involved in current trends. Also I have in fact resigned as its General Secretary due to the fact that generally the Body has become more moribund with a more academic approach to children's social services, and also a concern amongst its members on how to raise funds. However, I remain connected to the State Probation Service, and also to the Juvenile Court. In the next weeks I hope to poke my private nose into some of these matters and find out exactly what is happening.

In my opinion we still need our local Children's Service contributors to come together in order to monitor what is going on in our immediate area and locality, and to become a VOICE that will be able to bring attention to bare wherever it is necessary on behalf of Children. We still have more than 2.8 million homeless children in this Country.

Generally in Testimony Faith Home, we are all well. Even with increasing bad weather, which has now extended beyond the normal seasonable limit, we have experienced less illness than usual. Rain is still visiting us daily, and the days are almost continuously cloudy, with temperatures of 18C on an average - not too cold by UK standards, but VERY cold for us in Eldoret and Nairobi where we live about 6.500 ft above sea level, and perhaps the thinner air makes us all feel chillier! Hoping warmer weather is on the way by the end of this month.

The general material fabric of the Homes (two of our Homes are between 60 and 100 years old) and the School (some of the buildings first built in 1986) still looks fair from the outside, but they ARE ageing and needing repair and renovation in many places. Things like bedding - again especially in the two first implemented Homes - long overdue in provision of replacement of components. But we are still functional and able to continue onwards. We remain a secure, homely environment with added ability to offer above average educational facilities.

MORE THAN THIS we are seeing a move of the Spirit of God amongst the children both at home and at school. Since our new Chaplain, Wykliffe Ondanga, arrived last year we see Decisions for Christ almost every Sunday. This has been the most significant and wonderful factor to note - and even at such times; times of material want and challenge. Truly God has been and IS good to us. And in saying this I must also recognise that all of His Goodness and Care was expressed to us through your own fellowship and support. A verse of Scripture I have often quoted in past years remains very close to our hearts because of its truth and relativity, daily, to our ongoing lives together. It does not describe our permanent situation, but it certainly can be found to apply many times in our ongoing experience. Let be quote it again now from the Amplified Bible Translation -

'For we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about the affliction

and oppressing distress that befell us --- and how we were so utterly and unbearably

weighed down and crushed that we despaired even of life itself.

Indeed, we felt within ourselves

that we had received the very sentence of death,

but that was to keep us from trusting in and depending on ourselves instead of on God

Who raises the dead.

For it is He Who rescued and saved us from such a perilous death,

and He will still rescue and save us:

in and on Him we have set our hope( our joyful and confident expectation

that He will again deliver us from danger and destruction and draw us to Himself.

While you also cooperate by your prayers for us (helping and labouring together with us).

Thus (the lips of) many persons

(turned toward God will eventually)

give thanks on our behalf for the grace

(the blessing of deliverance)

granted us at the request of the many who have prayed.

2. Corinthians 1v8-11

And this brings to a close this week's update. We pray and trust that you are yourselves all well and blessed. Receive of our love always in Jesus our Saviour.

John and Esther

HE GIVETH THE INCREASE!!

2011-09-03T10:05:00.012+03:00

HARVEST TIME!! 40 days after planting we have begun plucking Spinach and Sukuma-wiki

from the Testimony Plot. As we see in this photo a SACK has quickly been filled. This will now continue on progressively. We have been very thrilled and encouraged to see how well things have grown. We have not had a lot of sunshine in the month but a lot of rain, and it seems the

ground is fertile and healthy. NOW we know that we are on the right track. Beyond the sack to the fence (top right)are growing a second crop of vegetables, to be followed by a third, so that we should be able to keep a constant supply of fresh vegetables the year round. Wonderful.

The drip-feed piping has not been laid down yet but will be there very soon. Right now it has not been so 'urgent' to put in place due to the prolonged rains. We look and see the crops coming to fruition with Great Thanksgiving to God. It is a daily delight to the eyes to see how well things are coming on.

The Chicken-House has also now been finished and painte and is 50% inhabited with chickens. Next week we shall be taking another brood of chicks which will eventually join the layers. So far everything has gone well with the poultry, and we are looking forward to that first EGG as much as we did to the first Sukuma-wiki. Wonderful. I am a frequent visitor to the chickens and have long conversations with them - kind of encouragement to them. They certainly make a lot more cluckings when they see

me than when left to themselves - mightbe due to thinking I am bringing more to eat. Animal Greed! As you see from

the latest photo today we have named the chicken house TYNDALE POULTRY PROJECT

to remind us that it was Tyndale Christian School that helped us initiate and set up the whole thing. We owe you guys and dolls so much in Jesus. May He Bless and Shine upon you- each one. All around about we have the Garden, or second plot. Nothing much

coming up yet except weeds (they are forever pushing their way up) but we have sown MAIZE, POTATOES and more beans.

We have been talking so much about our agricultural endeavour that you might think we have changed our ministry and that we no longer have children being cared for here?

But indeed the ministry amongst children continues. In the Day School (Nursery to Secondary) we now have a regular 800 boys and girls attending - 138 of them from the four Children's Homes, and the rest from private families in the locality. As a School it has a high academic standard and is well known and sought after. It survives from incoming Fees paid by parents, and this enables us to send OUR children free throughout. This is a very GREAT help to us educationally therefore, but otherwise the School does not financially benefit the Children's Homes.

On the HOME'S side we have currently 138 children aged between 0 and 20+, with ten

resident staff. As you know we have four Homes each run as a family with a Mum and a Dad

each.

They make and partake of their breakfasts in their own individual kitchen but otherwise lunches and suppers are pre

pared centrally and then distributed to the 4 dining-rooms. This works very well and the children think the food is even better than before, when it was all cooked separately in each Home kitchen! LAUNDRY has also been centralised. Basically this consists of the clothing for ages 0 - 12 years. The Children from 12 upwards wash their own clothes. Staff clothing is also washed centrally. This has been a tremendous improvement in keeping track of dirty clothings and the difference can be SEEN in greater brightness and good repair. The change in system has also enabled us to reduce our salary bill considerably.

We still have about TWENTY over 18 year old attending College. TWO of them will be leaving us in the next week or so to start out on life. One is taking a position as a Chef with a high class and busy household, and the other as an Assistant Manager in a Chinese Restaurant. During the year we shall probably lose a further TEN. So we shall expect to admit a group of about 14 new small

kids during they year. Not a very big turnover. The demand for places far exceeds what we are able to offer.

The MIRACLE is that we are able to continue to offer ANY places, or even provide for those already here. School opened this week and many were facing inability to attend due to the fact that they had no shoes to wear. Then the Bank rang up to say that a

Gift of money had arrived right out of the blue and unannounced! So suddenly, out of nowhere, funds just arrived and with them we have been able to purchase shoes for the worst of the poor and need amongst us. JOY all around!! AND Thanksgiving to God, and to the hearts He moved to remember us. Other gifts arriving over the last month also answered prayers just as desperate

and so each day emphasised that for the most part thatwe LIVE by faith and NOT by sight. Our 'Substance' seldom able to be SEEN as a tangible asset, but rather HOPED for, and obtained later on. Praise the Lord indeed. In the photos to the left of the page you can see some of those needy shoes actually being received by the children - these pictures taken by Daryl on Friday of this week.

2,8 million children remain uncared for in Kenya. Many of these children 50 years ago would have been absorbed into the local community as a matter of course as they traditionally observed what was called 'extended family'. This was often as good if not better than the modeern idea of 'adoption'. Many families today would still be willing and

interested to adopt, but feel unable due to the cost of actually legally doing so. Esther and I have adopted FOUR children and young people over the years. It cost us little compared with today's inflated prices. None one of ours cost us more than $100. This included two or

three days in Court, all legal and other fees. TODAY it can cost as much as $20,000. The actual and REAL cost is still no more than a hundred dollars. This is no less than making merchandise out of the plight of the innocent and defenceless child, and may only be identified with a greedy godlessness. Governments should be making it easy for willing families to take in homeless children. I think some charge for an official adoption is good and right. Better in fact that giving money to people as an inducement to help a child It is a topic that needs co

nsideration. But the current trends are unforgivable. I may well endeavour to stir up some discussion on the issue as a whole.

WELL, it is almost lunch-time. I am typing in Green Cottage sitting room almost in the dark apart from one table lamp just near me. Outside the day is overcast, gloomy even. No sign of blue sky or sun. It is 65f and to me it feels definitely cold and chill. BUT by now, into September, the SUN should be shining and the rains stopped. Summer should have dawned.

Visitors expected next week - all hoping for this tropical climate to warm and delight them -

right now it looks like gum boots and brollies, with a heavy coat. Hope its better where you are. God Bless and be with you in a BIG way. We love you and thank you truly for just being there, our friend and family.

Affectionately,

John and Esther

2011-08-27T13:03:00.005+03:00

I'M PREACHING AGAIN THIS SUNDAY! Don't often get the chance since we have a big Team here and we even have visiting speakers from time to time. I am in the midst of a series on the Ten Commandments. This week we will be considering the 5th - 'Honour Your Father and your Mother'. This is often challenging since so many cannot even remember their real mother and father - like me!
Does the Commandment include Adoptive Parents and other Guardians given Charge and Authority over children and young persons? Yes I believe it must do so. Does it include those parents who have failed as parents in some way ? Yes I believe it does. Obedience and Submission to EVERY Authority is important, and although we may find abuse of that authority and a need to remove it, generally we are exhorted to Honour and Respect it as from the Lord. For many of our children in the Homes, and perhaps also even in the School, it is not easy for many of them to feel encouraged to honour their parents; parents that have abandoned them, deserted and even physically distressed them. Harder still for those who never really knew their true parents. And the majority perhaps for these reasons feeling let down and rejected - why then have to Thank God for them, and even honour them?
Quite challenging to deal with at times. Hope the Lord will help me!

THIS WEEK has sped by quickly. The Rains have continued and all our planted crops have taken advantage and are growing well. As we look around us we can only Thank God for walking with us and prospering the work of our hands. We can now say that the clearing of sites, erection of structures and
the actual realisation of our new ideas has now fallen into place. Routines have been installed and personnel appointed and given duties so that the whole Program can run smoothly day by day. We now hope that in the week ahead we can get to grips with the daily routines that found themselves a little neglected. It has been well worth the effort however, and we continue to not only admire what has been done in so short a time, but also to just ENJOY looking at it. During these last few days we completed planting potatoes and beans on the Jacaranda Plot which is now completely under cultivation. On the Testimony Plot the 2nd planting has also been completed so that the complete Plot is also cultivated.

During the week the price of SUGAR has again risen. Now one 50kg sack costs Ksh.10,000/- or 66 Sterling pounds. Other commodities also continue to rise. As we look at the world picture of famine, war, and financial collapse we truly wonder where we are all headed.

The Short School Holiday is about to end, and in about a week everyone will be back to School AND College. We brace ourselves for the next round of college fees now becoming due. We look to the Lord. TWO of our older young people Maureen Cherop and Victor Makokha, having concluded their 4th Secondary School year last December, have now been offered places in Teacher Training College and will be commencing in the next week or so. A wonderful opportunity for them and an answer to their prayers. We trust the Lord to see them through.

On Thursday the School held Interviews of Teachers. We have had to replace Joseph and Rachel Ochieng so sadly. More than 40 teachers turned up, and we trust that the Holy Spirit led us to select two of His choice from their number.

Around us, outside of Testimony Faith Homes, the people grow poorer and hungrier. Even more people still trek to the Town thinking gold can be picked up on the street. Unemployment rising, Crime increasing, and this week Esther and I were just turning in at 11,30p.m. when we were deafened by prolonged gunfire which seemed to be right outside our house. In fact it was a few kilometres away - people trying to steel a haulage truck were apprehended by police - two of the robbers shot dead. Scary! Poor Esther got palpitations she was so shocked. But the Town is behaving normally and everyone seems calm and going about their business, even if that business is nothing but walking the street aimlessly. I am right now seeking for some 8 job opportunities for School Leavers from the Homes. It will keep me busy...

We love and pray for you all. Keep in prayer for us as well. God Bless you

John and Esther

COWS! CHICKENS! WHATEVER NEXT?

2011-08-20T13:31:00.016+03:00

AT LAST THE CHICKENS HAVE ARRIVED! The first 100 arrived this week and have taken up residence in their new home. All very happy and full of chatter. First time round we decided not to buy chicks. So these 100 are 4 months old and probably have another two months to go before they start laying. The photo is of one of the two deep litter rooms they will be staying in. There will be the same space allocated for the broilers as well in the same house. It has taken

us a while to make sure that the House was rat proof, water proof and draft proof (without being too airless). So far so good. It is going to be quite a lot of work, and at least initially we shall try to enlist the help of an experienced poultry man/woman who can train our own staff to take care of them. They certainly never stop eating!

And of course we have to change the Litter weekly and make sure everything is as clean and germ free as possible. And we can see that the 'Trade' will do what it can to make it hard for us to make a worthwhile profit against them. Already the cost of 'Feed' is going up!!

The Chicken House is exactly opposite Drakeley Cottage AND Jacaranda. It is also going to be surrounded by the second Allotment. Right now we are preparing to plant POTATOES on this plot. Still a lot to do and clearing up work as well.

Had to cut down a few trees and also this week we have been trying our luck at making

CHARCOAL - so far it looks good. We still use charcoal for cooking in the School, and it is currently

Ksh.900/- per sack, more than double what it was last year. So far we have produced about 4 sacks with more to come. Every saving is a boon these days, and always quite exciting to see a little profit. Joseph and Beatrice ROP, Mum and and Dad in Jacaranda will probably end up being carers for the Chicken Project. We have to put a cement path from their back yard to the Chicken House about 50 feet away.

ROSIE and Co have settled down and made friends. Rosie supplying still about 15 litres of milk per day. We have also employed an experienced dairyman to initiate the first phase of the Dairy. He is making out very well indeed, and it is obvious that we have needed him. Daryl has truly been a tower of strength and industry in this month and a half, but cannot do the Office Administration AND be everywhere else at once in a responsible way. He will of course still be in the position of General Overseer of the Agricultural Program but with assistance. Maybe after a time as I mentioned re the chickens, we can have responsibility handed over to house-parents

after training. Cheaper!! But also more realistic and homely for us to be doing things ourselves without outside help.

THE NEXT move is to provide ourselves with a Bio gas Plant!! Daryl has all the plans for this, and he and another brother in Christ who used to be a Cleaner on our staff and who now makes a living MAKING these gas plants will probably go ahead quite soon. We will have a ready source of manure and compost, and again can see that it will save us a lot in fuel currently consumed by the School.
The first plantation is growing apace, and is very encouraging to behold. We had not

planted all of the space available as we want to go in stages to ensure a more constant provision of basic veg. Again, so far so good! The weather has been very good to us - still raining. We shall lay drip feed pipes on the Second Plot at Jacaranda NOW as we plant, and then slowly provide the same on the Testimony House Plot as we re-plant. The cooking and Laundry programs are also now working well and showing a considerable saving already. We PRAISE the LORD for all His Goodness to us in Waking us up and LEADING and GUIDING over these last two months.

ESTHER safely returned from Nairobi on Monday, after her four days away - seemed like years. She was visiting a girl friend of more than 40 years who has been ill with cancer. She also runs a Primary School in Nairobi.

And on Wednesday we celebrated Esther's 67th Birthday. It has been a good week, though wet and cold weather wise. And TODAY one of our staff - Isaac Mureithi an assistant in Testimony House is marrying here on the compound one of our School Teachers, Loice Wanjiru. Isaac has looked after Paul Ngugi in Testimony House. PAUL suffers from Hurlers Syndrome and is now 40 years old but unable to do anything for himself. He has been with us since he was 4 years. Isaac will still be working with us but not as a resident.

LAST WEEK, I briefly commented on the London Riots. I had said that I did not hear in the SKY NEWS reports of any Christian Leader actually speaking out. Just political and other notables. Many wrote back to assure me that there were, and IS, considerable Christian comment and action throughout the land, and that the general consensus has been more than encouraging. I must apologise, since I had not believed otherwise, and had not wished to question the general integrity of brothers and sisters in the church as a whole. I guess I was looking for something MORE from our political leaders - something that would point us back to God and show a realisation that recent legislation over the years both in the USA and UK has slowly put God on the shelf - or worse just deleted Him. I wonder how William Ewart Gladstone would have dealt with the situation in his day. Mr. Cameron was very positive and aggressive from a moral and humanist point of view - but I longed to just hear someone in Government stating the case, as it surely is, from God's perspective.

This week I read something written by Retired Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali in consort with other Church Leaders - Not bad at all - It needs to also come from A Christian Leader in Parliament.

We desperately need a Moses, an Alfred, - just a committed and vocal Christian.

Some of you may have read this article as it was printed in the Telegraph on 15th August. But I repeat it here in part since it echos so much how I was feeling last week.

'SIR,

We write as senior church leaders ........

What made Britain great was sense of responsibility, or accountability to one another and ultimately to GOD. It is the loss of this moral framework that has led to the plunge into the new barbarianism.

We must take steps immediately to strengthen the family as a place for moral and spiritual formation where our children first learn about boundaries.

......................What we instill in children today will determine in the future how they govern a nation, influence our polices and ultimately determine the quality of life in our communities.

We each make choices and decisions based on our value systems. GODLESSNESS has only produced selfishness and greed. The well-tried Christian faith has given us hope in the past and can do so again now.'

I know and believe there is much awakening in the UK, and indeed in the world at large within the Church of Christ. May it gather momentum without weakening along the way - a way that may become more and more alarming and arduous.

Esther and I Greet you all in Love, and in Jesus, Who has promised to be WITH US ALL until the End. Keep Him in sight.

John and Esther

2011-08-13T09:44:00.006+03:00

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? Well listening and viewing SKY-tv over the last week or so it would seem that these are a cross-section of British Youth! Instead of being limited to colour and ignorance it seems that all colours were represented, as well as all levels of education also.

WHY were they rioting? Why the looting, burning, and even killing? Initially I found it difficult to grasp how so many became so quickly involved without visible leadership or apparent reason. Was it just a 'tsunami' of discontent and material greed? According to those interviewing some of them, they were feeling angry because they were jobless, poor, denied the riches and affluence of others around them, discriminated against racially. They were just hitting out - hitting back at life and society around them. A kind of revenge spirit.

They all seemed lacking in any sense of regret, repentance or sorrow at the socially unacceptable behaviour they had been engaged in. Indeed many clearly did not see any real wrong in what they had done. A lack of conscience? A lack of 'awareness' of Right and Wrong. A lack of humanity!

Yesterday morning at our staff prayer meeting, at the beginning of the day, we found Romans 1v21-32 saying basically that all social breakdown in society is due to people leaving God out of their lives.

God is 'known' but HIS viewpoint made to yield to Man's viewpoint based on what he wants and desires for himself.

Verse 28 is especially focused -

Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,

God gave the over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.

................................................

And thereafter gives the list of social evils that come upon society generally from an un-disciplined and ungodly lifestyle.

Interestingly I seemed not to hear much from the Church during this awful time in London. Politicians, sociologists, educationalists all had their opinions - but less than a handful of Christians had a word to say. Yet more and more the American and British societies have turned away from the Bible as the moral foundation and fibre of daily life. God has been pushed aside and, at times, trodden underfoot, and even totally discarded in matters relative to discipline, ethics, and morality - even justice!! More and more ignorance of the Christian Heritage and Teaching that stabilised our Countries now grip the average mind. The Mighty Hand that stayed us from the greater evils of our world is now thrust from us in impatient determination

to be FREE of every restriction in order for us to have and do what WE want, regardless of any

other consideration. or will it, in sweeping all before it, also obliterate everything for ever?

CAN such a 'tsunami' be turned away? We have seen such tides turned in the past, God sending Revival and Witness powerfully to the fore that the mind and hearts of a generation. Wesley and Whitefield saw it, as did Moody and Sankey. Can we expect such to rise up yet once more?

Certainly it cannot be wrong to pray and hope so. Yet as we observe the Age in which we now live, and hear once more the words Paul wrote in 2.Timothy 3 we may have little real hope.

If these are the Last Days of which Paul speaks then we may only expect what I have many times before also certified - a worsening, world wide, of our respective societies into godless chaos and inhuman behaviour. BUT individually none of us should give up and let the tide role over us. No, rather we now need to STAND tall and be SEEN and HEARD more than at any time bfore. Yes, we need to stand and SHINE out as lighthouses set as we are in great darkness amidst turbulent seas strewn with unseen rocks set to our wrecking.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

TOMORROW is the fortieth Wedding Anniversary of Me and Esther. All those years just gone in a flash. She is not here with me this week though. She is visiting an old girl frend who is also running a School in Nairobi. She will not be back till Monday. Will have been away five days, and I have really felt her absense. On Tuesday it is also her Birthday, so we may combine both occassions and have a small party to celebrate. Should be giving each other Rubies........but it is unlikely that we will! We have had a good marriage, full of adventure, and full of Joy. Not to say we also shed tears at times, and had dark days of doubt and even despair both of ourselves and others - BUT the One who brought us and kept us together brought us through all things until now. Thanks be to God. Where do we go from here...?

Well Moses had a long way to go still by the time he was 70 - so I guess one never knows -

it is as God Wills. The weather continues VERY wet and cold - not very celebratory at all! It would have been nice to have all the family in on the Occassion, but as usual this cannot be. Daryl and Carol and kids will be here with us, as also Manu. Tweety-pie will be working still in Nairobi; Steve, Anji and family will be in the Cape Verde Islands on holiday; Liz and Prem are still in Madras, India visiting Prem's parents, and Mike and Janet still in London, though a little distant from the riot areas.

The photo was taken in the UK earlier this year when we were staying with Steve and Anji. - mainly because of the Cherry Tree I think.

No more Agricultural photos this week. Work has continued apace but I think NEXT week will find new photos of the CHICKENS and also the progressive grown of the vegetables and so on. Our cows are doing well and have become friends as expectant mothers should. Things are going well.

SO, until next time, I shall once again pause, and turn to other matters. Thank you for your prayers and good wishes. All much appreciated. We have YOU all in our prayers also, and most encouraging of all HE has us held tightly in His hands. God Bless.....

John and Esther

2011-08-07T11:48:00.012+03:00

INTRODUCING 'ROSIE', cow number one - AND by way of a surprise, cow number TWO in the photo, lying down, has also come to stay - just a day ago! Things have really been changing. All this in just over a month since 6th July when we first ploughed up the ground for a Garden! It is quite WONDERFUL in our eyes! Rosie cost us a hundred pounds and her little sister at sixty - all through the goodness of a local farmer who has himself been supplying milk to the Homes. Real Christian kindness! Generally they will be on 'Zero Grazing' but we did not want them to be imprisoned entirely in a concrete jail, and so they do have a walk about area as well. So far so good - NOW Daryl is looking into a Bio-Gas System! Rosie is four months with calf, and No.2 is six months.

JOSEPH ROP, our Houesparent in Jacaranda is currently doing the job of Cow-man, Milking and Mucking-out - but this is only temporary, and we should be getting someone special to b

e the Chief Dairyman! Who knows in the future we might make cheese !!!!Shades of Gromet!

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHICKENS? Yes I am sure some are wondering why we have said so little. Well we ran into a few hitches with the Chicken House. It is a very roomy and well planned building, but on inspection it was found to be NOT rat proof and so we have had to make a few changes to make it safe.

RATS are very plentiful in our locality and of course we cannot risk our little chicks becoming a prime attraction for them. All is now finished and NEXT week we plan to get the first batch of layers. We are not buying day olds, but a bit older first time round. This will also save a bit on Feeds. AND latest news - we have found MORE water very close to the Chicken House so now we have two sources. Very exciting.

AND Centralised Cooking began on Wednesday, and the Central Laundry opened the same day.

Both are working out. SO, all systems GOing well!! Thank you Father, we know you are looking down upon us - still as children in your sight. May we remain so day by day.

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LAST WEEK we buried Johann Nanjelo, one of our first boys. On the day I wrote the Blog we later heard of a further loss. A loss to the School, to us personally, and to all the staff and students who had known them. TWO of our longest serving Teachers (they joined us in 1990) a married couple, JOSEPH AND RACHEL OCHIENG, both died in a car crash that morning. They had been travelling to Nakuru to meet with their children, and future in-laws of one who was to get married. Joseph was 55 and Rachel 51. Both taught in the Primary School. They were alone in the car, and died immediately. A real tragedy, and plunged the School into mourning. The Funeral was yesterday and they were buried together in the same cemetery as Johanna. The School had a Memorial Service for them on Thursday morning in the School Hall. I managed to attend although I have been struggling with a bout of bronchitis. I was unable to attend the actual Burial but Esther and Daryl went. We shall all miss them enormously. Great numbers of family, friends, and students attended the Funeral.

####################################

FINALLY, for this week, we have to announce a change in our Staff.

Steven and Emily Situma, houseparents in Drakeley Cottage since 2003 have left us. Steven has taken a position as Caterer in a large Nairobi Mission. He was trained for this years ago, and has always I think missed that kind of work. Some of you may remember that last year we had a problem in the Homes with discipline. We had discovered some of the children had been beaten. One of those involved, and who in fact stood accused of abuse of this kind was Steven. He had been warned on several occasions, and we feel that he and Emily had decided to leave us - and children's work - as a result. We wish them well, and trust that the Lord will continue to lead and guide them into His Perfect Will. We already have replacements, and are happy to see that the general atmosphere in Drakeley Cottage has become much happier and freer. It is remarkable that this change should have also come in this first month. And still the RAIN pours down upon our favoured part of Kenya whilst the greater part continues rainless and parched.

Continue to pray with and for us. We all need strength from each other in the Spirit of God. We all need each other's prayers. May our Father in Heaven keep you safe and sound by His Grace in the Name of our Lord JESUS.

John and Esther

NB - Apologies for not putting this up yesterday, but we were unable to get onto the Web due to some external technical problems.

TESTIMONY FARM IS GROWING!!

2011-07-30T13:32:00.005+03:00

WELL this used to be MUM'S Woodshed, but has now in a week has been re-discovered and converted into a COW Shed and Milking Station for up to TWO cows!! The cows will hopeful appear soon!! Daryl has been pushing his small workforce in planting and many other matters such as putting up a 1000 litre water tank, capping the well, fencing and PLANTING. All has gone well, so far except for two sadnesses. The first was that the night before we capped the well, leaving it with a temporary timber cover, our oldest German-shepherd, Rupert, fell through it and drowned in the well before anyone could rescue him - it happened around dawn. Then having planted hundreds of cabbage plants we found a number of them dying off, having turned brown. It seemed that the labourers who had been planting had also been putting down chicken manure without mixing it.!! So a slight set back, but we have replanted, and other veg such as the spinach is growing well. There is progress and it is still raining!! God walks with us and we are much encouraged.

This week a second well is being dug on the Jacaranda Compound so that hopefully we shall have water there too to irrigate the second Allotment! Also final touches to the Chicken House will be made. We have found it is a little larger than we really need it to be, so part of it now will be used as a Feed Store for the Chickens. Daryl has been so busy he has become more of a Farm Manager than an Executive Director. But without his drive and flair at this initial stage we might have not been able to carry things through. We now have good foundations for the future, and no doubt he will gradually hand over his agricultural responsibilities to another.

Many areas in Kenya continue to have little or no rainfall so that drought conditions continue - very much being aggravated by the Sudanese Refugee problem, with hundreds of thousands running into Kenya. Food prices continue to escalate week by week, and electric power is being seriously rationed, also adding to the general economic crisis. Things do not look good in a general sense with government and other politicians stirring animosity and bad feeling as the time gap to the next Election in August 2012 shortens. Not a

comfortable or stable outlook. More and more concerns are being voiced by the average Kenyan, and there is a growing anxiety that the near future will only worsen. BUT God is with His People. It will be our opportunity to demonstrate that those who put their trust in Him will be saved. A demonstration which may well bring many into the Fold of the kingdom of God.

ON THURSDAY of this week, we buried our 'son' of many years, JOHANNA Nanjelo Okombo. He was 53 and had come to us when he was eleven. He passed away in hospital in his sleep.

He was confident of his Salvation. A large portion of our staff that had known and worked with him over the years, in addition to old boys and girls and of course ourselves were all at the graveside. The civil cemetery is about 9 kilometres from Eldoret Town centre at the end of a rough mud road often waterlogged at this time of year. One comes upon the cemetery suddenly. There is no fence or wall - suddenly the open fields give way to grave stones and wooden markers, and then almost as far as the eye can see they continue on every hand. It is a most desolate untended and uncared for place. There we held a Service. Joshua Mbithi, himself an AIC ordained minister was there with his wife Miriam, herself an old girl of Testimony House, plus three other ordained pastors who had grown up in Testimony House. About 100 of us altogether. It was grey and cloudy but warm. We were glad it was only the body we left there. A forlorn place to leave anyone in. But the Service was good and there was a spirit of Victory and Praise as so many Testified to His Saving Grace and remembered the miracle of Johanna's own Salvation. His young sister, Grace Atieno, and brother Edward Majimbo where there. Grace a mother of 10 children herself at 48 stayed in Green Cottage with Esther and me until this morning, when she left for her home in Maseno. Edward, working in Nairobi returned there the same day as he had only an allowance of one day to be away from his job.

ON MONDAY next week we shall commence using the Central |Kitchen for providing meals for the FOUR Homes. Everything is now ready including the two chefs - both old boys - who will be managing everything. Additionally the Central Laundry will also commence serving the four Homes as well. Things are moving along, and we hope and believe it will all assist in lowering our outgoings whilst also increasing our efficiency. Change is not only in the air here with us, but is very much the atmosphere in which we live.

Thank you for your continued prayer as you follow us via the Blog. We need those prayers; they are our strength and confidence day by day. God Bless and be with you always

John and Esther

2011-07-23T11:24:00.004+03:00

SEARCHING FOR WATER, this young man has dug down more than 20 feet already. He says water is not far! We hope so, and we also hope he gets out alive!! Well, but this is his job in life, and he tells us he has gone down to 60 feet many times AND found water. He is sure WE will have water from this well - enough to irrigate at least the Home Plot of land now already half planted.
All through this week the Rains have been continuing, and the cultivation of the first big plot has progressed until now we can actually see cabbage plantlings instead of grass! Work has gone ahead well and Daryl has been pushing ahead with the whole business of getting Testimony Faith Homes at least partially self sustaining. In conjunction with this he has decided to also initiate and start a small Dairy! At the top left of the picture to the left you will see a small shed. This has been Esther's WOOD shed in the past, but is now already partway being changed to a Cow Shed!!

We think that with a small grass paddock and alternative feeds we will be able to comfortably support 1 cow and her calf as a beginning. Who knows.. next week we might have a COW to show you all.

All the work so far - since the completion of the Chicken House - has been concentrated on this side, but next week the chickens should finally arrive, and then also the planting out of the Jacaranda Agricultural Garden will also begin.

We are also roping in some of our senior boys who are waiting either for College places or Employment outside. Indeed in one way or another we are ALL roped in and joined together in a unified desire to see this Project not only 'take off' but also to prosper. Already this week our Bank has offered to supply us with roof guttering and water tanks to harvest rain water from the roof of one of our largest buildings in recognition of our desire to 'help ourselves'!!! Wonders will never cease!.

One or two of you have been wondering why we had never thought of doing all this a long time ago! Well in truth we did have one or two stabs at it, but somehow it never took off until now. Also the 'Authorities' always insisted that we kept enough 'play space' for the children. But we really have had more than enough play space, and now with the adjacent School Field the surrounding house lawns have become less necessary. No doubt there is a 'Time' for everything with God - and it looks as if THIS is the time.

ON TUESDAY of this week one of our Old Family Members, SAMMY KIRUI, left us to return to Oklahoma in the U.S.A. where he is studying for his Phd.

Sammy came to stay in Testimony House with me and Esther in 1983. He was then in the 3rd year of Secondary School. Always a quiet, studious boy, he loved Jesus as his Saviour. On completing Secondary he chose to go to Bible College for two years, gaining a Degree in Theology, and thereafter pastored a Church in Naivasha. Of a loving and gentle disposition Sammy has many pastoral gifts, and continued to dig into the Word of God. In 2009 he was offered the chance continue study in the U.S.A. and is now just a year away from completing his Doctorate. Sam has always kept in close touch with us, and never misses an opportunity to visit. He was able to be with us for just a week, full of encouragement and excitement at our new developments.

Everywhere he goes JESUS is right there with him, and so although still a student he is also very much a 'minister of the gospel', bring a sturdy, and positive message of Hope and Happiness wherever he goes. He is friend to all he meets without judgement or criticism. A man in whom is no guile! He is now about 44 years old. We believe the LORD has something and 'someone' special for him in the not too distant future. One of our 'stars'. THANKS Sam for being so much with, and part of us all. We are praying for YOU too.

ANOTHER OF OUR OLD BOYS, one of the oldest in fact is seriously ill in hospital. JOHANNA OKOMBO came to stay with me with his brother Doudi in Maseno in 1969. He was then about ten years old. Bright and active child though he was he had also been addicted to Marijuana. This had affected his mental health a little, but we had high hopes he would overcome. Esther and I took him with us England in 1972 when we visited, and eventually he completed Secondary School in Form 4 - but then he deserted us and dropped out of sight. It was 1980. He left in rebellion to God and man in the gall of bitterness. We wept for him. In 1987 he was arrested for armed robbery and imprisoned for ten years of his life. We tried to discover which prison he was confined in but all to no avail. Then, in 1997 we received a letter from him! He wrote -

Dear Mum and Dad,I have always known you both loved me,

and that you brought me up in the knowledge of God.

I would surely have died in sin if you had not done this for me,

and if it were not for you and God, and Jesus,

I might have died in this prison.

Because of this I and many others in the prison have been Saved

and Accepted Jesus as our Personal Saviour!

I am busy now telling others how I have spent ten years in prison

and how I have found JESUS here!

Thank you for loving me, and for loving God.

Since Jesus came into my life, even immediately as He drew me to Himself,

I have been able to give up the things I used to do and be.

And YES, if it were not HIM, I would have died in sin, in the prison.

But He has set me free. I am out of the prison now, and I am working!

I am a new person.

Your son always - Johanna Okombo.

Johanna continued to work and earn his own living, but also was often afflicted by the affects of those early years of addiction to Marijuana. He WAS Saved, and learned to trust in Jesus during moments when he felt unable to control his feelings. He bought a small piece of land and built a small simple house upon it with his earnings. He is now approximately 52. He married and has a six year old son. But his wife deserted him and is now married to another.

Johanna is now in Hospital. We found him there this week in what are called The NYAYO Wards in the huge Referral Hospital. We found him emaciated, dumped on an unmade and dirty bed together with another man who was himself near to death. Johanna has AIDS. As a complication of this he is also suffering from Pneumonia and Gastro-enteritis. Very weak; himself near to death. The Ward in which we found him was hugely overcrowded with the dying and seriously ill, (most of the two to a bed) their relatives all around them even more distressed. No sign of a nurse or a doctor. No sign of care or hygiene. It felt like the ante-room to Hell itself. A truly 'horrible' place in the midst of what has been recently built to the most modern and up to date specifications. Beautiful buildings, but only ruin and lonely despair within.

We have rescued him from there. He is in a cleaner place, where he will get at least some attention. The SAME hospital, but the care comes at a price!

We have him in our prayers. We know Jesus can heal him. HE knows that too, and is remarkably cheerful. He seemed to have no idea why he is in the hospital, and it seems he slowly became ill and just neglected to attend a doctor.

He is also part of the Testimony Family. Takes all kinds to make a family, doesn't it? And even as I write there are more tears in my eyes for others on my heart right now. Tears of Joy AND tears of deep distress as well. God sees them.

The discomfort with my right foot has gone away in answer to Prayer. Now Esther has a bad throat and needs prayer. We both plod on, glad to be here, and glad to be able to plod whilst others jog and run. We are relieved that Daryl is taking up the reins and responsibilities. We feel rested but not rejected - still part of the scene - still part of the general activity and ongoing adventure of Testimony Faith Homes. BLESS you all for your love and prayer and support. God IS good.

Lovingly - John and Esther

2011-07-16T08:01:00.004+03:00

A START HAS BEEN MADE, and already work has begun on erecting a Broiler and Layers House. IN THE PHOTO are some of our friends from The Tyndale Christian School in Southern Australia who are here with us just now - in fact they leave us on Monday morning having been with us almost two weeks. These young people have entered into our labours with all their heart and have been busy throughout. THIS chicken House, though simply made, will cope with about 150 broilers and 100 layers at a time. We should have the first lot in within two weeks, perhaps earlier. It is sited in the compound of Jacaranda Cottage. ANOTHER one is going up in the Home of Joshua and Miriam Mbithi, at NEEMA Children's Home using the same labour force as ourselves.
SO FAR we have ploughed up all the land we had earmarked for development, and should start planting next week. The new Economy wood stove has also been installed AND the two washing machines - all with the assistance of our friends from Tyndale - and it is hoped to commence our new centralized plans for cooking and laundry by next week. This is FAST progress, and we do Thank the Lord for not only giving us Vision and Sight, but also the financial ability and physical help to bring it all to pass! AMAZING. The weather has also been on our side, with rains continuing with intermittant sunshine and warmth. There is a very definate sense that we have turned a corner, and walked into a new chapter of life.
During these days we have been reading the Book of Joshua in the early mornings. Recently we read in Joshua 3v3-5 -

'Commanding the people...

When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God

being borne by the Levitical priests,

set out from where you are and follow it.

YET A SPACE must be kept between you and it

........come not near it,

that you may be able to see the ark

and know the way you must go,

for you have not passed this way before

And Joshua said to the people,

Sanctify yourselves (that is seperate yourselves

for a special holy purpose)

for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.

The LORD had given Esther and me opportunity to step back and, in some respect, even distance ourselves from the work of TFH, when He took us to the UK for those months. And from a distance we began to SEE new things in a new way. TOO close and we stop seeing all that needs to be seen. We had needed to take that step back, and still need to keep our distance! Do you see what I mean? We can be so blind when we live right up close to each other, to our work, and even to the LORD.

Joshua says take a step or two back and get a BETTER view, a clearer view of the Lord and where He is going. Especially NOW because He is going to take you places you have never been before!

YES we feel on the way to places we have not been before. A sense of great expectancy and anticipation - HE will do 'Wonders' amongst us!

So keep praying for us, that we do not lose our way, and that all will be well with us as we follow Him from a respectful, viewable distance.

oooooooooooooooooooo

TODAY is the 30th Parents & Prizegiving Day for Testimony School. A bright sunny morning fully of promise. The Mayor of Eldoret is the Guest of Honour today, and some 500 people are expected to attend the function which includes a School Walk Around, lunch, and a School Concert in the afternoon followed by Prize Giving. Quite a lot of work. I am escaping from the Walk Around today since I have sprained my foot and it is still rather painful. Will manage all the rest of my offical duties.

AND TOMORROW we have our Morning Service in the open air in front of the Baptistry - more than FIVE to be Baptised. It will be VERY cold water!!! Always an exciting service, and we expect a great Blessing. The students and teachers visiting from Tyndale School will also be with us, and at least one of their number is also to be baptised. THEN on Sunday evening the Team from Tyndale will host a supper for EVERYONE - all the children and staff - in the Homes. Should be a fun evening for everyone and a chance to take farewell of each other. It has been a VERY full week..........We thank God for His Providence and Goodness to us all.

Much Love to you

John and Esther

NEW BEGINNINGS

2011-07-09T12:40:00.006+03:00

SAFELY BACK IN ELDORT, and thrust into active service once more at breakneck speed. We left Heathrow on the 28th June, and were met in Nairobi early on the 29th by Joe, Mary Kibe and their daughter Mugure. We journied about 40 ks to their home in Ngong where we were joined by other members of the family, and later still in the evening by Daryl who motored up from Eldoret. We had a happy reunion and time of fellowship.

The next morning we departed for Eldoret, and Testimony Faith Homes arriving about 4.30p.m. our time. A LOT of Greetings awaiting us there. AND a lot of CHALLENGE!! But before proceeding further Esther and I just want to again THANK our family and friends in the UK who welcomed us, feted us, and gave to us renewed impetus and strength to face unfinished ministry here amongst the children of Kenya. Since our arrival we have found ourselves plunged into a great deal of activity demanding immediate attention and energy - and we have not felt so FRESH and VIGOROUS in applying ourselves to it for a long time! We have therefore suddenly realised that indeed we received EXACTLY what we needed in being away for the work here, and in having what amounted again and again to what seemed an almost 'forced' rest. We ourselves I think had not realised how much we both needed renovation! We have returned like NEW people, finding renewed vision and adventure bubbling up everywhere - and still in the midst of a very adverse economical scenario.

Prices still soaring on basic foodstuffs and some basic commodities just not available in the entire area - for example maize meal, cooking bananas which for the foundation of our diet quite unobtainable. The government so far seems unable or unwilling to sort the situation out. Countries around us such as Ethiopia, Sudan, and Eritrea are all suffering severe and prolonged lack of rain and thus famine greater than they have seen for perhaps as long as 60 years. But Kenya although also experiencing drought in one or two regions has had rain enough to produce annual harvests.......but where did those harvests go to? We have had enough to actually feed ourselves, yet now the government is in denial and refuses to accept that it is in any way to blame for what they now claim in a national food shortage. Of course it is as usual the man in the street, the unemployed, poor that suffer the most........and we also with them.

We arrived with just a thousand pounds in hand to throw into the Housekeeping need and then threw ourselves into considering how to bring down our own cost of living within TFH. Daryl, Esther and I met together with our Houseparents to consider options, and we came up with the following ideas.

FIRST to turn our hand to providing our own vegetables, milk, eggs, and even chicken meat in a bid to reduce our monthly food bill by almost a thousand pounds. Rather ambitious, but not impossible as it turns out. FIRST we took a long look at the lawns that surround Testimony House and Jacaranda Cottage, as well as some of the School amenities that have encroached on our ground. We saw that some of these areas could be put to agricultural use and it has been decided to -

(a) Create a Small Market Garden

by resiting the School Nursery playground from Testimony House grounds

to the School playing fields, AND by ripping up some lawns on the Jacaranda

Cottage side - 1 and a half acres altogether! We have now already had it

ploughed up and made ready for planting - WE have rain!!!! We hope to put

down some MAIZE, and also enough green vegetables, onions, tomatoes,

and even root crops

to feed our community of 150 hungry kids.

(b) Adventure into Animal Husbandry

by establishing a small (two cow) Dairy to supply MILK,

and also a Chicken Project to provide for EGGS and CHICKEN to eat.

RIGHT NOW the actual structures for these projects are in the process of being researched and put up. Additionally we intend to

(c) Centralise the Catering & Laundry

for the 4 Children's Homes. Each house has cooked its own food in its own

kitchen with it's own cook. But now we are going to use only ONE kitchen;

the one in Testimony House, to cater for ALL. Food will be prepared and cooked

there and then distributed to the Homes in 'Hot pots'. This will be in respect of

daily Lunch and Suppers. This will reduce the number of cooks we need.

The Houseparents will prepare Breakfast for their own children in their own Homes,

and also evening tea before bedtime.

Similarly the New Room of Testimony House, which adjoins the Kitchen

will become the Laundry for ALL four Homes with one woman

in charge.

To assist this to run well we are having to put in two economic wood stoves for cooking in the Central Kitchen and two washing machines (very simple, durable top loaders) in the Laundry.

We hope to have most of this at least beginning to run as planned within one month. It will mean laying off surplus domestic staff - about six in all. Altogether we expect to save between 2 and 3 thousand pounds per month finally.

Ushering all this in, our Board of Management met last night and delightedly encouraged the whole enterprise. They also saw fit to appoint Daryl, who was holding the fort here whilst Esther and I were away to be Executive Director over all the ministry of TFH. I myself will still be here as General Secretary responsible to correspondence, finance, and local public relations. I shall conduct most of this from Green Cottage, and Daryl will move into my Office. In the end everyone seemed to think

this was a very good initial move to secure the

ongoing future and direction of the work here.

DARYL was eight when he arrived here with his brother in 1980. He was educated in Testimony Primary and Secondary Schools and the Kenya Highlands Bible College, Kericho in 1997. He married Carol, his wife in the same year, and both found employment with us in the Homes until now - Daryl with just a short break - and Carol until she left Teaching in our School to start a small educational institute of her own in Town. They have three children, Jesse, Rebekah and Jeremy, and live in their own rented house about two kilometres fro us.

Daryl also has a Diploma in Business Management which he obtained at night school. As many of you will know Daryl has had a challenged Christian life, but it has been good to see his fight to overcome, and we believe that he is back on track for Jesus, and stronger and more sure of himself than before. His family also rallying around him.

I have run on and on! Tyndale School staff and students (25) of them are here right now all helping with implementing some of the above projects and enjoying time with our children. They have offered to help with the purchase of the the capital items mentioned above, and also with the building of the chicken house!!! And they knew nothing about it all till they arrived and found us in the midst of these innovations.

God Bless you all - we are all watching and waiting together.

Lovingly in Jesus

John and Esther

TIME NO LONGER......

2011-06-25T10:09:00.004+03:00

BUT CERTAINLY IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP!! And I especially like this cartoon because it has EVERYTHING.

I mean the cockerel is the symbol of a Waker Upper - Early, LOUD, irritatingly continuous. Yet this one is standing on an Alarm Clock which does not appear to have gone off - it has a very obsolete look about it, almost as if it no longer works; DEAD. Perhaps a comparison of a Believer and the Church

Friends Esther and I are poised, God being Gracious to us, to return to our appointed place in Kenya, Africa. We have a ministry there amongst needy children. BUT more than that we have a ministry to EVERYONE we meet - it is to Tell what we have come personally to KNOW about Jesus - about the LIGHT that God Almighty has given to mankind to lead him through and out of the Darkness of this world. And we had better believe that this IS a darkening world. Esther and I have realised, in these two months of travel and visitation through two thirds of the UK, that we had ceased to CROW - the 'alarm' mechanism within us was somehow on 'sleep' mode. We DID witness to our own opinion that

the Last Days were upon us in extremis.....BUT we were not SHINING BRIGHT to show the way of Salvation to the whosoever. We must have spent hundreds of hours greeting people, passing the time of day, sharing family matters, telling about our children in Eldoret! BUT we had left JESUS out of the most of it! I mean we did not take the opportunity of sharing, on a very personal note, what HE is to us. The Light in us had dimmed, did not catch the eye or brighten a heart for Jesus. Our light was enclosed in a 'shuttered lantern' - enclosed by the business and the worries of our world. Suddenly we were no longer the EXCITED Bearer of Good News - THAT WONDERFUL NEWS - that God SO LOVED me that he found a way to SAVE me out of all my distress, and that BECAUSE He did this for me He can do it for YOU too. COME and SEE Jesus whom I have just MET. We have ALL been BORN to do this - to proclaim and shout out about the Love, the Wonderful LOVE of God. The FIRST thing Phillip did on coming to know Jesus was to go tell his brother Nathaniel - The Gospel of John 1v43-46. He just HAD to tell someone. The DAY I myself came to realise Jesus was alive I just HAD to tell someone, and I went on telling URGENTLY what I had come to know about HIM, and how it had changed my life. WHY do we cool down on this activity? Somehow we shy more and more away from being the Evangelist we were meant to be - nay even commanded to be! GO! said Jesus - And TELL others about Me. Yes GO, and tell about it everywhere. If we do not WAKE UP to the fact that we are NOT DOING it we may find ourselves left behind when the Trumpet sounds, or at best be amongst those who will suffer LOSS when it comes to Rewards for well doing.

You may say to me - "I am not a missionary, a pastor, a Bible teacher! I am just an ordinary person trying to live a quiet, Christian life in an ungodly world. Isn't that 'Light' enough?"

NO it isn't. We are all CALLED of God to get up out of darkness, and go forth in and with the LIGHT into this dark world to Proclaim the Salvation of God to everyone - regardless of whether they will listen or not. We are ALL Evangels of God's Message of Love. We are all full time TELLERS of whatever He has SHOWN to us who know Him. Lose sight of this truth and you lose sight of a NECESSITY without which all other service becomes worthless. NO, Go into all the world; Tell about Me in the valley, on the mountain, EVERYWHERE - to EVERYONE you meet, or who meets you! There is not much time left. Your opportunity to snatch your neighbour out of the 'Fire of Hell' may soon be gone.

BE READY

at every opportunity

to give the reason for the Hope that is within YOU!

++++++++++++++

AS WE RETURN TO KENYA, we return with this RENEWAL within us, and with the resolve to TELL others about our personal experience wherever we go with power, and with signs confirming. Hallelujah. This is our avowed intent - as volcanoes erupt, as the earth splits asunder in diverse places, as war and revolution, famine and pestilence increase, and as the gloom and despondency of these dark times engulf the whole world. We are LIGHT BRINGERS. LET THERE BE LIGHT .......... Who knows what might happen if WE all - ALL those who KNOW they are Redeemed should begin to say so, LOUDLY, to all they meet. It is what we OUGHT to be doing. Psalm 107v2

God Willing this is our last week-end in the United Kingdom. Sunday we shall have our last Church Meeting in an Anglican Church - Christ Church Barnston. Then a day in London with our son Michael and his wife Janet, and then (provided Virgin Atlantic Airline is not on strike) we shall fly to Kenya late on Tuesday evening. We know we are coming to even greater challenge within our ministry than when we left. But we come with Confidence in the Author of our Faith. We come with renewed Vision and Vigour. We come with JOY.

RISE AND SHINE dear friends. Let us all stand together, shoulder to shoulder with our Lord and King.

Lovingly in His Name

John and Esther

ALMOST HOMEWARD BOUND

2011-06-19T15:35:00.005+03:00

MY FATHERS' HOUSE? This is a photo of St. Alban's Cathedral & Abbey built more than a thousand years ago, and here being restored in the 1800s. Largely a NORMAN building by way of architecture. Set in beautiful grounds. Our son Michael and his wife Janet took us to see it just a week or so ago. I did not like it much as a building; it seemed too stark, rough hewn and unfinished still. In fact it had been been utterly ruined at one time and rebuilt. But what really reduced whatever beauty or sense of God's Presence it may once have had, was the heavy secular atmosphere within it.

Quite a lot of TRADE was going on in the various areas given to selling Christian books and Nick-knacks. And a number of sight seeing and 'educational' tours were noisily touring the interior. It lacked any sense of a place for God to be honoured or reverenced. Of course most of the huge buildings given to worship hundreds of years ago are now badly attended and ill funded so that it is hard to pay for their upkeep. Thus the idea of 'selling' space for commerce and tourism. But this must be at the expense of the sense of God remaining tangible.

There will be, and are, exceptions to some extent, but generally I think this will hold good. One has to be reminded of our Lord's rebuke when He found such a situation in the Temple in Jerusalem -

Mark 11v15-17

...And Jesus went into the Temple,

and began to cast out those that sold and bought in the Temple,

and overthrew the tables of the

moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves.

And would not suffer that any man

should carry any vessel through the Temple.

And He Taught saying -

"is it not written

'My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer?

But you have made it a den of thieves.'"

What would he say of to-day's practice and attitude. Again, recently, in a less grand Church, I attended Sunday Service in which it was impossible to pray or even concentrate on the exposition of the Word of God because of the total freedom of infant children attending with their parents to run about the building, even up to the alter, screaming and shouting. None stopped them, their parents even at times encouraging them to enjoy themselves as if they were in Play School! No sense of 'place', no discipline and no respect for the House of God. BUT the pastor clearly saw nothing untoward with this, and indeed emphasised that the Church was a Family, and that we should BE family when we attended it - taking advantage to be free and informal, and even apparently without understanding. To-day is Father's Day in England.

But I did not feel our Heavenly Father was properly evaluated by His children. Am I being TOO old fashioned? NO! I am just not being conformed to the world around me. When we read that at the Great Wedding feast a man found without the right dress code was thrown OUT

of the wedding we should surely wonder - when we attend Church in front of God Almighty - just how we should present ourselves, and how we should demonstrate our understanding of WHO our Father is. We have become careless, slovenly, and even irreverent in our approach. Some now call HIM 'Daddy' - but we must remember that 'familiarity breeds contempt'. We should be watchful and careful that we do not take liberties. Jesus never did.

In perhaps singular and sad conrast Esther and I visited a midweek Meeting of a United Reformed Church built in the 1600s, and continuously used for prayer and worship ever since.

But today not more than maybe 20 members - all over 60 - but all quietly demonstrating their awareness of God in the way they entered His Presence, without taking it for granted - with an Awe that was without dread, but also without disrespect. Just small but precious memory of the past. Will we come out of this ignorant spin away from the 'fear' of God? If not then it might seem we are headed for greater foolishness still.

EIGHT MORE DAYS and we shall leave England - TEN days and we shall, God Willing, arrive again in ELDORET. We are looking forward to coming home. It has been a very full and wearing time, though with many moments of joy and happiness to weigh against definite disappointments and setbacks. Yet even these adverse moments God has used in forcing us to pray and to seek the more Blessing from HIM. All is still not well as far as our current situation with respect to the Ministry of TFH is concerned, but at the same time we are assured in our hearts that the Lord IS with us, and that the Battle is HIS, and not ours. We shall now look for the VICTORY that we have believed in and Trusted for. We know that you will also uphold us in this as you read, and that we TOGETHER will join forces in the heavenlies against the Spiritual Powers ranged against us. Esther and I have maintained fairly good health throughout, and Daryl and our staff and all the children also, seem to have been blessed with health and fortitude. God IS our ROCK..

I may - if possible - add a postscript to this next Saturday or just before we leave here. Thereafter I hope to get back to normal and more regular Updates to this Blog. Thank you for reading and praying as we have been away, both for us and for those left in Eldoret carrying on the work with the School and Children.....

God Bless and be with you

John and Esther

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

2011-06-11T12:55:00.002+03:00

GOING BACK TO 1910 this is a photo of Salim Chapel, Devizes which is now being used by the Pentecostal Assemblies of God. Notice all the ladies in HATS!! AND everyone wearing their Sunday BEST! WE also were in Salim Chapel on the way down from the north of England and enjoyed an evening Fellowship with the current congregation led by Pastor David Fiddy. We had not visited them since 1983 but were very glad to still find old friends there.

At the time we were staying in Weston Super Mare with Phillip and Margaret Brayhshaw. Margaret spent almost two years with us in Testimony House in 1974.

She was a single young lady then, and keen to help. She WAS a help, and also took on 4 month old twin boys full time. Both of them grew up to love Jesus, and both now serving Him in full time ministry - how time flies. Big Thanks to Margaret for adventuring herself with us. WE were delighted to be able to spend some very happy days with them as we travelled south to Brixham. No more Church Meeting but we were able to visit old friends and also join in Fellowship with various prayer groups along the way. Some of that time we were Off Line and thus unable to put up a Blog. BUT, today we are back on line and with time to write at least a little something. We are staying with Allan and Margaret Nicholls our long time friends and helpers here in the UK. Allan runs the AENON Trust through which most of our support from UK is sent. He is in a way the Front Man for TFH since he usually is the one that answers questions, and receives gifts first hand for us and on our behalf. He then sends on to us. Thus many of you know him better than you may even know us! We have much to thank them both for.

Today they are hosting a Meeting here for some who may not have a chance to meet up with us as we have travelled around, and tomorrow we shall be ministering in their Fellowship here in Bexleyheath. THEN we shall be staying with Michael and Janet, and THEN back up to Rochdale to take our final leave of our family up there before finally flying home on the 28th June to Kenya. Our final Meeting is expected to be in Barnston, Wirral on Sunday 26th.

We hear from Kenya that food prices are spiraling upwards - maize flour for example has gone up 150% since we left in April. We hear that poverty is SO great that in fact people are taking their own lives in despair as they face starvation,. Yesterday the Catholic Bishop of Eldoret warned that things were also politically no better than they were in 2007 and that we may face yet further troubled times. Ah well! God is with us, and all those who trust in Him, and we are going to need to trust HIM more and more. However, we also see that we are responsible to pray and seek His Guidance for the future. Our time away has helped me and Esther to take a long look back at the whole ministry of TFH. We have noted that not only has the work grown over the 43 years, but the changing economy is also forcing the need to re-assess many matters. We have much to discuss when we get home. We would ask you all to pray with us that we find the perfect will of God. Our son Daryl is in line to take on the Administration when the time comes for me to finally step away from it. His own life and vision has grown and expanded, and it is good to know that the Lord is walking in and with him. He needs your prayers, but also I feel we all need to Thank God for all that He has done in his life over this many year.

Altogether we feel these last three months have become a learning curve for all of us in TFH and that it is is a preparation for what is yet to come - a new chapter, and perhaps a new vision too in many respects. More of this will begin to perculate as the weeks go by. We feel very optimistic that there is something MORE for us all, and that a Blessing on this work has been commanded from on High.

Bless you all for your prayer for us who are away, and for those who have remained waiting on God there in Eldoret. You are all the support of our arms, as we reach out to God for help and strength day by day.

Ever your brother and sister in His Love

John and Esther

AWAY FROM HOME - A PILGRIM

2011-05-26T22:55:00.015+03:00

TO THE LEFT is a photo (not one of ours) of The Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. Esther and I were taken there last week by our dear friends Desmond and Virginia Hales. It was not a good day weathewise - heavy cloud, rain, and wind like a tempest! It was wet and cold but interesting, and for my part I enjoyed the crashing surf and the inspiring site of the huge causeway. Science tells us it was made from volcanic forces of millions of years ago. But the story is that a giant called McCool built it in an effort to attack another giant who lived in Scotland. Well perhaps neither explanation was very inspiring, but the visual experience of just seeing the place once more made us to glorify the creative power and forces of God Almighty. We had a wonderful time there, and we were not the only ones - hundreds of tourists from all over the world also braved the weather to see for themselves...........

We were a week in Northern Ireland and were taken to see a great deal of the beautiful coastline from our base in Port Stewart. It was a very restful and happy time. Whilst there we were able to share about the work and ministry of Testimony Faith Homes with the brothers and sisters of Port Stewart Baptist Church. The Pastor very kindly invited us to take the Evening Sunday

Service and we were able to speak and also show slides We were all strangers to each other, but it was truly wonderful to feel one family together because of the Love of God that had reached and touched each one of us in Jesus Christ. We were also in the Morning Service - though not ministering - and were able to join together in Breaking of Bread.

THANK you Lord for Blessing us through our friends and the family of God there in Northern

Ireland.

From there on the 25th we went down to North WALES to fellowship with friends at Bradley Road Baptist Church in the Town of Wrexham, 60 miles south east of Rochdale. We had great fellowship

and it was wonderful to renew friendship and relationships in Jesus there. We had not visited since 1983 so it was wonderful to see their new Church building and to meet the family of God there. It is wonderful to be with people who are committed and determined to endure for

Christ's sake. Witnesses to all that He has done in their lives and personal experience. A praying church.

TODAY we are in Yorkshsire, staying with Ian and Diana Hogley until Sunday 29th when we shall visit St.Matthews Anglican Church in Rastrick not far from Huddersfield. This is a rather unusual desing for a Church, but always

reminds me somehow of Birmingham Cathedral. The Cathedral and St. Matthews Church were both built in the mid 1700s, St. Philips Cathedral built is strongly in the Baroque style, and St. Matthews though not so grand has always seemed to somehow replicate it. I first visited this congregation

way back in 1972, on our first visit back to UK from Kenya. The brethren have ever kept the candle of prayer burning for us, and our relationship has only strengthened over the years. We are really looking forward to our visit there.

We have been comforted to know that all is well at home in KENYA and especially in Eldoret and Testimony Faith Homes. The hardship and pressure remains unlifted upon all that are there - Daryl not the least. This is a burden of course even to us as we travel and remain separated by distance. BUT on the other hand it is clear that GOD is using the general situation AND the opportunity for me and Esther to have been set at a distance from it all, to let us SEE what perhaps we have been blind to and even neglected whilst we were all together on top of the work at TFH. We have growing optimism that the Lord is going to bring us into great Blessing as the days go by. And they are going quickly. We have, as of today, 32 days before we finally arrive home. Our time away has been extended by one week. We shall now expect, God Willing, to arrive again in Kenya on the 27th June. Hopefully I WILL be able to update you many times before our arrival - though, as with this late entry - I may not be able to resume my Saturday entries till I return to Eldoret.

On Monday 30th May we will turn sout-west and then proceed east toward London. Pilgrims with no continuing City......still seeking the ONE that is to come!

Thank you for your prayers - both for us as we travel AND for those who remain working for Jesus there in Eldoret and TFH. You are all our ARMS of strength and support. Bless you every one.

John and Esther

P.S. If I have not managed to mention every one we have met, and every place we have visited, please forgive me - I am sure eventually it will come to be recorded with comment. Nothing and no one has or will be anything but SO SPECIAL to us as part of our Lord's gift to our lives and vision.

IN JOURNIES OFTEN

2011-05-15T15:24:00.002+03:00

IT WAS MY 71ST BIRTHDAY on 11th May. Here I am showing off my best Gift of the year - nay of a lifetime. Marvellous. My dear sister Patricia! Had a lovely Card from her and also other members of the family. I additionally received more than 50 Greetings on Face Book from friends, past students, boys and girls and so on. Very surprising, but also very comforting to be remembered by so many! THANK you ALL for helping to make my Day a truly Happy and Joyful one.

The week has been quite busy otherwise for us as we have been visiting various Fellowships and churches through the week. Last Sunday we visited a Pentecostal Assembly - Westhoughton Pentecostal - near to Bolton in Lancashire. I first visited there in 1968 when I was still on the way to Kenya. It was then a rambling wooden structure which seemed to have been there for ever. From that very first Meeting the brothers and sisters there have kept in touch, and it was so wonderful to be there in their new Church and to be able to Thank them for all their encouragement and faithfulness and for all the faith years of prayer and love. Especially one dear brother who love and care, together with that of his dear wife May, upheld us year by year. God is so gracious.

And yesterday we had all our UK family together to remember and celebrate the love and fellowship of a dear family here in Rochdale which has touched each one of us, and overflowed to Testimony Faith Homes as well. It began in 1968 when I first spoke the Word of God in Rochdale - but we did not actually meet until 1972 when we stayed first with them. It was very special for us all to realise how God has entwined us together.

BUT at home in ELDORET things have remained hard and difficult for the Testimony Family.

Daryl has been beset with problems and challenges both from children and staff. AND the dearth we left them experiencing has continued and so they are in fact in a greater 'desert experience' than ever before. YET they live. Continue to pray with us that the Lord will supply.

We continue to stay with Elisabeth and Prem here in Rochdale until the 18th. Will be visiting an Anglican Church tomorrow, Monday for a lunch time meeting. They are near Blackpool an hour away. The weather continues grey and cloudy, wet and cold - 8c! We still have a little more than month left of our time away. Still many friends to see, and hopefully a few Meetings more to present the Ministry to. We are missing our home in Eldoret; missing being part of the family and team there. And we also hate being away at a time when there are trials and difficulties to share and overcome. Please continue to pray for our health, and that the Lord will use us as we travel around, so that we see His purpose in bringing us away at such a time. Our Faith and Hope remains strong and firm. We know He is Faithful, and that He will work His Purpose out in all that is happening to us all.

Well once again this is only a short note - as I had warned before, and I must apologise for being also LATE this week. But it is good to feel we are in touch. We hope still to see one and another as the Lord allows. But whether or not we do, we still send you our love and greetings in Jesus Name as always.

Lovingly

John and Esther

STILL IN RAINY LANCASHIRE

2011-05-07T14:06:00.007+03:00

YET ANOTHER PHOTO of my dear sister Pat. This was taken whilst celebrating her 72nd Birthday in ELGIN near to the small town KEITH where she now lives in Scotland. We had a fine day together.

The Press & Journal reported our story on the 7th May as you can also read at www.pressandjournal,co.uk

No contact since then, but we are still looking forward to Pat and Family visiting Kenya in January 2012.

AS to Esther and me still sojourning in England, we are currently with our daughter Elisabeth and her husband and children in Rochdale. It is raining here now, and no sign of the sun or the blue vault of heaven. Just grey clouds covering grey cement and dark brick buildings and streets. Rather dull.......

It has been a restful time, and I have been glad of it since my left BIG toe has been giving me a great deal of pain and discomfort. We think it is due to a bunion, BUT I have had foot problems since my operations last year. Nothing serious, and nothing as painful as these last few weeks. I think I somehow brought it on when trekking from the aircraft to the luggage pick up point at Heathrow. Thankfully it seems to be easing up as from yesterday, and I hope the improvement will continue. So far have not had to do much standing, but as from tomorrow we shall begin a round of ministry meetings and I shall need to stand and walk a lot more. I will be glad of your prayer.

Our thoughts continue each day to be drawn back to Kenya, to the work of Testimony Faith Homes, to our family there, and to all the children and staff. They have been going through a lot of stress and testing, which seems to have gone on undiminished until yesterday when, finding their 'cupboards' quite empty the Lord helped with them with funds from UK. These funds had in fact been sent much earlier but seem to have been held up in our Bank's headquarters in Nairobi. Quite feasible, but again a frustration to those already waiting on the Lord. THANK you to all those who responded to the Holy Spirit in sending this relief to us. Glory to God.

DARYL seems to have been holding on well, and has been busy constantly in ALL the many calls upon his time and energy - and 'at such a time'! He has had to fend off the Inland Revenue who have been demanding payment of their millions; tackle the Registrar of Births for issue of still outstanding Birth Certificates for the children; and most of all to circulate and encourage whilst also trying to work out how to spend the little he has had in relation to the budget. It has been a great learning experience. Of course he does not share every little thing since he would not want to disturb us, but I am sure it has not been an easy ticket for him, and its good to see that he has encouraged himself in the Word of God, and in the Lord.

God is GOOD - ALL the time.

Thank you all for praying for us, and for keeping us in mind.

John and Esther

RESTORATION AT LAST

2011-04-30T18:27:00.007+03:00

AT LAST, on 26th April in a small hotel in the ancient town of ELGIN in the Scottish Highlands a long lost and unknown sister met her brother. YES here we are PAT and JOHN together at last. A truly historic and rather emotional moment witnessed by relatives on both sides. We stayed around until only the morning of the 28th before returning to Lancashire. Not nearly long enough, but we have the promise of a longer time together once Pat comes to Kenya in the hopefully not too distant future. We spent time together in fellowship shared with family, and also travelled around together to sample the scenery and to see where Pat spent part of her childhood and later life. STEVEN drove us up from Lancashire, and also accompanying us were Elisabeth and her husband Prem, plus son and daughter (John 9 and Rachel 7). PAT was accompanied by her son Harvey, 45 and his partner Marion. It was truly a FAMILY occasion, but maybe Pat and I were both a little nervous. On the last morning we were together local Reporters arrived to take photos and write up the 'story' - later it was taken up by the Scottish Daily Mail as well.. WOW. SO many photos. I cannot put them all on view today, but a few more only.

And Scotland showed us her beauty and glory each day we were there. The weather was as good as Kenya with cloudless skies, sunshine and warmth. We had to travel to the Highlands, and enjoyed much of the marvellous scenery they have to offer. The Scots keep their Country remarkably clean and manicured both in town and country. And as a Country it is very different to England. It reminded me in places of Norway and Denmark. To travel there far beyond Edinburgh and Stirling was a special blessing to me. I have ever been drawn to Scotland since a child!! How strange! It was great to have Esther with us all, and I think she was as excited and moved - if not more so - than I was ! We are both keeping well and fit by the way.

From now on I shall be writing only brief items on Saturdays, just to keep you up to date on our travels and other incidental events along the way. BUT we may of course find some more to say as we go - as for example this week also comprised the Royal Wedding held yesterday in London. We watched it on TV. A great spectacle. And the Sermon by the Bishop of London was truly a wonderful expose of married life, and importance of marriage generally. But was anyone listening? We hope so. Also the Reading during the Service of Romans 12 by the young brother of the Bride was also a great challenge and encouragement.

The WEDDING was beautifully conducted, but will the Promises made in front of God be kept? We hope the Word read and said will not have fallen on dead ears and hearts, and that this will be a Marriage to be remembered and one that will last for a lifetime.

On the way up to Scotland we stopped in Bothwell for a moment to visit an old friend of Testimony Faith Homes and his family. We hope they will also be visiting us in Kenya this coming September. Harry Speedie, his wife Flora and son Ewen and daughter Joanne. Harry was part of the TFH Team way back in the early 80s when he came to help us set up a Mechanics Training Scheme. He was then a STOP WORKER sponsored by TEAR Fund. It was a real delight to be able to visit if only briefly and we all look forward to their arrival in Eldoret later in the year.

On our return here, and just after the Royal Wedding came to a conclusion we were visited by even older friends on their way to Newcastle from Surrey. Drs. Frank and Liz Guiness. I first met Frank in August 1969 in Maseno, Kenya. We have kept in touch ever since, and it was a special blessing to have them drop in to see US. So we must say we are having a wonderful time. YES! Thank you Lord.

BUT please continue to pray for those at home in Kenya carrying on the work with the children. They continue to be confronted with great challenge and testing. They all need your prayers.

And now till next time, or until perhaps we MEET, God Bless, comfort and provide against all YOUR needs and aspirations. We shall be praying for you.

Lovingly - John and Esther

JOURNEY INTO THE UNKOWN

2011-04-23T11:44:00.010+03:00

'JUST LOOK WHAT THE CAT BROUGHT IN!!' Well I do apologise to the owner of this photo (who is quite unknown to me) but she conveys exactly the reception Esther and I received the morning after our arrival in London and on entering the 5* Hotel dining room to take breakfast. Not really 'unpleasant' but definitely something 'OFF' in her manner. Steven had arranged to sleep us in the hotel and then drive us north the next morning. It was a sumptuous place. Esther and I just revelled in the luxurious and totally restful surroundings, and slept soundly and well.

We are not very conversant with Hotels. We have, I think, only slept in one twice during the last 42 years. We felt a little out of our depth amidst all the quiet grandeur. As we entered the Dining-room we were welcomed my the Maitre d' - a short, plump woman in her fifties,who looked at us a little apprehensively and oddly. She did not smile or greet us but directed us to a table and promptly turned away and left us there. The room was moderately full of diners, but no sign of food! We waited a while wondering if we would be served.

Eventually I noticed a couple coming from an area invisible to us, but carrying steaming plates of breakfast food. Obviously there must be a buffet just out of sight, so Esther and I got up and meandered off in that direction.. Sure enough the food was laid out plentifully obscured by a screen! The 'sniffy' maitre d' was standing there, but still unsmilingly - at least when she saw us. One or two others were immediately assisted and grandly helped to choose what she recommended. She did not spoil our enjoyment of what was a truly well presented and prepared English Breakfast - but she did not make us feel either welcome or accepted. We forgave her. Maybe she was tired....caught off guard by a couple of rather nondescript travellers who did not belong in the pristine and upper class confines of her domain.

It was, and IS, a beautiful Hotel both interially and exteriorally. Its furnishings delightful to the eye, and generally it's staff courteous and very attentive. We felt very blessed to be able to sample it's luxuries on that first night away from home. Spotlessly clean and sparkling - although my eagle eyed wife did discover a blob of tomato sauce on our bedroom floor - or was it blood! I would never have noticed it.

Steven collected us at noon,., and drove us what turned out to be a five hour journey to Accrington just north of Manchester. We met a great deal of traffic on the motor ways and in places were brought to almost a standstill by sheer number of vehicles all leaving London for the North. But we arrived at last, and have been ever since staying with Steve and Anjie and their two lovely children, our grandchildren ( Eric and Tonia.) The weather has been gorgeous with temps up to 23C every day, blue skies and warmth. Still the same today, and forecast to so continue until the end of the month.

NO EASTER NEWS so far from Eldoret, and Testimony Faith Homes. But we know they have continued to be under siege - nothing going In or coming Out. Yet of course they live and life continues. Children come to us having first existed in utmost poverty, often totally destitute of any life support, dependant on what they glean from the gutters. Pictures like the one on the left can move to tears.

After such children have been with us only a few days their entire attitude changes. Clean clothes, good food, and fellowship all around them work wonders, and transformations are immediate. But oddly we find few commenting on these happy, cared for children. In fact some have at times asked us why we do not print more heart wrenching pictures instead of those photos depicting happy and apparently healthy children living in the Homes. Our Testimony has always been that when parents leave their children, GOD will take up their cause and care for them Himself - and surely His Care will be good - and it should be SEEN to be good.

How greatly SATAN detests this Testimony, and this Demonstration of God's Love. He does all that he can to prevent and even dismantle it. That is why over the last months I have shared the Siege that is being endure by the Homes in Eldoret - not ours only either - but of all of us engaged in caring for children. Much prayer has been and continues to go up. And food continues to appear on our tables. And this week we have heard that SOME funds are getting through the Enemy's lines and bringing relief. Life in Jesus, and with God is not guaranteed to be without hardship or even privations. War continues and the Battle rages, but those in the Army and under the Protection of the Lord WILL come through. Wounds, hurts, short supplies and every kind of challenge to our Advance must and will come - BUT advance we WILL, and the Enemy will be discovered and overcome. This is our CONFIDENCE. Continue to pray for Daryl, and all those standing with him in Jesus Name to maintain the Standard of the Lord, and the peace and prosperity of the children. The Battle has been hot and enduring. Day after day the Attack continues on all sides. It is a 'Spiritual' Battle yes, but it affects the material well being of hundreds of children.

The Kenya revenue Authority notified the Homes last week that they had REJECTED our appeal against having to pay the Ksh.3million shilling charge they have demanded. A slap in the face! We shall turn the other cheek and GO ON to fight them. IN THE NAME OF JESUS we DO have the Victory. Join with us in prayer that this victory will be achieved soon.

ON TUESDAY next week Esther and I, together with Steven and Elisabeth hope to drive up to KEITH in Moray, Scotland to meet with my sister Pat, and her family. We are looking forward greatly to this FIRST meeting in more than 70 years.

Our STEPS are planted by the Lord. We have little or no say in where or how we shall proceed on this visit. It will be adventure - yes! It will also be joy and blessing. It feels as if we have gone back to the 'Beginning' when I arrived in Kenya in 1968 blindly from a material point of view with no church or supporters behind me. Then in 1972 arriving almost unannounced back in UK for what turned out to be a nine month stay in which Steven was born in Truro, and we all three traversed the length and breadth of the country unplanned and often unexpected........ Times we truly experienced the Spirit's Leading and Guidance.

HE has not changed - only perhaps WE are less prepared and more cautious. BUT we are very sensible that this trip away from our Life and Work in Kenya is not of our own doing, and that God has it in Hand.

God Bless and be with you all - we hope to SEE some of you in the flesh.

Your brother and sister always in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour.

John and Esther

LATE - BUT NOT LOST!!

2011-04-17T16:47:00.017+03:00

MANY THANKS to all those who have written and commented on my visit to the UK. We ARE now safely arrived, getting to Heathrow, London on Thursday at 7p.m. UK time. A good and comfortable flight. We were met by our sons Steven and Michael and also our good friends Allan and Margaret Nicholls who had travelled from Bexleyheath. We had a coffee together at one of the Airport cafeterias, and then they left, and Steve and Michael drove us to Reading where Steve works. He and Mike had booked us into a Hotel for the night. We dumped our luggage and then had supper together. Michael then drove to his home in Welling (another hour away) and Steve drove us back to the Hotel.

We spent a good and comfortable night, and then Steve picked us up after finishing his work at midday, and drove us up to his home in Baxendon, Accrington, Lancs.

A journey of six road hours due to heavy traffic. (We hope to eventually return to London and spend some time with Michael later on.) And then On Saturday we went across to Rochdale to Elisabeth and her family - and today, church in the morning and a quiet afternoon that has afforded me a moment to write up the Blog.

Next week we will rest a little up to Easter, but we then hope to visit any that may want to see us, or offer us opportunity to advertise the ministry of Testimony Faith Homes. We are going to be in Baxenden and then Rochdale for the next three or even four weeks before turning south. We would like to visit Friends and Churches in the Harrogate, Starbeck, Wirral, Liverpool, Manchester and North Wales area during this time. We know an inter church Meeting is being arranged for us in Rochdale at the Champness Hall one day in the near future.

At Easter we expect to travel up to Scotland - to Stirling and then to Aberdeen to meet with my sister Pat's family! Her 72 Birthday on the 27th April. Really looking forward to that!! Elisabeth and her family and Steven will be with us.

Thereafter we shall consider travelling south to the South-west and then back south east, to the London area, maybe also visiting a few more friends in Wales, and Shropshire etc.etc. It looks as if we shall keep on keeping on until we leave again for Kenya on 20th June.

Anyone wanting to get in touch with us should ring or E-mail us

20 Waverley Road, Baxendon, Accrington, Lancs.

Tel; 01254-871208 email - s1green@o2.co.uk

THIS IS just a very broad overview and NO DATES have been FIXED except the Easter week-end. Thus our itinerary such as it is remains very much OPEN to change or variation should any wish to suggest a Meeting both to have fellowship and or to Advertise TFH. We feel the Lord has given this opportunity for Esther and me to be here at this time to also awaken further interest in and knowledge of our Testimony as a ministry. Any suggestions as to how this may be accomplished or assisted would be welcome.

Please forgive this being a brief Entry - and LATE. Other Entries whilst we are in the Uk may not be always on a Saturday as before but we hope there WILL be fairly regular Entries to keep us together and up to date. SO FAR we have no news of how Daryl and the Homes are doing. My phone is now working here, and I have only today managed to get my comp working!!! Amazing. Esther and I are well, and happy to be seeing our grandchildren on this side of the world for a change. But we are still adjusting to the temperature!! We are very concerned for our Family left in Kenya, and for the staff and children of the Homes.

Please do remember to pray for them as we will be doing; they are enduring a very provoking and challenging time all together.

Much Love to you all, and keep you also bright and faithfully standing.

John and Esther

THAT SCEPTERED ISLE

2011-04-09T11:11:00.007+03:00

FINALLY, it seems safe to say that Esther and I will be flying to the United Kingdom on Thursday 14th April!

It will be a day flight, with us arriving the same day. We shall initially be staying with Steven and family in Lancashire, nearby Accrington, and not far from Rochdale where our daughter Elizabeth lives with her little family. We are really looking forward to seeing them all again, including Michael and Janet. But strangely it will not be like a 'home-coming' since HOME is very definately here in Eldoret for us after more than 40 years. BUT... I suppose for me there is a certain nostalgia involved, and I know I will enjoy seeing and remembering the earth I grew up from.

AS USUAL, when it comes to actually leaving here, it seems a bit of a rush and hustle. I in particular feel rather unready for such an imminent departure....but it has always been like this every time we have left Kenya.

I shall still put out the BLOG each Saturday, so you will be able to follow OUR stay - probably until mid July when we hope, God Willing to return here. We expect to visit the south west and also Aberdeen as well as the Lancs/Yorks and London areas. We shall be using public transport for the most part, but still hope to be able to get around as much as possible to catch up on friends, and also perhaps to present the work of Testimony Faith Homes to a few new audiences.

But I confess I do not enjoy travel so very much, and this may be the last time I will yield to temptation. Probably, in the future, it may be our son Daryl who will present the ongoing work of the Homes and School. We are leaving him in charge whilst we are away. He is currently Assistant Director of the Children's Homes, but he will have overall responsibility in our absence. His photo was taken last year on his 38th Birthday together with Caroline his wife. Some of you know that he has had a rather chequered past, but deep in his heart he never let go of his faith in Jesus, and through much prayer and tribulation he has managed to come through for God. He is a happy family man, and very well accepted and liked by those that work here generally. He is also well seasoned in most aspects of the administration of all the ministry here. However he will also have Anthony Ndungu, our School Principal who is also the Assistant Director for the entire School, standing with and by him. They will need to depend on the support of each other in daily running of ALL the work here. We leave them confidently in charge, but knowing that we do so at a very difficult time financially, and with many challenges to face along the way. It should be a good learning time in and with Jesus. Praise the Lord for EVERY opportunity to know Him and His Faithfulness more and more. We shall of course be in close touch via E-mail and mobile.

We are planning to leave Eldoret by road on Wednesday, spend the night with Esther's sister and brother in law, and then fly the next morning. Have not got the Ticket details yet so cannot give time or place of arrival in UK. It is still quite warm here with large doses of sunshine - hope it will not be TOO much of a change!!

On the 29th April it will my sister Pat's Birthday - and on the 11th May it will be my 71st - SO we are hoping we will be able to arrange a get together one way or another. It will be our FIRST sight of each other - a special Birthday Treat. Still can hardly believe it is true. I think one of the most interesting things about it all is that we have both lived all these years in ignorance of each other, experiencing very different lives in very different places, each being blessed with our own children and grandchildren. Truly God IS good - even though the roads we travel are not always smooth or easy to endure!

God Bless and be with you all, and remember to pray for US as we travel, and those we leave behind who are much upon our hearts.

Sincerely your Brother and Sister in Jesus always

John and Esther

UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES

2011-04-02T13:05:00.013+03:00

I MUST CONFESS AND SAY that right now I feel very much UNDER the circumstances! I have been endeavouring to hold my ground these recent months and days, but THIS week the Enemy hurled some germ at me that has really attacked every part of me; my head, my chest, my stomach, yes my whole body feels pummeled and bashed around to a pulp. It is definitely much harder to fight when you are sick! Much harder to LEAD and much harder to actually BELIEVE that the Siege will end, and Relief realised. For me these last months have searched me out, and left me feeling taken down a peg or two in my Christian Life. The Enemy really loves a chance to do this to us all. BUT, thrown against a wall and winded by his attack, there is time to look back.... To look back to other times when he seemed to have the upper hand. Time to remember how at the very moment it seemed he would finish us off, GOD stepped in! In my imagination I always know it is JESUS but in my mind I see Him as Michael, Mighty Archangel, with his flaming sword putting the terror of destruction into Satan's very soul. WELL, enough of this 'huff and puff' - THIS house is not going to fall down either, and we trust the Enemy will suffer greater damage than any of us sheltering here, enduring this latest withering blast of his bitter hatred. We shall STAND, and weather the circumstances! INDEED we may not stay a moment more UNDER the circumstances that press us down to the floor, but RISE UP from under them, dispersing them in and through the Name of the Lord. We have done it before! We shall do it AGAIN. For it is not we ourselves that will achieve the Victory but the LORD with us. Hallelujah! HOWEVER, the real and present symptoms of my physical state may force me to be a little briefer than usual this Saturday!! But I did promise you a photo last week, I think. So here it is.

Micah and Senge YEGO with their 2nd child Esther just a week old. Mum and baby doing well, and uproarious joy in their Tyndale Cottage Family. They waited seven years to have their first child, and had almost despaired in their waiting - BUT God stepped in. I actually think God LIKES to wait until we have decided He can't or isn't going to answer our prayer - THEN He steps and chides us for our little faith. The fact is there is never an excuse to give up on God or to stop believing in HIM - hard and grim though the practice of it may be!! Of course it is a very special joy for us to SEE God's hand in this, and ALSO to see the wonderful way God has had His hand on Senge since the very day she was born in Eldoret Women's Prison. It was hard entrance into the world, but she was soon brought to us in Testimony House, to be a precious little daughter - a very stubborn and determined child, who grew to KNOW God and be be a determined Christian wife and mother. Hallelujah to the One Who Rescues!

SOME WEEKS BACK I commented a little on Lord Baden Powel, founder of the Scouts movement. We tend to remember him as a scout, and see him basically in our minds eye dressed as a scout, the Chief Scout in fact. In this picture we see him dressed as a Peer of the United Kingdom. Just this week I received a letter from a dear friend in England who having read the Blog felt a need to also comment. She writes -

'I read with horror your words that Lord Baden Powell is being

accused of homosexuality. It is one of those terrible untruths.

What rubbish!

I was a girl-guide myself; enrolled in Nyeri by

Lady Baden Powell herself!

I was then at Nyeri School!! As my mother was guide commissioner

in Kenya in those days, she had Lady Baden Powell to stay

and she became a personal friend of the family.

She was a practicing Christian and read her Bible every day.

I am very sure that Lord BP was likewise a man of strong and high

moral character.'

ALL of us have our opinions and impressions of each other, and even ourselves. But how little we really know about the people we meet - little we may know even about ourselves. I am more than glad that GOD sees and judges in righteousness, seeing and knowing the truth about each of us inside out. His Judgement will be always RIGHT, and His Mercy available to each one of us. To me that is the most comforting and wonderful things to KNOW deep in my soul.

JOHN AND ESTHER may if they endure to the end of April by God's Grace, may also by His Grace find themselves in The United Kingdom once more. Maybe for about three months. We shall leave Daryl holding the reigns. A step of faith? Perhaps - no it will definitely be that! Our son Steven will be actually arranging the flight for us, and we shall no doubt stay at least part of the time with him and family in Accrington. We will keep you posted as the weeks go by. It would be good to meet up with at least some of you whilst we are at home.

God Bless and keep you from all the wiles of the Enemy.

John and Esther

CHILDREN, CHILDREN EVERYWHERE....

2011-03-26T11:44:00.011+03:00

THESE CHILDREN ARE HAPPY! When I look at a photo like this I find myself automatically smiling, and even laughing out loud. They all look so saucy and cheeky - but intrinsically HAPPY. I feel so glad for them, glad that they can be free enough of all worry and anxiety to be ABLE to look and be so fun loving. And then I am glad that Testimony Faith Homes is here. ALL of this little group were stranded and without shelter just a few months ago. No family, no friend, and shunned by the people around them. BUT, unknown to them, God had promised to take care of them. In Psalms 27v10 it is clearly written -

Although my father and my mother have forsaken me

yet the LORD will take me up

will (adopt me as His child).

A Wonderful verse of Scripture, and one that came to mean a great deal to ME as well in my teenage, when I suddenly began to discover my own past. A verse closely linked with another in Psalm 22v10 -

I was cast upon You from my very birth;

from my mother's womb You have been my God.

Of course these words were quite hidden and unknown by me when I was a child, even as they are unknown to all those others who find themselves cast out into the world uncared for. I was more fortunate than some since I was adopted, and well cared for to some extent, though not without a great deal of sorrow of heart at times, and certainly in the midst of family conflict. If I did not have a considerate or loving father I did have an affectionate and loving mother. But I often had feeling of desolation, as if somehow I was in the wrong place with the wrong people. I had no idea till I was 18 that I had been adopted, but when I DID discover this fact it was not a great surprise. But it then intensified a sense of loneliness. If I had not by then come to have also discovered that God was there for me, I may well not have survived. Indeed God had watched out for me, and always has. I owe my LIFE to Him in every way, and can see that he has turned all my sorrow into profit by bringing me here to Kenya and to show the Love of God to other unwanted children. God works in very mysterious ways, but makes no mistakes, and in allowing the good AND the bad leads and guides into all truth and under-standing. These children above are part of the Family opposite and their Dad and Mum are seen top left - Steve and Emily Situma. They have 32 in their family including their very own little son. They have been with us eight years already. Steve was himself left to roam the streets alone as an orphan child, and eventually came to stay with me and Esther in Testimony House when he was 9. WE were Mum and Dad to 45 in those days, and now we have three more homes, and 142 children in care. And our Testimony has ever continued to be founded on God's assurance that He will take care of the orphan and give him a home and family. For 42 years this Testimony has been demonstrated and proved. IT'S THE SCHOOL SPORTS DAY today, and I can hear the cheers and shouts from here, as they all compete excitedly in the School Field. The parents always support their children to the limit, and the number of cars parked here is unbelievable. Right up the front door of our house, and every scrap of spare place. The School has done well and grown into a very important part of all the ministry here. Some 600 or more children attend from the locality, and so OUR children are able to mix socially and academically with a very broad spectrum of the community around them. They also have every opportunity to expand and develop their academic ability competitively. This year we have THREE in University and 20 in Senior Colleges who have all attended our School. We expect to add at least three more to University before the year is done. Our Revenue People have targeted the School as a High Cost School and Business, refusing to see it as part of our charitable work, even though it provides FREE places for ALL our Homes children, and additionally offers up to 30 FREE places to poor students from the Municipality who have done well in public examinations. AND even though it makes no financial gain either for itself or anyone. Extraordinary, the ways of man. I have to end here this week. A lot of work to do still for me today. But next week I will have some surprise pictures for you. Keep praying for us as the Tax people continue to harass us, and as the Enemy also is busy unleashing a new barrage of fiery darts at the work as a whole. Prayer IS needed urgently so please do remember us. Our Love in the Lord our God John and Esther

FROM DUST TO MUD!

2011-03-19T13:45:00.006+03:00

YES THE RAIN HAS COME! It has started gently, but persistently, slowly and surely saturating the hardened, sun baked ground. Already a green hue has begun to creep into the crisped brown blades of grass. And already it has touched our smallest and youngest with the magic and mischief that attends its playful opportunities. Ah, the sheer JOY of the fragrance of it.............BUTtttt!

Yes, well of course, there is and will increasingly for some be a down side. The temperature has already DROPPED about ten degrees from near 80f to about 65f this afternoon. I had forgotten I could feel COLD at this temperature as well! Had to search out a pullover AND put on a jacket! The canopy of blue above is also now converted to a gun metal grey rumpled and churned up with heavy, turbulent cloud. The summer lights are faded away and a chill sombreness quickens ones steps. The dry dusty places will soon be forever WET, the sticky clinging mud of the earthen roads and sidewalks unwilling to let each footstep free to go forward. YET still there will be laughter from children running off to school amidst the showers through every newly formed rivulet and water channel created daily en-route. Our own children do not have to run far, and not bare foot as these, but just as gaily and happily, to sit in the cold class rooms from 8am until 4 p.m. Every day it will rain for a while. Every day mud upon the shoe, left in the classroom and brought into the home. And soon we shall be crying out for summer sun and the drying, bone warming heat! AND WE are in a fairly clean and mud free environment, with tarmac drive and playgrounds, and cement pathways to walk upon. What about those that live beyond us in the still undeveloped areas of the slum and outer city estates? People will live as they must. They may not enjoy themselves, but they will not complain; life will go on even though the standard of living may deteriorate and become tiresome and difficult for a spell.

The roofs may leak, the walls become damp, the floors wet and the outside surroundings a flood, but life will go on. AND there will be water to drink! We are grateful LORD, grateful for your GREAT Mercies to us all, grateful for Your touch upon the Earth and upon each one of us. May we not forget You in the distress of our Times, as the elements are disturbed and our environment threatened, as the World's economy continues to fail, and human strife and lust for power increases.

INSIDE TESTIMONY FAITH HOMES life also goes on, regardless of our circumstances. With 150 odd growing children and young people to care for there is little choice. AND we look quite well manicured and comparatively comfortable in the eyes of those living around us. But things are not what they used to be. A Board Member, a Kenyan, once angrily commented that Homes children went to school better dressed than his own. He was quite a wealthy business man. "Why, they even have socks as well as shoes - and they are only orphans!" We were quite astonished by his tone and sentiment at the time. Well they still do have shoes AND socks, but they are having to last much longer than they did, and many of our kids are beginning to look a little shabbier than heretofore. Yet they are still much better clothed than those around them in the town. To the rich children attending our school they WILL look shabby, but to the poorer children attending the town and country schools barefoot and ragged they will still look healthy and materially well off. They certainly live in better accommodation than the average child, better cared for in most respects, and perhaps with better opportunities in life. Perhaps TOO MUCH SO to attract much sympathy or charitable concern!

Recently one was heard to say that the bottom drops out of charitable giving when the needy cease to look needy and become unable to be photographed in abject misery and material calamity. Is this true? Do people lose interest once a need has been attended to, and a calamity dealt with so that peace and prosperity are restored? INSIDE Testimony Faith Homes, viewed from the outside, there will seem to be NO need. The children we now shelter, who are fed and educated so well, who are clothed and shod with average care, were once FOUND naked and abandoned, in abject poverty; many of them despised and left to die! Truly hearts went out to them in THAT condition. But NOW, cleaned and fattened up; secured and looking lower middle class, they may hardly get a second look. WOW those Testimony children lack for nothing.....thus there is little reason to GIVE.. BUT even though that is WHAT many will think, the fact remains that they STILL do need help in order not to RETURN to the state they were in. If they are to succeed and prosper and rise above their origins, then they still do need the Charity that first of all recued them - it is ongoing. How strange that Man is SO quick to forget and pass on. Last week JAPAN was in the news - and yet even now with quakes still being recorded in their midst the heat of compassion is LESS - Sky news has moved on!~ No real constancy; no follow up, no commitment. Since 1969, when we began this Ministry in an outhouse made of mud, we have seen God inspire and motivate our growth through the interest and compassion of many who He moved to help... (the photo by the way is of the sitting room of Testimony House where we have a family of 35 children and young people, and where Esther and I were Mum and Dad for twenty six years)

Like one theory of the Expanding Universe we have gone on pushing outwards - but now we seem to have slowed to almost the point where we see a falling back. The thrust forward has gone. Will we now slowly fall back upon ourselves until we end up like a Black Hole? Purely metaphorically of course! Or is Jesus nearer than WE have supposed? The Time may have come - as the Wallrus said in Alice in Wonderland - to talk of 'other things'.

THE TAX men have not come back yet. On our side we have gone through the Accounts they themselves have gone through, and have discovered that the majority of their findings are themselves faulty and based on bad and careless figure work. We look forward to their next visit. However, we have now heard that generally there is concern amongst those engaged in Charity in Kenya, that the Government seems very careless of just how much Charities contribute to the general good. There is now a movement to somehow confront the Government with this, with a will to change the Tax Laws. We shall see. I personally feel that there is so much avarice in Government circles that their main focus is on how to get as much money out of Charities as is possible, instead of how to show appreciation and support for what those Chairities are providing for the Nation already. We have also heard that many Missions and Organisations engaged in Social Welfare are in fact leaving Kenya, finding it just too expensive to remain. So far the Government seems quite unmoved by such consideations.

Continue to remember us in prayer. Our hearts are MERRY, and there is a song on our lips! We KNOW in Whom we have believed, AND we KNOW that He is able to KEEP us from falling, and to make safe ALL that we have put trustingly into His Hands. This is true also for ALL those who have done the same.

God Bless you always and for ever

John and Esther