TUESDAY 12TH FEBRUARY 2008
THE DAYS HAVE RUSHED BY and we are still all here safe and sound, and lifting up the Name that is ABOVE every Name. Hallelujah. And the 'Talkers' are still talking down in Nairobi!! YES, there has seemed to be glimmers of hope that there may be some measure of Agreement by tomorrow - BUT at the same time a similar feeling of disbelief that anything will actually change no matter what they agree on! This is largely because there are various factors which not only continue to be present with us in day to day life, but factors that seem - some of them - to be growing. If Eldoret has remained quiet it is still not without disturbance 'here and there' Some homes have still been burnt in our area, and still people being mugged and threatened. To day for example a big national MILK supplier (Brookside) has closed down its Eldoret Branch and we witnessed their evacuation this morning with our own eyes. This is a Kikuyu owned Business.
In other areas of the Country there is still violence - ten shot dead last night by police.
The PRESIDENT is advising all those who have fled from their homes to return and re-establish themselves - rebuild their burnt out homes! He tells them that a Kenyan has the right to live anywhere, and if anyone burns their home again........? Not a very tactful word at such a time. However, people are AFRAID. In Parliament today the Speaker in his opening address assured us all that the violence was not linked to any ETHNIC origin but purely political - a very barefaced lie - and he will not have put anyone's mind at rest by saying it. A lot will NOT return. A lot are still moving around unable to decide yet what to do. A growing number are turning up at the 'refugee' Camps - Eldoret's now swollen to over 20,000 today, and still occupying the Agricultural Show Ground - the SHOW has had to be cancelled because of it. No sign of these people being resettled!! More than 2600 children of primary school age, and more than 700 or nursery age. The camps themselves are uncomfortable and increasingly dangerous - rape and worse taking place daily. Horrible to see, and awful to contemplate - and so little seemingly to be done to HEAL the situation.
Fear, panic and what is worse OPPORTUNISM is the order of the day. The majority of those coming to the Show Ground for instance are NOT displaced people but the POOR who have always been with us, coming to take advantage of free food handouts with a modicum of security.
Tomorrow TFH and others will be with the SUGOI CHILDREN whose Home was burned down, and we hope to be able to give them more than £1000 of age plus. to assist in re-clothing them and assisting them get to school. This is partly made possible by the goodness of many of you who will be reading this. We have been able to help a lot because of YOUR help in giving. The HORROR is that once one starts handing aid out more and more come into view. WE have decided to try and concentrate on definite group needs and individuals in an effort to get at least some able to get up and able to face life again. We shall be including some pictures eventually. We are not sensationalists pictorially and never have been. We do not want either to be seen as those trying to raise money from the pictorial misery of others. We are thus not traveling often with a camera, but just a caring hand and practical help. BUT later some images will be brought to you - we hope not to sadden you but to give you a joyful heart because of HIS love and compassion, that we can all share in.
Manu, our is now back at University together with two others from the Home. Hardly any lecturers though - many had their homes destroyed earlier - and not so many students. Not sure if things will actually take off, we shall see. This is Manu's last Semester. Helen is hoping to join a College in the next month as well, and then we shall begin to think of what to do with out space - Perhaps we could fill it with more children, and start to be parents all over again.......You never know!
Both the Homes vehicles are in hospital right now. Our Peugeot was hit by a reversing lorry which succeeded in smashing our headlamps and pushing in the front. Some panel beating to be done. The Minibus has serious engine problems and may end up being a terminal case. The Lord knows. We have never had to think about transport. At least the FOUR School Buses are all on the road and doing well mechanically. Each one a good bye.
I try to visit and thoroughly inspect each Home one a months, but December was just too busy and January found us all outward looking, so only began again this week. I began with our old house TESTIMONY HOUSE. Staggering how in only two months so much wear and tare can take place ! Although 44 pairs of feet DO kick up a lot of dust and damage! They have two main groups in the house at present - the under 10s and the over 18s. BOTH able to wear down concrete......
Next week I will take another House. I don't tell anyone I am on the way, and I never use the same day of a any week to visit, It's good to take people by surprise as long as one can be prepared to sympathise with both sides of a problem.
Some have been surprised because I have mentioned Daryl; some thought he had already left us. NO. He did not manage to get into politics in the end, but he also failed to persuade the Board that he was sure of God's place in his life. They asked him to find alternative employment and gave him six months form the 1st January to do just that. He is therefore working his notice out - or perhaps working himself out - we are not sure ........continue to pray for him, and with us, for God to have his way and to give Daryl the confidence he lacks spiritually just now. He is NOT anti God, more anti himself, and fearing God finds him too difficult to suffer.
The weather is COLD, the sky GREY. Otherwise we are KEPT by and in His word. The birds are singing, and the children happy.
God Bless
JOHN and Esther - (Must look for a RED ROSE tomorrow - after 37 years she is still my one and only Valentine.)
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