UPDATE

SATURDAY, 28TH JUNE 2008

 

A VERY busy week now over for me.    I have felt very weary and tired, but happily I have been able to face the many issues and demands that have come before me.  Some of the most stressful I am unable to share at this time, as they are too personal, and I still need to work them out spiritually in a way that I can be satisfied in my own mind and heart that the Will of God has been carried out, and not my own will or that of others.     There have been conflicts of interest, and relationships; things that are always hard (even in prayer) to always clearly evaluate.      Acton taken has been taken willingly in the belief that the Lord needed it to be done, but the confirmation that He did in fact need it to be done is yet to come.    Pray for me.

 

Otherwise the week saw an unusually large Meeting of the Children's Forum on Wednesday which saw more than 35 NGOs, Mission, and Individuals engaged in Child Welfare (including TFH) come together to -

1. Agree to contribute 5% of their annual income into a common fund for TOGETHER improving Children's Services in our area.

2. To united work and pray towards the establishment of a NEW facility to assist in the immediate care of between 20 and 30 abandoned BABIES, and where necessary their HIV mothers.

This is, I believe, the very first time there has been such a coming together of so many to achieve a common goal crossing cultural, political, racial, and denominational differences either in Eldoret or in our entire district, if not Nation!      Quite an exciting meeting to be in and part of.

 

THEN, last night I attended a Promotional Dinner in the Sikh Union Sports Club Restaurant in town.     This dinner was hosted by the Children's Forum, and we saw some 60 Asian members of our community attend.      The idea was to try and get across to the Asian Members of the Town the many troubles and needs of the children.      There was no Appeal for Aid, merely communication and sharing.

Six Children's Homes were represented, a member of their management each speaking for some 5 minutes each.    We also had others speaking on behalf of HIV / AIDS children - one of them who actually has AIDS.    He was a taxi driver and very immoral.      Some months after being diagnosed his wife died, and his son.    At this point on the point of taking his own life Christ found him, and he turned to HIM with all his heart and soul.       He still has AIDS.       Some few years later he married again - another AIDS sufferer who had found Salvation in Jesus.   Together they have received a baby girl - HIV FREE.         He and his wife now devote themselves to rescuing destitute girls who have HIV.       There was also the Juvenile Magistrate for the Town, herself a Christian, and VERY pregnant, who attended and shared about the children that come in front of her in Court.

After these short presentations which went on as we ate together, there were so many responses from the invited guests, and it was quite wonderful how the Lord was able to give opportunities to us to share about the Love of God demonstrated, shared, and activated in and through Jesus Christ.      AGAIN this was a first time for predominantly committed Christiana to meet with Hindus, Buddhists and others of a different Asian religion on a social level that permitted dialogue and exchange of views without restraint whilst at the same time addressing social evils in our joint community..

 

I do not wish to say more this week.    I have probably been writing too much in previous weeks, and I sense I may have gone beyond the literary pale so to speak and bored a few!        Esther and I want to say a big Thank You for praying for us, and for just being there for us.     It is a tremendous encouragement and source of courage to know that you are with us in thought and Spirit.

 

God Bless and fill your week with His Love and Assurance

 

John and Esther