UPDATE

THE END OF THE MONTH is just a week away now. It has been a difficult and challenging month in every way, but it has also been a month of great events and happenings. To start with the month of October is usually a very pleasant month weather-wise! The rains have usually stopped and a season of mellow fruitfulness leading up to the high summer of December and hot drought of January/February is providing us with the enjoyment of brilliant, warm and pleasant days. But this year it has not been so. The Rains had been intermittent during July/August, and then seemingly unable to lift. Towards the end of September they increased, until through this month we have had heavy and torrential downpours. Hardly a sunny day, and the COLD on some days, especially the last week or so, enough to chill the marrow in your bones! Not cheerful weather; not uplifting weather. Not very 'equatorial'. It was a month that also dawned upon us when we had spent all that we had, and were wondering how we would actually survive the month. By the end of the first week we had received and spent what we could have reasonably have expected on the basis of monthly tithes - then still considering the 88% we still needed to get us to the end of the month. Of course life goes on - even when there is nothing in hand - and so we also stepped out in faith believing - and our friend and brother from St. Andrews Church, Ashburton, Devon, arrived to spend some weeks with us - and in his hand was a £1000 from the saints in his Church. Oh, how truly wonderful a day THAT was - so very unexpected and unlooked for yet again......AND so much on time and in answer to our need.
Yet it was soon swallowed up and GONE. THEN came a bout of sickness after drinking infected water on a visit to a rural Children's Home. Both Philip Dary and I were laid up for a week. And of course in between all these things the School Office had been robbed twice of more than £400 and there was the turmoil of getting to the bottom of what appeared to be an 'inside job', and the subsequent dismissal of some of our staff; the sorrow and disappointment this entailed, plus the daily apprehension of rising prices (bread WENT UP 20/- a loaf on Monday) and unforeseen expenses - such as the repair of our aging vehicles. YET there was laughter and a great deal of pleasure woven into all of it, and the Lord saw that we were indeed kept by His Power. Then this Monday we received yet a further Help from a neighbour who called in early at my Office to give the Homes £1000 in kenya shillings; he said that he and his friends had been in prayer and felt that TFH was in need, and so they had taken up an offering, and this was it. - and the week's housekeeping that we still had not got in hand, was suddenly right there! We still do not understand how it is that GOD communicates what WE have not even whispered outloud!
Today, the promise of the final needs of the month are also coming to hand. The amazing thing about THIS month is that we have been kept in the dark about how He would provide, and step by step He has brought our need to the door as well as from far afield, and for the most part this month from sources we could never have guessed or imagined - some from sources never before known. Finally - as far as at today's date - I was called from my bed at 11pm. on Thursday to be told that a gift of £10,000 was being sent to us in order to buy a NEW vehicle for the Homes! Our current minibus is about to give up the ghost entirely, and has been in and out of the garage for first aid (and last rights), for months. We have no real idea where this Gift is coming from ! it is STILL raining, and the skies are still leaden. but we find our hearts being lifted, and our faith increased........not by anything that we have done, but by His grace. THANK YOU ALL for your prayers, and for remembering us when you talk to the Lord, the Father of us all. This is something very much to be shared and to be rejoiced about TOGETHER.

THIS IS PHOTO OF BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. I have a feeling I will probably be writing some more about this man as time goes by. I came across his Autobiography 'Up from Slavery' only recently, and have found it both interesting and remarkable. Booker (1856-1915) was born into slavery in Virginia, USA. Teaching himself to read and write, he rose to be a most respected black educationalist, having the ear of Presidents and Statesmen alike. He died of High Blood Pressure when he was only 59, the son of a slave woman and unable to identify his father. His middle name was given him by his mother as 'Talaifero' which some will say is Portuguese for 'Free land', and thus might hint that his forebears may have come from a Portuguese Colony somewhere in Africa.
By the time he was nine years sold he was labouring in salt and coal mines, but all the time a growing longing to LEARN was taking hold of him, and finally, after the American Civil War was over and all slaves free, at the age of sixteen, he joined Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute in Virginia, and after only three years Graduated with Honours. Later he joined the Faculty of the Institute and few years later in 1875 he was asked to head up a new Teacher Training College for black teachers. This was still within a period soon after the Civil War when racial tensions were still running high. By 1915, when he died, Booker T. Washington had built and expanded what was in 1881 to be known as the Tuskegee Normal & Industrial Institute (now University) into a School of 107 buildings on two thousand acres of land with over 1500 students, and more than 200 teachers and professors.
In all this he maintained a high regard for God, testifying to the fact that he could have done nothing without His Guidance and Support in his life. He was accused of compromise and appeasement when it came to promoting Civil Rights for Black Americans because he chose a less aggressive way forward than some of his contemporaries. Nevertheless he is still a Role Model internationally since what he actually did and attained against all human and natural odds with the help of God was astounding.
On his Monument erected in the centre of the Tuskegee campus it is written -
"He lifted the veil of ignorance from his people,
and pointed the way to progress through education and industry."

Some quotes -
"I will not permit any man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him."

"We do not want the men of another colour for our brothers in law, but we do want them our brothers."

This man stands out from many others because of his attitude. I may have to return to him another time, when I have thought some things through, but at this stage I consider his life and example to be well worth looking into, and we may introduce the reading of his autobiography into our school.

Well today is what WE call Spiritual Emphasis Day, and we all, as a staff, join together for prayer and praise in the School Hall. This happens once a term. ALL the teachers, houseparents, cleaners, gardeners office staff and so on attend. It keeps us all together. Later today I have to attend a Board Meeting for another Children's Home running not too distant from us, and tomorrow I am sharing in a Seminar on Marital Relations...... and then it will be Monday again, and another week of uncharted as well as routine events will begin. Praise the Lord!

Our love to you all

John and Esther

UPDATE

THOSE WHO HAVE VISITED GREEN COTTAGE may well see in this tree the one that stands in between it and Testimony House. When we first arrived it must already have been well over 80 years old, and now 40 years later it is beginning to look OLD for a tree that has an expected life of only some eighty years. It is an Indian Mahogany tree, and has all these years added something special to the garden and the Image of Testimony Faith Homes.
It is a tree known for HEALING - it's leaves being used for balms, ointments, and elixirs for the cure and relief of a seemingly endless list of ills. And right in the Centre of everything - it always reminds me of the Tree of Life, and of course of our Lord Himself. It is a spreading tree with hugely strong and sheltering branches. And those branches provide friendly protection and security to great variety of birds both great and small. I fell in love with that tree the moment I saw it, and it has been a 'romance' that has given me so much solace and comfort and even encouragement through the years. It is ageing now. It is shedding bark, its branching sagging and bowing - yet it is still such an inspiration. I hope I might also be an 'inspiration' as I also continue to age, and begin to sag a little here and there. I hope Testimony Faith Homes will also continue be a place of Shelter and Healing to the many that come to seek for it.

LAST WEEK I could not get to the computer to write up the Blog. Our dear friend Philip Darby, Vicar of St. Andrew's, Ashburton Devon, and myself were both laid low with a rather vigorous bacterial infection of our bowels. Not at all pleasant and rather vicious. We think we picked it up from drinking water (unintentionally) from a well whilst visiting a rural children's home that has just been opened some 20 kilometres away. Philip was here 22 years ago, which was when we first met, and we have been in touch on and off ever since. We also met his wife, Joan at that time, and later in 1994 we also visited them at Ipplepen where they then served the Lord. It has been such a delight to have him with us - apart from the diarrhea - and also again, through his friendship, to be in touch with those of St.Andrews who have been encouraged to pray and support us. Our discomfort commenced on Thursday evening, 11th until the day before yesterday - though we are still not quite back to normal.
Philip will be our Preacher tomorrow in our Fellowship Meeting. He was also Guest Speaker at the Eldoret Anglican Diocese 25th Anniversary earlier this month.
When he arrived he brought a gift from St. Andrews. He had not warned us about it, and he did not know that when he arrived our funds were yet again depleted! What a treasure to know that BEFORE we had asked the Lord had yet again spoken to those who could hear His voice and be moved by His Spirit to supply our need. Oh JOY to know such constant care!
Hope you do not get bored with me constantly recounting it and glorying in it.

NOW WHO IS THIS? Not ME, but I do feel like he seems to be feeling quite often. Of course this is an appropriate photo now that the World Stock Markets are all over the place and there is so much financial uncertainty and alarm
"What can I do now? What will happen next? Where is everything going???"
Anxiety, fear and worry, are overtaken by APPREHENSION. The young stockbroker's HANDS give him away. Very expressive hands that convey the growing TENSION as he watches the Board and considers the options and the dire possibilities before him. Tension that might easily give way to desperation and despair.
And of course all this has happened before and we know that in the 1929 Wall Street Crash, people came to the end of their ability to cope with the situation. Men and women jumped from multi storey buildings, threw themselves under trains and cars, and into rivers. Man died. Many were ruined without hope of reparation to face the remainder of their lives in poverty. The world shivered down its spine, and looked for ways out.
Recently I came across this little hymn. I don't know who wrote it; it had no known author. It was entitled FEAR NOT LITTLE FLOCK.

Fear not little flock from the cross to the throne,
From death into life He went for His own;
All power in earth, all power above
Is given to Him for the flock of His Love

Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible, only believe,
Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible, only believe.

Fear not, little flock, He goeth ahead,
Your Shepherd selecteth the path you must tread;
The waters of Marah He'll sweeten for thee,
He drank all the bitter in Gethsemane.

Fear not, little flock, whatever your lot,
he enters all rooms, "the doors being shut,"
He never forsakes; He never is gone,
So count on His Presence in darkness and dawn.

I LIKED IT! Very simple, very plain BUT so true - for those who are called by His Name. If He IS our Shepherd then there is nothing to fear, and nothing to be apprehensive about. HE will walk with us and He will bring us through into a SETTLED place
We have 140 children here with us. NONE of them are disturbed by what is going on in the world just now. They are totally unaware as they enjoy the Shelter, the Food, the Freedom of their lives. Children are like that - and it is their prerogative to trust their parent for everything.. When the parent fails to provide that carefree security something has gone wrong. GOD, our Father wants US (those that say they know HIM) to be children in front of Him, wants us to be SO secure in His Presence that we have not the slightest apprehension for our safety - just quiet, settled, peace to enjoy.

THINGS will certainly seek us out to disturb and to upset us - as that stomach bug came to Philip and me this week! BUT He will bring us through if we turn and consciously yield ourselves into His Keeping. AND having done that, to go away and carry on with life, BELIEVING that He has taken care of the problem, no matter what it is. This is NOT fatalistic - it is FAITH. Without it we cannot wholly please Him, BY it we can jump over the highest wall and run through a TROOP of the enemy!

Have an overcoming, victorious, DARING week.

Lovingly

John and Esther

UPDATE

WELL HERE I AM in my Office surrounded by bric a brac - at least this is my corner! The rest of the Office includes a very large 15 place Board room table, video library and space enough to fit in about 40 people for when we have prayer meetings, seminars and so on. It IS a large all purpose room of some 900 square feet! The Children's Services Forum meets here on the last Wednesday of every month. You can see just a little of the roof of Green Cottage through the window. Most of my daily correspondence is done from here, and a good deal of real administration. BUT it is by no means all that I do, and I cannot say I am chained to my chair. I am out and about in the compound of the School and Homes often in a way that keeps me aware of what is going on, and even of what may NOT be going on! The Government inspects both parts of the ministry here at least three times a year, and it is wise for us to keep tabs on ourselves BEFORE an inspector arrives and catches us by surprise. We want to be up to scratch all the time, and of course this makes sure that the children are also properly cared for and buildings maintained. Additionally I am also in regular attendance upon committees related to other aspects of Children's Services such as Probation, Community Service, and more recently I am an official Visitor to Foster Homes in the immediate area. All this keeps me fairly occupied and sometimes too much so.
This week has been no exception, and I am feeling a little weary. Sorting out the 'robbery' of a fortnight ago has also taken a lot out of me, and two of our staff, one having been with us for more than 15 years, have had to go. No easy to discipline and keep order - even in what is supposed to be a 'Christian' establishment.

TODAY the School has been holding what they termed a 'Book Harvest'! The School has lacked a library and on School Parent's Day this year the Guest of Honour, suggested that parents each purchase one new book and do their best to collect more. On his own part he promised to also bring a donation of new books. Parents all seemed very positive and happy with this idea, and so the date was set for this Saturday, some two months later.
So from 10a.m. this morning the driveway was packed with cars and parents and children con-verged on the School Hall (extreme right front of the photo) Parents brought in about 1,800 books and the Guest Honour, Professor James L. Ole Kiyapi, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Medical Services for Kenya brought Ksh.65,000 worth of new books which he had been able to secure from friends in the Publishing business. Not a bad haul, although parents brought books which were mostly second hand paper editions which will not have a long life in a busy School Library. The actual Library can be spied at the far end of the driveway in this photo, painted white; It can easily contain up to 8,000 hard cover books, and that is our aim. We shall continue to encourage parents, staff and well wishers to think of donating a hardcover book or two when the Lord puts it into their mind!
I was the one chosen to introduce Professor Kiyapi during the occasion, and in doing so described my own introduction to books. As a child of eleven I had been unable to read even three letter words. Perhaps due to my rather disturbed and erratic upbringing. But just before taking the 11+ examination of those days (1950s) I came across a small book with a brown paper cover adorned with the picture of a rather sad looking Spaniel. It was entitled 'A Dog Called Spot'. I remember picking it up and looking inside for more pictures of the poor dog! Only print - and I immediately began to read it! I read it all the way through; a very simple first reader. It was the very first time I had recognised words. It was a read breakthrough for me; it was like a world unlocked, and my life became revolutionised as I became an enthusiastic and avid reader of whatever came to hand - with the help of a junior first dictionary! Reading has ever since been part of my life and has made it possible for me to hold my own in conversation with any man. I never went to University, but I believe that my capacity for READING gave me knowledge and understanding on a par with any University student.
Professor Kiyapi, in rising to speak after my introduction, amazingly shared how that as a child he himself did not BEGIN school of any kind until he was twelve years old. In his tribe, ( he is a Masai ), a boy is first made to look after cows from when he is 5 until when he is 8. If he does well he graduates from looking after cows and is given goats to care, and then after that CALVES. On reaching 11 if he has done well, then he can expect his father to consider sending him to Primary School. He entered the first Grade of Primary School when he was twelve years of age - and learned to READ, and like me hungered to read EVERYTHING that came his way. Reading sped him forward in his education, until he found himself in front of those who had begun their own education earlier that he had. He found himself graduating from High School with straight 'A's and and then taken to University. He became one of the youngest ever to achieve a Professorship. He also is a Christian Believer.
INSPIRING STUFF. We hope it will encourage our children to READ.

It is STILL raining in Eldoret. Dark, dank and chilly with it! Not pleasant, and not cheerful. Could be England just now. or conversely England could be on the Equator! Not a lot of difference.

God Bless and inspire you in the week ahead.

John and Esther