A CRIME OF CHOICE?

ON THURSDAY LUNCHTIME, the wife of one of our respected Asian Doctors was kidnapped. In her sixties and on the way to the Hospital in which she works with her husband, Mrs. Lodhia's chauffeur driven car was stopped at gunpoint, her driver bundled into the boot of another car, and she herself driven off with her kidnappers. All this happened very quickly on a fairly busy road - just a hundred metres from our School main entrance - a time when vehicles and people were passing by. The action in fact was observed by many but no one risked being shot themselves by these gunmen. This dear lady and her husband have worked for more than 40 years here in Eldoret, and we have known them for most of that time, beeing treated at their hospital, and their daughter attending Testimony School. She has strongly supported and encouraged the school, and is well known in the community. So far nothing seems to have been heard of her since she was driven away. The Police say they are sure she is being held in a local housing estate, and it seems a Ransom of some kind is, or will be, demanded. We are appalled that such a thing can happen on our very doorstep in broad daylight. BUT as a crime it is in fact increasing in Kenya. Very NEW but definitely on the increase. NOT new in the world, as our picture portrays - but NEW in Kenya. SO, how safe IS Kenya today?

Perhaps this up to the minute ADVICE from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade might set the scene as at 31st October 2009 -

'WE ADVISE YOU TO EXERCISE A HIGH DEGREE OF CAUTION in Kenya at this time due to the high risk of terrorist attack, civil unrest, and high crime levels.' Not very encouraging or inviting - and this advice may not be taken to refer only to expatriates but to our own citizens as well! This extract from a further Article found in the Kenyan Newspaper - The STANDARD - for 20th October specifically comments on Kidnapping!

'Abductors are on the prowl....... IF THEY GET YOU, they can hold you at will as they work out how much freedom should cost. Kidnappers, who have found an almost effortless route to wealth, last week pocketed Ksh.10 million (about nine thousand sterling) by way of ransom from an Asian businessman in Nairobi. The money changed hands to the fury of the police who had insisted the man's family did not part with a single cent. But the man had been in captivity for five days, and there was no sign he would be found. In fact the only sign he was alive and might be freed unharmed, were the desperate phone calls demanding payment to his captors, and threats that no payment would mean his death.
Our (new) Police Commissioner Matthew Iteere, concedes that his Force is now dealing with as many as five cases of this 'Cash for Freedom' trade each week! Iteere says this is 'unacceptable.'
But Security Forces are worried; they lack adequate information to trace these kidnappers. The families of those in captivity are often not willing to negotiate the ransom to reasonable levels, and often mistrust the police.

THIS is the NEW FACE of crime in Kenya - hitherto just accustomed to robberies and carjackings.

The business community and middle-class Kenyans are the targets of choice, although children are not out of. A six-year old Sudanese boy, Emmanuel Agwar Adar, in Komarock abducted last month, the subsequent demand for ransom from his captors, and his eventual killing would just have been a painful pointer as to how this new crime could get
vicious. The latest Ransom demand for a captive is for Ksh.78 million.........(Cyrus Ombati of The STANDARD)

AND SO ELDORET'S first Kidnapping has happened. What now? This morning two Police Land rovers, full of Police are parked outside our main gate stopping all vehicles passing by and also, it seems, all pedestrians as well. NO news so far of Mrs. Lodhia. Are WE more fearful, more anxious about our personal safety? NO; not at all. A number have come in trepidation to ask if we FEEL safe, and whether or not we think that THEY should feel safe! We say YES, of course. The Lord our God is with us all, and He WILL save all who look to HIM.

TESTIMONY FAITH HOMES IS STILL CONTINUING, even though some one is putting it about that the Government has already CLOSED all the Children's Homes. This is not true of course, and shows how bad we all are at communicating what we hear or are told faithfully and honestly NO! WE ARE all still here and functioning well. The government has NOT, yet, closed and Children's Homes in our district.

On MONDAY there was a District Meeting of CCI Managers laid on at District Headquarters by the District Children's Officer. Out of 14 Registered Homes the Managers of only THREE turned up. This was disappointing for the District Officer who was anxious to soften my Memorandum on recent legislative changes in the Children's Act.

ON WEDNESDAY we entered into the 33 monthly Meeting of the Children's Services Forum. Some 40 Members turned up as well at Representatives from the Children's Department, Probation and Social Services. It was a a lengthy Meeting and it unanimously questioned the Governments good sense in taking these steps (please see previous Blob for two weeks ago.) I have now written on behalf of the Forum to the Area Advisory Council asking them to table discussion of the Government's proposed changes in the ACT. Could be quite interesting - even explosive! We need the Wisdom of God in this. It seems clear that the Government is miss-led in in its information and in its policies.

TODAY our School is selecting Next Year's Primary Class 1. The whole place crawling with prospective parents that want their children to study here. A real scramble - though it is the children who are interviewed and not the parents! Esther very busy indeed. Still it is remarkable to seek how the Name of our School has become so famous.

It is also the LAST day of the month, and for the first time ever we have been unable to pay any part of the monthly salaries of any of the Homes staff. Funds just have not reached us, though we know they may be on the way - especially from AENON Trust - BUT even the lowest in the order of service here with us stands trusting in the Lord, and the work continues. NO MATTER what happens, how completely hopeless things may see m to be - we SHALL ALL BELIEVE and Rejoice in Him Who is our Life and our Saviour.

Still RAINING. Quite COOL as well.

God Bless and Keep you all through the week ahead

John & Esther

GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSIION

THESE TWO YOUNG MEN were photo-graphed in London, England shortly after their Civil Marriage. Kenya's Daily Nation published the photo here, causing considerable comment. Many found it quite offensive - few Congratulations! One of the two has had a previous relationship with a 62 year old white married man. I do not find this in the least attractive or praiseworthy, and I am told that this is because I grew up in a different generation and world. AND because all my basic social and cultural views are based on Judeo/Christian teaching. I am therefore conditioned by my culture to reject the whole idea of same sex marriage. I am told that these young men and thousands like them have the Right to their own Lifestyle without criticism. Some have told me that those who are Gay, of either sex, are born this way and therefore there is nothing to be done about it, and it should be accepted. This view is in fact accepted in some aspects of the Buddhist and Hindu Religions. In fact one view within these Faiths goes as far as putting forward the idea that those who are Gay may in fact blessed of the Gods, and able to bless others in the world in which they live. This is of course quite opposite to the Judeo/Christian position which is quite opposed to the practice in any form. Let me insert here a short article I recently came across -

'Why should homosexuality get singled out above all other sins? Is this sin uniquely exempted from repentance? The Gospels tell us that we all cannot change, and that each of us is in a similar condition to the homosexual, prior to regeneration. By nature we are ALL impotent to obey God's commands let alone believe the Gospel. Yet we all remain culpable for these transgressions (Romans 3v19-20). If homosexuality can be exempt because people claim that they are are born that way, then I guess this makes us all exempt from repenting of our various sins that we cannot naturally escape from. ((some will always say that they were born with a 'roving eye', or a 'paedophile', or with 'itchy fingers'.)) Are they exempt from even trying to be different? NO! They are expected to work at being a better person, not content to remain a thief, an adulterer, a child molester.'

But - religion apart for a moment - nature clearly teaches that this is an unnatural relationship. At least as long as one views Marriage as for the purpose of producing children. Two men cannot manage to do this, any more than two women. Therefore why insist on calling it a marriage? Just because a man 'feels' like, a woman, and is attracted more to men than women sexually? But there can be no life producing sex in such a 'marriage'. Same sex relationships mocks marriage.

But world society is changing! Away with culture, away with religion, away with everything except what a man or woman wants. Every and each person surely has the RIGHT to live the way they want.......? It is now HUMAN RIGHTS invented by MEN that rules, NOT the Ten Commandments, or any other Creed that might set a Moral Code by which we should all live for the good of each other. I find it hard to find good sense in a Marriage which does not have the hope of children and a new family in it. Thus when we saw our children married (right) we also hoped to see grandchildren generated from it.

We are to now see the widespread acceptability of the Gay Life Style as the days go by, and less and less will be able to be said against it. And this especially from a Christian point of view. The Christian view is more and more being eroded, so that finally it will seem as if we have all come to see it as inoffensive and permissible. Islam and the Koran speak against it, and in some places to practice it brings the death penalty still......but opinion is changing all the time even in Islam.

Generally history teaches us that old norms and laws do constantly change...........

I REMEMBER as a 12 year old child noticing the Salvation Army people in England. They all, men and women, wore the Army Uniform of dark blue, or else very plain civilian dress of similarly quiet colour. They would have no radio or even T.V. in their homes. fearful that the world of sin around them would intrude upon their own homes and lives. Very different, for the most part today. Colour and the Media have come in where before they were kept at bey. The Strength, and Purity of life is constantly being diluted by the world habits demonstrated and 'enjoyed' around us, and the pressure to more and more conform to what the world accepts - even in the Church of God - increases week by week.

The Bible says in the Book of Jude v7 in the New Testament of the Bible - relative to the sin of homosexuality (Amplified Translation) -

'The wicked are sentenced to suffer

just as Sodom and Gomorrah - and adjacent towns -

which likewise gave themselves over to impurity

and indulged themselves in unnatural vice and sensual perversity -

are laid out in plain sight as an exhibit of perpetual punishment

to warn of everlasting fire.

To me the most terrible thing to consider is the willful destruction of a life. Most of those engaged in Gayism feel perfectly justified and happy about it, although even the secular observers in the medical and psychological fields all agree that those following this life style are endangering their own physical and mental health. The incidence of Suicide for example is 6 times more than any national average. Depression and other disorders perhaps stemming from a subconscious sense of guilt, and also the instability of relationships forcing a multiplicity of partners, all make for a basically unhappy life with the spectre of ill health and a lonely death. The very fact that the majority of these people realise they are deviants but refuse to accept it, mean that they are all the time endeavouring to establish their own position in front of the rest of us. They feel that the practice of homosexuality is seen as a social evil, and thus themselves as sinners or social missfits, stigmatised, and judged cruelly by the rest.

Well how DO we hate the sin and love the sinner in this case? We DO have to love the homosexual man or woman. But we cannot encourage him in the sin that he does that we know will both injure him and endanger society around him. If we keep quiet, say nothing, and neglect to warn, point out, and challenge then he will die in his sins and we shall have to account for him. We may not turn our back upon him, may not allow ourselves to give up on him. He can be changed, can be healed and saved., by JESUS reaching out to him in ME ...in YOU. How about that. We may see things going wrong in our world society, and maybe it IS going to get worse and worse, BUT each one of US who know the LORD have to go on being busy on our Father's business, even the seeking and saving of those who are LOST. AND let me say clearly this ministry is not for the faint hearted - this ministry of reaching out to the lost with the Gospel. It will cost us, maybe hurt us. It cannot be done by Christians that are 'asleep' on the job. We have to be AWAKE!

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THE RAINS HAVE TAILED OFF. Quite nice weather, but still not enough rain in Eldoret. Ian and Diana Hogley were with us from Tuesday to Friday this week, and on Wednesday the four of us had supper together with Joshua and Miriam Mbithi. Joshua is having his 2nd operation on this coming Monday a.m. to remove yet another little bone pressing on a nerve. After that we are hoping he will return to full health quickly. DARYL has now found employment as Assistant Administrator and Sales Manager for a small private hospital here in Eldoret. We have not seen him since he left. Carol and the children are fine and we do continue to see them daily.

This has not been such a busy week but on MONDAY morning I have to attend a District Manager's Meeting for Charitable Children's Institutions which the District Children's Office has called. Maybe to do with the Memo I sent out last week! Then on Wednesday we have the monthly Meeting of the Children's Services Forum. Then on Saturday the School will take in Candidates for Primary Standard 1. Quite a lot going on as well as daily routines in the four Homes.

Had a special Meeting about our Secondary School this week. It has not been paying its way. Not enough students, and not enough money. Esther and I plus Anthony Ndungu the School Principal met and spent some hours discussing the matter. The Homes have 33 of its older children currently attending the School for free. We have decided this has to stop, so as from November we shall be paying in Ksh.50,000 per month or 12 pounds sterling per student. This will help, but we will still have to raise the Fees to those from outside as well. We had seriously considered shutting down the Secondary Section of the School. This would have meant that our own Homes children would have had to find outside schools, and we would in any case then have had to pay fees. We felt it better to try to do our best to keep things going and ensure the continuance of the high academic standard. God is Good ALL the time.

God Bless and be with you all till next time.

John and Esther

SAINTS ALIVE!!?

POPE BENEDICT XVI NAMES 5 new saints. We see him here waving to the faithful as he arrives to celebrate a mass for their canonisation.

'...the Pope claims the authority to declare certain individuals as saints after their death on the basis of certain criteria established by the Catholic Church. from among the millions of Catholics only a tiny minority would ever be recognised as saints by the Vatican.'

I remember my mother often declared people to be saints! If someone ever came to our special aid in time of need, she would say that he or she 'is a real saint'! To her anyone who did some special act of goodness or kindness was a saint. No doubt the early Fathers of the Church may have felt that the Apostles, including Paul, deserved to be singled out as 'special' Saints, and thus given the 'title' of Saint; thus St. Paul, St. Luke and so on! JESUS seems to have missed out on that. He was altogether against giving people titles, including Himself. He was against any thing that would assist us in being puffed up with self conceit and pride. One wonders then how long it took the Church Fathers to decide on designating the Apostles as Saints. Even today the Catholic Church appears to wait until a person is long dead before conceding they may have been good enough to be a Saint.
BUT the question should be asked - ' Does a person have to be proved good in order to be recognised as a Saint?' When Jesus was addressed as 'Good Master' he said - 'Why do you call Me good? There is none good save One?' Yes indeed the Bible says there is none good, no not one! Of course, to actually recognise that He is Good we have also recognise that He is in fact GOD' - or that God dwells in Him. Only another person that might believe to have God IN him might consider that all his own sin and fault has been covered up by the Goodness of God which has come to dwell in him. And, of course, this IS the Good News, that God has loved us enough to let our badness to be covered up by His Goodness in Christ Jesus. Christ has become our Righteousness, our Rightness and Goodness, and everyone that has believed and accepted this has in effect become a Saint of God. Sainthood is achieved by believing in the Work of Salvation purchased for us by Christ on the Cross. It is Jesus that MAKES and CREATES Saints. No man in whose flesh sin still dwells can do this. It is the Work of God Himself.
It is interesting that Paul, the Apostle, addressed his Letters to the Churches by referring to those in the Church as 'saints' 1.Corinthians 1v2 / 2.Corinthians 1v1 / Ephesians 1v1 / Philippians 1v1 / Colossians 1v1. In those days if you were a Believer then you were a saint by faith. This was the Calling and the Vocation upon each brother and sister in the Lord Jesus. Wonderful! I mean we are, all of us in Christ, still men and women, imperfect, and able to be tempted to sin. YET we may be seen as saints in the making, working flat out to attain our full potential in Jesus. I do not have to put a Capital letter to the word and make it a title to be known by. No, I am a saint in the rough, not yet finished; still being polished, but none the less a saint by description because of Christ IN me. Think about it. If you have called upon Christ, then you have turned your life around from being a willful and intentional sinner, to being a willful and intentional SAINT. This is now your goal as you head home to God.

MAYBE someone reading this will think I am pushing Christian ideas to much. Sorry, no apology. The Way to sainthood and perfection may ONLY be found by imitating Christ. He says of Himself, I AM the Way, the Truth, and the LIFE. There is no other way to go, no other example to follow. WOW. Think about this in all seriousness, and do not MISS your way. Do not follow the wrong person.

And just to CEMENT these words a little, I want to quote from Colossians 1v15-23 and also 3v5-13 I am using the JB PHILLIPS translation of these verses as found in his little book 'Letters to Young Churches'.

NOW CHRIST is the visible expression of the invisible God.

He existed before creation began, for it was through Him that everything was made,

whether spiritual or material, seen or unseen.

Through Him and for him, also, were created power and dominion, ownership and authority.

In fact every single thing was created through, and for Him.

He is both the First Principle and the Upholding Principle of the whole scheme of creation.

And now He is the head of the Body which is composed of all Christian people.

Life from nothing began through Him, and life from the dead began through Him,

and He is, therefore, justly called the Lord of all.

It was in Him that the full nature of God chose to live,

and through him God planned to reconcile in His Own Person, as it were,

everything on earth, and everything in Heaven by virtue of the sacrifice of the Cross

AND YOU YOURSELVES, who were strangers to God,

and in fact, through the evil things you had done, His spiritual enemies, He has now reconciled

through the death of His Body on the Cross, so that He might welcome you to His presence clean and pure,

without blame or reproach.

This reconciliation assumes, of course, that you maintain a firm position in the faith,

and do not allow yourselves to be shifted away from the hope of the Gospel, which you have heard.

and which, indeed, the whole world is now having an opportunity of hearing.

-------

IN SO FAR, then, as you have to live upon this earth, consider yourselves dead to worldly contacts:

have nothing to do with sexual immorality, dirty-mindedness, uncontrolled passion, evil desire,

and the lust for other people's goods.

It is because of these things that the holy anger of God falls upon those who refuse to obey Him.

And never forget that you had your part in those dreadful things when you lived that old life.

BUT NOW, PUT ALL THESE THINGS BEHIND YOU.

No more evil temper or furious rage: no more evil thoughts or words about others,

no more evil thoughts or words about God, and no more filthy conversations.

Don't tell each other lies any more, for you have finished with the old man, and all that he did

and have begun life as a new man, who is out to learn what he ought to be

according to the plan of God.

In this New Man of God's Design there is no distinction between Greek and Hebrew,

Jew or Gentile, foreigner or savage, slave or free man.

Christ is all the matters, for Christ lives in them all.

AS THEREFORE GOD'S PICKED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NEW HUMANITY

purified and beloved of God Himself, be merciful in action, kindly in heart, humble in mind.

Accept life, and be most patient and tolerant with one another,

always ready to forgive if you have a difference with anyone.

Forgive as freely as has the Lord forgiven you.'

Reading this just a few days back REFRESHED my determination to make them good in my daily life. So often we approve what we read but then neglect to implement ay of it.....so easy to go away from the 'mirror' of God's Holy Word and forget how different we are to what we saw there.

Our 'sainthood' gets a bit stale - gets a bit dimmed - THIS IS NOT right! We should not wait for the Trumpet to Sound for Christ to Come before applying ourselves to being worthy of that High Calling. THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL. WAKE UP!

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EIGHT MORE CHILDREN COMMITTED to our care this week by the Courts. AND not for three years either, but each one until they are 18! Relative to what I shared last week we can say we have a 50/50 reaction so far. But I think there is hope for a proper revision of what the Government has stated.

IT HAS CONTINUED TO RAIN, but not abnormally - gently and prolonged. Of course it ought NOT to be raining now, but we are glad to see it continuing. There has been flooding and storm damage in the West of Kenya, but so far it has not been quite so serious in our area.

Our Secondary School 4th formers commence their National Examinations next week and so quite a few tense lives trying to squeeze last minute knowledge into their memories. They will continue for 3 days. On 15th one of our boys went off to University to continue his B.Com Degree. We had to find Ksh.80,000/-. This cleared the Bank Account, and left us with only about 20 pounds sterling in the kitty! We waved goodbye and continued to pray! The next morning my Secretary came into my office with a crumpled envelope. "This was just left for you" she said. I opened it and inside was a cheque for Ksh.210,000/- (about 1900 pounds sterling). No note or letter. We knew the sender, but he could not have known our need. This was yet again an amazing unforeseen provision. Thank you Father. How truly Wonderful is Your Name.

I have missed Daryl day by day. But on the other hand his absence has not in any way upset or hindered the work. Everyone has helped, and in fact this week has been much blessed. We hear Daryl has in fact found re-employment and so at least he is secure. God knows the way we take, and He does arrange our steps (even the steps of a rebel, I think).

There was a Parent & Teachers Meeting today in the School, and Esther actually announced her impending Retirement at the end of this current Term. A lot of disappointment, but we feel the Lord has take care of it, and that the School will not suffer in any way ultimately.

Joshua Mbithi is to have a further Operation on his right leg sometime next week. The Consultant thinks another nodule has grown on the other side of his spine once again crunching against a nerve. Poor dear brother has really had to deal with further pain and discomfort, both day and night. The consultant has stated that his spine is in a degenerative condition - no treatment has so far been suggested apart from the op. Joshua is anxious about the future, and feels unwilling to continue having one operation after another indefinitely. He really does need prayer. And Miriam also of course, but she is very upset and worried about his condition.

OTHERWISE ALL IS WELL WITH US ALL, and with the children. We are thankful. We pray for your own encouragement and blessing day by day. Accept of our Love in the Lord Jesus.

John and Esther

BRIDES GALORE!

TO-DAY'S DAILY NATION sported this flamboyant photo of a Zulu business man in South Africa getting married to FOUR wives - on the same day ! He says that he prefers polygamy to keeping girlfriends! An interesting Article considering that Kenya is considering changing the Marriage Laws. It is being proposed that in Kenya a man may enter into polygamous relationships provided he has permission from the first wife. Maybe this is paving the way for the Scripture that says a day will come when many women will lay hold of one man! As it is written in Isaiah 4v1 'IN that day seven women will take hold of one man'! No I am joking, I know this is bad exegesis! - BUT we do live in a world where are ARE more women - it may finally cause an in-balance which might indeed encourage this kind of situation. Not too far back one of our Government Minister decided to take a third wife - he was already living with two. He testified of himself saying 'The fact that I love women does not mean that I have loose morals'. A bit glib perhaps? Certainly to 'love' anything is to admit a strong liking for it. Not far off from lusting for it. To love another human-being beyond a proper appreciation and respect can easily lead us into immorality, and if we are already married then into unfaithulness. 'Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her (to imagine intimate relations with her) has committed adultery with her in his heart (mind).

Of course it ought to be possible NOT to look at a woman (or a man) in this way.......

but things have begun to slide downwards in our current world society.

I once asked a young Christian of my acquaintance if he had a young lady. He replied that he had more than six, and loved them all, but could not make up his mind which one he liked the most. He just liked pretty girls. He had a bouquet of them but could not choose which of them was the most desirable. But I suggest that this was not a happy or desirable situation in truth, for God Himself is not the author of confusion or perplexity. Such a state of mind is bound to become a temptation. God only presented ONE woman to Adam; no bouquet was offer to him to choose from.

BUT JOB found multiple choice already in his world, and found it hard not to LOOK at all the choices all the time. He had what many have found themselves to possess - 'A Roving Eye!' Even as a married man he found his eyes noticed every pretty girl that passed by. It obviously did not endear him to his wife, and by suggestion made for marital strife and tension. THUS, in Job 31v1 in the Old Testament of the Bible we find him sharing and saying ...''I made / dictated a covenant / an agreement with my eyes; how could I then look lustfully at a girl? For what portion or inheritance would I have from God above if were lewd (MORALLY LOOSE)?"

I have always found this verse interesting. It suggests, strongly, that when I find myself with a character fault then I should do something about it. I was reading just this week some testimonies from youngsters involved in homosexuality. The majority defended themselves by saying that they had been born with this predilection; they were programmed to BE the way they were. JOB, however, did not make such a consideration a defence, and set about putting his life by force on the right track. He took himself in hand. He did not become the slave of his EYES, but made himself their master, and himself determined what they focused on, and how. He denied his eyes to be controlled by SIN. He had GOD with him in this effort of course. He would not have been able to succeed without Him providing the spiritual strength. Reading and thinking of his battle, however, we can now see what Paul in Romans 6v12 meant when he wrote - 'Let not sin therefore rule as king in your mortal (short lived) perishable bodies, to make you yield to its cravings, and be subject to its lusts and evil passion.'" AND YES I am dogmatically saying that 'evil passion' has to be identified and accepted as that which GOD has banned in a normal human life - and not what MAN has allowed for himself. GOD who made us IS able to repair, reset, and reprogram us into the person and image He planned for us to be before SIN (like the virus) came to mess us up. If we ask HIM in to our life, He will come and He will bring POWER with Him to set us right. I do not have to be a thief, I do not have to be an adulterer, a homosexual, a murderer. I do not have to give in to bad temper. I can be what I was intended to be in God's Sight. Yes self discipline with the Help of God leaves us all without excuse to leave ourselves just as we are.

But IS polygamy acceptable to God? Is He happy about it? What does His WORD say about it?adultery, fornication, or anything else as listed in 1. Corinthians 6v9-20. It is Paul who is writing these words

Well JOB thought that a Roving Eye and a morally loose life would deprive him of God's blessing and eternal inheritance.

The truth is GOD is not happy with polygamy and any more than He is Happy with Homosexuality, words in the New Testament, and some have said that in fact Paul was ready to accept polygamy in a Christian context. He seems to accept polygamists in the Church Membership when he states that Pastors and Deacons should be the husband of ONE wife. This suggests that those who were NOT pastors or Deacons COULD have more than one wife - but I think he was merely accommodating those who may have been converted after already being polygamist.(1 Timothy 3v2 & 12) The bar put on such being Leaders shows that Paul did not think this would be a right example for others to follow.

Others will say 'What about the Patriarchs in the Old Testament?' God allowed them to have more than one wife! Yes, it is true. God also allowed Divorce, and Jesus said that God permitted it 'because of the hardness (the selfish willfulness) of men's hearts - it was never intended to be so or ordained by God to BE so. God WILL permit you to DO what you WANT, whatever you will in fact - BUT on Judgement Day it may be that you will scarcely be Saved, and that only by FIRE (1.Corinthians 3v11-18). We might find ways to argue for 'permission' to do anything - but not all things are right and proper for us to do. We need not to lean to our own understanding but rather to study God's WORD, giving it pride of place in our lives.

Perhaps to adjourn these thoughts I will conclude with Malachi 2v15 where the Prophet asks -

'And did not God make (you and your wife) one flesh?

Did not one make you and preserve your spirit alive?

And why (did God make you two ) one?

Because He sought a godly offspring (from your union).

THEREFORE take heed to yourselves, and let no one deal treacherously

and be faithless to the wife of his youth.

FOR THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, SAYS

I hate divorce and marital separation and him who covereth his garment

(his wife)

with violence.

THEREFORE keep a watch upon your spirit

(that it may be controlled by My Spirit)

that you deal not treacherously and faithlessly

(with your marriage mate).

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

THIS WEEK HAS RUSHED BY YET AGAIN. It has been a good week and a busy week. Daryl has called in for breakfast with us most mornings, and has been himself busy running up and down seeking employment. So far nothing definite, but he seems at peace. Carol and the children usually drop in at lunchtime at Green Cottage in between morning and afternoon school, so we continue to meet as family. Esther still busy at School and I have had a full time with administration, Accounts, and correspondence. I also put out a five page Memorandum concerning the proposed changes in the Children's Act and circulated to the Children's Services Forum and Government Departments. Also met with the Chief Magistrate for Eldoret and one of his colleagues - a Children's Magistrate - to further discuss the ramifications of the Meetings of last week. Their opinion is that the real power will lay with the Magistrate in the Court as each individual case is presented and considered. We shall see as the days unfold.

THE RAINS have increased through the week. Quite HEAVY and prolonged rain storms. On our tin roof the pounding becomes deafening, and almost one can 'feel' the weight or pressure of the rain upon the roof. The lawns have been mown again for the first time since early August, and the compound look washed and fresh - It has an almost coastal freshness in the air. I quite enjoy it!

Continue to pray on for us all here, for our peace and safety - there are still untoward rumours of people arming themselves in readiness for more strife before the 2012 Election - for the famine and other economic shortages still claiming lives and causing distress; for 2 million children still stranded and exposed to every possible hardship and abuse. Kenya must now be almost a Nation of 40 million - and half of them will all be under twenty years of age; possibly more. Most of our land is desert. A compressed and squeezed land where everyone fears the future, and barely endures the present. Yes pray for Kenya, and for Testimony Faith Homes.

NB - Allan Nicholls of AENON TRUST has suggested that in consequence of the expected Postal Strike, anyone wishing to send TFH a monetary gift/donation might like to get in touch with him so that he can advise them how to send finance electronically to us via AENON Trust. I will there-for give details in case any might need -

Mr. A.E. Nicholls, MBE, Secretary

The AENON TRUST, 137 Belvedere Rd., Bexleyheath, Kent

Telephone - 020 8303 5216

E-mail nicholls_allan@hotmail.com

Lovingly,

John & Esther

I

LITTLE BOYS GROW BIGGER EVERY DAY! Anthony and Christopher (right in the photo) came to be with us when they were four months old, in 1974. Their mother was a woman living on the streets of Eldoret, a drunkard. She had delivered 11 children before having Anthony and Christopher who are twins. She delivered them in a field and left them there! Later she was arrested and committed to Prison where she promptly became pregnant yet again. She had family who were anxious to see her reformed. They had given her land, and built her a house, but she refused to make use of either, preferring her promiscuous street life. Her brother took her eleven children and brought them up with his own ten! But there was no room or further help for the twins. Thus they came to us. Their uncle sometimes visited, and they have come to know the rest of their family. But no one ever offered them a home. On the right is a photo of Christopher taken with our son Steven in '81. He was six then.

At eighteen they were still with us and having completed Secondary School we put them to courses in colleges of higher learning. They both wanted to enter Bible School, and they did so, both graduating with Degrees, and both now, in 2009, pastors in their own right with families of their own. Anthony is pastoring a large Church in Eldoret Town, and Christopher is pastoring our own Community Church. In fact he is 33 years old, married with two children. He spent all his childhood and adolescence in Testimony House with me and Esther as his 'Mum and Dad', together with his brother Anthony, and 36 others - and seems to have profited well from the experience. We are proud of them both. They are 'family' to us, to Testimony House, and to Testimony Faith Homes as well. And yes they are still in touch and part of their birth mother's family.

WHY HAVE I shared this with you today?

On Wednesday of this week I was visited by a high powered delegation from the Kenya Children's Department, the National Council of Social Services, and local government officers. Those from Nairobi were touring the Country to acquaint themselves with what was going on relative to Children's Services, and in particular the urban problem of Street Children. They were not altogether very encouraging, but rather dictatorial, critical, and ignorant about the work that Charities are doing in the Country. I personally felt that they had not come to cement good relations but to subjugate. During their time with me - not long (about 20 minutes), they forcefully declared NEW measures that are to come shortly in regard to children and young persons committed to Children's Homes. There was no opportunity for discussion.

The next day, Thursday, I joined others from the Community in attending a District Advisory Council. The same Delegation were also in attendance, and proceeded to repeat their information of the previous day, just as forcefully and dispassionately as the day before. All in all the tone of the Meeting and the Direction Kenya is apparently taking relative to the Care and Protection of children and young persons was not encouraging. I left wondering........!

The MAIN points that point to difficulty were three.

1. The Delegates reported that the number of years a child can be committed to a Children's Home will be THREE years only. At present a child can be committed for a maximum of EIGHTEEN years with the possibility of an extension being granted.

THUS Testimony Faith Homes takes children from between 0 and 10 years and accepts to care for them until they have gone as far as they intelligently can in School and College, and then until they have found employment enabling them to leave us able to care for themselves.

Our idea is and always has been to admit into our homes children who have lost home and both parents, and who have no other relative able or willing to care for them. Our aim obviously to provide, as well as we may, what they have lost - home and family. Over the years in each of our four Homes, families have been built up, and with them lasting relationships of affection and trust, as well as security. Each Home has become 'home' to those living there, and a 'family'. This could never be achieved if after three years of having come to stay a child is then repatriated to where it came from!

WHY would the Government want to implement this measure? I was told by the Assistant National Director of Children's Services, that it was in order that no child became estranged from its roots. She said she had visited Homes were children had stayed 15 years or more, and seen that they were strangers to their own homes and families - she questioned my assertion that some children had no such homes or families of their own to go to. She also intimated that Children's Homes were alien places where children were taught alien customs and practices. The had to be reintegrated into society. She made it sound rather like Game Wardens reintegrating animals that had been in captivity back into the Wild!!

This attitude is in line with current Government opinion that Children's Homes will not be needed 2020 as it is their intention to foster children into existing families.

If this step is made to happen then it would prevent us from achieving our vision, and in our opinion seriously disrupt the well being of every child in care.

2. The Delegates second revelation was that all young persons reaching the age of 18 would necessarily have to leave or be removed from all Chidren's Homes.

To me it seems impossible to suddenly say to those who have attained the age of 18 and who have just commenced College or University, that they must LEAVE their home.

WHY is the government considering enforcing this action? Apparantly because world opinion feels it is unhealthy for 18 years olds and above to have association with those who are younger ..... presumably in case they might molest them or otherwise morally endanger them? Another sign of worldwide departure from common sense. We have forgotten and set aside all that our fathers taught us in favour of ignorant and ill informed nonsense. We progressively dismantle social and family discipline and progressively become more and more astray in our methods of holding family and thence society together. We are in fact sewing the seeds of destruction in respect of our own humanity.

IF we implement this new innovation into our Homes we will immediately introduce apprehensive insecurity in every teenager trying to secure a future.

NONE of our children have a welcoming home, family or relative to whom they can run if we were to turn them out. And certainly none would be able to entertain the cost of their further education. When I questioned the good sense and even practicality of this action I was told that it was for the C.C.Is to build alternative accommodation for their 18 year olds far from the young children! Such a comment was almost insulting; and at best without any compassion or sentiment - or even appreciation of what Charitable Organisations are achieving materially unhelped by the State.

3. The Delegation then accused us all of ignoring the growing plight and even threat of Street Children in our District. We were accused of shutting our doors to them in favour of others with lesser need. We were challenged to build for Street Children, and to put Street Children first when it came to choosing what child to admit. The more I listened to these exalted Officers of the Government, the more amazed and disheartened I became.

I asked how many Street Children were in Eldoret - I was told that there were 800, an enormous ( probably incorrect ) number.

I said that 800 WAS a lot if it was true - BUT there were more than 80,000 children in our District needing home and shelter. Children whole parents had died of AIDS and were then shunned and turned away from by their parent's families. Children whose families had been wiped out by ethnic violence. Children abandoned by their parents. Were they in LESS need than the children and young persons on our streets who were, for the most part, NOT homeless or orphaned? I pointed out that the 10-14 recognised Children's Homes in our District had a total possible population at any one time of perhaps 700. Many had in fact taken in Children from the STREET. Testimony Faith Homes have taken in 40 since 2001. A small number compared to the need but at least SOME help. It was not true to say we had done and were doing nothing.

BUT existing Homes could not open their doors to drug addicts, thieves, and promiscuous youths that would bring their practices and temptations in with them to infect a family that so far had clean escaped them.

The majority of Street Children are a culture and society of their own and need specialised aid and care towards their rehabilitation into acceptable society.

The entire Meeting concentrated on Street Children in the main, and it seemed as if the plight of other orphaned or destitute children was unimportant by comparison. MUCH of all that was said and shared stemmed from pressure in the United Nations which constantly applies pressure to all Nations to implement and expand upon their 'Wonderland' notions.

Many organisations visited by this delegation have been phoning showing concern as what the future holds for those of us running Children's Homes for orphans, and destitute children. Many feel discouraged and apprehensive, wondering if God is leading to move their ministry to areas in the world more in need and less demanding. To us the initial story told of Christopher and his twin brother prove the advantages in being able to see a life through to the time it can 'fly'.

What will WE do if these new regulations are actually enforced? Would we be able to continue on the same pattern we have followed for 40 years? What alternatives would we need to consider. This year is proving to be like the churning of the sea. Certainly a great stirring is taking place in every aspect of the ministry and the spiritual weather is not sunny. Thank God He dwells in the thick clouds, and the Thunder and the Lightening are in His hand. How can we be despondent knowing that He is with us.

OOOOO

The young man that works for us whose hand was severed is now at home and his hand healing 'miraculously' without a cast or bandage now to be seen. The flesh is closed up, and the scar of the rejoining already fading. Surely that is the hand of God. Praise Him for Ever. And the young man as refused to seek after his attacker or to even report him to the Police saying that he has forgiven him, and that God may yet save that one who hurt him so much. We have been amazed at the change in him. Thank you for your prayers.

Much Love yet again to you all.

John and Esther