ng already too used to their own way to knuckle down to a regulated home life. We had been going for only about 10 months. Most of the youngest stayed until they completed School, and found employment, a good number still being in touch with us. Remembering these very early days I found a News Update for October 1970 which I thought I would include in this week's Blog, almost forty years to the day later!TESTIMONY - OCTOBER 1970
"What does it cost to be loved and left alone?"
Lenrie Peters of Gambia
BEARING IN MIND the question above, let me relate two incidents.
I was sitting with my 'helper' Okila Olindi, in the Hospital landrover. The morning was hot, and we were parked in a back street of Kisumu, where many shops and emporiums are situated. Across the street I caught sight of a boy of about ten going into an open fronted drapery store. He was in rags; dirty. He gave one the slight impression of a down and out animal more than a human being. His stomach was terribly distended, and he seemed to stagger often as he lurched along. He entered the shop, holding out his hands, apparently asking for money or food. The storekeeper cuffed him soundly, and as he fell back into the dusty, littered street he missed his footing and collapsed into the rubbish filled gutter. He picked himself up and came on uncertainly towards us. We tried to speak to him, but his language was not one that either of us could understand. He went on sadly from us, lost, unwanted and uncared about; one of so many.
THEN, a few days ago, I was travelling back to Maseno from Kisumu by bus..The bus was hot, overcrowded and slow as we chugged our way up the tarmac road. Suddenly some passengers began to point ahead, and there in front, on the road, was a man walking. He was quite naked. People were shocked as well as mockingly curious. The bus overtook and passed him by, heads all screwed round and necks stretched to see better - then we stopped. We had hit a Police Traffic check. As we now turned our attention to this new development, into the bus swung the same man - still quite naked and probably not more than twenty years of age -
"Ladies and gentlemen.." he said, "this is a bad world......."
A policeman pulled him back, and out of the bus, and the youth turned about and ran like a mad thing down the road and away from us, as if he would attack a herd of cows a mile away. He had spoken in perfect English. The people in the bus were quiet. The Police laughed. No one really cared. What DOES it cost to be loved - and left alone? What does it cost to be concerned, yet not to be involved. The answer is very short - IT COSTS NOTHING! Nothing at all. That love is worthless.
And all the time since that time, I have been more and ever haunted by the thought that there is no one to care - NO ONE TO CARE. Yet this is not really true - God Cares! Yes, God Cares. In me? In you?
It is just over a year now ( October 1970) that the first two boys came to my little house in Maseno Hospital. The one only 12 years old, yet already tainted with women and strong drink; a taker of drugs - almost an old man already. The other, his younger brother, crippled through neglect, and well taught in the art of a lie. What kind of miracle was it that God put in their way? Not the kind commonly heard about from evangelistic platforms. Some look down their noses and label it 'social welfare'. Not really the same as preaching the gospel. Yet in fact by it Christ came and worked a miracle and in the midst of us here, and there has been deliverance and healing.
One visiting pentecostal preacher from the USA recently said to us here -
Ít's no use preaching only -
It's no use praying only -
We've got to DO something with it;
And it's the DOING that will COST not the other two.''
Yes Christ has shown us the way. He gave up everything just to rescue us from sin and misery; from loneliness and guilt. Not just 10% did He give, but ALL that He had. EVERYTHING. How much do WE care? How much do WE love? Perhaps because of these things we have found ourselves increasing the number of boys (no girls in those days since I was unmarried)
and we now have 35! It has meant that our financial outgoings have more than doubled, causing a little heart searching - was I really wise to allow this; was it of the Lord? We had increased our family by 15 in just over a month. But we had the space. I know Jesus would not have thought of the material risk, and I don't see how we could have done differently. He has never ever let us go hungry, and every day our daily needs are met. Oh, OTHER needs might be hanging around a bit, and old Satan sometimes come strolling round to test us. Yes, he is very ready to try to rob us of our peace and assurance. Yet even now with 15 extra mouths to feed the burden of faith is no greater than it was with fifteen less! The family is BIGGER but the burden is no heavier. But of course we still need for you to PRAY with us and for us. ((In June 1970 it had cost us only Ksh.3,000/- to pay our months bills and outgoings for 20 children and three staff members. - by October it had almost doubled because of the new intake of children))
ONE NEW DEVELOPMENT! I am planning to get married in March next year!! Thus instead of just ME alone, I now hope to bring my wife with me into the work here and even back with me to England for a brief visit. (We ended up marrying in August 1971, and the visit to UK was in fact delayed until March 1972). Please remember to pray for me, and for Esther, my wife to be; it is not every woman that would meet the challenge of my present situation - leave a safe government position, a good salary and well equipped modern house, and come to live in one room in run down conditions with 35 noisy boys! Love IS a wonderful thing. God is very good to me!
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It is always good to look back! And looking back I see my dear darling Esther all prepared to be a companion, and more than helper for all of these long, often arduous, and adventurous years. For me a most indispensable and necessary provision from Father in Heaven. I say Thank You Lord for her love and patience - not just toward me, but to ALL the children she found with me, and who would additionally come to be part of our family - the Testimony House Family in particular, and even the many others that have become part of the ever growing Testimony. Faith HOMES Family. She has and IS still a wonderful companion and wife, and even more a wonderful Mother and 'grandmother'. We have so much to rejoice in. Yes, some sorrows too, and children we still weep for and pray for as we wait for the Salvation. BUT oh, so much joy...............I hope you will realise how much of it was and IS still realised from your own part in this ministry - a ministry which has enveloped and contained our marriage and lives. Thank you for your partnership, your staunch support and prayer.
God Bless you always
John and Esther
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