WELL this used to be MUM'S Woodshed, but has now in a week has been re-discovered and converted into a COW Shed and Milking Station for up to TWO cows!! The cows will hopeful appear soon!! Daryl has been pushing his small workforce in planting and many other matters such as putting up a 1000 litre water tank, capping the well, fencing and PLANTING. All has gone well, so far except for two sadnesses. The first was that the night before we capped the well, leaving it with a temporary timber cover, our oldest German-shepherd, Rupert, fell through it and drowned in the well before anyone could rescue him - it happened around dawn. Then having planted hundreds of cabbage plants we found a number of them dying off, having turned brown. It seemed that the labourers who had been planting had also been putting down chicken manure without mixing it.!! So a slight set back, but we have replanted, and other veg such as the spinach is growing well. There is progress and it is still raining!! God walks with us and we are much encouraged.
This week a second well is being dug on the Jacaranda Compound so that hopefully we shall have water there too to irrigate the second Allotment! Also final touches to the Chicken House will be made. We have found it is a little larger than we really need it to be, so part of it now will be used as a Feed Store for the Chickens. Daryl has been so busy he has become more of a Farm Manager than an Executive Director. But without his drive and flair at this initial stage we might have not been able to carry things through. We now have good foundations for the future, and no doubt he will gradually hand over his agricultural responsibilities to another.
Many areas in Kenya continue to have little or no rainfall so that drought conditions continue - very much being aggravated by the Sudanese Refugee problem, with hundreds of thousands running into Kenya. Food prices continue to escalate week by week, and electric power is being seriously rationed, also adding to the general economic crisis. Things do not look good in a general sense with government and other politicians stirring animosity and bad feeling as the time gap to the next Election in August 2012 shortens. Not a
comfortable or stable outlook. More and more concerns are being voiced by the average Kenyan, and there is a growing anxiety that the near future will only worsen. BUT God is with His People. It will be our opportunity to demonstrate that those who put their trust in Him will be saved. A demonstration which may well bring many into the Fold of the kingdom of God.
ON THURSDAY of this week, we buried our 'son' of many years, JOHANNA Nanjelo Okombo. He was 53 and had come to us when he was eleven. He passed away in hospital in his sleep.
He was confident of his Salvation. A large portion of our staff that had known and worked with him over the years, in addition to old boys and girls and of course ourselves were all at the graveside. The civil cemetery is about 9 kilometres from Eldoret Town centre at the end of a rough mud road often waterlogged at this time of year. One comes upon the cemetery suddenly. There is no fence or wall - suddenly the open fields give way to grave stones and wooden markers, and then almost as far as the eye can see they continue on every hand. It is a most desolate untended and uncared for place. There we held a Service. Joshua Mbithi, himself an AIC ordained minister was there with his wife Miriam, herself an old girl of Testimony House, plus three other ordained pastors who had grown up in Testimony House. About 100 of us altogether. It was grey and cloudy but warm. We were glad it was only the body we left there. A forlorn place to leave anyone in. But the Service was good and there was a spirit of Victory and Praise as so many Testified to His Saving Grace and remembered the miracle of Johanna's own Salvation. His young sister, Grace Atieno, and brother Edward Majimbo where there. Grace a mother of 10 children herself at 48 stayed in Green Cottage with Esther and me until this morning, when she left for her home in Maseno. Edward, working in Nairobi returned there the same day as he had only an allowance of one day to be away from his job.
ON MONDAY next week we shall commence using the Central |Kitchen for providing meals for the FOUR Homes. Everything is now ready including the two chefs - both old boys - who will be managing everything. Additionally the Central Laundry will also commence serving the four Homes as well. Things are moving along, and we hope and believe it will all assist in lowering our outgoings whilst also increasing our efficiency. Change is not only in the air here with us, but is very much the atmosphere in which we live.
Thank you for your continued prayer as you follow us via the Blog. We need those prayers; they are our strength and confidence day by day. God Bless and be with you always
John and Esther
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