I'M PREACHING AGAIN THIS SUNDAY! Don't often get the chance since we have a big Team here and we even have visiting speakers from time to time. I am in the midst of a series on the Ten Commandments. This week we will be considering the 5th - 'Honour Your Father and your Mother'. This is often challenging since so many cannot even remember their real mother and father - like me!
Does the Commandment include Adoptive Parents and other Guardians given Charge and Authority over children and young persons? Yes I believe it must do so. Does it include those parents who have failed as parents in some way ? Yes I believe it does. Obedience and Submission to EVERY Authority is important, and although we may find abuse of that authority and a need to remove it, generally we are exhorted to Honour and Respect it as from the Lord. For many of our children in the Homes, and perhaps also even in the School, it is not easy for many of them to feel encouraged to honour their parents; parents that have abandoned them, deserted and even physically distressed them. Harder still for those who never really knew their true parents. And the majority perhaps for these reasons feeling let down and rejected - why then have to Thank God for them, and even honour them?
Quite challenging to deal with at times. Hope the Lord will help me!

THIS WEEK has sped by quickly. The Rains have continued and all our planted crops have taken advantage and are growing well. As we look around us we can only Thank God for walking with us and prospering the work of our hands. We can now say that the clearing of sites, erection of structures and
the actual realisation of our new ideas has now fallen into place. Routines have been installed and personnel appointed and given duties so that the whole Program can run smoothly day by day. We now hope that in the week ahead we can get to grips with the daily routines that found themselves a little neglected. It has been well worth the effort however, and we continue to not only admire what has been done in so short a time, but also to just ENJOY looking at it. During these last few days we completed planting potatoes and beans on the Jacaranda Plot which is now completely under cultivation. On the Testimony Plot the 2nd planting has also been completed so that the complete Plot is also cultivated.

During the week the price of SUGAR has again risen. Now one 50kg sack costs Ksh.10,000/- or 66 Sterling pounds. Other commodities also continue to rise. As we look at the world picture of famine, war, and financial collapse we truly wonder where we are all headed.

The Short School Holiday is about to end, and in about a week everyone will be back to School AND College. We brace ourselves for the next round of college fees now becoming due. We look to the Lord. TWO of our older young people Maureen Cherop and Victor Makokha, having concluded their 4th Secondary School year last December, have now been offered places in Teacher Training College and will be commencing in the next week or so. A wonderful opportunity for them and an answer to their prayers. We trust the Lord to see them through.

On Thursday the School held Interviews of Teachers. We have had to replace Joseph and Rachel Ochieng so sadly. More than 40 teachers turned up, and we trust that the Holy Spirit led us to select two of His choice from their number.

Around us, outside of Testimony Faith Homes, the people grow poorer and hungrier. Even more people still trek to the Town thinking gold can be picked up on the street. Unemployment rising, Crime increasing, and this week Esther and I were just turning in at 11,30p.m. when we were deafened by prolonged gunfire which seemed to be right outside our house. In fact it was a few kilometres away - people trying to steel a haulage truck were apprehended by police - two of the robbers shot dead. Scary! Poor Esther got palpitations she was so shocked. But the Town is behaving normally and everyone seems calm and going about their business, even if that business is nothing but walking the street aimlessly. I am right now seeking for some 8 job opportunities for School Leavers from the Homes. It will keep me busy...

We love and pray for you all. Keep in prayer for us as well. God Bless you

John and Esther

COWS! CHICKENS! WHATEVER NEXT?

AT LAST THE CHICKENS HAVE ARRIVED! The first 100 arrived this week and have taken up residence in their new home. All very happy and full of chatter. First time round we decided not to buy chicks. So these 100 are 4 months old and probably have another two months to go before they start laying. The photo is of one of the two deep litter rooms they will be staying in. There will be the same space allocated for the broilers as well in the same house. It has taken

us a while to make sure that the House was rat proof, water proof and draft proof (without being too airless). So far so good. It is going to be quite a lot of work, and at least initially we shall try to enlist the help of an experienced poultry man/woman who can train our own staff to take care of them. They certainly never stop eating!

And of course we have to change the Litter weekly and make sure everything is as clean and germ free as possible. And we can see that the 'Trade' will do what it can to make it hard for us to make a worthwhile profit against them. Already the cost of 'Feed' is going up!!

The Chicken House is exactly opposite Drakeley Cottage AND Jacaranda. It is also going to be surrounded by the second Allotment. Right now we are preparing to plant POTATOES on this plot. Still a lot to do and clearing up work as well.

Had to cut down a few trees and also this week we have been trying our luck at making

CHARCOAL - so far it looks good. We still use charcoal for cooking in the School, and it is currently

Ksh.900/- per sack, more than double what it was last year. So far we have produced about 4 sacks with more to come. Every saving is a boon these days, and always quite exciting to see a little profit. Joseph and Beatrice ROP, Mum and and Dad in Jacaranda will probably end up being carers for the Chicken Project. We have to put a cement path from their back yard to the Chicken House about 50 feet away.

ROSIE and Co have settled down and made friends. Rosie supplying still about 15 litres of milk per day. We have also employed an experienced dairyman to initiate the first phase of the Dairy. He is making out very well indeed, and it is obvious that we have needed him. Daryl has truly been a tower of strength and industry in this month and a half, but cannot do the Office Administration AND be everywhere else at once in a responsible way. He will of course still be in the position of General Overseer of the Agricultural Program but with assistance. Maybe after a time as I mentioned re the chickens, we can have responsibility handed over to house-parents

after training. Cheaper!! But also more realistic and homely for us to be doing things ourselves without outside help.

THE NEXT move is to provide ourselves with a Bio gas Plant!! Daryl has all the plans for this, and he and another brother in Christ who used to be a Cleaner on our staff and who now makes a living MAKING these gas plants will probably go ahead quite soon. We will have a ready source of manure and compost, and again can see that it will save us a lot in fuel currently consumed by the School.
The first plantation is growing apace, and is very encouraging to behold. We had not

planted all of the space available as we want to go in stages to ensure a more constant provision of basic veg. Again, so far so good! The weather has been very good to us - still raining. We shall lay drip feed pipes on the Second Plot at Jacaranda NOW as we plant, and then slowly provide the same on the Testimony House Plot as we re-plant. The cooking and Laundry programs are also now working well and showing a considerable saving already. We PRAISE the LORD for all His Goodness to us in Waking us up and LEADING and GUIDING over these last two months.

ESTHER safely returned from Nairobi on Monday, after her four days away - seemed like years. She was visiting a girl friend of more than 40 years who has been ill with cancer. She also runs a Primary School in Nairobi.

And on Wednesday we celebrated Esther's 67th Birthday. It has been a good week, though wet and cold weather wise. And TODAY one of our staff - Isaac Mureithi an assistant in Testimony House is marrying here on the compound one of our School Teachers, Loice Wanjiru. Isaac has looked after Paul Ngugi in Testimony House. PAUL suffers from Hurlers Syndrome and is now 40 years old but unable to do anything for himself. He has been with us since he was 4 years. Isaac will still be working with us but not as a resident.

LAST WEEK, I briefly commented on the London Riots. I had said that I did not hear in the SKY NEWS reports of any Christian Leader actually speaking out. Just political and other notables. Many wrote back to assure me that there were, and IS, considerable Christian comment and action throughout the land, and that the general consensus has been more than encouraging. I must apologise, since I had not believed otherwise, and had not wished to question the general integrity of brothers and sisters in the church as a whole. I guess I was looking for something MORE from our political leaders - something that would point us back to God and show a realisation that recent legislation over the years both in the USA and UK has slowly put God on the shelf - or worse just deleted Him. I wonder how William Ewart Gladstone would have dealt with the situation in his day. Mr. Cameron was very positive and aggressive from a moral and humanist point of view - but I longed to just hear someone in Government stating the case, as it surely is, from God's perspective.

This week I read something written by Retired Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali in consort with other Church Leaders - Not bad at all - It needs to also come from A Christian Leader in Parliament.

We desperately need a Moses, an Alfred, - just a committed and vocal Christian.

Some of you may have read this article as it was printed in the Telegraph on 15th August. But I repeat it here in part since it echos so much how I was feeling last week.

'SIR,

We write as senior church leaders ........

What made Britain great was sense of responsibility, or accountability to one another and ultimately to GOD. It is the loss of this moral framework that has led to the plunge into the new barbarianism.

We must take steps immediately to strengthen the family as a place for moral and spiritual formation where our children first learn about boundaries.

......................What we instill in children today will determine in the future how they govern a nation, influence our polices and ultimately determine the quality of life in our communities.

We each make choices and decisions based on our value systems. GODLESSNESS has only produced selfishness and greed. The well-tried Christian faith has given us hope in the past and can do so again now.'

I know and believe there is much awakening in the UK, and indeed in the world at large within the Church of Christ. May it gather momentum without weakening along the way - a way that may become more and more alarming and arduous.

Esther and I Greet you all in Love, and in Jesus, Who has promised to be WITH US ALL until the End. Keep Him in sight.

John and Esther

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? Well listening and viewing SKY-tv over the last week or so it would seem that these are a cross-section of British Youth! Instead of being limited to colour and ignorance it seems that all colours were represented, as well as all levels of education also.

WHY were they rioting? Why the looting, burning, and even killing? Initially I found it difficult to grasp how so many became so quickly involved without visible leadership or apparent reason. Was it just a 'tsunami' of discontent and material greed? According to those interviewing some of them, they were feeling angry because they were jobless, poor, denied the riches and affluence of others around them, discriminated against racially. They were just hitting out - hitting back at life and society around them. A kind of revenge spirit.

They all seemed lacking in any sense of regret, repentance or sorrow at the socially unacceptable behaviour they had been engaged in. Indeed many clearly did not see any real wrong in what they had done. A lack of conscience? A lack of 'awareness' of Right and Wrong. A lack of humanity!

Yesterday morning at our staff prayer meeting, at the beginning of the day, we found Romans 1v21-32 saying basically that all social breakdown in society is due to people leaving God out of their lives.

God is 'known' but HIS viewpoint made to yield to Man's viewpoint based on what he wants and desires for himself.

Verse 28 is especially focused -

Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,

God gave the over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.

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And thereafter gives the list of social evils that come upon society generally from an un-disciplined and ungodly lifestyle.

Interestingly I seemed not to hear much from the Church during this awful time in London. Politicians, sociologists, educationalists all had their opinions - but less than a handful of Christians had a word to say. Yet more and more the American and British societies have turned away from the Bible as the moral foundation and fibre of daily life. God has been pushed aside and, at times, trodden underfoot, and even totally discarded in matters relative to discipline, ethics, and morality - even justice!! More and more ignorance of the Christian Heritage and Teaching that stabilised our Countries now grip the average mind. The Mighty Hand that stayed us from the greater evils of our world is now thrust from us in impatient determination

to be FREE of every restriction in order for us to have and do what WE want, regardless of any

other consideration. or will it, in sweeping all before it, also obliterate everything for ever?

CAN such a 'tsunami' be turned away? We have seen such tides turned in the past, God sending Revival and Witness powerfully to the fore that the mind and hearts of a generation. Wesley and Whitefield saw it, as did Moody and Sankey. Can we expect such to rise up yet once more?

Certainly it cannot be wrong to pray and hope so. Yet as we observe the Age in which we now live, and hear once more the words Paul wrote in 2.Timothy 3 we may have little real hope.

If these are the Last Days of which Paul speaks then we may only expect what I have many times before also certified - a worsening, world wide, of our respective societies into godless chaos and inhuman behaviour. BUT individually none of us should give up and let the tide role over us. No, rather we now need to STAND tall and be SEEN and HEARD more than at any time bfore. Yes, we need to stand and SHINE out as lighthouses set as we are in great darkness amidst turbulent seas strewn with unseen rocks set to our wrecking.

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TOMORROW is the fortieth Wedding Anniversary of Me and Esther. All those years just gone in a flash. She is not here with me this week though. She is visiting an old girl frend who is also running a School in Nairobi. She will not be back till Monday. Will have been away five days, and I have really felt her absense. On Tuesday it is also her Birthday, so we may combine both occassions and have a small party to celebrate. Should be giving each other Rubies........but it is unlikely that we will! We have had a good marriage, full of adventure, and full of Joy. Not to say we also shed tears at times, and had dark days of doubt and even despair both of ourselves and others - BUT the One who brought us and kept us together brought us through all things until now. Thanks be to God. Where do we go from here...?

Well Moses had a long way to go still by the time he was 70 - so I guess one never knows -

it is as God Wills. The weather continues VERY wet and cold - not very celebratory at all! It would have been nice to have all the family in on the Occassion, but as usual this cannot be. Daryl and Carol and kids will be here with us, as also Manu. Tweety-pie will be working still in Nairobi; Steve, Anji and family will be in the Cape Verde Islands on holiday; Liz and Prem are still in Madras, India visiting Prem's parents, and Mike and Janet still in London, though a little distant from the riot areas.

The photo was taken in the UK earlier this year when we were staying with Steve and Anji. - mainly because of the Cherry Tree I think.

No more Agricultural photos this week. Work has continued apace but I think NEXT week will find new photos of the CHICKENS and also the progressive grown of the vegetables and so on. Our cows are doing well and have become friends as expectant mothers should. Things are going well.

SO, until next time, I shall once again pause, and turn to other matters. Thank you for your prayers and good wishes. All much appreciated. We have YOU all in our prayers also, and most encouraging of all HE has us held tightly in His hands. God Bless.....

John and Esther

INTRODUCING 'ROSIE', cow number one - AND by way of a surprise, cow number TWO in the photo, lying down, has also come to stay - just a day ago! Things have really been changing. All this in just over a month since 6th July when we first ploughed up the ground for a Garden! It is quite WONDERFUL in our eyes! Rosie cost us a hundred pounds and her little sister at sixty - all through the goodness of a local farmer who has himself been supplying milk to the Homes. Real Christian kindness! Generally they will be on 'Zero Grazing' but we did not want them to be imprisoned entirely in a concrete jail, and so they do have a walk about area as well. So far so good - NOW Daryl is looking into a Bio-Gas System! Rosie is four months with calf, and No.2 is six months.

JOSEPH ROP, our Houesparent in Jacaranda is currently doing the job of Cow-man, Milking and Mucking-out - but this is only temporary, and we should be getting someone special to b

e the Chief Dairyman! Who knows in the future we might make cheese !!!!Shades of Gromet!

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHICKENS? Yes I am sure some are wondering why we have said so little. Well we ran into a few hitches with the Chicken House. It is a very roomy and well planned building, but on inspection it was found to be NOT rat proof and so we have had to make a few changes to make it safe.

RATS are very plentiful in our locality and of course we cannot risk our little chicks becoming a prime attraction for them. All is now finished and NEXT week we plan to get the first batch of layers. We are not buying day olds, but a bit older first time round. This will also save a bit on Feeds. AND latest news - we have found MORE water very close to the Chicken House so now we have two sources. Very exciting.

AND Centralised Cooking began on Wednesday, and the Central Laundry opened the same day.

Both are working out. SO, all systems GOing well!! Thank you Father, we know you are looking down upon us - still as children in your sight. May we remain so day by day.

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LAST WEEK we buried Johann Nanjelo, one of our first boys. On the day I wrote the Blog we later heard of a further loss. A loss to the School, to us personally, and to all the staff and students who had known them. TWO of our longest serving Teachers (they joined us in 1990) a married couple, JOSEPH AND RACHEL OCHIENG, both died in a car crash that morning. They had been travelling to Nakuru to meet with their children, and future in-laws of one who was to get married. Joseph was 55 and Rachel 51. Both taught in the Primary School. They were alone in the car, and died immediately. A real tragedy, and plunged the School into mourning. The Funeral was yesterday and they were buried together in the same cemetery as Johanna. The School had a Memorial Service for them on Thursday morning in the School Hall. I managed to attend although I have been struggling with a bout of bronchitis. I was unable to attend the actual Burial but Esther and Daryl went. We shall all miss them enormously. Great numbers of family, friends, and students attended the Funeral.

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FINALLY, for this week, we have to announce a change in our Staff.

Steven and Emily Situma, houseparents in Drakeley Cottage since 2003 have left us. Steven has taken a position as Caterer in a large Nairobi Mission. He was trained for this years ago, and has always I think missed that kind of work. Some of you may remember that last year we had a problem in the Homes with discipline. We had discovered some of the children had been beaten. One of those involved, and who in fact stood accused of abuse of this kind was Steven. He had been warned on several occasions, and we feel that he and Emily had decided to leave us - and children's work - as a result. We wish them well, and trust that the Lord will continue to lead and guide them into His Perfect Will. We already have replacements, and are happy to see that the general atmosphere in Drakeley Cottage has become much happier and freer. It is remarkable that this change should have also come in this first month. And still the RAIN pours down upon our favoured part of Kenya whilst the greater part continues rainless and parched.

Continue to pray with and for us. We all need strength from each other in the Spirit of God. We all need each other's prayers. May our Father in Heaven keep you safe and sound by His Grace in the Name of our Lord JESUS.

John and Esther

NB - Apologies for not putting this up yesterday, but we were unable to get onto the Web due to some external technical problems.