Pat had a stroke a year or so before we met, soon after her husband had passed away, and although this left her with a slight speech debility she remained well and strong, driving her own car, and living alone. In 2012 she and her son and daughter in law visited us here in Kenya and stayed at Testimony for almost a full month, or more. It was a very happy time....but all too short. Scotland is quite a long way away from Kenya, and WE do not travel to UK often. Pat's stroke also left her with a writing problem so she could not reply to letters I might write to her. She is without access to the Internet and so we could not communicate that way either. Telephone was left as an option, but our lines have been out or on the blink for more than a year (main line) and this and other complications meant that we did not speak very often successfully. It has been difficult to bare a separation that previously did not affect us. Each of us grew up as an only child. NOW we needed to be together and could not. Was God teasing us. and if He was, wasn't it a little cruel? It might certainly seem so! BUT NO.......I do believe God has something in mind that He will accomplish in our discovery of each other, and of each others family. AND I believe it will ultimately work for GOOD if we can BELIEVE for it - even now as I write this.
YESTERDAY my sister had a SECOND very strong stroke and was rushed to hospital. Last night the doctors were not too hopeful she would come through, and Esther and I took ourselves to prayer. But this morning we have heard that on waking she was able to get out of bed, and to walk around. She seemed a little 'confused' but otherwise aware of her situation, and strong as ever. We thank God for it. Our son Steven and daughter Elisabeth have both travelled up to Scotland from Manchester to be with her and with her son Harvey.
Well many of us are - in our seventies - beginning to notice signs of wear and tear in our physical and even mental condition. Some of need 'oiling and greasing' from time to time - and some of us could probably do with a complete 'makeover'. As a diabetic myself I certainly at times am conscious of 'change' in my 'body suit' and even in my 'electric circuitry'. As we all get older we need more careful maintenance after we attain seventy years. There are obviously exceptions but generally we see life after seventy presenting us with more restrictions and 'prescriptions'! As the Bible points out in Psalm 90v10 'The days of our years are threescore and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.........' Quite an apprehensive picture of old age - not that we should, as Believers, dwell morbidly or fearfully upon it.........yet we must surely accept, AS TIME GOES BY, that each new day is a day of grace. But perhaps you might be kind, and remember my sister, and me - that if it is possible God will arrange for us even yet to have more days to get to know appreciate and be a blessing to each other.
TALKING OF AGEING brings me back to Testimony House. Some weeks back I mentioned that some of the exterior walls were cracking and giving cause for concern - after a hundred years of weathering and ageing in front of the tropical assault of sun and rain. We managed to have this particular wear repaired with inserted iron rods and a 'makeover' of new plaster. We were careful to use the same materials and methods used when the house was built in 1908/10, and it now looks fine. BUT this week we noticed an INSIDE wall dividing the sitting room with the dining room was also cracking. Our builder was called to look at it, and to remove the exterior plaster to see more clearly the condition of the wall - a two foot thick, mud brick wall. He was astonished not only see the condition of the bricks, but also to see that no cement mortar had been used to bind the bricks together, but instead only 'dung' and grass mixed together. When we further explained to him that the house, in excess of an area of some 2,250sq.ft and roofed by enormously heavy corrugated iron sheets nailed to even heavier trusses and beams made of IRON WOOD, had itself NO foundations. The house is in fact built on rough hewn boulders sited directly on the surface of the ground, and dressed with dung and grass mortar on which the sun baked mud bricks are in fact laid. The builder could not believe it - and went off mumbling that if a house so large could last so long he might as well save himself money and build one like it - and keep away from foundations, footings, sand. cement and stonework........... The sitting room/dining-room walls are looking good now, the plaster replaced and just the painting to be done on Monday. I wish all the human deterioration and erosion in the world could be so easily dealt with! Well of course it WILL, one day. That Day when the Trumpet Sounds, and We - all of us BELIEVERS in Christ Jesus - are changed, in the twinkling of an eye! What a day that will be, no creaking joints any more, no involuntary flatulence, no frequent trips to the bathroom,dentist, consultant, doctor, and no longer failing teeth, eyes or ears. Oh my....even so COME lord Jesus and let us all individually together, RENEWED and REMADE in a form unable to be corrupted, aged or, destroyed by any sin in us, or our environment, enter into LIFE - new and everlasting life of a calibre and fullness we cannot yet even begin to understand or appreciate.
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THIS WEEK on Thursday afternoon I had a session with our School Teachers in which I spoke to them on Hebrews 12v15 'Take care lest any man fail of the grace of God.....
I had been struck by these words quite recently - to my shame. The way it spoke to me was by asking me if I was failing of the grace of God; was I running short of this 'commodity'. Was I gracious to others as much as God was and continued to be gracious to ME? Was I kind to the undeserving and unthankful? Was I ready to overlook what I found offensive, unattractive or annoying in others - of the family of God first, and then to all comers. Proverbs says that it is the delight of a 'good man' to do so, but is it my delight....am I a good man? I found the answer to be a disturbing NO, and this made me go on and examine myself to see IF Jesus did in fact LIVE in my heart, or mind, my very self. I did manage to conclude that He did (else why was I bothered about it) but that I tended to ignore HIM. Oh dear. It is so easy to NOT practise the Presence of God in our moment by moment lives. It is difficult. It is impossible ? BUT I have no excuse NOT let JESUS LIVE. He gave His Live for me that I should let Him live in me. Forgive me Lord. Help me LORD - please DO truly and really come into my heart, my mind, and DO GOOD, BE KIND to the undeserving and unattractive. It has been and still is a challenge to me. I have yet again discovered how deaf and blind I can be to His Will at work in me.
KENYA remains generally peaceful except on certain university campuses where the upper crust of our learned youth ignorantly, and unlearnedly show themselves willing to be disgraceful. Mostly their anger has been based in mistaken assumptions and immature behaviour. Not for the first time and no doubt not the last.
The Country is quiet. The current 'losers' in the General Election are presenting their Petition to overturn the Result in the Court today. We have yet to see what it will generate amongst the watching and waiting citizenry. There may yet be 'uproar'. We continue in prayer, trusting the Mighty Hand of God will restrain all unrest and social upheaval. Surely a time for God's Grace.
If CORD could only have grace enough to suffer, accept, forgive, and WAIT for the next Election in 2018! Or just WAIT on events.......If only THEY could trust God. It would be so good for the Country and the People But it is not in man, it seems (with Bible agreement) to know how to arrange his life. THUS please do pray on for us all. This next week should be revealing.
God Bless and be with you all, Keep awake, keep AWARE, and keep Expectant............
Lovingly
John and Esther & Daryl and Carol
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