AND DARKNESS SHALL COVER THE EARTH!

THIS WEEK KENYA M.P.s have tabled and passed a Bill seriously curbing the FREEDOM of the Press.       Is this a bad thing?    I mean some of us may think the Press can have TOO much freedom. Freedom to harass, interfere with , and pursue the right to the privacy of all.     Freedom to print and photograph almost ANYTHING no matter how violent, gruesome, immoral and even
unclean.  Maybe not everything presented by the Press is humanly healthy.    The Press definitely is a tool to sway public opinion for or against not only the Government, but against a host of other matters that affect the way we live our lives, and the way we enjoy ourselves.      AND let us not forget that the PRESS is not always OWNED by the best of men and women.     Some Media is definitely in the hands of men and women with an 'axe to grind' and a point of view to put forward.     They are concerned for themselves, anxious to change your mind to that of their own.       There could be a good case for CENSORSHIP in many ways.
BUT the world as we know it advocates for Democracy when it comes to government.      NOT a Dictatorship, lest the Dictator enslaves his/her citizens to ensure the PEOPLE have no will of their own.
A Democracy, we are told is a State 'run FOR the people by the People.     A State where everyone can have their opinion to be openly known, and where freedom of speech is ensured so that being in possession of all the facts the populace is enabled to speak out for or against.       The world of Magazines and the Press in general exist to enable this to happen.        It assures that all of us are 'informed,' and thus not being blinded or deceived in any way by Leaders who prefer to keep their own council and to do their own thing without being themselves 'censored' by the Media - OR US!  As long as the Media is FREE to comment, expose, reveal and even photograph what is going on - honestly and without bias - WE are able to comment, and express OUR opinion fearlessly.         Of course it IS of consequence that we can have confidence in the Media actually presenting the TRUTH, truthfully.
The REACTION of the public in Kenya is to say NO to this Bill, and the President is being loudly asked not to Assent to the Bill and to refuse to sign it.        I would tend to AGREE.     BUT this is only provided that the Media ARE watched, and that they are not allowed to foster their own private 'rebellion' in order to disrupt the state - (or, in case they should by way of their pictures, articles and reports, degrade human life and behaviour by seeming to concentrate on matters that might in fact encourage crime, immorality and a general cheapening of human life and values).        Nevertheless a PRESS that is too tightly censored will be Press that is 'muzzled', GAGGED, and ultimately SUPPRESSED by a small minority, who are intent on keeping everyone else in the dark about what THEY are actually doing - no doubt for private and personal reasons, including an avid desire for private power and money.     This cannot but induce a situation that will be highly dangerous to peace and prosperity.       It can, if finally implemented here, only further affect the economy and security.       A step backwards - some are saying a step back fifty years in to what then was very close to a police state.     Back to the 'Dark Ages' another has said.      A time of national political ignorance and educational restraint.           PRAY ON FOR KENYA

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(not our own students)

THIS WEEK THE KENYA CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATIONS HAVE BEEN GOING ON.        In the midst of them the worst outbreak of cheating nationwide has in fact broken out, causing alarm and embarrassment everywhere.   The NATION headline on Friday was -

Cheating in KCSE exam

goes Hi-tech

Part of the Report went on to say

'...The CID have recovered four mobile phones with questions similar to the ones 

in the genuine exam.   So far 26 mobile phones have been intercepted from candidates

who are sitting this national exam....'

On THURSDAY one of our Boarding Masters had come across a mobile phone in strange circumstances that belonged to one of the High School Borders.    On examination it was found to contain even more strange SMS information.       On further investigation it was found to contain 'Word for Word' copies of QUESTIONS to be asked in Examinations to be taken.      It was further found that this information has been shared with a number of other students in our High School, and perhaps even further afield.    Our technical staff were able to extract ALL the details of ALL the incoming and outgoing calls recorded on this mobile phone,       I myself, the Head of High School and the Principal of the School were all called urgently to view the evidence.       The printed evidence from the phone revealed some FIVE names of students in our School - THREE of them from the Homes!      We were devastated.     A girl from Tyndale, a boy from Jacaranda, and two more mores from Testimony House.       It was shocking news, and of course the Exam was continuing and has continued since into the next two weeks!!

The NATION article quoted above also went on to say -

'.....19 people had so far been arrested,

among them two headteachers and invigilators,

for abetting the malpractice.

The phones had sets of questions similar to the ones in the exam papers students were tackling.

Students identified were taken and interviewed, and we were able to confirm what had been happening. Even money had been changing hands between students and those sending the 'Questions' in on the phones. With OUR students all the incoming copies of 'Questions' were EXACT print outs of the ACTUAL questions as they appeared on the Paper!!!       SO WHAT SHOULD WE DO?      We had found ourselves for the first time in the midst of a national scandal!           It would certainly not do our 'NAME' any good ......Might be wise to say nothing and hope it would all remain undiscovered.      This was the opinion of some.    Others felt that since WE knew, we had no option but to REPORT the whole matter and leave the outcome - and our 'name' to GOD.      None of us liked the words 'abetting the malpractice' and we did not feel inclined to let them be directed at ourselves.       We turned to the Word of God.

'When you saw a thief, you consented with him ...'   Psalm 50v18   You did not reveal the thief you let him go undiscovered = and by doing so you AGREED with what he did - you aided and abetted him in his actions.   The WORD 'abet' here means to agree with, to support, to AID.   We could not avoid its aptness in describing any action on our part which might cover up, and suppress knowledge of what we all agreed was 'malpractice'.      We MUST, as we witness to His Life in us, live in the LIGHT - not in darkness with Satan.
'Therefore, to him that knows how to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin' - James 4v17
SO THIS MORNING the offending mobile phone, and all the printed and electronically gathered evidence we had, together with the revealed names of those students we had discovered involved in the whole matter were handed over to the County Education Department for their action.

Not easy to let the Word of God be applied in a situation such as this.    Not easy to do it God's Way and not ours, ceasing to regard our human feelings and emotion in favour of NOT turning a blind eye to unrighteousness.

We think the Examination will continue on for the remaining students taking part.    The final action and disciplinary action will not occur until Marking is completed.      If the students are finally considered guilty they will have their paper cancelled, be banned from sitting the exam again for TWO years, and might also face a year or two in Borstal - Correction for 16s and over.
How will our action affect the School?     Many parents will have preferred we said nothing and keep our reputation untarnished.      Some may even consider removing their children, believing that the 'Homes' children may continue to tarnish their own little angels.       BUT we believe God will honour our action and that He will bind up our wounds and even cover up the sin of those who may yet call upon Him.     After all it is Him, finally, who is the Judge.
BUT CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR US ALL.      It is getting 'dark' and it is hard to see clearly what IS right or wrong any more.     It must, WILL, grow darker, and knowledge will be withheld more and more.
The Word of God has been bound and its Proclaimers more and more GAGGED from declaring the fullness of the Gospel - indeed of the whole TRUTH of God.       The people hear little, less and less often,and are become ignorant and slow to ACT!  
                                                              BURN, Fire of God.........

'Burn fire of God! my ransomed soul possessing;

Pure fire Thou art, and I would dwell in Thee.

Light of my life, true source of ev'ry blessing.

Grant all my days one holy flame to be!'

L.F.W. Woodford

We believe more and more of us who identify with the Life and Way of Christ will find themselves called to STAND, and having done all - to just go on STANDING for all that HE stands for.    We will need to be very courageous - O God give us the strength of purpose needed to set our faces like flints to go to Jerusalem!!

Our continuing love to you all

John and Esther