KEEPING UP THE GOOD WORK

BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS on Testimony House have been going on from time to time over the last 40 years.     The Plot on which the house stands was purchased from the Colonial Government in 1908,   We have believed that the House literally rose out of the ground around 1910 which would make it about 105 years old to-day! But it is possible it was erected a little later, say 1920.    Many Boers from South Africa trekked up to Kenya as from 1908, and settled in what is now Eldoret.    We believe one such family purchased the land on which our Home now stands.    They would have travelled up by ox-mud waggon; a long hard journey.
The house was built from mud; mud dug from the surrounding ground, and baked in bricks by the sun. Once finished it was lightly plastered to give it what still strikes the eye as a substantial and attractive house.     There is no proper foundation. Heavy rocks were laid upon the surface of the ground as 'footings' and the brickwork laid out on a smooth platform of mud.    But now the house has become elderly, and like many of us who have also arrived at that status in life, it needs regular care and attention.     Especially the termites are working hard to give themselves a foothold in the brick work, and take the place over.   Many of the walls are hollow now.      THIS MONTH one of the gable ends of the house became in danger of falling down.
Water had been seeping from the roof into the exterior and even interior walling, and worrying cracks were appearing.    Daryl felt that the time had come to find a Builder who would be willing to tackle the situation.   They are not too happy working on such structures as ours.       Well as you see he found one, and a little team of very 'amazed' builders arrived to 'patch up' our ageing home.
THEY DID A GOOD JOB, and the exterior walls now look as good as new.  But they had to use some light steel bars to strengthen joints and cracks, and then cover the brickwork finally with 'chicken wire' before plastering.     We had to do the same some years back with the front of the house and it has held well, so we are hopeful all will be well on this occasion also.
INTERNALLY the same principle has been followed.     I will include a few photos of the exposed brickwork - apart from cracks we were quite surprised at the good condition of the bricks.


These few views of the original brickwork with the plaster removed
show just a little of the building style used by the man who built it those years ago.  No cement was able to be used. and bricks were laid upon plain mud  in layers.      Such methods of building ARE still to be found today, but not often, and certainly not for such a large construction.  

The Picture to the right is of a building under construction in Rwanda.   Note the surface foundation of rough hewn stone or rock. This is of course a very cheap way of putting up a house, but perhaps not very up to date - on the other hand it can provide a good hundred years of wear and tear, and may still be good for a long time into the future.     I lived in a house in U.K. that was 800 years old.   And Testimony House is well worth taking care of for the future.   A warm, comfortable home, that still speaks to this modern and less enduring generation.       However it is true that Testimony House  will need careful monitoring as the years go by if it is to remain safe and strong enough to endure the task of sheltering and suffering the use of more than 40 people day in and day out into the future.

We had found Jacaranda Cottage, across the road, built at least thirty or more years after Testimony,
to have been less cared for, and in places water from the roof had been seeping into the mud walls without any restraint, so that in places serious reconstruction and even renewal was needed.   Since moving out of the house, we have been able to shore up and strengthen the weaker areas enough to keep it going on a less demanding basis.     We would in some way like to keep it UP rather than ruthlessly pull it down since it has been 'home to more than 150 children since we began to own it in 1975, and many still see it as 'home'.    But it was never an easy house to run since it was never intended to cope with as many occupants, residentialy, as we forced it to do.      THUS we will slowly retool the internal space to provide less demanding facilities that might at the same time assist the ministry of TFH as a whole to assist itself financially.      The OPPORTUNITY to consider this has only just been realised as a very real and possible asset.      Indeed, if it had not been for Stuart and Janet Brown of The Kirkby Trust in England, then a very real chance to expand and improve what we have would have been missed, quite apart from seeing a NEW Home up and running.

THIS IS A PHOTO of Stuart and Janet Brown of Kirkby Trust, taken at another function in the UK, where they donated some 20,000 pounds to assisting the Bradford Cancer Crocus Appeal.    They are, both, two very dear and generous hearted people who both walked quite unexpectedly into our lives here in TFH, and left us with the Gift of a completely new Jacaranda Cottage, and the quite un-thought of chance to use the old 'condemned' premises to provide new life and innovation into the entire work.    Our Thanksgiving for this will take time to fully measure, since the 'benefits' are still dawning upon us, even as the Jacaranda Family of 35 is still, day by day, discovering the joys of their NEW home together.
We had prayed for many years for the opportunity to have a New Jacaranda Cottage; many years!     God's ways of answering are usually very unexpected.    The very ways He has of involving other human beings, part of His Family, is
beyond guessing!    But He arranged for Stuart and Janet
to call in here one day, and put it on their heart to make an offer which was the Answer to our Prayer.    Truly Amazing.
And the Timing was right, and the Answer is beginning to unfold as one beyond our imagination!

============================================ 

OCTOBER is almost ending.     The Promised 'El Nino' and its deluge of rain, has not so far appeared, though today the weather is very overcast and cool.    AND we need water still.   I personally have not felt too well still; partly the weather, and partly ????    I have continued to feel very fatigued.   My doc is neither sympathetic nor helpful in that he merely says 'You are 75 and should expect to feel older.'    Anyway I feel there is a great benefit in not having a helpful doctor down here, since I am the more thrown back upon my Lord and Master, Himself, the greatest Physician,  I am otherwise in every way well.    I am due to travel up to Nairobi next Friday with Daryl and others to our nieces Wedding on Saturday.    We hope to meet with Steven there as he will be flying in from the U.K on Friday as well, and will then return to Eldoret with us on Monday.     I am not looking forward to the journey there and back, and my Diabetes does not make it easy to travel these days in any case.    I may not decide to go with them all.    Also it might be best for me to remain since if ALL of us go we shall leave no one of substance in Charge of the Work here.     I shall be grateful for your prayer and for the Lord's Guidance in this.

We thank all of you who have prayed for us during this last week, and for all who may have been part of the Answer to our Prayers in relation to our needed Provision for this week.    God Bless you all.

Our love always to you all in Jesus Name,

John, Esther, and Daryl Green

LOOKING BACK

HERE IS ONE OF MY OLDEST KENYA PHOTOS! Taken in early 1969 at weekend Retreat with the Roving Team.    To attend it, in Lumbwa, I needed to take my first journey by train at night in Kenya.    A very elderly steam locomotive chugging along under the stars suspended in a clear moon ruled heaven. The gauge was narrow, and the speed was slow, but the 'atmoshpere' was just SO amazing and special.  God spoke to me very specially at that Retreat.   It was led by a very dear Man of God - Rev. Gilbert Mulaha,
I, of course, am the one with the beard in the photo.
To my left is Elijah Akhahenda, now in the States with his family, and to my right Evelyn Achenje a School teacher.    We were with a number of others including Dr. Nelson Munala, Dr. Johanna Mruka, Elijah Malenge,  Micah Amukobole,    Rahab Kimani,  Harry Cotter, and Joseph Yobera.   There were many others.    Some of the most well known have already past on to Glory, and we begin to be conscious of a passing Era, and with it the present need to see more equally noted brethren rising up with commitment to the Word of God, and the energy and dedication to proclaim it.    I was very blessed to know so many of them, and to be not only encouraged, but also accepted as as a friend and brother in those early years when Green was truly a 'greenhorn.' in matters Kenyan and African.    They were my preparation for all that came afterwards in the founding and development of Testimony Faith Homes.
IT IS GOOD TO LOOK BACK.

Just a year after this photo was taken, I met Esther Iguru, a high School teacher of English and Home Science.    I had about 28 boys staying with me by then, but had travelled some 400 kilometres to Machakos, from Maseno in Western Kenya where I was living.  I had gone to speak at a Boys High School for the Week-end.   Esther came to supper with my hosts there, and immediately I saw her I knew she would be my wife.     She says it was the same for her when she saw me that evening.   And so we were in fact married in August 1971, and have been together every since.   28 years as parents to our own children, plus some 150 others who came to live with us in Testimony House until 1998, and then as Grandparents to all the 350 that have been part of the greater Family of Testimony Faith homes since its onset.    It has been a wonderful experience, and a wonderful partnership.    I was 31 and she was 27 when we married.

IN MARCH 1972 we had about 30 boys and had moved from Maseno to Ramula in Siaya District.   We were able to leave TFH with Duncan and Christianne Munn for some months so that we could visi the UK..   THEY were on their way to Congo and needed time or get used to climate and so on.   We were away nine months. We took one of our first boys with us, Johanna Nanjelo Okombo.  Esther was pregnant with OUR firstborn, Steven, and was to give birth to him in Truru Hospital, Cornwall on 16th June.    Johanna stayed with us till he had completed High School but then ran off. and became a thief.   He eventually killed a man, and was imprisoned for life.    Whilst in prison the LORD met him, and Redeemed him.    Many in the prison were saved because of his witnessing, and eventually he was released early because of his Good Conduct.    He came to work with us as a Groundsman and Cleaner, eventually dying from heart failure brought on by Malaria in 2010.  He was 52.

ON BOXING DAY .we moved from Ramula to ELDORET, about 130 kilometres east.   We came to a compound of some 5.15 acres comprising of just one house - which we called Testimony House.   It had been empty for some three years, and was built of MUD brick and timber, the walls externally plastered.   It had been built in 1910!!    It had a huge sitting room some 900 square feet, and seven bedrooms.
It became Esther's and my home, and home to our three children, plus an extended family of more than 40 at any one time over the next twenty six years.    It was a happy house, and we always felt the warmth of a happy history in it all the years we were there.
We purchased a SECOND house in 1975 - Jacaranda Cottage just across the road from us, and in 2007/08 we built the third and forth houses on the same compound - Tyndale and Drakeley Cottages, all now with a combined total of some possible 140 children plus staff.     I am not going to go into details about these Homes since previous BLOGS do this - especially those of the most recent review of the ministry here dated as from 1st November 2014.
THE SCHOOL did not get going until 1981 when we started Nursery.  Then Primary started in 1983, and High School in 1994   -   Once again the School has been reviewed in Detail previously.

In JANUARY 1973 we were joined in Eldoret by a young High School graduate, Francis Wainaina,.
He became a very real and valued assistant to us both, and in 1974 married Elaine Johnson, a High School teacher from the UK, who was on the staff of a local school.    Elaine came into the ministry with Francis, and until 1977 were Mum and Dad to Jacaranda Cottage.     Eventually the left us, to work in the UK.   Francis was ordained in the Anglican Church of England where he still ministers.
Esther and I were standing with them at their Wedding (also with our second born Michael).     From here on I will insert a few more photos from around this era until about 1977.    

.ABOVE is a group of some of those who were in the Family of Testimony House around 1975. From the left is George Muturi, John Francis, Abwao Ongondi, Wafula Wanjala, Then also Patrick Najok, and John Etabut, both soccer players.  Patrick played for Kenya, and John for Bata.  Both have now died, and Patrick was in fact murdered in Nairobi, leaving a young wife and children.   All very distressing at the time for us all.
AND HERE IS Francis Wainaina with our TWINS Christopher on the left and Anthony on the right in the photo. They both grew up wanting to serve God, and are both now in the ministry and pastoring churches; Anthony in Nairobi with his own wife and children, and brother Christopher here in Eldoret with his wife and children.    We thank God for them both, and see them frequently.
IN FEBRUARY 1983 Esther and I again visited England for the 2nd time round.
We left Nicholas Mwangi in charge at that time.    He had worked with us as my Assistant for some years by then, and he proved himself more than reliable and efficient in all that he did whilst we were away.     Although he was eventually to leave us in 1988 to go into private business, he remains, with his family a valued and close friend both of ourselves and of the Homes.

Nicholas is standing on the back row of this photo to the far left.    The photo includes almost all those who were in the Testimony House Family at that time, and you can see how well he kept them.     Our thanks Nicholas, always for all you did for us at that time.   Following on from you on the back line going right can be seen, John Ngugi, Moses Ongonga, David Koech, Joseph Kihara, Daniel Kinyanjui,  Anthony Wanyama, Mwangi Macharia, (and  Peter Kalulu - staff member). Then IN THE CENTRE is Sara Njeri, and Catherine Senge.    Finally the bottom row left to right - Jotham Chege, Ezekiel Kipchumba, Samuel Macho, Christopher Kiptisia, Peter Wangolo, Anthony Kiprotich, David Senoga, Richard Ochieng, William Oyongolot, Charlie Green, Daryl Peacock, and Sammy Kirui,   Five among them all are now full time pastors and servants of God.
This goes back up to 32 years ago, and jogs the memory of the FIRST fourteen years that we had been existing.    They were good years in the main, though not without a great deal of challenge and disappointment at times,    AND, of course JACARANDA Cottage was also having its own family from 1975 alongside our own.  WE had grown.      And we continued to grow even until now.

TODAY one of our old girls, Purity Abwona, now an Early Childhood Development Teacher with our Nursery School is having her 2nd Pre Wedding Party in Testimony House.    She and her fiancee hope to marry in December.     Esther and I will be there, although of course Mum and Dad in Testimony House is now Hesketh and Alice Muli.     One of the wonderful things about Testimony is that it IS a Family, and even when children grow up and leave us to become independent, the majority still remain in touch to some extent, and often find themselves back with us to celebrate as well as to cry. That is very special and encouraging.

DARYL is away in Nairobi today.   He is looking over possible 'equipments' for a Day Care Centre that has at last been identified as the first of THREE projects that we feel can be housed in the shell of the old Jacaranda Cottage and also assist us in attaining at least a little 'self sufficiency'.      It is also hoped to install a Tailoring Department which will make and sell UNIFORM to our School parents and perhaps even to parents of other schools.    And finally to move the Bakery from Testimony House into the same facility.
THEN we will go public and seek Licence to sell our bread to other schools and the general Public.  We would appreciate your prayers for our father's Guidance about this, but we believe it will be a very great assistance to us, and enlarges the benefit of having been given the funds to build a NEW Jacaranda Cottage.      Kirkby Trust say they do not wish to be thanked in writing for all their Gift has meant to us, but I guess they will never be able to prevent our hearts thanking them goingly and for ever. Surely God will Bless them so much, and also Stuart and Janet Brown, their Trustees.

For the first time I have felt glad to have been able to retire from all the work here, and to be able to leave it to a younger man, with inspirational energy and vigour.      It took a while!     Recently I have been feeling very weary, and tired.       I am still up and about and able to share with Daryl when and where necessary, but I am happy it is no more than that.      Esther,contrariwise, is still spending four hours a day involved in School business, as well as looking after me and the visitors that come to encourage us and share friendship with us.        We thank God together for being well enough to do the little we do, and for giving us mental and physical health enough to still enjoy each others love and fellowship.

God Bless and be with you all till next time

John, Esther, and Daryl.

TO BE GLAD FOR YOUR CHILDREN..!?

HERE ARE SOME OF OUR GIRLS, NOW ALL GROWN UP, MARRIED WITH KIDS!
What is more important they all love Jesus, and He is the Head of all their families.
Damaris, grew up in Jacaranda Cottage with Miriam and Joshua Mbithi.  Catherine Senge, the youngest in the photo, Francina, and Elisabeth our daughter, all part of the Testimony House family.
We had started with boys only in the Homes, but gradually took in a girl from time to time as from, 1971.  By the time Esther and I ceased being Mum and Dad in Testimony House, in 1998 we had seen 24 girls become part of the family, with some ninety boys!    Only one of the girls got into trouble with a boy,and he was not from within the family.   THEN from '98 things began to change.  More than 14 girls became pregnant in the next seventeen years.    The moral teaching did not change.    So we can only look to the advent of the School as a possible factor.      In 1987 we built up the Primary, and in '94 added the Secondary departments, and suddenly between 400 and 800 day students began to come in and out of the compounds of both Testimony and Jacaranda.     Certainly this must have made a difference together with a general increase in licentiousness in a more and more permissive society.
From our point of view every 'daughter' that is seduced and becomes pregnant is a heartbreak, since we know that a whole lot of further misfortunes can follow.   No least what to do with the baby!
Abortion will often be the first presented option, which although may not always be perceived as such, is in fact infanticide - murder.     Adoption is another option, which may provide home and family for the child, but often without the understanding and and perceptions that are there with ones real, birth, parents.   And in Kenya, as in other places, one might even SELL the child ......for 'spare parts' or even worse!      To KEEP the child means you may never find another man to actually marry you.     The child then becomes immediately a hindrance to finding a normal happy life for the mother.    
MANY of the children we try to bring up in Testimony Faith Homes have missed both, and at least one parent.    The obvious LOSS is evident.    To know and live with ones blood parents, good or bad, is a big step in learning to know and accept yourself; understanding where you have come into the world from, and why you are the way you are in character and personality.     Without such a foundation of knowledge about your origins a person can truly suffer an identity crisis.      It is SO important and necessary for any child to grow up in a home environment with both Mum and Dad present and relating affectionately together.     The sense of 'belonging, security, and acceptance', together with the emotional awareness of Love, kindness, mercy and forgiveness interacting with family members will be the foundation on which the child's own ideas and hopes towards making a home and marriage will be based.    
To base ones own life on this kind of a concept is that much harder in 2015 than ever before.   Our world is increasingly hooked up to getting, and to pleasing ourselves, rather than GIVING and denying ourselves.       But there is no real happiness without a willingness to sacrifice.

Growing up, as I did, in a family full of marital strife and violence, I often felt insecure and in the midst of a very dangerous situation.     As I grew up marriage itself seemed a very risky business to commit oneself to.    BUT I believed it was possible to have a happy home and family.    One of my uncles did.     I began to dream of such a home. and on discovering God was there to help me live a better life, I began to ask Him to provide me with a good woman to be my wife, so that we could together build a home in which love also existed and overflowed upon our children.     God answered my prayers.     And after 44 years Esther and I can both look back to our Wedding Day and see that what we had been denied in our childhood was given back to us on that Day, and has remained and grown in our lives ever since.     Our Thanks to God for showing us His Reality, and for letting us experience it, and bring others into it.

A growing Family of sons and daughter, grandsons and granddaughters !    Wow!     Dreams and Hopes galore, and the need to pray for each and every one.     Dear Friends always pray for and encourage your children and grandchildren to pattern their family life on God's Word.   It is a 'lively' Word, and when we put our faith in it, life changes, Hope dawns, and Miracles happen.    TEACH the Word of God, Talk about the Word of God, and LIVE the Word of God with all your might.   It will NEVER become out of date, or obsolete


THIS is one of our Boys from Testimony House marrying on 15th December 1994 (John Ngugi, another of our old boys,and his wife Susan were his Best Man and Maid).    Wykliffe was a teacher at this time, and eventually returned to TFH as Headmaster of our Secondary Dept., and later still as Chaplain to the whole Work and Pastor of our Christian Fellowship.   His wife, Miriam, is now H/mistress of our Nursery School.    Just recently they had the joy of seeing their daughter enter University.  Another lasting Marriage and Family
THE RIGHT shows the Wedding of one of our girls from Testimony House - Jane Wanjiko - to Peter Mwema, a pastor with Africa Inland Church at the time, on 7th August 1993.    Jane had trained as a Secretary and was for a time School Secretary to Testimony School
She finally went back to University to get her Degree and is still working there  on their Staff.  Another Marriage continuing to stand the test of time in Jesus Name.

And lastly another of our boys, Molem Piera marrying his Grace, with me and Esther by their side.    Molem is a Laboratory Technician, and quite tall; I am 6;11" and he must be a good foot taller!!   It was a great and happy Day as all our many Weddings have been.     Could not put a photo of all, else dozens of pages would have had to be sent.   Just a few of the many!     Molem married on 5t April 1014.    They are still beginners!  But we have great hopes for them, as there are so many that have gone before who are still together after many years.   We are proud of them, and very Thankful to God our Father, for answering not only OUR prayers but also theirs.    

God Bless you all who together with us can claim some good part in all these unions that you - many of you - have assisted to come together and face a future with God by their side

Blessings on you all

John, Esther and Daryl.

JUST AN UPDATE

WELL!   THIS IS our little daughter HELLEN Green, together with her little daughter ABIGAIL at one year and five months.     I must confess that she keeps us all busy, but she is such a bright 'Sweetie', she has managed to wriggle her way into all our hearts.She is a great sleeper - never wakes up at night, and a great EATER, and even eats whatever she finds on MY plate if she can.     A real busy body, but also very observant, and concerned with the great outdoors.     Enjoys dancing, she is an addict of  CBEEBIES on t.v. and also jumping up and down - we expect to need a lot of protection from her exuberant nature as she grown up.    She is also very affectionate and loving.    Does she have any BAD points?  Yes she does not like going to bed early, or staying in bed LATE!     Well, well, well.   Initially we (Esther and I) wondered whether we would be able to cope with a baby in the house  - now we wonder how we will do without her.     HELEN is busy looking for an opening in her profession of  Early Childhood Teacher, and we expect her to eventually leave us, with  the 'light of our life' so to speak.     We Thank God for them both, and know HE has a perfect way for them.

THE LATEST NEWS of the National Teachers Strike!   Well the Private School Association, of which OUR school is a Member, successfully applied to the Court and were given the rightfor all Private School to continue to remain open' and their teachers teaching until this last Thursday.   It has now been EXTENDED until the 14th October, and we are hoping all will finally work out to our advantage, as the Strike continues.        The President has however ORDERED all Government Schools to reopen immediately and for their teachers to return to work immediately as well, suspending the strike for 90 days in order for the National Examinations to take place.    There-after, unless further agreement is reached, the Strike will continue.     The Teachers have a real and serious complaint against the Government, but it would also be a ruinous economically for the Government to give in to ALL they are demanding at this point, even though IF THEY DON'T it might still be a very ruinous move for the Government.  They are between the devil and and a rock.      I personally feel Strike Action to unscriptural and therefore unrecommendable generally, and to be avoided at all costs if at all possible.   It is dangerous policy which if permitted immediately exposes the Government to unrest and revolution.     A lot of prayer is needed for the peace of the state.       And of course all this is being played out in front of children who, especially those in Secondary School, will be learning the very worst polices to adopt in the future society of their Country.     Meanwhile,  phsycologically, they are all suffering, not knowing what the future may hold for them, or how it will effect them now. Many are in fact currently in danger as their parents find them a nuisance at home, and they thus turn to the street and other unhealthy pastimes.      All very worrying and unhappy.

OUR BOARD of Governors met last night.     They had in front of them the final draft of Rules and Regulations for Chief Executive Officers, which had been six months in the making, and was up for Approval and Acceptance by the Board itself, and also the current CEO, Daryl!      The Board were all together happy with it, and Approved it. (we have 15 Members)    There had not been a Job Description for ME, but of course now that I have retired it was felt necessary, after forty odd years, to make sure that those who come after me know the extent of their Responsibility and Authority within the ministry.     Daryl was asked to Accept the Draft, and to a great extent he did, but he also had some reservations, which he continued to share.        Provisionally he has agreed to follow the Regulations as they stand, whilst already asking for a review on some issues.      The Board unanimously felt that he should continue in Office, with the hope that as we go along his 'issues' will be ironed out.       It was generally a good Meeting, one of the best spiritually and fraternally.      I am content that we have a strong band of people watching over the original Vision, for the future.

THE WEATHER has changed very suddenly, and we are told that the El Nino has arrived here early!  It has rained, unexpectedly, for the last three days and the temperature is dropping.    The Forecast is that the rains will now set in HEAVILY until late December/early January.   We hope, as usual, that this time, especially, the Meteorological guys and dolls will be wrong!!

I am typing this on our veranda in Green Cottage.    It is COLD, and dull.    I must close and go indoors.       We continue to Thank God for all your patience and care of us.    We pray for you in our private AND public times of prayer here, and we know that together we shall see great things in our lives as His Coming draws ever nearer.       BY the way!    Hope you are taking note that so far all the many predictions of THE END, or at least a MINI DOOM, have been withheld.     BUT it is also good to know that we should never be complacent, but always READY, just in case THAT day comes upon us unexpectedly enough to find us all UNREADY!     Have a safe and joyous week

John, Esther and Daryl Green.

WHO CARES ABOUT US? God does, and Will

YESTERDAY THE GOVERNMENT ORDERED ALL SCHOOLS CLOSED BY MONDAY - Government AND Private Schools!!       I surmise SOME government teachers did NOT strike, and kept their school going until now.       If I am right then I must admire them for trying to do their professional and honourable DUTY, just as all those in the Private Schools are also to be admired for doing the same!   They showed CARE for the Nations children, and for the future of the Nation.   BUT now the Government has ordered School to be CLOSED regardless of how that will affect the children or the State.    This is totally insensible.      Our own School should also shut down, UNLESS that is, Private Schools opt to stay open whatever happens.       As with the majority of Union action these days it is very much pinned to politics,     The last time the Teachers seriously went on Strike it was about the same time of year, and was meant to force government to give in for the sake of the Children.   In October / November the Nation;s Primary Graduating class - Grade 8 - are due to take their FINAL exam, the outcome of which will affect their future in Secondary School and beyond.     In the same period the nation's Secondary Graduating Class - Form 4 - will be taking their FINAL exams, the outcome of which will determine what their future, academically, and beyond, will be.    A VERY tense and life determining time.
In it's latest Communique the Government has said that although School will be closed as from Monday, Standard 8 and Form 4 students can continue to attend School WITHOUT TEACHERS in order to revise alone with their books!     A lot of good that will do them without guidance.   WHO they are, I wonder, these intellectual academics that are foisting their heartless and inexperienced ideas on our already depressed kids?     I wonder if THEY ever went to School themselves.   I wonder if they have any idea of the psychological damage they are wilfully causing countrywide.

Private School interview and employ trained government Teachers to teach in their Schools.   Some are able to charge high enough Fees to provide competitive Salaries for their teachers.    Others do not have this possibility and are forced by the state of the general economy of where they operate to only ask fees that might be affordable, meaning that teacher's salaries my have to be offered at a lower rate than the current Government rate.    There is no shortage of teachers, and they come to teach, not blackmail, the Managements to increase salaries beyond their ability to pay.  They have done us all proud, and as I have written before they are worthy of Praise and Thanksgiving.     NOW the government wants to SHUT our privately owned and managed Schools down.   BUT they do not finance or manage them.       If we shut down we cannot lay our teachers off - on the other hand parents will not pay Fees if their children go untaught!!     It is a serious matter for the Private School Sector.     In our own area in and around Eldoret we have some 40+ Private Schools.     We have more than 800 pupils ourselves - say the average Private School population is 500 - that means some 20,000 + will be out of School next week.     The Government as about the same number of schools in our area with another approximate population of some 70,000 (government schools class number are bigger,)     So just here in Eldoret and around, more than 100,000 can be expected out of school - without any end of the Strike in sight,.

Nurses, Doctors, Lecturers are all threatening to strike as well,  and will if THIS one seems to succeed.     Others will join the Band Waggon, and Kenya will go down the sink with it's people/
The Government needs to ACT, and to act strongly and sensibly for the sake of the Nation, not just a part of it.

TESTIMONY FAITH HOMES has not yet decided what to do.     MONDAY a decision will be made.     It may well be we shall say we will not close, which could put us on the wrong side of the law!      It may also put us, our property, teachers, and even students, at risk from the Strikers themselves who will no doubt feel badly about out lack of support for their cause.     Our main consideration will be for the Children - but we must also consider that to shut down the School might bring it down permanently.       SO we are praying through this week-end to see where we will end up standing, by Monday Morning.   We know we are one of many other school in the same predicament.
Those who do not have God int he Boat with them, might easily cease to exist, and literally hundreds of school close for ever.     Think what that well mean to Kenya.

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ABOVE is a 2007 School picture of some of the students of the year. with one of the School Blocks shown centre with one of our Buses.    It is really interesting and challenging to look back and see faces that have long left us, and continued with life.    Many of them, of course, will have been part of the Testimony Family.      One of our family from Testimony House, Edwin Ngobia has MARRIED today, here in Eldoret, in a Church where another of our old boys is co-pastor (Rev. Moses Ongonga)

Here is Edwin, recently take with his fiancee,
Sabrina.     Edwin came to us with his sister, Salome, in 1995.   He was ten.   A bright child, he did well at School being quiet and studious. He eventually found a place in Busoga University i Uganda, and took A Bachelor of Commerce course with a bias in Accounting.  He did well.
Of late he has been working in Dubai, and having established himself well there he returned a few weeks ago to arrange his marriage to his long time Sweet-heart Sabrina.    Very soon they plan to return to Dubai, but not for ever; home is home!!      Esther and I were proud to stand with Edwin at his Wedding to day.   He had introduced Sabrina previously to us, and we also fell in love with her, for she is a lovely lady.      Quite a few of Testimony staff and children attended the Wedding as well, and Sabrina's Family also came in vast numbers overnight to be with us, from Embu.    Esther is still at the Reception, so am hoping she will bring a photo at least that I may include here.       It is good to have hope for the future from so many of our children.    And to know the Lord is with them, watching over them as He has done with us.

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THIS WEEK we have had the pleasure of Diane and Ian HOGLEY staying with us from Huddersfield.    They actually visited together with Janet and Stuart Brown, and so we were able to let them see the NEW Jacaranda Cottage first hand - they were thrilled.    The Browns actually slept with the Mbithi's in Neema Children's Home just up the road from us, and visited with us during the day.

Ian and Diana slept with us, and also were able to visit Joshua and Miriam in the daytime.  The all left on Thursday, but we are expecting Diane and Ian back with us later this afternoon (is now 5p.m. our time!)

We also had great joy in having an added, though VERY brief visit, from Rev. Phillip Baskerville from Gursney with two members of his Team, touring Kenya.    He had a team of 8 altogether and they had also been staying with Joshua and Miriam - it was Joshua Mbithi who brought the three to say Hi.     Wonderful.

Our Love in Jesus to you all, as always.     Please do keep us in prayer.

John, Esther, and Daryl

SEE THE RUIN THAT BOOZE MAKES!

THIS PHOTO was taken on 2nd February 1976, on the front porch of Testimony House.   It is a photo of Simeon Olumazee, aged 11, and his seven year old brother Charles Kauka.     39 years ago.
both boys were very much neglected, and not in school.    Their Mother, a single parent, brewed local beer for a meagre living, and both children were brought to us by her at a moment of desperate need.    Both were suffering from severe Scabies and Malnutrition.
They were both bright boys.   Simeon joined the family of Testimony House, and Charles went to live with Jacaranda Cottage since we were without further space to accommodate him.
In those days we did not have our own School, and so after being with us a few days they were both admitted to Kapsoya Day Primary School, some two kilometres away, walking to and fro daily with a group of other children from the Homes.
On the way back one later afternoon on 25th May 1977, just a year after joining us, Charles died!  It had been raining heavily for some days, and although there was a road bridge across the full fed river that needed to be crossed to get back home from school, Charles had not followed it.    Instead he followed a few others and crossed over the river balancing on a 2ft wide water pipe.     He did not make it across, but slipped off into the raging torrent below him, and was swept away.      Some of the children he was with ran all the way back to us in Testimony to tell us, and I and others rushed to the scene.    We all ran along the bank of the river as far as we could without obstruction, but found no trace of him.    We then mounted a more determined and desperate search, lasting through the night and the following day.
The river passes through the town of Eldoret and on.      We managed to follow its path to the far outskirts of the town where there is a river wide grating to catch unwanted debris before the river escapes into the countryside.    A great team of us on  both banks came up with nothing.    The Police of course were also notified, but as far as we know Charles Kauka has never been seen again.  After two months a Memorial Service was held in our grounds, with almost all of Kapsoya Primary School attending, with all of our own children and staff, and many friends and well wishers.    It was a VERY sad day, especially for Jacaranda Cottage.     Francis and Elain Wainaina were the Houseparents in those days, now living and working in England with the Anglican Church.

SIMEON continued on with us in Testimony.     He changed Primary School in 1978 for one nearer to home, Sosiani Primary, and in 1983 he joined U. G. High School,.....He was not doing very well in school, and after finishing he ran off to the Kenya Army.    He kept in touch with us, and we wrote often to each other, and later he would come to visit.   But the Army taught him to drink, and drink led him to drunkenness.    The Army did not seem to mind, and kept him until about eighteen months ago when he retired, still a drunkard, and still in touch with us.    He had married, and has children of his own, but mainly unmaintained by him, since he spends any thing he gets on liquor.     About a month ago he collapsed, and was rushed to hospital.    He was diagnosed with a Blood clot on his brain, and taken for surgery.    He survived the surgery, but did not regain power to move or to speak - he is still in Intensive Care.    The doctors say there is still a chance he will recover, but we think it is just 'talk', as every day he stays in the ICU it is costing upwards of one hundred thousand Kenya shillings - more than a thousand pounds sterling.    We have visited but he still is unable recognise any one, and can only move his fingers and toes.    
Simeon did make a decision for Jesus when he was in Primary School, and he knows the Way of Salvation very well.    Our prayer has been that he might regain consciousness so that he might once more put himself right with his God.     He was always a happy boy, and always thankful for whatever was done for him.    Alcohol was his downfall, encouraged by his time in the Kenya Army, and he seemed totally unable to stand out against it.    He remains as a member of our 'Family' and after all these years we cannot but help to be moved by the plight of his life and soul.     We are glad we had an opportunity to have him with us, and to set the Word of God in front of him.   But it is sad to see that we cannot win everyone to Cross, and to steer them away from the 'rocks' and 'whirlpools of life'.

On the 3rd May 1984, eight years after the arrival of his brothers, FRANCIS Lahol, the youngest in the family that ever came to us arrived..   He was ten years old.   He was very bright and intelligent,
He attended Gk Prisons, and U.G Primary School, and then Kapnegetuny and Wareng Secondary School.    Then, afterwards  he trained as a Chef with Kenya Hotel Institute in Nakuru.   Thereafter he pursued a career as a chef, initially with Sirikwa Hotel, in Eldoret.     He married, his wife Eunice, also a Chef, and they now have two children.     THEN on the 1st January 2002 he and his family joined us in Testimony Faith Homes as Houseparents in Drakeley Cottage, where they still live and work.   They have been appreciated parents to all the children in their Home, and both Francis and Eunice have used their culinary skills in catering to great advantage in the work as a whole.   Francis is also Superintendent of our Sunday School at the moment.       And it is Francis who has taken the full weight and burden of his elder brother Simeon upon himself.     He will appreciate your prayers for him, and he may, in the near future, have to decide whether or not to continue ICU treatment for his brother.      It is good that both he and Eunice have Jesus as their Friends and Saviour walking with them in their lives.     I have wanted to share with you all about this family, because they demonstrate clearly that Testimony Faith Homes is not some magical place where all the children that come to stay grow angels wings, and become angels.     Not all choose to either see their sin or reach out for Christ as their Saviour.     Not all leave us for the best.      But, yes, some do.     We follow them all, pray for them all, and hope in Jesus for the best for each of them.      Our sorrows and joys are mixed.

HERE Francis and Eunice the are seen with their current Family in Drakeley Cottage.
They have 35 boys and girls, with ages ranging from 5 to 20+ currently.     They carry their quirks of character and personality, together with their hopes for their future, with the hurts and disappointments that can come to ANY parent, and shoulder them all in prayer, together with their personal challenges.     They are not special - just part of the greater Family of Testimony Faith Homes.  BUT we are very proud that Francis chose to come BACK to us and be part of this ministry for himself together with his family.  He must have seen something of value in it when he himself was one of many orphans that found refuge and shelter here.

THE WORLD has more and more accepted the social 'necessity' of booze!     I saw my mother almost battered to death because of its outworking in her husband; he almost struck me dead on one occasion as well, when he was drunk.     I have seen how insidious it can be in tempting one to imbibe just to be 'with' others, and to find fellowship; it would have taken hold of me and destroyed my life if the Holy Spirit had not intervened and set me free from its deceitfulness and false hopes.
In the 60's when I left England, many were alcoholics, but it alcohol was not in every house, especially not Christian homes.      But now even Christians of any persuasion seem to have liberalised their attitudes.    Here in Kenya drunkenness is one of THE most common problems.    A problem that does not just ruin individual lives, but  even families, and civil society.       Simeon's sad and wretched life was but one of them.        And YES, it is possible to go into Rehab; there are quite a number of such places that offer help, but not many can afford it.       Another of our old boys, now working as a Gardener, also married with kids, is also a long time drunkard.     This last week he came home and attacked his wife with a knife.    He has come to us begging us to put him into rehab. He earns about a hundred pounds a month; money he immediately spends on booze.       The cost of taking him for a 3 month course (Rehab) is about 520 pounds sterling - way above his ability to find. We have agreed to take him to a Christian Foundation near by;    they make a point of only taking individuals who sincerely WANT to be done with the habit.     We feel Kihara, now close to 60, is rock bottom.   Please do pray for the Lord to reveal himself whilst he is there, and for us as we also look out for his family whilst he is away;   He is not expecting to be paid while he is not working!  
We started Testimony to provide a home and love for orphans.    But one thing ultimately leads to another, and it is not so simple to take care of just one factor in life.........

We remain well, and the sun this week has shone every day, with little or no rain - but the predictions are, if we survive the 'End' of September, that the El Nino will evidence itself here with more and torrential rains through October to December/January.    Great.    At least there won't be a water shortage!!

Our love to you all with full and grateful hearts


John, Esther and Daryl Green

STRIKE ACTION AT WHOSE EXPENSE?

KENYA TEACHERS ON STRIKE -AGAIN.    It IS all about PAY, not just what they currently get, but what has been promised in addition.
BUT the ones to really suffer are the children whose Schools are shut because of the Strike, and the Parents, who are helpless to combat the problem.
THE ONLY schools OPEN are private schools such as ours.   Our teachers in fact are paid generally less than the Government pays due to the fact that the School Management and the Parents cannot afford to find more Fees to make it possible.      Kenya is not a 1st World Country; it is still a Country that can be considered needy.   The money, such as it is, is only found in Government and a shrinking middle class.    Employment is not increasing; salaries are not increasing - simply because it cannot be afforded.
OUR Teachers have never, so far, gone on strike with us.    They have persevered even though their peers in Government School insult and threaten them.     It is in fact 'dangerous' for a school such as ours to remain open.    BUT our teachers, given the choice, have always seen the children in the classrooms to be more deserving than themselves; they would not be happy for their own kids to be idle at home.     This is, of course, also to do with 'Calling' as against 'A Job.     The idea, or perhaps I should say 'the luxury', of following your 'Calling' or 'Vocation'  has by necessity to be ignored in favour of just obtaining a job.       Thus, for the most part it might be said that  Doctors, Teachers, Lawyers, Nurses are just concerned with being paid for their services rather than for the good of their community.    PAY is more important than the human factor.

LOOK at this happy group below!    Why are they so happy?   Because they have just won the right to STRIKE, and to deprive our children of their right to learn from their own dedicated and unselfish elders.    Well, no doubt we might in one way sympathise with them - they feel this will help them improve themselves; their material state.  They have to LIVE.   BUT surely this is not Professional!     To advance themselves against the very reason for their BEING.    Well they are Teachers,  YES, but what are they teaching the next generation, even their own children?   Anarchy.   I believe there IS unfairness in the proper distribution of wealth in the Country, and even in what people are actually paid.     After all the Government was recently suggesting they might increase their own salaries, having just told the Teachers and the Nursing Profession that there is NO money to improve their salary scales.     Discontent has to be understood in the midst of all that is happening - but can we condone such discontent, in letting it threaten the next generation?    The Children in this situation now become the the losers, being held to ransom together with their futures.

WELL, as I have said life here in Testimony continues so far without interruption, and out 800 or so students continue to learn, and attend We are VERY thankful that God has brought men and women to the School willing to stand out and to stand UP for the children they teach. They too could be glad of more money in their pay packet, but they are not letting it make the children to be side-lined, and even forsaken, in revenge or for their own gain.
Our School is open in all classes, with all their teachers on duty and giving of their best for God's Sake to the children who depend upon them for their future success.  They see and understand OUR problem as well, and have agreed to walk with us, at least for a time, to assist us in our effort to help and care for children.    Our School exists to do that.   Even our parents understand this.     Private Schools face many problems and hurdles in continuing to provide Education here in Kenya.   We may not always be understood or appreciated - especially by government schools and teachers, - but we are not without sympathy for their plight.
There is cost to standing 'apart' and in 'contrast' to what is happening in the world around us.    Schools, all around us are CLOSED until this Strike Action is resolved.     To-day the Courts are saying this particular action is 'Illegal' since the Teacher's Union did not 'declare' or give Notice of any Strike!      We shall see.     Pray for our children!    Pray for US.     The longer the 'strike' continues the longer students studying to take National Exams in Primary and Secondary levels will be affected and put at risk of performing under par.

We are proud of our School, 34 years old this year.   Proud of our more than 55 Teachers who have worked hard over the years to promote and support the School.     But these are not the only teachers to have worked with us here.    Additionally we have seen more two hundred come and go over the years - usually to seek a better paid position.   Our Thanks to all of them, and our good wishes too, that they might have prospered in leaving us,   .  

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This week has sped by so quickly.    Partly this was due to the School opening, and also we have had quite a few visits, all in the midst of trying to balance various School and Homes expenses well enough to still have enough to eat!    God wonderfully helped us yet again, and we continue to see the miracle of our daily bread, day after day.     BUT the weather has changed again, and after a spell of very fine weather the RAIN came back with a vengeance together with colder temperatures - Thursday and Friday it rained all night and all day!!      Our Meteorologists are predicting a very heavy El Nino Autumn with HEAVY and prolonged (unseasonable) RAIN  all the way to the end of December!      Well that is IF we are here in December - I mean we have to get beyond the end of THIS momentous month first - what with the incoming Meteor, the CERN Experiments, and the Coming of Jesus all predicted for the end of the month!!!      Amazingly, after all the hype, we are hearing less and less about ANY of these looming events.      We have barely noticed the passing days we are so busy, and I think this is the very wisest occupation for us all.    Jesus Himself said 'Keep busy till I come', and after all there is always so much to be done - we stand looking for an incoming meteor, or a an explosion you are unlikely to hear, or an event that will happen in the twinkling of an eye - even before you can blink.     Could wast a lot of time, when all we NEED to do is to be ready in our heart with Jesus.

Simeon Olumzee, one of our old boys, who has spent most of his life since leaving us in the Kenya Army is still in I.C.U. at a local hospital after removal of a blood clot from his brain.   He has not regained consciousness.    He is married with children.     Much prayer going up on his behalf, and we seek the Lord's Will for him, as the doctors have not held out much hope for recovery.      If he dies or lives it will still be a crushing burden financially since there is no appreciable social security that can help wipe out the tens of thousands of pounds his hospitalisation will have cost.

Wilson Lokitala, another of our old boys working in the Teaching Hospital here in Eldoret, and who was knocked down by a car, suffering multiple breaks in both legs, and a punctured lung, is now home.     He is still suffering a lot of pain, and has to yet commence physio therapy.   A  long haul back to normality for him, but he is trusting Jesus to do a perfect work for him.   He also married.

ALSO this week, in Testimony House, one of our teenagers, Charles          who has been suffering from severe malaise, with aches and pains for some time, was diagnosed as having a strain of T.B.   

This is apparently not the contagious kind, and he is being treated as an Out Patient.    In fact he is already feeling much better.     He is in College in the middle of his Course in Community Development, and very anxious not to miss out.   Please pray for him.

We are also visiting in hospital an old missionary friend of ours.    She has been admitted here in Eldoret for an operation.    Ann Lipson used to be with CMS, and now works and lives with a Kenyan work of Faith not far from Mount Elgon in an area know as Kimililli.    She is 76 and Esther and I have known her for more than forty years now, a precious sister in Jesus.     She has recovered well from the op, and hopefully will be able to return to Kimililli within a week or so.      OTHERWISE WE ARE ALL WELL.
Last night, in the late afternoon really, and in the midst of a torrential rain storm, we were visited by another of our Old Boys, who has business in Eldoret and Nairobi - Elijah Aura.     It was really SO good to see him, and we were able to have very good fellowship.     It does our heart a lot of good to see members of our old family from Testimony growing up successfully.
Mr. Muli from Testimony House has gone off to Embu to take part in a Family Meeting with Edwin Ngubu's fiance's family - they will soon be married here in Eldoret.
And so live continues.     Thank you for partnering with us, and for encouraging us.   We DO often need the encouragement as there are often human disappointments as well as joys to deal with along the way.    We thank the Lord whose Blood we share, always for each one of you.

Lovingly in Him, His Mercy and His Grace

John, Esther and Daryl Green