encouragements

We are OK here and have seen quite a lot of rain here recently. The ‘short rainy season’ doesn’t normally start until September.

We read in the newspaper here that the Kenyan Government has been advising Kenyans not to travel to the UK, particularly to London as there is a high level of crime there. I think that was a bit tongue in cheek!

We continue to be involved in the community here and as we get to know the way of life here better we are more able to see how people could work better together and how the church can assist.

There had been a few discouragements last week. For example on Friday we heard that the young HIV+ woman who had come home from hospital on Monday had died during the night. Hilda had been visiting her with one of the older girls from the Home and they had both thought she looked a bit better. Even though her health had been fragile for a long time, it was still a bit of a shock.

We had an ‘away day’ last week at a place where we can hire a nice room for the day. It is quiet there and has a flushing loo! So it was good to have a day off and God spoke to us through Lamentations 3:22 -‘Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.’

There, I began thinking of all the good things that have happened recently-
• The church leaders have agreed that Kennedy ( who is an able Bible teacher) would lead a men’s group with Ian supporting. There is a need for the men to be built up in faith.
• The continuing hunger of some of the young people for God.
• Maurine (6) and Grace (7) from different families, both HIV+ and undernourished. I feel encouraged every time I see their smiling faces. They started school here a couple of weeks ago and are already looking healthier. Neither had been at school before.
• A mentally ill widow with a son, who had been very ill is now getting better.
• The crops that Duncan and the children have been growing have been amazingly good. The sukuma wiki (kale) just keeps growing and growing – so much so that they have taken sackfuls to give out in the community and at church. Good source of iron and vitamins.
• Our neighbours have agreed to sell a piece of their land that backs on to ours, so we will be able to complete building the classrooms. We are waiting to hear if the family will agree to sell another much bigger piece of land that would provide enough land for the planned agricultural school.
• A grandmother with 2 orphaned granddaughters is struggling to farm her land and support them. Meanwhile one of her neighbours, a 19 year old who lives in a rented house with her 2 young daughters has been abandoned by her husband and has no land. She is also struggling to get enough food. This week we have got her to agree to work on the grandmother’s farm and in return she will get half of the crop. We will get one of the family elders along to formalise their agreement. Hopefully this will work out for them and others will do the same as there are many in similar situations.

Some friends have e-mailed us to say they have written to us via our blog. However, we have not received anything via our blog. If you have done this and not received a reply from us then please just e-mail us in the usual way and we will respond. We don’t understand what the problem is with the blog as Ian has tested it and it seems ok.

If you would like to see some great professional photos of people here at Hope & kindness, go to www.antonyb.com/gallery

too small to make a difference?

‘If you think you are too small to make a difference, try spending the night in a closed room with a mosquito’. (African saying)

Some wonder why God created mosquitoes but maybe it was for this reason??

Nearly six weeks since we left home and we have not had time to feel bored or homesick or think too much about ice-cream or chocolate!

We are enjoying working here with Terry while Mary (the manager) enjoys a well-earned holiday. At present we have a young English visitor staying with us for two weeks. Among other things she wants to help some of the children with Maths.

Last Sunday the Youth took the whole service at church and by all accounts did really well. We can see an amazing difference in some of the Youth since our last visit.

Ian and I were at Oyugis during the service, getting a very ill HIV+ young woman admitted to the District Hospital. The Government provides the facilities and staff at the hospital but treatment still to be paid for. We were impressed with the speed at which she was dealt with but when we got to the ward we saw two cats strolling about! They may be there to keep the vermin down? The other day when we spoke to her brother he reported that there is now another patient sharing her bed!! Be thankful for our NHS! She has malaria and typhoid but despite the conditions she is a now a lot better.

I have begun to collect information about the hospitals and clinics in the area so that we will know where to take people with different conditions and the costs involved.

Hope & Kindness is buying some more adjoining land to help with the expansion of the school. The family who own this land may also be interested in selling us an even bigger extent of land which would also meet the needs of the proposed agricultural college – please pray that if this is right we will be able to agree a deal with them quickly. Terry is also making arrangements with a contractor to build the extra classrooms we need to give us a complete primary and nursery school and also a visitor centre, and Ian will have some involvement in this.

Later in August we hope to go to Kisumu for 3 days and get to know it a bit better while having a break. Kisumu is 2 hours drive from here and beside Lake Victoria.