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