JOHN'S HEALTH INTERFERES WITH KENYA TRIP

Hello once again! We have had a crisis here in Florida with John's health! For the past two + weeks life has been pretty hectic, although much better now!

John had not been feeling well for about a month. He described it as "something is not right". We were going to go to the doctor after Marty's eye operation and after the holidays. Additionally, a companion was going with John from the UK, and John was concerned about the loss of finances he might suffer if he had to cancel his flight. For various reasons he waited. We were to go to PA on January 6 and then he would go on to the UK the 11th & on to Kenya on Thursday the 14th. All of that has come to a screeching halt!

We went to our family physician and he couldn't see us and we were advised to go to the emergency room if we felt concerned. That is what we did, and when John described his symptoms - dull pain in the left side of his chest, occasional dizziness, heart palpitations - they immediately took action. While there, his heart went into "ventricular tachycardia" (v-tach), which is a rapid, uncontrolled and radical beating of the ventricle. There was a lot of activity in that ER, including pasting some defibrillator pads on him just in case the heart did this some more. . The heart regained its rhythm on its own. With v-tach, if the heart doesn't regain its rhythm, sudden death is imminent. He was transferred to the main hospital and the next day was told that there were several times in the night that they feared he wouldn't live until morning. John kept telling all of the nurses that he had work in Africa that must be completed, so he wasn't going to die.

On Tuesday a cardiologist did a heart catheterization to examine his arteries to assess if there was a blockage causing the heart problem. None! His arteries were clean! I might add here that for the last few years we have deliberately eaten a healthy diet, unless it is not possible to do so. We also try to get regular exercise, except when circumstances dictate otherwise. The doctor told us that John has the dubious distinction of being in a very rare, small percentage of people who experience v-tach but don't have blocked arteries. The condition is caused by a malfunction of the electrical impulses in the heart.

A few days later, after unavoidable delays, another heart surgeon, performed and electro-physiological survey to determine where the damage was and then repaired it by cauterizing the spots causing the "shorts" and then putting an "Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator" (ICD) in his chest. This little computerized device has wires going from it into John's heart; their purpose being to cause the heart to beat properly (faster or slower if the occasion demands) and if it should go into serious v-tach again it would shock the heart into normal rhythm. The device really a back-up - just in case - for his heart should be repaired owing to the surgery. He is getting used to having this foreign object in his body and his "insides", for want of a better word, are settling down; i.e. he has fewer strange feelings in his chest area. The bruise from where they implanted the defibrillator/pacer device is stunning! Changes colours every day.

RESUMING WHAT WE HAVE TO DO

It has been 2 weeks since his implant surgery. We are beginning to resume what needs to be done regarding the Widows Farm Project and Paul the Pastor. John would have been in Kadawa and Kisumu by now organizing an Operations Team and setting up procedures on how that team will manage and administer all of the details for getting the farm up and started. As we have said time and again - communication is the key issue for doing anything in Kenya. It is difficult while there to get things accomplished and get them done in a timely manner. Now, all of it must be organized and implemented at a great distance. There are ways - we know there are - but we need input from those with experience in similar situations.

PLEASE PRAY: For wisdom for John on how to pace himself. He can gradually resume normal life - totally normal - but we need to be discerning about the timing.

For the funding to continue to come in for the farm expenses - a fence, a house for the watchman, money to plow and harrow, seed, fertilizer.

For qualified team members; including a team leader.

PAUL THE PASTOR

We talked with Hesbone on Monday 1-18. Paul began hemorrhaging from the cancerous wound in his mouth Sunday night and had to be re-admitted to hospital Monday morning. He received a blood transfusion. Originally he was to check back in on the 20th to resume chemotherapy. We have had no updates since.

PLEASE PRAY: A miracle is required for Pastor Paul. Please continue to intercede for his total healing. We received enough money to pay for all expenses up until he was released from the hospital for the holidays. There is some money remaining for these next steps in his treatment. We are trusting the Lord for continued funds for this saint. Father God knew about the terrible tragedy in Haiti before it struck. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and His hand is not short that it cannot provide - for Paul and for Haiti.

PHOTOS

We have no current photos. We expected to have plenty for you by now - the camera was ready for John to capture the newly plowed 1 1/4 acres on the farm and the goats we will be giving. Also photos of the medical facilities in Kisumu where Paul is being treated. However, we have given instructions for 5 goats to be purchased and distributed for now - more when we get back in July or August - and Violet will take photos of the goats with their children and send to us. She will also get photos of the plowed land. We DO have one of John as he was coming out of anesthesia from his implant surgery (he knew it and agreed) but Marty really doesn't have the heart to show it.

DIVINE INTERVENTION - PEACE, PEACE, PEACE!

Be blessed dear friends. God is good! We were told that if the v-tach had occurred on an airplane it would have been sudden death. We can't imagine what would have happened if he had been struck in the bush in Kenya. We praise Him that is was revealed before he left. You may wonder why it happened at all. We don't know, other than the fact that there is no guaranteed that bad stuff will never happen to Christians (ask Jesus, Peter, Paul, John, Martha, Mary, etc., etc.). However he does guarantee that He will go through it all with us and NEVER abandon us. What is REALLY neat about it is that at no time was either of us afraid or worried. Marty slept each night - although sometimes not well. We were aware that we were at peace the whole time. It is strange and hard to articulate. However, we did not have to take time to go to the Lord and ask for or appropriate our peace. We didn't have to search our hearts for the Word of God to gain or keep our peace. God just DID it! It was just there! We didn't have to look for it . It was THERE! Amazing! John NEVER had a doubt about dying - he knew, that he knew, that he knew that he had to get on with the work that we are called to do - his destiny!

We go to the doctor on the 27th to find out the next steps in our lives - physically! Then we will continue with our plans accordingly.

Blessings to you all!

John & Marty

UPDATE ON PASTOR PAUL AND THE FARM LAND

Hello Everyone; THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS! BOTH FOR PAUL THE PASTOR AND MARTY. WE HAVE AGAIN PROVED THE SCRIPTURE TO BE TRUE THAT SAYS " THE EARNEST (HEARTFELT, CONTINUED) PRAYERS OF A RIGHTEOUS PERSON MAKES TREMENDOUS POWER AVAILABLE (DYNAMIC IN ITS WORKING). James 5:16 - Amplified Translation

Here is an update on Paul the Pastor. We have a photo of him in hospital, and are tossed between posting it so you can see the surroundings of a District hospital in Kenya. However, his face is so swollen out of proportion and deformed that we decided not to show you. This cancer is a brutal beast!!

He is diagnosed with Leukemia. At first they thought his kidneys and liver were also affected, but it turns out his kidneys are OK, and, although there is an infection in his liver that is being treated, it isn't cancer. He has been receiving chemotherapy and the doctor feels that it will be effective against the cancer in his face. Once the chemo is over hopes are that the face will be healed and may only require a bit of surgery. Having said that, he has been sent home for Christmas, and chemo will resume on the 30th. and we are informed that the swelling on his face has noticeably reduced. Praise God!

What wonderful response we have had to our plea for finances for him. We have received approximately $1000 (£625) toward Paul's medical expenses. We need an update on the costs so far and whether there are further estimates (as we expect there will be).

If you want to send him a get well card you can send it to Pastor Hesbone; he has a P.O. box in the city. Address it to Hesbone, and then in a bottom corner of the envelope write "For Paul the Pastor".

The address is: Hesbone Otieno Odindo

P.O. Box 4685-40103

Kisumu

Kenya

It is very likely that this man has never received a card in his life!

"CHAINED TO THE GRAVE"

Let us explain something to you about widows in the Luo tribe and the centuries-old culture. It doesn't matter if a woman is young or old, once a her husband dies she becomes "chained to the grave" as Hesbone puts it. It is inconceivable that a widow would re-marry. It is beyond thought - we mean, it would never even enter any man's mind, to marry a widow! She is left on her own to fend for herself and her family unless she has older sons who can take care of her and their siblings. Conversely, although we are certain that some widows would love to re-marry they would never think of it as a possibility or even think of it at all. CHAINED TO THE GRAVE!

Now, having said that, there are many young widows who have been widowed for several years , lets say 5, for example. Yet they might have a two-year-old child. The centuries-old practice of inheriting your dead brother's wife is still practiced amongst the Luos. However, in the old days that meant taking care of her and the whole family - all of their needs. Nowadays that no longer holds true. The oldest brother (or oldest living male relative of the husband if there is no brother) will drop by occasionally and be certain that the family name is carried on, but he doesn't take care of the woman or children. So she is not only a widow, but responsible for more lives to feed, shelter, clothe and educate. Of course, the young widow still has the normal desires of a young woman.

On the other hand, it would be perfectly normal for a widower to remarry if his wife, or one of them, died. But, of course, it would be to a single woman.

THE FARM

More news on the Widows Farm Project! The first acre has been plowed!! Yaaaay!!! The land is cleared of brush. Whereas we thought there were only two giant ant hills on the land, now that Ibraham (the man from whom we bought the land) has harvested his maize crop we are told there are two more hills where his maize had been growing. So, work is being done to remove the four of them.

You may have asked yourself how one goes about destroying a 6 to 8 foot ant hill! (Then again, you may not have asked yourself that.) We don't know how the person dresses, or what protection is used - must find that out - but we know that the aim is to find the queen. So the guy that tears down the ant hill invades it, locates Her Majesty, and removes her. Once she is gone the colony will automatically leave. The rest is relatively simple! It costs us between $15 & $20 per ant hill (£10-£13)

CATARACT SURGERY

Marty had cataract surgery on December 22. If you can believe it - the actual surgical procedure took between 8 and 10 minutes! Seriously!! Painless, without fear. No needles in the eye - just a really awesome gel that numbs it completely; but one doesn't even feel that it is numb. She received what is known as "conscious sedation" - seems like an oxymoron - and was awake during the whole procedure. This was necessary since she was required to look through a little hole at a light, and also had to keep both eyes open. Now, although there was no sensation when she was given the sedation, and she didn't feel groggy at all, there was one point where she became so relaxed that she began to nod off and the doctor had to adjure her to focus on the light. The next morning when returning for a check up the doctor declared that Marty's vision was 20/20 vision in the eye that received the surgery. She was most pleased. It isn't usual that the vision tests 20/20 so soon, and not always possible for the doctor to achieve that result. The surgery was flawless. She told Marty that her vision would be blurred for awhile, but that eventually she would have to remove the right lens from her glasses. Thursday morning, when Marty got up her vision was totally clear in that eye and she had to remove the lens from her glasses in order to see properly. Because of the previous retina problem there was only one type of lens the doctor could use so Marty had to choose between seeing clearly at a distance or up close. She chose the former, so will need to wear reading glasses. Isn't God awesome? Isn't modern medicine awesome? An added bonus is that she can paint again. Trying to paint using one eye is impossible - no depth perception, so she kept missing what she was aiming at on the picture. Now with both eyes she hits the mark! Thank you again, so very much, for your prayers.

OFF TO KENYA AGAIN

John leaves for the UK on January 11. He will spend time with the family - celebrate Christmas with them and Lorraine's birthday (prematurely) - and take care of some medical appointments.

Then he goes to Kenya on January 14 and will return to the States on February 2. It is necessary for him to go to Kadawa to oversee the Widows Farm Project and get the Operations Team organized and implemented. He is really blessed to have a companion while there. Jeremy Bell, an elder from Emmanuel Christian Centre (our church in England), will be traveling with John. We will have lots of photos of the farm to show you in the next episode.

The Lord takes care of many details way, way in advance of ever knowing that such details will arise. Two years ago, when in Kisumu, Marty met a missionary couple who were looking for a place to stay and we were showing them our apartment there in Kisumu. Actually John didn't meet them until this past summer when we were there. They have subsequently become full-time missionaries there and are renting a large house. We were able to spend time with them and get more acquainted while there this year. Well - they are here in the US on sabbatical for a couple of months and have offered their home and their car to John for the duration of his stay. Isn't that totally amazing? To think that the Lord arranged our relationship - amongst other reasons - knowing well ahead of time that we would have this Farm Project and John would need a short-term place to stay. Wow, oh wow!!

Please pray for his journey and pray for Marty while she is on her own.

Blessings & Love,

John & Marty

P.S. Apologies to our English friends for the American spelling! [;0)

URGENT NEED FOR PAUL THE PASTOR!

Hello again! Here is more information about the Widows Farm Project!

But first, we want to tell you about Paul the Pastor! Whereas Hesbone is Senior pastor of the ministry in Kadawa and the surrounding area, he has under him three pastors; one of whom is Paul. He is a fine young man in his thirties; he has a wife, Eunice and two daughters, Bianca and Angela. Last week we found out that Pastor Paul has cancer of the mouth. We don't know how long he has had it, but it is extremely serious and aggressive. When we left there at the beginning of November there was no indication of it.

He is in great pain and has been admitted to the hospital in Kisumu. The plan is to give him chemotherapy. He must have a blood transfusion prior to being able to have the chemo. Dr. Amos, a godly doctor, who is a life-long friend of Hesbone, is the primary physician at the District Hospital and can monitor Paul closely. The costs will be APPROXIMATELY $8.50 (£5.25) per day. This is not including the cost of drugs, which, so far have cost ABOUT $92 (£56.50). These are totally prohibitive amounts for these people. We don't know where they are getting the money; however, there is no way they have money to keep paying for his treatment. At the moment, the total cost of the plan of management is approaching $900 (£552). We keep saying "approximately" and "about" because the price of the Kenya Shilling (KES), the dollar and the pound, fluctuate hour-by-hour. Additionally - these can only be estimates made by the doctors.

We are letting you know the situation and if you feel or believe that you are to help, that will be a really good thing. We just want to do something to help them and believe that by letting people know about it we may be able to contribute.

ABOVE ALL- please pray for this young man, his family, Hesbone and Violet and Doctor Amos. We can't begin to describe the conditions in the hospitals in Kenya. You can't imagine, in your wildest thoughts, what they are like. Unless, of course, you have been there and done that!

We will see that the money gets to them quickly. If we get some pledges of money to be sent we can tap into our savings and transfer the money almost instantly. If you want to go through DOVE-Lebanon so that you will get a tax-deductible receipt, that is fine. Just let us know. Either contact us by e-mail at: johnandmartys@aol.com, or phone us at: 386-788-8633 (land line) or 386-316-1594 (mobile).

UPDATE ON THE WIDOWS FARM PROJECT!

Now - about the land. It has been cleared of the brush. The two great ant hills are being worked on. Now, we aren't quite sure what that means, but we do know that one of the first things to be done is to break into the ant hill and locate the queen of the colony. Once she has been removed the ants will scatter - abandoning the hill. Then the rest is relatively simple. But remember - these hills are about 8 feet tall.

GREAT NEWS! We found out today that the first acre will be plowed on Friday (DEC 18) Yaaay! A second plowing will take place in January or February and planting in March.

We have asked for estimates for the cost of the fence. That is next on the list along with hiring a caretaker/overseer/watchman (and building a house for him and his family).

We bought the land with retirement money (doesn't everyone want to retire to a village in Kenya?) You can't take it with you and it is an investment in The Kingdom of God!! We have challenged the villagers to invest in the farm. We have told them that we have done our part with the money and they can do their part with their time.

Fortunately Hesbone knows something about farming as he has been doing it on the church property for a couple of years. So he will know what kind of hybrid seed to buy for the maize and beans, and will know about the fertilizer, and when to plow and all of that stuff. John's talking about digging a well or piping water down from the church well. Oh my!

More news later!

John & Marty

THE WIDOW'S FARM PROJECT!!!

A view of the land from the church! One of John's prerequisites was that the land be near the church! It is!

We have purchased some land behind RCC (Restoration Community Church) - the church in Kadawa - and our vision is to turn it into a farm to produce free food for the destitute widows of Kadawa and surrounding area.

We will need to fence it in to keep out

the cows and goats that get on it.

The culture for centuries has been that the oldest son takes care of his mother when she gets old and is a widow. Many of these destitute widows have lost all or most of their sons/children to aids. Then there are some who were barren - never had children. Added to that is the fact that the people are all so poor that few can think outside their own family when it comes to helping others.

One of Marty's prerequisites was a mango

tree (above)! She has at least 3 !

We have challenged the people of the village to join with us in this venture. We have bought the land and we are asking them to become partners with us by giving their time - volunteering to work on the land to plant, fertilize, water, weed, and harvest the crops. All of this without expecting to be paid! It is a major learning curve. The lack of compassion for others that have absolutely no one to help them is appauling. Even Hesbone wasn't aware of the scope of their plight until we went into the homes of these very old, sometimes ill, absolutely destitute widows. We were all stunned - and Margaret's plight really brought it all home (see the blog - Margaret's House). We have cried a lot. We have committed to raise funds to develop this farm; i.e. buy seed, fertilizer, pay a caretaker/overseer, pay for plowing, put up a fence, and other expenses as we become aware of the needs for operating the farm. The goal is for it to eventually be self-sustaining.

Holy Spirit began to speak to John about some more practical ways to help these women. He has wanted to buy land for a long time - very long time. He just wanted a small piece of land - not for any specific purpose other than "to walk on it". This time while we were there Hesbone realized that John was serious and began to look around the village for land for John. Then this piece of land - directly behind the church - became available. The man, a church member, had just decided to sell and it wasn't even on the market yet. No one knew about it. But when we went to look at it the whole idea of buying it to farm for the widows began to settle in to John's mind and spirit. So we pursued it. The buying and negotiation process is really an experience - totally a cultural thing. But we have done it! We have 3.5 acres, with a potential of it becoming 4.2 acres. It and the church's land are separated only by a pathway. Potentially, when it is time to plow we can have it done at the same time as the church. Our plan is to turn the land over to RCC when we get too old to go, or when we die.

The whole idea - the reason behind it - is so that these women can have dignity in their senior years. Some of them live in just terrible conditions. We never saw any of this before. We can't begin to describe some of it. Now - having said that - at least they aren't living in the slums where sewerage runs down the streets.

The land is being cleared as we write. There are two ant hills (about 8 feet tall) that have to be leveled first and then some brush. It is relatively flat and rock free.

This photo shows Marty's prayer chapel. It is hollow inside those trees.

Marty has asked a friend, whose husband is a farmer, if she would teach her how to be a farmer's wife! (Well - she already has learned to do a chicken.) Seriously - we won't be farming it ourselves, but will be directing/managing the operations. More about that later!

Now we ask you. Isn't God hilarious? Here is Marty - 70 years old - and John 69, and we are starting to farm. What a riot!! Two city-slickers doing something like this.

Isn't is exciting? What great fun! Lots and lots of challenges, and there will be pit falls, but this is totally a God thing, and He is in it and we are going along for the ride!

There is much more to this story, so stay tuned for the next episode of the WIDOW'S FARM PROJECT

This is John and Ibraham - the owner - looking at the map of the land we got from the Land Office.

BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL!!!

MARGARET'S HOUSE

MARGARET'S HOUSE

If you remember, we told you about a widow named Margaret, whose house was in deplorable conditions - an understatement (see blog dated September 25). We had spent nearly all of the money we had been given for houses for two other widows. This was before any of us had become aware of Margaret's plight. Upon finding out about her dilema some good friends got in touch with us wanting to provide a roof for a new house for Margaret, and within a week and a half work began on the house because the things that required finances - the roof, a door, nails and experienced carpenters - became available.

We went to Korwenje - the village where she lives - to watch the building process. The whole cell came out. In fact two cells came out – one from several kilometers away. The women fixed the local staple (beans and maize) and chai (tea mixed with milk) and mandazi (a fried dough - very tasty). There were about 5 men who were hired as carpenters - they are part of a group that provides this service for people. The rest were members from the two cells. It was a big party - a great celebration. What a neat thing it was! We got there as about 3/4 of the frame was up. Some of the uprights were provided by the cells, the sapplings came from the trees from the uprights and also trees on Margaret's land. We watched them put up the trusses and the saplings, which go horizontally so that the mud can be put in, and then put the roof on. The men dug up the ground near the new house - they dug and dug with something like a pick (called a kwer). Then suddenly onto the site came half a dozen donkeys, each laden with several 20 litre containers of water. These were dumped into barrels while the donkeys grazed. Then off they went to fetch more water. The water source is a great distance away and the place is up in the hills, so the only way to get the water there was by donkey! You could hear them braying as they came near the site. Then the men mixed the mud – stomping in it and stirring it with their feet. They really seemed to enjoy it. (Marty thinks this is in the DNA of all boys/men – stomping in puddles and mud.) The women began singing and the men deposited the mud at the base of the walls and everyone began making big mud balls and putting them into the spaces in the walls. Marty could hardly wait to get her hands into the mud and slap some of it into the walls. What great fun! (Hers is the big blue backside on the right in the photo! We ladies were all wearing our lesos.)

The house is so much bigger than what Margaret had "lived" in and has 2 rooms - the other only had one. This old widow was rather beside herself. She told the pastor that if God could take her out of the house she was in and give her a brand new house she surely wanted to worship him and wanted to come to church (she had not been before). Now, we hadn't seen her smile - yet! Then Hesbone, Violet, John and Marty went to the car to get the mattress, and sugar and bread we had bought her for a gift. (The bed she was sleeping on was indescribable). We got her photo and she was really smiling. We found out that she kept asking one of the cell group members (the only other person in the church with a vehicle) if that mattress was hers. He said it was. She asked again if it was her mattress. He assured her it was. She then told him that if he didn't take her to church on Sunday, when he got home she would beat him. As we were leaving they were all singing, clapping and dancing in celebration of the erection of the house. This is a very rural, rather remote place, but all of the people in the area became aware of what was going on! Real evangelism!! We are over the moon!

We went back the next week and saw the finished product; finished, that is, in terms of the house being up and mud in all the orifices. The mud must now cure – it has to be thoroughly dry before the “plaster” coating can be applied. That is usually the woman’s job, but due to her age and frailty someone will do it for her – perhaps some cell members. She was a changed woman when we returned. She kept giving out little yelps and praising God and thanking us over and over. Wow! Once again we reap the benefits of sharing the joy of the blessings that so many other people have made possible by their contributions.

Above: Margaret's bed & "wall" behind it! Yes - that is the outdoors that you see! She lived in this!

Left: Margaret in front of house with mattress, and food.

Below: One week later inside living room. This house is, for Margaret, a palace. She never dreamed of a home like this!

We are told that this woman probably wouldn't have lived much longer; life was without hope. Not only that, but she was exposed to the elements - rain and cold in the hills. This new house has literally made the difference between life and death. Thank you all so very much!

Left: The floors will be finished after the walls are made smooth with another mud mixture - like plaster. The floors will be packed and then combed with aloe-vera leaves to make a design.

MORE NEXT WEEK!

THANK YOU AGAIN AND MANY BLESSINGS!