It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of one of our Peacemakers’ Team.  Rob served the non profit making Christian charity with his great technical skills in computers, showing prayerful commitment, always edged with love and compassion.

My late husband Dennis and I have known Rob since he was an adult single man who attended the church that Dennis was Pastor of in Stevenage. Unfortunately Rob had an inherited genetic illness that was beginning to show itself physically. It was a progressive disease and over time his health would decline. He met and fell in love with Ruth and they decided to get married.  Together they made their commitment before God to love “for better, for worse, till death parts us”, and we had the privilege of marrying them and witnessing their love and commitment to each other throughout their married life.

Along came three children Tom, Becky and Ellie and they moved into a bungalow to accommodate Rob’s increasing disabilities more easily.  As Rob was getting weaker his faith was getting stronger and he wanted to serve the Lord more.  Dennis invited him on one of his mission trips to Norway and Rob was soon found to be a man of prayer and faith.  It reminds me of that song we sing “when I am weak Lord, you are my strength” and this showed very much in Rob as a husband, father and co-worker.  He was a wonderful disciple of Jesus Christ, he was blessed with the love that Jesus loved His Church with, unconditional, sacrificial love.  Jesus gave His life for us, He was selfless, as was Rob.  I never heard a word of complaint from Rob about his situation, just words of love and encouragement.  His prayer times always revealed words of wisdom from the Lord which he so lovingly shared with us.

He would loved to have come to Kenya with me and they would loved to have met him.  Indirectly, through his intuitive prayers and practical aid in the form of computers and computer training, he has changed so many Kenyan lives and he still remains part of the mission.

On their 25th wedding anniversary, by chance I just happened to be visiting Rob, and Ruth said to me, “Brenda can you remember what you were doing 25 years ago today?”  I thought for a moment and said “yes I was marrying you”, “that’s right”, and then Ruth took Rob’s hand and said “we love each other more today than we did 25 years ago”. “When we are weak, God is our strength”, He is sufficient.

Because of the restrictions upon us all through the coronavirus crisis, we are unable to attend his funeral, which I know, out of love and respect for Rob, many of you would love to have been there. I can tell you that Ruth is allowed just 10 people, which will obviously be taken up with her and Rob’s closest family.  The Committal Service is booked at Harwood Park Crematorium for Wednesday 15th April at 2.45p.m.  Please put that time aside to join with the family in spirit in remembering and committing Rob to the Lord.

The Lord has prepared a place at His table for Rob.  Rest in Peace dear Brother in Christ.

Brenda, Christine and all the Peacemakers Team

Our nearest neighbour Mama Eric has been longing to start it but has been caring up until last week for the mother of the late Patrick Kavungura, one of the original Kenya Peacemakers. Mama Kavungura passed on at the age of 94 years; we attended the burial on December 4^th. According to custom, most people travel to the mortuary to view the body then return to the homestead for the burial in the garden of the home.

The youth dig the grave at dawn the same morning and return the soil at a spectacular speed after the committal.

We have now planned to start new registration of members in January 2020 with a nominated committee. We had a marvellous Prayer time where the Lord really spoke to us all about forgetting the former things (Isaiah 43) and marching forward, finally reaching our hope and future (Jeremiah 29;11).

I am looking forward to stepping back a little to see the Kenyans organise and manage more. The new committee will plan regular activities including the start of a Bible Teaching base, monitor the Youth projects for tree planting, poultry and livestock. We will revive our Craft projects and extend training activities for nutrition and health. We plan to do a lot more marketing of our accommodation and facilities. We have seen how God has taken us on a journey to where we are now and are excited for the next stage.

Our real needs at the moment are to get the greenhouse up and running for planting more sensitive seedlings like avocado and macadamia and rotating to capsicums again but by constructing soil tunnels as the soil we have has wilt. We would be getting new soil from Mt Kenya Forest. This will be another Youth project, along with the poultry rearing. At the moment, there are hundreds of idle school leavers around, without funds for further education and few opportunities for any employment. We also need to make

money from the B&B business and catering. Our profits return to the vulnerable. We really have to see God getting all the glory when we see this place prospering. Here are some of the rooms for you to stay.

We are all thankful for your wonderful support. The students continue to be able to attend school because of regular gifts. The Terrington Ladies have been stars in contributions for beans for the Disabled children, and lovely knitted jumpers, the Swansea Ladies the same. Thanks to Lifewell for money for food distribution for needy families this Christmas and the Orphans’ Party. Thanks to the Taylor Davids for moving us so far forward with water projects. Thanks again to the Beadles who have enabled us to help so many people. Thank you for all your gifts and prayers.

Much love from all the team here and from my new addition of a Cardigan corgi, Evie (AMAZING, I know)

Happy Christmas from Kenya!