Making a Noise. My strange life.

I have lived what many consider a rather strange life.

When I tell people about the jobs I have held they often ask how I managed to fit all that into a single lifetime. Well the answer is really simple. For the majority of my working life I held 2 and often 3 different jobs at the same time.

Why? Because God called me to do work for Him and usually all our salary and savings went to support the work. Often a single salary was not enough so I would take on a second or third job to enable me to do what we both felt called by God to do.

I mention this because I was thinking back to the later 1970’s early 1980’s when we were still in South Africa and we got involved with Civil Defence as volunteer ambulance crew. It involved intensive First Aid training ( I eventually qualified as a paramedic) and one night a week we would meet at the local Fire and Ambulance station for training and at least once a week we would be on duty manning an emergency ambulance. We were naturally also on call should there ever be a major emergency (yes there were a few).

When we got called out to an emergency we would have the siren blasting and the emergency lights flashing and off we would rush to try to save a life.
I am sure that there were times when the siren noise disturbed some people. It may even have woken a few sleeping children. That was not our intention but a side effect of our frantic rush to get to the emergency before it was too late to save a life and as a result I never felt any guilt for making a noise under those circumstances.

Many years have passed. I no longer do that type of duty but as most of you will know we are retired and run Christian House Sitters which brings great blessing to people all over the world enabling them to enjoy vacations that they could otherwise not have afforded. We also run TLC Children’s Trust a registered charity that supports really vulnerable children in Kenya through a children’s home that we run. (All income from Christian house Sitters goes to the children via our charity).

Recently we have had some major needs at the Children’s Home and as a result I have found myself making a noise. Contacting people, writing blog posts, sending out newsletter, etc. All asking people to help us save the lives of these children. I started to feel embarrassed and guilty for disturbing people but God reminded me of my time on the ambulances. It felt as if He was saying you used a siren to save lives. Now you are trying to save not one but dozens of children’s lives and if in the process you need to make a noise and disturb a few people then so be it. These children matter. They are not to blame for their predicament. They did not ask to have parents who died due to AIDS or to be abandoned. They deserve to have somewhere to sleep in safety, to eat a good meal, to have clothes to wear and to get an education and if in order to do that I need to disturb a couple of comfortable people well that is just how it has to be.

When we took over  running the home after I visited there some years ago the children were living in very poor conditions. Using a field as a toilet, sleeping on the floor, no real facilities. That was part of the reason we stepped in. We wanted to upgrade everything to a decent standard, create decent facilities, provide good governance and strong Christian standards. We have been working really hard to bring things up to a decent standard so we could get the home officially registered.
So far we have:

• * Built 2 toilet blocks with wash rooms. Prior to this the children used a local field. This has had a significant positive impact on their health.
  * Built and equipped a nursery room for the young children.
  * Erected a security fence around the property to protect them from predators (human and animal).
  * Provided beds, bedding, mosquito nets etc. for all the children.
  * Erected a temporary kitchen. (Now replaced with a permanent kitchen see below)
  * Provided all the children who are of school going age with school fees, exam fees, uniforms, text books, note books etc.
  * Repainted and repaired the dormitories
  * Replaced the floor in their church which the children use as a meeting place every day
  * Established a first-aid system which has reduced the money spent sending children to the local medical clinic for minor injuries.
  * Established good working relationships with the local authorities.
  * Arranged a number of unannounced visits to check on the home.
  * Installed solar electricity in the Home
  * We have just finished putting up a permanent kitchen for the Home.
  * Appointed a fully qualified Social Worker and Children’s Home Manager

NOTE. All supplies etc. are purchased locally. We do not waste money shipping out things that they can obtain from a local supplier. This saves money and benefits the local community. We insist on detailed, official receipts and for items such as beds, uniforms etc. photographs showing these items on site.

However the Kenyan authorities have recently changed their regulations. They have decided to flex their muscles and we have been informed that our dormitories are too small for the number of children thus not providing adequate ventilation.

They are correct but we had to prioritize the needs with our very limited funds.
The authorities have now given us 2 months to either build 2 new dormitories or they will remove all except 30 of the children. When asked what would happen to these children we were told that they will be taken back to their home village and dropped off there. Or to paraphrase it they will end up back on the streets begging and starving.

The children have been crying and begging us to do something. This is their home. The only safe home that they have ever known. A place where they are loved, looked after and given a chance to grow into productive adult members of the community.

Building costs are far lower than here in the UK and it will cost us approx. £6,000 to build the required dormitories and a further £2,000 to equip them with bunk beds, bedding, mosquito nets, etc.

We were working towards reaching all the required standards within the next year we now just have a few weeks.

I am therefore making a noise!
I am writing to companies asking for donations. But to get what is needed in the time will take a miracle.
I am writing to friends asking for prayer.
I am asking you to do whatever you feel able to do.

• Pray.
  Tell Others.
  Give (even a little.)

Full details are on the website CLICK HERE.

God bless you,
Ray

Christian House Sitters is part of the registered charity

TLC Children’s Trust

UK Charity number 1156786

www.tlc-childrenstrust.org

 

 

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Advertisement

Free Service for Christians Everywhere.

I have news about a genuinely free service.

Not like the spam messages I get every day with things that look good on the surface but are there just as bait to get you to spend money. No this is a service that will not cost you anything. Not now and not in the future.

We have just passed Easter and many people are now starting to think about their vacation later in the year.

Vacations are wonderful, benefit our mental and physical health and build up relationships within the family but they can also create tremendous stress because of the cost.

If you have any pets they will need to be looked after while you are away.  I am quoting UK prices where you live the prices may vary but this is to illustrate the point and I can’t, in a blog post, put prices for every country in the world. The average price in the UK for having a pet minder to pop in for a few minutes every day in order to ‘look after’ your pet is around £200 per week.  More if you have more than one pet. All that money and the pets are still left alone for about 23 hours a day and your house is left unprotected. If you want someone to stay in your house and look after your property as well you can expect the cost to be significantly higher.

The majority of us can’t afford that.

On top of that if you hire a someone through an agency they select the person. You have no idea who you are letting into your home. They may have no criminal record but are they really the type of person you feel happy giving the run of you home unsupervised while they know you are away?

Using our service it is FREE. You know that the people will be Christians, you will have references from a leader in their church and you are able to make contact with potential sitters and prayerfully select the right person or persons.

Christian House Sitters will provide the service FREE OF CHARGE. No catch, no small print, no hidden cost. FREE.

Our service is available all over the world. Right now we have members in:

Canada,
America,
England,
Scotland,
Ireland,
Wales,
France,
Spain,
Germany,
Holland,
Italy,
South Africa,
Australia and
New Zealand.

How can you get this free service?

Easy. Visit our website and register as a Home Owner. Yes, it is free and only takes a few minutes.

The  other big vacation expense is renting somewhere to stay. A cottage, hotel room, or even just a camp site. If you chose to register as a Sitter then you can have Rent-Free accommodation. Registering as a sitter is also very quick and easy but this will cost you the tiny sum of £25 per year. Note all the income goes to look after children at a Christian Children’s Home in Kenya. Children who would otherwise be homeless, living on the streets, begging, stealing and often dying. Your annual £25 will allow you to apply for as many vacations as you like during the year for yourself and your family. You will stay in a home not an impersonal room and save a fortune. The annual cost is way less than one night in a very modest hotel room. We have had members who have enjoyed many months of rent free accommodation during their year. Others are content with just a week or two. But even at a week you are probably saving in excess of £200 to £300 per week even if you do not have children.

Have a look at www.Christian-housesitters.com

Do your friends a favour. Share this opportunity with your friends, your family, your church and be a blessing to them.

God bless you,

Ray

 

Christian House Sitters is part of the registered charity

TLC Children’s Trust

UK Charity number 1156786

www.tlc-childrenstrust.org

 

 

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Why you NEED a vacation

According to a study by Harris Interaction and Expedia, 36% of workers don’t plan to use all their paid vacation days, and 37% never take more than a week off at a time. That is unhealthy, bad for you, your family and the company who employ you.

Live longer
A State University of New York survey found that men who took annual vacations reduced their risk of death by 20%. Men who didn’t take any vacations in five years had the highest death rate and incidence of heart disease than any other men surveyed.

Improve your mental health
A study by Wisconsin Medical Journal found that women who took frequent vacations were less likely to become depressed, tense, or tired. Women who rarely took vacations were likelier to have stress at home and sleep less.
Taking time away from work and routine allows the body to replenish and repair itself, according to Karen Matthews of Mind Body Center at the University of Pittsburgh, quoted on npr.com. The center surveyed 1,399 participants recruited for studies on cardiovascular disease, breast cancer and other conditions, and found that leisure activities, including taking vacations, contributed to higher positive emotional levels and less depression among the participants. Other benefits include lower blood pressure and smaller waistlines, reports npr.com.
Women especially seem to benefit from taking vacations, according to a 2005 study conducted by Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin, published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal and reported on medicalnewstoday.com. Women who vacationed less often than once every two years were more likely to suffer from depression and increased stress than women who took vacations at least twice a year.

Become more productive
What? You can more productive by not working? Yes.
By scheduling two weeks of vacation a year, you force yourself to make the other 50 weeks more efficient. Your scheduled becomes an award–a carrot. This means more incentive to eliminate distractions, work more efficiently, and get things done.
Christine Louise Hohlbaum explains on the CNN website that workers who forgo their vacations aren’t doing themselves or their companies any favours. Even if they are physically present, they have often mentally checked out. “If people are overworked, they’re surfing the Internet. They’re not contributing to the bottom line,” Hohlbaum says..

Revamp your relationships
The busy lifestyle of this present modern word has left little time for interaction between family members. The children are always busy with their schoolwork and the parents are at work for most of the day. Going on a vacation provides a suitable time for the family to interact with each other and improve their relationship.

Recapture your childhood
When was the last time you went out to play? I mean really play. Without worry of someone calling or interrupting you. Real vacations let you recapture that feeling of childlike exploratory freedom. You can wake up when you want, go to sleep when you want, and eat what you want. Most importantly, you can have fun without worrying about the consequences on work back home.

Gain self-confidence
“Don’t put yourself on sale.”  Wise words from financial guru Suze Orman.  When you skip vacations, you put yourself on sale. If you have 2-weeks of paid vacation and don’t use them, you’re essentially working for free. By committing to a vacation, you declare to yourself (and to others) that you are important and deserve dedicated time for yourself.

Find creative inspiration
Most of the year, we live on a schedule. We eat at the same restaurants, see the same people, and experience the same environment. This monotony reduces the opportunities for inspiration and for new ways of thinking. By traveling to a new environment we put ourselves in an uncomfortable situation and allow our brains to think differently.  Robert R. Butterworth, a Los Angeles psychologist with International Trauma Associates, quoted on abc.com. Workers in creative fields especially need the opportunity recharge their batteries. “If you have a job that’s very creative and you don’t take time off you hit a wall and you need a change. The break will allow you to refresh your brain cells,” explains Butterworth

Are you being held back by the cost?
Are you worried about leaving your home and pets?
Christian House Sitters can help wherever you live. Our worldwide service offers rent-free accommodation and also provides reliable people who will look after your home and pets while you are away. They will do it free of charge.
Have a look at www.Christian-housesitters.com

Share this opportunity with your friends, your family, your church and be a blessing to them.

God bless you,

Ray

Christian House Sitters is part of the registered charity

TLC Children’s Trust

UK Charity number 1156786

www.tlc-childrenstrust.org

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Who is your role model?

Last week my post was very long. But thanks for those who said you appreciated it.

To keep the balance this week it is really short.

If you agree with the second pastor then remember God said we need to take time out to recharge our batteries. That is why we have a ‘day of rest’

Research shows that missing vacations can lower productivity, increase stress, harm the immune system and do a whole lot of damage. In previous posts I have given details about some of these problems and the research.

So plan a break. Plan it now while you are thinking about it.

Remember we can arrange for someone to look after your home and your pets FREE of charge.

We can also help you find rent FREE accommodation all over the world.

Have a look at www.Christian-housesitters.com

Share this opportunity with your friends, your family, your church and be a blessing to them.

God bless you,

Ray

Christian House Sitters is part of the registered charity

TLC Children’s Trust

UK Charity number 1156786

www.tlc-childrenstrust.org

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The Chicken & the Pig

 

The preacher was an impressive looking man with a deep booming voice. Everyone had told me what a great speaker he was, and I was certainly not disappointed. When he spoke he conveyed a feeling of power and authority.

Near the end of his sermon he turned to the congregation and said; ‘One day a Chicken and a Pig were strolling down the road together when they noticed a small boy sitting at the roadside. He was dressed in rags and was sobbing. The Chicken and the Pig felt sorry for him so they went over and asked him why he was so sad. The young lad tearfully explained, “I’m hungry, you see my Dad is out of work and so there is no money at home and with no money there is no food. I am crying because I am hungry.”

The Chicken and the Pig drew aside and the Chicken said; “We must
DO something. But what can we do”?

They thought for a while then the chicken turned to the pig and said, “I know let us pool our resources and give the kid a meal of bacon and eggs.”

“Just a moment”, replied the Pig,” That’s all very well for you. All you would be doing is making a token contribution but for me it would mean total commitment.”

The preacher thundered ‘God is not interested in our token contributions, He demands total commitment!’

I left that meeting feeling guilty. I knew that I’d not given God total commitment.  How, I wondered does one even begin?

The above is the beginning of my newly released book Balancing Your Life Effectively. A practical workbook on Christian Commitment. In the book you can read all about my search for the answer.

Available worldwide from Amazon. ISBN Number 13: 978-1503209718 

It is also available as a Kindle download.

God bless you,

 

Ray

We are part of the registered charity

TLC Children’s Trust

UK Charity number 1156786

www.tlc-childrenstrust.org

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Orphan elephant adopted by family of buffalo

A friend of mine posted an article to Facebook about an elephant that has lived as a buffalo for over 40 years.

If you want to read the full article you can do so by simply clicking here. But briefly it seems this elephant was orphaned in 1970 and adopted by a heard of buffalo. She has lived with the herd of buffalo ever since and has no interest in being reintroduced to elephant herds. She has become a buffalo.

The story touched my heart.

It also brought to mind the children that we provide for at Home of Peace Children’s Home in Kenya. Many are orphans. Often because of the effects of AIDS, malaria and other local health problems. These children have been ‘adopted’ into the home. Not a heard of buffalo but a family of other children, adults who love and care for them, an opportunity for an education, clothing, medical care and a strong Christian environment.

Our Administrator at the Home is Erick Owino who was himself an orphan living on the streets as a young child, frequently hungry, always in danger before he was taken into a Christian Children’s Home. Now as an educated adult he helps look after the next generation of struggling children.

Please help us to help these children.

Their only income is from Christian House Sitters. (All our income goes to the home) and from people who choose to either sponsor a child or to make an occasional donation.

All funds are passed through our charity arm T.L.C. Children’s Trust (Registered Charity Number 1156786) and we carefully monitor where it is used. We are in contact with the home a few times every week and know exactly where the money is used.

Please also join us in praying as we urgently need £6,000 to build 2 more dormitories as our facilities are simply not sufficient for the number of children.

If you or your church can help even in a very small way please get in touch.

If you would like to know more about the home or the charitable trust please click here.

To find out more about Christian House Sitters click here

God bless you,

Ray

 

 

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Seeing life differently.

Those of you who’ve been following this blog will know that I have been waiting for an operation on my eye. I had it yesterday.

I am thrilled with the result but it is going to take some time to adjust.

All my life I have been shortsighted and have therefore had to wear glasses in order to do everything. Even though I have worn them for almost 60 years I have never liked wearing glasses. They cause problems in the rain and they are just a bit of a pain at times but I have got used to them.

Over the years my shortsightedness has got progressively worse until I could only see clearly for about 8 inches in front of my face. Anything beyond that I needed my glasses.

To make things slightly more difficult I started to develop cataracts in both eyes and have been waiting for them to mature and then be removed.

The operation I had yesterday was to remove the cataract from my left eye but the hospital now do things somewhat differently. They not only removed the cataract but they actually removed the entire lens from my eye and replaced it with an artificial lens adjusted to my prescription to give me perfect distance vision with that eye.

As result I can now see very clearly from the horizon until about 3 feet from my face. I don’t think I have ever seen as clearly. The operation itself was not at all traumatic and I am delighted with the result.

I still need to have my right eye done. I understand that the waiting list for this will be a few months as they have to wait one month after doing the first eye to check on its progress before booking the appointment for the second eye.

The result is that I can now see clearly for the first 8 inches from my face through my right eye after which everything becomes out of focus and I can see from about 3 feet away to the horizon through my left.

This leaves a gap from about 8 inches to 3 feet where I can’t see clearly with either eye.

That is a little awkward as I need vision in that particular area in order to work the computer, run Christian housesitters, do my duties as a church treasurer, preaching etc.

I’ve been experimenting today and find that the best solution, at the moment, is to put an eye patch over my repaired left eye and then put on my old glasses which enables my right eye to see for those tasks. Now all I need is a parrot on my shoulder and I will be a bona fides pirate.

Thank you for everyone who has sent messages of support and prayers. God has done a wonderful job, as he always does, and I am thrilled with the results of yesterday’s operation.

I would still appreciate your prayers for the next couple of months that the appointment for my second eye will come through quickly and that I will find the best way to do those jobs which require vision in the section where I am at present still having problems.

God bless you,

Ray.

 

 

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I was frustrated but……

I was feeling frustrated.

My vision is not as good as it should be because of cataracts and I am on the waiting list for cataract surgery at the Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, Somerset. The wait has dragged on and on making life a little difficult at times as I depend on my vision for almost everything that I do from running Christian House Sitters through driving, preaching and even on to handling the finances as church treasurer.

Eventually I was contacted and told the operation would take place on the 12th of May. I was delighted but then got a call to say “sorry it has to be postponed” Grrrr

Then another call saying it was re booked for the 23rd of May. Phew relief.

A few days before the due date another phone call “sorry we have to cancel the appointment due to unforeseen circumstances but we will re book you asap”

The frustration began.

Every morning I watched for the postman and waited for a phone call.

So far nothing.

Every day I moaned at God “Why did you let then cancel my appointment you know I need it?”

Today I read the local newspaper and saw the following article.

 

Cataract patients suffer complications after private firm’s operations at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton
9:00am Thursday 29th May 2014
A PRIVATE firm hired to perform routine eye surgery at Taunton’s Musgrove Park Hospital had its contract terminated after dozens of patients suffered mystery complications. More than half the 62 patients who had cataracts removed earlier this month experienced blurred vision and swollen corneas – normally one in 400 have such side effects, according to Musgrove.
Patients, who were treated under local anaesthetic in a mobile unit beside the day surgery unit, have been recalled and given treatment to ease the problem, but some may need further surgery in the future……..

God knows what He is doing.

His timing is perfect.
His delays are for our good.
I am reminded that I need to trust Him and stop my complaining.

God bless you,

Ray

 

 

 

 

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An Easy, Fun Way to Save Your Life

Warning Signs

Stress, Depression and Heart Disease are some of the leading killers of this century. Everyone is at risk and we bombarded with advice about diet, exercise, weight control etc. These are all important and I am not seeking to negate them but there is another factor that good solid scientific research has shown to also be vital to preventing theses killers striking.

A solution that is enjoyable, fun, and something to look forward to with eager anticipation and to look back on with fond and lasting memories.

In brief research shows that not taking a regular vacation will significantly increase your risk of death from a heart attack.  I will not go into all the details but will simply summarize a few studies and provide links so you can read them in full if you wish.

In a study of 13,000 middle-aged men at risk for heart disease, those who skipped vacations were found to be 30 percent more likely to suffer heart attacks than those who took at least one week off each year. Even missing one year’s vacation was associated with a higher risk of heart disease. Full report

A separate study, tapping information from the Framingham Heart Study, found vacation deprivation may be equally hazardous for women. Researchers looked at 20 years worth of questionnaires given to 749 women. Their finding: Women who took a vacation once every six years or less were almost eight times more likely to develop coronary heart disease or have a heart attack than those who took at least two vacations a year.  Full Report

A study conducted among 1,500 women in rural Wisconsin found that those who take vacations twice a year or more were less likely to become tense, depressed or tired than those who took vacations once every two years. In addition, the odds of marital satisfaction decreased as the frequency of vacations decreased. Full Report

Finally a sample of 887 law firm lawyers in Canada found that participating in active and social leisure activities and taking a vacation are important in reducing lawyers’ depression Full Report

Americans are at greater risk than those living in most other countries. This is because most countries in Europe have a legal requirement to give staff an annual vacation of between 20 and 30 days (varies between countries. Australia and New Zealand mandate at least 20 days off. Canada only insists on 10 days a year and America has no legal minimum.

There is the mistaken idea that it would cost business too much but that is simply not correct. As an example Jancoa, a Cincinnati janitorial service firm, for example, decreased its employee turnover from 360 percent to 60 percent while simultaneously increasing its productivity with the addition of a week of vacation. Full Report

The Chicago office of Price Waterhouse Coopers, the worldwide accounting firm, once dedicated an entire issue of its in-house newsletter to the importance of taking a vacation, pointing out that vacations enable employees to return to work with a strong focus and energy. Full Article

So start making plans NOW. Your life may depend on it.

BUT I can’t afford it!

In the USA 34% of those asked said that they can’t afford to take their full vacation. Now that is really sad! We all know how important a vacation is for your mental and physical health. Cutting it down because of cost is not necessary.

We can help you!

How?

Register with Christian House Sitters and you can enjoy rent-free vacations all over the world.

We can also arrange for a Christian to look after your home and pets free of charge while you are away.

For more information please have a look at our website CLICK HERE

God bless you,

Ray

 

 

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