Kenya

Sara and I have come vertically through Michigan and landed close to Benton Harbor in the southwest. God has seemingly opened a wide door here with lots of connections I tried to get to a few months ago, before our Unforeseen Circumstances. And new doors open every time I check my email. It’s going to be tough to figure out what we can do here and still have time for our larger mission, which is Sara’s continued joy and freedom.

From here, we’re headed to Indianapolis and then on to Columbus, Ohio, next weekend. The conversations we get to have amidst the incredible journey Sara and I get to share have been deeply touching.  Here’s one look at a group we met with a couple of nights ago. Lovely setting, lovely people, moving conversation.

The real reason for this email is to ask for your help. I don’t ask for myself; I never do. But the email below arrived in my inbox yesterday with the picture at the top. I don’t use these things gratuitously. My heart is deeply pained by the incredible need in the northern reaches of Kenya and the failure of that government or the U.N. to be in this region with resources to help. People are dying by the thousands, and the world is mostly unaware.

We do not even try to meet all of the needs there. But when the friend of a friend is watching people die before his eyes, and we can send some money to help preserve life, we try to do what we can.

Here is what they wrote:

Hi brother Wayne and the team over there. Sorry, we are writing to you the sad report for hunger, so that you may pray and see if there is any ability over there to help a little with this situation. We can’t hold our tears for what is taking place in the Northern parts. We have received this report live from our brother Peter who came all the way from Amakuriat, where we drilled our first borehole.

He told us that he could not bear to watch the people who are dying in front of his eyes, and He said that this water we drilled it has become a life-healing tool to save hundreds of lives in that region. But now the hunger has swept almost five villages around Amakuriat, which are in danger of losing lives. Amakuriat is on the border of Turkana and North Pokot.

More than 400 families with over 5000 people are affected, including children, old aged, and breastfeeding moms. The indigenous fruits have been dried out, and other agencies Peter has connected them to cannot help because of Turkana region is very big, with the same situation everywhere.  They are helping those areas, but cannot help here, so he decided to run personally to see if we can connect to you again to see if you can be able to share with the team for urgent help.

We have the need together:
1.    100 bags of maize for $ 4000
2.    40 bags of beans for $ 4800
3.    Transportation and fuel 700$
Total prayer request $ 9,500

Yours,
Brother Thomas and Michael

Simply, we need your help. As always, every dollar you send us gets to the people in Kenya, and all contributions are tax-deductible in the US. We do not take out any administrative or money transfer fees. Please see our Donation Page at Lifestream. Just designate “Kenya” in the “Note” of your donation, or email us and let us know your gift is for Kenya. You can also Venmo contributions to @LifestreamMinistries or mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560 Newbury Rd Ste 1  •  Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or, if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

Thank you for your consideration and prayers for the people of Kenya.

Let me offer my thanks and gratitude of our friends in Kenya for the recent rescue of three hundred abandoned children in the community of Forkland. We have supported a school there for over a decade because it provides education for students whose parents cannot afford it. Earlier this year, during a deep drought, hopeless and addicted parents could not provide for their children, and en mass abandoned them at the school.

The believers there were overwhelmed with the need and began to care for them. Over the ensuing months, we raised over $200,000 to feed, clothe, and build dormitories for them on the school property. I received this email last week from Michael, a brother who leads the ministry team and the husband of the school’s founder and director.

Brother Wayne, this mighty God we serve all the time He does things beyond human ideas.  We had no idea, plan or projection for this orphan project. We were really surprised after seeing the flow of 300 children including youth, running to our school. It was a big test as to whether we would chase them away or welcome them. We turned to God and in hope and we gave them each a copy of the Swahili book, Nakupenda, He Loves Me. It was just so encouraging to watch them as they began to believe and trust God.

We have a proverb in our Swahili language, translated into English it says, “That generosity is not a demand.” All God has done over there is to melt the heart of the people brothers and sisters, even here in Kenya, to stretch their cheerful hearts towards these starving, innocent children. We didn’t expect any outcome to cover this need, but only wanted to train these kids to use their knees, stretching their hands to God.

As the book of Psalms said, “I will stretch my eyes to the mountains and sees where my help will come from.”  This is what we did and it has brought the entire community to understand that God is love.

The letter comes directly from the Forkland community itself:

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, you may not know us physically, On behalf of the entire team in the Forkland community, we would like to send our gratitude first to the Almighty God who gave you the burden and provisions towards these orphaned children.

We would like to state that all of your family, friends, and relatives will remember this donation you gave. It has really changed and affected the potential and the destiny of these children generationally, starting from food, clothing, medication, shelter, and education as well as spiritual life. They can now understand and experience life with God, having only heard of him for many years without witnessing any manifestation. The Bible says those who help the needy lends to God. In Kenya, we have millionaires and billionaires, but none who care about the needy. You sacrificed a lot even for raising money for our Kenyan family. You support people you don’t know and have not yet met, but you are doing it by faith.

We want to remind you that one day in this life or life to come, God will not forget this giving with a cheerful heart of love. (Hebrews 6:10)

We continue to trust God with you that he will continue opening doors so that you, too may not lack anything. Let Almighty God provide for you and do extraordinary things.

Receive greetings from the entire family of 300 kids for standing with them.

May the Lord bless you, and we want you to understand that we really appreciate and give thanksgiving to God to bless the work of your hand. On behalf of Forkland community,

Brother Michael

If you want to help with the continuing needs in Kenya, we are still collecting money to send their way. As always, every dollar you send us gets to the people in Kenya, and all contributions are tax-deductible in the US. We do not take out any administrative or money transfer fees. Please see our Donation Page at Lifestream. Just designate “Kenya” in the “Note” of your donation, or email us and let us know your gift is for Kenya. You can also Venmo contributions to @LifestreamMinistries or mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560 Newbury Rd Ste 1  •  Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or, if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774

Thank you for your generous hearts toward a people you have never met. I still find that so incredible.

A couple of other notes… 

Our next Jake Colsen book club meeting meets this Saturday, August 20, at 1:00 pm PDT. It will stream live on my Wayne Jacobsen Author page on Facebook, but if you want to be in the Zoom room and part of the discussion, email me so I can send you the link. We are reading Chapter 5, Love with a Hook, which explores how religious-thinking people often put demands and expectations on their understanding of God’s love, making it something other than the love God expresses to us.

And, a reminder about our intimate retreat next weekend in Westcliffe, CO where we have been offered a ranch in the Rockies as a place to invite our friends to come and be with us for the weekend. There’s still some room left since we’re throwing this together at the last minute, but you’ll need to sign up with me if you want to come. The cost is $100 per night per person, which includes meals. We’ll start on Friday night and stay over until Monday. You’re welcome to join us for all that or leave on Sunday if you need to. Anyone who feels so stirred is welcome to join us. Here are more details if you need them.

I got some delightful news from the people we’ve been helping recently in Forkland and Bungoma in Kenya.  I wanted to share it with you. This young man above narrates a brief video below of thanksgiving for the school supplies purchased for the students at Forkland and the 300 youth who were abandoned there a month ago in a time of extreme poverty and need.

Construction has started for this inundation of orphans they were not expecting.  Here’s how Michael described it:

On behalf of the Forkland village rehabilitation center, God heard the strong cry of suffering from these innocent kids who could not help themselves. I believe this big number of children from the entire village has brought great transformation after the quick intervention to answer their prayers. We have worked tirelessly to make sure that the funds we receive from this wonderful family along with prayers to use it wisely. It can directly fit the program as planned.

Although the cost of metal and other items have risen, it has not affected our budget. We handed over the funds to the engineer and the water company and we are not handling the money anymore except for the feeding program, school fees for the children, and other needs (books, pens, uniforms, etc.) We gave the first priority to the children both primary and secondary, and also the teenage mothers under the guidance and counseling of the caretakers.

The engineer has assured within two months the children will have housing. So we thank God so much for this miracle that the Lord has provided to save these children. We are joining the children in prayers and standing with them.

In Bungoma. the children saw the truck enter the compound. They were joyous and sang praises to the Lord through the dust and noise of the drilling (pictured left). They found an abundance of water after penetration through the rock for two days. The company is still working to put everything in order and very soon we shall be harvesting plenty water for the children and for the community. The community also is happy and thanks God for the water.  Every day they do come for a while and see what is taking place wow. This is amazing.

You will be updated on the progress.

They also sent along this video of one of the students expressing his gratitude for their supplies. You may want to turn on closed captioning to help understand him through his rich accent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKuEHM5fihI

Of course, the need won’t end there. So, if any of you want to help with the continuing needs in Kenya, we are still collecting money to send their way. As always, every dollar you send us gets to the people in Kenya, and all contributions are tax-deductible in the US. We do not take out any administrative or money transfer fees. Please see our Donation Page at Lifestream. Just designate “Kenya” in the “Note” of your donation, or email us and let us know your gift is for Kenya. You can also Venmo contributions to @LifestreamMinistries or mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560 Newbury Rd Ste 1  •  Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or, if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

I’m on my way to Charlotte this morning for time with God’s people in the area—some have been dear friends for years, and others I’ll be meeting for the first time. I’m so looking forward to this trip. I was going to post a blog about our day-long conversation this coming Saturday about learning to ride the wind of the Spirit as Jesus talked to Nicodemus about in John 3. LINK

I love this new framework that is helping people see more clearly how God deals with them in their own hearts and minds. I love talking about it and am enjoying the process of putting it into a new book I’m writing. Kyle and I will also start covering that framework in a series of occasional podcasts at The God Journey; the first one will air on April 8.

Instead of talking about that, however, I want to share a painful email I read on the way to the airport this morning. It’s another need in Kenya—300 children abandoned or have fled on their own to the Forkland School because their parents can no longer feed them. I’ll let Michael tell you about it below.

But before I do, I found the timing of this interesting. Just yesterday, I was praying with a group of people, and God led us to pray about injustice in the world. We saw it not only in the obvious ways of judicial corruption, the preference our world gives to the wealthy, or the Russian invasion of Ukraine but also in how lack of resources around the world promotes injustice as well. The following letter is a case in point.

Life isn’t fair; suffering often comes to those who are least able to deal with it. The only way I know to compensate for this kind of injustice is through the generosity of those who have more toward those in the world who have less. That’s why I’ve enjoyed what God has asked us to in a small corner of the world. We have been in touch with a group of Kenyans there for more than a decade who have the same heart for my Father that I do, living in a land of great need. Over and over again, many of you have joined us in rescuing orphans or building an economy among tribes whose nomadic way of life was destroyed by a prolonged drought.

Three hundred abandoned children have shown up at the Forkland School. We helped rescue them from contamination in their drinking water and recently purchased land to come into conformity with new laws. Now, they have been overrun with children they can’t care for—

Wayne and Sara, I know you are out taking the message of Christ, and  encouraging the brothers and sisters with the good news. We seek your prayers to see if God can open a group of people who would be willing to help us. We our level best to make sure that we help where necessary but we are overwhelmed and cannot hold our tears tack. Two years of climate change and drought is sweeping through our community. Sometimes we think that northern parts only is where people are startving but now this challenge is affecting our region where 75% of people depend on farming.

I cannot have full food in my plate while my neighbor or an orphan staying next to me who has gone three days without eating. Those who are starvng come and sit at my door with shame at having brought their children because they are dying. This is happening at my home in Bungoma. My wife and I have no way to escape this. Some wells have dried up and might might bring diseases such as typhoid and cholera. The children walk over four kilometers to get water for washing utensils and for bathing in jerrican as you see in the attached picture. So it is our prayer that if God will open the door and have somebody help us to drill and get a hand pump for water.

I want to thank God so much for the Lifestream team for what you did in Forkland for helping this community with water from the Forkland project. You have done much for the Kenyan family and innocent children by investing your life and resources for the people you do not know.  We cannot forget what you did here and that legacy will never be removed in the heart of people and also it will be a reminder in the eyes of God forever. Many lives has been rescued from deaths and calamities. Thousand of people there have been transformed both spiritual, socially and physically all over the northern parts. We are not doing this for our own glory, benefits or pleasure, but we are doing this with the fearless mind of God.  We are like  a drop of ink in the ocean but we are just doing this by the grace of God because we know that in this life we are the stranger we need to put our treasure where moth and rust can not destroy.

When we share this long story we don’t glorify you or anybody else but we just acknowledge for what the Lord has done through all of us to accomplish his will. Jesus knew that it is not by our ability but by the grace which He will give us to help us in the time of need. So, by the grace of God we can love, not by our ability but his. All of your messages have really encouraged us to depend totally on him.

Over 300 children have run from the community; they came groups after groups. Some slept two days without eating; all of these children are between 7 and 16. Many have alcoholic parenst and had dropped out of school because of  fees. Some do forced labor making alcohol in order to be given food, and some girls endured sexual abuse with big men who defiled them, infecting them with HIV and AIDs.

Thomas has acted alongside with community health workers and volunteers to help them with medication and counseling. The big numbers are orphans because there parents died because of HIV and were rejected by there relatives. Many of these children they have only clothes. They don’t have shoes, blanket, mattress or other basic needs. The community elders have said that those children need to remain here for some time, as the church find the solution for them.

We have an urgent need for food, clothing, mattresses, shoes, and medication for 301 children (201 boys and 100 girls) The total need right now is $9,580.

It seems the needs in Kenya are unending, but it hurts my heart to think of 300 children living in fear, alone, without parental support, and starving. If you want to help them, we are collecting some money to send their way. As always, every dollar you send us gets to the people in Kenya, and all contributions are tax-deductible in the US. We do not take out any administrative or money transfer fees. Please see our Donation Page at Lifestream. Just designate “Kenya” in the “Note” of your donation, or email us and let us know your gift is for Kenya. You can also Venmo contributions to @LifestreamMinistries or mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560 Newbury Rd Ste 1  •  Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or, if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

Thank you for helping us help them.

Last month, we were asked to help once again in Kenya with their continued drought, which has worsened this year. In response to their request for $14,000, you gave over $17,000 to help them. They have just returned from distributing the food and supplies to the aged and nursing mothers, which the picture above depicts.

Here’s what they wrote me just a few minutes ago:

Dear brother Wayne,  receive wonderful greetings in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We would like to send our gratitude to the entire team over there for the great love and concern towards our families here. We have completed the distribution in every area we mentioned before.

It was a touching journey.

In northern parts,  we hired the motorcycle to distribute food to the homes of the aged who were unable to come and who had no road which the truck could pass. This food has opened a door for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to go forth and many people received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. We went with a group of volunteers, to help with the work.

Actually, two years ago the climate changed, and it has affected their crops. Almost the entire community is starving due to the drought.  So it is our prayer that the donation of food can continue,  as we believe God will provide for us

Below is the message to the entire team over there who has stood with us:

Thank you for your quick response and for sacrificial support of stretching your hand towards the need of our brothers and sisters who are in hard times.

May the grace of God fill every area of your life. The Bible says that whoever gives to those who were in need lends God. Let God bless you and provide for you in any area of life. We know since the pandemic strike the world, many people all over the world have been affected in other ways. Climate change has also contributed much. You have touched thousands of lives and given hope to the voiceless. Sometimes we feel even shame to ask but because of the grace and love which God has put in your life. You have not counted how many times we have requested the support.

The gift you have given has changed and transformed many lives. This time the situation of drought has affected almost the entire country. In some areas people go 3 to 4 days without eating. I believe this season God will make a way for them to go through. Continue praying for us this season, and the families who didn’t get any of the first shipment. We could use an additional of 235 bags of maize and 40 bags of beans for an additonal $9500.  

Yours,

Michael and Thomas

If you would like to help, you can still contribute to help them get through to July.

As always, every dollar you send us gets to the people in Kenya, and all contributions are tax-deductible in the US. We do not take out any administrative or money transfer fees. Please see our Donation Page at Lifestream. Just designate “Kenya” in the “Note” of your donation, or email us and let us know your gift is for Kenya. You can either donate with a credit card there or mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560 Newbury Rd Ste 1  •  Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or, if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

For those of you new to Lifestream, we have been engaged with a group of people in Kenya since Wayne visited them in 2010 in Kitale. In addition to their own needs, they have been helping tribes in North Pokot through a prolonged drought that has destroyed their way of life. We sent nearly $2.5 million worth of relief and development there over the past 11 years with amazing results, not only for the Gospel but also to give hope and a future to hundreds of thousands of people. All that has come from the generous contributions of those whom Lifestream and The God Journey have touched. Your generosity has overwhelmed us on many occasions.

Unfortunately, they are in need once again.

I have just received word from our friends in Kenya that drought conditions have savagely returned to North Pokot and Turkana in Northern Kenya, leading to the death of cattle, crops, and even wildlife. It is devastating. This is the email I receive this week:

Dear Brother Wayne

Thank you for standing with us in prayers. Many crops especially in the Northern regions, were totally affected by the draught, almost three quarters of the counties, people are totally affected.  But the worst counties are Baringo, Marsabit, Turkana, and all North Pokot regions. The cattle are being swept by draught, camels, and goats and also part of Mount Elgon and our neighboring village called Bosinia slum is becoming worse.

You can not hold the tears when you see what is taking place, almost hundreds of thousands are in bad conditions and affected by hunger. Even we have received the call from North Pokot Kase village (where you drilled water). The situation is much worse. Even they have started eating bush roots, which are bitter. We have heard they have sent some people coming on foot to Kitale to see how we can help the elderly, breastfeeding moms, and the children. They are on the way to seek our help.

If God provides we can give them 300 bags of maize and 50 bags of beans,  this we really rescue them for three months, including other areas like Bosinia and Mount Elgon too

Yours,

Brother Michael and Thomas

A recent PBS news report on the current crisis summarizes it this way: “The worst drought in decades is gripping eastern Africa — parching landscapes, killing livestock and creating a humanitarian crisis. Driven by climate change, it’s also leading to civil strife, as shepherding communities battle each other for scarce resources.”

In further conversations with my contacts in Kenya, they have asked if we could provide $14,000 to help those starving. If they can get more, they will also help in Turkana, where God has recently opened door to help others as they spread the Gospel. Sara and I will be giving personally to this, and I want to invite you to join us if you can.

As always, every dollar you send us gets to the people in Kenya, and all contributions are tax-deductible in the US. We do not take out any administrative or money transfer fees. Please see our Donation Page at Lifestream. Just designate “Kenya” in the “Note” of your donation, or email us and let us know your gift is for Kenya. You can either donate with a credit card there or mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560 Newbury Rd Ste 1  •  Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or, if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

We were given an incredible assignment by the Lord to help rescue 120,000 people from certain starvation in North Pokot. We announced a couple of months ago that we had completed that task, and the four villages were now functioning on their own with the resources we helped them develop. Over these past five years, I have been so grateful for your generosity that allowed us to do that. As we’ve shared in the past, not only have they been helped practically, but the Gospel has also flourished among them. This is due to the generosity of so many of you that have given so freely for their salvation. 

We had hoped now to move on to other things. Lifestream isn’t a missions organization that cultivates regular giving to these kinds of projects. We were acting out of love for people we knew on the other side of the globe who had desperate needs. Your generosity to help as continually overwhelmed us with gratitude, and I’ve never wanted to take advantage of it. However, I’ve been asked again if we could once more stand in the breach for a desperate people. After prayer and consultation with others, we have decided to see what God might provide for two more tribes. 

The Namaru village has 250 families in it, and the Kase village has 180 families with a total of around 2700 people. Like the other tribes we’ve helped, they have been nomadic for centuries. They settled in this area after our project began in Pokot and subsisted off a nearby river. They also responded to the Gospel earlier and have been seeking Jesus for some answer here. When their river dried up, they started walking seven miles to get water from the Ngetut and Compass/Olorwa villages. Already starving, they have returned to beg for food at harvest. These agricultural projects, however, aren’t large enough for these new tribes as well. And, having no resources to battle COVID-19, they are putting the other villages at risk. Without some kind of help, these people may destabilize what we’ve already accomplished in the region. 

They need $11,400 in immediate food and medicine. 

Someone I know, who has been deeply involved in this process, sent a gift yesterday to help us do that and a bit more. Our contacts in Kenya, Michael and Thomas, have asked if we could drill a well in each village so each would have their own water supply. Water is life in Africa. They feel this is essential to completing the work there to free the original tribes to continue their success. I told them I would ask you to see if there are enough resources from my audience to do that. Each well will cost $29,000 each. We already have a considerable sum toward the first one. We are not being asked to commit to a more extended project here as we did in the other villages, though if someone is out there that has it on their heart to do so with these families, please let me know. They would certainly welcome the help, and we would certainly set that up. 

I am asking for your help to raise an additional $40,000 to drill these two wells. I know it seems like this can go on and on as other tribes find out and want help, but we have been assured that these are the last two villages. 

As is our custom, Lifestream does not take out any administrative or money transfer fees. Every dollar you send us gets to Kenya, and all contributions are tax-deductible in the U.S. Please see our Donation Page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560 Newbury Rd Ste 1 • Newbury Park, CA 91320, or phone us at (805) 498-7774. 

Thank you for your prayers about this and whatever you might be free to send to help us help them. 

It’s one of my favorite passages in Acts. Paul and Barnabas return from their first missionary journey and report back to the church in Antioch that, “they had completed the work God gave them to do.”  When does that ever happen? Our religious culture doesn’t think in terms of tasks that can be done and completed, but of creating ministry infrastructures that seek to perpetuate themselves beyond the original task. I remember the elation and sense of achievement I had as a young boy riding my father’s tractor into the barn with the last load of raisins from that year’s harvest. Finally, the crop was in; we are done!

This morning, I had that same feeling reading this long email from Michael and Thomas who have been at the forefront of this project and the conduit for over two million dollars that has flowed through Lifestream in the last thirteen years. So much has been done, so many lives saved, four tribes transformed, so many orphaned children finding their way to self-reliance as adults. And all the while, the gospel was seeding its way into the hearts of people in Kenya who had no idea Jesus existed.

Specifically, the project in Pokot was to rescue 120,000 people whose nomadic lives were being ravaged by a prolonged drought that destroyed their cattle-driven economy and by rampant disease when they settled into villages. At the outset, it was just to relieve their suffering, then it became about development to secure them a better future.  Here is their report as we’re finishing up the process of establishing viable villages with water, food, medicine, education, and business opportunities:

North Pokot Community Transformation Journey

Receive wonderful greetings in Jesus name. On behalf of the Kenyan families, we would like to take this opportunity to thank God for how far and how wide He has brought us in our relationship. It was a divine connection and through this relationship and trust it has borne the fruit of touching the lives of people. Mother Teresa said that what we are doing by touching the lives of people is like a drop of water in the ocean but the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” God sent her to the poor slums of Calcutta and she poured out her life to them with the gift of love. She touched widows , orphans, single mothers and needy families, through that love and through them she touched the world.

We may not be perfect in our daily lives, but God can be shown in our weakness to make us strong. Apostle Paul, had a thorn in his flesh and many times he asked God to remove the thorn. But the Lord told him, “my grace is sufficient to your weakness.” The grace of God helps us in our weakness.

We learned through Authentic Relationships to live in the cycle where relationships grow. Pages 81-85 about lightening the load for others, especially became part and parcel of this message. What we have learned through Lifestream materials, has helped us to change the way of living in African culture and to live in the father’s affections.

We thank God for the team who has stood a long side you in all of that moment , stretching the hand of love ,through our Kenyan families in all circumstance, whether is in ongoing needs or sudden emergencies, they have never ceased to help. We know that we are not the only ones with the need and that even in USA, you have homeless people who deserve the strong hand of help and care. And yet, you have stood with us shoulder to shoulder and hand to hand. We don’t have anything which we can pay you back, just our prayers as a sacrifice sufficient to gift.

It has been a big trust not only to us but also to God that you would send such huge support to pass through our hands to others in need. This gift was  like the time Paul collected an offering from the churches to send it to Jerusalem for those in need. We have been faithful for everything given and have never touched it for ourselves or turned the support away from what it was intended.  We thank God for giving us that concern of handling his resources in the right way.

In the five years we worked in the Northern parts, God proved faithful. Many times, he protected us from tragedy. I can remember the worst one.  We had to carry 50 volunteers in the truck to construct the school in Kasoyan/Chemnyon and we were following them back with the Land Cruiser you bought a long time ago. As we reached the cliff of the mountain the truck lost the brakes and started running fast. If it had not been for the grace of God, all families would have been lost. Even the driver could not explain what was happened when the truck was stopped by a stone turned upside down.  All people came safe.

Another tragedy God protected us from was when the truck broke down in the middle of the road. We couldn’t go forward or backward and our remained off of the road for three days without eating. Some of our volunteers were stung by scorpions, even reaching a point of death, but the Lord rescued them. Once, Thomas was hijacked and everything he had was stolen. You intervened and paid back all he had lost.  Sometimes, people could see us and try to investigate our to see if we live like rich people, but they found out we eat green vegetables and live like them. Now, they see us as simple people who don’t have anything—because we know whom we serve.

We send our gratitude to the all the families of the world who stretched their hands towards these Kenyan families. As we end up our five years contract, we regret strongly because the coronavirus has prevented your trip in July. We were ready to receive you and take you to see all the projects from Kitale, Bungoma and North Pokot. Some of those in the USA may wonder how you could send so much money to people far away and trust us to handle it with honesty. Even the people here they ask the same question.  This is not possible for man to believe but with God, all things are possible.

I didn’t search for or was guided to Lifestream for material things. I had a passion to lead more than 3 million people under the umbrella of IGEM (International Gospel Equipping Ministry). Among them were bishops, pastors and ministry leaders. Although I was leading this ministry, I felt guilty in my heart and wanted to find the truth. I was praying to God to connect me with the right gospel and the person who could help us understand his ways. After that, I found Lifestream materials and they quenched my thirst over and over.  I started circulating the materials to different groups and requested brother Wayne to send me more teaching and he send to me four books He Loves Me, Naked Church, Authentic Relationships, and So You Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymore. These books transformed my life and I started living differently as well as training small groups. After that, I started travelling East Africa. Like the Samaritan woman, I told everyone that I have found a prophet who has told me the story of my life.

Through all of this, I never asked for any financial help, just to understand more about God. But, one day in 2007, Wayne asked about the situation in Kenya regarding post-election violence. I shared with him the terrible situation here in Kitale, Mount Elgon and many other places. He started sending $100, $200, $500, and so on, to help with the needs and through that relationship we invited him to come and share this truth to the church leaders. Eventually he came to Kitale with his friend, Kent Burgess, and our relationship started to grow.

We traveled many places—Eldoret, Butere, Mount Elgon, Bungoma and lastly we visited my family home where there was no electricity. Our life and connection was about seeking first the kingdom of God and all things would be added. Our relationship with the Lifestream family is now over thirteen years, and we can acknowledge what the Lord has done. It has amazing—starting with the Living Loved Christ Hope Centre and continuing to the gas station, grain enterprise, truck transportation, land cruiser for the mission, Forkland School and bottled water enterprise, and the North Pokot project. All of this has been done in these thirteen years. Many orphaned children have been raised and educated in this Centre. Some are still completing college and university and some have grown up and are working and now self-reliant.

As we wind up the five years in North Pokot, we can stand and say in the words of Psalm 124:1, “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side… the flood would have swallowed us.” We met with our coaches yesterday and it was good. We had a wonderful time of prayer and thanksgiving for what the Lord has done. We also prayed for Lifestream for more grace and abundancy. We thought of 2 Corinthians 9-8, how God “is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” They also spoke against the coronavirus in the US and Europe.

The coaches met with different departments to see the achievements we’ve made and the challenges ahead, which you can see below. But the message the people of Pokot wanted to pass on to you, especially from the old people who were converted to Christianity through this project wanted you to hear this in their own language is that if you could be there personally, they would give you the Pokot seat and the tail. What that means, is that you are not American, but are now part of the Pokot families. The seat means that you have led them to God’s throne. They believe the elder is chosen by God and he is the one who gives the authority, blessings, love and kindness to human beings. The tails means they honor your God who led Lifestream to pray and support them to get water and food. Now they can settle permanently and no longer be nomadic. Also the coaches have sent to your entire team their appreciation measures to prevent the coronavirus from spreading among them.

The Five-Year Project in Pokot:

In two months the four villages will graduate. We thank you and the team for the help of our training in Isiolo. We also thank our trainer Brother Wubshet and his team for the good training and the knowledge we got from them. Through your prayers and support, we have achieved the following in these four villages:

• Health: We have taught villages on the importance of hygiene where they have latrines, utensil rags, and dust pit, cleaning bushes around the houses and to prevent mosquitoes from hatching-hence reducing the spread of Malaria. Really this is amazing and a great transformation that this communities have experienced since the foundation of the world. Also, the hospital has played a big role in saving the lives of people who would die because of diseases and having to go long distances looking for medication.
• Food security:We thank you brother Wayne and your team for helping with food emergency as well as monthly support for the breastfeeding mom and the old aged, we also thank you for the irrigation projects since now the community are able to produce their own food and feed their families. The land has been increased and we shall increase it in the month of June and July as we wind up the program. The committees can oversee the plantation as well as harvest including the distribution of food equally. The irrigation project is very fruitful since now the communities can produce a variety of crops. God has answered their prayers, they always dance and praising God for the provision of food through irrigation project.
• Education:Education has become the important organ this process of transformation. We have trained them in farming, hygiene, business for self-sustainability, and the importance of taking their children to school.
• Water:All four villages have water and fixed irrigation project, we thank you and your team for the great sacrificial to see that the communities get water and food from the irrigation project, the water is clean and suitable for human being as well as the animals, it has change the way of life for the people of North pokot- from nomadic way of life to permanent residence, hence being able to carry out development. The water is abundant, and the committee’s work is to make sure that the water serves all the people. They are able to maintain and protect it even without us and the coaches. This is so encouraging
• Wellness/business finance:Many families have benefited from the soft business loans, and they are now able to feed their families, paying for medication and school fees for their children. We thank you for your financial support and we also thank our coaches and the committees for working closely with the community to make sure that the development is taking place. They will no longer need to depend on donations.

The Challenges That Remain

Each of the four villages you have helped have neighboring villages with great need. Disease is often rampant for lack of hygiene, and they have very little food. You know, the Pokot people believe that they cannot eat while their neighbor is watching them, so sometimes they are forced to share when they already do not have enough for themselves. Some come 10 to 20 kilometers to get water, which they give freely Thankfully our coaches and committees have been able to work with the neighboring villages to help them advocate for the government. Most have a school and hospital now, but they still to learn better hygiene.

I’m sure we’re not completely done; there will no doubt be more opportunities down the road. I am most grateful that we were able to help them solve their own problems without creating dependency on a supply line from us. They can now follow Jesus into their uncertain future and look to him for help.

“Thank you, Jesus, for all you did during this season.  Continue to show yourself strong on behalf of the people of Pokot and our friends in Kitale and Bungoma. Continue to reveal yourself as their strength, their healing, and their provider. Let them taste an increasingly rich relationship with you and your Father so that they might know his love, care and wisdom in whatever comes their way. We bless them in your name and know that you will be merciful with them.”

Can you imagine the changes the world has undergone in the last three weeks. How unthinkable this would have been if someone told you even two months ago that so many of us would be locked up in our homes and when we do venture out it would be with masks and gloves. Our health care workers and first responders risk their lives every day to help others through this tragedy.

I hope you’re finding ways to get through this season. I just heard from Michael, our contact in Kenya, and the virus is drawing near to Pokot. It is already in neighboring Uganda and is causing fear to spread in the region. Here is what Michael wrote a couple of days ago:

Greetings in the most powerful name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are so grateful for the article Why I Don’t Go to Church Anymore. I believe this is the time where this teaching is needed more than any other, and everybody is requesting Swahili and English copies. This evening, we are going to deliver some hard copies to more than 500 leaders who are requesting it. This is amazing.

The North Pokot work is well and they are planting different type of crops and irrigating it all. However, because rumors that the coronavirus is going to sweep all people especially those who are congested like they are, they are afraid. Some have prepared to start fighting it as if it was an animal, armed with traditional spears. Some of the old men who still believe in tradition started preparing rituals. However, our coaches are doing extra work to educate and teach them that sanitizer could help prevent its spread and that they need to put their trust in God.

The coaches especially those who trained in the health department, have told them about the importance of social distance, cleanliness even among the community, and washing hands regularly by using soap. But they don’t have soap. Every household needs two soap dispensers and a container of fresh water to wash hands.  This is the report we have got from our supervisor. These things are highly needed now. Anything God can provide through you in these areas will help greatly. As soon as God provides the item Thomas and I will  go there and help the situation.

This issue have affected countrywide, it has also affected feeding because people has been minimized movement, for working and many families are starving. Our country has tried our level best to use all resources that they may be having but still the need is overwhelmed, but we trust God for everything. We understand what is happening around the globe especially USA and the burden which you have worldwide.

We are already seeing in the U.S. how the toll of this virus is worse for those who are most vulnerable. Those with many resources have options and those with little do not. We sent $20,000 to Kenya to help them in this crisis, but it will take more.  If you have some extra to help them, please send it along.  As always, every dollar you send us gets to Kenya, and all contributions are tax-deductible in the US. We do not take out any administrative or money transfer fees. Please see our Donation Page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560 Newbury Rd Ste 1  •  Newbury Park, CA 91320, or phone us at (805) 498-7774. All contributions are tax-deductible for those in the U.S.

If you’re stretched in this season, please pray for them as you do for your own needs. This is a tough time for so many people and yet we can also put our trust in God who is faithful and a certain refuge in uncertain times.

Thank you for your concern and your prayers.