Crisis in Kenya

First of all let me thank those of you who have sent in finances to help with the growing need in Kenya, due to the tribal conflicts that have resurged in the aftermath of a disputed presidential election. We were able to get some money in yesterday to ensure that the procedure would work. We’ll be sending more in today.

The crisis continues to worsen. This was in the New York Times today:

Over the past few days, tens of thousands of Kikuyus, the tribe of Kenya’s president, have packed into heavily guarded buses to flee the western part of the country because of ethnic violence. On Sunday, endless convoys of buses — some with their windshields smashed by rocks — crawled across a landscape of scorched homes and empty farms.

It is nothing short of a mass exodus. The tribe that has dominated business and politics in Kenya since independence in 1963 is now being chased off its land by machete-wielding mobs made up of members of other tribes furious about the Dec. 27 election, which Kenya’s president, Mwai Kibaki, won under dubious circumstances. In some places, Kikuyus have been hunted down with bows and arrows.

The hospital in Nakuru, a town in the Rift Valley, is full of Kikuyu men with deep ax wounds, fingers cut off and slash marks across their faces. “We hate these people.”
said Robert Tutuny a farmer and member of Kenya’s Kalenjin tribe, on the violence that is forcing the exodus of the Kikuyus…

Father, heal this broken planet and the devastation of sin that destroys human life in the name of greed and power. Reveal yourself in the midst of this horrible situation and demonstrate your love and compassion to those who live in fear and pain today!

We are still offering to be a conduit for those who would like to help in this crisis. I am so grateful God gave me a contact there before this all started. This man did not contact me for money. I instead wrote him and asked how things were for him and he honestly wrote back the things in my previous email.

Having never met the man, however, I could only hope he is who he presented himself to be. But that isn’t always enough when we’re sending him significant funds in hopes that he will be helping others. I love the way Father sorts these things out. I was raised on a farm with a strong Puritan Work Ethic as they say, and am always concerned about people abusing compassion to take advantage of genuine hearts. As God would have it, a few months ago I got an email from an Australian woman who frequently travels to Kenya to be part of what Father is doing there. A few months ago I gave her the contact information for my friend there and she had the opportunity to visit. I wrote her to see if the need were legitimate and if she thought he was a capable broker of getting funds to the right place. It turns out she’s there right now. Here was her response:

The situation here is desperate! Michael is a good man and I would not hesitate in recommending him to you as an honest man who would use money wisely and is a man who is at the heart of things there in Kitale. The information he has given you is correct. I am working alongside (another brother) here in Homa Bay who is also a man I can recommend to handle the finances for this region. The situation here is very unpredictable and will take quite a long time for things to be anywhere near normal. Please continue to pray for peace here in Kenya and that the man that God has chosen to be in leadership here.

If we have enough money we will also send some along to this brother as well. Friends and friends of friends is an incredible way for Father to work.

I also heard from Michael this morning after the first money transfer had arrived. I asked him to give me some feel for how much money the could use there, realizing that others need help as well. Here’s his response to me:

Dear Brother Wayne,

Greetings in holy name of our Lord and Savior. I say thank you and I say again thank you. Yesterday we were meditating in the fellowship with the entire team for your book, HE LOVES ME. Actually this book it is so encouraging and when we compare with other books including AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS, we came to realize that surely the Lord has called you to care for people, And not only for what you wrote but what we see by your actions.

The family has increased with other children actually , I got the money you sent through Western Union safely. And first thing , I need to work urgent needs as food, drugs and other necessary things for this first step. I have used almost what I have to make sure that I support these dear families. May be urgent need for now if you can send (US $1290.OO). I have tried to discuss with them at least if they can use for their personal needs. This is to mean if we can support every family for a while as we believe God for more provision.

Right now we are going to consult with other people from another center to encourage them and to tell them about the love of God especially those who have lost their loved ones. May the Lord bless you as we stay in touch.

I will be sending more today, thanks to those of you who wanted to partner with us in this. The need is great and we also would consider helping other groups in Kenya if we have enough funds to do so. If you’d like to join with us, please go to our Invoice Page and click on the ‘Pay Invoice’ button. You can then list “Donation for Kenya” and the amount you’d like to give. If you use the ‘Donation’ button you will need to also send me an email letting me know you wanted this to go for Kenya and not for Lifestream. All donations to this cause are tax deductible and every dime sent to us will go out for relief in this Kenyan crisis.

If you prefer, you can also send a check to Lifestream • 7228 University Dr., • Moorpark, CA 93021.

To date we have received almost $1,000.00 from individual contributions and have added $1,000.00 to that from Lifestream itself. We pray God will multiply this many times over to help brothers and sisters in a time of great need!

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