I got a disturbing email today. After just completing a rescue at the petrol station near Kitale, we received word that the water enterprise in Forkland was closed by the government today. The picture above is of the inspectors carrying out the old bottling machine. Here’s the email I received:
Dear brother Wayne,The government team arrived to inspect the water operation. After three hours of inspection, the machine, licenses, labels, storage tanks, and laboratory all passed inspection. However, they found that the bottling machine is old and needs to be replaced. They removed the machine, placed it in storage, and marked it with an X. So, everything has stopped, and the company has been closed down until we replace the machine. The children and staff at Forkland Community are full of grief over what has happened.We have $450 in cash at hand, but the total cost of the installation and the machine is $37,500. Once we pay within 10 days, we can open the enterprise again.We really apologize for this issue, since you just helped us solve the problem at the petrol station. It is really discouraging, and thank you so much for always standing with us.We are praying that God may open a way. I think this is the last problem.Yours,Brother Michael and Thomas
For those unfamiliar with the entire story, in 2019, the well at Forkland School was polluted, and the school had to close. We helped them drill a well there, and it struck a deep aquifer with clear, pure water. Not only would the school have water, but it also provided additional water free of charge to the impoverished community surrounding the school. Others suggested that they could bottle and sell the water throughout Kenya as an enterprise that would cover the school’s expenses. All was going well until this inspection, which also coincided with the government’s requirement for machines that tabulate taxes more automatically. This is because many bottling companies have been underreporting taxes. This has affected all water bottling in Kenya, even the honest ones. They all have to replace machines with those that track the amount of water being bottled for the government.
So, here I am again, wondering if God wants us to provide this $37,000 for our friends there. Yes, it feels yuckky. The government in Kenya is sucking every dollar it can from its citizens, but without this extra money, the enterprise will be shut down, and with it the free education being offered to this needy community. Over the last 18 years, individuals connected to Lifestream and The God Journey have invested over $3.5 million to support this region of Kenya. We’ve always tried to leave enterprises to put them in a position to meet their ongoing expenses, so they wouldn’t become dependent on us and have a means to trust God for their future needs. They were not, however, prepared for the new, heavy-handed requirements of the Kenyan government. So, they have come looking for our help.
It seems that God has assigned us to this corner of the world to help with the life-and-death needs of those who have so little. We rescued nearly 200,000 nomadic tribal people in Pokot, provided for orphans and widows in Kitale, and helped rescue and educate children in neglected areas of Kenya. In all these places, multitudes of people have come to face-to-face with God’s love and come to faith in him. Sara and I’ve always been impressed by the generosity of so many of you helping people you’ve never met. I’ve been there, blessed by the integrity of the people we are serving and how the money they ask for does not directly benefit them, but serves the people around them. You’ve been amazing in your generosity, and our friends have been equally impressive in theirs.
Once more, we need to help them here, or this enterprise and school will cease to exist. And we need to do it quickly. Hopefully, this is the last of these needs. In our previous appeal, people continued to give after the need had been met. So, we already have a few thousand in our Kenya Fund; we just need substantially more.
Would you please help us help again? We need the funds immediately since the enterprise is now closed. If you can help us raise $37,000 to restore their business, please visit our Donation Page at Lifestream. Please designate “Kenya” in the Note section of your donation, or email us to let us know that your gift is intended 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.
As always, every dime you send will end up in Kenya. We do not take out any money for our administrative costs.
Thank you for your concern and prayers for these people in Kenya.
