But the Kenyans I know are never far from my heart. These are not just brothers and sisters, they are my friends. Weekly I hear of their struggle, their hopes, and the pervasive need for the simple things of food, clothing, and shelter that they face every day, and even more so the end of this year as the effects of last spring’s drought continues to overwhelm their lives. I am constantly reminding them to look to God as their provider, not Lifestream, but I also know this is a corner of the world where God has asked me to be involved, so we continue to support his people there.

I am excited by the transformation we are seeing in them as they are learning to live loved. Two months ago we shipped them 24 copies of The Jesus Lens DVDs to help equip those who are wanting to help others learn to live loved as well. With each email I receive, I see forward progress in their thinking, their lives, their ministry to others.

This year through the generosity of many of you we were able to build an orphanage. Since it was completed in March we have also been underwriting the expenses for staff and food even though contributions have slowed to a trickle. Our commitment to them was to do so for another fifteen months in hopes that by then they will have a way to fund it on their own. We’re also looking for ways to help these kids move into homes and be loved, rather than stay in orphanages.

I just wanted to remind many of you that this is an ongoing need and we are looking to Father on their behalf, seeing how he will provide for them. If you have any extra in this season, or simply feel called to help us support them either with a one-time contribution, or a monthly donation over the next fifteen months, that would really be a help. If you want to know more about this project or the AIDs recovery home we also support in South Africa, you can see our Sharing With the World page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, or you can mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 • Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

Here’s some of what Michael wrote me this week:

“Pokea salamu katika jina la yesu kristo” I have quoted this in Swahili which means; receive much greeting in the name of Jesus Christ. I was out for the living loved training conference, in the conference I saw the holy spirit doing marvelous in the heart of people. Traditional power and doctrine of men is being broken, I have never seen this before, but the Holy Spirit it is in the work. I believe God is having good plan in Africa. The vehicle is now in the good condition and the driver had brought it back to the centre.

May the lord bless you for being much concern. I believe we would reach many parts of Africa.

Another surprise that God is speaking in the hearts of people here towards the children orphans in the centre, one lady and her family has given milking cow freely to help the children. Other people also they have given the two sheep and one goat. (See picture below) Actually God is changing the heart of our people, despite of difficulties that they are passing through, they can do something. This breaks my heart for what God is doing.

This the picture along with the brothers to receive the cow, sheep and the goat. Another thing, I would like to remind you, that the money you supported us, it covered July unto August, so the food is urgently needed at the end of the next week. It is our prayer that God will provide for September and October, we have tried to minimize the budget although the price of food is rising. The teachers have done good work for the children. They have been working even during the night so that the children may completely catch up.

Donations to help feed the children

We appreciate so much those of you who have already helped us here. If any of you would like to give to one of these needs, or simply find out more about our ongoing touch with these dear brothers and sisters in Kenya, you can read this earlier blog or see our Sharing With the World page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, or you can mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 • Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

Thank you for your love, prayers, and concern for these dear people.

But he sent me another email that strikes to the core of my heart:

What is happening here for hunger we have never experienced before. For more and more people, the same thing is happening. Many families are running for finding refuge just to get one meal. Your prayers are very important we don’t know what to do but just to lift in the mighty hands of God. May the Lord bless you as we pray for one another.

The drought in the horn of Africa has already driven a needy nation into a starving one. Food prices have risen astronomically because it is so scarce. My heart goes out to my brothers and sisters there and we’ll be sending them an additional gift to help alleviate the suffering. If you’d like to join me in sending something to help, you may do so through Lifestream, or any of the other charities looking to bring relief to that corner of the world.

We appreciate so much those of you who have already helped us here. If any of you would like to give to the people in Kenya, or simply want to find find out more about our ongoing touch with these dear brothers and sisters in Kenya, you can read this earlier blog or see our Sharing With the World page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, or you can mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 • Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

Thank you for your love, prayers, and concern for these dear people.

As you can see, the school has opened and the final touches are being completed on the new buildings just in time for the rainy season. This is a far cry from where these children used to live. Sara and I are so grateful for those children, and for all of you who have made this happen. When I was in Pennsylvania this weekend, someone handed me a $1,000 check to add to the fund. I was blown away. There are still more needs as we open this orphanage and ensure the staff can be paid. Michael wrote this today:

Dear Brother Wayne, I am so excited to report to you and thank you very much for the amount you send, it is enough it has help us to cover for all remaining issues, this inclusive the water and everything. Right now we are working out for the side of roofing and everything is going well until we finished. We have bought all the materials including paying the water in some days in advance. Thank you very much for your understanding about these special issues that have arisen. I am really blessed to see that the big number of the children are in the centre. We have enrolled enough teacher to start working immediately and other care takers along with other workers which I will be sending to you their information soon as possible. We are still working with some children to get their birth certificates in Eldoret.

Michael also included a special request, somewhat sheepishly, knowing how much people have already given. In all we have sent to help in Kenya, he has not taken one dime for his own household though he cares for 16 children in his own home. One of those, Petronilah, has grown into a young woman and has been accepted into nursing school in Uganda. However both her parents are dead and no one has any money to scholarship her eduction. To date, Michael has not asked anything for his own household, but would like to see this young woman take the opportunity. The cost is $2600 for the first year and $1800 for each year for the next two years. I find myself hoping there is someone, or some group of people out there who have not yet had the ability to participate in the ongoing need in Kenya, who would be willing to take on this need and bless this young woman with a nursing degree that will bring tremendous blessing to her life and her country. We can provide a tax-deduction for all contributions and the conduit to get her the money. If you would be interested in covering this need, please write me directly. If others of you just want to give a portion to her, feel free to do so as well. Just note that your gift is for “scholarship.” (UPDATE 3/17: A family on the east coast wrote to let us know that they would underwrite the full cost of her education. So this need has now been covered. I am so deeply touched by the generosity of people!)

Thanks again for your consideration. For more information on our project here, you can read this earlier blog. If you would like to be part of this to support these brothers and sisters and see the Gospel grow in this part of Africa, please see our Sharing With the World page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, or you can mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 • Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

They are making great progress and your generous donations keep flowing in to make this all possible. I am wonderfully blessed to watch this all unfold, connecting some of God’s resource to an incredible need. For those of you not up to speed on this, we are helping a group of 72 orphans growing up in a slum in Eldoret to move into a safer and more sanitary facility. The Kenyans we are working with have been sharing the load with us and it is such a joy to see the faces of these children moving into their new home. Construction costs and state demands have increased the costs of this orphanage from the original estimates. Surprise! Surprise! But I am confident that the people we are working with there are being incredibly cost conscious and doing whatever they can themselves to help this project along.

Here is the most recent report from Michael:

The team are praying over here for the completion of the center. This is very big and huge building beyond our expectations. It means that our budget was almost shallow but we thank God that His presences is with us. As I told you earlier that the first team of twenty five kids as been arrived in the centre as you may see the pictures our members has donated the mattresses and the blankets. We have also seen the possibility of this kids to have the school in the center to avoid raising the amount for the surrounding schools. So we may be examining those who are qualified and trained teachers to start working immediately. I thank God that the representatives from the local government are closely with us over here since we completed refurbishing of the building. They are trying to help so that we may follow the procedures. We also need to start working out how we shall buying the facilities in the centre to help the children as well as the utensils before we move out. We need this before we move out since we are advised that the children need to start learning. We are concerned about the uniform and shoes for the education and we are believing in prayers that God is so faithful for every step. I thank God for joining us together for such time as this where we could needs love and care. Your message it has transformed thousands of souls through this ministry and I believe that this will continue so that we may remain as a light to the world.

Thanks to all of you who continue to participate here. For more information on our project here, you can read this earlier blog. If you would like to be part of this to support these brothers and sisters and see the Gospel grow in this part of Africa, please see our Sharing With the World page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, or you can mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 • Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

New pictures have arrived from Kenya. I can’t begin to describe the overwhelming gratefulness that fills my heart looking at these pictures, knowing that so many people from all over the world have generously participated to help provide this setting for a group of children living in a slum in Eldoret. That has combined with the spirited work of the Kenyan people make their dream a reality. Last week we were able to send an additional $20,000.00 to help buy the materials and pay the workers to complete the construction.

To date we have sent $73,000.00 to buy the land and help refurbish it. We’re not sure how much more will be needed at this point because of the fluctuating prices of building materials, but we are hopefully getting close. We also wanted to provide two years of salary for the orphanage staff to make time for them to find a way to cover those costs in the future. Our desire has been to help them see Father as their provider and not allow our help to become a source of dependence on the West. That has been their desire as well.

I just received this from our contact there:

The honor and glory let it return to God and we give Him all glory and the honor for His name and His love endure forever. We stand before Him through His grace and love which He selected us that we might become blameless before Him. About living Loved Christ Hope Care Centre the work has started some days ago and people are working tirelessly. We have even our brothers and sisters here volunteering just only getting lunch so that this work may be completed quick as possible before the rain starts So this work must be completed in one month.

Thank you very much, we withdraw the whole money and we have managed to buy the materials and handed over to the contractor to pay out for other workers. The price changed a little for a metal pass for foundation and for the timber, which increased the price due to transportation the fuel and concrete as gone up triple, but the other things the price has remain the same. Sorry for this unexpected a raising issue. We are having hope that the children will get in soon as possible. We shall be giving you the updates for every step, Sammy is working with the team while I am out for moment. Also I have tried to put a side other things so that we may work for this orphanage until it may be completed.

Another idea the is our neighbor around the orphanage who came the time we were building, he has ten acres of land and he wanted to lease for anybody who may desire for three years, then the contract will be renewed. One acre he lease for 6,000 Ksh ($74) so ten acres is 60,000 Kshs ($740) times three is 18,000Ksh ($220). I didn’t promise him but I told him that we are going to pray and share with you about this issue. The land is very good and fertile for growing maize and beans for the orphanage.

Thanks to all of you who continue to participate here. We’ve been amazed at how early and graciously people have wanted to be included in this endeavor.

For more information on our project here, you can read this earlier blog. If you would like to be part of this to support these brothers and sisters and see the Gospel grow in this part of Africa, please see our Sharing With the World page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, or you can mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 • Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

God has led us in some very interesting directions. By June, I will change my status and leave my salaried position. I’ve recently been working as an executive coach simply helping people with their goals, character, relationships and balance in life seems to always lead to meaningful spiritual conversations, and deep spiritual change for those that have that desire. It’s interesting, and frankly a little sad, how that was always my greatest passion as a business executive, but I thought I had to become a missionary to do it full time.

After six years in Russia, what I’ve realized is that I didn’t need an organization, a particular structure, or a particular “calling” to a group of people or geography to live my life in that amazingly fulfilling and purposeful way. God had already given me everything I needed with His Spirit to guide me into the conversations and relationships that he willed. What I did in Russia as a missionary was exactly what I did in America as an executive, but dragging around all the baggage that a salaried missions worker carries. It’s just MUCH more difficult to get over the trust barriers when you are being paid to talk to someone about God.
 
My wife and I will continue to visit Russia, but as business people, not missionaries. We are now setting up a business there, as an extension of our U.S. coaching business. This group of life and business coaches I work with want to help believers in very corrupt societies, like Russia, become coaches to help develop the character and even spiritual lives of business people there, but doing it through legitimate businesses, not fronts for ministry. After all, isn’t life ministry?

I have begun to abhor the false delineation the church has put on ministry vs. life. I have seen first-hand the negative effects on young believers who think they can’t serve God without being “IN” ministry, instead of simply being IN relationship and following Father’s whispers to wherever he leads. As an example, one of the greatest impacts to the people we’ve been helping in Russia for so many years is telling them the stories of changed lives and great spiritual conversations with the people we do business with, live near, and bump into at the grocery store. Our little seasonal chocolate business has created so many relationships and friendships and the most Spirit-guided conversations I could ever hope for.
 
The result has been that the Russians we know have realized that we were in Russia helping them grow in their relationship with Father because of our relationship with Father – not because of our job and organization. It has clearly inspired them to live similarly. Sadly, as a missionary, I could never have gotten that message across so credibly as when I was living it as a “normal” person filled with the Spirit of God, working out life and relationships just like them. Ironically, us being with them less has influenced them more. I’ve found they didn’t need ME as much as they needed my example.
 
Thanks again for slinging freedom (and) letting us know that it is okay to go with what we really sense in our spirit, has created great freedom to live as listeners who do not ignore what they hear. It certainly is never boring living that way, and there are WAY less politics to deal with. 

I know this makes people nervous who are or who want to be in “full time ministry”, but what this unmasks is the myth that you’ll be more effective there, or that we all who follow Jesus aren’t at his disposal every moment of every day touching people he gives us. How he resources our lives is not the issue. It’s living as an expression of Jesus however he invites us to do that and however he chooses to provide for our lives and families. As one who has been free in this season to live with a full-time availability to Jesus, I’m not threatened by letters like this; I’m deeply blessed. When ministry was “job” for me, rather than the result of a fullness in my own life, I was far less helpful to others.

“I’ve found they didn’t need ME as much as they needed my example.” Those words just leap off the page. I love that line, that insight and that freedom!

I just got this picture from Kenya. The property has been purchased and they’ve begun work on the building, both to refurbish those that already exist and those that need to be added. 2011 also brought a host of new laws in Kenya about the standard of care necessary for orphanages, so the costs will escalate some to satisfy those new requirements. To date we have taken in just under $30,000.00 from people who read this blog or listen to The God Journey. Amazing! Your generosity has overflowed to incredible thanksgiving for lots of people who are keeping their on this project.

With our matching grant that means we have raised almost $60,000.00 for this project and it is exciting to see the work begin and know that later this year these 72 children will be able to move out of their incredibly unsafe and unsanitary housing to have a chance at a more productive life. Thanks to all of you that have helped. Another $20,000.00 with matching funds will complete our goal here. I hope we don’t need significantly more than that to adjust to these new regulations, but we’ll have to see. But as I gather these are not like the burdensome, ridiculous regulations often added here in America, but basic sanitary and safety codes to ensure that children are well cared for.

If you would like to be part of this to support these brothers and sisters and see the Gospel grow in this part of Africa, please see our Sharing With the World page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, or you can mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 • Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

The movie in many ways parallels Corbin’s own spiritual journey, but also has an interesting back story. Funded by and set in the real-life Canadian town of Kipling, Saskatchewan (and featuring local citizens in prominent roles), RUST is a labor of love filmed on a shoe-string budget with unprofessional actors, but is an engaging who-done-it mystery surrounded by pain, an enduring friendship, and a passion for truth. I think many of you will find this an interesting and inspiring story. It released straight to DVD and is available at all your normal DVD outlets.

I also wanted to commend another movie that I saw on my recent flight to Germany, not for its spiritual implications, but for its tender story of young love. FLIPPED, by Rob Reiner, tells an engaging story of two kids growing up across the street from each other who can’t seem to “like” each other at the same time. Each event is told alternatively from each character’s point of view and is a great study on how we so easily misunderstand and misinterpret the actions of others. It’s wonderful little movie and somehow during the last song it made me fall in love with Sara all over again, something I look to have happen every day. Sara and I watched it the other night and she loved it too. It opened in theaters but is now on DVD.

Also, Narnia opens today. I probably won’t see it for awhile, but THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER is my favorite book in the Narnia series, and I can’t wait to see it someday soon. But this weekend is way too busy and I don’t enjoy opening weekends anyway.

But if these stories inspire you like the did me to realize how much a simple individual can accomplish that merely responds to the nudging of the Spirit in their heart, then run with that as far as his Spirit might carry you!

Street Kids in Mongolia:

I have listened to you guys on The God Journey for a couple of years and always wondered when I would contact you, here goes. I have been in the US Navy for nearly 20 years and just came off my last deployment. I have suffered through some PTSD. We came to the Lord 12 years ago. Five Years ago, the Lord gave my wife and I James 1:27. This verse came to life and He truly gave it to us to give away. We started taking out the widows trash next door, feeding the homeless and even adopted two children from Mongolia. Three years ago, God laid on our hearts the need of all the children that were left behind in Mongolia, so we acted. We started by sponsoring children from one orphanage. 21 kids the first year. As we speak, my wife and 13 year old daughter are on our third journey with over 60 children sponsored, 4 orphanages visited and blessed, plus multiple street children loved, clothed, fed and connected. When God put Mongolia on our heart we would have never seen ourselves riding this humbling and amazing wave.  This latest trip allowed Stacy to love on street kids and meet with the First Lady of Mongolia. To see so many barriers fall and doors open all because the “crazy round eyes” keep coming back.  We received a letter from the government thanking us for being the first adoptive family to ever come back and love on those left behind. This is the heart that God gave us so many years ago we thank you for sharing a snapshot of what we are blessed to be a part of. I would love for you to read the post on her blog from 30 November 2010. Your willingness to be two goof balls loving on the rest of us goof balls, has directly attributed to our drive to just go. To go 13,000 miles to below freezing temperatures and watch God fund nearly every dime and my wife get paid for the week on top of it. I mostly wanted to share this story on the blog. It is simply a story of LOVE. Thanks Guys, see you out there loving on people.

Dolls for Orphans:

(Note: This started over the weekend as a little Facebook phenomenon. Faith is a fifteen-year-old girl that I first met over 10 years ago staying in her parents’ home. She wanted to do something to help raise money to move the orphanage in Kenya out of the slums and onto a safer locale. She started making these dolls and wanted to sell them for $20.00 each and she is donating all the proceeds to the orphans in Kenya. I watched as people started ordering dolls, and then some wanted to pay for a few dolls and donate the dolls as toys for the children in Kenya as well. Soon she was overwhelmed with orders. Here are some of her thoughts as we have discussed this together:)

“Hello Wayne, I just wanted to talk to you about some of the Orphan Dolls I sold. Yesterday I sold four on the internet and today I sold 17 at the salon, and my grandma wants two! We added the numbers up and it was $765 dollars and Uncle Kent said someone was matching everything we make, so it’s really $1,530! One of Uncle Kent’s clients already said she would pay to ship the dolls out for us. I was really excited, so I though I’d tell you. Faith”

How cool is that? Her orphan dolls are all hand-made. Each doll costs $20 dollars and 100% of the profits go to Orphans in Africa. I’d put a link here so you could order some if you want, but she wrote me this yesterday, “Hold off for a little while on the blog post! My mother and I need to get some more made for this Sunday, because there’s a big Christmas party on Sunday at the salon and we’re going to sell some, and I have a few orders to fill. But I’ll let you know when we’re ready because we want to sell as many as possible!”

So right now Faith is doing all she can. If she needs more orders up the road, I’ll let you know here.

It is so much fun to watch people work alongside Jesus when he has put a vision and a passion in their heart. I was deeply touched by both of these stories. Too many times I hear that we need to have large organizations to make an impact in the world. The reality is any one can have a profound impact on the world by simply following what God puts on their heart. So cool!

Many of you who have followed this blog over the past few years know well the need in Kenya thathas been exacerbated by the tribal violence of the disputed elections in 2007. We have an opportunity to help move an orphanage full of children, some of them pictured above, onto an available piece of land that can be refurbished to help meet this need. We have been working with them over the past month to see what solution God might have in mind. Originally they wanted to build a pristine orphanage on 10 acres, but the costs were extremely high.

We encouraged them not to see this move as a permanent solution for these children. God did not make children to be raised by institutions, but to become part of a family. We wanted them to think of this move only as transitional—to care for them until God can work out a way for them to be with an extended family member, or even to be adopted into the home of a believing family in Kenya. It has been a remarkable journey praying with them and helping them think through all of this.

They have now found a one-acre piece of land with some buildings already on it than can be refurbished to help provide a place in the short-term for them to live away from the unsanitary conditions of the slum they are in. The cost of buying the land, refurbishing the buildings, and providing for the staff for two years comes to about $85,000.00. Yes, that is a lot of money and I don’t have a clue if we know enough people who can pull that off, but we do feel led by God to provide a conduit here for people he moves to give to see what we can do.

The most immediate need is to buy the land while it is still available. That cost if $49,000.00 and we need to see if that can be provided soon. To renovate the existing buildings and to build a couple of others as well as to supply them with furnishings will cost an additional $20,000.00. We are also hopeful to provide expenses for the staff, which is $1,000 per month for 24 months. After that the Kenyans will take over the ongoing expenses of this facility as needed. The total to get them moved and cared for is $93,000 and will also provide much-needed jobs for people there in the construction and ongoing care.

Where they live now


The property currently for sale, that we can give to them as a place to live.

We’re going to see if there are enough people out there that God would invite to help us cover these costs. The most immediate need is to buy the land while it is available, so that is our first goal. People have already been sending gifts large and small. One man from Europe just sent us almost $700.00. And to make this goal more attainable, someone has offered to match every gift sent in, up to $50,000.00. This means we only need help with half of the amount.

I am so blessed at the excitement so many people have had to help us share our bounty with these people. If you would like to be part of this to support these brothers and sisters and see the Gospel grow in this part of Africa, please see our Sharing With the World page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, or you can mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 • Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

Taken from Psalm 101 in The Message (Emphasis mine):

My theme song is God’s love and justice, and I’m singing it right to you, God.
I’m finding my way down the road of right living, but how long before you show up?
I’m doing the very best I can, and I’m doing it at home, where it counts.
I refuse to take a second look at corrupting people and degrading things.
I reject made-in-Canaan gods, stay clear of contamination.
The crooked in heart keep their distance; I refuse to shake hands with those who plan evil.
I put a gag on the gossip who bad-mouths his neighbor;
I can’t stand arrogance.
But I have my eye on salt-of-the-earth people—they’re the ones I want working with me;
Men and women on the straight and narrow—these are the ones I want at my side.
But no one who traffics in lies gets a job with me; I have no patience with liars.
I’ve rounded up all the wicked like cattle and herded them right out of the country.
I purged God’s city of all who make a business of evil.

Hungry hearts learning to live loved of the Father in the land of Kenya

I just wanted to share an update I got from our brothers and sisters in Kenya today. God is doing marvelous things among them.

Thank you very much for the golden time you gave to us in Kenya and we feel like a burning fire, which is pushing us to move out with the gospel of living loved. The Bible says if they will know the truth, the truth will set them free and they will be free indeed.

Brother Wayne, I want to thank God very much. It was my cry and passion for many years to find out how I can help others in the truth of His Word. But after I visited the Lifestream website it was like I had reached the beginning of a bridge. Since that time I have been finding a way in this transition journey of having relationship with God and I can understand now that he loves me and he wanted that love to impact those who are in needy. I have found this living loved and loving others its not a lesson or a lecture but just simply to follow him and live the life he lived.

It is not a strong message, but just to reflect the life of Christ in us. I saw your life is very simple, flexible, teachable and a man of full passion and care. The seed you have planted here is bearing fruit. These needs will not continue because we are teaching them that what you gave them they need to use for the need and for generating income and looking to God not to depend on us or us to depend on you but to depend totally to God.

If there is anyway to help us, please do so. With the car you helped purchase, God has helped us to save 100 families and these people they have seen God in us. Although the needs are more, we depend total to God according to Philippians 4: 19. Many orphans here are in great need and the widows especial this time of hunger, continue praying for us and we will continue praying for you. I will be joining with my family for about two weeks in Bungoma, without any office work and I will be also staying with children’s home in Kitale. Please receive greetings from Hassan and other team. We are praying for you for the wonderful work that you are doing for the name of the lord. Send our greetings to your beloved wife Sara and the entire family and brothers and sisters over there.

The need in Kenya is ongoing, and we continue to channel money there as God puts it on the hearts of many of you. If you’d like to help us continue to support these brothers and sisters and see the Gospel grow in this part of Africa, please see our Sharing With the World page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, or you can mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 • Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

I got an update this week from Michael Wafula, the director of IGEM in Kenya who hosted Kent and I during our recent trip there.

Dear Brother Wayne and the team,

Thank you very much for your prayers and grate support. You have stood alongside our brother and sisters here. We had a trip to northern parts and some parts of Sudan. We thought that the mission would complete easier but the work was extending time to time. As you know the native people cannot communicate both in Swahili and English but their mother tongue. So we had to wait to get the interpreter for their local language, it was the first time for them to hear the Gospel.

We had a long mission to speak like young babies for them to understand the love of God because they believe in their ancestral power. It was very hard to reach this area because there was no transportation. It is about 950 kilometers from the place called Lodwar in Kenya. But we thank God for the vehicle you helped us to purchase, Toyota Land Cruiser. It is so dependable in unreachable areas.

In that areas there is no communication due to lack of network so we could not managed to communicate to the people at home. But now we have arrived (back in Kitale and) we have visited some of the children from the centre.

My son Sammy also was among those who were admitted some days in the hospital (for the malaria outbreak) alongside the son of Hassan and others. The bill was so high of which we are still clearing. Leonard has told me all information including Hassan on how they reach you for help. I would like to say that I feel that we are making you tired but I know God is having his own way and we want to thank you. Even brothers and sisters here send their thanks because almost every family was admitted for malaria. Leonard and other brother are now visiting every hospital to pay bills.

It is my prayer that one time we would build a hospital at least in every region to help the need. Malaria is still a deadly diseases with is claiming more lives than any other known diseases in the world especially this season of rain. Because of this, I have authorized the team to open a ministry account so that when am out or not these account will help the people affected.

I have seen how Leonard has written to you concerning mosquito nets and other helpful materials. So we are announcing and appealing to all IGEM brothers and sisters to donate whatever they have so that we may save the lives of people from malaria and typhoid.

Thank you very much you have done. Send our regards to the entire team, tell them that we love them with the love of Christ.

Michael

The rains have caused a huge outbreak of malaria in that region. Helping with hospital bills as well as procuring mosquito nets is most important now. We continue to channel funds that direction and have had nearly $27,000 donated through Lifestream since I came back from Kenya two months ago. Thank you so much for carrying these dear and desperate people on your hearts. All of that money has gone to them and we will continue to send it along as the Lord provides. Thanks to all who have given. The way many of you have responded to these people you don’t even know has warmed my heart and overflowed in great praise to God.

If you’d like to help us continue to support these brothers and sisters and see the Gospel grow in this part of Africa, please see our Sharing With the World page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, or you can mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 • Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

I also heard from our friends in Kenya. This is from Leonard (pictured with me at left) who overseas their work with the orphan children. I thought you’d appreciate his perspective:

Thank you very much for the wonderful moment we had with you and Brother Kent. My brother, you actually encouraged us. We did not expect to see someone with a great love of God like you brother. For being a simple man and flexible, a man with great love. Even before we met you Michael said how he had been changed with your message of loving others and we have seen this in his life. Michael, can forget himself and sometimes his family to give to other people. Any support you have been sending, he has never taken even a single cent if not instructed. But he has been also using his bricks project to help others.

So we appreciate brothers and for God to channel this IGEM Ministry for the needy. We do not have any doubt whatever you have been given has been distributed for what we had planned. We also appreciate for the new car. God has finally answered our prayer and we have not experienced any breakdown of this vehicle. It is very special that can also be owned by Ministers in Kenya. It can move anywhere regardless of the terrain. Our insurance is expiring and we need to renew at considerable cost. We appreciate that God will provide even before the expiring date.

About the children, I am working out with my fellow team and we will send you the information. As we have been making the evaluation, there are lots of problems especially for malaria, typhoid and hunger. If there is a way to help this starving families, My brother do so. We need to buy mosquito net for every family especially this rainy season. Michael have been taking different families to the hospital every week. And Mt. Elgon is far more worse than everywhere else. So your support will highly be appreciated now. May God bless you.

We awed and grateful for the many of you who have contributed to help these dear people and their families in the northwest part of Kenya. If you’d like to help us with the insurance, mosquito nets and food for those families that don’t have it, please see our Sharing With the World page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, or you can mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 • Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

Thank you for keeping these people in your heart and prayers.

Listen carefully to what I am saying—and be wary of the shrewd advice that tells you how to get ahead in the world on your own.

Giving, not getting, is the way.

Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes. (Mark 4:24-25)

I love the way Jesus thinks. It is polar opposite to the way we were all trained to do things. We even think that generosity can only happen after we get enough for ourselves first. But Jesus said that living generously is the way to live in the world because it will inspire others to do the same and the world becomes a more gentle place.

But the more we grab for ourselves what we think we deserve, or ignore or belittle others around us in pursuit desire to grasp for ourselves, the more impoverished we become. All conflict and disappointed expectations originate in grasping what God hasn’t given us.

And this goes way beyond money. It’s about our time, talents. and attention as well. The more we focus on ourselves and our needs the more we are swallowed up by our own ambitions and even if successful in outward terms, we end up in a very dark and lonely place.

Of course there is no human way to live generously unless we first are secure in the reality that God is caring for us. When you know he is, then you no longer have to fight for what he hasn’t given. Then we can let Jesus show us how to live with open heart and open hands to people around us, seeking their blessing and joy even above our own. That enriches us and it makes us enriching in the world.

Life is not about our own comfort or joy; it’s about giving gifts to others—our help, friendship, support, time and talents. All the good stuff in life flows from that simple reality. According to Jesus that’s the way to really live. Self-pursuit sucks the world into us and destroys who we are. Generosity is about blessing others and that flow is filled with life and grace and joy that knows no limit.

At 57 years of age, I’m more inclined to agree with him than ever!

Over the last two years I have often written on these pages about the incredible need of the Kenyans God put us in touch with four years ago. Two years ago their country was wracked by violence after a disputed election. Tens of thousands of people were killed in the region of Kenya where we visited. I know there is great need all over the world, but I am convinced this is a corner of the world where God has given us relationship and influence and is asking us to love these people well.

If you haven’t read my blogs on Kenya, feel free to use the Google search window on the front page at Lifestream. Type in Kenya, and it will bring up all the blogs I’ve written about it. Or, you can just scan down the most recent ones below. You can also listen to the podcast Brad and I did last week about my trip there with some audio I taped over there with our hosts and my traveling partner. Also, the new podcast that will air this Friday (3/12) will continue with some conversation about Kenya and how some of us might be a blessing to these believers.

The people Kent and I spent our time with in my most recent trip to Kenya have a heart for those who were left without husbands and without parents. They run 19 different orphanages encompassing about 70 children, some of those in their own homes. They also provide care and support for widows and help finding a job they can do to help provide for themselves. Michael Wafula, our host there is as genuine a man as I’ve ever met. He spends his life encouraging people on a God Journey and caring for others.

We have started a new page at Lifestream to help direct resources to that area of the world in two different ministries that we have supported ourselves over the last few years. If you don’t have contacts elsewhere in the world and are looking for a place to share some money with people who have almost nothing, we would invite you to join with us. We don’t take out any administrative fees with this money. Every dollar you give will go to benefit the people you want to bless.

One project we mentioned with Michael when we were there was to get him a more dependable car. He travels all over Kenya and to Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and other countries in the region, helping to encourage those who are sharing the gospel and caring for others. The car they have know barely works. Parts were falling off of it as we drove around and they travel with a mechanic to keep things running. Once they spent two days living out of the car in a remote region because it broke down and they didn’t have the money to procure parts.

I asked him when we were there what a better car would cost him, telling him I’d like to see if others here would help. I would love it of The God Journey and the Lifestream audience could help buy him a better vehicle. He just wrote me this morning to tell me a friend of his has to sell his nearly-new Land Cruiser and would sell it to Michael for $15,500.00 US. I would love to see us help him find a way to get a more dependable vehicle as he goes about encouraging others and helping manage the orphanages in that region.

Here is the old car we’d like to replace. This was one of many times we saw it hood up
with the mechanic trying to repair it so we could get on. On one rough road the muffler
fell off and the car behind us stopped to pick it up. I’m blessed that they’ve made do
with this for so long, but would love to see it replaced with something far more dependable.

If you’d like to help us purchase them a car, or donate to the widows and orphans of Kenya, please see our new Sharing With the World page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, or you can mail a check to Lifestream Ministries  • 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 • Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

Thanks for your consideration of these people. Please feel no obligation to help, nor give out of any speck of guilt. We know that many of you are in dire financial straits these days yourselves or are already helping in other places of the world. Paul encouraged us to give out of generosity (2 Corinthians 8-9). If you have an abundance now, freely share with those in need. If you are in need now, God has ways to provide for you too, and I pray that he does!

Many of you know that over the past two years we have been corresponding with and sending relief money to some brothers and sisters in Kenya. Over the last two years we have been able to channel about $50,000.00 into the desperate need of that country that was overrun with violence following a disputed election. My engagements with the brothers and sisters in Kenya has truly been one of the highlights of the past couple of years. Not only have they been deeply grateful for the resources we have sent, but they have also expressed a real hunger to engage a more relational way of living as the church in Kenya. They have devoured some of my books and have invited me to come and share with them firsthand how to live loved and love others. This February I’ll be spending two weeks in Kenya visiting in the northwest part of the country around the city of Kitale. I will be accompanied by a good friend, Kent Burgess of St Louis, MO. We would appreciate your prayers for our trip and the people there.

Even though their need is ongoing, they wrote me today to let me know they were praying for the people of Haiti and their devastation as well. People who know incredible scarcity have great compassion for others who face it, too.

I first became aware of these Kenyan brothers and sisters when they wrote me a couple of years ago wanting to know if I’d come to visit them in Africa. That led to a lengthy email exchange to find out how they felt I could serve them in coming. I sent them copies of my books and was surprised that they were so taken with my view of Father’s love and biblical examination of the nature of the church. The teaching caught on like wildfire among their entire community of churches and pastors. They translated some of Authentic Relationships and passed it out freely. I was blessed at very simple changes I saw them making to be more responsive to a less hierarchical structure of their group.

And, as Father would arrange it, I had a couple of people I knew traveling through Kenya and asked them to stop in and visit them and find out what they were about. I was assured by independent verification that they were who they were presenting themselves to be and that the man I was communicating with had a heart of gold and I could trust him.

Then two years ago Kenya erupted in tribal violence after a disputed election. Homes were burned, people brutally murdered, and thousands of people displaced. I wrote my new-found friend and asked if he was OK and if they needed anything. He told me he had 25 families who’d been displaced camped at his home. When I asked about sending money, he said no one had ever sent money to them before. We made the need known on this blog and my podcast audience a few times through the spring and summer.

Money we have sent has provided food for the hungry, shelter for the displaced, school tuition for students and seed money to finance new business ventures. To our joy, they not only used it for themselves, but also shared with unbelievers in need, and believers in other corners of the country that needed help as well. One of the high points of this year for me is this connection and how God has used it to build up the body of Christ, there and here. So many of have sent checks both large and small to share with our brothers and sisters in this time of need.

The need in Kenya is ongoing—more food, tuition to attend school, and helping people establish new lives that were displaced by the violence. If you have any extra to send their way, you may do so through the “Make A Donation” button on our donation page. Just make sure you let us know it is for Kenya. Every dime we receive we send directly to these brother and sisters. They are always overwhelmingly grateful for whatever they receive in these desperate times.

I want to close with a recent email from one of the key brothers there. This one is about a translation of my article, “Why I Don’t Go to Church Anymore.” And this is from the head of a large denomination that encompasses a number of countries in eastern Africa:

I would like to thank you very much. Our translation team has completed the work we decided to take only parts of “Why I Don’t Go to Church Anymore”. The message is so touching and this message will benefit thousands of Saints across Kenya,Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and some parts of Uganda. I have already send it out to Rwanda and Burundi through email. There are nine pages and we are praying if God can open a way that we may get our own photocopy machine and spiral machine and this can give us easier work to save thousands of money for photocopy. Then we will only buy photocopying papers instead of using thousands of money for photocopy. We are having around 200,000 church leaders who are in need of this material and this material will help more in rural areas, interior places and even in urban where there is misinterpretation of the word ‘church’. This message has changed totally my life and the lives of our congregation so we are praying that God will provide us with the photocopy machine that we may start immediately distributing to church leaders. I have put some copies in our offices that some leaders may photocopy. May the Lord bless you so much for what you are doing. If you may want to publish in the internet you may do so because it is so needed worldwide. We have around 39 million people Swahili speaking across East and Central Africa who can be able to read.

Corn that we purchased being prepare for distribution.

Hungry people waiting for the food to be distributed.

A group of widows who lost their husbands in the tribal violence.

Some of the orphans who are needing financial gifts for their school fees.

It will be a joy to finally meet these people face to face and see what God might do in that exchange. We will learn from what God has been doing in them, and share freely what he wants to give them through us. After corresponding for so long, it will be wonderful to finally connect face to face.

There are many fine, large organizations intervening in Haiti at the moment. But Sara and I like to give relationally, where the vast majority of the money actually ends up providing for the needs of people, not the administrative needs of the organization delivering it. So we like to give to people or groups that we know firsthand, and who have a relational understanding of God and his kingdom. We don’t have anyone like that in this case.

So we look next for people we know that know people who are involved in this massive outreach. I know others are, too. So I thought I’d tap the readership of this blog to see if they know people or organizations that they know and trust in this situation. If you do, please feel free to post their information in the comment section below and also include any appropriate links for further information about the organization, or how others can help.

This will provide a resource for others who want to explore ways to give to help with those who have been ravaged by this catastrophe. Thanks in advance for anyone who can help us out here.

The good-hearted understand what it’s like to be poor;
the hard-hearted haven’t the faintest idea. (Proverbs 29:7, The Message)

I guess the difference is having been there and not forgetting what it was like, nor others who are there today. I guess the hard-hearted either haven’t been there, or have blocked it out of their mind in pursuit of their own expedience. Where you have extra, you will naturally give to help others. And remember, there are lots of ways to be poor. It’s just not financial, but to be poor in health, spirit, emotional need, spiritual encouragement, etc.

Keep your heart tuned to the poor and you’ll find yourself having a heart for all kinds of people in all kinds of struggles. That will keep your heart soft, your perspective clear, and your mind engaged with Father’s work in the world.

“The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public’s money.”

Think Wall Street bail-outs, Cash for Clunkers, economic stimulus projects, and some approaches to nationalized health care, and the list just keeps on unfolding. We are being bought with our own money and most people haven’t a clue.

I would love to be proved wrong, but I don’t think there is even one statesman or stateswoman in Washington, DC these days who is wholly committed to the common good, and not just his or her own personal gain or pandering to their political party. Our ship of state is on a course directly toward the pounding surf on the jagged rocks and people keep arguing about arranging the deck chairs. Until the citizenry registers their discontent and throws the incumbents out of office we will continue to get the government we deserve.

Throughout human history dominant civilizations have only lasted a little over 200 years on average. The current direction of this country and its economy doesn’t bode well for things to come. That’s why our hope has to be in God and his unfolding purpose in the world, even if it means the days grow darker so the light can shine brighter.

We’ve been having some nice hot weather and this week several days running over 100. We live in just about the exact center of our community (as the map is laid out) and right beside the city pool so we’ve had lots of foot and car traffic (lots of kids which we love!). Several days ago my husband was having one of his conversations with God.

Father said, “Why don’t you have some cold drinks out front there for people?”

After sharing this little interaction with me he headed to the store before work and bought inexpensive pop and water and big bags of ice and arranged them in our two coolers out by the street. He had me make signs in both English and Spanish: FREE – Ice Cold Drinks. It seems such a silly, small thing and the way people are so fearful we wondered if we’d have any takers. You cannot imagine how much fun we have had – people of all ages but especially the kids of course – have LOVED it and been so thankful.

Many seem taken aback, uncertain, wondering why and I’m sure what our “agenda” is. How very fun to offer a “cup of cold water” to our neighbors with no strings attached – just a desire to bless and love on ‘em. To long and hope for them to someday drink from the well of God’s love that never stops refreshing. It’s something we’ll probably only do when the heat is extreme.

And I think the “word” my husband received goes very deep for him spiritually but the gesture has really broken the ice around here. People suddenly are looking us in the eye when they pass, smiling, saying “hello”, chatting. Our small world is suddenly breaking wide open. What you said is true – each day we wonder, “So what’s gonna happen today Father? What will You do, what will we see and experience?” That feeling we had as little children, a feeling we’d all but forgotten, waking up expectantly, anxious only to get up and greet the day and embrace all the exciting things that are waiting for us!

And to think that the couple doing this is also going through some serious cancer treatment with their adult son and helping care for him and his family. Real ministry isn’t necessarily more work to fulfill, sometimes it can be a playful distraction in an otherwise stressful life.

You know what I love about this, the recapturing of simplicity, of loving what’s before you, not trying to create a ministry If they had put up a sign that said Cold Drinks for Jesus, it would have ruined everything, wouldn’t it? People would have seen it just as a tactic to engage a conversion conversation. I love that they just gave out what God asked, and are letting the growing friendships and ‘community’ around them grow naturally.

That’s how the kingdom spreads, like that very small mustard seed that spawns a tree so large others can nest in its branches. Love whomever God puts before you on a given day. Follow his nudges in caring for people, not to get a chance to pump them with the Gospel, but simply because they are people God cares about. Watch people light up with delight and watch your own heart recapture that childlike spirit that sees each day as an adventure in grace!

When friendship grows you will most likely get a chance to share your faith, but then it will be because you really care about them, not because you manipulate a moment so yu can convert them. One approach opens doors wide, the other slams them shut before people even have a chance to know the God you love.

We have recently been informed by the brothers and sister in Kenya that an entire portion of their country is starving due to failed rains over the past three years. The price for corn has gone through the roof and they wanted to know if any of us could help. I received this last week:

Surely, my brother, many people are dying, especial some parts of Kenya, like Westpokot, and some parts like Mt. Elgon as well as throughout the country. Almost everywhere people were affected but the Lord will help us to serve them. The Kitale area it was depended for (food), but due to the last damage its now the area where more people are affected and the price of maize as raised up to three thousand shillings per sack. Even now at my home I am hosting other big families including their children who are running for refuge. Most affected are children and women. so your support in this point now is more helpful to rescue also the lives of brothers and sisters. Every day as we open our office in town there are more widows and those who are affected with HIV are coming to receive something to eat. The families here are trying, so continue praying and standing with us for this time again. Our churches are contributing but they are also affected. So we appreciate for your heart of compassion, so as God gives you with the brothers there it will be a great help. Thank you so much, thank you for your great heart.

I have been corresponding with these brothers and sisters over the last couple of years and God is doing a good work in them and through them. If you have some extra and God puts it on your heart to help them, 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. Or, if you prefer, you can also send a check to Lifestream • 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 • Newbury Park, CA 91320.

Above are just a few of the pictures that were sent to me in the last couple of weeks by the brothers and sisters in Kenya that we have been helping over the last year. They include pictures of various outreaches, food relief, and some of the more than 30 students we have been able to help attend secondary school, which the government does not provide.

To date we’ve given over $30,000.00 from Lifestream and the generous support of both readers here and listeners at The God Journey. Most of that money has gone for food, clothing and bedding to help those who were displaced by the tribal violence and its ongoing effects in the culture. More recently, we sent money to help enroll over thirty students in secondary education that is not provided by the government. We’ve been blessed at their continued expressions of joy and gratefulness. Here are excerpts from their recent emails that they wanted me to pass along to you:

First thing, I would like to send our gratitude for all of you with your family and the entire body of Christ who have stood with us in this time of need. I would like to appreciate very much. (I know it )does not mean that you don’t have the needs there or those who are in need but we count it grace from the Lord for your heart towards our people. We give all glory and honour for God who has made it possible to join us together. My brother, some times I fear even to ask any support since you have been standing with us since the whole of last year up to now and your support has been a great blessing to our people here. As you know, we network with many people here in Kenya and other parts of Africa and your encouragement as well as support has uplifted many souls back to life.

The last months, I have been going around for mission trips to encourage brothers and sisters in the Lord just to hug them and to share with them the love of Christ. I thank God for the material you sent, I am now making the few photocopies and pile that I may distribute for the leaders. And some you may see when people are holding and we appreciate very much because there is a great transformation through these materials. I am continuing asking God that I may too be used as a vessel for reflecting the image of Christ.

We are still praying for you that one time God will allow you to come and join us for this big harvest in Africa. I am seeing the great transformation through the message of So You Don’t Want to Go To Church. Our brothers here are being led by the Spirit of God. So continue praying with them because I have seen the transformation is taking place and my home church which we started last year I want the guidance of them to start the fellowship in their area. This according to what they have passed through the material. So I need your prayers that I may continue leading them in this truth.

Also continue praying for us that there are some areas where the body of Christ are being affected especially for women and children because of the hunger. There are areas where people are deeply affected with diarrhea and other diseases. Sometimes I feel sympathy, nothing to do but only to encourage knowing that the Lord cares much. I will send to you the needs including medicine that you may also pray for provision.

About the students, they are happy and I am waiting to receive some few pictures then I will send to you. They are praying for you for the heart of compassion. May the Lord bless you so much.

As you can see the need is ongoing and if you’d like to help, we’ll be happy to send any gifts God puts on your heart their direction. Nothing will be taken out for administration on this end or that one. If God puts it on your heart to send something, 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. Or, if you prefer, you can also send a check to Lifestream • 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 • Newbury Park, CA 91320.

I got some wonderful email from the brothers and sisters from Kenya over the last few days. This has truly been one of the highlights of my year. We became aware of these people when they wrote me a couple of years ago wanting to know if I’d come to visit them in Africa. That led to a lengthy email exchange to find out how they felt I could serve them in coming. I sent them copies of my books and was surprised that they were so taken with my view of Father’s love and biblical examination of the nature of the church. The teaching caught on like wildfire among their entire community of churches and pastors. They translated some of Authentic Relationships and passed it out freely. I was blessed at very simple changes I saw them making to be more responsive to a less hierarchical structure of their group.

And, as Father would arrange it, I had a couple of people I knew traveling through Kenya and asked them to stop in and visit them and find out what they were about. I was assured by independent verification that they were who they were presenting themselves to be and that the man I was communicating with had a heart of gold and I could trust him.

Then a year ago Kenya erupted in tribal violence after a disputed election. Homes were burned, people brutally murdered, and thousands of people displaced. I wrote my new-found friend and asked if he was OK and if they needed anything. He told me he had 25 families who’d been displaced camped at his home. When I asked about sending money, he said no one had ever sent money to them before. We made the need known on this blog and my podcast audience a few times through the spring and summer.

Throughout the year year people helped us send over $30,000.00 to Kenya to help with these brothers and sisters. They have been so grateful and have used it all so wisely. To our joy, they not only used it for themselves, but also shared with unbelievers in need, and believers in other corners of the country that needed help as well. One of the high points of this year for me is this connection and how God has used it to build up the body of Christ, there and here. So many of have sent checks both large and small to share with our brothers and sisters in this time of need.

So I want to share my most recent contact with them. This one is about a translation of my article, “Why I Don’t Go to Church Anymore.” And this is from the head of a large denomination that encompasses a number of countries in eastern Africa:

We would like to thank you very much. Our translation team has completed the work we decided to take only parts of “Why I Don’t Go to Church Anymore”. The message is so touching and this message will benefit thousands of Saints across Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and some parts of Uganda. I have already send it out to Rwanda and Burundi through email. There are nine pages and we are praying if God can open a way that we may get our own photocopy machine and spiral machine and this can give us easier work to save thousands of money for photocopy. Then we will only buy photocopying papers instead of using thousands of money for photocopy. We are having around 200,000 church leaders who are in need of this material and this material will help more in rural areas, interior places and even in urban where there is misinterpretation of the word ‘church’. This message has changed totally my life and the lives of our congregation so we are praying that God will provide us with the photocopy machine that we may start immediately distributing to church leaders. I have put some copies in our offices that some leaders may photocopy. May the Lord bless you so much for what you are doing. If you may want to publish in the Internet you may do so because it is so needed worldwide. There are 39 million people who only speak and read Swahili in east and central Africa who will now be able to read it. Download Swahili translation here.

We also were able to send over $5,000.00 a couple of weeks ago. They had an opportunity to buy Bibles at a highly discounted price and wanted to distribute them free of charge. Here is their report:

It has taken some days to send you the feedback but I was working in the distribution of the Bibles to the needed people. We would like to appreciate very much for your large support towards us and since I told you earlier that we shall use the support in three categories.

1. We bought a plot to help the needy children especially those who were orphans that they may have education in this village called Bosnia. It is within Kitale in rural area. The history of this area were affected in tribal clashes in 1992 and they were chased from their land and there was one person who felt the sympathy and bought the land for about 5 acres and he divided to 51 families and right now the village is having around 1,500 people with more than 3,000 children. I have been going there regularly with the team and we have started the fellowship there two years ago. The people are very congested the life is also hard, no hospital or school within. Two years ago we started with them a prayer believing that God will expand their life so immediately the time you send the support then God reviled to me about the situation so we were there with the treatment for the children some food and lastly, there was one person who wanted to migrate from there and he requested if we can be able to buy his plot that we may extend the school so I decided to buy the plot so we are thanking God that the children of the area will have the place where they will be having education because we started the pre-school last year. Baby class up to standard one using only one building and it seems that God was answered their prayers. This is the starting point for humble beginning and in future we will extend as God provides. This school is having around 65 children where this building can accommodate. And next year if God will provide us with the structure, the number will be increased up to 200. May the Lord bless you so much for your wonderful offer to us.

2. We bought 237 Swahili Bibles since we bought at whole sale and this has already been distributed to 237 leaders who do not have even a new testament Bible

3. We managed to buy drugs of to help our brothers and the sisters. And the rest of the money I used for my orphans whom I stay with about 17 of them and for my family.

May the Lord bless you so much for the large support and for standing with us at the times of need.

This is one of those incredible connections that God brings about in his timing. As it has unfolded through the year it has been a great blessing not only to share with them but watch them grow in rethinking their paradigms. I’m praying about a trip out there next year and spending some time seeing what God has done and how we might further encourage his life and grace among them. And I am deeply grateful to all of you who participated with us in blessing this collection of brothers and sisters on the other side of the world.

Here is the maize our last contribution was able to purchase for the families who have been displaced by violence in Kenya. There are wonderfully grateful to all who helped sustain them in this time of great need:

Here in Kenya is 8:26am. Yesterday we managed to meet with the team and I went immediately to the store to buy the maize, which was 65 bags as you may see in the pictures and we worked until evening to make sure that it is clean which can be acceptable by health department and I have handed over to the selected team to make sure that they may distribute according to the list we have in our office and they will start tomorrow while I will be in the next town called Eldoret with some leaders in Kitale for ten days. May the Lord bless you; we shall be in touch soon as I return back as also sent to you the work done.

Today she wrote me with this plea: “We really need an expert team to join us here, but the right one! Administrative servant-hearted types, construction/engineering types and medical being the top needs at present. Mature, servant leader folks who want to be a team.”

So if you feel a tugging toward the Sudan or even want to send along some funds to support the work there, you can find out more at Michele’s website: Change the Way You See. And if you have a moment, please hold her, the orphans and their needs before the Father. Thanks.

She also sent me an article she had written that had some wonderful thoughts in it. Here are some excerpts:

A move of transformational love is rising up to be released from every tribe and tongue and nation. Those who wield the most powerful weapon there is are arising from the hidden and unseen depths of His heartbeat. Have you seen them? The dangerous, fearless lovers of the King, who has so captured their gazes no circumstance can distract them, no obstacle deter them.

They are the unlikely ones, the burning ones, the passionate ones the world has overlooked and called foolish. What would a people look like who are fully embraced by love? What would a people become if they were totally set free to live out their own identity?

Could a people be raised up to fight hate with love, injustice with mercy, war with peace, poverty with generosity, despair with joy, striving with rest, and religion with freedom? Where are the ones that so know His heart, they carry His heartbeat everywhere they go? Where are the ones who dream bigger than the pages of history and refuse to settle for what their eyes have seen? Where are the ones who will dance through the harvest fields of the nations with their gazes locked on the eyes of Love itself?

Watch out. Here they come—life in abundance, light so bright the darkness flees before its coming and night becomes as day at the rising of His glory in and through our lives.

If that doesn’t make your heart beat faster, I don’t know what will! Can you imagine a people so saturated in love that they live in a way that sets the world on edge?

A few months ago we were able to respond to the crisis in Kenya that resulted from tribal violence following a contested election. The circumstances have quieted and many people have been able to return home. But the brothers and sisters God linked us with in Kitale are still taking care of about 400 families who cannot return home. Their food and supplies are running low. I received this from our friend there this week:

Greetings in holy name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Thank you very much for your prayers and for more concern with your team towards our brothers and sisters. We would like to appreciate very much for your great (giving) towards our brothers and sisters. The Lord is doing a new thing. More of our affected people are returning to their places. This was started this week on Monday. Around four hundred families still need our help because their areas are not secure to be settled and they have camped in the churches and in the houses of our saints and for good Samaritan.

It may be 8 months before they can resettle. Our team has worked out to visit every family and to write the details and domestic needs. It has taken a long time to complete the list we have send to you for brothers there to continue praying for these people. The last support you send our team managed to support those who were worse than others which is about 30 families as you may see in the list. After the interviewing they reached an agreement of supporting each one of the 3200 so that they may have a place and to buy what they needed.The usefulness of the money, divided among 30 families. We still need your prayers. Everything here is so expensive and if God opens a way we could use some more support. If we can get 70 bags of maize, it will save other children and those who are starving with old age.

May the Lord bless you so much for your with the entire team there for standing with us in this hard time where our country has experienced for the first time. we are still praying for you, and we know that God is in control.

Over the first three months of this year we were able to send almost $15,000.00 to help in this crisis. I am simply putting the call out there again for any who would like to pray for them or send money to help with this great need. Every dime sent to us will go directly to those who need it. Nothing will be taken out for administration on this end or that one. If God puts it on your heart to send something, 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.

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

Thank you for giving this need your time and attention.

She is in the States at the moment and I got an email from her today. I can’t imagine a better follow-up than what I posted about community a few weeks ago. But this is community reaching out to the hurting and marginalized in our culture.
This was just an aside to a longer email:

I will be speaking Friday and Sunday evenings in Connecticut and doing street outreach in the Bronx on Saturday. I can’t be THAT close to New York City without finding a bad area to go love on.

You would think someone here from the Sudan, doing some speaking, might need a Saturday to relax and recharge her spiritual batteries. Perhaps this is how she does that! But this is the kind of heart God builds in us to reach the world the way he wants us to reach the world—not as an obligation but as an infectious, can’t-help-myself, compassion for people.

This especially focuses on public school issues where I occasionally serve as a mediator for cultural and religious conflicts as part of BridgeBuilders. Each April the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network sponsors a Day of Silence each year to encourage students to use silence as a way to identify with the bullying and discrimination that is directed toward students perceived to be gay or transgendered, and to help be a voice to make schools safer for them.

In recent years Christian groups have responded with a Day of Truth to counteract ‘the gay agenda’ in the Day of Silence. These students are told to make it clear at school that homosexuality is an abomination to God. But there is a new alternative being suggested for this year, and I think it offers a much better way for students to be part of a solution, rather than prolonging the conflict. It’s called The Golden Rule Initiative.

While admitting that many conservative students are conflicted about this day. They do not affirm homosexual behavior but they also loathe disrespect, harassment or violence toward any one, including those students who are or may appear to be gay, lesbian or transgendered. The proponent of this approach, Dr. Warren Throckmorton, Associate Professor of Psychology at Grove City College. He suggests participating in a pledge of safety for all students based on the Golden Rule:

We believe the teaching of Christ in the Golden Rule should guide our actions and attitudes regarding all. We also believe that we should work to make school a safe place for all students.

Thus, we advocate students spread a message like this on the Day of Silence:

This is what I’m doing:

• I pledge to treat others the way I want to be treated.

• Will you join me in this pledge?

• “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31).

Because the Day of Silence participants will be passing out cards describing why they are silent and what the Day means to them, we advocate exchanging a card or paper in return. Write or type the Golden Rule pledge on pieces of paper or an index card and pass it out at your school if the Day of Silence is being observed.

Of course, I think it would be more powerful without the Scripture reference. Most Christians can’t imagine how offensive it is to people who don’t embrace the truths of the Bible, to have a Scripture reference thrown in their face. It makes it appear to them as if we’re only doing it to follow a rule and not out of love or respect for them.

They’ll be taken with the truth of the quote far easier if we don’t reference it. It would be far better to let them discover where it comes from at some future time.

But over all, I like this approach.

Thank you for standing with us and your involvement to this ministry especially through the books we have received. Our hearts have been changed and (brought) great changes in the ministry. (We have helped) 1201 people, including adults and the children. This is so great and with over 50 families who are now standing on their own. This includes hiring the houses and self support. This is wonderful work which you have done.

Although there is large number who are still in need of our help day after day. But we shall not care for all of them but God will direct us those who are ahead of us. Thank God for the love you have shown to us. We still have around 40 families who are still in total need, we visited last week . so we still pray for the brothers and sisters to help with anything which God has granted in your hands.

Here are pictures of some of the people that have been touched by your generosity:

Please pray with them if Father lays them on your heart. And, if any of you want to help us help them on a financial level, 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.

Or, if you prefer, you can also send a check to Lifestream • 7228 University Dr. • Moorpark, CA 93021. And if you send us a check, please email me and let me know it is coming so we can wait to do the funds transfer when all is accounted for.

In closing, I have got one extra treat for you today. If you want to see what warmed my heart this past weekend, take a look at this!

Just yesterday, I got the following email from him. It’s amazing what Father does, isn’t it?

At the beginning of this year I asked the Lord to show me what it means for Him to be my Daddy. I wanted to experience His love in the way that I knew He wanted for me. I didn’t know what that meant really. I just wanted more than I was experiencing. A month later I was sharing this desire to know God as my Daddy with two close friends. Immediately they looked at each other and said, in unison, “The Shack.” They gave me a copy that they, by pure coincidence, happened to have with them. I devoured it in two days.

Approximately two weeks later, I left the ministry in a fit of what I’ll call disgust. I immediately went to my friend who gave me So You Don’t Want To Go To Church Anymore. I cannot express to you how Father used that book to change my life.

I now believe that Father has answered my request to know Him as my Daddy. I could really relate to the great sadness that Mack experienced. I have experienced a similar thing myself for most of my life. Even though I know I have a long way to go, I have peace. I know that Father is at work in my life. My wife has seen the difference in me. I am excited about my growing love relationship with Father. Thank you for allowing Him to speak through you so clearly and with such love.

I wanted to share something else with you. Do you remember me talking about a lady at the car dealership who was upset because her repair was more than she could afford?

On Wednesday, I took my wife’s van to get the oil changed at the Chrysler dealership. I was in the waiting room when the service manager came in. He sat down next to a lady and began to talk to her. I didn’t hear what he said, but I saw tears welling up in her eyes. I heard her say, “Oh no! I don’t have that much money.” The two of them got up and went into the service area. I immediately said a prayer for her. A few minutes later, she walked past the waiting area with tears streaming down her face. I didn’t get to say a word to her.

She was on my mind the rest of the day and night. As I prayed for her, the Lord clearly told me to “meet her need.” Not knowing what that need was, I went to the dealership yesterday morning and asked. She needs a total rebuild of her transmission. I gave the service manager my name and phone number and asked him to have her call me.

An hour later, she called. We have since had 3 wonderful conversations about God, how much He loves her and how He wants to have an intimate, loving relationship with her. There is no way for me to be able to express what took place during those calls. I can share with you that she told me that she has no family to turn to except for an aunt who has yet to return her call. She has no way to meet this need. Wednesday night she cried until she had no more tears. At some point, she look down at her wrist where she saw the bracelet a friend had given her. This bracelet said, “Miracles Happen.” She tore the bracelet off and threw it on the floor thinking to herself, “I don’t think so.” All I can say is that a woman who thought God had abandoned her now knows that He really does love her.

Anyway, I wanted to share that with you because you had a part in it. As a result of the truth you share, I am experiencing Father’s love and that love is beginning to spill out onto those around me.

I would like to request prayer very much here in Trans-Nzoia Kitale . Kitale is a combination of almost every tribe has settled here. But according to history, the people we call them Elgon Maasai were the first people to settle and then other tribes came the time of settlers from Britain. They came as workers after the liberty of Kenya in 1963, many settlers returned back and some handed the land to the new government. From there, the government announced all lands to become the property of the government. The government gave out to the people to take the share and to pay the little fee to the government. This is where all people came from their reserve and they settled here. People have stayed here over 50 years but the spirit of division and tribalism came to divide people telling people that you others are not suppose to settle here. This is why in 1992, the spirit of tribalism came and has affected more parts of this country. I know the problem is not the parties to work together but if the church will stand against this spirit of disunity and break it, this will bring unity. People will forgive others and everybody in Kenya will be able to live anywhere without discrimination of tribalism. Its also our prayers that the church will advise and be fully involved for making the new constitution . I want to appreciate very much that we have circulated thousands of anothering message in almost every district and the message has worked excellently and many people have forgiven one another. So I would like to request you that continue praying for this land.

Many people who have camped in churches, market places, it will take long for them to return and settle. It needs more prayers because the invaders were still having their strategies of killing and destroying the lives. For example, after Kofi Annan , Raila Odinga made the reconciliation to work together , and when the government announced that people will be rearranged to be helped and return to their places in Tran-Nzoia, the night of Monday this week, invaders came, they have burned more houses, even the media have taken the report, newspaper were reporting. even today about 12 people died, properties destroyed and many people because of fear have camped again in different places.

We tried to go there yesterday, but the security was so tight. Many people have run and among them were the saints, so we have received again especially one of IGEM zone called Saboti North, it is more affected and the chairman his name is Pastor John has requested us, an urgent help for about 30 families with a big number of children who have camped at his home. So my brother, who knows that God joins us together that you may be a bridge of connection and support. I know you have helped us with your team much, but I still appeal to you to share with the team urgently, we need the help for blankets, mats and food. I am also going to announce to other brothers here to donate clothes and other necessary things. Lastly, let us continue confessing the victory that the Lord has done.

Please pray with them if Father lays them on your heart. And, if any of you want to help us help them on a financial level, 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. Or, if you prefer, you can also send a check to Lifestream • 7228 University Dr. • Moorpark, CA 93021.

My day got interrupted with your book! A long time friend told me I should download it, which I did in the London airport on my way home back to the bush of Southern Sudan. Three weeks later I got caught up in your story and my tissue box became my friend. I am a simple little white city girl from Florida who is now in Sudan taking in orphaned children to live with her.

I was really relieved when Jesus called me to move to Sudan out of the west… when I got here I realized it was ten times more religious than anything I have ever seen and the “Christian” south is an absolute cartoon mockery, as caricature of all things of the religious system called Christianity with all the avarice it breeds. Leaders who actually know Jesus estimate maybe only 3% of people here actually know Jesus, really. The spirit of religion is soooooo strong here it feels choking at times—totally empowered by a spirit of fear. It is only Jesus as He truly His and His life that will draw them—and He is the only one that can fix this mess.

When I was in the simple church movement in the west with campus churches, a few months into it I realized I was training people how to plant churches so nicely they could do it with out God… and a few months more it seemed to me we were reproducing another box we tried to contain God in and saying our box was better than the other boxes. Now, after nearing 2 years in the war torn bush of central Africa I don’t really give a rip whether it is house church or legacy church or cell church or open church, a sitting room, a sanctuary or a stadium- if people are growing in Jesus, walking in love with one another and being the face of His love to the world around them. It is just about love and life and Him.

I don’t want to have to figure out whether I should embrace the system, conform, reform or vacate. I don’t have time. Other things are too precious. I just want to do what He is doing and love people. I don’t want to debate what is the right way to have church- I DON’T GIVE A RIP because it all can become a box and a prison if not filled with His life so why can’t we all just focus on Him and fall in love with Him and love the people around us. I don’t want to figure it all out—I can’t. I was just holding a dying woman in my arms in the hospital here whose family will not feed her or help her because the stench of rotting flesh is too bad and she soils herself and people are arguing if they should meet in homes or buildings. Last week a blind woman saw, this week another woman lay dying in my arms, I cannot figure it out. I can’t even try anymore. If I can’t embrace His mystery and love Him beyond my little understanding, I will limit the place I give to His majesty to be revealed in and through my life. Meet under a tree, rent a cathedral, go on a hike with your family- but love people—learn about love. Learn of Him. Live in Him. Have an encounter in Him, live in encounter with Him, be His encounter to those around you. That’s what He said to me last night. Can’t we just do that? I don’t have any answers or anything except a heart cry to love each person He sets in front of me and stay in His Presence because I love Him more than I love anything. He is my life.

Thank you for describing the One I love more than life, so beautifully and accurately. It means a lot. I met Him face to face when I was seven and He walked into my room. Very few I have read or heard actually describe the One Who captured my heart as a little girl. You have.

Please pray! That’s most important. And, if any of you want to help us help them on a financial level, 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. Or, if you prefer, you can also send a check to Lifestream • 7228 University Dr. • Moorpark, CA 93021.

But I got some email this morning from Kenya, that let’s me know the need there is ongoing. The situation has deteriorated greatly in the last three days. They have used up all the money we have sent and as you can read below the need continues to grow. We continue to send money overseas to help. What blessed me about the recent emails you can read in the last excerpt. God is actually beginning to reveal to them a different way to think and be the church. In this culture that’s a major shift and I marvel at their open hearts to give to others in this time of crisis.

If any of you want to help us help them, 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. Or, if you prefer, you can also send a check to Lifestream • 7228 University Dr. • Moorpark, CA 93021.

From the director of the base we are helping:

Yesterday I went in western province, to attend a burial of one of our sister who died through the violence . The violence came out as from Monday between Nandi and Maragori. Many houses were burned and round eight people died.And over 300 houses were burned. We still need more prayers because this things as arising time to time many people have camped within the police and churches. There is full of people who have come for help in IGEM western office. So we still need more prayers and any help which God may put in your hands. Thank you very much for continue praying for us. We say that may the Lord bless you and annoint you more and more.

From Jane, a mother who received food and blankets from IGEM:

I am so happy to write to you thank you very much for the great support you send to us through Michael . We have never seen you but God may bless you more and more. I was among the people who was affected in this violence but we thank God for his divine protection. We were alive with the entire family and we moved out safely. We are now stationed with one of IGEM church members believing God. We thank you for your great support to our brothers who have camped everywhere. Thank you for blankets mats and food. May god bless you am a mother of 8 children.

From the office manager at IGEM:

I would like to report about serious report from our brothers and sisters who are affected country wide with this violence you might have been reading the reports through internet but I want to report only what is in the ground which is affecting our people for about three days ago within Kitale. Michael, our director has not slept for about three days.

In one of our zones the invaders had burned again the houses and killed a big number of people . And many people have ruined walking about thirty kilometers to find the refuge and we have just right now with more than one hundred and fifty families who need totally our help. the things they are doing they burn houses, taking the flocks and burning the maize stores. People have nothing, some even without the clothes especially the children so pastor Michael he went today in the morning with other parents to find some of the children who were displaced without knowing where they have gone. But I have received a phone from Him that the things are not good they have managed to get only two children out of thirteen . And have requested me to send to you if you can intervene for this hard situation . This is why I am writing to you on his behalf.

So please brothers we need your help again. There is more cry and suffering.

Some of the families they walked long time without eating so today our team are working out how they can help. So anything you may feel we are in needy just now . May the Lord bless you so much.

And then she added this in a subsequent note. In it she refers to some of my books that I sent to them almost a year ago now:

Thank you very much for your books, has blessed us more. We have copies in the office. And we have been giving out for ministers to read at least two weeks before they return it. The book has became a great blessing to us specifically; the one in title: Authentic Relationship, He Loves Me and The Naked Church.

About me personally I have received something which has changed my life because people especially here in Africa they honor a building much more to respect as a church. And most of our people here they have been putting the titles and positions. But these material has real helped us and Michael. In the last three weeks, He confessed before people about the titles in IGEM structure and he insist to change it and immediately focus on what the Lord has revealed . And he insisted through your booklets called; “Won’t you go to church” so I want to share with you- Lord is changing something and is demolishing what man might been building. Thank you very much. God may use you in this end time church to put the spiritual structure which somethings mankind can not see by their eyes.

Wherever I rested in the office, you may get me with one of this books especially’ “He Loves Me.”

Recently we got the message from the people who have camped, she read about your message we circulated by the name “one anothering” and she was totally complete convicted once more. So you may not have come in Kenya but, your message God is using to change a church structure in Africa. And if Michael is leading a big organization like IGE how much more if God will use him to teach the church in Africa. You might have done something great which you will be rewarded.

If Father puts this on your heart, please share what you can with these dear people. Thank you!

I would like to introduce myself, I am Bramuel. I would like to send my greetings to you personally and your partners team and I have come to know you through Michael Wafula, IGEM Director. I have seen many preachers but I cannot compare the love this man has. This man of God since this election violence started immediate after voting, the calamity came, our fellow brothers lost their lives and the family and many people houses were burnt, so we didn’t know where to go but we ran out walking without knowing where the family is. But since IGEM is having more churches, people decided to run where there is a church building to be helped but this man of God took immediately this burden and sacrificed his life to make sure that we are helped. Actually, we had not had hope but right now we have the hope through the love this man has shown us. We have never lacked anything , every week, we get the share and I was also among the people who received enough so that I may start a life and he told us openly that there is a brother whom we have never seen with eyes and God convicted him and released a big support and he said that his name is Wayne, so I would like to say we have never seen you but the love you have given to us, it is already recorded in the Kingdom of God.

Many people they ran with nothing but we have seen hundreds of blankets, mats, food being distributed through IGEM ministry and Michael always announces to these brothers and sisters that this support has come through the love of brother Wayne and his team so we say on behalf of others, I say may God bless you and I encourage you that there are people who ran who still need help, please continue blessing them.

Lastly, I received a message with wonderful books called one anothering and I have read this material. The material has changed many people and people are forgiving one another. Also pray for us, two days ago, the place called Salama, many people have died and many people have camped in the places and some they are sleeping naked, nothing to eat and with no clothes or utensils. Pastor Michael visited them yesterday but he had nothing to say but only to encourage them to trust in God for their provision. They are around 230 families. Pray for them that God may provide for their needs.

From one of the office workers:

On behalf of our beloved brethren from here, we send greetings and appreciations for your kind love you have shown to us. Attached pictures are some of the things which we distributed in the places where our brethren have camped. We had formed 5 groups and I was leading one group and other fellow brothers. In my group, we were accompanied by the director carrying mats, blankets, rice, soap and clothes and other group 2 they were carrying some mats, blankets, maize and some beans. Group 3 was also carrying blankets, mats, soap, rice and beans. Group 4 also distributed mats, blankets, maize, rice and beans to different church buildings within Kitale region. Group 5 the same as the above groups.

According to the need of mats, we decided to distribute 2 mats for every family and there was more demand of mats, blankets and other necessary things. For health purposes, every group must be accompanied by two Red Cross representative to witness and to help to distribute in order. There is a list of needs in the office, it has helped the first part. We ask your assistance in second part. We have told them to pray and trust God for other provision that we may complete.

This support has helped over 300 families, brothers and sisters who are now seeing the love of God through God’s people. So they pray for the Lifestream ministry and the team for their great concern. More is still needed. As God enables you, we pray that you continue helping our people.
May the Lord bless you as we look forward to hear from you.

And this is from my friend, Michael:

Here the situation in Trans-Nzoia (Kitale)it is getting worse and many people have been killed. It is 20km from Kitale. Security is tight but people are armed and now there are many refugees than before. We need prayers more and continue assisting us until we tell you it is better. Things are worsening every day, it has turned to be clashes not political.

I would like to send my humble greetings to your beloved wife and the family and the entire friends and all who are partnering with your beloved ministry. I would like to inform you that I have more comments and more appreciations from the brothers who have been receiving the message we have been circulating from your one-anothering materials. This has brought more restoration, forgiveness and reconciliation. Yesterday as we were accompanying our team to distribute some items, I got a testimony when people felt and touched with the spirit and start forgiving those who burnt their houses, properties and this took about one hour from one of the lady who read the message singing forgiveness and it spread to almost everywhere when people were shouting praying loudly and forgiving those who have oppressed them.

Thank you for this wonderful message. God is preparing in this hard situation people to know Him and to see His love. I would like to say that God is the one who connected us with a great purpose for such time of this. I would like to encourage you and your team that continue standing with us until things will be back to normal because our brothers here are praying that the prayers to change this situation.

The support you sent to us , we started distributing immediately the same day Saturday evening in five different places and our team are working excellent heart as well as ministering to the needy. Our intercessory team here are fasting and praying for God for protection and for the provision especially for your ministry and with the land of Kenya. About another support, my brother, I would like to ask that please we still need your help anything you may feel as the Spirit leads you. Please help. In the pictures you received, the displaced children who need right now to learn no matter what circumstances they are passing. So our IGEM team they have volunteered to teach them as they believe God to restore things to normal. So may the Lord bless you as we help our brothers and sisters to feel the love of God.

Below are the new pictures they sent of the people they are helping, their assistance from the Red Cross, and the goods being distributed. Thanks for all your help. If you’d like to join with us or send more, 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.

Breetings in the Holy Name. I am so well blessed for the more concern with your team for our situation here. There is that report which happened on Sunday night in the place called Endebess where we are having a zone of the fellowship is about 25km from Kitale town. They are squatters who have stayed in that land for over 50 years. And the whole farm is having around 2500 people and is estimated to about 6000 acres. So the sad news there is a tribe which is admiring to take that land back. They have damaged the land and burnt the houses and killed many people. Those who remained they have run near churches and some in police stations.

Countrywide chaos is still going and some people are still running from their homes fearing for their lives. Many of our saints , brothers and sisters have been affected—more today. Today they are going to open parliament and the opposition side have insisted to sit on the government side. They have announced countrywide to demonstrate too, but the government has denied this and warn people not to be involved. So we need more prayers because without prayers it can be worse than before.

This violence has also contributed to the prices go rise as well as transportation. Kenyans are now getting hard time which they have never experienced. The schools opened yesterday but few children, some are scattered and some people they have run to schools for camping. Church buildings were also accommodating big number of Christians, so we need more prayers that God may soften the hearts of these politicians, they may agree with one another. If this will happen, then we expect people to be safe because they are the cause of these problems.

About urgent needs now, according to the needs we have assessed, we still need more about 500 mats, 500 blankets, about 150 bags of maize, 30 bags of Rice, 10 boxes of soap, 1000 litres of cooking fat 100, 5 bags of sugar, 15 bags of beans, 500 litres of kerosene, anti malaria drugs, fruits for children, 10 nets. This will help us to serve more families those who have come from different church buildings but we will start with something little which God has put in your hands. I wanted you to be aware that the above mentioned needs are needed urgently.

I thank God also for other people including the government and other departments are helping may be they can give every family of 10 children for blankets and some kilos of rice after 3 days for only food. So some children from can eat once a day, since it has affected countrywide, so it is very difficult even to the government to serve all people with help. So they are requesting any help from churches, well wishers, individuals to intervene in this growing situation. So I would like to say that your help for now , it is highly appreciated to save this innocent lives. We are also praying for you that God may touch brothers and sisters to stand with you. In my house now, I have a big number of children whom I am taking care of, but I thank God for this, that prayers is sufficient. Finally, I will report today how we spent the support you sent to us. I am a man of integrity, I like being transparent even our working team, knows every support we receive including local donations. After she has prepared, I have authorized her to send to you direct and you can feel free to contact her for any inquiries.

Thank you very much. This is only the donation and support for the first time we have received from oversees. You have touched our lives. May the Lord bless you so much as we stay connected.

Here are more pictures they have sent us, of the hundreds of people camped out together on their land, the people who are being touched, and the aid that is reaching these people through your gifts:

From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank each one of you who has given to help with these people. Your outpouring of love and generosity is overflowing to their joy and gratefulness. If you’d like to join with us or send more, 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.

I want to send my beloved greetings from our fellow brothers here. I would like to report that all support you have sent has helped our people in great measure.

First we supported those with basic needs especially who have camped in our main church. They are 27 families with a big number of children. Second, we distributed to each family in order for them to use for their personal issues and Third, we bought a big number of mats and blankets, and maize. I will be compiling the reports and Michael has given me the permission to send for every issue how the shillings are used and I was supposed to send the report to you yesterday but there is a brother who we have been taking care of in the hospital passed away yesterday morning.

So yesterday we were so busy to trace the relatives because his home was destroyed and people were scattered and Michael had not reported in the office, he was in the hospital until evening working out the treatment of the body and other things to know where he will be buried and the costs of the burial. We expected him in the service but he was not. So we shall meet him tomorrow to know the progress.

Attached are the pictures for one of the group apart from 4 groups which went to different places because we formed 5 groups of ministering the word and serving the brothers and sisters. So your help has really covered a lot. Although we are believing God for other mats, blankets and some food, our office is working out and requesting our fellow brothers here to help our brothers who are affected with clothes and other basic needs.

Send our regards to those who’ve helped. Tell them that we are happy for what they are doing and the Lord will reward them in their work. Today we held hands to pray for the peace for this country. I know you are feeling for us and God is faithful. Since I was born, I have never seen, but it is my first time to see thousands of people to camp as refugees in their country. Let us join hands and pray for the restoration of peace. We still request that continue standing with us because the needs are increasing time to time.