So far over $6,000.00 has been sent to us to help with the need in Kenya. More continues to come in and as you can read below, more is needed. This is the latest report from the brothers and sisters in Kenya:

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 got this from the office staff where we have been sending funds into Kenya. They also sent pictures, which I will include below:

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.

This is from Brother Michael, my friend in Kenya:

We would like to say thank you and thank you let our Almighty God bless you for having a Godly and caring heart. The Lord has given you the same love and I would like to say your books have changed the whole of my life with entire team especially Authentic Relationships and He Loves Me.

Since this violence occurred, as you know we have a wider ministry across the country so I have been encouraging our people to trust in God and to love one another. This also has made our fellow brethren to come closer to God because in Kenya, we have only heard about war, but it had never happened here. Yesterday I visited brothers and sisters and thousands of people who have camped in the market place I felt that it is good to trust in the Lord.

Since this began, I am experiencing to know the hearts of our fellow brethren and some have done wonderful we have been collecting sacks of clothes and some utensils to support our brothers. Our team also has been going every area to comfort and to share with the true gospel. Many people were responding to the Lord. So today in the morning, after I took the money, we have formed around 5 groups , in this 5 groups will be carrying the needs to the needy and in the same group were making evangelism through the gospel of love. Yesterday , they came with excellent report for those who are converted to the Lord.

(We are taking the quotes from your book) and we are making hundreds of copies and it is the easier way of making an evangelism. In my group, I went with a team of 3 people with mats, blankets, maize and other necessary things and we had a wonderful time to share with our fellow brethren. And 8 people were converted and we prayed also to the sick then we finalized with distributing what we carried. I will meet with the team in the evening today to get the feedback. Today we bought 250 mats, 400 blankets, 15 bags of maize and 2 bags of sugar, which we divided for 5 groups. Really, people appreciated and I shared with them that this the help from the brethren from oversees who has sacrificed that they may extend their love to you. I will send the pictures soon.

May the Lord bless you so much as we stay connected.

This is so cool. Your generosity with people in Kenya, has spilled over into their generosity with people in the area and it has become an occasion for God to be known in the earth. I’m gobsmacked! My heart explodes in joy and praise to our Father for making himself known, and in gratefulness to all of you who have shared with us in partnering with our brothers and sisters in Kenya. Isn’t this fun?

To date almost $5,000.00 has been sent to us by so many of you! I am so full and blessed today to have watched this go on. I have no idea if we’ll need more, or how much we will need, so this is not an appeal; it is just a report. If God puts it on your heart to give you’re still welcome to do so, for this or for other groups we know caught in this crisis in Kenya.

And pray, today. Government officials are meeting today with representatives from the U.S. and the U.K. to find a solution for the disputed election and end the violence there. Let’s pray for their peace and for some real answers to the tribal animosities that boil beneath the surface.

I love you guys!!!!!

I received this email today from our brothers and sisters in Kenya:

“Yesterday we managed to distribute to 27 families. I shared with them that this is the help where they need to depend in God because we have some brethren who need to be helped too. We are buying the mats for the children. The pictures I have attached a different congregations, those Christians who are affected they are running to the church buildings and those who are not Christians are running to the market centers and in the police stations. But I thank God that your prayers is changing things the opposition has a plan to meet the president and talk. This also has included church leaders.

So now it has given us the church a big test to take care of those who have ran for help even just right now in IGEM office we have opened the book of donations for clothes and other necessary needs that serious needs for those whom we have not yet reached to support, there is a need of blankets, mats and drugs. These are the urgent and serious needs for now. May the Lord bless you so much for caring for our people. The government is working to bring the security to the areas where people have migrated and probably will help them to settle.

But about the above mentioned needs, are the different groups where I have seen their need that we need to intervene through blankets and mats. (Thank you) for what you have done to our beloved people. May the Lord bless you.

Here are some of the pictures he sent of those people who had to flee their homes and are finding refuge with the church. In some cases children have arrived without parents or wives without husbands, and they are not yet sure what has come of them. If I may suggest something, as you scroll through the pictures, look at the faces and intercede for these dear people and the whole country. Some meetings begin late this week to help reconcile the problems with the disputed elections and include envoys from the U.K. and the U.S. This is a critical time that will either help move the country back toward peace or unleash a new wave of tribal warfare.

It has been an amazing week for me to stand between those who’ve been willing to give and those in such great need and being a conduit to bring the two together. People continue to give and we’ll continue to send it along. They are incredibly grateful for the generosity that has spilled over to them from the larger family of the body of Christ.

Over $3500.00 has been sent in so far to help with relief in Kenya, from four or five different countries on three continents. Honestly, I’m overwhelmed at the generosity that has poured out of so many of you. We’re seeing God open some incredible doors to help brothers and sisters and they are so grateful that brothers and sisters from the outside have given such help.

Now I’ll let Dan do the rest of my work today. I got this email from him last week and I love what it says about freedom and how it impacts relationships:

I was adding a phone number this morning to my cell phone. The first day of the new year seemed like a good time to also clean out some phone numbers of people I have no recognition of who they are. As I was thumbing through the names, a few of the people I had not seen or heard
from since we started on this free range journey, I was wondering what happened to the relationship?

And that is just it!

There was no relationship. We were part of a big mega-church that stressed it’s many programs and offerings. In the mega-church mindset, programs give opportunity for relationship to happen, but don’t assure that it can be found there. The relationships lives inside of programs. Once the program is over, the relationship is over. Once we no longer were involved in those programs there was no longer any reason to maintain the relationship. They never called, they never wrote, they never checked in just to see how we were doing. That would have required a relationship outside of a program and who would officiate that? When would it begin? When would it end? Who would be in charge? Who had the authority to be over the other for accountability?

It is amazing how freedom in Christ does not often allow for freedom in relationships and freedom from expectations in those relationship. We have made a few attempts to touch base with some of them, but their lack of response made it clear they didn’t have room for relationships outside of the program they are a part of.

That is sad. They are good people. It is strange how something like freedom can be such a threat.

I think a lot of us have had the same struggle with relationships we had in the institutional format. They work as long as we’re on the task together, but once that ends, there isn’t a friendship that goes beyond it. Of course both parties bear responsibilities in that, especially if we’re waiting for the others to make the first move. I like that Dan has tried. I think we always try. I have wonderful friendships from almost every stage of my life on this journey. But to be honest, I’ve been the one that has instigated most of the contact. I don’t blame them for that. Most people are so busy just surviving the responsibilities of every day living, especially if they add to that heavy involvement in the life of a congregation, that they just don’t have the time or energy for relationships beyond it…

I hope we’re all learning to live a community that transcends whatever task we’re on or not on together. The connection of this family is not the meetings we attend, but the relationships we forge as God connects us to others. We all don’t need to pursue only people who are like-minded, but with all kinds of folks, believers and unbelievers as God leads us.

The simple question I ask regularly is, “Father who do you want me walking alongside at this season of my life.” And then I follow through on that. I realize most people find it difficult to initiate contact, but I consider that part of my life following him!

I love how Father intersects people. Just a few moments ago I received this from a man named Sam, with whom I’ve corresponded in the past. He’s preparing to leave for Uganda to help with the thousands of Kenyans fleeing the country into Uganda. Here’s what he wrote:

I wanted to let you know that I am about to leave for Jinja, Uganda. The situation in Kenya is already affecting Uganda with thousands crossing over into Uganda. Food and fuel has doubled in less than a few days in Uganda. A pastor friend of mine in Mombassa says that food and water are becoming scarce. The stability of Kenya has grave impact on most of eastern Africa. I would ask that you pray for me and our team already in Uganda. I will be teaching young pastors and businessmen on forgiveness and on various relationship issues. I am going with an organization called Next Generation Ministries whose emphasis is on relationships.

I am certain while I am there I will be able to meet some the Kenyans and I will give you a report if you like. Many organizations like yours are sending money and aid which is greatly needed. This situation appears to be such that unless God intervenes Kenya and much of eastern Africa could be devastated. It is times like these that I wonder about how effective we have been at communicating the real gospel. I am re-reading you book He Loves Me and I hope I can communicate His love as well as you do in the book. At 55 years old and 30 years in ministry, I am just now beginning to walk in his presence and feel his love. Thank you for who you are and your work.

More opportunities to pray and perhaps another door to get some funds on the field where they will most impact our brothers and sisters….

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dear Brother Wayne,

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

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

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

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

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

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

For the past year I’ve been in touch with someone in Kenya who helps coordinate a number of fellowships throughout Kenya and neighboring countries. I wrote him this past week in view of the increasing instability and violence in Kenya due to a disputed Presidential election held on December 27. The unrest that has resulted has reignited old tribal animosities and many fear a fresh wave of tribal genocide might result. To date, a quarter of a million people have been displaced and are starving. Over 300 people have been killed in tribal clashes.

I heard back from my friend yesterday. I’m going to leave it in his broken English:

I would like to appreciate for your prayers which has helped us up to now. People here are living terrible life especially the saints. I know you have heart what has happened here during the election, until now things are not well. Many of our brethren has lost their lives, their houses are burned many are wounded and their properties has been destroyed. As you know am the co-coordinator of IAN so we are more responsible to see the situation of our brethren who have been affected, especially on my side. I am hosting about 25 families as well as taking care some who are in the hospital. My home has become the home of refuge where more pastors and church leaders who are affected has runned for help. Also we have been trusting God to see the next day. Since we are in rural areas where security is not secure, the government is only taking care and provide for those who are camped at the market and police station. So there’s too much congestion at the market centers. Since we cannot hold up we are praying that God may melt the hearts of the brethren in U.S. that they may strengthen their hands to our affected brethren in Kenya. The importance agents for help: blankets, shelter, food, drugs and other basic needs.

There is more about this on yesterday’s podcast at The God Journey. We have since discovered a way to transfer funds to this organization directly and our board has decided to start a special fund for people who want to help give to aid the brothers and sisters in Kenya. In addition to this organization I’m aware of others we can give to depending on the amount of money people want to contribute. Sara and I as individuals and Lifestream as an entity will be sharing substantially to aid these brothers and sisters.

If you’d like to join with us, please go to our Invoice Page and click on the ‘Pay Invoice’ button. You can then list “Donation for Kenya” and the amount you’d like to give. If you use the ‘Donation’ button you will need to also send me an email letting me know you wanted this to go for Kenya and not for Lifestream. All donations to this cause are tax deductible and every dime sent to us will go out for relief in this Kenyan crisis.

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

And whether or not you can give financially, also please consider keeping up on the news about Kenya daily and using it as a reminder to pray for God’s revelation of himself to Kenya in the midst of this crisis. Thank you so much!

I got this question today. It was sent to me by someone who used the title ‘Apostle and Pastor’ in front of his name. He needed both—in caps! Interesting…

How do you reconcile these scriptures in light of your view of fellowship.

Matt 28:18-20
Acts 2:42-47
Hebrews 10:25

If it is true that you can walk in Christ without fellowship, that means it’s time for you to start a fellowship so you can help those who are not so strong.

While I appreciated the brevity, I find the context absurd. I can’t imagine anyone reading my website thinking that I encourage people to walk with Jesus without fellowship. That’s nuts! I encourage fellowship all the time, but in real relationships with people, not by sitting in your pew once a week watching others around you.

And I can’t imagine anyone reading those three texts and understanding their historical context who would think they obligate people to ‘start fellowships’ or be in a required meeting. People who hunger for the living God don’t need to be obligated to anything. Their hunger for him will lead them to all the people he wants them to connect with.

Here’s how I answered him:

Who said anything about walking with Christ without fellowship? I can gather with other Christians and help new ones grow in the faith by just having fellowship with those God asks me to walk beside in any given season. I don’t have to ‘start a fellowship’ for that. If you read carefully I’m not advocating a lack of fellowship, but I am indicating that walking with people is far more important than starting or maintaining a group. We’d like to think they are the same but they are not. History proves that.

So the Scriptures you cite are all lived out in greater reality, depth and power when we’re not caught up in the mechanics of a group and simple walk in deep friendship and love with whomever God puts in our life. Sometimes that puts me in a room with hundreds of people, sometimes just tow or three.

Jesus, nor the early apostles did not view the life of the church as a series of meetings on Sunday morning or Wednesday night that are led from the front, but vibrant relationships that wrestle with the deep issues of life and magnify God in doing so!

And it doesn’t bother me of people want to get together at a regular place in a regular way. That’s an expression of this family too! It just isn’t the only expression and not necessarily the best. Scripture never points to believers gathered in rows to witness a meeting led by a few. It pictures people meeting together to share insights and ask questions, to share Jesus’ gifts, to build each other up and to share the burdens of life together.

We just completed our third archive disc for listeners (or would-be listeners) of The God Journey. This weekly podcast, which Wayne co-hosts with his friend Brad Cummings, continues to reach an expanding audience from which we get the most amazing feedback. This disc includes the broadband mp3 files for the podcasts we did from from February 2007 through November 2007. What a year, too! We talked about sin, shame, reading the Scriptures without our religious glasses, reconciliation and free-range believers. We also hosted a variety of guests, including Paul Young, author of The Shack, Stan Firth, author of Custom and Command, Bob Stamps on The Lord’s Supper, Kevin Smith on living in Father’s care, and many others. If you haven’t heard them before, or just want to add them to your collection, you can order it from our Audio Collections.

If you haven’t heard the current episode, this is your chance to meet Sara. In a special podcast, Sara co-hosts with me as we talk about being what to do when your wife isn’t on the same page. For those who have wanted to meet Sara, this will give you a good taste of her and our life together.

And as we begin a New Year, I pray yours will be blessed beyond measure, and filled with his presence through the ups and downs of this turbulent life in a fallen world! And thanks to all of you who have supported us in prayer, encouragement and giving over the last year. Even though we don’t ask for money here, a few year-end gifts have really helped us finish another year of helping people sort out this incredible adventure of living as Father’s children in the earth!