My friend, Michael, Wafula, who is also the director of IGEM, has been our man in Kenya to help in the post-election violence that devastated so many people in the region and left a trail of orphans and widows in its wake. I was just with him as he was our guest for the Israel tour for his own education and to give him a chance to meet other people in the world who are learning to live loved. I am convinced that God has given us this corner of the world so that people who resonate with Lifestream or The God Journey will have an opportunity to share with other brothers and sisters who live in such need. We are blessed to know Michael and many others there who have a passion for Jesus and his kingdom, and love to share with others in the area who have even less than they do.
Michael returned home to firsthand reports of a crowing crisis in the lands to the north of where he lives. The West Pokot region is a primitive area in the northeast corner of Kenya and is suffering an intense drought. Many of already starved to death and six hundred more families are at risk if they can’t get water and food quickly.
I won’t even show you some of the pictures I received from that region because they are so shocking. The people look like skeletons with flesh barely draping off their bones. The only economy in that region is cattle and they have almost all died off because of the drought. This is a difficult area to reach because they are in the rural interior with no good roads to bring people or resources in.
Michael’s network in Kenya has already mobilized to intervene and to bring help to these people. They will be taking a team of thirteen people, including two doctors and three nurses to help with the malnutrition and pandemic diseases that are spreading there. They will be ministering the life of Jesus, pouring out their love, treating the sick, and distributing Bibles for those who can read in ecither Swahili or Pokot language. They will be visiting three different villages—Konyao, Amakurriat, and Nawuyabong. These are the villages that are most affected and encompass about 2500 people.
The immediate need is for food, drugs, and water. Two hundred pounds of corn costs $35.00, for beans it is $67.00. Five thousand liters of water costs $500.00. It is difficult to put a price on the drugs at this point.
These people are often nomadic in their search for sustenance, wearing only skins or sheets, and are in unreached areas where the word of God has not yet arrived. They believe in shrines, mountain and ancestors spirits. Catholics have done limited work in this area and only a few NGO workers are present to help with development. IGEM wants to get a drilling machine to drill for water, because once they get water there is life.
IGEM also want to start education centers to build a sustainable economy. They want to teach the adults how to sew, bake goods, and grow crops so they won’t be dependent on cattle alone. They also want to help educate the children, which do not receive any schooling now.
Your prayers are most welcome for the IGEM people who will be going to that area, and if you have some extra resource to help the people there, you can direct it through Lifestream. As always, every dollar you send goes to the students themselves, we do not (nor do they) take out any administrative or money transfer fees. 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 Newbury Rd Ste 1 • Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.
