LTRP Note: Lighthouse Trails readers have been supporting Roger Oakland’s Bryce Homes for Widows and Children Program in Kenya for many years. Please pray for these Bryce families in Kenya as the coronavirus spreads across Africa where in many communities (such as the ones where the Bryce Homes are located), there is inadequate clean water and sanitation. To learn more about the Bryce Homes Program in Kenya, please visit Roger Oakland’s website, www.understandthetimes.org.
The following report is written by the Kenyan Bryce board members.
REPORT FOR MARCH 2020
Brothers and sisters, Bryce Homes Board in Kenya wishes to briefly share with you about the program in Kenya even at such a time as this. Given the current global health situation, we are praying for you and the entire Bryce Homes family for the Almighty God to intervene.
We just hosted our brother Kevin Fox who represented Roger Oakland for the trip to Kenya to assess how the program is doing. We received him with joy, and his coming indeed encouraged all. We thank God for his safe journey back at a time when international trips are quite challenging.
Bryce Homes Kenya continue to be a blessing to the over thirty widows in this program. Formerly the program supported 37 widows and vulnerable women before four of them were gifted with capital to start SBOs [Small Business Opportunity] for self-sustainability. The current number has settled at 33. These widows are very appreciative and the information was well delivered by the widows when Kevin Fox visited recently.
With her are her children. They are five in number.
She will be the BH #59. She replaces former BH# 58
Most of these Bryce Homes, which are mainly composed of middle-aged widows, are better positioned to undertake Small Business Opportunities (SBOs). The exceptional cases are the few very elderly or those with ill health who are not in a position to operate SBOs. It was good news when several of these widows received starting capital to establish SBOs. These widows include Florence, Janet, Winfrida, Jane Lucas, Eunice, Lewnida and Finter.
Those who earlier got started in SBO included Irene, Phoebe, Elida, Josphine and Maren. We were able to conduct a follow up, and the report was encouraging. One of the most successful SBO is of Irene who has established herself in crushing of rocks and separating of gold from the pieces of rock. We paid her a visit at the site and watched her go through the whole process. We were, however, surprised of the danger she expose herself to by handling mercury which is a health hazard. We therefore advised her to cross over into another SBO without such obvious health hazards.
Of the widows who were recently supported to try SBOs, Florence is the one with an outstanding performance in producing doughnuts. She does it indoors and the result is encouraging. The Board took time with her and witnessed the success of the SBO. Bryce Homes Kenya remains committed to realize a more self-sustaining means so that widows who have been in the program for long may be replaced by other more needy cases. This way, the program will touch more lives and also encourage hard work among the widows even beyond the Bryce Homes program.
The visit by Kevin was very useful to the Kenyan Board because he instilled hope in the Bryce Homes family, especially to some who have been facing expected life challenges including sicknesses. I categorically recall when Terry (BH #6) was very low due to sickness of her son, she was prayed for and got so encouraged. This reminded us how unique and comforting this program is to the lowly. We encourage more of these good reports to keep developing.
Bryce Homes Board in Kenya is even now more encouraged to ensure every widow and orphan gets supported both spiritually and physically as provisions become available going forward. We may have to give more of these reports in the near future.
Thank you for the report of the program assisting the widows and children. It is a sweet privilege to learn of Christ working in and through you to display His love and the supply of His riches in this needy world. It is a relief to turn my thoughts from our current local woes and to pray for others, knowing the prayer of faith will be effectual to please God in the accomplishing of His will. May the upward lifting of hands and turning of hearts in praise to our Savior bring blessings of supply and success in your endeavors in Christian charity as the harvest is being gathered in for His eye5nal glory. Maranatha!
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