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Bryce Homes Kenya Update |
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Greetings from Bryce Homes Kenya! April came with easter blessings to every Bryce Home of Kenya as every household received a basket of gifts from this life touching program. Even though it was not different from the regular monthly support but it came at the most appropriate time and season. What made this even more interesting is the fact that children were home for holidays from school. We had an opportunity to minister to the children in word and deed and the testimonies they gave were quite reflective of the far Bryce Homes Program has brought them. Most of these children were very young when this program started in Kenya 13 years ago. Both UTT and Lighthouse Trails readers have been so helpful over the years in giving generously to help these Christian families put bread on the table. What may not be known to us (readers) unless it is well communicated is the fact that majority of the children in this part of Kenya are parentless as a result of the demise of one parent or both. The spread of HIV/AIDS over this region has been the main cause of many children being orphaned. These children therefore live with their grandmothers who have with time become completely helpless with old age. This is one of the main reasons why we use Bryce Homes Program to minister to the people here in word and deed so that souls may be won to Christ and good morals taught through Christian family fellowships.
When Roger first visited this part of Kenya, he was so touched throughout his mission. He then wondered how he could continue to minister the word to a dying young generation hence the idea to roll out Bryce Homes Program in Kenya. Though in a humble beginning with less than five households, he (Roger) shared the touching information with the readers and gradually the number of the households under Bryce Homes Program began growing in Kenya. The best thing that happened was to ignite the Pastors who served along with Pastor Achilla (the host) to catch the vision of Bryce Homes Mission and this made it possible for this noble mission to go on even when Roger is not in Kenya. I would say without fear of contradiction that embracing integrity and faithfulness in service to the poor by the Bryce Homes Kenya Board (Overseers) has equally played a pivotal role. This has enabled the widows and orphans directly receive the donations without money being channeled into administration.
During the Month of April, as we visited Bryce Homes, we had ample time with these Christian children and gave them opportunity to share their testimonies. These cases were so touching to hear but we thank God they were already out of the danger they were in several years ago. Following the demise of their bread winners (mainly fathers) most of them could not understand some weird cultural practices and traditions they were being subjected to. They explain that the teaching of the Word of God which they received upon being part of Bryce Homes made their surviving mothers/ grandmothers shun the bad traditions and culture. This is because their widowed mothers were initially subjected to the weird culture of wife inheritance in order to earn a living. They explain that Bryce Homes Program was the best alternative that came their way as they could now get regular nourishment and their households improved through building of shelter and sanitation.
The kind of excitement these children have always been left with is something that could only be realized through Bryce Homes Program. Most of them were so young when the program just began 13 years ago.
Bryce Homes Kenya has indeed changed so many lives that have been touched by the different kinds of support in this program. The fact that we currently serve 35 households means that we have always graduated the now stable households and replaced them with the more deserving cases. This we do especially when one becomes stable in Small Business Opportunities which we introduced some years back. We have since replaced over fifty households who are now leading a more stable and self-dependent lives.
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