Photo: Widow Margaret is using her new water filtration system.

2014 was a very busy and productive time for the Bryce Homes in Kenya. At the beginning of 2014, we launched the latrine project, and in just one year, latrines were built for all the widows’ homes. This has provided a major improvement for the lives of the widows and children who had no facilities at all prior to the latrines. There was a lot of work involved in building each latrine. First, a very deep hole had to be dug in the ground near each home and often in very rocky conditions. Then came a two-stall brick latrine, which was later covered with plaster and painted. One stall holds a toilet, while the other side is for washing and bathing. Most of the widows had never used a latrine before, and this seemingly small thing has really changed their lives (click here for article and a photo of a latrine).
 

Photo: Widow Irine is getting her supplies for her SBO business.

Small Home Business Project: Perhaps the most exciting project that was started in 2014 by UTT with the Bryce families is the SBO program—that’s the Small Business Opportunity program. Each widow is given a small amount of “seed” money ($75), who in turn, uses the money to purchase goods and materials to start a small home business. To date, the SBO program is going very well, and the widows are loving the fact that they can help support themselves. It is giving them some hope for their futures. As we have reported in the past, the home businesses are anything from selling fish, baked pastries, hand-made candles, sewn items, home-grown vegetables, and so forth.

Solar Lights:

One of the things we began doing in January 2015 is buying solar lights for each of the families. There is no electricity in most of these homes, and once the sun goes down and it gets dark, indoor activities at home are extremely limited. The cost for each solar light is $75, and the plan is that each family will have one solar light.

A New Church Building:

As we shared with you on January 1, 2015 in our article “A Church and Community Center for a Kenyan Village,” there is a need to build a church building in one of the regions where we have a number of Bryce Homes. There is a pastor in place already serving the outdoor congregation, and many people from the community have shown an interest in attending this church. We estimate that around 200 people will come each week. During the middle of the week, the building can be used for a Bible school as well as a trade training center. The finished building will look similar to this photo on the left and will also have a three-stall latrine. The cost of this building and the latrine is about $3700. This will include a metal roof with wood rafters and a plastered floor. We would like to install a cookstove for meals and tea and also buy plastic chairs. This would of course be additional costs.

We pray you will consider being a part of this missions program through praying and giving as you are led by the Lord. To all of the Lighthouse Trails and Understand the Times readers who have donated to the Bryce Homes in Kenya, the Bryce families and the LT and UTT staff say thank you. And please know, this is not just a mission project for the physical needs of these brothers and sisters – it is an effort in helping to raise up children who will love the Lord, understand the times in which we live, and serve Him wholeheartedly when they become adults. The pastors and the widows are learning about the Word of God and about spiritual deception and how to avoid it. They in turn are teaching the children the ways of God through His Word by the Holy Spirit.