baskets of hope

Baskets of Hope is associated with our Widows' Ministry at Bread of Life Mission.  Our staff meets weekly with a group of 11 widows to disciple them in their relationship with Christ as well as providing a safe place to build community among those women who are all in the same season (and allows them to share a meal).  One week of each month is spent teaching the women about managing their finances and then we partner with them to earn those finances to manage.

Some widows choose to make charcoal and sell it and some choose to make baskets for which the tribe is known throughout Kenya.  Most of our women choose to do both to support their families.

Baskets of Hope is an opportunity for the women to sell their baskets to BOL which then transports them to the U.S. where the baskets are resold and all the funds are returned to the woman and the ministry.  

Thanks to our generous customers in the U.S., our women are able to truly take care of their children and grandchildren, providing food, clothing, and education when it was previously not possible.

Support Our Widows' Ministry

agnes nariamao

Agnes has 6 children who have given her a total of 20 grandchildren!
"Before Bread of Life Mission's discipleship ministry, I didn't have clothes or food, but through Baskets of Hope, I have been able to purchase a motorbike to use as a taxi to make more money to support my family." - Agnes

AKATAROT LODEIYA

Akatarot has 3 daughters whom she's raised on her own for the last 14 years.
"For me, Bread of Life Mission is both father and mother.  When we need water, I call one of my fellow widows and she helps me carry water or find food.  Before this ministry, I had no one to depend on, but now I have Baskets of Hope to help me. - Akatarot

ANNA ACHOKA

Anna is mother to a son and a daughter and lost a third child to illness.  She is also a grandmother to 10 grandchildren.
"Bread of Life's Baskets of Hope has helped me to provide clothes, shoes, and books for my grandchildren for school.  It has been so hard to be alone, trying to figure out where I will find my food and clothes, but Baskets of Hope has changed that." - Anna

esther lapur

Esther lost her husband in 2017, leaving her with 5 sons and a daughter.
"The widows' discipleship program helped a lot when I lost my husband.  I had a lot of stress because my firstborn son was killed by a rival tribe around the same time.  I was thinking suicide was the only option, but the word of God rebuked me and sent me to this group.  God has provided women in the same situation, food, clothes, and money for my children to attend school." - Esther

LOWOYAKARU ALIO

Lowoyakaru has lived as a widow for many years raising her son and 2 daughters, losing her oldest, a daughter, just the spring of 2019.  She is now raising 3 of her 10 grandchildren.
"The widows' discipleship program has helped me not only with the loss of my husband but also my recent loss of my daughter.  Baskets of Hope is helping me raise my 3 grandsons." - Lowoyakaru

Maisa Lopeyo

Maisa lost her husband in 2000, leaving her to raise her 4 sons and 2 daughters.  She is also actively involved in raising the 3 grandchildren her 2 oldest sons have given her.
"Bread of Life Mission has helped a lot.  Baskets of Hope has helped me put some of my kids in school, clothe my family, and purchase a motorbike to use as a taxi and to carry the charcoal I make to market.  This discipleship program has also served to help me personally as a great encouragement." - Maisa

mary lopuu

Mary was widowed in 2013.  Since then, she's raised her 5 sons and 2 daughters on her own.  She currently has 5 granddaughters from her oldest daughter Rebecca and 2 grandsons.
"God decided this would happen.  We're now orphans and widows.  Most churches don't have anything for widows.  When I used to go to sleep, I'd cry out to God and ask him where to get food for my family, where to get clothes.  Now we have the mission and Baskets of Hope.  I can pay for my older son to go to high school, I can buy clothes for my other children, and I have even purchased goats as an investment." - Mary

mary Ngasike

Mary was widowed many years ago when her husband died in the dry riverbed after a wall of water rushed down from rain up river.  She lost her oldest daughter in the same way.  Her remaining daughter has 10 children, 7 girls and 3 boys.

Naminae Akai

Naminae has had many years to learn the life of a widow.  She gave birth to 4 children, but lost one to disease years ago.  Her remaining 3 children gave her 18 grandchildren.
"All of my boma, my children and grandchildren, depend on Baskets of Hope.  Because of what the Lord is doing through the mission, I know all will be okay."

paulina lorukia

Paulina lost her husband in about 2004 after they'd already created their family of 4 daughters and 3 sons.  Since losing her husband, she has gained 9 granchildren.
"Bread of Life Mission has helped us as widows so much!  When we lost our husbands, the Lord brought us this mission.  We thank God because He brought us this.  When I get money, I share it with my son and he helps me invest it."

rebecca Ekowom

Rebecca lost her husband just in 2017.  She has 14 children who have given her 21 grandchildren so far.
"I would be like an orphan, staying wherever if God was not God, seeing the orphan and widow.  I remember when I was introduced to new people and many refused to get to know me.  God has a plan for everyone.  When the mission came, they brought the Word of God and we received it.  The mission stayed and gave people work to benefit themselves.  I accepted the opportunity to work, but I didn't know that it would be so important.  This has helped each one of us.  We didn't have much money.  Even when our husbands were still alive, we didn't have much money.  God is a Husband and Father to everyone.  Because of what I've lived and learned thorugh the discipleship program, I want to know Jesus more because the Word is so important."