Mercy House

You know the feeling you get when a ministry strikes you to the core and you just can't NOT do something?  When God tugs on your heart, day after day, urging you to take a step and DO something?

Well, I feel that way about a very small number of ministries.  Free Wheelchair Mission.  Compassion International. World Vision. And now there is one more.

Mercy House.

What do these ministries have in common?  They are comprised of people who have listened to that tug from God and have responded.  They are ministries that can take the little I have to give and multiply it to help many.

Mercy House is a brand new ministry.  Kristen from We Are THAT Family has answered God's call.  She is starting a maternity home.  In Kenya. Africa.   That's a BIG thing.  Mercy House will be an alternative for women to back alley abortions.  Here's the mission statement:

The Mercy House exists to provide alternative options for pregnant girls living in the streets of Kenya. The Mercy House will aid them in nutrition, housing, prenatal care, counseling, Biblical teaching and job skills for sustainable living.

Why Kenya?
Kristen explains:

The Issue:

• Annually, 26,000 women die from having an illegal, unsafe abortion in Kenya. (Center for Reproductive Rights)
• Abortion is a volatile topic in Kenya.
• 13,000 Kenyan girls are kicked out of school for being pregnant. (Center for Reproductive Rights)
• Every 30 minutes, a woman is raped in Kenya. (Nairobi Women’s Hospital)
• Mothers often force their daughters into trading sex for food in the slums (CNN)
• More than 20,000 children are sex trafficked in Kenya (Human Trafficking)

The Vision:

• Provide a safe place-a guarded home with six maternity beds
• Prenatal Care-vitamins, checkups
• Proper Nutrition-protein and regular meals
• Counseling-post abortion/prostitution
• Ministry-prayer, Biblical teaching
• Skills-jewelry, soap, sewing (future products will be sold here)
• A nurturing environment in-which to give birth
• A safe place to stay and learn and heal until they graduate from the program
• A fund to start small business or go to school

Get Involved.

• Pray.  Pray for Mercy House. Pray for how God wants you involved.
• Follow.  Follow Mercy House through the website, twitter, and Facebook.
• Donate.  Donate money.  Donate supplies (see list at the bottom of this post).  Donate hand-crafted items to be sold in the Mercy House Etsy shop.
• Shop.  Do some gift shopping in the Mercy House Etsy shop.

Let's seek God and give what we can.  Let's change the world, one person at a time.