All we want for Christmas is… 2000 Days.

2000 Days of Mercy

That is what we have on our Christmas wish list here at Mercy Ministries of Canada. It is a great-big-audacious-over the top goal,  but we know that
“What is impossible with man is possible with God”

Felicity needed the time to get on the road to transformation

…and we know only too well what each of those days would mean to a hurting young woman.   Every day spent at Mercy Ministries brings a troubled young woman closer to transformation -  just like they did for Felicity, our most recent graduate.

Felicity had grown up in Ontario,  with loving parents in a Christian home, but after some trauma at a young age she began to believe that she was “worthless, stupid, boring and unlovable”

“In high school I  began doing anything to stay in the popular crowd: drinking, sex, drugs, fooling around with girls, whatever it took to make other people like me and to numb the pain of hating myself at the same time.”

After years of rebellion and depression Felicity finally realized she needed help and applied to come to the Mercy Ministries home in British Columbia.  Each day Felicity spent at Mercy Ministries moved her forward along the road to transformation:

“I took a step of faith and flew five and a half hours alone to Mercy.  When I got here I realized just how difficult this was all going to be.  I really wanted help but I didn’t know if I could face my problems head on so far away from anything familiar to me, but that’s where I found God.  I finally realized I cant do anything and I don’t have to, God wanted to help me!  So I decided to stay no matter how scared I was and to trust God again little by little.

At first I didn’t trust anyone here.  I didn’t trust the staff because I had so many professing Christian people in my life lie to me and let me down, but God softened my heart.  I began to feel the love from the staff here, God showed me that they really were here because they wanted to help me and love me back to God.  Once I trusted them I became like a sponge, trying to learn all I could and apply it to my life.

One day here, a scripture I had heard many times before finally impacted me , I applied it to myself and realized… I’m fearfully and wonderfully made, oh my gosh! I am made in the image of God , I’m the head and not the tail, there is no way if I am created in his image that I am worthless or boring, I am a favored child of God!  I began discovering my new identity in Christ, forgiving and cutting off soul ties.  I revisited the dreams in my heart like moving to England – because of my heart for British people and my ancestry – pursuing cosmetology, competing with my horse and also new dreams he had placed in my heart,  like one day helping girls who had been in the same dark place I had been and speaking to them about God’s love and their worth in Christ.

After slowly rediscovering who God created me to be and letting him in to do what he needed to do, the fear just left, my depression lifted and the feelings of being dirty and guilty were gone, I was redeemed!  The love and acceptance of God changed everything.”

Every one of the days Felicity spent at Mercy Ministries made a difference! Young women like Felicity – who come to Mercy needing time to work through their difficulties – spend about 200 days  in our free of charge program. Each of those days costs $165  and every day of Mercy is chock full of  God’s word, Biblical counseling, loving support, prayer, challenge, nutrition education,  food, shelter, medical support, hope and love!

2000 days of Mercy would provide the funds to take 10 young women through our entire program of restoration and hope!

So how many days of Mercy can you give?  You could not give a more important gift to a hurting young woman this season. Just ask Felicity. This year her Christmas will be filled with hope.

“Thank you for creating a safe place for me to come and walk this journey out with God … God has truly restored me and redirected the entire course of my life through Mercy Ministries and I will never be the same!”

Click here to make a donation today.

Caleb’s Note

Every so often at Mercy we have moments that remind us just how much the work, prayers and support are transforming lives.  Each one of those moments is precious but some tug at the heartstrings more than others and make everything worth it.

Today we received the gift of a moment like that in the form of a “thank you” note from a 10 year old boy.

Caleb’s mom, graduated from the program earlier this year. Just before she left, she reflected on the impact her transformation would have on her 2 children.

“They can see what it is to have a normal, healthy family. Generations will be changed because of this.”

Caleb with his Mom, who graduated from Mercy earlier this year

Today her words are all the more meaningful. Generations are already being changed because of the Mercy program. What a thrill to get a glimpse of the ripple effect of one transformed life through the early Christmas gift of Caleb’s note.

Caleb’s thanks goes out to all the staff, board and  the supporters of Mercy who make it all possible. Of course we can all join together to thank God for His work in transforming a life and giving a  little boy a reason to hope.

Give a Mercy-filled Christmas

The Mercy-filled Christmas project is in full swing and we’re getting excited by the response we’ve had so far.

With a month to go before our Christmas celebration in the home, almost all the gifts from our gift registry have either been bought or pledged by supporters. Gifts are being provided by women’s groups, bible study groups, churches and individuals.  Thank you!

For many of the residents, Christmas can bring back painful memories and this project is a great way to remind our residents of the community that surrounds them and is rooting for their freedom.  To get a glimpse of just how much this will mean to the residents, read about last year’s  Very Mercy Christmas Party in the Speak Mercy archives.

There is still time for you to get involved in this worthwhile project; here are some ways you can do that:

• Check out the gift registry to see what is left for purchase. Choose a gift that you would like to provide for residents then buy or join forces with others to provide 12 of each item.
• Think of a gift that you would like to provide for the residents and let us know by emailing info@mercyministries.ca.
  

  $165 covers the cost of a day at Mercy

• Provide a day of Mercy.
  All our young women attend Mercy completely free of charge. As a gift to our residents you can cover the cost of counseling, meals, biblical teaching, and fitness instruction for a day at Mercy Ministries. Of course with our matching campaign going on right now, you would be providing for 2 days of Mercy with this gift. Simply go to our gift registry and purchase One day or Half a day of Mercy. 

No matter which option you choose, you will be helping to transform lives and restore hope.

Merry Christmas!

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Happy, happy Christmas everyone! Click here to read our 2010 Christmas Letter.

A Reminder for All of Us

As we celebrate this beautiful season with our friends and families, we ask that you would take some time to pray for the young women across Canada that are struggling this Christmas.

For many, this can be a difficult season of painful experiences or memories.  But we know that God has a plan and a purpose for each precious life.

Let’s commit together to supporting the young women of Canada in prayer. And to loving those girls that God brings across each of our paths, particularly over this Christmas season. You never know the eternal impact of loving the girls that are right there in your community, church or home. Invite them over for a cup of coffee, give a gift or a meaningful letter, take time to speak words of encouragement and pray for those that are right before you.

Our God is mighty to save! As the prophet wrote in Zephaniah 3:17, “The Lord your God is with you. He is a hero who saves you. He happily rejoices over you, renews you with His love and celebrates over you with shouts of joy.”

Can you imagine the impact of it? Can you imagine if each of us were just to reach out to one hurting young woman in our circle to tell her that she is worthy of love, that she is a daughter of the Most High, that she has a future and hope? And then to love her in tangible ways – clothing, meals, words of encouragement, even encouraging them to apply for Mercy or supporting Mercy on her behalf. Wow! We hear stories like this every day and it gives us such hope. The Body of Christ is alive and active, in large and small ways, all across Canada. Thank you for everything that you are already doing to love those that God has placed in your world.

May each of us experience such wondrous love this Christmas!

The Very Mercy Christmas Party

Thank you to everyone who supported the Very Mercy Christmas surprise party for our residents. We had so much fun plotting for this party. The afternoon of the big day, we took the girls out of the house and then, boy, was there a flurry of activity! We were decorating and cooking a huge turkey, setting tables, wrapping gifts and blaring the Christmas music.  There must have been some angel activity in that kitchen because miraculously, all of the dishes were ready right on time!

Isn’t it just such fun to be busy working at making someone else happy?

When the girls returned from their outing, they were overwhelmed! We sat down for a huge Christmas dinner and then spent some time singing Christmas carols and hymns by the light of the tree. It was all so beautiful and intimate. Some of our residents were already weeping – it felt like family.

But then the biggest surprises began! We ushered everyone into the Gathering Room and started to bring out the presents.

I struggle to even find the words to tell you what this was like.  There were immediate shrieks of joy and laughter but then it turned to tears and brokenness. They just couldn’t believe that all of these gifts were for them. And from people that they didn’t even know. People that just loved them, right where they were.

You know, the devil can tell such lies, telling them they are not worthy of love, not worthy of even something as simple as a Christmas gift. But here we were on behalf of so many, lavishing gifts on them that were really just a tangible representation of people all over Canada (and the world!) that are loving them, praying for them, supporting their commitment to freedom and their stay here at Mercy.

We were all overwhelmed.

There was great joy and laughter as they unwrapped their gifts. A huge thank you to those of you who donated or contributed towards this special day. None of us will ever forget it.

In quiet places that night, we’d catch them, sitting with the letters or cards or gifts, just marveling at what it represented and the people who would do this for them.

So many of them said that it was the best Christmas they had ever had and that they felt like they had a huge, beautiful family.
A simple “thank you” can feel inadequate to the monumental experience of that evening – the candles, the intimacy, the singing, the prayers, the joy. But thank you. From all of us that were privileged to be your hands and feet of love that night and especially from the girls. You all helped to create a beautiful Christmas for so many. And may it always be counted unto you as righteousness.
Happy Christmas!

With great love and gratitude for each of you on their behalf,
Sarah

Announcing the Very Mercy Christmas project!

Christmas… for some it is a time to celebrate life. It is a time filled with love, joy and great memories. For others, Christmas is a time that seems to magnify heartache until it is almost unbearable.

Unfortunately, the majority of the girls at Mercy Ministries of Canada find Christmas to be an intense reminder of the rejection and loneliness they have experienced in their lives. Memories of abuse have utterly stolen the joy away from them for the Christmas season.

It is our desire to restore the love and joy of the Christmas season and beyond. Christmas has proven to be one of the best times for us to show these girls unconditional love. You can make this Christmas a special time – for many it will be the first time they receive gifts without condition.

Since this is our first Christmas in the home, we’ve chatted with our sister homes around the world to make sure the day is memorable.  So, in addition to a big Christmas dinner and party, we want to surprise the residents with presents, sponsored by you – our supporters! Everything from iPods to Bibles, jeans to jewellery, the girls will be overwhelmed.

Also, we want to give the girls an opportunity that many have never had in their lives – a chance to go shopping to purchase new things! Many of our girls need things as simple as winter coats, undergarments or shoes – some of the girls have actually come in with only the clothes on their backs. Please join us in making it possible to present each girl with a generous gift cheque so we can take her shopping for the things she so desperately needs.

We’ve heard that there are hardly words to describe the shock and amazement on the girls’ faces as they open their envelopes. They are in awe that people who have never met them care enough to give them a Christmas they never thought possible. There is not a dry eye in the house.

One graduate from a US home recalls: The first thing I wanted to do was give the money back! How could I receive something I did not deserve? Then it hit me, God had been trying to give me His love, but I kept pushing it away because I thought I was too awful of a person to receive it. God used that gift to open my heart into receiving even greater things from Him!

You can sponsor a specific gift by visiting our online Christmas Gift Registry with your family, friends, church or business. Or if you prefer to contribute to the gift cheque, simply click here and note in the comments that your gift is for Christmas. Or feel free to call our office at 604-535-1983 if something else is on your heart as a gift and we’ll be happy to help.

Thank you for being faithful. We pray according to Luke 6:38, “give and it shall be given” – that you will have the best Christmas ever! We thank God for your partnership that extends to the desperate girls we serve!
For the girls who need Mercy,

Nicola Bartel

Mercy Ministries of Canada

Executive Director