Transformed by Giving: One Supporter’s Story

Recently we received an email from a supporter that left us so amazed at how God works, that we just had to share it with you!

One of Nancy Alcorn’s favorite scriptures is “give and it will be given to you,” that is why Mercy Ministries is committed to giving 10% of every dollar raised to other ministries. Yet even we were surprised by the testimony from one of our Treasure Builders who’s transformation came, not from coming to Mercy Ministries but by giving! The Lord never ceases to amaze us.

“I am writing to share with you how my donation to help these MERCY girls has actually transformed MY life. When I started my $100 monthly donation I chose Mercy because I was struggling with an addiction to cocaine. I felt alone, hopeless, helpless and that God had left me. This went on for two years. I saw my life slipping away. I had even become friends with a good dealer and he would bring sandwich bags full, for free- almost daily.

But God never left me – He started taking people away from me so He could be near me. At one point, my dealer went on vacation and I had a hard time getting my hands on drugs. I started getting horrible withdrawals and felt like I was going to die. I thought the craving would never leave. When I was in withdrawal, I would take all kinds of prescription drugs (anxiety pills, sleeping pills…) I don’t know how I woke up, I tried so hard to take as much as possible so I wouldn’t wake up. My behaviour got very strange. I was very paranoid and my mom thought I was becoming mentally ill.

Reading Nancy Alcorn’s book gave Amery hope

After I started making my donations to Mercy Ministries, I went from not leaving my room, not eating, to being around people and my family, watching movies in a common area. I turned my $300-$500 a day habit to $180, down to $120 and now NOTHING. I read two of Nancy Alcorn’s books: “Mercy Moves Mountains” gave me hope that God can restore the worst of the worst. He never lets go no matter how far gone we are and we are meant to share our stories to give others hope. Reading “Echoes of Mercy” about how Nancy was saved and Mercy Ministries was started; her character and integrity became an example to me.

NOW, I have no craving or desire AT ALL for cocaine (THAT IS 100% GOD). I actually got violently ill the last time I drank and threw up when I smoked. God is a good God! I never thought I could escape any of these TEMPORARY highs. Now I wake up to a new career that I love. I know I get favour at work because I give. I was unemployed for 8 months but somehow always made my donation. Please tell these girls that I love them and I pray for them. They were strong for me when I couldn’t be; I am strong for them when they can’t fight anymore. Don’t ever think God is ignoring you; He is just getting people and things in place.

I want people to know they can come out of the pit bigger & better than before. If my past touches one life or brings change- I know God uses everything for good! My decisions nearly destroyed me but His grace is sufficient!

Love Always,

Amery”

“He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,  and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron. (psalm 107: 14 – 16)”

A Summer Celebration of Miracles

Last Sunday, under sunny skies and a cool breeze, board, staff, supporters and graduates of Mercy Ministries gathered to celebrate and thank God for everything that He has done over the last year. After enjoying delicious barbequed delicacies and cool drinks, supporters settled in to hear ministry updates from Executive Director Nicola Bartel.

Supporters enjoy a delicious barbecue and each other’s company

Of course the biggest reasons to celebrate are the lives that have been transformed and the hope that has been restored, to broken lives. 8 young women rededicated their lives to God and 7 were water baptized in the last year alone. Graduates (one who came from Edmonton for the occasion!)  and current residents stood to applause for their courage.

Graduates and residents look on in support as Jenn shares her story

2012 graduate Jenn DuLong shared her moving story of freedom, from sexual promiscuity, and an eating disorder through the counseling, care and biblical teaching at Mercy Ministries.  Then she told of a miracle God performed in her life as part of her journey, just as she was beginning to blossom within the security of the Mercy home:

“At 17, I had started having severe panic attacks, and I developed obsessive-compulsive disorder. I was so afraid of germs that I would wash my hands until they would literally bleed; I would never touch doorknobs; I would never shake hands; and if someone at my mother’s house got sick I would go stay with my dad for a couple of weeks until the sickness was out of the house. When I first came to Mercy I had to wear gloves in order to participate in meals and wouldn’t shake hands.”

The Christmas after I came to Mercy Ministries, someone anonymously donated a plane ticket to me so I could visit my family in Nova Scotia for Christmas – I don’t know who they are but thank you if you’re here. At first, I was really concerned about being away from Mercy; however, God surprised me with a very special Christmas present. While I was home, God randomly took away my obsessive-compulsive disorder. Out of no where, I was able to eat without washing my hands, shake others’ hands, and take communion for the first time in over 10 years! I was initially in shock; all I could do was cry and worship God for the two weeks I was home.  Imagine Mercy staff surprise when I came back after Christmas and had a bite of an apple without washing it!”

“The fact that this happened while Jenn was away from the Mercy home is a reminder that, it is God who does the work, not us.”said Nicola after the testimony that followed her report  to supporters. Nicola reported on the many ways God had provided  and worked through Mercy Ministries since the first anniversary celebration last August. Some of the highlights include:

Nicola Bartel Shares highlights from the last year of ministry

• The family of Ed Spence, an enthusiastic supporter of Mercy ministries who passed  away suddenly from a heart attack,  donated money to construct an external building to be used for counselling  and transitional care.
• Mercy Ministries Canada became the first Mercy home to have a doctor who makes weekly house visits.
• A generous businessman donated a second van and paid for the first year’s insurance. Giving us enough transportation to fill the home to its capacity of 20 girls!
• In 2011 Mercy Ministries of Canada miraculously met budget for the first time in its history.

A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. (psalm 11:25)

Thank you for the refreshing you’ve brought into the lives of young women who need Mercy!

A Good and Faithful Servant

Anne Marie with Mercy Ministries founder Nancy Alcorn at the gala celebrating the opening of the first Canadian home.

This month’s advocate on the move, Ann Marie Davison,  is one of the most inspirational advocates for Mercy Ministries of Canada.

Since she first heard about Mercy Ministries and decided she wanted to be a part of the ministry, she and her husband Mark have never wavered in actively supporting the ministry. Together, they have given  time, money,  talents, and prayers to see young women’s lives transformed.

Ann Marie had heard about Mercy Ministries before the vision had been cast to build a home in Canada, and her determined prayers and active work helped us realize the dream of completing the first Canadian home in Surrey.

This is how she explains the incredible journey:

“I first saw Nancy Alcorn on TV on the Life Today program in April 2000.  I was incredibly impressed with her integrity and the quality of Mercy Ministries, and I wanted to be part of it.  I emailed Mercy Ministries that very day to ask if I could support the ministry in Canada, and they replied that Mercy Ministries was not a registered charity in Canada.  So I asked God to bring Mercy to Canada.

I’m sure many other Canadians said that prayer after seeing that program with Nancy.  A few years later, I saw on John and Helen Burns’ TV show that Nancy was coming to the Life Women Conference.  I registered, believing I would get to meet Nancy.  At the Conference, Nancy shared her story and testimonies of Mercy grads. I was completely committed to becoming a Mercy supporter.  I signed up to be a Treasure Builder the first night it was announced that Mercy would be coming to Canada.  I was overjoyed when I heard about the Mercy Advocate program because it gave me a way of supporting Mercy Ministries other than just financially.  I was blessed to receive training as part of the first group of Mercy Advocates, and later to participate as a trainer myself.”

Anne Marie takes registration at Run for Mercy 2012.

Since taking that training as an advocate of Mercy Ministries, Ann Marie has served tirelessly to spread the word about Mercy Ministries  serving at over 40 events in the last seven years alone! She has used her gift of connecting with people to help bring healing and hope to hurting young women, and she has been blessed in return for her commitment.

“I most enjoy knowing that I’m serving God in a place He wants me to be.  All of the Advocates are wonderful to spend time with.  I’ve attended events as an Advocate that have blessed my life.  Talking is something I’m good at, and I just love telling people about how wonderful Mercy Ministries is.

Mercy Ministries brings freedom, not just recovery, because it is based on biblical principles.

Two verses that jump to mind are when I think about Mercy Ministries are:

Ann Marie with her husband Mark

Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (NLT)”

and John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. (NLT)”.

Thank you, Mark and Ann Marie!

The entire team at Mercy Ministries of Canada honours you!

“God uses our broken lives to bring healing, hope, and mercy to others.”

Our current advocate on the move works tirelessly to bring awareness to Mercy Ministries of Canada in her  community of Powell River. Despite being the only advocate in her area, she has been successful in raising funds and bringing others on board as monthly supporters of Mercy Ministries. Lori Brouwer, shares why she has such passion for Mercy Ministries.

Mercy Advocate Lori Brouwer

I first read an article in a Christian magazine about a girl with an eating disorder. She gave her testimony which included the healing she received through Mercy Ministries. I wish I could remember the name of the magazine but… there was also a web link to Mercy Ministries which I checked out. I was impressed with the ministry, its founder and its core issues. I was especially impressed with the fact that Mercy doesn’t ’sell out.’  In other words, it doesn’t take money from organizations that hinder them speaking of the name of Jesus.  

I did all my homework, checking out Mercy Ministries and was deeply moved by God. I just knew I wanted to be a part of this organization.

The Passion of Experience

I could relate to many of the struggles the young girls had because of my own background. I knew it was Jesus who had healed me. I know that God never wastes a hurt so long as you turn it over to Him and I knew that my life, my hurts could be used for His glory, to help someone else find healing, in Jesus name.

During the process of checking out Mercy, I discovered that they were trying to bring Mercy to Canada. I was excited about that as I love getting in on projects on a foundation level.

The Joy of Advocacy

I enjoy everything about being an advocate! I loved following the progress of the building of the home, love reading the testimonies of the girls and love to tell others about what God is doing through Mercy Ministries.

Lori lives in Powell River with her husband Stu

I would like people to know that God uses broken people all the time to get His message out! God loves, He heals, He restores and redeems lives, to be a part of that is absolutely amazing! I am always so amazed and stand in awe of our Lord who chooses to use us, and our broken lives to bring healing, hope and mercy to others. One person can make a difference! One dollar can make a difference. Listen to God, obey His promptings, receive His Blessings, watch Him change lives!

Thank you so much for your faithfulness to the call, Lori. We love you and we appreciate you!

A Year of Miracles

A Special extended edition of Speak Mercy
to mark a year since the opening of the Mercy Canada home.

It is exactly one year today since the doors of Mercy Ministries opened here in Canada and the first young woman was accepted into our program to find healing and freedom from issues that had controlled her for too long.  To God be the Glory!

A Celebration

An Anniversary Feast

To mark this important milestone, Last Sunday about 150  of Mercy Ministries’ supporters,  friends, graduates and staff  got together on the grounds of the Mercy Ministries home to remember what God has done and give thanks for everything that has happened over the last year.

It couldn’t have been a more perfect day for a celebration.  The sun was out and many supporters already in good spirits from having been at church service.  A wonderful spread of light snacks and sweets put together with love by Alan Koller and a beautifully restful setting created by Clara Atagi made for the perfect atmosphere for a Mercy family reunion.

As Mercy family members arrived, the sound of Jazz Music played by Ed and Salve Dayao of Java Jazz Café kept the mood light as many of those who had been on the journey to see hope renewed in broken lives came together in unity and Thanksgiving.

Special Message

Missing in person were Pastors John and Helen Burns who first had the vision of having a Mercy home in Canada. Away on a well deserved sabbatical, they made sure all who came knew that they were standing with us through a message read out by Nicola Bartel:

Pastors John and Helen Burns

“We’re in Uganda today, but our hearts and thoughts are with all of you as your celebrate this date that marks the anniversary of the Opening of the Mercy Home and all the miracles it represents.

The days behind us have been outstanding…we’ve seen the home finished, a fantastic staff built, and faithful partners have gathered to the vision and we are beyond grateful for everything that has been done and today we stand in awe.

The greatest miracle is the transformed lives of beautiful young women who have come and graduated, who are here in the home right now and who are still coming – the future looks amazing! To God be the glory great things He has done.

Thank you to every one who has stood with them to see their hope and future rise in the purposes of God. They needed you and you said yes – thank you.

To all our beautiful Mercy Girls... We love you… We miss you and look forward to catching up really soon. Have the most incredible day as you celebrate His faithfulness and goodness.”

John and Helen Burns xoxox

Graduates and current residents receive applause from guests for their courage to seek change

Challenges and Cheers

What a year it has been!

With the home built debt free and opened to young women, have come challenges expected and unexpected.  Difficulty finding relief staff has often meant that the amazing and dedicated staff team has put in many long hours to ensure quality care is given to the young women who come through the doors.

Released balloons represent prayer for freedom of the 59 girls in the intake process

Raising the finances for the ongoing costs of running a high quality program has proven to be quite the challenge.  There have been a few moments when we have needed a miracle to meet bills, and each time God has been faithful to come through, sometimes at the very last minute! To God be the Glory!  We are so grateful for our Treasure Builders who continue to provide monthly income for continued ministry to hurting young women.

Part of the story of the last year is told by the fact that Mercy Ministries was granted a 3 year accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitative Facilities (CARF) and is now in the process of certification with the  Canadian Council of Christian Charities (CCCC). These accomplishments are a testimony to the care and excellence that has gone into every aspect of serving the young women that God has entrusted to this ministry.

Of course as we look back on the past year we remember the 59 young women still in the intake process. A reminder of the great and ongoing need for Mercy Ministries in Canada. The need remains to fill the remaining unfunded beds in our current home and open other homes across Canada. Intake Director Marina Sullivan said a prayer for those in the intake process and balloons were released as symbol of their desired freedom.

Changed lives

Graduate Rachel tells her story and experience at Mercy

The biggest cheers of course go up for the changes that God has brought to the lives of young women through Mercy:

• 8 first time commitments to Christ
• 10 lives rededicated to Him
• 6 Water Baptisms
• 11 graduations.

That is almost one graduation, representing a life freed from strongholds, for every month that Mercy Ministries has been open.

To God be the Glory!

Click here to see more pictures of the anniversary celebration

To join in supporting Mercy Ministries please click here.

Mercy Comes Free

By Musu Taylor-Lewis

All of the young women, who come to the Mercy Ministries home, are taken in completely free of charge.  This is one of three founding principles given to Nancy Alcorn when she started Mercy Ministries over 25 years ago. It is an expensive commitment for a ministry that does not take funding from any  government source, but the importance of the principle came  through recently in the story of one of our Canadian residents.

She had applied to come to Mercy after years of struggling with a severe eating disorder and had looked at the possibility of going to a private eating disorder clinic in her city:

“They required a minimum stay of 80 days [less than 3 months] at the clinic and charged $600 – $800 per day.  It would have cost my family $48,000 for me to go there and we just don’t have that kind of money”

The fact that Mercy was free brought her through the doors, but while at Mercy this young lady dealt with so much more than her eating disorder and in the process found her way back to the God she had rejected as a youth.

Her story explains the heart of why Mercy will always be free; after all, the God who gave Nancy Alcorn those principles, also  gives mercy freely everyday to everyone of us, and Mercy Ministries is another way He extends his generosity to hurting young women.

Nancy Alcorn explains  in her book “Echoes of Mercy.”

“Part of the reason for this of course, is that many of the girls who come into the homes do not have any financial means. What a tragedy it would be for a child to be killed because a young woman could afford an abortion but not a safe haven to have her baby.

Even more important to us, however, is our desire to represent the unconditional love of Jesus. There are quite a number of girls whose parents could pay to send them to Mercy Ministries. If we charged any of the girls, they would be tempted to think that we are trying to help them simply because we get paid for our services. We don’t want to give the accuser any opportunity to cause the young women to doubt our intentions”

Nancy Alcorn with former Mercy Residents

Mercy stays free because of the generosity of individuals and like-minded organizations that faithfully support the ministry.
The Canadian home is completely funded by donors in Canada.  Currently matching funds, available to Mercy Ministries Canada doubles the monthly donations of all new Treasure Builders. Click here to find out more about this opportunity or to sign up as a monthly donor.

Meet Musu Taylor-Lewis: Director of Marketing and Development

By Nicola Bartel

Musu Taylor-Lewis

Musu Taylor-Lewis joined our Mercy staff team in late February to cover a Maternity post for Sarah Bessey  in Marketing and Communications.

Four months have passed and we feel so privileged to have her on our team. She is wise, winsome and has blended into the team with great ease. Musu brings extensive development experience to the table and has been in ministry leadership for years. Her heart is to see Christian ministries well represented and is leading the charge in ensuring we are moving forward with great presence both in our community and across our nation.

Currently Musu is leading a treasure builder matching campaign to elevate our monthly funds to enable us to reach our 20 bed capacity. She loves our young women who need Mercy and has experienced first hand the life transforming power of Christ in their lives while here in the program.
Knowing the great need that exists she is “pressing on toward the goal that is set before her” by planning our one year celebration and beyond to an exciting Gala in the fall!

“My motivation to help get all 20 beds filled comes from the faces of the young women in the home. In the  four months I have been at Mercy I  have already seen transformation that comes from the combination of program excellence and unapologetic gospel emphasis at Mercy. The mission to provide young women with an opportunity to experience God’s unconditional love are not just words on a page but is put into practice  with every counseling session, discipline, worship time, teaching and fitness class.

Mercy is a great representative of Christ’s church in our community and it is a privilege for me to be able to contribute to this work. I am convinced that the more people know how Mercy Ministries touches lives the more open they will be to investing in this life changing ministry.”

Thank you Musu for putting your faith in action, for being hands on and humble in heart! We love having you on the team!

We are building the walls with prayer

About 30 women gathered at the new Mercy Canada house last night.

We lit candles, prayed together, opened our Bibles and then began to write prayers and scriptures of hope all over every wall in that house.

I have to confess – I cried like a baby.

It was a powerful thing. All of the women there had their own story.

I spoke with one precious mother whose own daughter has struggled with self-harm, cutting and anorexia for years. She was there, as a mother, standing in the gap for all of those mothers whose daughters fight that battle. She wrote Scripture after Scripture on the walls, praying each one in a whisper.

In the bathrooms, there are now words about beauty and wholeness, about the glory of a woman fully surrendered to Jesus.

In the bedrooms, words of peace and rest, sleep and quiet. Whispers of love, shouts of joy.

In the dining rooms and gathering places, words of power, healing, strength and freedom.

We are speaking the words of life over them already. We are building this house with the prayers of many, the tears of the waiting and words of life. These words will be written again on the studs and frame of the house itself, carved into the foundation and then written in our hearts.

It’s been a long road to get here. We do everything debt-free and so we never take another step until we can pay for it in full. We bought the land (a beautiful 4.3 acres in south Surrey) and now we are about to renovate the house. And we’ll be open next year after the renovation.

You know what the means? In less than a year, she’ll be living there. Surrounded by love, compassion, wholeness. Receiving the help she so desperately needs.

She’ll be set free. Hope will be restored. And her life will be transformed.

Oh, my heart is grateful for all of our supporters. Look at what the Lord has done!

- Sarah