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THE BLESSING OF JOY

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Mercy House Update: May 2014

A wise man said: “There is so much suffering in the world; we should do whatever we can to spread joy.”

The more we open our eyes to the suffering of people around us, especially those less privileged than ourselves, the more we realise the need for the healing power of joy.  Did you ever see a photo of a child soldier, or the homeless kids at our city robots or the men pushing trolleys loaded with cardboard or metal for kilometres in the city, with joy on their faces? Highly unlikely.  All the more challenge to us, to try to bring joy into people’s lives.  You cannot give what you do not have within yourself.  We should pray for the grace of joy in our own hearts, but that is not enough: we have an obligation to find ways to give joy to others.  We should not let even one day go by, without enkindling that joy somewhere, without pursuing the goal of “faces with a smile.”
Easter is a time for joy!  Imagine the incredulous joy on the faces of the disciples when they discovered and realised that Our Lord was no longer in the tomb that He really had risen, as He said He would. Take note of the joy of the women who had found the empty tomb: “Filled with awe and great joy, the women came quickly away from the tomb and ran to tell the disciples (Mt 28,8).”   Imagine the joy of His Mother, who had carried Him in her womb, adored Him as a child, seen his miracles but also the horrors of His crucifixion and seen Him sealed in a tomb… 
MERCY HOUSE is well aware of the sorrows of the young people we serve. We have orphans, and other young people who have suffered huge psychological scars, having witnessed unspeakable, undreamed-of things.  All the more need for us to give them as much joy as possible. And this is something that people ALWAYS comment on after visiting Mercy House: the pervading atmosphere of peace and joy.  To this end we do have lovely celebrations on feast days like Christmas and Easter, but also have our outings to the park. We thank all those who support these events and provide delicious food and so on.  The photos below show some of the joy at such events held on Easter Sunday and at our picnic at the park on 28 April.
Our children catching Easter eggs thrown down from the roof by the Easter bunnies.

Father Jeremias consulting the 2 Easter bunnies as to where they hide out during the year till next Easter…
Emmanuel, our website designer and organiser of our celebrations with his baby girl, Benita, at the park. 
Keiko having a great time at our picnic-at-the-park

Father John with Diana and David at braai time at the park.

BRAG BOOK

We are so proud of our young people!
Our Felix, orphan from Sudan, did us proud again this year, heaping up more awards. This time, in March, he received two awards:
Best overall student for the past 3 years and
Best Micro-biology student.
On 11 June, Felix will graduate with a Diploma in Medical Research from The University of Johannesburg and next year he will complete his 4 year degree.
In March Meshack graduated with an Honours degree in Implementation of Information Technology in Schools. 
Saturday 10 May saw two of our students, Norbert and Gregory (see the photo below), performing in a concert given by the Music Enlightenment Project, in the Braamfontein Recreation Centre. 
This project endeavours to engage inner-city kids with developing their music skills, teaching them to play an instrument in a classical orchestra and giving them a love for the same.

EMPOWERING OUR PEOPLE

Of course one of our main aims is to assist our people to get onto their feet in life, be they children or adults.  Giving them education of some form of skills-based training is the implementation of this. This has led us to embark on our

Handcraft Project

We are helping the Mercy House ladies to start a handcraft project, so that they may be able to become self-supporting.  They are making bags, table mats, aprons, jewellery some of which are seen in the photos below.

We also have assisted Papa Zeng to get an industrial machine that will enable him to put his amazing skills into practise and get onto his feet in life so that he can support his family. The photos below show some of his work – bags and hats to match!

If any of our readers knows of an outlet for these beautiful goods please do contact us.  We are trying to get some of these to the UK where St Richards will hold a mid-year fund-raiser for us, and they would like to have some of our crafts to sell.  So, we are also looking for someone who may be going to the UK fairly soon, who might be able to take a small parcel over to this end.

MOVING OUT BUT NEVER OUT OF OUR HEARTS

John Kashindi is an orphan from the DRC who was placed with us at the age of 8 – see photo of him at that time with Sister Fidelis.  
He has been with Mercy House for 13 years.  We put him into school, where he honoured himself by being chosen as head boy, see photo below.  
John trained as a baker/ caterer and is now working in the bakery of Waterfall Retirement Estate.  John is loved by all, especially as he is very caring person, and proves it by his deeds of kindness. To our surprise he has decided to move out into a private room, fortunately very near Mercy House. We are so thrilled to see that one of youngsters, whom we watched grow from a boy into a man, has turned out to be a genuinely good person, a very strong character and an asset to the community. We wish him well. John is seen in the photo below moving his belongings on 5 May.
  

PUTTING A SMILE ON THE FACES OF OTHERS – OUR MISSION!

We found Emily living on a stoep at the back of a house in Troyville. Her dad died some years back and her mother died 18 months ago, leaving her, as the oldest in the family, to look after a family of 6!  Since she has to look after the family she cannot work. She is always short of food and other basic needs.  Emily asked if we could find some second-hand shoes for her family for Winter.  We advertised in some parishes are immensely grateful to those who responded with donations for her, which will not only cover shoes, but also school fees for her brother and sister.  On Monday, 5 May, we took them shopping to buy the shoes.   For little Razak (4 years old), the shopping centre was a completely new experience and he was running around madly. It was a great joy for them to buy brand new shoes.  The joy on Razak’s face, seen in the photo below, says it all. 
Emily, seen in the second photo was also deeply grateful. We thank those who, through their donations helped us to help them. May you be rewarded and blessed. 

Diesco, Danny and Zeng at the Lion Park

One Saturday in May Mrs Rosemary Benjamin, one of our co-workers, gave some of our boys a real treat: she took them to the Lion Park.  They were amazed that they were able to come into close contact with the wild animals, even playing with the lion cubs and stroking the giraffe. A great time was had by all.

A TRIBUTE TO OUR COMBONIS

On Friday 16 May the Comboni Missionaries commenced their celebration of being in South Africa for 90 years,  with a beautiful celebration at Maria Trost Mission outside Lydenburg, where they have been active for most of that period.  The church in South Africa owes so much to their dedicated service and, so indeed, does Mercy House and the refugee community. We thank them and assure them of our loyal support and prayers for many more prosperous years and many vocations! In the photos we see Father Jeremias,. provincial, Father Fabio, the mission superior, the mission sister, Diana and David who were present for the happy occasion.

UPDATE – APRIL 2014

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A TIME OF BLESSINGS AND GRACE    –   HISTORIC VISIT OF FATHER ANDREW FROM THE U.K.

We are happy to report that Father Andrew Moss, from St Richard’s parish in England, visited Mercy House from the 11th to the 18th March 2014.  This short spell of 8 days was jam-packed with most interesting experiences.  We made sure that Father got to know our refugees on the ground level – in their day-to-day life situations.  We visited Shadadi (whom we took in as an orphan at age 8), at the hospital where he now works, all the schools that our Mercy House children attend, critically poor homes, Mari-Bernard’s garden, the place where Zeng’s parents sell at their inner-city street stall, the centre where the ladies learn crafts, the inner-city scholars’ orchestra where our Norbert plays his clarinet etc.
These experiences are captured in the many photos which will follow below.


March 2014: Father and Diana visiting Shadadi where he works


Father Andrew with  the 4 MH children attending Phoenix college

Father visiting Zeng’s family at their home

Visiting the place where Zeng’s parents sell at their inner-city stall


  

Norbert playing the clarinet that Father Andrew  brought for him from the UK

From Left to Right: Fr Andrew, Diana and Dr Martin

 FATHER ANDREW’s REFLECTION ON HIS VISIT TO 

MERCY HOUSE


In March of 2014 I had the privilege of visiting Mercy House and sharing its life for a week. I learned that it is only by sharing in the life of MH that one can truly understand what it is about. Before I went I imagined MH to be something of an accommodation agency, providing a much needed roof over the head of those fleeing from conflict. However, I can see now that MH is so much more; above all MH acts as a mother to those who live beneath its roof. Mothers are concerned about the big needs of their children – food, shelter, education – and so is MH. But mothers are also concerned with the small details of their children’s lives – ensuring they travel safely, are ready for school, encouraging them to explore life-enhancing opportunities, such as music.  These are all what MH does as well. As such, beneath the roof of MH, I met confident young people who had stability and security in their lives, because they know they are loved.  I found them anxious to make a contribution to the wider community and to the world.  I also discovered that MH’s influence extends far beyond its walls; it helps so many who do not actually live there  in paying for school fees, assisting with starting a business, helping with finding goods to sell on the streets of Johannesburg, and in many other ways too numerous to list here.

The week spent alongside MH was packed full of visits and activities, all memories to treasure. However, there are three events from the week which can serve to summarise the whole experience; the first of these events was a visit to a project called the ‘Music Enlightenment Programme’ in the centre of Johannesburg.

The amazing youth orchestra that our Clarinet boy, Norbert, has joined through Phoenix College
This programme consists of an orchestra formed from girls and boys from deprived backgrounds who attend nearby schools, including 2 Mercy House boys.

I heard the orchestra energetically rehearsing some pieces for a performance the next day; much of the music was not written down, the orchestra was one which had children of varying levels of ability, but the gifted conductor coaxed from the ensemble a sound that was truly wonderful.

Meeting Mr Mike Thiel principal of Dominican Convent School



The second memorable event was a visit to the Dominican Convent School. This excellent, private Catholic school takes a small number of MH children at reduced fees. I was able to see how MH children thrive at this school with its excellent resources and leadership, together with a strong Catholic ethos. At the same time, the school was keen to emphasise how much MH children give to the school and are excellent students. As part of the visit the school even organised an exhibition of the award-winning artwork of Zeng, a MH student.
Zeng with his own art work which was put on exhibition especially for our visit to his school

The third memorable event was that of a visit to the home of Dr Martin Kalenga. As a medical student in his home country, he was forced to flee from war with nothing, and found refuge at MH. Thanks to help from MH in a myriad of different ways, Dr Martin qualified as a doctor in 2002. He is now a specialist.  We visited  Dr Martin and his family at his home, and  it was moving to hear him speak with deep gratitude to MH for helping him turn his life “down side up”, to achieve his dreams.

Throughout the week I often thought of that title of Our Lady – Mother of Mercy. For me this encapsulates the work of Mercy House; it shares in the work of Mary who is the Mother of God and our mother as well. May MH continue to act as a mother to so many, to share in Mary’s role of leading us to Jesus, the source of all mercy.

Mama Berthild wearing the apron which is part of the crafts that she is making

The 5 Congolese children orphaned when their relatives were killed in an explosion beside their house

Father Andrew and Moise

 Front entrance of the Combonis Provincial House where Fr Andrew stayed.

Interior of Comboni chapel  where Father Andrew offered daily mass

View of Schoenstatt marian shrine where Fr concelebrated


Let us entrust the work of Mercy House to the prayers of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy, so that God’s work will continue to be done in this corner of his world.

Father Andrew Moss                                                                                       March 2014

Update January 2014

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The Lord bless you and keep you;The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. (Number 6: 24-26).

These three verses are called the priestly blessing in the OT. It is a blessing that the priests give over the people when they part from the Temple or the synagogue. Those who receive the blessing bow their heads and listen attentively to the words of the priest.
Some Bible scholars see in it a reference to the Trinity. There is a triple invocation of the Lord to bless the people of Israel:
–      The first verse refers to God the Father who protects;
–      The second concerns God’s face, Christ, who is gracious and forgiving;
–      The third verse is a peace blessing which can be attributed to the Holy Spirit who descends upon Jesus like a dove.
Recently a silver amulet was discovered with this blessing in it. It is believed the amulet goes back to the 7th century Before Christ. Therefore, it is considered the oldest known remnant of Scripture.
It is a beautiful blessing for the whole year. A blessing to be bestowed upon us and upon the world. It is a blessing that gives us the sense of God’s Call to be and become a Blessing. A blessing that shows our Identity as a family, a community, fashioned and moulded in the likeness of the Trinity. A blessing that gives us hope and encourages us to keep the flame alive, so that Mercy House may continue being a blessing to our society and especially to those who journey through life under its wings!

“May the Lord bless you and keep you, may he let his face shine on you and give you his peace.”
Fr Jeremias


2013: A YEAR OF GRACE AND BLESSINGS
When looking back at the highlights of 2013 we have to acknowledge that Mercy house has to be one of God’s favourite and most favoured creations! Indeed, it was a year of achievement, joy, blessings and grace, as the following summary shows..
In January we had our first Mercy House Information Morning, which proved to be highly successful and beneficial for our benefactors – the invited guests – good for them to get a closer look at our work.  11 of our children went back to school and 6 tertiary students to their colleges and universities. Everyone in the house was doing some form of training… even the ladies doing courses in dressmaking and handcrafts. 
In February, English classes for refugee women were started, with courses running the whole year. 
  

Easter was quite unique since, for the first time ever, a huge Easter Bunny came to visit us, an occasion of great joy. In May, after 4 years of study, Meshack Rafik graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Education. During 2013 he did his honours degree at Wits, on implementing Information Technology programmes in schools.  He did so well in this that Wits has now given him a bursary to his Masters’ Degree there during 2014. We congratulate him for this.

In May we met and were able to assist 5 Congolese siblings, seen in the picture below, whose parents and whole extended family had been killed in an explosion beside their home in Congo.


In June, Nigerian Stella Ozoane joined our team of co-workers, and got down to teaching English to newcomers.  She was joined by Sister Clementine of the Holy Family Sisters, who started preparing children for Baptism and First Holy Communion. 


In August we received 12 year old Danny into our house community, coming from Goma in Eastern DRC, where his whole family had just been killed by the M23 army.

On 24 September we held our second Mercy House Information morning which was also a great success.   

In October Mr John Faller joined our Mercy House Management team to help with accounting services.  Also in October, Jean Paul and Donatien moved out, having studied for 5 years to become fully qualified Netcare nurses, now working at Rosebank Clinic and LInksfield Hospital respectively.  




On 10 December Shadadi graduated from Wits Medical School as a Clinical Medical Practitioner.  


Kenny passed his matric with a distinction in Business Studies and is hoping to study at Wits in 2014 pending finance.


Early in December the national assembly of the Association of Catholic Tertiary Students (ACTS) came to Mercy House on a day of service, doing a splendid job in cleaning up and painting the place.  



Also in December, Mercy House acquired a new baby, in the form of 6 six week old Charlie, a German shepherd puppy, bought from a man standing on the nearest street corner.
  


He has kept everyone very busy, shredding everything he can lay hold of, and irritating the older canines, Princess and Lady, but he is quite adorable, bringing much joy to our community. Welcome Charlie!

December 16th saw our first Holy Mass in our play centre. 

From left to right: Fr Jeremias, Mr and Mrs Rademeyer and Angela , Judy and Alphie Dumbutshena after Holy Mass


We were privileged to have Father Jeremias of the Comboni Fathers to offer this Holy Mass for us.  Christmas was the crowning glory of our year: a truly beautiful occasion, with a play and the arrival of Father Christmas on a bicycle, bringing gifts for all.  We were again privileged to have with us Comboni Fathers, John Converset (visiting from USA), Father John Maneschg and Provincial Father Jeremias, as well as Bez Valley parish priest, Father Arnaldo, all seen in the photo below. All in all, about 60 people joined in our Mercy House Christmas celebration. 

Playing for the Christ Child
Moise on the drum and Norbert on the recorder

Indeed, 2013 tells us once again that the “finger of God” writes on…  Clearly, it is His work…
For 2014, we look forward to a year of “walking with God”: He who began our work most certainly will also sustain it. It is only in this belief, that, with hope and joy, confident in the future, we go into the year ahead.  We thank and pray His blessing on everyone who supports our work and all those who work with us to make Mercy House a joyful, healing and fruitful place, “a little bit of heaven on this earth!”

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS ALL MERCY HOUSE CO-WORKERS AND SUPPORTERS.

UPDATE OCTOBER 2013

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 THE PRIVILEGE 
AND 
JOY OF SERVING

 
In the last Mercy House update, in his reflection, Father Jeremias referred to our benefactors and co-workers, stating that: “Out of their poverty or abundance, they reveal to others the face of the only true and Good Samaritan, Jesus Christ.”  It is a mind-boggling reality that, in reaching out to help others, we really DO reveal to them the Face of God: “We are the earthenware vessels that carry this treasure.”  (St Paul)  It works the other way too: we experience the presence of God through others who help us or receive our help.   There is no doubt at all that our lives as Christians are a matter of “Living the Divine.” (This is the title of a small booklet of reflections we have compiled for our benefactors and viewers, available free of charge). The artwork shown here, by Sieger Koder, imparts to us Moses’ immense sense of unworthiness, when being called and confronted with the Divine. We do not see the burning bush, but find the face of God in others, and others find it in and through us. 

On 24 September, we held a Mercy House Information morning to show benefactors and interested persons what we are about.  On that occasion, one of the our new co-workers, Nigerian, Stella, gave a  moving speech on how she had found her way to Mercy House and what it had meant in  her life. Father Jeremias recently wrote an article entitled, THE FACES OF GOD, in which he referred to this moving speech, and this is what he had to say:

“Stella met Diana (co-ordinator of the Mercy work), one Saturday morning, and asked her if she could give her a job.  Diana replied that she did not have a job for her, since everyone who works at Mercy House is a volunteer.  Stella was nonetheless interested and asked Diana what we do at Mercy House. The reply was: ‘Come and see….’  Stella did go and see, and, on seeing what is happening there, after a short time of reflection, offered her services there on the volunteer basis. Stella has been teaching English to newcomers and has helped with home schooling, to prepare new children for school. Soon her heart was won over. She says that she now sees them as, not only her students, but as her own children: ‘I am now not only a teacher, but have become a mother.’  Here God reveals himself as a young and beautiful God, because Stella is exactly this.”  

In our last update we introduced the 4 new children from the DRC whose parents and entire extended family were killed in an explosion beside their house in Congo.  Since then, on 9 August, we were privileged to take into our care young Danny from Goma in the eastern DRC. On 21 June this year, he was awoken from his sleep by gun shots in his own home. Soldiers had come and, terrified, he hid under his bed.  This saved his life, since, although they came into his room, they did not look under the bed.   When they had gone, he went through to the lounge where the rest of the family had been watching TV: everyone was dead, lying there in pools of blood.  He fled hastily to his aunt’s house. Shortly after arriving there, soldiers reached her home as well. He saw them beating his uncle to death and even raping some women present.  In spite of all this, Danny has turned out to be a ray of sunshine at Mercy House. We even got him into school, and he is very happy about that. See photos below. 

We see the “Face of God” in these children.  Can you?

MERCY HOUSE INFORMATION MORNING

This took place at Koinonia on 24 September this year.  Around 50 guests attended, and we thank them all for coming.  We started with the Eucharist presided over by Fr. Jeremias. All the participants got actively involved.  This was followed by tea, then an hour of information. During this time, we heard an excellent speech by Angolan Dr Martin Kalenga, whom we assisted to get through a Medical degree. The details of his struggle to realise his dream were most touching.  He was followed by short speeches by new co-workers Stella Ozoani and George Potgieter, who explained how they got involved with Mercy House and what it has meant to them. The Mercy House children then sang to songs to the accompaniment of guitarist, Brian Gallagher, and then certificates were presented to long-term supporters. Lunch concluded the day. A few photos of the event are given below, 

Koinonia Chapel

Fr Jeremiah preaching

Music makers (From left to right) Xavier, Brian and Chris

Mercy House Children Singing to the People

Sr Jacqueline receiving a Mercy Certificate from Diana and David

From left to right: Co-workers Hettie and George Potgierter, Diana, Fr Jeremiah and Stella at the Luncheon
NEW CO-WORKER: GEORGE POTGIETER

We are grateful and happy to welcome to our Mercy Team our new co-worker, Mr George Potgieter.  In complete contrast to the saying: “Too little too late,” of George we can really say: “So much so soon.”  George has embraced our work with his heart and has already done a great deal to help our refugees and Mercy House itself. We thank him for this and look forward to an exciting future of working together. He is seen in the photo above at the luncheon with his wife, Hettie, whom we also welcome to our Mercy work.

NEW CO-WORKER

 

Sister Clementine of the Holy Family Sisters has joined our small group of co-workers. She is very welcome. Currently she is giving classes for First Communion to some of our youngsters, including Manasse (call me BK) who is with her in the photo below.  BK was orphaned recently when his parents were killed in an explosion in Congo.

OUR CO-WORKER NEELS

 

Neels is a lawyer who has assisted several refugees with tremendous dedication with legal issues. We are immensely grateful to him.

WHAT’S UP  

We invite any viewers and interested persons, to join us on Monday, 16 December, public holiday, at 10.30 a.m, for Holy Mass at Mercy House, 82 North Avenue, Bez Valley, followed by refreshments and on Thursday, 19 December, for our annual Picnic-at-the-Park, which includes a marathon around the park and shorter races for the children.

Christmas at Mercy House is always a unique and beautiful experience with kids getting gifts and Father Christmas arriving in person to distribute them – it’s always open house.

BLESSINGS ROLL ON UNABATED

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Mercy House is updating its website just when church readings present us with the beautiful parable of the “Good Samaritan” who was on the way from Jerusalem to Jericho. It is a winding path going down to the oldest city in the world, located on the west bank of the River Jordan. Being surrounded by abundant springs of water, the city became a haven for many people over generations.
Our lives are also a “journey from Jerusalem to Jericho.” Jericho is the symbol of our cities today. Many people flock there in search of a new life: running away from the scourge of war, poverty and insecurity. They arrive after crossing through many countries and treading dangerous and winding roads, hoping to find acceptance, welcome and recognition of their dignity. However, very often they find themselves alone, despised, rejected, persecuted. They find themselves as the traveller of the parable, in the hands of robbers, evil and abandonment. They are left half dead along the road. Others travelling the same path are often in a hurry or, feeling superior, look away and get on with their lives.  
Throughout the years, Mercy House has, like the Good Samaritan, been a haven for many who are left “half dead” at the side of the road. Here they are welcomed, listened to, cared for. Here they find hope and start believing that the future can be bright in spite of all hardships.  Mercy House is the Inn where people can be left to be taken care of. There are many people, far and near, who give “two denarii,” so that the house can continue: volunteers and people of good will who, feeling that God has been generous with them, are ready to share the goods they have. Out of their poverty or their abundance they unveil to others the face of the only True and Good Samaritan: Jesus.
Some examples of this miracle are here below.
Written by Fr. Jeremias

Comboni Missionary Provincial
4 MORE PRECIOUS GEMS FALL OUT OF HEAVEN
Our great God of Surprises has done it again. This time honouring us with the gift of 4 lovely young children from the Congo.  They can be seen in the photo below : Eldovert, Manasse (“Call me BK”), Grace and Princess. They are orphans. It was on a Sunday last year in their home town of Brazzaville in the Congo,  that they were attending Holy Mass, when their entire extended family was celebrating their uncle’s birthday at their home.   While they were  at Mass, an huge explosion occurred  right beside their home, injuring 2 300 people and  killing 250, including their parents and their entire extended family. The children saw their dead parents and relatives lying there.   Imagine what it must have been like for children so young to witness such a tragic event. 

Having no one to help them, the parish priest took care of the children. The only relative they knew of was their granny in Johannesburg and he made arrangements for them to come down, by land,  to her. She is  on her own and struggles to pay rent, making and selling bead work, recently police confiscated her entire stock.  Suddenly she has a large family to care  for.  The children are not at school, because of lack of finances, but God solved the problem for now!  At exactly the same time as we met the children, God sent a lovely new young Nigerian lady, Stella, to Mercy House! She asked what she could do to help and the answer was very clear:  It could not have been better timed: Stella started immediately with schooling  the children at Mercy House in the mornings and her life has taken on new meaning. She is loving it! This will be a huge help to them, preparing them for entry into main line schooling as soon as it may be possible.
 

STELLA: OUR LOVELY NEW CO-WORKER WITH THE CHILDREN
By now Stella calls these children, “my children”. With great love she dedicates her time voluntarily in the mornings, schooling them.  Stella comes from Nigeria and is certainly a very special blessing that God in His kindness has recently bestowed on  Mercy House.     

ROLL ON ACHIEVEMENT…
Since our last update, several of our Mercy House family have achieved wonderful things. 
Meshack graduated, after 4 years of study, with a Bachelor of Education Degree. He is currently doing Honours at Wits University. Alex and Sandrine graduated with Bachelor of Business Administration Degrees, and Felix, our Sudanese orphan (seen in the photo below), for the second year in succession, received Top Student award at the University of Johannesburg, for his excellent  results. 

Pretty remarkable, considering the fact that all our students are studying in a “foreign” language! 
ROLL ON SUPPORT
Some months back, in England,  Father Andrew Moss was transferred to St Richards Parish in the UK, that gives great support to Mercy House. He met Mrs Judy McGregor, the leader of our Mercy Support Team in the UK, who told him all about our work. He became very interested and decided to help by holding a musical evening to raise money for us.  This took place on Wednesday, 10 July at St Richards and was apparently a huge success.  Father Moss is himself a very talented musician and was part of the show! We thank him and his performers very sincerely for this wonderful support and hope that  there will be many happy returns of his concerts!  Father Moss now wants to come to Mercy House in person and for this purpose will visit us from the 10th to the 18th of March 2014. We look forward to that.  
 And Mrs Judy McGregor visited South Africa in May this year, seen here in the photo with  Diana during her visit.  We thank her too for her tremendous commitment to our Mercy work. She is currently planning another fund-raising luncheon, with Mick and Penny Finn. We will pray for the success of this event.

A very big thank you also to Mr George Potgieter of Air Products SA, who has just providentially got to know about work.  He even enthused his colleagues, who, on Mandela Day, collected food and clothing for the refugees.  In the picture below they are seen when bringing these to Mercy House. Mr Potgieter is also doing his very best to help with other needs, particularly with education, and especially for the children whose story is above.  We thank him and our Father in Heaven for this great blessing. 


ROLL ON VISITORS
On 29 June a group of Dominican Sisters from many different countries in Africa and elsewhere, visited Mercy House. They were attending the Dominican Sisters Africa Conference at Koinonia and took a break to get to know some refugees. Apparently for them it was a real eye-opener.  They are seen in the photo with some of our young people.

DEEPEST SYMPATHY
It is with sadness that we announce the death of the mother of Michelle, Jean Paul and Bertraud, who, over the years,  have all lived at Mercy House. 

We feel very close to the family and offer them our compassionate support. May she intercede for them in this difficult time and may she rest in peace.
COMING EVENTS
On Friday 9 August we will have an outing to the park for the children and anyone who wants to join us, from 11 a.m. till 1.00.
On Tuesday 24 September, a public holiday, we will have a thanks and information morning for our benefactors and other interested persons, starting with Holy Mass at 9.30 a.m. and ending at 1.00.  Invitations will be sent out. Any readers of our website who would like to attend please contact Emmanuel at: meq@usa.com.

EASTER JOY AT MERCY HOUSE

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God’s Gift

“I am from God,” said  six year old Happiness,  when I asked her: “Where are you from”?

It happened at Mercy House, on Easter Sunday, where I went to share lunch with the refugees. Here they find a place of welcome and warmth to soothe their daily suffering from being in a foreign country without any back-up, except this tiny space whose motto is: Love changes everything”. It was originally a dumping site and it is now a place of love.  

The tiny girl showed me what Easter means: “We are from God”. It was a happy conclusion to  the Easter celebration that I had shared with many people, especially during the Paschal Triduum. Easter is to acknowledge that whatever happens in life, the end is always a victorious one, because God is our origin and our end!

In the first weeks of his pontificate, Pope Francis has shown us the way to a more human life. He indicates the path to become a church that is closer to people. We do not need to make big gestures of solidarity and love to the downtrodden. We only need to be attentive to the small signs of the Risen Christ which are happening around us and get involved in the transformation of the Body of Christ. Easter is not an isolated, one-off  event. It is like a “stream that runs underground,” that accompanies us throughout life. We are  Easter People. The presence of the Risen Lord is always at hand. In order to make our life meaningful, we need to open our eyes and ears in order to say like Mary Magdalene: “I have seen the Lord”.

 Let us join hands so that the Paschal message may reach as many as possible

I wish  all viewers an Easter that lasts, until the day we are called to see the Risen Lord face to face.

Fr. Jeremias
      Comboni Provincial

EASTER JOY AT MERCY HOUSE

Easter Sunday was celebrated with much joy at Mercy House.   Having given the Lord His due worship in our services, we gathered to celebrate with a lunch, the distribution of Easter eggs and the presence of a very large Easter bunny.  Never before has there been so much joy at our Easter celebration.
The highlight of the afternoon was certainly the arrival of the bunny.  All the children wanted to be picked up by him and one little girl, seen in the photo, even decided to share her Easter egg with him.  
  
He led them in dance which was great fun for all.  Our Comboni Fathers community came to share the joy with us.  
Father John and Brother Eric are seen in the photo at the lunch
Provincial Father Jeremias chatting to Marc
Father Melese was persuaded to climb onto the roof to facilitate the Easter egg rain from heaven and the children had great fun catching them. 
 

THE MARRIAGE OF OLIVIER AND LINDA

The happy event took place on Saturday 6 April: Olivier and Linda have planned it for so long.  It was a beautiful occasion, and especially meaningful to us at Mercy House, because we have cared for and known Olivier and his sister for 16 years, since they fled from the genocide to South Africa. 
The first photo shows Olivier leaving for his first day at school in South Africa, in January 1998, with his sister, Denise on the right. 

a whole 15 years later

That is how long we have had the privilege of knowing Olivier and he has never let us down yet… only a good track record! 

Congratulations Olivier and Linda: we wish you everything of the best for your future life together. May you always treasure this day, and renew it, gratefully. 

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