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LATEST UPDATE

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ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END
It was with grateful hearts, albeit also a little sadness, that we said good bye to Anja, our student volunteer from Germany. Having spent about two and a half months with us (her second stint at Mercy House),  she left on 27 July to continue her studies in Germany.  
The photos of our outing with Anja to our nearby park, show just how much fun we had with her around. We thank her most sincerely for her love and tremendous dedication, and look forward already to her next visit. 
We have no doubt at all that we shall remain with her, deep down in her heart…  
Go well, Anja, we love you!

A GRATEFUL TRIBUTE TO OUR SCHOOL SANDWICH CIRCLE LADIES 
 
Ms Diana Gordon Grant has only been with Mercy House 
for around 6 months,and yet she and her husband, Tim, 
have done so much for us in that short period of time. 
Just one of the many ways in which Diana helps, is, that 

she heads the School Sandwich Circle, a group of ladies who, 
more - or- less once a month, donate a Weeks's supply 
of sandwiches which our scholars and students are able 
to take to their respective places of learning for their 

lunches during the day. 
Some leave as early as 6.00 a.m. and get home only after 
8.30 p.m.these are our nursing students of course. 
Scholars get home earlier, students around 6.00 p.m. 
All of them are so happy about these sandwiches, since they 
do not have money to buy lunches... 
They also appreciate the fact that there is always a variety 
in the pack! 
Ms Lauren Petersen, one of these ladies, who in fact is 
a working mother - a lawyer - and still finds time to help us. 
The second photo shows Diana Gordon Grant, the organiser 
of the scheme. We thank all our ladies,too many to name here, 
and pray that God will reward your caring kindness.
 
GO WELL DIBABA

It is with pride and joy that we wish our Dibaba everything of the best: he has been honored with being selected for a year’s study at a very select and excellent private school, called Stowe, in England, starting in September. It is a Richard Branson bursary received through his Dominican Convent school in Belgravia.  
The photo shows Dibaba about 6 year’s ago with his younger brother. Dibaba and his family have in fact been part of our Mercy House family  for around 9 years… We know that Dibaba deserves this honour and wish him positively everything of the best for a wonderful year ahead… at the same time we thank his school for giving him this tremendous opportunity.
ILL HEALTH

We regret to report the ill health of one of the pillars of Mercy House, management team member, Ms
Tish Holding. 
In the photo she is shown enjoying one of our picnics at the park.  We pray for her speedy recovery and deeply appreciate her enormous commitment to our Mercy work.  

THREE CHEERS FOR ALL OUR LOYAL ST RICHARDS SUPPORTERS

On 12 August, our loyal team of Mercy workers in the UK organised a luncheon to raise money for our Mercy work.  It was a huge success and the weather held out for a beautiful day for their outdoor  lunch.  
We thank them very sincerely for their dedication and loyalty to us, in particular,  Penny and Mick Finn,Judy McGregor, John Frost, Gerald Farrell and Father Kieron.  
May you be rewarded for your tremendous help…

 

COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS – CAN’T STOP

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ANJA IS BACK

Could we ask for anything better?!
Readers may know that we have over the 17 years of our existence had young volunteers from different parts of the globe: USA, Poland, England, Ireland, Germany and Italy to be exact.  Some of them loved us so much that they even returned, Elaine from Ireland did so as much as three times!!!
Kasia from Poland visits us whenever she can and now Anja is following suit. Her first stint with us was from August 2009 till April 2010.  

After that she went to finish her engineering degree at home in Germany, which she has now done.  

On 12 May this year she arrived back to stay with us and help us for another three month visit.  A huge welcome awaited her, as she is an enormous joy and blessing to our Mercy community, and loved by all. In the photo she is seen with our young Moise, from Rwanda.
SHADADI IS VERY HAPPY
We stand in awe before the kindness of God, who did not only allow us to find Shadadi’s mother after a search of 9 years, but he has now been accepted to study for a degree at Wits Medical School to qualify as a Clinical Medical Practitioner.  
What is more, he has had the very great good fortune and blessing of being able to get a bursary for the duration of his studies. His story certainly is a wonderful testimony to the power of prayer. Good luck Shadadi, and don’t forget to thank the ONE who has done marvels for you.
  
A Happy Easter 
The picture is of Tim and Diana Gordon-Grant, who provided Mercy House with the most delicious lunch  on Easter Sunday. Our thanks to them both for their tremendous support of Mercy work, not only of the Easter lunch… May you be rewarded in the ways that you need it most.

LADY 
It is said that the lady of the house is the heart of the home. Well, Mercy House, does have a Lady. That is her name.  She does indeed come close to qualifying as the heart of the home!. 
LADY  is extremely loving, always wanting love and attention too. She gives a huge amount of joy to everyone at Mercy House. As such she is a most valuable member of our community and deserves this tribute here. 
Thank you, Lady, for being there for everyone and for all the love and joy you give to us.

THE BAPTISM OF WILSON’S BABY: Peter Jackson Jansuk

On 15 May 2011 Peter Jackson Jansuk was baptised. 
His father, Wilson, came to Mercy House eleven years ago in a very distressed and hopeless state of mind.  Having been forced into child soldiery as child in his home country, Wilson had much to work through, but today he is a happily married and successful young man. He had the good fortune of having Father Simon Donnelly baptize his child. as the pictures show.  
We praise the Lord for his tremendous blessings on our Mercy work.

THE WEDDING REALLY DID HAPPEN….

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Our long awaited event, the wedding of Emmanuel and Natalie , took place on Saturday 9 April 2011 in the Bez Valley Catholic Church at midday.
There was a large crowd attending, some from as far away as Europe, others from KZN, Swaziland and so on 
 
The service was followed by photos at the Botanic Gardens in Emmarentia, 
Then a reception in Kensington.  
The weather was very kind to us  and a good time was had by all. The couple  got messages and gifts from all round the world. 
For Natalie and Emmanuel it certainly was a day of joy and something that they will never forget.

A TRIBUTE TO OUR BELOVED SISTER FIDELIS

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I was attending a  First Communion celebration in Malvern in October 2000 when a very small, elderly nun came up to me and asked about Mercy House. She asked if and how she could help. Looking at her age and assuming she would have no transport, I wondered how she would be in a position to do so, since having no wheels would be an insurmountable obstacle… I did not realise what a whirlwind was hitting my life just then and  that I  was embarking on a relationship with a giant personality:
the feisty, fearless FLYING NUN!  
Our beloved Sister Fidelis, faithful as the mountains, which  her name indicates, has worked with tremendous dedication for Mercy House for 10 years. Her tireless and selfless dedication are truly something to marvel at.  She procured a blue car, which one would see whizzing down the street, at a good speed, usually laden with goods for our refugees. Sister also proved to be such a faithful friend, and quite a good disciplinarian amongst our young residents…
At an art exhibition some years ago, I saw a beautiful modern-style stone carving of an angel. I immediately bought it and placed it on a prominent wall in the Mercy House Garden, with the following inscription:    
                                                                        
The Faithful Angel
who keeps constant watch.
Erected as a tribute to Sister Fidelis for her tireless commitment to Mercy House.   
We did not at the time anticipate that she would be leaving us on transfer one day, but the angel will remain there in memory of her great love. Thank you Sister, we will miss you…                                                                                        
Tribute written by Diana Beamish of Mercy House

SOME MERCY HOUSE ACHIEVEMENTS

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1. When Mercy House started in 1996, it accommodated 5 Ethiopian doctors who were totally stranded at the time, as they did not have registration with the SA medical council and it took us 2 years to persuade the SA Medical Council to set an exam for them.. They wrote it and all of them are happily working as doctors now, one even in the United States..

2. Through the support and mediation of Mercy House, we have enabled 2 young men, Angolan Martin, and Sudanese, Emmanuel, to get through the SA University Medical training: they are now qualified doctors doing extremely well. Both are now training to be specialists – Emmanuel is becoming a cardiologist and Martin is specialising in gynaecology. Burundian Shadadi, is currently studying to be a Clinical Medical Practitioner at Wits Medical school. Sudanese orphan Felix, is currently doing a 4 year degree at the University of Johannesburg in Medical Research.

3. We have assisted in getting bursaries for 8 refugees to do a Bachelor Degree in Education at KZN college in Kwazulu, 1 who is still studying, the rest qualified and working 5 back in Sudan..

4. We have managed to get bursaries for university degrees in engineering for 5 of our young men, four of whom are already qualified and working in companies. A large number of others have studied engineering at the local Technical College..

5. We have managed to put a large number of children into school: for example Shadadi (Burundi) and Dibaba and Peter (both DRC), Newton, Kenny got bursaries to study at an excellent school private school. John is head boy of his school this year, and Shadadi was a deputy head last year and is already at university.

6. We managed to get bursaries for Peter and Samuel (Sudanese) to do a 2 year course in Accounting. They have since returned to Sudan where they are using their expertise.

7. Four of our young people have done courses in home nursing which enabled them to get work and two others are currently third year nursing training..

8. Several of our young people enrolled to do a 3 year film making course. Emmanuel did it and is now employed as Post Production Assistant by a highly reputable film company Videovision Entertainment (The Biggest Film Company in Africa).

9. We have enabled a number of refugees to do Information Technology courses at the local Technical College. .

10. One of our young men has graduated with a law degree. He had come to us with only 1 small plastic bag at the time of the genocide, in 1996, we assisted him to fulfill his dream.

11. Over the 12 years of our existence, we have enabled countless people to get employment, quite an achievement when in a country where the unemployment is very high and where there is also a lot of Xenophobia.

12. We have been able to set up several individuals and families with businesses that enable them survive.

13. By far the greatest achievement of Mercy House has been the healing and transformation that we see. Young people come to us, desperate, their lives in tatters, and through creating a family atmosphere (which, mostly, they have sadly missed) and through the healing power of unconditional love, they really do become new human beings! The message is quite clear: no amount of counselling. psychotherapy etc is as powerful as the healing power of love. This is what has made Mercy House so successful and God is with us!.

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!

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It is with great joy and pride that we announce that our John Kashindi,  who has lived at Mercy House for around 10 years, has just been elected head boy of his school. 
One of our co-workers, Ms Susan Turner, must be given credit for this wonderful achievement. 
She took John under her wing as soon as she came to work with us in the year 2001, and has guided and formed him personally, into a responsible, reliable, well-mannered young gentleman. 
John was placed with us by the JRS, the implementing organization of the UNHCR, as an orphan from DRC in 2001. He was around 7 or 8 years old at the time. 
This picture shows John in 2001 with Sister Fidelis, shortly after he had been placed at Mercy House by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.
He is currently specializing in catering and hopes to get work in that field when he finishes at the end of the year.
John we are so proud of you, but be proud of yourself too, as you deserve this honour, and Susan, take a bow!
TOO MANY GOODBYES
Someone said that life is a progression of goodbyes! That does describe our situation somewhat at present. We had to say goodbye to Richard, then our German volunteer, Anja, then Father John, last year and the pattern has continued into 2011. We recently had to say goodbye to Festus, who moved out to get married. That was also a great loss. We are soon to say a final farewell to our beloved Sister Fidelis, but  even that is not all.  Our much-loved Emmanuel, formatter of our website, is to leave us in a few days to take up work in Durban. 
This is a great wrench for us, however , it is made much easier in the knowledge that he will becoming up every two weeks at weekends to be with his fiancée and us of course!Emmanuel has played a very big role in helping to set up the internet at Mercy House, in maintaining our computers, but also in being what he is: a warm, calm, level-headed and peaceful person. We are going to miss him very very much – fortunately his frequent return visits will soften the blow. Emmanuel Mercy House thanks you very sincerely for the invaluable part you have played in our work. Of course you will always remain part of our family and we will pray for your well-being and happiness and success in your new job. Congratulations.


DIARY OF UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday 20 February : Fun Day at Schoenstatt where our boys will help in all ways needed.
Sunday 27 February : Farewell luncheon for Sister Fidelis at Mercy House
Sunday 9 April :          Wedding of Emmanuel and Natalie

Happy and sad….

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On Sunday 23 Jan Tish and Peter Hoding gave a grand farewell lunch to thank our beloved Sister Fidelis for her 10 years of total dedication to our Mercy work. 
They extended an open invitation to all our Mercy House residents who were well represented and were most eloquent in their praise of her role at Mercy House. Though sad at this parting, there was an atmosphere of great love, joy and appreciation for her support and work. 






JOY IN SMALL THINGS
Mama Lucy’s children are seen in the picture holding the school shoes donated by Natasha Uberbacher of Braamfontein parish.  
May God reward all our benefactors in the ways that they need it most!
The pictures indicate just how much she is loved and also of course, she will remain part of our work and be remembered by all, always…
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