Tag: Christmas

Christmas 2019

Our celebration of Christmas was once again a joyful occasion. Even although news of the brutal attack on Moise was sent to Diana during the celebration, it was not made public and the celebration went on with everyone enjoying themselves.

(on the right) Mrs Jennifer Stevens

 

We thank SANTA SHOEBOX workers for delivering many gifts to us – one for each person, named and relevant to the age and gender of the recipient, also beautifully wrapped. It was Mrs Jennifer Stevens (seen in the photo) who was in charge of our consignment. In spite of having a Christmas day celebration with her family, she still managed to come through and join in our fun. It meant a lot to her, given the fact that she had put so much hard work into it.

 

Then there were Paige and Emmanuel from the American International School who also brought us many gifts that Paige had collected from her school – this was also hugely helpful, since we were catering for about 60 refugees of all age groups! We also thank Mr Peter Keshwar and his St Vincent De Paul Society in Victory Park, for their magnanimous donation of cooked chickens for our lunch. Needless to say, since Mercy House does not even have an oven, this annual gift is extremely helpful. We thank Felix Made as well for his contribution to our lunch. So much to be grateful for! See pictures below.

 

 

Mercy House Heroes Rescue And Save A Life – On Christmas Day

 

Moise a few months after he had arrived from Rwanda in 2009, with Comboni Father John at the Schoenstatt shrine.

 

We were a halfway through our Christmas celebration on Christmas day when very sad news came through. Our beloved Moise (who came to us at age 9 and is now 20!) was found lying near Mercy House in a sea of blood, having been attacked by thugs, with wrists and throat cut and was slowly bleeding to death. It must have been around midday that friends found him and immediately came to Mercy House to ask for help. As God would have it, our Sudanese Felix, who lived in Mercy House for 5 years whilst he was studying Medical Research and is now working for the Health Department, arrived in his car, at exactly the same time. Eddie, Felix and Colby sped to the scene. They moved Moise under extremely difficult circumstances and got Moise into the Emergency section of the Johannesburg General Hospital where his life was saved.

 

Moise and Charlie

 

 

 

 

 

We thank the staff of the hospital who looked after Moise for about 2 weeks. If it had not been for Felix, Eddie and Colby, Moise would certainly not be alive today. And again, it was the amazing co-incidence of Felix arriving in his car at the exact same moment that the news reached us, that saved Moises’s life. Co-incidence or Divine Providence? We salute you, Eddie, Colby and Felix –
YOU REALLY ARE HEROES. And well done Moise, for coming through this dreadful experience bravely and without bitterness. Good news is that on 17 February, Moise was well enough to return to his IT studies at Richfield College in Braamfontein.

 

The photos show Moise, when he came to Mercy House on his 9th birthday in 2009, from an orphanage in Rwanda, and another of Moise in 2019 with Charlie our dog, and lastly, Moise celebrating his birthday, on 9th January 2020 in the hospital ward.

The American International School Does It Again – Gifts And Stationery Galore!

 

On Friday 13th December, AISJ Paige and her husband, Emmanuel, arrived with loads of gifts for our Christmas celebration, piles of stationery for our scholars and even a pair of school shoes for each child. These had all been donated by the students at the American International School (AISJ).

Paige had put trees around her school (see photo), with the name of a child on a leaf plus the size of the school shoes that child would need. The scholars picked a leaf, then took responsibility to buy a pair of school shoes for the relevant child.

 

 

 

 

We are immensely grateful to AISJ scholars and parents and especially to Paige and her husband, Emmanuel, whose dedication and enthusiasm for our Mercy work is simply stunning. Thank you so much Paige, Emmanuel and all at the American International School. May your generosity be well rewarded.