Finding Safety at Mercy House

Meet “M,” a young woman from Mercy House in Zambia, as told to us by OM field workers. Her story gives us a glimpse of what OM's work can look like in real life. 

“M” first came to us at Mercy House in 2019, at 12 years old. Her mom had abandoned her and left for the capital of Lusaka. The relatives M had been left with were cruel and mistreated her badly, and when we met her, she wasn’t able to interact with adults or her peers.  

After four years living at the safe house, of us working to build her confidence and faith in God, her mom returned to Kabwe and had a stable living situation, so M was reunited with her mom, her brother, and her sister. We kept a close eye on her, helped her with her grade 9 exams, and she seemed to be doing okay back home.  

But then her mom had a stroke and was hospitalized, and M told us her stepdad kept following her after showers.  

Abandoned But Hopeful 

Kabwe, Zambia

M no longer felt safe, so we removed her immediately, but it was only temporary. After the stepdad was warned of the seriousness of the situation, she returned home to live with her mom, siblings, and stepdad. He was then accused of raping a neighbor’s child and M’s younger sister. M’s mother sided with and chose to believe the stepfather, so the Mercy House couldn’t reason with her.  

To escape the situation, M is now abandoned again with her small sister and her older sister’s two small children to look after. Mercy House has stepped in to pay the rent for M’s house, and our counselor regularly visits her.  

She just found out that her mom ran away with the stepdad after he was released from prison. There seems to be no end to her challenges, and all we can do is try to help her and her older sister with two small kids to try to raise and house the kids. The siblings attend Mercy House, so they get feed and schooled. The coordinator of Mercy House takes M for holidays once every three months and sets aside time to assure her that God loves her and that we’re here for her.  

M’s life would have been so much worse if God had not made us aware of her situation. She says with our help, she is coping, as she doesn’t have to worry about paying the bills. And her big sister provides food for them all as she works at the market. We have no idea how she will pass her exams next year, but she's determined to be at school and get an education.  

Seeing and Meeting Needs 

Mercy House Staff

At Mercy House, we continue to feed over 80 children a hot meal each day, Monday through Friday, and provide love and education. One of our interns, Anne, saw a need that Mercy House could help meet.  

She spotted “T,” a 12-year-old begging for food at the market and leaving with scraps to take home. Anne and the Mercy House team visited T at home, and learned that she had three siblings, and his mom was mentally ill and unable to care for or feed her kids. Anne was heartbroken when she realized their living situation, but we saw the mother was trying her best.  

We took on three of the kids at the Mercy House project, and we treated them all for scabies. T, now in second grade, and her two siblings who are old enough to come to Mercy House are happy to get a good meal Monday through Friday.  

The ladies’ ministry leader, Anne, and the counselor visited the house again to try to help T’s mom understand how to look after the house and keep it clean. Because she is mentally ill, she needs guidance on how to look after her kids.  

Anne has continued to serve as an intern for four years now, and she’s making a difference in kids’ lives. She’s helped families who have no hope receive school uniforms, pots and pans for cooking, and medical help they would have never been able to afford without the support of Freedom Challenge.