June 23, 2015

Many new visitors attended Friends of Mercy luncheons this month at the Nashville, Sacramento and St. Louis Mercy homes. Nearly 200 guests from the respective regions came to learn more about the local and worldwide work and mission of Mercy.

At each event guests enjoyed a complimentary lunch and program highlighting the life-transforming stories of current Mercy residents and graduates.

After St. Louis resident Mary Catherine and Mercy graduate Brittney shared their personal stories, “there wasn’t a dry eye in the house,” according to Mercy Development Director Lauren Hobar. The same was true at the Nashville and Sacramento homes as guests responded to the emotional life journeys of Mercy graduates Madison and Nicole and resident Ashley. Each shared how God has restored her to a place of hope and freedom through the Mercy program.

For instance, Nicole, a 2011 Mercy Sacramento grad, shared how she coped with the pain of her abusive past through self-harm, drug and alcohol addiction, and an eating disorder. She had a very hard time trusting anyone, especially men. During her time at Mercy, Nicole began to feel God’s unconditional love and slowly began to trust again through the encouragement of the Mercy staff. She is now free from her issues and feels equipped to handle life’s uncertainties. Her goal is to take every opportunity to share her story of transformation with others.

All of the young women who presented at this month’s luncheons are among the thousands Mercy has served since its beginning in 1983. Girls ages 13-28 from all socio-economic backgrounds come to Mercy for an average of six months to receive the care and counseling they need to overcome a combination of life-controlling issues such as eating disorders, self-harm, physical and sexual abuse, drug and alcohol addictions, depression and unplanned pregnancy.

Each luncheon event concluded with tours of the respective regional homes. Guests were also introduced to Mercy’s many resources and encouraged to use them as tools to help the hurting within their local churches and spheres of influence. Many were excited at the chance to get a pre-release copy of Mercy Founder and President Nancy Alcorn’s new book, Ditch the Baggage, that outlines the seven keys to freedom used in the Mercy program.

Mercy is thankful for the generous sponsors who made these events possible!