I just
finished speaking with Judith concerning the history of Great Mercy. What I
learned was as incredible as it was encouraging. She and her husband Evans used
to be very well off. Judith used to be an accounts secretary at a high school
of 1,000 kids and Evans was working for the government as an official in the
Department of Agriculture. They had a nice home 14 kilometers from here and as
she put it, “I didn’t think we would ever leave.”
However,
after working at this secondary school for eight years, the school received a
new principal (I believe) who she didn’t agree with. So, she resigned from her
position and became a full-time mother raising four children. It was during
this time that she would really begin to take in kids and start to develop a
vision for Great Mercy.
She began
to take notice of the children playing in the streets, several in her own
neighborhood. Some were neighbors; some were friends of her children. Many were
from broken homes that left them with emotional damage and empty stomachs. Out
of compassion, Judith began to take these kids into her home. She would do
Bible studies with them, feed them, and began to help them with their
schooling.
Before too long, she and Evans began to formulate the
idea of an orphanage. Many people said it would be impossible. “You cant
succeed in developing your own orphanage without outside assistance.” But, in
time, they decided to move forward with it, the need was too great and they
believed that God would provide.
Today,
that house Judith loved so much is sold. All of the money made from the sale of
that house was invested in Great Mercy. Evans still works the same job to this
day, pouring himself into the school. They no longer have a home of their own.
They have a little private bedroom just adjacent from ours. How do they feel
about it? “This is a much greater investment than if we would have just
invested our resources in ourselves.”
Today, Judith heads up an orphanage that serves as a
school for over 180 students and a home for 80. Evans is the bread winner,
part-time teacher, and practically full-time pastor. Judith oversees the
direction of the orphanage, working with the faculty and staff.
To think
this all came about from a working gal who left her job to raise her kids and
ended up developing a heart for the orphans in the neighborhood for me has been
enormously inspiring. Evans joined her in the idea and they sold all they had
to move forward with it. God has been upholding them ever since.
Though donations have been of amazing assistance in
developing Great Mercy, the orphanage has plans to become self-sustaining.
Already they have purchased 1.5 acres out in the country where they have some
cows, chickens, corn, beans, and soon to be goats. The neighbors right next to
their farm and others nearby have offered to sell them their land also. So
plans are well underway.
I asked Judith if she thinks there are a lot of other
children out there who would like to be a part of Great Mercy, but cant. I
asked her if she would be able to find them. “Find them? They come to us! Many
of them we have to turn away because we simply don’t have room.” Out of the
180+ students at Great Mercy, 80 live at the school itself. At the end of the
semester, 120 will head home to their families for a break; the other 60 will
remain because they dont have anywhere else to call home.
Great
Mercy is as humble of an organization as you can find. It was founded out of a
love for children and a desire to help get them off the streets and into
school. Great Mercy continues to make a spiritual, academic, physical, and
emotional investment to over 180 students to this day. The surrounding
community too has been impacted by the Christian atmosphere that radiates from
the school. Great Mercy is making a difference. They are meeting real needs.
And they are bringing the Gospel in word and deed to a part of the world that
needs it desperately.
This is
the first time I’ve done this on the Race, but I want to invite anyone who
would like to support Great Mercy, to do so. I believe in Great Mercy. I am
going to support them, and if anyone wants to join me, let me know. Shoot me an
email, facebook me, etc. Jah-Jah is currently working on a pay-pal account for them. If you are excited about what God is doing in Kenya, then
please pray for this school. God is on the move, and I am excited to join Him
in His work.
Thanks
for partnering with me in this incredible journey. It has been life changing.
Please continue to pray for me. The enemy has taken a few shots at me and
without the Lord’s protection I’m in trouble. Pray for our team, that God would
continue to use us to make an impact wherever He sends us. And again, thank
you. It’s good to know my home church has my back.
Love you guys!
This is Judith Mutange and she is a powerhouse for the kingdom of God.
Your brothers,
Seth and Martin
God bless you guys.
