The Showell Update: Mercy Ministries

3rd Graders

“God wants us to relieve suffering, pursue justice, facilitate reconciliation, and free the heart to love, but He desires for us to do so in a way that reveals His Character. It is not enough just to do well for others or to do things well. We must do well in our unique way in order to reveal the vast creativity of a God who loves to bring change through the most unlikely channels.”

~ Dan Allender

Classroom at Mercy Ministries

"I lock my child in my house, so no one will rape him while I'm at work."

Recently I watched a documentary about special needs children in Africa. These words from a single mom shocked me. I assumed families hid their disabled children only out of shame. It never crossed my mind they were protecting them from the monsters.

"A lot of people judge families who lock up their children, but I have sympathy for them," says Dorothy Phiri, the Director of Mercy Ministries International. "I understand what it's like to have a child with special needs and to worry about her safety."

Dorothy's daughter Mercy has epilepsy and cognitive delays. She and her husband Davison, a World Vision employee, launched Mercy Ministries to give children with special needs a chance to go to school.

Now there are 26 children in their special education program. Once word got out about this unique school, other community kids starting showing up. Now Mercy Ministries educates over 350 children of all abilities.

These children are hungry to learn, but their stomachs are empty, so Mercy Ministries feeds them lunch everyday.

"What do you serve?" I asked Davison.

"Oh, whatever is available," he replied with a grin. This couple has learned to be creative and resourceful. And there is a whole lot of praying going around that place.

They have all sorts of projects going: Kilns to make glass beads out of recycled glass. A batik and sewing studio. Construction for more toilets (They only have one!) A farm for produce.

This was such a fun place to visit, so I've decided to invest some time here.

"You know that I was a grant writer in Seattle, don't you?" I asked Davison the other day.

He laughed and shook my hand saying, "Well, this is the reason why God brought you to Zambia, my friend!"