Mercy House Kenya and a giveaway!

Welcome to the Rehema House! 

(Rehema is the word for mercy in Swahili.)

In March of 2010 Kristen Welch from We are THAT family traveled to Kenya, Africa with Compassion International to write about poverty and help get sponsors for children there. While she was there they visited the world's largest slum. Through her tears she asked God how He could allow so much human suffering? She felt in her heart that He asked her the very same thing! What was she doing? Two weeks after she returned home she found this article on CNN about girls having backstreet abortions in that very same slum. Through that trip she felt God calling her to start a maternity home. The Mercy House Kenya was born. (Watch videos here! Bring your tissues though! I balled all the way through the first one.)

The Issue:

• Annually, 21,000 women are hospitalized from having an illegal, unsafe abortion in Kenya. (Center for Reproductive Rights)
• Abortion is a volatile topic in Kenya.
• 13,000 Kenyan girls are kicked out of school for being pregnant. (Center for Reproductive Rights)
• 25% of pregnant women in Kenya are HIV positive. (ObGyn in Kenya)
• Every 30 minutes, a woman is raped in Kenya. (Nairobi Women’s Hospital)
• Mothers often force their daughters into trading sex for food in the slums. (CNN)
• More than 20,000 children are sex trafficked in Kenya. (Human Trafficking)
• 1500 women die in childbirth every day across Africa. (WHO)

The Vision of Rehema House (supported by Mercy House):

• Provide a safe place-a guarded home with 12 maternity beds
• Partner with local churches
• Prenatal Care- checkups, medical assistance for healthy deliveries
• Proper Nutrition-protein and regular healthy meals
• Counseling-post abortion/prostitution, rape recovery
• Ministry-prayer, Biblical teaching, regular devotions
• Education-help catch girls up in school thru 8th grade, then continue on to high school, or vocational       tract
• Livelihood Skills-cooking, jewelry-making, art, sewing, etc
• A nurturing environment in-which to give birth and breastfeed babies
• A safe place to stay and learn and heal until they graduate 
• An account to start small business or go to school (from products they make and sell)

Today there are eight girls with their eight babies living in The Mercy House in Kenya!

Meet the girls here!

What can you do to help? You can give, pray, share, and shop! I was given two items to review from the "Mercy Shop". One was the Farmhouse Tote! 

I love this tote! I love the fabric and the detail! I have taken it everywhere! The side pockets are my favorite! The bag is light but big enough to fill to the brim! Which I have done several times already! 

The other item was the Heart & Wings shirt. I washed and wore it several times. It didn't shrink at all and it is very soft! 

My little assistant wanted to help too. :)

Mostly, I loved when people asked me about the shirt or the tote! Being able to explain the story of Mercy House and what they do!

Would you love mercy with me?

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Micah 6:8

Want to win a Mercy House Farmhouse tote? Enter the giveaway below! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In His Love,
Jennis