10.10.10 campaign for Mercy Ministries News
As we begin to wrap up the year 2010 I am reminded of the incredible opportunities that the One Heart Ladies of Tennessee have had this year.
One of the most amazing opportunities we had this year was to build a relationship with Mercy Ministries. At our July Conference, we met the Mercy girls from the Nashville, TN home and saw their beautiful faces. It was so awesome to have those 40 girls with us but the reality of how many more girls need the help of Mercy Ministries weighed on our hearts.
We committed to a day of making a difference – we called it 10.10.10. On October 10, 2010 people all over the state of Tennessee and beyond gave sacrificially in order to plant a seed into the fertile soil of Mercy.
I am so pleased to announce today that after all funds have been counted, we raised $20,173 for Mercy Ministries – to God be all the glory.
I got a call today from a staff member at Mercy who was blown away by the generosity of our Ladies. She sent a note of THANKS to just show a small piece of how your giving changes lives:
To all of my generous sisters,
Everyone here at Mercy Ministries can’t thank you enough for your generous support and donations. You are helping to bring hope, healing and life transformation, found through Christ, to hundreds of hurting young women.
We appreciate your gracious and servant’s hearts!
I thought the best way I can express our thanks is to share a few stories from two of our Mercy residents who graduated this week.
From Pam:
Before Mercy, I struggled with an eating disorder, drug and alcohol addiction, self-harm, and depression. I was a victim of sex trafficking and managed to escape but later found myself pregnant by a casual friend. I gave my daughter up for adoption but my life was chaotic. It was a dark and scary time and I didn’t know or care about God. I heard about Mercy at a Barlow Girl concert and decided to get help.
During my time at Mercy, God has shown me that I am not an accident. The times of praise and worship really helped me to seek Him and feel His presence. He has also given me a deep appreciation for the Bible. Jesus is my true love and I’m excited to share His hope with others back home.
After graduation, I am going to St. Louis Christian College to get an Urban Missions degree.
From Ally:
Before coming to Mercy, I struggled to get up each morning and survive the day. I tried to deal with life by numbing myself. My family had high expectations for me. Their support was based on my performance and I considered myself a burden to my family and the world. I spent most of my life trying to please others, but always fell short. I learned to wear masks and self-harmed to cope with my pain. I could no longer afford seeing my Christian counselor, so when I heard about Mercy and that I could go there FREE of charge, I thought there might be hope for me.
While at Mercy, I decided to give my life to Christ. I have learned that God is not the author of pain and that He loves me despite the choices I have made. He has shown me His unconditional love and how much He values me. Now I can see all the miracles He has done in my life.
After graduation, I am moving to Charlotte, North Carolina. I plan to get involved in church as God continues to reveal His plans for me. I want to use my testimony to impact others and one day I plan to help victims of sex trafficking and girls facing unplanned pregnancy.
Amen! At one point these girls felt so unworthy and many of them lost all desire to live. But, with your help, they received FREE care, have been restored and have a bright future! Thank you for recognizing the value of the young women we serve and the transformation that is awaiting them!
We pray that you will be blessed this Christmas and know that through your support, you give the greatest gift of all to these young women – the gift of life with Christ!
Blessings,
Eve Annunziato
Church and Media Relations Director
Girls – What we do makes a difference. I am so very thankful that girls like you are willing to go beyond yourselves and see the bigger picture – that what we do matters for eternity.
Merry Christmas with Love~
