Mercy Home is a safe haven for hurting children who have been traumatized by a lifetime of instability and fear. It is something I am grateful for each day, especially when I think of children like Joshua. He is a young man who was hurting from a childhood that was unstable, unpredictable, and often frightening. 

For as long as Joshua can remember, life had been chaotic. When he was very young, he lived with both his parents. His father was heavily involved in a gang and abused drugs. He was never around much, but when he was, he ignored Joshua and his brothers. Even worse, he abused Joshua’s mother. 

By the time Joshua started school, his father was completely out of the picture. Even at his young age, he could tell that his mother was relieved to live without the fear of what his dad would do next. But there was a negative, too—his father had been the source of income for his family. His mom only worked part time, and they couldn’t afford to stay in their apartment. 

For years, Joshua, his brothers, and mother moved around almost constantly. One week, they would be staying in a shelter. The next, at a friend’s. Then the next week, it was back to the shelter. Moving around so much seemed to affect every part of Joshua’s life. His mother pulled him in and out schools, so it was hard to make friends and even harder to keep up with his classes. 

By the time Joshua was 12 years old, his mom had managed to find an apartment that she could afford with the little money she made. At first, Joshua was relieved that he would have a place to call home. But that relief was short-lived. The apartment was small and dirty, and in a dangerous neighborhood controlled by gangs. Sometimes Joshua wouldn’t be able to sleep because the gunfire outside would keep him awake. His oldest brother got involved in a gang, and Joshua was terrified he would have no choice but to do the same. 

He began to feel angry all the time. He was angry at his mother for not being able to provide them with a safe place to live. He was angry at his father for disappearing. He was angry at his brother for getting involved with the gang that controlled their block. He lashed out at everyone around him—his brothers, his mom and his teachers and classmates at school.  

Joshua got into so many fights at school that he got expelled. Things at home weren’t much better. He fought constantly with his brothers and wouldn’t follow any rules his mom set. Joshua’s mom realized that Joshua needed more help than she would be able to give him. She began asking around for suggestions and kept hearing about one place over and over again: Mercy Home. She brought Joshua here to visit and find more information. 

Joshua was immediately intrigued by Mercy Home. When we told him that he would always have a safe place to sleep here, plus three warm meals a day and help to get back in school, he decided to give it a try. 

Of course, Joshua’s anger didn’t go away overnight. But at Mercy Home, he had therapists and other staff members to help him find healthy ways to deal with it. He initially worried that something would happen, and he would have to move again. But after we explained to him that he didn’t have to go anywhere and that Mercy Home was a stable place, he truly began to settle in. 

Joshua is back in school again and works hard with his tutors every week to get his grades back on track. He’s bonded with the other boys and recently told one of my coworkers that, for the first time ever, he feels like he has friends. He takes solace in knowing that at Mercy Home, he’s safe, thanks to the support of partners in prayer like you. Thank you for remembering our children in your prayers 

Please note: Because we care deeply about protecting our children’s privacy, the names and certain identifying details in this story have been changed.