At school, Anna was known as one of the “good kids.” She joined every club, organization, and sport she could. She had lots of friends and got good grades. From the outside, everything looked perfect.

But, in reality, things were anything but.

You see, Anna had a secret. There was a reason that she joined so many clubs. She would do anything to stay away from home.

People thought that her family was just another typical suburban family. They would never guess the darkness that the white house with the picket fence and minivan in the driveway hid.

Anna’s father had an anger problem. And a drinking problem. When his business went under, things went from bad to worse. Her dad was always home, always drunk, and always filled with rage. Everything seemed to make him angry.

At first, her father just yelled at Anna and her mother all time. It was usually over-perceived slights, like his dinner being overcooked or Anna tracking mud in the hall when she came in from the rain.

But it didn’t take long for it to escalate. Anna and her mother now lived in fear of her father’s temper, which would inevitably end with a hand raised toward them. Anna had a good reason to want to stay away from home.

And nobody ever suspected a thing.

After months of making every excuse to avoid the epicenter of her father’s anger, Anna couldn’t take the pressure of having to act like things were okay anymore. She was tired of hiding bruises and making excuses. She went to see her favorite teacher at school, whom she had a close relationship with, and explained what was going on.

It took a lot of courage to tell the truth about what had been going on at home. The community Anna grew up in was the kind where everyone pretends everything is perfect, even when it isn’t. But she knew she couldn’t live that way anymore.

Anna’s teacher promised to look up resources to help her, and she came across Mercy Home. After some research, she thought it would be a great fit for Anna. She explained that it would be a safe place for her to live and focus on healing from the trauma she experienced living in her home. Mercy Home could provide resources for her mother, too.

Anna was hesitant, but decided to take a leap of faith and move in.

Like with all of our kids, there was an adjustment period for Anna. It’s not easy to make such a big change. But Anna immediately felt comfortable with her therapist and began opening up about everything she had been through. Eventually, she was able to open up to the other girls as well. She found a lot of strength from telling her story.

Now after nearly a year at Mercy Home, Anna feels strong, safe, and happy. She still loves to stay busy and has joined different clubs at our Home—our youth advisory board, the gardening club, and dance club. She knows there is a bright future ahead of her, and I have to say, we all agree!

Thank you for being part of Anna’s new start and helping us provide her with a safe place to call home. We are so grateful to Partners in Prayer like you.

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A SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP FOR THE SAKE OF MERCY’S KIDS AND FOR OUR TELEVISED SUNDAY MASS

You can make a difference in the life of a troubled child. Fr. Scott needs Partners to pray for our kids at Mercy Home–and also faithful Partners to help broadcast Sunday Mass at Mercy Home.

By pledging your support and your prayers, you’re offering a precious gift to Mercy’s kids–and helping our community of faith join together every week.

The boys and girls of Mercy Home are very proud of the difference they are able to make just by sharing their time and heart with others. None of this would be possible without our kind, faithful supporters, for not only sharing their friendship but for also setting an example of generosity and compassion for them to follow. During this month, please keep the young people of Mercy Home and all of our generous benefactors in your thoughts and prayers.