Caleb never felt truly at home in the apartment he shared with his mother. Although his mother loved him very much, she struggled to support him. Despite working hard at multiple jobs, the utilities at the apartment were often shut off. In the winter, Caleb would sleep in several sweaters, doing whatever he could to bundle up and stay warm. And in the summer, he tried his hardest to block out the gunshots he could hear from his open window.

One night, Caleb’s mother was the victim of a violent crime. She was mugged at gunpoint and left for dead on the street. After spending the night in excruciating pain, she was discovered and brought to the hospital. By some miracle, she survived the attack, but was left paralyzed from the waist down.

Caleb spent the night she was missing desperately worried. He couldn’t sleep, and constantly wondered where she could be. Though he was relieved when he found out she survived, other troubles loomed on the horizon.

His mother knew that she had to get Caleb out of their neighborhood. But she had no money to move, especially after her recent string of medical bills. With no other choice, from her hospital bed, she tearfully asked Caleb to talk to his school counselor about finding a new place to live.

Caleb left the hospital full of fear. He had never lived away from his mother. But he spoke to his counselor because he promised his mother he would. The counselor suggested Mercy Home as a place where Caleb could be safe and receive the support he needed.

The transition wasn’t easy. Caleb struggled to leave his mother behind, even though she was safe and recovering well. The violence of his neighborhood left him fearful. Even the slightest noise would make him jump.

But as time went on, Caleb’s life began to change. By opening up to his therapist about the struggles he and his mother went through, he began to heal. And, over time, Caleb transformed from a shy and timid boy to one who is confident and healing from the pain and trauma he suffered.

Caleb knows that he has loving friends like you who keep him in their daily prayers. And he knows that there is a caring group of coworkers who take care of him every day. The entire Mercy Home family has made a tremendous change in his life.

Thank you for being a friend to the children of Mercy Home. I am truly thankful for your faithful commitment to our boys and girls.

---

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.