Day #30: Give with Mercy House Kenya in Houston, TX

We had dinner with a really great family tonight. You may have heard of them, actually.

Kristen of We are THAT Family e-mailed me a little while back to invite us over to sort through donations for Mercy House Kenya, a 501(c)(3) which they run out of their garage.

We pulled up and felt immediately welcomed by her family of five. They are a casual and humble bunch.

Did you know that they started a non-profit this past year? It's a maternity house in Kenya - a refuge for pregnant young women. The Mercy House will aid them in nutrition, housing, prenatal care, counseling, Biblical teaching, and job skills for sustainable living.

Most of these girls are pregnant because of sex trafficking, rape, and prostitution. Many of them live on the streets. Many of them don't have enough food to eat (or even a roof over their heads). The Mercy House will provide them a reprieve, a way to welcome their babies into a safe place, and a new path to life.

The House is just getting ready to open (see right) and, when it does, the monthly minimum cost to run it will be $4,000. Kristen's family is sacrificing much and giving out of their own pockets, but they also need our help.

Here are a few immediate things you can do:

• Shop at the Mercy House Etsy Shop. All items are made by the Welch family, by supporters, and/or donated by artists/crafters. 100% of the profits go to The Mercy House.
• Donate your art to the Mercy House Etsy Shop. Do you have a knack for sewing, painting, jewelry making, or soap making? Donate your wares to be sold for this noble cause.
• Buy Kristen's new book (just released last week!) - Don't Make Me Come Up There: Quiet Moments for Busy Moms.
• Give $3 on the 3rd day of each month. It's a special thing they do each month to encourage people to remember the Mercy House.
• Buy a t-shirt. Here's what they look like.