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Mercy's Impact in 2023
260,000
In South Asia, we have been able to impact 260,000 people with clean water wells!
303,300
Mercy has been able to reach a total of 303,300 people through Literacy, agricultural training, entrepreneurship, trauma care, and more
221,500
The Gospel was professed to a total of 221,500 people around the globe.
Literacy & Life Skills
Toussaint was 17 when he joined the MAI, which is an armed group in the Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His last year of schooling was grade 5 at a local primary school.
After 7 years, he decided to escape and return to his family. He missed them and they hadn’t had any contact or news from him since the day he left.
Last year, he saw his friend Josephine teaching by reading to a group of young girls and boys in the local church in the DRC village of Kahero, about 3 kilometers from his home. They hadn’t been able to go to school because their parents were poor. He went alone to ask Josephine if he could join the literacy class, “ yes,” she said, “but you have to see my pastor first.”. He told his story to pastor Byanda who knew him and his family. Byanda was happy to see him and wanted Toussaint to come to Christ, but Toussaint said that he had already given his life to Jesus. He didn’t smoke marijuana anymore like all the “kid soldiers”, and he was baptized and he was a member of a Baptist church in a nearby village.
At last, pastor Byanda wrote a short letter to Josephine permitting Toussaint to attend the literacy class. Josephine said, “He is the smartest student that I have ever seen as a literacy tutor.” Toussaint declared, “I am happy with my class. I lost everything while I was with the armed group. But now I can read fluently and I enjoy reading my Bible every day.”
Because Toussaint can read, now he can take care of his chickens. “My prayer is to earn more income and make my poultry bigger. If I had 100 chickens, I could get enough manure to produce enough vegetables and eggs to support me and my parents.” he said. Toussaint also wishes to improve his reading and writing, so that he can organize night literacy lessons at his local training center.
This, Toussaint explans, will help further him in growing his own business! “After that, I will need to learn more about agriculture and poultry.” he said.
Story written by: James Kigamwa
Director of Literacy & Life Skills
Mercy Shops
Mercy Shops was started to help aspiring business owners around the world take a piece of their business to the global market.
This for profit business is owned solely by the non profit Mercy, Inc., which transforms lives caught in the cycle of physical, relational, and spiritual poverty.
All profits help Mercy transform lives around the world. Check out the work of Mercy Shops by visiting our website!