Mercy Homes
Mercy Homes was started by Pastor K.V. Daniel, together with his wife Lily, in 2001.
Pastor Daniel and Lily have been helping the poor in India for over 30 years. They are well known in their community, have an excellent reputation and are so genuine in their desire to help others.
Pastor Daniel was so aware of the vulnerability of poor and orphaned children in his own country, India. Many children become homeless every day in India, leaving them vulnerable to child trafficking, slavery, crime, prostitution, poor health and an early death.
After seeing the suffering of the poor and orphaned children Pastor Daniel set up the Mercy Home project.
Pastor Daniel's Personal Story
“Many years ago I was travelling in India on a long bus journey. The bus stopped for us all to take a lunch break. Two young men got off the bus, ate their lunch and consumed a lot of alcohol at a nearby bar. Once the passengers got back on the bus it was time to set off again. As we were leaving these two young men, feeling rather ill, leaned out the bus window and vomited up their chicken lunch. My heart broke as I watched two young street children rush up and pick out the lumps of chicken from the vomit on the ground. After rinsing it in some dirty water I watched in horror as they ate the pieces of meat. From that day onwards I knew that I had to do everything I could to help children, like these little ones, out of such extreme poverty and distress.”
Mercy Homes is not an orphanage but is a home concept.
Up to 10 children (single sex homes), aged 5 years and upwards, are brought up in a home with Christian parents who have a passion to give poor and orphaned children a future. Each child brought up in this loving environment receives good nutrition and parenting, and attends the local school in their own community. Each home has a family feel rather than being like an institution. This also means that in the community the children are seen as part of a family, rather than having the stigma of being known as ‘ the orphan’.
So far there are over 90 of these homes across India and increasing all the time with new homes opened in Peru, Mexico and Ecuador. Further homes will soon be opening in Kenya.
Many of the new children arrive at the homes malnourished and from poverty stricken backgrounds, so they need a lot of love and care at the homes. We have been so impressed by the homes we have visited. There is a really peaceful atmosphere in them, the children are happy and confident, and the atmosphere is one of a safe, secure, loving home.
Our support of Mercy Homes
Love the One highly supports this model of family based care, knowing that children thrive so much more in family units rather than institutional type care.
We work alongside Mercy Homes on a daily basis, and have found them to be honest, reliable, financially accountable with excellent record keeping and utmost integrity.
We would endorse this project to anyone who would like to be involved in a child sponsorship scheme in India. For more information on Mercy Homes, or sponsoring a home, please click here to Contact Us.