Love Mercy

As Christmas fast approaches, I know I am beginning to panic about what to buy people who seem to have everything they could possibly need and more. This year, we have some great solutions to this problem! A beautiful wall print from our friends at  Blacklist Studio Prints . This beautiful "All is Calm" print is featured in this months Real Living magazine. All proceeds are being donated to the Love Mercy Foundation. The print comes unframed, and is $49.95, plus $5 postage. Alternatively, the print can be picked up from Sutherland or Cronulla. Please email  jaynie@blackliststudio.com if you would like to order a print.

For those who have read a little bit of the bible, our name may seem familiar to you. That is because our name is based on a verse in the bible: "And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy    and to walk humbly [ with your God.”  Micah 6:8   So what does that mean? Jesus commands us to love our neighbors. A true neighbor is one who shows mercy. The word "mercy" carries with it both the idea of feeling empathy and compassion, as well as taking action on behalf of, and with those who are unable to do so themselves. The people of northern Uganda have lived through injustice for decades. We exist to empower communities, regardless of their religion, age, race, or political persuasion, to use their voice to demand justice. We see the love of Christ, shown through the local church to be a driving force for change in overcoming poverty.    We seek to love all people as equal, just as Jesus did, regardless of whether they share our faith

This is why we focus our projects towards women in rural Northern Uganda. For just $25 we provide women with tools, training, and access to seeds to grow food and provide for their family, village, and local market.

Progress on the Kristina Clinic  Achon Uganda Children's Fund Board Member- Jim Fee with the Community Board members for the Kristina Clinic  An update from Jim: Julius and I returned home on Sept. 21 st from an eventful and successful trip to Uganda. We departed on September 10 th and spent 10 days in Northern Uganda. I am writing to provide you trip highlights. From Sept. 14 th through the 19 th we alternated days in Lira and Julius’ village Awake which is 42 miles NNE. Recent heavy rains prior to and while we were in Northern Uganda made the road from Lira to the village very difficult to navigate so the normal 1½ hour trip became a 2+ hour journey each way.  The road to Awake   Kristina Clinic construction in Awake village is progressing very well since our May clinic visit. Under the leadership of construction manager Patrick Ebyau and Julius’ brother Jimmy Okullo the living quarters are virtually complete save windows, doors, painting and a 10 me

By Eloise Wellings    A couple of Sunday’s ago, 75 of us ran and walked from Sutherland to Cronulla. Around 10,000 steps to run, a few more if you’re walking. There was purpose in each and every step. Building a medical clinic in a war ravaged area in Northern Uganda. I hope that some day, some of the hundreds of Love Mercy supporters might get to meet our Ugandan friends who we’re standing alongside. But in case not, let me tell you a little about the people from Otuke County, who will be   helped by this clinic.   They are the poorest of the poor, some of them have lived through the last 20 years of war in Uganda’s North, some of them children, and war is all they’ve ever known- never seeing or knowing what peace looks like, until now. Now, that the war has settled, the LRA have moved into neighbouring Congo, it is time to rebuild, restore hope and make the community liveable again, and we’ve been given the opportunity to respond to the need. The medical clinic will have an amazing i

More from Rachel Hardy.. Some of the children we send to school. A few girls at Adiwang Secondary School idly stand outside classrooms; I assume it’s morning break time. Jimmy and I sit inside the school office, sign the guestbook and chat with the headmaster. The proprietor, George, explains the vision of the secondary school uniquely for girls, the only one in the district. A math and physics educator of 36 years, he has seen how difficult it is for girls to get ahead in Uganda. “Girls in some of the villages are still seen as cattle, and this must change,” George explains. “Girls are often the ones who do better in their studies…if they don’t get pregnant before they finish. Our heart is to see these girls succeed; Jimmy knows how it is here in the village.” Jimmy agrees, and George continues. “Parents here in the village don’t see why they should educate girls. That’s why there are girls outside and not in classrooms; their families haven’t paid their fees, and w

 Like Water....   Rachel Hardy is spending time with the Kids in our sponsorship program to see how we can best help them in their future. Have a read of what she has to say on her latest trip to Orum Primary School. “A few years ago, you wouldn’t have stopped on the side of the road like this, would you?” “Eh, no. You didn’t ever stop. If you stopped, eh…you were gone.” On our way to Orum Primary School to take pictures of the sponsored children, nature called Jimmy, so we slowed to a stop on the side of the road. I asked him about stopping, and he gave his haunting response as he shut his door. I shuddered. Much of the territory I traverse for research and photo documentation is former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) war land. Though the sheer beauty of the seemingly untouched countryside is stunning, I find myself wondering how many bodies are buried in those rolling hills and how many horrific tales I’d hear if those majestic trees could talk. Somewhat spooked, I searched

Rachel Hardy, International Studies in Development student is currently doing research in Northern Uganda for the Love Mercy Foundation for 6 weeks, and also for her thesis. Here is some of what she has learnt so far...  I thought I was prepared. I had my camera for pictures, my notebook of interview questions, a pen, extra bug spray, sunscreen, and hand sanitizer. I bought a muffin, bananas and some peanuts at the supermarket for a snack, and Jimmy grabbed chapatti, mandashi and water. I hadn’t had milk that morning to make sure my motion sickness didn’t get the best of me on the rough and bumpy roads. I was well stocked, well fed and well on my way for my first interview session with the women of Awake (ah-WAH-kay) church. But I was far from ready. Upon our arrival, a handful of women gathered to talk with me about Love Mercy ’s Cents for Seeds program; the village was participating for the first year, and we wanted to get their feedback. At first, the questions gra

Well last week you saw the photos... Now you can read the Newspaper article too! After several weeks of fundraising, many hours of training, and approximately 1hr17mins* running the Sutherland to Surf, our team of 75 people managed to raise a huge $61,270! This is an incredible effort given that our target was originally just $30,000. We would like to thank all of our sponsors, as well as our team of runners, walkers, and volunteers who made such an effort making sure the day was a success! Special thanks go out to: Simmone & Scott Townsend on the BBQ Stephie from live it for her organisational skills Jackie Hammond from Wazzup T-shirts in Taren point for her generosity. Hold onto your shirts until next year! See you then  *approximate finishing time of all athletes who competed)

TOTAL RAISED TO BE ANNOUNCED NEXT WEEK!

Love Mercy in the news: Listen to the story of our founder and our foundation: http://www.abc.net.au/sport/audio/2011/06/26/3253854.htm

THRIVE COMMUNITY CHURCH / / LOVE MERCY MOVIE NIGHT Join us on Wednesday the 20th of July at Thrive Community Church to watch the movie WAR DANCE, a documentary set in Northern Uganda. This will provide a great context for what we are doing in Uganda, why we are building a clinic, and how running 11km from Sutherland to Cronulla can HELP! 7PM-9PM Thrive Community Church - 15 Cawarra Road, Caringbah SEE YOU THERE! p.s - this event is FREE! Here is a sneak peak: http://youtu.be/LIl-zFPD3gc

On Sunday July 24th I'm running the Sutherland to Surf for Love Mercy so that we can help build a medical clinic in war torn Northern Uganda. The pictures of the plans for this clinic are in the post below. The clinic will be built in the Otuke county and every day, people in this region suffer, and in some cases, die needlessly because they don't have access to routine, preventative health care or emergency medical attention. With our clinic, we want to restore dignity and life-saving care after more than 20 years of war. Our clinic will provide primary medical care including triage and appropriate treatment, disease testing, inoculation, medication dispensing and education. Do you want to help out? There are 2 ways you can help! 1. Sponsor someone you know who is running the race, and help them reach their target. Click here to donate to Eloise or Myself.   2. RUN THE EVENT! That way you can gain sponsorship for yourself! To do so, follow these three easy s

The month of May will see the beginning of construction of the Kristina Achuma Clinic in Awake village. Our sister organisation, Achon Uganda Children’s Fund is currently heading to Uganda to begin the groundbreaking. Awake Village is 42 miles from Lira, the site of the nearest healthcare facility. The vast majority of Awake residents cannot afford transportation to Lira or the care offered there. As such, every day, people in this region suffer, and in some cases, die needlessly because they do not have access to routine, preventative health care or emergency medical attention. Our clinic will provide primary medical care including triage and appropriate treatment, disease testing, inoculation, medication dispensing and education. Our staff will be comprised of Ugandan MDs and RNs as well as a general manager and staff augmented by periodic visits from US-based doctors and nurses. This is a huge fundraising project for us, with the clinic set to cost an estimated $90 000. Whic

This time of year is busy and exciting for Love Mercy. The middle of March was the beginning of the rainy season in Uganda, the time when all of the crops for the year are planted. This means that the second round of our Micro-Loan “Cents for Seeds” project has  begun! After the huge success of our project in the village of Baa, with 107 loans distributed and 104 returned to us, we were able to expand our project to include the nearby village of Awake. A total of 547 women have signed up to receive approximately 15kgs of seeds each, of differing varieties, from soya beans, green beans, and also ground nuts. The mood in the villages was excited as the women lined up and received their seeds. They are now being planted, to be grown, harvested and then will contribute to imporiving the quality of live for families and entire villages. The women are asked to return the principal of their seed loan to the Love Mercy Foundation so that we can continue our project. The rest of the ha

This article in the  New York Times  explains how researchers and economists are realizing that women hold the key to economic development. Women care for the children that will be tomorrow's leaders. Women have the burden of providing food for their families when there is none. Women feel compassion and mercy towards others who are suffering. It is because of these facts that the Love Mercy Foundation has been targeting women in rebuilding villages that were ravaged by war. It is truly inspiring to see the difference that women around the world can make when unified in spirit and cause. One example of this can be seen the Colour Sisterhood that operates from Hillsong Church. They are supporting an organisation that also works in Uganda, and with the support of thousands of women in the developed world, women who are blessed with plenty are able to give to women in Northern Uganda. One such project has seen the transformation of a place of darkness into a place of light. When t

Uganda will seep into your bones, it will change you, regardless of whether you want it to or not. It's been almost 3 months since our trip to Uganda.  Three months on, I still have vivid images of what we saw there. It's like along the way I took mental images of what moved me the most. Not surprising... It was my prayer before I left, that I would go and I would be moved beyond my own emotions, that I would see it as God does.  I can still hear the beautiful women from baa, singing for us in their church, this, our gift for running the cents for seeds program with them. As they sing I can still see the faces of the ones that bare the scars of the horrible atrocities that were carried out on them during the war. I only just learned of the terrible massacre that happened in that village just 5 years ago, when the LRA stormed into their homes and caused unimaginable pain and bloodshed. Peace has returned, but the scars remain. What amazes me most about  these women is their g

The Love Mercy Foundation is passionate about justice, equality, and especially simple solutions that have life changing effects in the developing world.On our first trip to Uganda in November, the team got to experience these things first hand.    Africa is unlike anyplace I have ever seen before. In some ways, it was exactly as   we expected. There are women who carry things on their heads, kids who smile real big and point and laugh at the pale people, and lots of music and dancing. In other ways it was totally unexpected and nothing could have prepared us for what we would see or do. The media tends to portray Africa as a dark, scary and hopeless place, filled with fear, crime, depressing images of kids with big bellies and no clothes. We did see these types of images with our own eyes, but far from being sad and depressing, We were shocked at the light and hope that radiates from each person. The people are resillient, their lives are often characterised by war, pover