2014 Giving Tree Farm: Mercy House provides hope for women and children in Kenya

THE WOODLANDS, Texas - This holiday season, Woodlands Online is hosting the second annual Giving Tree Farm. Several non-profit organizations around Montgomery County will be participating so that they can better serve those in need. Each organization has a decorated tree at the Woodlands Online office complete with ornaments that each have an item that would benefit that non-profit. From December 3-December 23, members of the community can participate by picking an ornament and providing that particular item.

Mercy House Kenya is one of the organizations participating this year. Founded by Kristen Welch, a local mom of three and writer of the parenting blog,"We are THAT Family," Mercy House is working to empower women all over the world. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Mercy House is a US organization that funds maternity homes in Kenya. Mercy House works to assist pregnant teens in Kenya and also engage, empower and disciple impoverished women all over the world through product development. Many women being helped by Mercy House were forced into prostitution in order to help feed their families. With Mercy House, these women and children are given prenatal care, appropriate nutrition, Biblical teaching, educational learning, an account to start small business, a safe place to learn and heal, and much more.

About five years ago, Welch was asked to travel to Kenya, Africa, with Compassion International, the largest child sponsorship program.

“I was invited to go and write about poverty in the slums in hopes that the women who read my blog would sponsor children,” said Welch. "That trip turned my world upside town. I was standing in a slum in Africa and realized my life would never be the same.”

While in Africa, Welch befriended her tour guide, Maureen, who had grown up in the child sponsorship program herself. She was a senior in college at the time and had been chosen to be a part of a leadership development program. They connected right away and they both knew they wanted to do something to help all of the teens that were trapped in the life of abuse and poverty.

When Welch returned home, the sights she saw in Kenya stayed on her mind, and one day, she saw a documentary that would change her life, as well as many others.

“I saw a documentary about teen girls in Kenya who were prostituting for food,” said Welch. “It really focused on one young girl who got pregnant from this “job” and had died from trying to self abort. As I watched this, I was just so moved and I knew that these were the girls I wanted to help. I wanted them to have some sort of opportunity and option other than the very few options that they had.”

With a mission in sight, Welch teamed with Maureen, and Mercy House was formed. Nearly five years later, thirty women and their children live in maternity homes funded by Mercy House, providing safe care for both mother and child. Mercy House in America works to raise funds and seek to empower, disciple and employ women all over the world, while the work they do in Africa is the main focus.

To further support women across the globe, Fair Trade Friday was launched by the organization earlier this year. Fair Trade Friday started when Welch was invited to meet refugees from all over the world that now live in Houston. Approximately 50,000 refugees relocated by the United Nations live in Houston. Welch and a group of others started visiting every Friday to teach these women how to make different items. Welch then purchases the product from the refugees and ships them all over The United States to Fair Trade Friday club members. Members receive a box of items on the first Friday of each month that are made not only by the refugees in Hosuton, but by women all around the world including Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Costa Rica, Honduras and many other places. The club is so popular that there is a waitlist.

“It teaches the girls skills and really helps restore their dignity and raises their self esteem in creating items,” said Welch. “Our online store really took off and in January of this past year, I started working with refugees in Houston and that became another non profit. We were buying product from those women to help them provide jobs. That is how Fair Trade started because we had all of this product and we were trying to come up with ways to move it. Each month when we pack those boxes, there’s always different fun, cute and unique items.”

The staff at Mercy House Kenya, along with Welch who tries to visit at least twice a year, work on teaching the women how to create different items. For Welch, it is a moving experience each time she goes back to Kenya.

“It is really powerful to hold babies that shouldn’t have been born. Just to be a part of changing their world, and it’s changed our world. To experience that with my kids and my husband is so rewarding. We want to physically touch and see what we are giving our lives for. It is what keeps me going. I believe that we are created to give back. God created us to give. It gives purpose to why we work so hard. Generosity and gratitude really occur when you give to others.”

To help support Mercy House and Fair Trade Friday, come visit the Woodlands Online office from December 3-23 to donate items needed both locally and in Kenya.

Items requested:

• Small baby toys (babies in Kenya)
• Board books (toddlers in Kenya)
• Fingernail polish, chap stick (for teen moms in Kenya)
• Yarn (wool and cotton) in all colors (Fair Trade Friday refugee partners)
• Car seats: infant and toddler (Fair Trade Friday refugee partners)
• Crochet hooks -all sizes (Fair Trade Friday refugee partners)
• Backpacks (Fair Trade Friday partners in Ethiopia)
• School supplies (Fair Trade Friday partners in Ethiopia)

The Woodlands Online office is located at 33300 Egypt Lane, Magnolia TX 77354, suite B 500. Swing by and pick an ornament off of the Mercy House tree to support this wonderful cause! You can also purchase a hand made bird or heart ornament made by the women living at the Mercy House in Kenya!

For more information about Mercy House Kenya and Fair Trade Friday, and to learn more about volunteer opportunities, visit the links provided below and take a look at their video feature.