Day of MERCY 2012

Dear All,

On June 16th, during the Fourth Annual Day of MERCY, over 1500 MERCY Ambassadors served thousands of people on five continents, pouring thousands of man hours into scores of projects around the globe,

I was so encouraged to receive the reports about the different projects and hearing about those that were served by all the efforts of the MERCY Ambassadors. Projects included caring and serving widows, orphans and the blind, as well as the elderly and the homeless, building homes and beautifying schools and parks.

One project of special note is the work of the MERCY volunteers in New Delhi, India. (Please see the picture below.) In New Delhi, we served the impoverished children living in the dirty, unhygienic cluster of impoverished shanties. The MERCY Ambassadors taught the children about values and basis life skills. They did many activities – games, singing, crafts and drawings – with the children and afterward had lunch together. The children in this very poor area felt the compassionate love, affection and care of  the MERCY Ambassadors.

Another noteworthy project was completed by Orange County Chapter of the Los Angeles Branch. The MERCY Ambassadors served at The Blind Children’s Learning Center, where 250 youngsters, from early years up to 25 years of age, are taught to read braille and cope with everyday life. With donations from Home Depot and Dunn Edwards Painting, to name a few, 117 MERCY Ambassadors worked on 11 individual projects within the Learning Center, including painting, landscaping and a deck repair.

I hope you heart is moved by the many heart-warming stories, summarized below, from around the world about projects MERCYworldwide Ambassadors participated in on June 16.

To close out, I’ll leave you with a few quotes from a few of those who were impacted by the Day of MERCY:

“Of all the times I’ve worked at Franklin Canyon Park, MERCYworldwide is the best group that I’ve seen come through here! You have worked the hardest, longest and have gotten the most done! With your help today we’ve completed about three months of project relief.” Erick Vera of LA Works

“As long as I have been here, I have never experienced anything like this. It felt like a big family get-together!” The Chicago Neumann Family Services Volunteer Coordinator

Our adopted school in Compton, (Los Angeles) Washington Elementary School’s Principal, Ms. Lisa Davis shared, “We are so grateful that so many of you came – your generosity is amazing! You are all setting a great, positive example.”

And my favorite – underscoring the unity expressed through our green MERCY t-shirts – from the Director of Portland’s Downtown Compassion: “The line of needy people was out the door and there simply weren’t enough volunteers! But then in walked the Green Lanterns, and everyone started clapping!”

Hearing so many heart-warming stories and knowing that so many have been impacted, the Scripture in Acts 20:35 is true: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Thank you to all the MERCY Ambassadors (or should I say MERCY Green Lanterns!) for letting your light shine in this very dark world! (Matthew 5:14) To God be the glory!

 

Nick Bordieri

President and CEO

MERCYworldwide

 

DAY OF MERCY 2012 

 REPORTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

 

MERCYworldwide USA

• HILO, HAWAII
• LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA BRANCH
  • ARTS, MEDIA, AND SPORTS CHAPTER
  • CENTRAL LA CHAPTER
    • ANTELOPE VALLEY Sector
  • EAST LA Chapter
  • INLAND EMPIRE Chapter
  • ORANGE COUNTY Chapter
  • WEST LA Chapter
• ORLANDO, FLORDIA BRANCH
• PHOENIX, ARIZONA BRANCH
• PORTLAND, OREGON BRANCH
• SYRACUSE, NEW YORK BRANCH
• WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BRANCH