KeAjah – 2015 Graduate

My parents were very young when I was born. My dad left when I was three, leaving my mom to raise me alone. A close family member sexually abused me for nine years of my childhood. Growing up I also faced verbal abuse and was told that I had no common sense. As a result of the dysfunction in my life, I became a perfectionist, developed an eating disorder, began cutting, using drugs and alcohol, and turned to men for emotional support.

I heard about Mercy from my cousin who is also a graduate. My mother suggested I apply. Before coming to Mercy I was very disrespectful, mean, abrasive, and simply didn’t care about much.

A major turning point for me at Mercy was the day I was sitting in the classroom during quiet time listening to worship music. I had an unexplainable peace come over me.

God has done so much in the short period of time that I was at Mercy. He gave me hope and restored my purity. I can confidently say I am clean and whole in His eyes.

After graduating from Mercy, I plan on finishing my last year of high school and getting a job. Then I want to apply to Youth With a Mission (YWAM) and begin mission work. Someday I want to have a ministry of my own, aiding broken and battered woman and children of the world.

I would like to say “thank you so much” to all the Mercy donors for supporting me and having faith in me when I didn’t have faith in myself.