Village Mercy
This has been a full month here on the property. Our Tuesday Bible class is bearing real fruit in the guys, the men themselves built a new room to solve one of our space problems, one of our residents sat across the table from his family for a forgiveness meeting, and once again we've been reminded how many people stand with us in this work. We're glad to share it all with you below.
Every Tuesday, our men gather around the Word for a class we've simply called Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. For many of the guys who come through our gates, this is genuinely new ground. Roughly 80% of the men at Village Mercy don't come from a Christian background, so for them, this class isn't just an add-on to recovery, it's the foundation that everything else gets built on.
We keep it simple: how to actually read Scripture for yourself, how to pray, what it means to belong to a church, and how to fight sin and grow in obedience day by day. Basic things to some, but for a man who has never opened a Bible before, they are genuinely life-changing.
Since we started this class, we've seen real growth in the guys. Men who used to sit quietly at the back are now asking questions, wrestling honestly with what they're reading, and starting to own their faith instead of just borrowing ours. We're really encouraged by what we're seeing, and we're excited to see where this foundation takes them.
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
By Our Own Hands
Space has been one of our ongoing challenges here at Village Mercy, and this month we tackled it head-on. We've been building a new room on the property that will soon become our computer room, freeing up much-needed space elsewhere and giving our IT setup a proper home. What makes this project special is who built it. Every brick, window, and roof sheet was put up by our own residents, working alongside our team from start to finish. It wasn't just a construction project, it was a training ground. While we solved a real space problem for the ministry, the guys were learning skills in bricklaying, roofing, and general building work, skills they can carry with them long after they leave Village Mercy.
A Forgiveness Meeting, and a Family Reunited
This month we celebrated a milestone with Xavier Fitzpatrick, one of our residents, as he sat down for his forgiveness meeting with his father, mother, and sister. Xavier is a former SANDF member and a skilled builder, and he's been one of the men leading the charge on our computer room project, teaching other residents construction skills along the way. We are genuinely encouraged by the steady progress Xavier has made. Meetings like this one are an important part of our program, giving a man the chance to own what he's done, ask for forgiveness, and begin rebuilding trust with the people he loves.
Our Generous Supporters
Here is a snapshot of June's generosity:
Village Mercy was selected as a recipient of Santam's 2026 Charity Drive, thanks to Dineo Mantjie, an employee at Santam who let us know about the opportunity and encouraged us to apply. That nomination turned into real support for the ministry this month. We're grateful for people like Dineo who open doors for us in places we'd otherwise never have access to.
We were once again blessed this month by Roumil Patel from Krisha Gems (Pty) Ltd, who generously donated food and blankets to our residents. For those who sleep in rooms with very little sunlight and no heating, these blankets are a true blessing—simple, practical, and deeply appreciated as the winter cold sets in. The food donation is equally valuable, helping to reduce our monthly grocery expenses and enabling us to provide slightly better compensation to the men who work so hard for us.
We also had a special visit this month from Mulalo, a Village Mercy graduate, who returned with a grocery donation to help meet some of our day-to-day needs. It's always a joy to see our graduates come back, not just to visit, but to give back.
Our mission is to strengthen and equip those affected by any form of life-dominating habits in partnership with local churches