April 10, 2023

Every year, during Easter week, Mercy Home’s young people and coworkers gather to celebrate Easter and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For believers, the hope of salvation brings light to even the darkest of times. And at Easter gatherings last week, this hope is what our young people and coworkers celebrated together. 

At both our boys and girls homes, celebrations began with reflections from our young people and discussions about how Lent is a time to prepare for Easter by intentionally reminding ourselves about our connection to God and to others. One way our young people did that was by taking part in the Lenten tradition of giving alms, which means using what we have to help those in need. Our young people participated in a campaign of giving during Lent, raising funds to help victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria or by donating to a select individual or small business someplace in the world that applied for a micro loan on the website Kiva.org. Among those our kids helped were a business owner in Peru who needed money for family healthcare expenses, a mother in Vanuatu who hopes to open a food stall, a woman in Albania whose son requires specialized treatment for an injury, and a food shop owner in Turkey who was affected by that devastating February earthquake. 

“What the world needs now is love sweet love,” Fr. Scott said, quoting the classic song first recorded by Jackie DeShannon. “You participated in making that a reality.” He explained that “We’re called to act with kindness and charity, to use the gifts God gave us to create a better world. Jesus showed us how life can best be lived and by going out and taking care of our brothers and sisters in need, you’re doing exactly what God asks us to do.”

Fr. Scott commended the young people for raising funds and bringing  healing to people in desperate situations. “You’ll never know these people,” Fr. Scott said, “But you’ve done it out of the kindness of your hearts and a desire to make things better. The world needs your love and your kindness and your care and your compassion.” 

He concluded, “What you’ve shown through your acts of service during the Lenten season is that you care.” 

After the spiritual reflections at both our boys and our girls homes, kids enjoyed a delicious meal of ham, potatoes, corn, rolls, and dessert. 

Following dinner at our girls home, our young women participated in another special tradition: the Easter egg hunt. Our front lawn was sprinkled with hundreds of colorful eggs packed with candy. Everyone had a great time collecting eggs, and six were especially lucky—they found the coveted golden eggs that could be traded in for a gift card. 

The Easter celebrations ended with our kids receiving Easter baskets—the perfect way to conclude a special, inspiring night spent celebrating together.

Community Care Easter Egg Hunt a Joy-Filled Event

After the egg hunt, the Easter Bunny held an impromptu dance party with the kids, hopping and bopping to tunes like the “Cupid Shuffle” and “Wobble” before posing for pictures with our members and their kids.

Easter celebrations like this one are a key part of Community Care’s work at the Home and in the community. The program provides former residents with a variety of resources they need to be successful. Gatherings like this one give members the chance to gather with their Mercy Home family and not feel isolated during holidays.

“Community Care was super excited about hosting our first annual Easter Egg Hunt,” Ashley Monroe-Turner, Community Care Coordinator, said. “We had such a great turn out!”

Board Members Pack Easter Meals for Community Care

Ambassador Board member John Salvino remarked, “it’s nice to be a part of something special for Easter.” Ambassador Brendan Breen seconded, saying “It’s a nice way to contribute.”

A total of 90 meals and 150 Easter baskets were packed. We are so grateful for the commitment of our board members!

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