Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your chesed, for they have been from of old. Psalm 25:6
Recently, on two separate occasions, I’ve come across the Hebrew word, Chesed (pronounced: hess-Ed). Chesed–it is a difficult word to encapsulate. It’s big and roomy with lots of space. It’s often translated as “unfailing love, steadfast love, mercy, loving-kindness, faithfulness, goodness, graciousness”.
One author, Chad Bird, describes Chesed as untranslatable love. I like that–it’s a love so vast and big, it’s beyond comprehension.This untranslatable love is God. Chesed is God’s essence and what God bestows. I might translate Chesed as “always mercy”–never ending, unexplainable mercy embodied in Christ and lavished upon us.
This Chesed is the foundation of the mercy work in Kenya that many of you have supported through your prayers, your gifts of kindness, encouragement and donations. And that work continues!
It’s been awhile since I’ve written, but rest assured, there has been much going on behind the scenes here in Northern California and in rural Western Kenya. We are working diligently to give a face to mercy both here and across the miles.
In Kenya~
Rehema Open Door. (Rehema is Swahili for mercy). We like to think of it as opening the door to mercy for those who suffer in body and soul. Rehema Open Door is registered in Kenya as a limited liability company (LLC) recognized by the Kenyan government for the purpose of providing palliative and hospice care for those suffering from chronic or terminal illness. Rehema Open Door has a bank account, an accountant and a full international board of directors! We are registered with and recognized by Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association (KEHPCA).
The open gates to Rehema Open Door land
Rehema Open Door is currently being built (literally brick by brick as funds are raised and become available). We have a water tower and the foundation is being poured for the initial phase of our project! While our facility is under construction, Rehema Open Door is continuing to do important work. In 2022 and 2023, we will train and fund around forty community health workers to assess the medical needs of individuals in the community and connect patients with care at Atemo Health Centre. This portion of the work is being funded by a generous grant from Biblical Charities Continuing Education in St. Louis, MO.
Here in America~
Always Mercy is currently being formed as a nonprofit, 501©3 in the United States. Always Mercy wants to further the important mercy work by helping fund Rehema Open Door’s building plans and supporting its mission. We are working hard to get everything in place so we can be up and operating soon. Through a generous donation, a new website is also in the works and will be unveiled in the coming months.
