Education has routinely been identified as a key factor in the fight against poverty. Without a proper education, children grow up to be adults without the skills they need to generate a sufficient income.  As a result these same children will likely be delegated to a life of mere subsistence, much like their parents before them, perpetuating the cycle of deprivation.

In order to help break this cycle, Mission of Mercy has always made -- and will continue to make --education central to its overall children’s ministry. How we minister to children’s educational needs, however, varies from project to project. 

Hundreds of our projects, particularly in our Asian and Middle Eastern countries, are formal schools recognized by local governments as educational institutions. Although there are many differences, children at these schools learn much what their American counterparts do: mathematics, science, social studies, a secondary language (often English) and their primary language, among other subjects. In general, children in these projects receive what would be the equivalent of a K-12 education.

Other projects, located in our Central American/Caribbean and African countries, offer supplemental educational opportunities rather than a formal education. These opportunities typically come in the form of tutoring and reinforcement in key subject areas such as mathematics and English. Some children that attend these projects are in formal schools not affiliated with Mission of Mercy. The project tutors provide these children with help in subjects they struggle with, giving them the extra edge needed to do well in their studies. For other children who are not in formal schools, the project tutoring provides them with basic instruction in fundamental subject matter.

Whether a child attends a project that is a formal school or a project that provides tutoring, Mission of Mercy seeks to train that child in the knowledge and skills that will help them secure their economic needs. We strive to equip children with basic thinking and problem-solving skills, basic knowledge in central subject areas, and the ability to utilize and apply their knowledge to daily life. In other words, we want to provide these children with the tools they need to be a successful business owner, entrepreneur or worker. 

The one lesson we desperately hope that all of our kids take to heart, however, is the fact that Jesus Christ loves them and desires to be in relationship with them. Armed with this saving knowledge and skills learned at their project, these children have a better chance at fulfilling their God-given potential.