Almost four years after work first began, staff and students at the Ministry of Mercy in Nigeria moved into their new school building on January 16th, 2012. This is the first phase of an ambitious project to construct three new classroom buildings at the orphanage and school in central Nigeria. Over 300 orphans and unwanted children are raised in a Christian atmosphere. Many have been abandoned because of chronic illnesses, physical or mental handicaps, and poverty. Children are educated through grade six on the compound.

Although they are now using the building, Crystal Gosnell explains that there is still much work to be done. “We began using the building even though windows, interior doors, ceilings, electrical fixtures, painting, and furnishings still aren’t complete. There's also a bit of outdoor cement work (steps, ramp, sewer chambers) that still needs to be finished. But, there's a roof, running water, a floor, exterior doors that lock and burglary-proof grates covering the window openings, so we’re making do right now.”

This building is designed to be a nursery school, but Ministry of Mercy is holding all of their classes (Nursery 1 through Primary 6) there for the time being.

Your gifts will go toward purchasing materials and supplies to complete the present building, making it fully functional. And Crystal makes no secret about her desire to start on the next building as soon this one is complete!