Mirriam Simwinga
Residential Area: Chifubu | Favorite Scripture: John 3:16
Mirriam Munsaka Simwinga is the last born in a family of four. She has two brothers and a sister. Mirriam applied to Mercy House in 2021 among over 1000 other young ladies who were hoping to get in. She was accepted and is now part of the pioneering cohort of 14 Life Learners at Mercy House who embarked on their journey on February 3, 2021.
Mirriam is so excited to be given this opportunity to get vocational education and discipleship for spiritual, occupational, and personal growth. When asked what led her to Mercy House, she narrated her story:
My siblings and I have been raised by a single parent. My parents divorced when I was young, so my mother took us with her. At age 17, I lost my dad and my dad’s family literally abandoned us. After my dad died, my entire family was taken in by my mom’s elder sister. We have lived with her since and so life has been generally hard because my mum has had to fend for us singlehandedly. I was sickly from 7th grade so completing school was a real struggle for me but by God’s grace I did.
Mirriam describes her mom as a hardworking and resilient woman who has endured much hardship in the process of raising and educating her and her siblings.
My mum is a tough and prayerful woman who has suffered a lot just to see us through school. For over 10 years, she worked as a maid and that is what sustained us as a family. She later joined the Ministry of Health as a cleaner/janitor in a clinic. Sadly, last year she lost her job and was dismissed with very little to even start a business. I am grateful to God that he has given me an innate talent with my hands. I plait and style hair and through that, I found a job at a kid’s salon where I now earn something small that certainly helps to feed my family. I also thank God that one of my brothers recently got a job as a security guard and so he has relocated to a different town. For us as a family, this is big.
Seeing where we are as a family is what brought me to Mercy House. I deeply desire to grow in the Lord but honestly, I’m also desperate to help my family. Life has been very tough for us and me getting to start a business that can grow and take care of my mum is my dream.
Mirriam’s favorite scripture is John 3:16. She says it shows her how deep the love of God is. That through the sacrifice of Jesus, she has found eternal life. Through that verse, she also learns that we too can sacrifice for those we love, no matter the cost.
She is sincerely grateful to Mercy House for giving her this opportunity. She doesn’t take it lightly. To her, God’s grace and mercy are at work in her life. She says,
May God continue to bless Mercy House so that others can also be empowered in the same way.