"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."  - James 1:27

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.”  - Proverbs 31:8

"And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."  - Isaiah 58:10

Marissa Amber McGill was a beautiful, Christian girl, filled with an amazing faith and wisdom that was beyond her years.  Marissa had an unquenchable desire to live her faith and she sought to do that each and every day. She was vibrant, joyful, funny and full of life. 

Prior to Marissa's death in a car accident, she developed a passion for the people of Africa, and particularly the children displaced and orphaned by the AIDS epidemic and civil war.  She watched and prayed for friends of the family who serve in Africa and missionary families who serve in Mexico and other countries and developed a strong desire to one day be a missionary to the children of Africa.  Marissa was particularly moved by the Invisible Children project and talked frequently of the children and their plight.  She wrote in her journal, "...but I always have to remind myself of the African children and all over the world (also the kids in the Mexican dumps) so that I'm not so selfish.  I'm glad that God showed me that.  It's like He opened my eyes to a whole new perspective outside of me and my own little world."

We chose to honor Marissa, carry on her legacy and fulfill her life's dream by building an orphanage -- Marissa's House -- in the city of Jimma, Ethiopia.  The building is completed and was DEDICATED on January 30, 2011 ! 

The Jimma Emmanuel United Church will use the central meeting area of the building as it's home.  Each member of the church has committed to provide the monthly finances necessary for one of the children who will be identified from the community to live in the orphanage.  We are so very excited to see this project coming to fruition and to be partnering with this amazing congregation !

The cost to build the orphanage, which will house 50 orphaned boys and girls, was $50,000 and thanks to wonderful friends and family and the blessing of God -- we have reached this goal !!  Thank you to everyone who joined us in this project, not only to memorialize Marissa and fulfill her dream, but to honor God and obey His command to take care of the widows and orphans.