Seven years ago Kellie Ross was new to the Gainesville/Bristow area. She decided to organize a donation center out of her basement home to live her Catholic beliefs and connect with people in her new community.
“We decided to do something really practical,” Ross said, “We wanted to help Hurricane Katrina victims, when someone said, ‘why don’t you feed the poor in D.C.?”
Her first missionary trip was scarcely planned. She packed her car with a few friends and peanut butter jelly sandwiches they had made with the intention of feeding the hungry. They had no idea where they were going, and then they got lost in an unfamiliar D.C neighborhood.
‘Where were they headed?’ Ross wondered. Would they be able to made a difference or were they a group of suburbanites in over their heads? Then Ross began to pray.
And then she turned a corner. Around it she found a group of people huddled near a homeless shelter. Ross gave out her sandwiches, and began to come back regularly, bringing food and clothing.
But Ross wanted to offer more, she wanted hoped to get to know the people she assisted and inspire them to make permanent positive changes in their lives. To start off, she would need to spend some time talking to them, but it was winter, and no one wanted to stand out in the harsh weather.
Then Father Jack Fullen of Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in Gainesville suggested they get some hot water at a nearbyfast food restaurant and fill up tubs to warm the people’s feet. People’s feet were in shabby condition from living on the street so they decided to wash them.
As they washed one woman’s feet, she started to cry and said of the washcloth, “That’s too pure to touch my feet.”
“It was incredibly humbling for everyone,” said Ross, who saw it as a sign of religion, and an indication of the path she must pursue.
Today Kellie Ross is the founder of The Missionaries of Our Lady of Divine Mercy, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit humanitarian organization, which is now located in a new spacious center on Flannery Court in Manassas adjacent to Merrifield Garden Center.
The missionary center that has grown in leaps and bounds due to people’s generosity, church and community connections and according to Ross providence from the Lord.
It now feeds more than 100 local families per week; offers GED, ESL, vocational, spiritual, wellness and financial classes; operates and nonprofit thrift shop for clothing and furniture; operates Montessori preschool classes and organizes missionary trips to Africa and the Caribbean.
It does all this while offering religious assistance, meanwhile respecting the choices of those of different faiths or secular beliefs. It also provides the assistance necessary to progress individuals towards self-reliance.
“That’s not mercy, that’s dependence,” Ross said of giving to people without provided them with the tools to care for themselves.
Right now she has her in need community members on a point system. Points allow them to acquire groceries and clothing, but the points need to be budgeted. They can also earn more points by taking classes, volunteering, finding a job or if their children earn good grades in school.
The system is working. Many of the staff and volunteers at Divine Mercy are people who once depended upon the Mission for assistance.
Clelia Vargas is one of those individuals.
“I first came for getting help, then I volunteered,” Vargas said. Now she helps run the food pantry.
“I feel good. I’m helping people. Ninety-five percent are Spanish, and I’m Spanish too,” said Vargas, who uses her bilingual skills to translate for families as well as making them feel comfortable at Mercy.
Our Lady of Divine Mercy is a growing entity, according to Ross. Although it is already impressive in scale and the commitment of the staff and volunteers, Ross has more plans in the works.
She intends to open a new thrift area just for clothing and host a media center.
Visit divinemercynow.org to make a contribution, volunteer, take a class or seek assistance.
Support Bristow Beat - Donate Today!