Honoring Marissa’s Legacy
“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
Marissa Amber McGill was a young teenager whose remarkable faith, compassion, and wisdom far surpassed her years. With a vibrant spirit and an unwavering commitment to live out her faith, she dedicated her days to serving others with joy, kindness, and love. Her inspiring energy, sense of humor, and love for life left an indelible mark on everyone who knew her.
Before her untimely passing in a car accident, Marissa developed a profound passion for Africa, especially for the children displaced and orphaned by the AIDS epidemic and civil war. Her heart broke for their struggles, and she felt deeply compelled to make a difference in their lives.
She closely followed and prayed for missionaries and families serving in Africa and other countries like Mexico, developing a dream to one day serve as a missionary in Africa, bringing hope to children who had lost so much and working to give them a future full of opportunity.
Marissa was particularly moved by the Invisible Children project and often spoke of the plight of these children. In her journal, she wrote, “…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.”
In honor of her life and her unwavering desire to help, we founded Marissa’s House Projects to carry on her dream of serving the children of Africa and beyond. Our first project, a Church Home (similar to an orphanage) in Ethiopia, allowed us to offer care, shelter, and love to children, providing support in a community where they could grow and thrive.
From this initial project, our vision expanded, and Marissa’s House Projects grew. Today, Marissa’s House Projects includes:
- Four Church Homes in Uganda, providing a safe haven for orphaned and vulnerable children.
- The Well Projects in Uganda, providing clean and accessible water to communities in need.
- Two additional schools built in Ethiopia, providing educational opportunities for communities in rural areas.
- The Goat Project in Ethiopia, empowering children by providing them with goats to help them generate income and support their education.
- The Koshe Landfill Project, providing marginalized and vulnerable children with essential education resources, including school supplies, uniforms, and tutorial support, empowering them to access and succeed in their education.
- Several additional projects in Ethiopia, focused on providing education, food security, and healthcare to underserved communities.
- Hadassah Girl’s Empowerment Project in Kampala, Uganda, and a second location in the village of Kabale, dedicated to empowering young girls through education, mentorship, and skill-building.
Marissa’s heart for the lost, the orphaned, and the forgotten continues to guide and inspire us. Through Marissa’s House Projects, we remain committed to providing these children with a chance at a brighter future, just as Marissa dreamed. Her legacy lives on through every child’s life we touch, and we invite you to help us carry it forward.
Together, we can make a lasting impact and change the lives of children in need.