In Nov. 1953 a Korean-War newsreel showed a blue-eyed orphan shivering in Incheon.
Irene, then a 57-year-old Detroit grandmother, prayed that God would take her life and put it to greater use. By morning she was knocking on doors for diapers, penicillin samples, and crib slats.
World-Class Beggar. Irene’s classified ad “Invest $10 here, reap a hundred-fold in Heaven”, emptied attics across Michigan.
Sleeves-Rolled-Up Faith. She and husband Lester ate standing up, every chair held an incubator bound for Korea. During Detroit’s 1967 riots they sold their bungalow and slept on a cot inside WMR’s warehouse to guard medicines destined for cholera wards.
Inventive Mercy. She repurposed a horse stable into a “clinic-in-a-box” line, persuaded U-of-D students to sort scalpels on Saturdays, and fought regulators until Michigan issued WMR its own pharmacy license (1966).
Annual Shipments: ~50-70 forty-foot containers to 120 countries.
Local Impact: 38,000 Michigan seniors receive life-saving prescriptions each year.
Equipment Bank: 5,000 wheelchairs, walkers & hospital beds placed with low-income families in 2023.
Volunteer Corps: 30,000 “Angels of Mercy” sort, test, and pack in our 65,000-sq-ft hub.
Faith in Action: Pacemakers re-implanted, cancer meds re-dispensed, Ensure™ delivered to HIV & hospice wards.
But those numbers only hint at the true story.
Angels of Mercy pulls you inside the boldest chapters—riot-night diaries, Nixon’s private visa telegram, the time Irene “out-begged” Lee Lacocca; all rendered in stunning illustrations.
And every copy you buy fuels our global mission, turning your support into real-world hope.
Each book purchased outfits a hospital bed abroad.
We rescue surplus medical resources and place them - free and in perfect working order - into the hands of people who would otherwise go without care. We serve locally, nationally, and worldwide without regard to race, creed, or politics; our only credential is need.
RESCUE- medicines & equipment otherwise headed for landfills.
RESTORE- refurbish, test, and repackage every item to medical functional standards.
REACH- deliver where commercial supply chains cannot or will not go.
RELIEF- bring unwavering care, without reservation, to alleviate the suffering of the world's poorest sick- uplifting individuals & communities, even if only one step at a time.
Finding Surplus- Rescue life saving supplies before they reach landfills.
Lifting Standards- Inspect, repair, test, and certify every item for frontline use.
Aligning Networks- Partner with individuals, healthcare, faith, academic, corporate, civic, and governmental organizations worldwide into one global Mercy Network.
Multiplying Mercy- Expand on proven programs, successful shipments, medical missions and training models in new regions whenever capacity and partnerships allow.
Ensuring Continuity- Ambassadors’ follow‑up reports trigger replenishment shipments and spare parts so hospitals & clinics keep care flowing for years.
Irene once said, "All I did was light a candle."
Today, our leadership makes sure that candle flame still guides every life we touch.
We map every route, sign every manifest, and keep scaling the mission from three barrels to ~50-70+ container shipments each year that can touch 120+ countries.
Thanks to our blueprint thousands of Angels of Mercy flow through our doors: filling wheelchairs, testing pacemakers, sorting & packing vital supplies, refilling 38,000 life-saving prescriptions for Michigan seniors and processing donated supplies from generous community partners & individuals from different backgrounds.
Every coordinated lift proves that lives like the orphan in Incheon, Korea still matters and that your hands can matter too.
Without our leaders, the candle’s glow vanishes. With them, the flame of mercy burns on.
Fast-track the full, rare origin that connects you to WMR’s humble origin. Discover how Detroit’s own “Mother Teresa” transformed a tiny living-room warehouse into a global relief powerhouse.
Understanding the roots shows you how a single act of compassion can ignite hope and multiply care around the world.
lend your hand
Having seen Irene’s single act ignite World Medical Relief’s global mission, step into WMR’s warehouse and bring that spark to life- each box you sort and pack becomes vital relief reaching
individuals facing illness and hardship, offering comfort when it matters most.
Sort, pack, and send life-saving care.
multiply the mission
Having followed Irene’s story and lent your hands to pack relief, now amplify every act of compassion.
Your gift of surplus meds, equipment, or funds turns into $200 in vital care for every $1 you give, reaching even more individuals in need.
Give. Multiply. Save lives.
Faith‑Driven Service
Trust in Divine Providence
Humble Stewardship
Sacrifice for others
Mercy‑First Care
Serving without judgment
Global
Unity
One world, one mission
Copyright 2025. World Medical Relief. All Rights Reserved | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS & CONDITIONS