It Takes A Village

It's been a little while since my last blog. For those of you that have been checking, I do apologize. However, I have been busy! Last weekend, our Youth Group participated in World Vision's 30 Hour Famine! I was an Organizer and Leader and all I can say is WOW!! We have some of the most compassionate young minds in the world! If I had the strength and courage to be even half as compassionate as they are, when I was their age, I would be a very different person today! We were able to raise over $1100 dollars! With $1 being enough to feed and care for a child for a day, you do the math. Amazing right?! 

 These amazing young people know how to be compassionate, caring, giving, loving, and kind because God placed great examples before them. Each of them has someone in their life that makes them want something better for others.

"I want to go to Haiti because in sixth grade I found out that an older guy in my youth group went and I heard him talk about how amazing and life-changing of an experience it was. This year is the first year that my parents consider me old enough to go, and the recent death of that person makes me feel like God is calling me to go and see for myself what changed his life so that by changing other lives, my life can be changed as well." - Emma

"I have been wanting to go on another mission trip since the second I came home after my first in 2009. We were doing an awesome bible study, Experiencing God, and all I could feel was a huge calling to go serve! I am living such a blessed life and I want to pour out the love and hope that Christ instills in me every day to the Haitians." - Lauren

"I am SO blessed to live the life I live. Even though some people wouldn't agree, I love my life and wouldn't change a thing. And to spend at least one week of my life helping others that weren't as blessed as me, would mean the world to me." - Anna

"...the strong will of God, the 'push' I felt to go was incredible I wanted to put every fiber of my being into Gods plan and be there for those people! I know its God who makes me want to help these people so badly, that is why I am so willing throw myself into His plans. I want nothing more than to please my God and right now I know this is what He wants of me." - Katie

See what I mean? It's the society, the people that we choose to surround ourselves with that help us to open our eyes to God's calling. He not only commanded us to help our fellow man, he instilled a true yearning to fulfill it!

I grew up in a less than desirable situation and I whole-heartedly believe that I have the beautiful life I live, because of the people that chose to listen to the calling that God gave them. So many people saw the need in my family, and in me, and they stepped up! Today, I am "paying it forward" and planting the seeds of opportunity for others.  

During this year's trip to Haiti, we will be conducting VBS!! I have been asked to help organize and I am so excited! In speaking with a good friend of mine about how excited the children get when they see themselves in digital photos, she noted that most of them may have no idea what they look like. Most mirrors are made of glass and I don't recall seeing any outside of the hospital we stayed in. Can you imagine having no idea what your own face looks like?! So, I am on a mission for a mission! We are currently looking to make shatterproof mirrors for the children. I would love to write something on them about being "beautifully made" to go along with the message that we are made in His image.  

We are also focused on getting the foundation of the new school in Momance setup, again. We are back at ground zero with this project since our materials were destroyed.  Once the school is completed, the children will have access to an education and the building will be used for church service, as well as Sunday School and VBS. This school is more than a building to our Haitian family. This building is an opportunity to grow in spirituality and knowledge. 

These projects aren't possible without the love and support of our "Village".   No matter how you choose to show your support, it will make a difference!! Every prayer, kind word, and/or dollar donated, allows us to fulfill the calling that God has given each of us! All that I can ask is that you look into your heart, say a prayer, and help us help others as you are comfortable doing. We are an extension of your kindness and we would never turn away your support. You can make a difference!! We will show you how!

Thank you for your time and attention! I know that there are a million other things going on in everyone's world these days. I really appreciate even a kind thought! God bless!!

~ Genia

Ways to give:

Mail check and/or words of positivity to:

Hamilton Mill Presbyterian Church
C/O: Haiti Fund - Genia Davis
5152 Braselton Hwy
Hoschton, GA 30548 

or

See the PayPal Giving Widget to the right! Your personal information is safe and secure. You can even donate anonymously!

Contact me at gmdavis81@gmail.com for more information!

As always, thank you for your support!!

 

Good Enough and Not Giving Up!

You can't make people care, or even pretend to care, about things that they aren't willing to let into their life. However, you can demonstrate to them how actively caring can change their life. I have found that many people choose not to allow themselves to care because they don't feel as though they are good enough. At some point, life has led them to believe that they are not good enough to make a difference. Now they find that trying to be a caring person leaves them feeling vulnerable. To some of you reading this, my statements are difficult to process. 

Why am I sharing this with you? Well, I was once a person afraid to care. The risk associated with opening myself up, to show that I cared, was debilitating. Things changed for me when God put a calling in my heart. He was constantly whispering to me that I was good enough! So, I stepped out in faith and haven't looked back yet.

Last year, I took that huge step in my faith. I dared to believe that I was good enough to help people in Haiti lead better lives. Money was tight because I had lost my job just a few months before making this decision yet, I managed to pay for half of the trip on my own. Then, a sponsor pushed for my first "big step" to be successful by funding the remaining balance! Before I knew it, I had a plane ticket for Haiti in my name!

Me and two of my dear team mates/family during a hike to a village in the mountains!

The trip was amazing! Haiti opened my eyes to so many aspects in life. The people are vibrant, loving, gracious, and proud. They live in hovels constructed of left over rubble, their health is fair (at best), and food is sparse. Everyone was grateful just for me to check their temperature. And there I was, wondering if I was good enough. I was good enough for them! This realization has had a steadfast hold on my heart yet, I thought I had to do this all on my own.

John was 13 years old and thrilled to show us how much english he knew!

This year, I almost gave up. This year, I learned that other people think I'm good enough as well! I am happy and grateful to report that my balance is paid in full!!! Haiti will have me the last week of June, this year! This was made possible by sponsors that have faith in me to be good enough for the people of Haiti! These sponsors will never know how much this means to me! Every moment I spend in Haiti will be done in the best possible way to represent the wonderful people that put me there!

The fundraising isn't over yet! I can't quit now! I am only one person and we need our team and building supplies. Momance, Haiti needs a school and it is a huge part of our mission to give it to them! Please help anyway you can. Even a $5 donation is helpful!


Thank you to my sponsors and to everyone for your continued love and support!

God Bless!

~ Genia

Ways to give:

Mail check and/or words of positivity to:

Hamilton Mill Presbyterian Church
C/O: Haiti Fund - Genia Davis
5152 Braselton Hwy
Hoschton, GA 30548 

or

See the PayPal Giving Widget to the right! Your personal information is safe and secure. You can even donate anonymously!

Contact me at gmdavis81@gmail.com for more information!

As always, thank you for your support!!

I Need You!

Possibly the three most difficult words to put together out loud. Until recently, I hadn't realized that mission trips are just as much about asking for help, as they are about helping others. In my mind, this work was about how much I could improve the lives of others with my own hard work. This was the worst way of thinking about missionary work.

Yesterday, I was willing to give up. Heart broken, defeated, disappointed, and ashamed, I laid on my sofa in tears. Having discussed all of the bills that have to be paid prior to this trip, my husband knew why I was falling apart. So, he posted on Facebook how he felt and how I was struggling. The responses were amazing!!

To think, all this time I have spoken about how much Haiti needs your support when I should have been stating how much I need your support! I was wrong to discount the people that I surround myself with. You are the network that compares to no other! In a matter of a couple of hours, the encouragement I received breathed new life into this dream of mine! While this post isn't full of facts or that much about Haiti, it may be my most honest post yet. I still owe a sizable balance but I want to say thank you to everyone that has shown their support, in one way or another (you know who you are)!

Fundraising will continue and funds received beyond the amount needed to get me to Haiti will go towards our account for building materials. We were recently notified that the materials we left in Momance, for the school, have been destroyed. We are back at square one.

Thank you all, again! I am humbled by your generosity and support. Thank you for teaching me how to be the light!

Ways to give:

Mail check and/or words of positivity to:

Hamilton Mill Presbyterian Church
C/O: Haiti Fund - Genia Davis
5152 Braselton Hwy
Hoschton, GA 30548 

or

See the PayPal Giving Widget to the right! Your personal information is safe and secure. You can even donate anonymously!

Contact me at gmdavis81@gmail.com for more information!

As always, thank you for your support!!