Tom Davis' Blog

Scared: A Novel on the Edge of the World Trailer

A Megaphone with 1,000 Voices

HopeChest is launching a new initiative this December and looking for an online team of activist promoters. In other words, we want you to blog, Tweet, and Facebook throughout December to promote HopeChest to your social network. 

We're building a megaphone with a thousand voices this Christmas. We'd like to turn build a network of 1,000 online orphan advocates. If you...

1. Want to express your heart for orphans this Christmas...
2. Desire to see HopeChest raise $500,000 by 12/31 to help over 5,000 orphans...
3. Blog, Facebook, or Twitter regularly to your social network...

...then we want to talk with you. It's an easy and fun way to help orphans.

I can't tell you much more on the blog--but if you want to be one of the first members of this new team, send an e-mail to matthew@hopechest.org for the inside scoop. Limited space available. Don't wait...

Saints Coffee: Order Your Gift Pack Early!

If you're looking for a unique gift that also supports transformational orphan ministry, then you need to check into Saint's Coffee. The Christmas 2009 Gift Packs are now in stock, and ready for you to order. 

Every Saint's Coffee Gift Pack includes a pound of the best coffee in the world, along with a ceramic mug or stainless steel travel tumbler. This week while the rest of your neighbors go crazy on Black Friday, sit back and order up your Saint's Coffee Gift Pack.

For those who don't know, Saint's Coffee was born in Swaziland when my friend Brett and I sat on the riverbank and began to dream. We imagined a coffee company that roasted the finest beans in the world--only fair trade and organic.

We imagined our customers as "saints," looking out for kids while still enjoying a great cup of coffee. That's why so much of Saint's profit comes straight back to Children's HopeChest.

In fact, Saint's Coffee drinkers have donated nearly $14,000 to Children's HopeChest since we first began.

To put that in some perspective, $14,000 is a fully-equipped carepoint kitchen with a deep water well for clean drinking and cooking water. All from coffee.

Because of those "saintly" coffee drinkers, thousands of children eat nutritious meals every day. Girls who were engaged in "survival sex" in order to eat can now focus on school. Young men now dream of growing up to become teachers one day. It is the rebirth of hope...all out of a cup of coffee (several thousand cups actually).

Go on, be a saint this Christmas. Don't delay. Order your Saint's Coffee today!

The Title and Cover of the New Book

After a long period of waiting, I can finally reveal the title of my next novel. Let me first say that we received almost 400 people who voted. Thanks you all so much! The clear winner was, "Broken." That title was submitted to the publisher and they accepted it as the winner.

But...

A few days later we discovered that another book with the exact same title was being released. So the second place winner took the first position. Ladies and gentlemen, your winner is...PRICELESS! I must admit that title was not my favorite but when I saw the cover, I was convinced. Don Pape from David C. Cook called me and said this was one of the finest covers they've seen. I couldn't agree more. So I present PRICELESS to you. It's already available for pre-order , but will not release until June 2010.

This book takes place in Russia and the story is told through the eyes of an orphan named Marina who gets caught in the sex-trade industry. It is incredibly intense. There will be a book tour starting in the summer with our partner organization, I-Empathize. More to come as that date draws closer. 

I'm off to Ethiopia on Sunday, November 29th and will be positing pictures and reports on this blog and Facebook. One of the highlights of the trip will be a remote orphanage located hours away that is extremely poor. The orphans are severely malnourished and in need of immediate help. We have 15 leaders going on this Vision Trip and all of them are excited about connecting their churches and communities with sponsorship.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! :) You are a blessing to me, the orphans we serve and Hopechest.

Promise Keepers Canada

I'm honored to be speaking at Promise Keepers in Toronto, Canada this weekend. If you're attending, please come by and say hello. I'll be signing books in the tent immediately after my talk which is at 10:30.

After this, I'm home for a bit until I lead a team to Ethiopia on November 30th. We'll be posting pictures, reports, and hopefully some video while we're there.

Working on a new book proposal right now that I'm super excited about! The best part is that I'll be asking all of you to contribute and actually help me write parts of the book. 

Next week, I'll post the cover for my new book and the title. Let me say this, I think you will love it! It's the best cover yet in my opinion.

Talk soon...

Scared TV Interview

I thought you might like to see an interview I did in Canada for Scared. Because of this interview, the book has gone to #1 in Fiction a number times on Amazon Canada.  It's a two part series. 

I've been traveling around the country like an albatross as of late and haven't been able to update the blog recently. I'll get back on track, I promise. Can't wait to tell you about the people I've met who are doing amazing things for orphans around the world. Off to speak at Promise Keepers in Toronto this weekend.

Also, this blog is about to get a MAJOR face lift in the next week or so. Stay tuned!

Proverbs 31 Ministries and SheReads

Well, it's official. I am the first male author to be featured on the SheReads.org website, as SCARED was selected as one of their three winter titles. This is a ministry of Proverbs 31, a national ministry of over 300,000 women! If you are a woman (sorry guys), I would encourage you to take a look at their Website, and join a book club if you aren't already connected to one. 

This is a great way to meet new, passionate people who are interested not only in fiction, but also the issues addressed in SCARED. We'll be doing several live interviews about the book and I'll even have some video devotions I'll record for this on my upcoming trip to Ethiopia in early December. 

Thanks to my new friends at SheReads. Hope I do you proud!

Hello From the Dead Sea Scrolls Conference in Toronto

This weekend I am with some amazing people at the Royal Ontario Museum speaking at the Dead Sea Scrolls Conference put on by Unite Productions here in Canada. A talented group of worship leaders and speakers gathered right in the middle of downtown Toronto to "re-dig the ancient wells," of Godliness this city was founded on and study some of the oldest manuscripts known to man. My buddy from Colorado Springs, Glenn Packiam, is also here and we've had a great time hanging out. 

Sunday morning I am speaking at the main session and the worship is being led by one of my friends and heroes, Brian Doerksen. I've really grown to love this man over the past few years. He has an understanding of the Father's Heart like few others. Can't tell you how excited I am to lead a session with him. You may remember him from a few of his songs like, "Come, Now is the Time to Worship," and, "Refiner's Fire."

Send up a prayer for me if you think about it and enjoy this video of Brian playing, "Holy God."

The Team in Swaziland's Last Post

Tom's Note: Please take a few minutes to read this post from the team in Swaziland. As you do, please consider three actions...

1. Pray--only by God's grace and power can we turn back the tide of darkness in this small country.

2. Serve--you are needed in this battle and you have gifts of time and talent you can invest in the lives of these kids.

3. Give--click on the "donate" link at the top of the blog to make a gift on behalf of one of these children to bring the kingdom of God to these children.

TOM

Posted by BOB MUDD, HopeChest, COO...

Over the past 5 days we have had one compelling opportunity followed by another.  The team that has been lead on this trip to Swaziland is strategic, prayerful and ready to take ownership for their part in the ministry here.  

It has been a pleasure to serve alongside this team. We currently have 12 locations in central and north Swaziland that are supported by partners. Each night the team has reassembled until late in the evening to consider each of the 6 new locations that we have visited to determine who is best suited for each (followed by a spirited hand of cards).  

The number of additional CarePoint Partners will be between 4 and 6 depending on how it all sorts out.  It also goes without saying that our team one the ground including Jumbo, Kriek, the D-team and Pastor’s Walter, Sam and Gift have and are doing an exceptional job.

I have seen the orphan in the depths of poverty in the Far East, Central America and Russia.  This is my first trip to Africa and while Swazi people are peaceful, there should be no romantic notions about life in this country.  

A 45% HIV rate, an average life span of 28 years, over 10% of the population are orphans, a 60% + unemployment rate and 40% have the opportunity to go to school.  The population has declined from 1.3 million in 2005 to 900,000 in 2009.  It is a quiet, painful and consistent implosion of a nation.  

The cost is measured one dream, one life, one family and one community at a time.   

While the success of the trip is an answer to prayer and a result of hard work, the greatest testimony comes through the stories of lives, and hopefully generations, that are altered because the hands and feet of the Kingdom are responding to His call.  

I find that the pain and joy of this nation is best found by asking each person I encounter what is their dream for their life.

Imagine a 5 year old who is a 10 mile walk from the closest school but can articulate a plan, school names and his college preference even though he lives in a child headed home.

Imagine a grandmother who has lost all 7 of her children to HIV and at 70 years of age, not having eaten for over 3 days, takes care of 9 grandchildren in a 10 X 14 home.

Imagine a 23 year old who speaks 3 languages, has a 3 year old child, loves the Lord but has not been able to find any work for the past 3 years. 

These are 3 real life stories that were encountered during our house visits today.  

God’s heart breaks for those created in His likeness. Titus 3:8 says ‘I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.  These things are excellent and profitable for people’. 

‘Devote’ does not notate simply a spirit of compassion or feelings of sorrow for those in need, it compels one to action that is not contained in a ‘day of service’ but rather a commitment to living a life that holds others as more valuable than yourself and results in your life of charity and sacrifice sustainably meeting the needs of those in pain.  

This happens one life at a time.  Do something now!  God is bigger than the statistics.

Videos from our team in Swaziland

I love seeing what God is doing right now in Swaziland with our groups. Here's a few videos for you to watch. These videos are from Don who is over there right now. You can view his blog by clicking here - Known To Me.

Discipleship Trainers at Mehlabaneni Carepoint from KnownToMe on Vimeo.

Mpaka Children Singing from KnownToMe on Vimeo.

Mpaka Children Dancing from KnownToMe on Vimeo.

Ethiopia Kitchen Update: One down.

Excited to report that over $8,000 has been raised since I posted last night. That means we've funded one of the kitchens completely. Thank you! We're on our way to helping 5,000 kids. Praise God and keep spreading the word!

Put "Carepoint Kitchen" in the Notes. $20 per child, $8,000 per kitchen, 5,000 kids waiting.

I want to use this post to SHOW you what some carepoints look like. First, this video shows you what an undeveloped carepoint looks like. I shot this a few years back when we started ministry in Swaziland, and it's a good picture of how a carepoint starts--with the grit and determination of some older women with kettles and food to cook:

Here are two photos of carepoints that have fully developed kitchens (and other buildings as well). You can see how dramatic the transition is from a open fire with a kettle, to this:

Last but not least. We have a team in Swaziland right now. They are taking some great video of the developed and undeveloped carepoints. Check out the videos and blog.