March Face of a Foster Care Graduate-Tod
March 11, 2009
Some children in foster care end up in good homes with loving parents and some do not. Meet Tod Davis, a father, a husband, a god loving man, and most impressively….A SURVIVOR. At the end of the day, we all feel kicked or knocked down at times. Most of us will endure some difficult times at some point in life. What if your life began with enormous obstacles and they seemed to continually compound? There are those people who manage to overcome much more than the average, more than many of us can imagine. They keep getting up, no matter what, no matter how high they have to climb to get out of the hole . These people demonstrate the incredible power of the human spirit to overcome adversity. These people remind us that it’s more important to focus on what you can do NOW rather than sit back and accept what others did or said to you THEN. Welcome Tod, this is his story and he shares it openly with you in his own words.
Name: Tod Davis
State: Mississippi
Occupation: Music Industry A & R Rep
Marital Status: Married
Children: 3
Favorite source of inspiration: Music
Favorite inspirational book: The Hiding Place
Church: Grace Independent Baptist Church
Tod Davis-The Face of a Foster Care Graduate-March 2009
My testimony
I was adopted in Arizona in a little town called Avondale when I was four years old by a couple who could not have kids. This adoption followed numerous foster home placements and numerous adoption failures. I was adopted by A couple. She was a Sunday school Teacher and he was a church deacon. Things in the church environment were great but the Home environment was a different story. It seemed like my mom wanted a child but my dad Did not or did not know how to handle raising a child. My father would take me to the airport And while he worked on his plane and did not pay much attention to me I wandered around and Picked up stuff off the ground. As a child I was not able to play with other kids and could not Leave our property. I only could play in certain places in the house and only had a set of legos And a set of Lincoln logs and a couple of Tonka trucks. Things were ok for awhile but then all That changed and my dad became very angry with me even being around he would hit me with The buckle part of his belt and shove my head to the front screen door and make me shout to the Whole neighborhood I was a bastard child. My mother would just sit and watch him beat me and Never stepped in to stop it. The beatings got worse and worse and he started using sticks and switches off the tree in our backyard. During this whole time we would go to church every Sunday and Wednesday and I had to act like nothing was going on and that all was ok. But deep Down inside I was dieing my heart was broke and I began to hate god for allowing me to be hurt. Then one day my father tried to push my head into the bottom of a porcelain bathtub and cracked My head open and I was rushed to the hospital.
As a child that is when anger set in and there was No more love in my heart for anyone. It was a Monday morning and I remember it like it was only yesterday I was at school and the teacher told me to sit down in class but I couldn’t due to The bruises and cuts on my butt and legs. I was then sent to the principles office and then the Nurses office and the police were called and I was taken away from them. I started going through Foster homes like left and right one after another it was during this time I started smoking because I had a foster parent that forced me to light his cigarettes. It was also during that time I Began to get into drugs and drinking beer. I then ran away and lived on the streets in the roughest Part of Phoenix Arizona south mountain. It was a heavily populated gang area and drugs were Everywhere. I tried suicide two times during that time and almost died once from a drug overdose of pills and acid. That time I was hospitalized and underwent electric shock therapy for depression and then put back into foster care again. I then ran again and lived on the streets and stayed in cement tubes you find in school playgrounds. It was also during that time I was introduced on the streets to adult bookstores and Another way to make money I now am not proud of.
I thank Jesus I never caught any disease and Lived. Then came a day where I just could not take the pain anymore and I was standing on a part of a freeway overpass and looking down on the traffic below timing when to jump over the Edge so I would die and just as I was getting ready to jump a voice screamed at me from the side Of the road. I looked over and there was a motor home parked in a abandoned gas station with a Sign on it that read Trent Franks for senate. I was like what do you want to the Youngman that Had called over to me. He was like come in I got something for you brother. Now at this time I Was thinking cool were going to get drunk or high so I was like ok. I remember stepping into the Motor home and there sat a bible on the table. Now normally I would turn around and run but I Just could not. We sat there and he told me about Jesus love and how he died on the cross for me. He also told me it was not gods fault I was beat and hurt and that he loved me and I was his child.
It was that day I gave my heart to god. I went to north phoenix Baptist church and was involved very much into the youth ministry and a teen singing group that toured everywhere singing in different churches all over the country and reached souls for Christ. I then moved to Chicago and that is Where I strayed from god I got into music and toured with a band and got back into alcohol. I then moved to Mississippi and went through hurricane Katrina and after that I started working with rock bands and my kids were going to Grace and begging me daily to go to church with them but I would not go. But god had different plans for me I lost A very profitable business in one day and that is when I came to church finally and was broke down and submitted I remember talking to brother Jerry and giving my heart back to god. I Since then have felt a strong calling to work with troubled youth for the lord.
God has been very good to me in my life.I have been married for 14yrs to my wife and even though its tough having three kids I would not trade it for the world. My son who is 15 helps me when I go and perform gospel at other places. My daughter who is 11 has a beutiful singing voice as well and has performed already in crowds up to 800 people or more. My other son is great at anything that has to do with computers.And my wife works in the medical field with pediatric patients. I’m currently working with one of the best unsigned Rock bands Allyria and they are doing charity work for kids as well. I’m also very involved at my church and recently made it known to my pastor of gods will to work with young people who have struggles in their life and In final closing of my story I say this to the young people people never give up in your struggles god will take care of you always.
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9 Responses to “March Face of a Foster Care Graduate-Tod”
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this is my daddy i get mad at him some time but i love him very much
I’m the oldest and he is really involved in God and I’m so proud of him that he accepted Christ as his personal savior. I myself is saved and im very involved in the bus ministry where God is leading me to do at my church. But I’m so proud of my dad. I love him and I wouldnt change him as a dad for the world.
God is GOOD!!!…This is a powerful testament Tod . It proves with God …EVERYTHING is possible.
He has helped you rise above and overcome this hellish childhood , I believe ,so you can help teach others wearing the shoes you wore, you are NEVER alone, and there ..is.. HOPE!…
We are gonna ROCK this world with ..C H A N G E! …Thank you for sharing,and inspiring others to believe …
Good for you Mr. Davis, You are an inspiration.
He is a really good friend and christian brother. I to am a member
of Grace Independant Baptist and I am one of the Bus ministry captains in some of the toughest area’s of North Biloxi. He has helped me through some tough times in my life and I always hear him say thanks to god for what he has done in is life. I have discussed with him to count me in also with his ministry he is headed into to work with troubled youth. We also are going to be starting a singing group we have christian fellowship and pratice at his house during the week. I cant believe it he even has a full Pa. Sytem set up in his house.
AMEN BROTHER
That’s a horrible story! I hope that couple went to jail. Here in OHIO things have changed, so stories like yours would not likely happen. Their case worker visits every week, and the social worker visits every month. In some cases, the child has their own GAL (lawyer) and a mentor who takes them out of your house once a week. If something bad was happening in the home, there are a TON of people for the children to talk to. I have been a foster parent since 1997, several of the kids we’ve had over the years have aged out of the system, but I’m still in contact with most of them, and always plan to be. My wife and I have always treated foster children like part of our family, we never put them in respite when the family went on a vacation, we took them with us, unless they chose not to go. Our goal is to give kids a better start at life than I had, and to be a positive influence.
Thank you Tod for having the courage to tell your story. It was a true inspiration and I know many will benefit from it. Hopefully others will follow in your footsteps and tell their story.
It has been an honor to get to know Tod and a great joy to introduce him, he is an inspiration!
Tod,
You were put on this earth to make a difference for all of the children out there! Without those of us who have managed to turn our lives around, they would have no one. They need us. Never stop fighting this fight to help the kids stay safe and loved.
Love,
Lin