From Jamaica To CBus: A Real Life American Dream

This is me and my friend Mark.  His real name is Gavin, but to those of us in Columbus, Ohio who know and love him, his name is Mark.  


(Me and Mark, October 2020)

I met Mark six years ago on a mission trip to Jamaica.  When I tell the story of how I met Mark,  I usually receive one of two reactions.........

Steve, you’re crazy  OR  Jesus is awesome.

The story simply doesn’t leave room for much else.  I'll do my best to capture it here and eventually get to why I am posting this fundraiser for him, 6 years after we met.  

July 2014...

I had just been baptized in February and my good friend, Bryan was leading a mission trip to Jamaica in July. 

(Bryan on one of his many mission trips to Jamaica)

Bryan was persistent in his encouragement for me to go with the team from LifePoint Church (Lewis Center, Ohio). 

“C’mon Steve you’ve gotta go”,  Bryan would tell me, “Baptism is the first step of obedience, a mission trip is next.” 

I listened, but I had a  legitimate reason not to go.  My wife Angie was pregnant with our 3rd son and it was a high risk pregnancy.  Despite Bryan’s best efforts, I never signed up. 

As it turns out, God doesn’t need a sign up. 

Six days prior to the mission team leaving for Jamaica...

Bryan resigned himself to the fact I wasn't going on the trip so he made one simple request of me,

“Please come early to church on Sunday and pray for the team.” 

I agreed.  I then proceeded to miss the meeting (we ran late to church that morning). 

Missing the meeting, I headed into the service and stood next to Angie as the music began.  

I'm not sure the best way to explain what happened next but I’ll try... 

During the worship set, I heard God tell me to go on the trip.  I didn't hear something audible like a voice someone else could hear but I heard the following message loud and clear,

“Steve, I want you to go on that trip.  Someone is going to get sick, drop out and I want you to go in their place.”  

When the music ended, I leaned over and told Angie.  Her response?, “You’re crazy.” 

I told one other person that morning, Bryan.  His response? “Dude, you're crazy. I believe you. But don't tell anyone else, you'll be "crazy Christian guy" if you do.”

3:00 pm the following Friday afternoon...

The day before the plane left for Jamaica.  I received this text from Bryan.

“Got your passport ready?” 

I called Bryan and learned one of the men on the team was at the emergency room......with a blood clot.......not able to fly (true story). 

“Ball’s in your court,'' Bryan said.

The next morning...

I was on a plane headed to Jamaica (thank you Angie for understanding).

I was updated on the way to the airport with the details of our trip. Our mission team from LifePoint Church (Lewis Center, Ohio) was joining up with an organization called IsleGo Missions to build houses.

I’m a Literacy Director.  My expertise is in teaching kids to read, not building houses. Stay tuned.

This photo was taken the first moment I met Mark.   We had just torn down the front wall of his make-shift house.  He was 21 at the time.  It is important to note, the IsleGo organization typically builds houses for only women and the eldery, not young males.  They made an exception for Mark.  Why?   Because Mark had assisted the missionaries on the builds of twenty-one houses prior. He had earned the honor to be the first young male to earn a house.  

(In God I Trust)

Please notice one thing about this picture below.  I am not in it.

(The team building Mark's house)

Building houses was not exactly "my thing" and it did not take long for me to start believing I was indeed crazy and begin questioning why I was on the trip.  Leaving my pregnant wife and family behind, the guilt set in and there were moments when I really just wanted to return home.

Then the last day arrived...

After four days of construction, the house for Mark was complete a few hours ahead of schedule.

I left the site of Mark's new house and walked across "the bush" to visit the team members at another site.  Really, I just wanted to see the ocean and their site had a great view.  

It was t-minus four hours until we left for good... 

I was sitting on the ground looking at the Caribbean Ocean when out of no where Mark appeared.  He had walked from his brand new home to find me.  The following conversation took place:

Mark:  Thank you for helping build my house.
Me: I didn't really help all that much but you are welcome Mark.
Mark:  Can I ask you a question?
Me: Sure, what's up?
Mark:  I've been praying to God everyday that someone would come here who could teach me how to read.  Can you help me?
Me: (in shock) What did you just say man? (still in shock)
Mark:  I need to learn how to read.  Now that I have my house, I can make something of myself if I can learn to read.
Me: Dude!  You have no idea who you are talking to (remember when I said my expertise is in early literacy)!


A member of our team caught what ensued next.  In the very spot Mark found me enjoying the ocean we began his first reading lesson.  I had four hours.  Four!

I would ask him a question and he would raise his hand (he's doing it in the picture) and I would tell him, "Mark, if I ask a question it's to you brother, no-one else is in my class."  It was awesome. 

I found my purpose for the trip on the last day with four hours to go.  It just didn't seem right it happened so late.  Mark was a fast learner. I went through a lot of emotions and had a lot of questions.  Mainly, why wait till the last day of the trip? and Now what?  (both directed towards God). 

What I didn't realize then that I know now is God didn't need Steve Griffin to teach Mark how to read.  Mission trips if anything are about Faith, Love and most importantly Hope.  The house, the food and the reading lesson were God's way to show Mark all three.  At the time, it's really all he needed. 

I was about to learn I needed the same three things.

When I returned home...

Roman, our 3rd son was born.  12 weeks too early.


That's my wedding ring on his hand.  And if you guessed "wrinkly old man" when asked what a 2 lb. baby looks like, you are correct.  

Over the next 90 days...

I had a 2 lb. baby in the hospital and both my grandparents passed away.  The lessons I learned in Jamaica served me well during this time. God wasn't just working on Mark.  

2015... 

Outside of the occasional texts and phone calls via WhatsApp, I lost touch with Mark but I wanted to return to Jamaica to reconnect.

2016...

Bryan was leading another trip to Jamaica and this time I signed up to go.  I wasn't sure if I would see Mark but I was hoping our paths would cross.  Sure enough, Mark found us on the first day we returned to build houses.   

Mark invited me to his house to visit.  A group of us followed him back to the house we built two years earlier.  This time my friend Luis and his daughter Larissa were on the trip and came with us. 

(Our friend Darci caught some great photos)

When we got to the house Mark wanted to do one thing for us, read. If you look in the picture below you can see he saved all the lessons from the hill side two years prior in a manilla envelop (on his bed).  


After the completion of this second trip, I was convinced Mark and I had a special bond and that I wouldn't lose touch with him again.  

2017-2018

Via WhatsApp I stayed in regular contact with Mark. He found a way to enroll into school (all him) and I found a way to support him (all Western Union).  Mark literally would walk 1 hour each way to school (not a joke).  He never missed a day.  

(Mark with a classmate and his teacher). 

Over 1 year in school, one hour each way and...He. Never. Missed. A. Day.  

If I could use two words to describe Mark perseverance and determination come quickly to mind.   One of my favorite things during this time period was receiving videos of Mark in class and pictures of his math and reading tests after they were graded.  He made it a point to prove to me I was backing the right guy.

January 2019...

I had not heard from Mark for a couple of months which was odd.  During this time I had rejected a number of unknown calls from New York, NY.  Mark and I always communicated via WhatsApp.  Finally, right after the holidays I answered this unknown caller from New York City.  

It was Mark. 

He was in New York.   Not only was he in New York but he was in New York with a legal passport, a social security number and a 10 Year permanent resident Visa.   

Our conversation:

Mark: Steve, it's Mark from Jamaica.
Me:  Mark is that you? Are you in New York?
Mark: Ya mon! Steve, it is so cold over here, my fingers are burning mon! (I swear that's the first thing he told me). 
Me: I have a 1000 questions.  I mean.....How. did. you. get. to. New York?
Mark:  A plane (I kid you not). When can I see you?

I could not believe Mark had made it into the states but it explained why I lost contact with him for a few months.  He was busy filing papers for passports and documentation to leave Jamaica.   I am telling you, nothing stops this dude.

His first job in the U.S.?

You guessed it,  McDonalds.



Mark did two things January through November of 2019.  He worked every day and he stayed out of trouble.  As it turns out, he was living in one of the toughest neighborhoods in the Bronx but he kept his nose clean.  As Mark puts it, "I went to work and came back home.  I didn't want any trouble because I knew they would ship me back."

After 11 months of phone conversations from New York,  in November I invited Mark to our house for Thanksgiving 2019.   After a 16 hour greyhound bus ride I picked Mark up on the Ohio State University Campus.  His journey to Columbus was complete but just getting started. 

(My family finally meeting Mark, and yes that is baby Roman doing great age 5 now)

The plan was for Mark to stay through Thanksgiving weekend and return the following Monday.   

"I left the ghetto in Jamaica to live in a ghetto in America."

When Angie and I heard those words the Friday after Thanksgiving we knew we couldn't put Mark back on that bus.  We decided to let him stay with us and help him build a life in Columbus.

Mark lived with us through December.  Some people told me I was  crazy to let "a stranger" live in our home.  Mark was no stranger and this entire story had Jesus written all over it.  Angie and I stood on two things, Faith and Obedience.  We've never had a greater blessing in our home.

(From the side of a hill in Jamaica to my kitchen table)

Mark's birthday was in December.  He told us he'd never had a birthday cake or opened a present. 


Hanging with Luis and his family in Columbus!


End of 2019 to current (the $$ ask is getting close)...

Trying to help Mark get on his feet in Columbus was extremely eye opening.

I tell you with 100% certainty the barriers to rising above poverty in this country are real.  I witnessed them first hand.  It takes both boot straps AND assistance.  

Without my help (or someone's help) Mark doesn't make it.  Without Mark's attitude, faith, hard work and patience, my help wouldn't matter. It takes us both.  

Mark checks all the boxes to make him a great candidate for successful immigration. No language barrier, no criminal back ground, no children and no medical issues but it was difficult to find him a job and even tougher to find him a place to live.  No W-2, no rental history and no bank account = no apartment.

I can easily see and understand why some people have to go underground to survive.  

What makes it all work? Jesus.  

Seriously, I could go on and on about the answered prayers and people He brings into our lives to make it work.  Just look at the picture above. Luis and his family and friends are a huge part of this story now.   Luis is a Puerto Rican.  Bryan is Vietnamese.

We laugh that it is the start of a good joke.  What happens when a Jamaican, a Puerto Rican, a Vietnamese and a middle aged white dude walk into a room?  

The author here?  Jesus.  He's the one writing the story. He's just gracious enough to let us play a part in it.  The answer to racial tension, equity, and justice is Him.  You'll be hard pressed to convince us otherwise.  

New Year's Eve Day 2019...

By the grace of God, Mark landed a new job and we moved him into his new apartment.

(The family celebrating with Mark in his new home).

His apartment is within walking distance to his new job.  His job is not glamorous. He's cleaning offices and bathrooms at Chase Headquarters near Polaris.

He is going on one year working at this job.  He hasn't missed a day except to go get a tooth pulled.  

He walks or rides his bike to work everyday.  To clean restrooms. And he hasn't missed a day.  

COVID hit in March.  The epicenter was New York.  God pulled Mark out of New York prior.

COVID hit in March.  Many people lost their jobs including many of his co-workers.  Not Mark. They keep Mark because he shows up and does his job. 

Mark hasn't missed a rent payment (I know b/c I cosigned the lease).
Mark pays all his bills.

Mark is a guy worth backing.

The fundraising ask...

September 2020

Despite my encouragement to wait and with only one parallel parking practice in my SUV under his belt,  Mark was determined to get his driver's license and convinced Angie to sign him up and take him to take the test. 

The dude passed.


This fundraiser is for money so Mark can get a car.  To put it in his words, 

"Steve, I don't need no hype car.  I just need a car to get to my job and maybe take out a girl."

This money is for so much more than a car.  A car for Mark means the following.

1.  He can get a better, higher paying job.  He's cleaned bathrooms long enough.  A car opens up so many additional options for him.

2. He can find a cheaper place to live and save money.  Living on Polaris is not cheap but it was necessary so he could get to work by foot or bike.

3. He can move closer to his network of friends.  Right now, he is dependent on someone to pick him up and take him home.  This leads to him missing out and a social life is important. 

4. Selfishly, he can show up to the Griffin home whenever he wants.  My boys love and miss seeing him daily.  So does Nazareth our dog. 

A car for Mark means a better life.

I can promise this money will be wisely spent.  I can promise Mark is worth the investment.  Let's help him realize the true American Dream.  This dream is what our people and this country are truly about. 

My prayer is we blow this $10,000 goal out of the water and we can jump start Mark's next dream (a business, a house, wife, kids and a dog).

Lastly, don't forget who I said was writing this story, directing this movie.  It's Him and He offers the opportunity for anyone to be a part of the story.  I pray you don't miss out.

God bless and thank you Mark for the way you've touched our lives.

Sincerely,
Steve