Psalms 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
It all started with a gift certificate. After receiving a gift certificate to a FamilyLife Weekend to Remember marriage conference as a wedding gift, Denise and Randy McGarvey attended the conference within a month of getting married. This sparked a desire in their hearts for helping others, focusing on helping people improve their marriage and family relationships. They volunteered at the marriage conference the following year and never looked back, volunteering every year since then. They led the western New York efforts to help make every home a godly home for many years.
Denise and Randy have served on short term mission trips to other countries with a variety of organizations for many years and Denise was drawn to Haiti through their church soon after the earthquake. On their first trip to Haiti together (in 2012) they taught that same material from the marriage conference they had attended 14 years earlier. The audience was from Morne Oge, a small community outside Jacmel that was growing in their faith and learning about God’s plan for marriage and family. They have made annual visits since 2012, building relationships with many people of all ages as their love for the Haitian people grew. They have developed a love for Haiti and the Haitian people through their visits, and look forward to what God has in store for the next phase of their lives. They have worked in a village near Jacmel doing things like teaching nutrition, leading medical teams and working in a medical clinic, working in a computer lab, and delivering back-to-school backpacks.
In the Fall of 2015, while Randy was in Haiti, he was invited to meet with Will McGinniss to resolve a computer issue at the Hands and Feet Project (HAFP) children’s village in Jacmel. Who knew that was God’s way of introducing us to our next adventure?
In late 2015, Randy and Denise began a search for more meaningful work that lead them to investigate opportunities with a variety of ministries, and through a series of events that were truly the hand of God, they were led to start a conversation with Hands and Feet Project. As interviews with other ministries progressed, it became clear that God wasn’t calling them to serve anywhere but with HAFP. After many conversations, prayer and a visit to the Jacmel campus, they said, “Yes Lord, send us.” They will be overseeing the Jacmel Campus and serving as Child Advocates.
Denise and Randy McGarvey were married in 1998 and have 2 adult children, Emily & Forrest. They live in Rochester, New York, where Denise works in the health and fitness industry and Randy works in computer programming and testing. Denise has a background in motivational speaking, teaching, fitness coaching, nutrition and weight loss. She leads women’s ministry, and she also organizes and speaks at women’s retreats. Denise has a certificate in dental assisting and worked in the dental field for many years. Randy works in clinical research as a software validation engineer. His background is in software development and testing, web development and information technology. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering Technology and a Masters degree in Business Administration. Randy and Denise are deacons at their church and lead small groups and events focused on marriage and family.
Prov 16:3 Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.