Let's Help Haiti Now
Just two weeks into 2010 and we are faced with an immediate and huge crisis with the earthquake in Haiti. Every crisis holds within it seeds of growth and compassion. There is certainly a time to grieve but as important is a time to help.
I offer the following two ways below.
1. Send light, Spread light and Be light. Shower Haiti with blessings of Divine white light. See her and her people heal.
2. If you can, send money to help the relief efforts.
Below is the story of Rene Godefroy a good friend of mine and creator of Village Hero. Village Hero is a project Rene started as soon as he was able to get himself out of poverty and become a successful speaker and author. He has been helping poverty stricken Haitians for years. Rene came to the US from Haiti never forgetting his roots. Your contributions will go directly to those suffering now in a reputable and compassionate organization.
www.BeAvillageHero.org
Few story's are as amazing as Rene's story below. His courage and what he went through are almost unbelievable. Excerpts are from an article I wrote first published in Sharing Ideas magazine.
Rene Godefroy
Speaking Hero May 2008
The Power of a Story
By Terri Marie
The Journey
He was under a truck, wedged between three tires of a big rig in an attempt to cross the border into the land he’d dreamed of for so long – The United States of America. After four hours of a very painful ride, Rene Godefroy reached the point of giving up. I asked him why he didn’t. “Survival has always been the thing for me. I was supporting my own weight on my hands and elbows. It got to a point where I said, ‘I don’t really know if I can take it any longer.’ But that’s what we say to ourselves throughout the journey all the time. Whether you own your own business, or you work for somebody – there’s going to be some point where you will be thinking about giving up. Because you have the thought, doesn’t mean you have to entertain the thought. Right after I said that I began to think of what lies ahead for me - the future in America. Then I began to think of the people in my village who were counting on me. When you have a “why” or you have something that you are looking forward to, you can do it.”
Everyone loves a story like Rene’s. It’s similar to Dottie Walters story - the power of an indomitable spirit. Rene uplifts thousands of people each year during his many speaking engagements around the world, from the National Speakers Association (NSA) to corporate events.
After coming to the states and working various jobs from carpenter to washing dishes, Rene ended up at The Renaissance Hotel, working as a doorman and parking cars. It was there he discovered something that Dottie Walters also loved…books. “Whenever I’d see a book, I’d go to the bookstore and buy it.” Hungry for knowledge, Rene would devour books. Rene also ordered tapes from Nightingale Conant and attended seminars like “Unleashing the Power Within” and “Personal Power” by Anthony Robbins. Rene decided he wanted to try speaking. “I had fears and doubts, thinking I could give Americans advice since I didn’t go to high school or college in America.” But Rene did it anyway.
When Rene got his first check for $1500, it became a huge motivator.” I still have this check to this day. I made a copy of the check. I’m looking at it right now. So every time things were tough and it appeared as if I was not going to make it, I just look at my check and say, ‘There’s somebody who paid me $1,500. There’s somebody else who would be willing to pay me another one and another one.’ I tell people all the time to be hopeful. Think about what lies ahead for you in the future.”
Back to Rene’s Story… the Very Beginning of It
Born in Haiti in a small village, Rene’s mother left when he was nine months old. He became very sick due to a poor diet and little medical care. Those starving children you see on TV? Rene was one of them. When he was 7 years old he left the village to be with his mother, sister, and brother in Port-au-Prince, living in a shack infested with rats and roaches. “I slept on the floor with my brother and sister. The rats and roaches were crossing us all night. Many nights I was just terrified to go to bed.”
Rene became involved in theater in a small Catholic church. The group was invited to perform in Montréal Canada. “America was the finest land to me, but going to Montreal was great because I was closer to America - the land I dreamt about. I’d say, ‘One day I want to go to the United States. I wanted to come here to eat lots of rice and chickens. I’m sick of rice and chickens now. Life is GOOD today in America.”
The Promise
“I found a way to come to this country. It wasn’t easy. There was a price I had to pay.” Wedged between those three tires of a tractor-trailer, covered with ashes dust and smoke. Rene made a prayer. “God I promise you, if you help me make it to America safe, I will do something with my life.” God needn’t have worried about Rene.
“I’m a US citizen today and a very proud one. I’m not a burden on the government. I believe that everything I will ever have and everything that I will ever be in this country is going to be by my own volition. I dare to believe that I can step out and take massive action to make it happen.”
Rene went to Miami and taught himself English, learning 3 words at a time. “I was writing them on my hand,” Rene said. He eventually left Miami for Atlanta, Georgia with a parish council group, living in a run down apartment and working at a K-mart warehouse. “I was not making much money at all. I was loading boxes in the truck but I was making progress because I came underneath the truck. Now I was inside the truck.” How’s that for positive thinking!
Eventually Rene got a job taking care of an elderly Jewish man. He and Rene became good friends. The man died in Rene’s arms. “I took great care of him. One of his children helped me get a job at the Renaissance hotel.” Rene worked at that hotel for 14 years. It changed his life.
Working at the hotel put Rene in direct contact with some of the world’s best speakers. Rene learned from many of the top speakers like Les Brown and Jim Rohn, “They each awaken your awareness to different levels,” Rene says, Once Rene made up his mind to speak, destiny took over. He got that $1,500 check in 1998. In 2000, Rene was on the big stage. That’s fast. Rene says, “I just learned how to speed up the process. “
Rene’s Number One Speaker’s Trait
“The ability to tell stories,” Rene says. “Because at the end of the day, they really won’t not remember the points you made. They can buy a book and read those points. But what they can’t get are the personal stories we use to wrap around the points we’re making. That’s what will make the message stick. Most people will say, ‘I don’t have a story because I wasn’t born like Rene, in a poor village in Haiti, or I didn’t climb Mount Everest.’ That’s not true. We all have stories. The stories that really connect us with our audiences at a deep level are not the big stories, but the little pebbles, little stories and vignettes.”
“That’s the beauty of it. You paint a picture. Everybody comes and looks at the picture. They draw their own conclusions from the picture. You share the story. You’re talking about your grandmother, your cousin, your dog. Somebody sees their dog in the story. Somebody else sees their cousin in the story because they had some kind of connection with their cousin. Somebody sees their grandmother in the story. Everybody gets something different from it. You’re just never going to please everybody in the audience. That’s why I say to speakers, ‘The time to start your speaking career is NOW’ because there are people that I’ll never ever be able to connect with for whatever reason. For some people it’s just because the way I sound, my accent. Maybe I look like an ex-husband.”
Rene’s Gift
“Village Hero” is Rene’s gift to Haiti. It is an orphanage with 28 kids and a health clinic in Haiti. “I’m still struggling to get my 501C, which means I have to find every little penny that I have to support some of the projects. In December I went to have dinner with the kids. It was the best Christmas dinner I’ve ever had. They sang for me. They danced. They performed. I served them. It was awesome. I believe that God took me out of the village so that I can reach out to the village. There are going to be a few chosen ones. We have to be wise enough to understand that we are not chosen to drive a nice car, or live in a nice house, or live a self-centered life. It’s because at some point, we have to reach out and make a difference.”
In 2000, Mark Mayberry, well known in NSA, heard about Rene’s story and requested his video. Rene got an email from the president of the NSA saying, “Congratulations. You have a great future in this business.” The NSA chairperson for the conference also called Rene and said, “I just saw your video and I’m just so excited. I want you to be in my program. You’re going to be on the big stage.” I asked Rene how he felt. “I felt GOOOOD!”
I have to tell you how I met Rene. It was 2006. I was taking a conference from Declan Dunn and Jody Colvard north of Atlanta and had to get to the train station, a long cab ride away. I’d just met Rene two days earlier. When he found out I was going to take a cab, Rene offered to drive me. He insisted. That’s the kind of man Rene is. On the seat of his car was a book...his own. He gave it to me.
Rene’s Hero
Rene’s hero is Sidney Poitier. “His family migrated from Haiti to the Bahamas. He and I have kindred spirits. He’s my hero. When I see all that he went through to be where he is, that’s just incredible. He’s my inspiration.”
Rene has a great message and an incredible story. He wants you to find your message and tell your own story. If Rene believes in you, how can you not believe in yourself?
From Haiti to speaking in a land he once dreamed of, Rene is a true speaking hero.
Live like a hero!
Terri Marie
© 2008-2010 White Wing Entertainment LLC
Contact author: terrimarie@herobookonline.com
Contact Rene: www.villagehero.org
www.BeAvillageHero.org
I offer the following two ways below.
1. Send light, Spread light and Be light. Shower Haiti with blessings of Divine white light. See her and her people heal.
2. If you can, send money to help the relief efforts.
Below is the story of Rene Godefroy a good friend of mine and creator of Village Hero. Village Hero is a project Rene started as soon as he was able to get himself out of poverty and become a successful speaker and author. He has been helping poverty stricken Haitians for years. Rene came to the US from Haiti never forgetting his roots. Your contributions will go directly to those suffering now in a reputable and compassionate organization.
www.BeAvillageHero.org
Few story's are as amazing as Rene's story below. His courage and what he went through are almost unbelievable. Excerpts are from an article I wrote first published in Sharing Ideas magazine.
Rene Godefroy
Speaking Hero May 2008
The Power of a Story
By Terri Marie
The Journey
He was under a truck, wedged between three tires of a big rig in an attempt to cross the border into the land he’d dreamed of for so long – The United States of America. After four hours of a very painful ride, Rene Godefroy reached the point of giving up. I asked him why he didn’t. “Survival has always been the thing for me. I was supporting my own weight on my hands and elbows. It got to a point where I said, ‘I don’t really know if I can take it any longer.’ But that’s what we say to ourselves throughout the journey all the time. Whether you own your own business, or you work for somebody – there’s going to be some point where you will be thinking about giving up. Because you have the thought, doesn’t mean you have to entertain the thought. Right after I said that I began to think of what lies ahead for me - the future in America. Then I began to think of the people in my village who were counting on me. When you have a “why” or you have something that you are looking forward to, you can do it.”
Everyone loves a story like Rene’s. It’s similar to Dottie Walters story - the power of an indomitable spirit. Rene uplifts thousands of people each year during his many speaking engagements around the world, from the National Speakers Association (NSA) to corporate events.
After coming to the states and working various jobs from carpenter to washing dishes, Rene ended up at The Renaissance Hotel, working as a doorman and parking cars. It was there he discovered something that Dottie Walters also loved…books. “Whenever I’d see a book, I’d go to the bookstore and buy it.” Hungry for knowledge, Rene would devour books. Rene also ordered tapes from Nightingale Conant and attended seminars like “Unleashing the Power Within” and “Personal Power” by Anthony Robbins. Rene decided he wanted to try speaking. “I had fears and doubts, thinking I could give Americans advice since I didn’t go to high school or college in America.” But Rene did it anyway.
When Rene got his first check for $1500, it became a huge motivator.” I still have this check to this day. I made a copy of the check. I’m looking at it right now. So every time things were tough and it appeared as if I was not going to make it, I just look at my check and say, ‘There’s somebody who paid me $1,500. There’s somebody else who would be willing to pay me another one and another one.’ I tell people all the time to be hopeful. Think about what lies ahead for you in the future.”
Back to Rene’s Story… the Very Beginning of It
Born in Haiti in a small village, Rene’s mother left when he was nine months old. He became very sick due to a poor diet and little medical care. Those starving children you see on TV? Rene was one of them. When he was 7 years old he left the village to be with his mother, sister, and brother in Port-au-Prince, living in a shack infested with rats and roaches. “I slept on the floor with my brother and sister. The rats and roaches were crossing us all night. Many nights I was just terrified to go to bed.”
Rene became involved in theater in a small Catholic church. The group was invited to perform in Montréal Canada. “America was the finest land to me, but going to Montreal was great because I was closer to America - the land I dreamt about. I’d say, ‘One day I want to go to the United States. I wanted to come here to eat lots of rice and chickens. I’m sick of rice and chickens now. Life is GOOD today in America.”
The Promise
“I found a way to come to this country. It wasn’t easy. There was a price I had to pay.” Wedged between those three tires of a tractor-trailer, covered with ashes dust and smoke. Rene made a prayer. “God I promise you, if you help me make it to America safe, I will do something with my life.” God needn’t have worried about Rene.
“I’m a US citizen today and a very proud one. I’m not a burden on the government. I believe that everything I will ever have and everything that I will ever be in this country is going to be by my own volition. I dare to believe that I can step out and take massive action to make it happen.”
Rene went to Miami and taught himself English, learning 3 words at a time. “I was writing them on my hand,” Rene said. He eventually left Miami for Atlanta, Georgia with a parish council group, living in a run down apartment and working at a K-mart warehouse. “I was not making much money at all. I was loading boxes in the truck but I was making progress because I came underneath the truck. Now I was inside the truck.” How’s that for positive thinking!
Eventually Rene got a job taking care of an elderly Jewish man. He and Rene became good friends. The man died in Rene’s arms. “I took great care of him. One of his children helped me get a job at the Renaissance hotel.” Rene worked at that hotel for 14 years. It changed his life.
Working at the hotel put Rene in direct contact with some of the world’s best speakers. Rene learned from many of the top speakers like Les Brown and Jim Rohn, “They each awaken your awareness to different levels,” Rene says, Once Rene made up his mind to speak, destiny took over. He got that $1,500 check in 1998. In 2000, Rene was on the big stage. That’s fast. Rene says, “I just learned how to speed up the process. “
Rene’s Number One Speaker’s Trait
“The ability to tell stories,” Rene says. “Because at the end of the day, they really won’t not remember the points you made. They can buy a book and read those points. But what they can’t get are the personal stories we use to wrap around the points we’re making. That’s what will make the message stick. Most people will say, ‘I don’t have a story because I wasn’t born like Rene, in a poor village in Haiti, or I didn’t climb Mount Everest.’ That’s not true. We all have stories. The stories that really connect us with our audiences at a deep level are not the big stories, but the little pebbles, little stories and vignettes.”
“That’s the beauty of it. You paint a picture. Everybody comes and looks at the picture. They draw their own conclusions from the picture. You share the story. You’re talking about your grandmother, your cousin, your dog. Somebody sees their dog in the story. Somebody else sees their cousin in the story because they had some kind of connection with their cousin. Somebody sees their grandmother in the story. Everybody gets something different from it. You’re just never going to please everybody in the audience. That’s why I say to speakers, ‘The time to start your speaking career is NOW’ because there are people that I’ll never ever be able to connect with for whatever reason. For some people it’s just because the way I sound, my accent. Maybe I look like an ex-husband.”
Rene’s Gift
“Village Hero” is Rene’s gift to Haiti. It is an orphanage with 28 kids and a health clinic in Haiti. “I’m still struggling to get my 501C, which means I have to find every little penny that I have to support some of the projects. In December I went to have dinner with the kids. It was the best Christmas dinner I’ve ever had. They sang for me. They danced. They performed. I served them. It was awesome. I believe that God took me out of the village so that I can reach out to the village. There are going to be a few chosen ones. We have to be wise enough to understand that we are not chosen to drive a nice car, or live in a nice house, or live a self-centered life. It’s because at some point, we have to reach out and make a difference.”
In 2000, Mark Mayberry, well known in NSA, heard about Rene’s story and requested his video. Rene got an email from the president of the NSA saying, “Congratulations. You have a great future in this business.” The NSA chairperson for the conference also called Rene and said, “I just saw your video and I’m just so excited. I want you to be in my program. You’re going to be on the big stage.” I asked Rene how he felt. “I felt GOOOOD!”
I have to tell you how I met Rene. It was 2006. I was taking a conference from Declan Dunn and Jody Colvard north of Atlanta and had to get to the train station, a long cab ride away. I’d just met Rene two days earlier. When he found out I was going to take a cab, Rene offered to drive me. He insisted. That’s the kind of man Rene is. On the seat of his car was a book...his own. He gave it to me.
Rene’s Hero
Rene’s hero is Sidney Poitier. “His family migrated from Haiti to the Bahamas. He and I have kindred spirits. He’s my hero. When I see all that he went through to be where he is, that’s just incredible. He’s my inspiration.”
Rene has a great message and an incredible story. He wants you to find your message and tell your own story. If Rene believes in you, how can you not believe in yourself?
From Haiti to speaking in a land he once dreamed of, Rene is a true speaking hero.
Live like a hero!
Terri Marie
© 2008-2010 White Wing Entertainment LLC
Contact author: terrimarie@herobookonline.com
Contact Rene: www.villagehero.org
www.BeAvillageHero.org
Labels: Haiti, Rene Godefroy, Village Hero
posted by Terri Marie at 10:01 AM
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