Molly PavlovichResident Ken Davis’ father, Albert, moved into a Messiah Village Nursing Neighborhood in 1984, with the support of Benevolent Care.
For much of his life, Albert spent his days working on his dairy farm in New York and his nights working at a brass factory to support his 14 children. He was a hardworking, charitable man who was very frugal with his money, but his living expenses outnumbered his savings toward the end of his life.
“My father lived three wonderful years here, and he was on Benevolent Care the entire time,” Davis said. “If it wasn’t for the generosity of Benevolent Care, I’m not sure what his last three years would have looked like. He wouldn’t have been able to afford to live at Messiah Village and receive the care he needed or experience the kindness of this community that he cherished so much.”
It was 36 years ago, but no matter how long has passed, Davis, who visited his father frequently when he lived at Messiah Village, said he will always remember this time with great gratitude for the constant, consistent, everyday care that his father received.
“He didn’t just receive care. He was cared for wholeheartedly,” Davis said. “He was in a room that was pleasant to be in. He was taken outside in his wheelchair to enjoy the beautiful campus when the weather was nice. The nurses who were caring for him would ask how he was doing or if he needed anything, and in doing so they would give him the autonomy to ask for and receive what it is that he wanted.”
Paying it Forward
When his father passed away in 1986, Davis and his 10 living siblings—three had passed on prior—made a collective commitment to support Messiah Lifeways Benevolent Care fund every year, however they were able.
“We all agreed that this was an important ministry to us,” Davis said.
Davis was living in Dillsburg, PA, at the time—before moving to Messiah Lifeways in 2018—and his one brother lived locally too, so the siblings would pool their money together and Davis and his brother would hand-deliver the check. Davis, the youngest of the 14, is now one of the few siblings who remain, and he still continues the tradition of giving to this day.
“It’s what the Bible teaches us. Give of yourself; Give your best. And that’s what I’m doing through supporting Benevolent Care all these years,” Davis said. “Some years my best was a little more or a little less, but I knew that every dollar counted.”
Davis not only gives in memory of his father, but also for his stepmother who was on Benevolent Care as well, his mother, his first wife, and several of his siblings who too have passed on. Through this annual act of gratitude, he hopes to touch the lives of those in need, much like his family’s life was touched three decades ago.
“There’s always going to be a need for Benevolent Care,” Davis said. “The impact might seem out of reach to some, but for me and my family, it’s tangible as we saw the impact at work with my father. A gift to Benevolent Care is a gift of love that is never forgotten.”
Click here to read why others in the Messiah Lifeways community choose to give to Benevolent Care.
