OUR MOTTO:

“Giving a chance to make a new beginning, so that together we can work to raise the standards of this world.”

WHAT IS MENTORING?

“Mentoring is a relational experience through which one person empowers another by sharing God-given resources.”

GENESIS MCFY –

The problem … the need for help …

Many of the young people in Jamaica lack positive role models and have succumbed to the challenges they face on a daily basis. Those who have fathers barely know them and have a poor relationship with them. They have grown up suffering from many wounds, believing that vices like smoking, drinking alcohol, having multiple sex partners, and engaging in illegal activities will provide the healing they are searching for. Their journey has led them to the wrong places and the wrong people. They have been hurt so much that they find it hard to trust others. Self-preservation motivates them to walk independently, yet they still long for someone who cares.

Our young people are desperately searching for positive and godly mentors to guide them, but they don't know where to look. They feel like runners stranded at the starting gate without a baton. Some may label them as lazy "slackers" and a "headless" generation, but the truth is that they are a traumatized generation lacking direction and identity, missing a sense of continuity with their heritage. This underscores their need for mature, older men and women to come alongside them, share their wisdom, and pass them the torch of leadership to equip the next generation.

We cannot afford to lose our young people, especially our young men, so we must intervene. We want to give them a chance to start over and have a new beginning.

GENESIS MCFY –

In the beginning …

GENESIS Mentoring Centre For Youths (MCFY) is an organization founded by Marlon Marlondo Myers, also known as Moses. He is a devoted Orthodox Christian with a clear vision.

In the summer of 2003, Brother Moses made the decision to address the common concerns of young people by becoming a mentor for the youth in the Mt. Rosser and Ewarton communities in the parish of St. Catherine.

GENESIS MCFY –

A definition …

GENESIS MCFY is not a "program," as programs usually start out big and then fizzle out in a couple of months. For us,

GENESIS MCFY is an "interventive movement for youths" that has started small and is growing very big because our beginning is at the grassroots level.

In this relational experience, Brother Moses realized that bridging the gap is not as hard as he might have thought. All the youths were asking for "a chance to make a new beginning, so that together we can work to raise the standards of this world."

History tells us that no revival has ever spanned two consecutive generations. Perhaps ours is the generation for this century.

Every day, Brother Moses is reminded that these young people need others like him to help them find their place in a confusing world. His mission, therefore, is not to leave them standing at the starting gate but to help them cross the finish line.

GENESIS MCFY –

An interventive movement …

Since its establishment at the Church of God of Prophecy in Roadside (Ewarton, St. Catherine), GENESIS MCFY began with only one member in 2003. The membership grew to 47 youths that same year, 68 in 2004, 111 in 2005, and 128 in 2006.

In 2006, GENESIS MCFY expanded its growth and established another branch at the Ewarton Gospel Hall Church of the First Born (St. Catherine) with 12 mentors and 25 youths. At this location, Brother Moses conducted workshops and training sessions for both mentors and youth, in addition to overseeing its administration.

Currently, Brother Moses is mentoring a growing number of youths from across the island, aged between 12 to 25, with 75% male and 25% female membership.

GENESIS MCFY is experiencing remarkable growth and is dedicated to changing lives.

The main focus of GENESIS MCFY is mentoring, which drove the establishment of the group.

GENESIS MCFY mentors youths and trains them to become leaders and positive role models for mentoring other youths. It is believed that proper guidance and coaching from positive role models in society at an early age will result in the production of positive behavior and the transformation of individuals into agents of change.

After careful consideration and prayer, Brother Moses decided to share the vision of GENESIS MCFY with local Christian and Non-Christian groups in addition to influential individuals within various communities. Meetings were organized with the goal of recruiting volunteers to act as mentors for the youths within these communities.

THE MISSION

The mission of GENESIS MCFY is to create trusting relationships in which mentors and mentees (persons being mentored) invest in each other’s lives through prayer, encouragement, accountability, challenge, and sharing, leading to influential and lasting friendships.

GENESIS MCFY aims to provide challenging opportunities to educate youths in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect. Our common mission is to inspire each young person to achieve personal growth and cultural pride, value life-long learning, and become responsible citizens of their country in a complex and ever-changing world.

GENESIS MCFY's ongoing vision is to build upon existing partnerships and programs to systematically support each youth’s confidence and skills in developing meaningful careers and cultural identity, leading to eventual success in a rewarding, high-demand job in their chosen career pathway.

GENESIS MCFY is committed to creating opportunities for everyone to participate in the education and spiritual nurturing of our young people by galvanizing partnerships.

OUR GOAL

The aim of GENESIS MCFY is to provide hope and encouragement to every young person to help them achieve their academic, emotional, social, physical, and spiritual potential. This is achieved by creating an environment where young people can learn life skills that will support and empower them to become positive leaders and lifelong learners. The ultimate goal is for every young person to become a disciple of Jesus Christ.

OUR OBJECTIVES

1. To assist young people in choosing a career pathway.
2. To help young people better prepare for the world of work.
3. To encourage young people to explore their values about themselves and their spirituality.
4. To provide young people with the tools for continuous learning and personal growth.
5. To act as a role model by sharing personal experiences and knowledge in their chosen career and spiritual journey with Jesus Christ.

WHAT WE DO

Homework Centre:

The centre was established in June 2006 to help primary school students with their academic performance, especially their homework. It also aims to assist parents in taking responsibility for their children's education.

Blue & White Christmas Bash:

GENESIS MCFY hosts an annual social event called the Blue & White Christmas Bash, which takes place a week before Christmas. The event serves as a way to express gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the organization's growth and development. It is held on a Saturday evening and is funded by sponsors. All attendees enjoy free entertainment, food, games, and other activities.

Online Mentoring:

GENESIS MCFY is currently developing a website to provide support to youth both locally and internationally. Embracing technology, the organization aims to reach and assist young people through online platforms.

Community Projects:

The organization collaborates with citizens, leaders, police, businesses, and other interest groups to contribute to the overall development of communities through voluntary initiatives.

Counselling:

GENESIS MCFY offers regular counseling sessions, providing both one-on-one and group counseling as well as making referrals for those in need.

Fundraising:

These activities are organized to cover expenses and acquire the necessary tools and equipment.

Entertainment:

GENESIS MCFY offers a variety of activities to cater to the social and emotional needs of young people in a positive and uplifting manner. We provide diverse and flexible entertainment options such as games, movies, concerts, drama, and competitions.

Athletics/Sports:

In addition, we offer training in athletics, football, basketball, and netball. Our members also take part in competitive sports with other interest groups.

Weekly Sessions:

These sessions vary each week and may feature guest speakers who share their experiences, knowledge, and skills with the youths. We also provide remedial classes for those who may have literacy problems, as well as life-skills and leadership training sessions to prepare youths for the working world and help guide them on their career paths.

Training:

Choo! Choooo! All aboard! In addition to our in-house training, we send our members to participate with other youth groups, ministries, and agencies for training. GENESIS MCFY not only trains its members but also its volunteers, especially in the areas of mentoring and leadership.

Sponsorship:

We seek sponsorship from anyone, in cash or kind. Our needs are great, and anything you think would be useful to us is needed.

Spiritual Emphasis:

GENESIS MCFY is nurturing our members to have faith in God, who makes all things possible for them in accordance with His divine will for their lives. In collaboration with our local Christian communities, we are transforming lives.

OUR FUTURE

It is our dream that GENESIS MCFY will have a permanent home, a building that will provide all the necessary facilities for us to function effectively in the modern world while also catering to the needs of our young people.

We hope to employ our own staff and work alongside our faithful volunteers, becoming a self-sustaining organization. We have a vision and a heart for lives, keeping you in mind.

In the future, we hope to:

- Expand the Homework Centre, offering remedial classes and assistance at various educational levels.

- Provide scholarships to those who need additional assistance with their education.

- Establish a GENESIS MCFY Gym & Health Club for those interested in a healthy lifestyle and fitness.

- Set up a computer lab that will assist in training and operational functions of GENESIS MCFY.

There are many needs, many dreams, and many lives to be touched — one life at a time. Help us help you do what you can't do for yourself.

Partner with us so that together we can be more effective than apart.

HELP SAVE OUR YOUNG MEN

In the Bible, specifically in the Old Testament, a young man was considered a true Jew only if he could trace his lineage back to Abraham. However, in the 21st century, many young men barely know their fathers.

There are countless young men out there who are seeking role models to guide them and connect them with their past while helping them navigate the future. Though they may seem distant and untrusting, it's often because they've been let down many times. They long for companionship and yearn for positive male role models. They ask themselves questions like:

"Where are the men who will accept us unconditionally, let us work with them without fearing failure, and share their own mistakes so we can learn from them? Where are the men who will love us enough to not abandon us as we are?"

BECOME INVOLVED –

The challenge …

Will you take a risk with these young people and allow them to serve alongside you in the spiritual, emotional, social, and psychological battle we all face? Will you let these youths share with you their burning passion for Jesus Christ while receiving the treasure of your experiences? Will you give them a chance to make a new beginning, so that together we can work to raise the standards of this world? If you do, you can save these youths by becoming involved in this movement in whatever way you can. You can become a mentor, a sponsor, a financial partner, a friend, or a supporter.

GENESIS MCFY is for everyone.

GENESIS MCFY is for you.

THE JAMAICAN ORTODOX MISSION

A brother asked Abba Poemen: “Some brothers live with me; should I be in charge of them?” The old man said to him: “No, just work first and foremost. And if they want to live like you, then they will see to it themselves.” The brother said to him: “But it is they themselves, Father, who want me to be in charge of them.” The old man replied: “No, be their example, not their legislator.”

This story from the Sayings of the Desert Fathers illustrates the connection between a spiritual mentor and their disciple. According to Abba Poemen, the spiritual guide should lead by example rather than dictate to others. He suggests that the brother should teach and guide his followers through his own actions and lifestyle. This model can also be applied to spiritual mentoring in society outside of a monastic environment.

Brother Marlon Myers (also known as Moses in the Eastern Orthodox Diaspora) currently oversees GENESIS MCFY and serves as a spiritual mentor, particularly to young people, in collaboration with THE JAMAICAN ORTHODOX MISSION (JOM), which he founded and was established with the help of other Orthodox Christians on April 24, 2015.

Brother Moses’ views mentoring as intentionally making disciples for the kingdom of God. He believes that a mentor must have a theological framework for mentoring, which he thinks most Christians lack. He suggests that most people cannot adequately explain what it means to be a disciple of Christ, what it involves to make a disciple of Christ, or if they are actively doing it.

The JOM aims to offer spiritual support and education to help people understand the true meaning of discipleship and to emulate Christ.

The Orthodox Church believes that individuals are more likely to maintain their Christian faith in adulthood if they had three meaningful and healthy relationships during their early to mid-teen years: one with faithful Christian parents, one with a faithful Christian mentor outside of the family, and one with God Himself.

COME AND SEE!