Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1302793
Heal the Hood When Christopher Cabiness, pastor of New Hope Missionary Church, launched The M.O.V.E movement in 2018 he had no idea it would lead to a citywide initiative. M.OV.E. (mediate, observe, validate, equip) was initially designed to reach the unchurched population with a greater emphasis on millennials. "I wanted to seek a model that could redefine a bridge of engagement and empowerment that would somewhat bring all generations together," Cabiness said. Like Cabiness, Belvin Ware, youth minister of Macedonia Baptist Church, was doing similar things within his community. After Cabiness learned of Ware's efforts, he reached out to Ware as well as Bryant Raines, pastor of New Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, and Carl M. Dudley to unite to help those effected by poverty, gang violence and homelessness. The men realized that they could reach more people as a collective and created Heal The Hood, an organization with a mission to restore communities, address social issues and focus on spiritual wellbeing. "It's important that we have initiatives such as Heal The Hood so that we can begin to economically empower our community, spiritually uplift them and close the disparities and inequities that exist in our community," said Minister Sheknita Davis of Bibb Mount Zion Baptist Church. When a fire pushed residents out of their homes in Macon's Green Meadows Townhomes, Raines called upon his Heal The Hood family to help raise money and donations for residents who were affected by the tragedy. "They're coming from three different churches for a grassroots effort to move this community forward," said the Rev. Dominique Johnson of A Kingdom Life. "Their hearts are in the right place and I'm looking forward to see what other creative things they're going to do." Most recently, the men of Heal The Hood hosted a Standing in Faith event where they went to local hospitals and nursing homes to offer prayer and encouraging words to healthcare workers on the frontlines of COVID-19. "We wanted to let those healthcare workers know that we acknowledge them, and we empathize and sympathize with many of them, which led us to let them know that were standing with them," said Cabiness. "Since we cannot physically be there with them as healthcare workers, we wanted them to know that we were standing with them in spirit and in faith, praying for their strength and continued perseverance."—Rodrika Foreman 3