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Sophie Davina's new song of gratitude can answer prayer for Haitian family in desperate need of a home
Released just in time for Thanksgiving, Sophie Davina’s new song “Look Back on Every Blessing” is about gratitude — but it’s likely that no one will be more grateful for its release than Rosana Joseph.
Rosana has been raising her family in a rotting shack of wood, sticks and mud on the outskirts of Pignon, Haiti. She has four children, but in the past few years she lost two others to typho-malarial fever — a menacing illness all too prevalent in places where poverty housing conditions are pervasive. When she learned about The Fuller Center for Housing’s program in Pignon, she told her story through tears and said she had long prayed for a decent place to live.
That prayer is being answered — and, thanks to Sophie, her prayer even has a soundtrack.
Sophie, granddaughter of Millard and Linda Fuller, recently contacted Fuller Center headquarters from her home in Switzerland with an idea. She wanted to leverage the release of the song to help the affordable housing ministry founded by her grandparents 16 years ago.
“Sophie reached out to us and planted the seed,” said Chris Johnson, The Fuller Center’s Vice President of Communications. “We came up with a plan to raise one dollar for each stream of the song. Then we learned of Rosana and her family’s desperate need in Haiti, where it costs $6,000 to sponsor a home. All we needed was a generous donor to sponsor the $1-per-stream concept — and we had a pretty good idea of a pretty wonderful lady who would love this idea.”
Jackie Goodman is a long-time supporter of the Fullers’ work from their days at Habitat for Humanity and all through their years with The Fuller Center for Housing. She is well-known for her boundless energy and zest for life, as well as her passion for helping families have simple, decent places to live. Perhaps the only thing that can rival that passion is her commitment to supporting artistic endeavors of all kinds.
“I have always loved music, and I have a great appreciation for the work of The Fuller Center for Housing,” Jackie said. “What a great way to bring my interests together to support not only The Fuller Center but also the beautiful music created by Sophie Davina, granddaughter of Millard and Linda Fuller, founders of Habitat for Humanity and The Fuller Center for Housing! I hope people all around the world will enjoy Sophie’s beautiful music as they provide funds to help others to have a simple, safe and secure home.”
Thanks to Sophie’s talent and Jackie’s generosity, you can help Rosana have a simple, decent and safe new home, one that she can pass on to her children. All you have to do is listen to “Look Back on Every Blessing” on iTunes, Spotify or YouTube. Click here to visit Sophie’s page with all three options linked. When there are a combined 6,000 streams, Rosana’s house will be fully funded.
You also can give directly to the building of Rosana’s home by donating at the link below. Once Rosana’s home is fully funded, any further gifts will go directly to helping other Haitian families in need of simple, decent homes.
I wrote “Look Back on Every Blessing” two years ago in my car as I was commuting over the San Mateo bridge in California late at night. It was the day before Thanksgiving, and I wanted to write a song about thankfulness instead of listening to the radio. The lyrics came to me quickly, and I finished them with the help of my friend, Arthur, on Thanksgiving Day. Originally, this song was an a cappella hymn, but I added piano and strings later when I heard how they brought a new depth to the lyrics.
This song is very special to me because I believe it’s important to reflect on the blessings we have been given and to thank Jesus, the giver of all good things. I intentionally wanted the musicality to be simple to highlight the depth of the words. Old hymns have always touched my heart in this profound way, and I wanted to do the same with “Look Back on Every Blessing.” This is also the first song with vocals that I completely recorded in my own home studio!!
I’ve been wanting to record and publish this song for a while but never found the time. It was only in September of this year that I decided I would try to record and publish it by Thanksgiving. It seemed like an impossible goal, but after more than 40 hours of invested time, at least a hundred vocal takes, tons of editing, and getting it mixed and mastered, it was ready by the end of October!
After my recording marathon, I had to recover for a few days before I could start to think about marketing. As I was relaxing one evening, the idea suddenly popped into my head: “Why not do a fundraiser?” I could hardly contain my excitement! I emailed Chris at The Fuller Center for Housing, and everything fell into place in a matter of days with the backing of a wonderful lady, Jackie Goodman.
The fact that my song can bless others and simultaneously fund a home for a family in need just blows me away! I am so humbled and thankful for this incredible opportunity, and I can’t wait to see what God does.
It’s been an incredible blessing to me to follow in the footsteps of my granddad, Millard Fuller, who founded The Fuller Center based on his Christian beliefs. He often taught that it was important to count your blessings in the midst of trials and that it was more blessed to give than to receive. Even though I’m not on the ground in Haiti building the house, I am so honored that I can serve The Fuller Center through my music.
Sometimes the question comes up regarding fame and becoming a well-known musician. While that would be cool, it’s not my goal and it’s not the reason I write music. The reason I write is to bless others and point them to Jesus. Music has gotten me through some of the hardest moments in my life, and I have experienced how powerful it can be.
Therefore, if just one of my songs touches someone’s heart and helps them find Jesus, it will have all been worth it.
— Sophie Davina