1 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,400 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, it's Bill Courtney with an army of normal folks. 2 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: And we continue with part two of our conversation with 3 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: Deb Ellinger. Right after these brief messages from our general sponsors, 4 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: we now return when I ask Deb how many houses 5 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: she now has? 6 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 2: So we have two yep, two at each two women 7 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:37,240 Speaker 2: at each house, and how many women? 8 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: Two women in each house and the minute of bed 9 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 1: opens up, you're trying to bring one more in. 10 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, and we usually I mean, I get calls all 11 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:47,639 Speaker 2: the time, do you have bedspace? 12 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 3: Do you have bedspace? Because it's just a big need. 13 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: And despite that, you're also every day on the street. 14 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, four days a week, four. 15 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,319 Speaker 1: Days a week. Where do where does where do all 16 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:05,199 Speaker 1: these supplies? Where does the money? How does this work? Yeah? 17 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 2: So by volunteers and donations. So all of our finances 18 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:15,479 Speaker 2: come from private donors, churches, community organizations. All of our 19 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 2: supplies to go on the street are usually packaged up 20 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 2: or donated by different groups of people. We hand out 21 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 2: like over two hundred food packs a week and that's 22 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 2: all donations. 23 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: How how did you get the word out? 24 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 2: So part of it was from our community, my kids 25 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 2: high school, when they were in high school, so we 26 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:37,680 Speaker 2: got the word. 27 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 1: Out that way, no kidding, yeah cool. 28 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 2: Which was really cool. And our church and other churches. 29 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 2: So once our church got involved, I started just having 30 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 2: opportunities to speak at other churches. So we get a 31 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 2: lot of support from different churches and lots of different schools. 32 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 2: But my kids' school has been a tremendous support to us. 33 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 1: And so you're out there hustling it up. 34 00:01:57,320 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, for sure, you have to be. 35 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: So. On the one hand, your houseold it up. On 36 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: the other hand, you're in the streets given it away. 37 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: On the other hand, you're having houses donated and you're 38 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: I guess trying to furnish them and keep them clean, yep, 39 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 1: and create some type of programming for these ladies to 40 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: get clean, right. Can do you know the numbers of 41 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: women you've had lived with you? So? 42 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:26,919 Speaker 2: Oh gosh, we've had I couldn't tell you the exact number, 43 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:30,079 Speaker 2: but we've had over fifty women come in and out 44 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 2: of our program for various reasons. 45 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:34,960 Speaker 3: We did short term stays. 46 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 2: So if a police agency or law enforcement agency would 47 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 2: do a raid and there was women there who were 48 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 2: exchanging sex for food or anything, they would allow them 49 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:50,239 Speaker 2: an opportunity to come to our program and then help 50 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 2: them get back to So we had some women from China, 51 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 2: for example, and. 52 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: So they what do you mean China. 53 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 3: Oh, this is a whole thing. Yeah, well tell us 54 00:02:59,080 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 3: about that all. 55 00:02:59,680 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. 56 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 2: So I learned that women were coming from China in 57 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:07,959 Speaker 2: exchange to work for somebody who was selling them for sex. 58 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: And so just to get to America. 59 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 3: No, just to make money, You're kidding. 60 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: Did they know that deal coming in? 61 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:19,359 Speaker 2: They knew the deal coming in. But what happened in 62 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 2: our area was a lot of these women had gone 63 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,799 Speaker 2: to high end places to do this. So Vegas was 64 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 2: one I can use as an example. So they were 65 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 2: staying at a really nice hotel, treated very well, given 66 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 2: all the fancy stuff. 67 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 3: Well, then they came to the area where we're at 68 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 3: and it wasn't like that. 69 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 2: It was a dirty hotel with multiple women in the 70 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 2: same room. 71 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 3: And then it got raided. 72 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 2: And so then these women would come to us, and 73 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 2: then we would help get them back so they could 74 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 2: get their passport and get all that stuff and go 75 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 2: back to their country. What I learned was they would 76 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 2: come in and at my question was how did you 77 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 2: know who was picking you? Up like at the airport 78 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 2: when you got here. And one woman told me it 79 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 2: was the color of her suitcase. So they had a 80 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 2: very specific color of suitcase that they had to bring 81 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 2: and when the ride would pull up, they would know 82 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 2: that's who she was kidding. Uh, it's fascinating. 83 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: And these did these girls end up addicted and stuff too? 84 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 2: No, none of these women, because they weren't here long 85 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:28,919 Speaker 2: enough I see. 86 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: But they still they got stuck. 87 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 3: Oh they yeah, they were. I mean stop them. 88 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:40,280 Speaker 2: That getting or getting raided was probably the best thing 89 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 2: that happened to them. 90 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 1: Wow, were their passports taken from them? Yes, I've read that. Yeah, yep, 91 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:55,719 Speaker 1: which renders them basically helpless exactly. Unbelievable. Yeah, and so 92 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: you've had fifty people come through the homes of all 93 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: walks and shape and backgrounds. 94 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 3: And everything everything. 95 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 1: Where are those fifty girls now? 96 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 2: So some of them are doing well and living on 97 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 2: their own. Our goal, our hope is that we would 98 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 2: have a relationship with everybody, and we have for the 99 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 2: most part. Even women that were from China had texted 100 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 2: us in the beginning letting us know like they got 101 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 2: home okay or something they know is. 102 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 3: Really sweet that it was so cool. Yeah. 103 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 2: And then we have women that have relapsed and are 104 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 2: still navigating the process of healing and we still yeah yeah, 105 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:36,919 Speaker 2: and we're still loving them through that. And then we 106 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 2: have some women who have jobs that are now seeing 107 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:42,159 Speaker 2: their kids. I mean, we have a whole like I 108 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 2: feel like gamut of but. 109 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: Those success stories literally. 110 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 3: Safeloves for sure, Yeah, for sure. 111 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: And then there's the alternative tell us about Marquita. 112 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, Marquita. 113 00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 2: So she was one of the first women that we 114 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,919 Speaker 2: met on the street and she would call me. So 115 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 2: the phone number I give you guys, I would give 116 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 2: them on the street, and they call me and text 117 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,600 Speaker 2: me and tell me where they're where I'm going to 118 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 2: meet them because it changes. And so she would text 119 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:15,799 Speaker 2: me and call me and I would. 120 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 3: Meet with her. 121 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:18,279 Speaker 1: What would you say? 122 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:20,840 Speaker 2: She would be like, can you bring me you know, 123 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 2: tell me what she needs. But and so I do 124 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 2: this with the girls. When they walk up to the car, 125 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 2: they're like, I need da da da da, And. 126 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 3: I'd be like, oh, how are you today? How is 127 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:29,479 Speaker 3: your day? 128 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 2: We're going to have a conversation first, and so she 129 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 2: eventually learned to do that. 130 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 3: So we'd walk up to go how are how are you? 131 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:38,160 Speaker 3: I'm like, I'm good, Marquita, how are you today? 132 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 2: And we would talk and and she would just tell 133 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 2: me about her day. But a man, we loved her, 134 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:51,840 Speaker 2: and then she was brutally murdered, shot and because shooting 135 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 2: someone and killing them is not enough, you got to 136 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 2: run them over too and set them on fire. So 137 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 2: that's yeah, why I don't know. 138 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: Was it a john or a pimp or. 139 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:07,040 Speaker 2: They think so, but they don't know. They shot her, 140 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 2: They shot her, they ran her over, and then they 141 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 2: burned her. 142 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: M Do you think that's a statement trying to scare 143 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 1: other girls? Oh? 144 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, because it's not the first. Like after that, it's 145 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 2: happened a couple other times, minus the burning. So it's 146 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 2: it's common to hear of a woman who got shot 147 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 2: and then run over, whether that be because it's a 148 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 2: drug deal gone bad or a date gone bad. 149 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 1: But yeah, you know I'm hearing you. But this is 150 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 1: not supposed to happen in our country. This is not 151 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: supposed to happen in our cities. But you say it 152 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: almost like it's almost common. 153 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 3: It is. 154 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 2: I mean, when I go on the streets and I 155 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 2: haven't seen a girl in a couple of weeks or 156 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 2: even a week, I start to worry, like, is something wrong, 157 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 2: I'll ask and the instant I asked, they'll be like, 158 00:07:58,920 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 2: I hope she's not dead. 159 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 3: Did you check the Morgue. 160 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 2: So now I've gotten into the practice of going on 161 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 2: the Morgue's website and you can look up unidentified or 162 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 2: unclaimed bodies is what it says. 163 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 1: Have you identified any of it? 164 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 3: We've had to do one. 165 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: Oh goodness. 166 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 2: And so I look on there and the hope is that, 167 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 2: like I have their real name, because oftentimes it's a 168 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 2: street name. I have lots of real names. But so 169 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 2: I look through and so we didn't see somebody for 170 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 2: a couple of weeks, and one of our friends was like, 171 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 2: I haven't seen her. Can you just check the Morgue 172 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 2: real quick while you're sitting here talking to me? And 173 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 2: I was like, yeah, do you know a real name? 174 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 2: And she's like yeah, and she's told me, and so 175 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 2: I went and looked. I said, nope, not on here. 176 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,080 Speaker 3: I'm like, okay, hopefully she's okay. 177 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,960 Speaker 1: And that's the reality of this world. It is, but 178 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 1: the alternate reality is you're saving offs. 179 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 2: Yeah I think so, and we're loving people really well, how. 180 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: Do you balance your obvious faith and your morality as 181 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 1: a result of your fundamental core beliefs with what you 182 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: see every day. 183 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 3: It's challenging, I bet because you can. 184 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: I know you love the center and hate the sin. 185 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: I get it. 186 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, and I try. 187 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 2: I try to focus on that, but I'm I mean, 188 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 2: I don't have it all figured out. I struggle going 189 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 2: down there and like wanting to confront the men buying sex. 190 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 2: How many times we've seen that and we pull up 191 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 2: in there, you know it's happen and you're like, man, 192 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 2: I got something to say, Like I want, I got 193 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 2: things I want to say to this person, and and 194 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 2: not get not to think. I don't want to think 195 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:51,960 Speaker 2: that everyone is like that all the time. And I 196 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 2: can start I have to really check myself and make 197 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 2: sure I. 198 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:55,320 Speaker 3: Go, I don't. 199 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 2: I don't want to think that every guy pulling up 200 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 2: in a car everywhere I go, I was buying sex 201 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 2: from somebody, Like I don't want to think that. But 202 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 2: so I have to check myself to make sure that 203 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 2: I don't want I don't bring all that home, so 204 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 2: I don't. I come from the street and whatever happens 205 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 2: on the street. I leave on the street. I can't 206 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 2: bring that home. I mean, I'll tell my husband and 207 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:16,840 Speaker 2: him and I'll talk about it, but then I have 208 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 2: to go to bed and relinquish it and start the 209 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,560 Speaker 2: next day again do the. 210 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: I would imagine that oftentimes the guys in those cars 211 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: are just broken, is broken as the girls on the streets. 212 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 2: And that's what I try to remember too. Like I've 213 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 2: heard a couple of men tell me stories about how 214 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:40,679 Speaker 2: they watch their mom being sold, Like that really impacted me. 215 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 2: I had one guy who said, I'm like, why. 216 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 3: Do you do this? Like what what do you why? 217 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 2: And he said, I watched my mom and my dad 218 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 2: or her boyfriend at the time. It was her boyfriend 219 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 2: sold her. And that's what I learned, and that's why 220 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 2: I do it now. And that actual actually helped me 221 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:06,679 Speaker 2: understand like the pain that everyone was going through, men 222 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 2: and women. 223 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: You're bringing light to the darkest of dark places. 224 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 4: Yeah right, yeah, yeah, we'll be right back. 225 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 1: How's your life. 226 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 3: Right now? It's good? 227 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 2: I can say there's been plenty of times it was 228 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 2: not good. 229 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:48,959 Speaker 1: How do you find it? How do you keep going back? 230 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 2: I think I think for me, it's having a good 231 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 2: community of people and focusing on the good things that 232 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 2: we do, trying to see the good in every little 233 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 2: interact that we do when I go out there, and 234 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,679 Speaker 2: then seeing the good in that environment, Like I refuse 235 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 2: to go out to where we serve people. It is 236 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:13,720 Speaker 2: one of the poorest zip codes in the city and 237 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 2: one of the most violent, But when I go out there, 238 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 2: I really just try to see all the good things 239 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 2: going on in that community and the good people and 240 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 2: the good and everyone I interact with. Otherwise I wouldn't 241 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 2: keep going out. 242 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:30,319 Speaker 3: I just wouldn't. 243 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:38,840 Speaker 1: So does it take a girl finally looking at you 244 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: and saying, I don't want to do this anymore? What 245 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: is it that makes you click that? Okay, it's more 246 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,600 Speaker 1: than given this one a sandwich? She's ready? Yeah, how 247 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:49,079 Speaker 1: do you know? 248 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 2: I just bluntly ask really yeah. And sometimes women will 249 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 2: say I'm ready to go, but they're not always necessarily 250 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 2: ready to go, but I'll still engage in that conversation. 251 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 2: So we have a woman right now who's on the 252 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 2: fence every couple of days about going not going, but 253 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:07,719 Speaker 2: I always engage, like, hey, I'll come pick you up, 254 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:09,920 Speaker 2: like I'll And I went to her house to pick 255 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 2: her up and she wasn't there and. 256 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 3: She didn't go. 257 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 2: But that's okay. It was like, it just strengthens our relationship. 258 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 2: So I'll keep doing it. I'll keep texting back with her, 259 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 2: and when she's ready, she'll she'll be ready. I ask 260 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 2: women if they're ready. Sometimes they're ready and we take 261 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 2: them and they weren't ready. So oftentimes I like them 262 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 2: to engage that conversation with me. I don't want to 263 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 2: push anyone to do anything they don't want to do, 264 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 2: even treatment even if I know it's what's best for them. 265 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 2: They have enough pressure and things being forced to do 266 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 2: all day, so I won't do that. 267 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: Dev you know, admittedly, I don't even suppose to understand 268 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 1: what's going on in between the ears of some of 269 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: these folks that you serve, and you know, a lot 270 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 1: of what's what normal rational thinking would be for most 271 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 1: of our listeners. The people you serve sometimes just can't 272 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:16,079 Speaker 1: even think rationally. I would assume. I remember there was 273 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:21,880 Speaker 1: a guy who no longer no longer works here, he's 274 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 1: retired now, but he was making fourteen dollars an hour, 275 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 1: and he was just did everything I asked him to 276 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 1: do on time. Would come to work. I mean, I 277 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 1: don't even know if he ever missed a day or 278 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: took sick days. Just a great guy. And in my 279 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: mind he earned an opportunity. And I three or four 280 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 1: times tried to advance him, and he would never take 281 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:53,280 Speaker 1: the rais of the advancement. He just wouldn't. He always said, 282 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: I appreciate it, this is what I'm going to do. 283 00:14:56,560 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 1: And before retiring, he finally told me why. And he said, 284 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 1: all I know is lost. All I know are people 285 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 1: without jobs. And he said, I like my life where 286 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 1: it is. And he said I would rather have what 287 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 1: I have now than risk losing what I have to 288 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 1: chase something bigger or chase something better. The fear of 289 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 1: failure crippled him from allowing himself to think out of 290 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 1: his current place. And it taught me such a valuable 291 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: lesson about managing people and trying to work with people 292 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 1: that you know the environment and the trauma and everything 293 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:50,160 Speaker 1: people come from. Fear of failure can can cripple someone, 294 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 1: and the fear of the unknown can cripple someone and 295 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 1: prohibit them from being able to advance. And this is 296 00:15:56,880 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: a great guy, and he's retired happily now and he's 297 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 1: got so security and whatever. He could have done so 298 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 1: much more at my company, but he was so afraid 299 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: of taking the chance or going to a place. He 300 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 1: didn't understand that. He just was not able to think 301 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:20,720 Speaker 1: outside where he was in that world. And what does 302 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 1: this have to do with you? Well, when you're thinking 303 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 1: of rational thinking, you know, when I hear you say 304 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: you've seen and developed relationship with these girls from your 305 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 1: ice cream truck, and you're giving them food and stuff, 306 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 1: and you're starting to tell them and now they're starting 307 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 1: to see themselves as loved and valuable, at least in 308 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 1: the five minutes that around you. Why in the world 309 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 1: wouldn't they just say, Okay, I'll take the treatment. I 310 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 1: hear you, I do want out. They know they're not 311 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 1: going to get beaten anymore. They know they're going to 312 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: have hot food, they know they're going to have running water, 313 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 1: they know they're going to have electricity, they're not going 314 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 1: to get raped, they're not going to get pimped. They're 315 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 1: going to be able to get out, and that's what 316 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 1: you're offering them. Why wouldn't every single one of them 317 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: say I'll take it? 318 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 2: Because they're scared of the unknown, they're scared of what 319 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:13,439 Speaker 2: a treatment program would look like. They know the rules 320 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:15,919 Speaker 2: on the street, they know the rules at the drug house, 321 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,639 Speaker 2: they know the rules on the block. Those rules they 322 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 2: can follow, but giving them a whole new set. 323 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:25,359 Speaker 3: Of rules that they don't know. 324 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:30,119 Speaker 2: I think, in addition to a lot of women have 325 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:34,359 Speaker 2: said the detoxing portion of a treatment program is awful. 326 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 2: It's miserable. So you're detoxing off of a drug and 327 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:41,959 Speaker 2: it can be five days and all you're doing is 328 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 2: throwing up and sick the entire time. 329 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 3: So that's also scary. 330 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 2: So the unknown of that and just the unknown of 331 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 2: the whole environment is really really scary. And a lot 332 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 2: of women have actually said to me they're addicted to 333 00:17:55,359 --> 00:17:58,120 Speaker 2: the lifestyle on the street, like the way they live 334 00:17:58,160 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 2: their life. 335 00:17:58,600 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 3: They're addicted to that. 336 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: They're addicted to the lifestyles. 337 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:03,679 Speaker 4: Though, Yeah, what. 338 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:11,720 Speaker 1: What does it say that a woman would prefer rape 339 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:17,760 Speaker 1: and beatings to a clean life. Yeah, that they've been 340 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 1: so conditioned by this environment that they're more afraid of 341 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: a clean life than they are the sickness and the 342 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: darkness that they're living in. 343 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it shows the sadness of the environment. 344 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 2: But the need of more people to step up and 345 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 2: do things. I just it's it's always been mind boggling 346 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,199 Speaker 2: to me when I hear a woman go, I just 347 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 2: kind of like it out here because I know what 348 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 2: to expect. Even even getting beat up, they actually start 349 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 2: to expect that. That's not a big shock to them, 350 00:18:56,560 --> 00:19:00,679 Speaker 2: and so they expect that. And then the other thing 351 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:02,679 Speaker 2: I've heard women say is like, when they come to 352 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 2: our program, there's no chaos, and they've only experienced chaos. 353 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 2: Most of them from childhood that has been their life, 354 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:14,199 Speaker 2: has been experiencing some type of chaos. And so what 355 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 2: we notice in our program is when you come, you 356 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:19,720 Speaker 2: start to create chaos because that's the only way you 357 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:22,639 Speaker 2: know how to live. The streets provide that. The streets 358 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:26,119 Speaker 2: provide chaos, and a treatment program does not. 359 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 1: Typically, isn't it ironic in addition to everything else, we 360 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: have to simply teach peace. 361 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 3: Yes, it is ironic. 362 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 1: Peace, yep, simple peace. 363 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 2: Yeah. 364 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,639 Speaker 1: So I'd read that not only do you feed over 365 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 1: you feed over two hundred people each month. But it's 366 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: not just girls, it's drug dealers and pips as well. 367 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: It is the very people that you despise the most. 368 00:19:57,960 --> 00:19:59,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, you do that. 369 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 2: He didn't want to do it. I didn't want to 370 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:05,480 Speaker 2: do it. I really was like, we're going to do women. 371 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 3: And that was it. And then. 372 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 2: I met this guy and I was like, oh my gosh, 373 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 2: he's just so broken too. 374 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:15,640 Speaker 3: He was so broken. 375 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 2: And had just had so much trauma, and he honestly 376 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:26,639 Speaker 2: just changed the way I saw all of all of 377 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 2: the people. 378 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 1: Do you think you're changing him at all? 379 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, because he's four years clean and we just had 380 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 2: lunch with him on Saturday. 381 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:36,200 Speaker 1: What yeah, the story, that's awesome. 382 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 3: He's so great. Yeah, yeah, so he was. He would 383 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 3: say both, he would say both. 384 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, and he we there was a girl who 385 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 2: got killed and he was there when it happened. 386 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 1: What do you mean he was there when it happened. 387 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:53,440 Speaker 2: They were at a drug house and it was a 388 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 2: drug deal gone bad and she got shot and so 389 00:20:57,040 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 2: he called nine to one one. 390 00:20:59,119 --> 00:20:59,439 Speaker 1: Wow. 391 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 3: Yeah. Everyone knew him on the street. 392 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 2: I had only met him maybe one time, but like, 393 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:07,720 Speaker 2: I wouldn't have been able to pick him out on 394 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,440 Speaker 2: the street. I had only seen him once. And he 395 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 2: calls me like two days after that happened, and he goes, 396 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:17,359 Speaker 2: you don't you don't know me, but I got your 397 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:20,200 Speaker 2: number and I'm done. I'm done with this out here. 398 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 2: And I was like, okay, can you want me come 399 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,159 Speaker 2: pick you up? And he was like yep. So I 400 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:27,880 Speaker 2: picked him up in front of an abandoned house, put 401 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 2: him in the car, took him to a treatment program, 402 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:34,840 Speaker 2: and we helped. So, if you're in a treatment program 403 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 2: and we've taken you there, we'll also like drop off 404 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 2: cigarettes to you, drop off some spending money. Those things 405 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:42,240 Speaker 2: are gold and a treatment program to have your cigarettes 406 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 2: and a little bit of spending money. So we do 407 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 2: that and then we're available if you want to call 408 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:49,760 Speaker 2: us and just chat. And so we did that. He 409 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 2: was in that program for thirty eight days, I believe, 410 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:55,399 Speaker 2: and then he got done with the program. 411 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:57,159 Speaker 3: Here's a big gap in our system. 412 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 2: And they're like, okay, well we have transitional like another program, 413 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,679 Speaker 2: another level of program for you to go to. But 414 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 2: there's gonna be three to four days of downtime. 415 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 1: What did they do right? 416 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:09,960 Speaker 3: Exactly? 417 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 1: They're forced back right. 418 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:14,240 Speaker 2: So he's like, I don't know what I'm gonna do 419 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:15,919 Speaker 2: for three or four days. I was like, okay, we 420 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:17,639 Speaker 2: got to think of a plan. He's like, well, my 421 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 2: cousin has this house, I could stay there. I was like, okay, 422 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:24,879 Speaker 2: is there like anybody there? Does it have running water? 423 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:29,560 Speaker 2: Does it have electricity? It didn't have water, and I 424 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:33,159 Speaker 2: can't remember if it had electricity, but I was like, 425 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:35,160 Speaker 2: all right, I'll pick you up and we'll go there. 426 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:40,359 Speaker 2: So that we did, and it was it was not 427 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:43,199 Speaker 2: like it didn't have furniture. It wasn't like that was 428 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 2: literally where he had there was a table, he had 429 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 2: a toaster oven, and we brought him water and some 430 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 2: clothes and socks and those types of things. And then 431 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 2: we spent the next three or five days doing things 432 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 2: with them. So we took them to meetings. He went 433 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 2: to church with us. Yeah, he went to lunch with us, 434 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 2: He went to breakfast with us. He did all the things, 435 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:06,120 Speaker 2: and then got to his program that opened up. And 436 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 2: now he's four years clean and he's a pure recovery coach. 437 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 1: What's he doing though, Yeah, so. 438 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 2: He helps other people struggling with addiction and coaches them, sponsors, 439 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:17,920 Speaker 2: does meetings and he's like people's sponsor. 440 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:20,120 Speaker 1: That one story alone is worth all the work. 441 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, for sure. He's amazing human being. 442 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:24,200 Speaker 1: And it's not even a woman. 443 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 4: No, no, how many volunteers do you have? 444 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 2: Gosh, we have about fifty to sixty volunteers. Some are outreached, 445 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:38,959 Speaker 2: some help at the house, some pack up hygiene kits, 446 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 2: some pack up food packs. 447 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:43,919 Speaker 3: So yeah, about fifty that is. 448 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 1: I'm I'm just I've envisioning you running around down here 449 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: talking to these people and the changes that the life make. 450 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 1: I mean, do you ever just wake up? And I mean, 451 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 1: are you fully aware of what you're doing? I don't. 452 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:09,600 Speaker 2: No, I don't think I am. Honestly, Even just sitting 453 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 2: here talking to you, I was like, wow, yeah we 454 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 2: do that. That seems kind of crazy, So no, I don't. 455 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 1: Oftentimes we talk to people, we get emails, we get 456 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:29,120 Speaker 1: phone calls, we get everything. Alex Fields a bunch of them. 457 00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:30,360 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, I filled a. 458 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 1: Bunch of them. Alex Fields a bunch more of them. 459 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:37,720 Speaker 1: In fact, we're gonna I don't even want to say this, 460 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 1: everybody keep emailing. We're going to keep responding. I don't 461 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 1: care if it's a thousand a day, we'll figure it out. 462 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,280 Speaker 1: But I mean, it's it's getting to be a lot. 463 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 1: And it is an absolute honor, okay, And I'm humbled 464 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: and privileged that we're reaching and people are reaching out 465 00:24:55,160 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 1: just like you did, right. So much of what I've 466 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 1: learned is that people's reticence to get out and get involved, 467 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 1: people's reticence to be part of the quote army of 468 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: normal folks to actually engage is they have inhibitions, they 469 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:22,240 Speaker 1: have fears, or their timing's not right. 470 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:22,719 Speaker 4: Yea. 471 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:27,119 Speaker 1: And the beauty of the stories that we continue to 472 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:29,639 Speaker 1: tell on army of normal folks. To me, one of 473 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: the beauties is I haven't found a single person that's 474 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 1: done any work. They didn't have their own struggles. They 475 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:45,200 Speaker 1: weren't doing what they were doing because everything perfect aligned 476 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 1: in the world, and they had all the money they 477 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 1: needed in the perfect world, and everything was found in 478 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:53,480 Speaker 1: their life, and they just went did something. Rather, they 479 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 1: did amazing work in their communities. They engaged their discipline 480 00:25:57,480 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 1: and passion where they saw opportunities because it was the 481 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:03,639 Speaker 1: perfect time or they had the perfect circumstances. But very 482 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 1: much the opposite, despite the difficulties, you just got over 483 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:17,880 Speaker 1: a difficulty. Yeah, I mean, it cannot be lost on 484 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:23,639 Speaker 1: this story that you started this when you lost your 485 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:28,120 Speaker 1: own home and you were you started just giving hot 486 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 1: chocolate to people at a bus stop when you just 487 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:34,280 Speaker 1: lost your home and you didn't even have enough money 488 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 1: to pay your own bills, and yet you were scrounging 489 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 1: together money to make hot chocolate for people. And that 490 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:43,480 Speaker 1: your first home that was donated to you, you gave 491 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:45,880 Speaker 1: to the girls you were serving when you didn't even 492 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:52,320 Speaker 1: have your own home. Yeah, and you never quit through 493 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:56,720 Speaker 1: another struggle that you just shared with me that you 494 00:26:56,960 --> 00:27:00,640 Speaker 1: just got some good news on. Yeah, tell us about 495 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 1: it that. 496 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 2: So I was diagnosed with breast cancer in November of 497 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:14,640 Speaker 2: twenty twenty two, and since then I've gone through masectomy, reconstruction, chemotherapy, radiation, 498 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:16,200 Speaker 2: and now I'm cancer free. 499 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:18,119 Speaker 3: So this is all good news. 500 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:22,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, and you didn't quit through all this. No. 501 00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 2: I still, even in the midst of chemo, if I 502 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 2: was feeling good, I would go and do outreach. And 503 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,199 Speaker 2: there was days of course I didn't feel well and 504 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:32,760 Speaker 2: I couldn't go, like literally couldn't go. But if I 505 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:34,600 Speaker 2: was feeling good, I'd get in the van and I'd 506 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:35,360 Speaker 2: go down there. 507 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 1: And do the people on the streeting of this. Oh. 508 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, Like I was very humbled when people some women 509 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:44,879 Speaker 2: cried when I told them I had cancer. 510 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:47,919 Speaker 1: Some of the hardest women you'd ever be. 511 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:51,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, They're like, we can't, like, you can't die. And 512 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:53,119 Speaker 2: I said, well, that's not up to me, that's up 513 00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:56,119 Speaker 2: to God. So I don't get to pick that. But 514 00:27:57,600 --> 00:27:58,640 Speaker 2: so it was very humbling. 515 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:03,120 Speaker 1: Are Jake and the kids all right, Mom, enough, chill 516 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:03,840 Speaker 1: out right now? 517 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 3: Yeah? I don't know. 518 00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 2: But honestly, being on the street fills my cup up 519 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 2: so much, Like my love for these women is beyond 520 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:17,600 Speaker 2: what I can even understand sometimes, and so I would 521 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 2: when I go out there, I come home and I 522 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 2: just like, I feel better, like because I've got to 523 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 2: meet with my people that I love. Those are my people, 524 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 2: and I want to be able to see them. 525 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:35,360 Speaker 1: The other thing we talk about often is the secret sauce. 526 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 1: The payoff is you get so much more out of 527 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 1: it than you put into it. 528 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 3: So true, talk about it. It's so true. 529 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 2: I mean there was times when I was I mean, 530 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 2: obviously during chemo you're just a hot mess physically and emotionally. 531 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:53,280 Speaker 2: And going down and just seeing how much actually those 532 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:56,320 Speaker 2: women love me as much as I love them has 533 00:28:56,400 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 2: just been a gift to me, honestly, And I guess 534 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 2: I never realized how much they do love me until that, 535 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 2: until those moments happened and I would go down there 536 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 2: and they would just they would light up. They would 537 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 2: just be so happy, and they were always worried that 538 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:16,080 Speaker 2: I wasn't going to come back because something happened. 539 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 1: So we'll be right back. I may have told this 540 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:39,719 Speaker 1: story once before, but I'm going to do it anyway 541 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: because it's so appropriate right now. I like shrimp, okay. 542 00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:50,440 Speaker 1: More importantly, Lisa loves shrimp. Okay, So if Lisa loves. 543 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:51,480 Speaker 3: Shrimp, you're eating shrimp. 544 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 1: Got a girl, that's right. So I was on a 545 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:59,560 Speaker 1: business trip some years ago and I was down on 546 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 1: the golf coast and Lisa said, you're coming home, right, Yeah, 547 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 1: I said, go to Walmart, go to a cooler, go 548 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:09,440 Speaker 1: to the gas station, get some bags of ice, go 549 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:12,160 Speaker 1: down the docks and get some fresh shrump and bring 550 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:15,280 Speaker 1: it home. We're gonna have a shrip ball tomorrow. And 551 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: I mean, i'd been working. I didn't feel like doing 552 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:22,080 Speaker 1: any of that, but Lisa said, go get shrimp. So 553 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,120 Speaker 1: I'm sitting down there. I don't have you ever been 554 00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:29,720 Speaker 1: to like seawater docks before? They reek all right, it's 555 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 1: fish as it's stagnant surf water. It's I mean, it's gross, 556 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 1: it really is. I'm sure they have places like that 557 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:41,000 Speaker 1: on Lake Michigan, don't they. 558 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:44,479 Speaker 3: I would think I've never visited. Well, it's stinks, I 559 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 3: believe you. 560 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:48,040 Speaker 1: All Right. So I'm down there toward the end of 561 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:50,000 Speaker 1: the day. The sun's starting to go down and it 562 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:55,320 Speaker 1: just reeks. There's flies, it's just stagnant, like harbor waters. Gross, 563 00:30:56,240 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 1: it's revolting. And but I'm there with my cooler ice, right, 564 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:05,880 Speaker 1: and the boats come in and I found the one 565 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 1: thing more vaulting than the dock. The fishermen. They're coming 566 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: in on the well. They've been up that they were 567 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 1: out when the sun was down. Yeah, sun came up, 568 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:17,840 Speaker 1: sun went down. They've been twelve hours on the salt 569 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:21,720 Speaker 1: and the surfer and the mist. And you know, a 570 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:25,600 Speaker 1: toothbrush and toothpaste is more of a suggestion than a 571 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:31,520 Speaker 1: daily reality. And they probably smoke a couple of packs 572 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:35,000 Speaker 1: of marble reds, right, And so they're sunburnt, they're sweaty, 573 00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:38,840 Speaker 1: they're covered in the sulfur of the sea. And then 574 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:40,960 Speaker 1: fish guts and bait. 575 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 3: And sounds awful. 576 00:31:43,640 --> 00:31:47,880 Speaker 1: It is awful. It's disgusting, and so the whole place 577 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:50,720 Speaker 1: and the people in it, the fish, the fish, they're 578 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 1: just but it didn't matter because I had to get shrump. 579 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:57,880 Speaker 1: So I get my shrimp and I'm gone. And Jackson, 580 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:02,000 Speaker 1: Mississippi is about halfway between in the coast and Memphis. 581 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:06,440 Speaker 1: As I'm driving home, and it dawns on me that 582 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:13,640 Speaker 1: that's exactly who Chris surrounded himself with. Yeah, the stinky, 583 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:18,680 Speaker 1: nasty fisherman. And he washed the feet of prostitutes. 584 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:23,440 Speaker 3: Yeah he did, he did. 585 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:32,880 Speaker 1: It can't be lost on your story as a Christian. 586 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:36,959 Speaker 1: Just how christ like you're being going into this neighborhood 587 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:38,600 Speaker 1: every day. Has that ever dawned on you? 588 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:44,960 Speaker 2: I don't know that it really has. Honestly, I feel 589 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:49,920 Speaker 2: like I just don't think of it. I think of 590 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 2: it like that. I feel like sometimes I struggle with 591 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:53,080 Speaker 2: my own value and worth. 592 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:54,720 Speaker 3: I guess if I'm being honest. 593 00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:57,880 Speaker 1: And explain that, I think. 594 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 2: I don't see myself. We often don't see ourselves as 595 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:09,040 Speaker 2: other people see us. I realize that, But I think. 596 00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:11,880 Speaker 3: I just question. 597 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 2: Just who I am sometimes I think, really, yeah, and 598 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:21,640 Speaker 2: so with that can come like I can be I 599 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:25,480 Speaker 2: feel like I have a humble heart because I don't 600 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:28,160 Speaker 2: realize who I am. But then sometimes I don't acknowledge 601 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:30,760 Speaker 2: like all the good that God is doing in my life, 602 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:33,520 Speaker 2: Like all the good things that I do come from Him. 603 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:37,320 Speaker 2: There aren't anything I'm doing. But I feel like I 604 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 2: have a hard time acknowledging. 605 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:45,920 Speaker 1: That I get the humility I do. But it's okay 606 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:49,040 Speaker 1: for me to say it. You're amazing, no thanks, And 607 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:55,120 Speaker 1: you're doing something for people in our world that get 608 00:33:55,320 --> 00:33:58,880 Speaker 1: very little from our society and our community, and you're 609 00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:03,480 Speaker 1: serving We always talk about what could our world be. 610 00:34:03,920 --> 00:34:06,840 Speaker 1: Think of what this country could do if all of 611 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:09,960 Speaker 1: us just saw a place of need and use their 612 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:12,439 Speaker 1: passion or discipline to fill that little place of need 613 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:16,200 Speaker 1: and just do it to serve someone that's not as 614 00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:20,840 Speaker 1: advantaged as you are. Yep, Well, you're serving the least 615 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:27,640 Speaker 1: advantaged and make it a difference and saving lives. And 616 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:35,040 Speaker 1: you're doing it in the most humble ways. And I 617 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:37,680 Speaker 1: can't think of a better example of what we're looking 618 00:34:37,719 --> 00:34:39,839 Speaker 1: for in an army of normal folk. And the thing 619 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:44,759 Speaker 1: is these streets. Heck, in Detroit, there's probably two or 620 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:47,319 Speaker 1: three other areas of the city that could use this. 621 00:34:47,400 --> 00:34:51,240 Speaker 1: In Detroit, Yeah, for sure, you're serving one area in Detroit, 622 00:34:51,320 --> 00:34:53,600 Speaker 1: there's got to be more than one. There is, absolutely, 623 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:56,000 Speaker 1: So if there's three or four in Detroit, how many 624 00:34:56,040 --> 00:34:59,400 Speaker 1: areas like this are in the United States that desperately 625 00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:02,680 Speaker 1: need some to stand up for them say I love you, 626 00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 1: here's something you need, and most importantly, you need that 627 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:09,839 Speaker 1: you are worthy of love and you are valuable and 628 00:35:09,960 --> 00:35:12,439 Speaker 1: if you're ready to turn your life around, we're here 629 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:13,520 Speaker 1: to help you walk through it. 630 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:15,000 Speaker 3: Yeah. 631 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:17,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, what would that do for our country? 632 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:20,399 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, we would be living in a much 633 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,640 Speaker 2: different world that is for sure. 634 00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:25,400 Speaker 1: Far less broken than it is today, far less broken. 635 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 1: So what's next? 636 00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:33,000 Speaker 2: Well, someone just asked me the other day at a 637 00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:35,160 Speaker 2: speaking event I was at. They're like, what do you need? 638 00:35:35,239 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 2: I was like, Oh, I'm glad you asked, because I'm 639 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:39,920 Speaker 2: going to boldly ask for another house. And so now 640 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:43,479 Speaker 2: I'm telling people because I would like to do what's 641 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:45,440 Speaker 2: called a drop in center. I would like to have 642 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:49,600 Speaker 2: a house or a small apartment complex in our outreach 643 00:35:49,680 --> 00:35:52,359 Speaker 2: area and have it be a place where women can 644 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:55,879 Speaker 2: come and get a shower, a hot meal, a place 645 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 2: where we could help them get an ID. So a 646 00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:01,799 Speaker 2: lot of times I help women get their ID while 647 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:05,920 Speaker 2: we're sitting on an abandoned porch on my computer, you know, 648 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:08,480 Speaker 2: trying to get them an ID, because no one has 649 00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:11,520 Speaker 2: an ID, and its gold to have an ID that 650 00:36:11,520 --> 00:36:12,399 Speaker 2: says your name on. 651 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:13,040 Speaker 3: It, who you are. 652 00:36:13,320 --> 00:36:16,800 Speaker 2: And you can't go to many treatment centers without an ID. 653 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:19,520 Speaker 2: So Salvation Army will take you without an ID, but 654 00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:21,360 Speaker 2: most places won't, so you have to have it. So 655 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:23,440 Speaker 2: it be a place where we could get that. We 656 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:26,560 Speaker 2: could just be a place for them to relax and 657 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:29,840 Speaker 2: not have any pressure or stress in a couple hours. 658 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:33,200 Speaker 1: Yes, so you want a small apartment complex, So anybody 659 00:36:33,239 --> 00:36:36,720 Speaker 1: in Detroit listens, This is really simple. 660 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:39,640 Speaker 3: What's the area called seven and Chalmers. 661 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:45,320 Speaker 1: That area there has got to be some dilapidated, empty 662 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:51,160 Speaker 1: apartment complex that has very little value that could change 663 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:54,719 Speaker 1: people's lives. And dev is married to a guy who 664 00:36:54,719 --> 00:36:58,600 Speaker 1: can fix it up. So as long as the bones work, yep, 665 00:36:59,080 --> 00:36:59,960 Speaker 1: deb can make it work. 666 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:00,960 Speaker 3: That is correct. 667 00:37:02,120 --> 00:37:08,719 Speaker 1: Or anyone listing wants to donate, yeah, oh, or if 668 00:37:08,719 --> 00:37:10,799 Speaker 1: someone wants to stroke a check. 669 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:12,799 Speaker 3: We will accept that graciously. 670 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:15,840 Speaker 1: How's your house now great? 671 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 3: My personal house great? It's so it's so great. We 672 00:37:20,719 --> 00:37:21,640 Speaker 3: now have a house. 673 00:37:21,719 --> 00:37:26,480 Speaker 2: We've been there for five years, so yes, it's very good. 674 00:37:26,480 --> 00:37:28,120 Speaker 1: And we tell me about what the kids are doing. 675 00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:32,439 Speaker 2: So my oldest lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and she's 676 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:34,800 Speaker 2: twenty five and has a big girl job in marketing, 677 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:37,919 Speaker 2: and I know that's what we call it, big girl job. 678 00:37:38,719 --> 00:37:43,080 Speaker 2: My other daughter just got married and is looking for 679 00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:46,399 Speaker 2: a job in teaching or social work. 680 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:47,480 Speaker 1: Are your grandma yet? 681 00:37:47,600 --> 00:37:49,399 Speaker 3: Not yet, but man I can't wait. 682 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:52,239 Speaker 1: I'm not. But Lisa wants to be so. 683 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:53,879 Speaker 3: Bad to me too. 684 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:56,440 Speaker 1: We were hard on our kids, like we were the 685 00:37:56,560 --> 00:37:59,680 Speaker 1: parents that our kids are like, why can't you just 686 00:37:59,719 --> 00:38:03,480 Speaker 1: be like, yeah, no, you're cutting the grass. Yeah, we're 687 00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:05,520 Speaker 1: not going to know you're going to do this, you're 688 00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:10,120 Speaker 1: going to So we fought. I mean we had four 689 00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:12,799 Speaker 1: and four years, right, So for twenty six years we 690 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:16,880 Speaker 1: fought children. Right, I want grandchildren because I'm ready to 691 00:38:16,920 --> 00:38:17,720 Speaker 1: spoil children. 692 00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:19,759 Speaker 3: Yeah, me too. 693 00:38:20,680 --> 00:38:22,600 Speaker 1: I know our kids are going to hate when their 694 00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:24,799 Speaker 1: children come home after hanging out with me because I 695 00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:25,520 Speaker 1: was spoiled a. 696 00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:26,920 Speaker 3: Crap out of It's gonna be great. 697 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:28,760 Speaker 1: Chocolate cake for breakfast. 698 00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:31,080 Speaker 3: Yes, ice cream too, yes. 699 00:38:30,760 --> 00:38:34,400 Speaker 1: Absolutely right. So the second we just got. 700 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:37,319 Speaker 2: Married, Yes, second just got married, living not far from us, 701 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:39,720 Speaker 2: like ten minutes cool. And then I have a daughter 702 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:43,200 Speaker 2: at U of M Dearborn, she's a senior. And then 703 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:46,800 Speaker 2: my son just graduated high school and he is working 704 00:38:46,840 --> 00:38:48,920 Speaker 2: at Starbucks, trying to figure out what he's going to do. 705 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:49,640 Speaker 1: What's next. 706 00:38:50,520 --> 00:38:52,200 Speaker 2: Give me that house and I'm going to make a 707 00:38:52,280 --> 00:38:56,279 Speaker 2: drop in center and hopefully just keep loving on the 708 00:38:56,320 --> 00:38:58,799 Speaker 2: community and hopefully get my husband to say we can 709 00:38:58,880 --> 00:38:59,480 Speaker 2: move there too. 710 00:39:00,280 --> 00:39:03,480 Speaker 1: Do the Well, that's the second time you've mentioned it. 711 00:39:03,600 --> 00:39:05,000 Speaker 1: I think better pay attention. 712 00:39:05,239 --> 00:39:05,920 Speaker 3: I think so too. 713 00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:10,800 Speaker 1: Do you have a corporate sponsor? Do you have it? Don't? 714 00:39:11,120 --> 00:39:18,799 Speaker 1: It's literally normal folks, high school parents, local people just 715 00:39:18,920 --> 00:39:21,040 Speaker 1: donating a little bit. It is what could a big 716 00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:21,960 Speaker 1: sponsor do for you? 717 00:39:22,080 --> 00:39:24,799 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh. I feel like we could change that 718 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:27,520 Speaker 3: whole seven and Chalmers area. I really do. 719 00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:31,040 Speaker 2: I mean, I would be open to buying more places 720 00:39:31,080 --> 00:39:33,680 Speaker 2: and just being I just think there's so much power 721 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:36,480 Speaker 2: by living in the community that you serve and being 722 00:39:37,280 --> 00:39:39,080 Speaker 2: there all the time. Like I don't want to be 723 00:39:39,160 --> 00:39:41,279 Speaker 2: the person that just comes and goes right. I want 724 00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:43,520 Speaker 2: to be there for the long haul. 725 00:39:43,960 --> 00:39:47,239 Speaker 1: We always talk about what can we do to fix 726 00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:50,560 Speaker 1: the proverbial it. We also understand that each of our 727 00:39:50,560 --> 00:39:54,000 Speaker 1: communities are only as strong as the weakest link. We 728 00:39:54,239 --> 00:39:57,560 Speaker 1: also talk about what can we do to clean up blight? 729 00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:02,560 Speaker 1: What can we do to clean up rampant theft and 730 00:40:02,719 --> 00:40:06,040 Speaker 1: murder and all of the things that we're talking about 731 00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:10,279 Speaker 1: we need to fix and make our country better. How 732 00:40:10,280 --> 00:40:13,080 Speaker 1: many deab ellingers are there out there that are willing 733 00:40:13,160 --> 00:40:20,040 Speaker 1: to immerse themselves in those communities to fix them. And 734 00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:23,239 Speaker 1: it shouldn't be about the money or the property. It's 735 00:40:23,280 --> 00:40:25,799 Speaker 1: about the army, it's about the foot soldiers. It's about 736 00:40:25,840 --> 00:40:28,839 Speaker 1: the people willing to do the work. And there you 737 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:32,600 Speaker 1: are with how many volunteers that you've gotten around fifty, 738 00:40:33,239 --> 00:40:37,280 Speaker 1: We've got a fifty person strong army in Detroit working 739 00:40:37,400 --> 00:40:40,320 Speaker 1: where we need the work to be done the very most, 740 00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:42,280 Speaker 1: and all they need is support. 741 00:40:42,520 --> 00:40:45,120 Speaker 3: Yes, that is correct. 742 00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:48,600 Speaker 1: You're going to quit it. Nope, this is it? 743 00:40:48,719 --> 00:40:49,279 Speaker 3: This is it. 744 00:40:51,120 --> 00:40:53,080 Speaker 1: Maybe if you could get some of that money to 745 00:40:53,160 --> 00:40:54,960 Speaker 1: really do some of those things, we could get Jake 746 00:40:55,000 --> 00:40:55,640 Speaker 1: to move there too. 747 00:40:55,960 --> 00:40:58,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I think that's a great idea. 748 00:40:58,719 --> 00:41:01,719 Speaker 3: Poor Jake, he just said it. Maybe we'll persuade them. 749 00:41:01,800 --> 00:41:09,479 Speaker 1: That is phenomenal. Tell me. Now I'm gonna ask tell 750 00:41:09,520 --> 00:41:16,960 Speaker 1: me your favorite success story. Let's end on a real positive, 751 00:41:17,160 --> 00:41:18,280 Speaker 1: hy redemptive note. 752 00:41:18,880 --> 00:41:19,680 Speaker 3: Yeah. 753 00:41:20,160 --> 00:41:23,319 Speaker 2: So, I mean I would say, even though it wasn't 754 00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:26,719 Speaker 2: a female, it was Sarge, the person I talked about. Really, yes, 755 00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:29,360 Speaker 2: and I think. 756 00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:33,680 Speaker 1: His name Sar that's how appropriate. I know. 757 00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:39,520 Speaker 2: You know, he's definitely he inspires me and his enthusiasm 758 00:41:39,640 --> 00:41:43,160 Speaker 2: and passion for serving and loving people. And he would say, well, 759 00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:45,960 Speaker 2: that came from all the love you gave me, and 760 00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:48,080 Speaker 2: it showed me how to love other people. That's what 761 00:41:48,120 --> 00:41:50,920 Speaker 2: he said to me on Saturday when I saw him. 762 00:41:52,120 --> 00:41:53,759 Speaker 2: That's just inspiring to me. 763 00:41:53,920 --> 00:41:56,759 Speaker 1: Do you need any more verification for what you're doing 764 00:41:56,800 --> 00:41:57,680 Speaker 1: in your life than. 765 00:41:57,560 --> 00:42:01,000 Speaker 3: You're Probably not? Probably not one thing too. 766 00:42:01,719 --> 00:42:04,600 Speaker 4: Sarge goes over to her house for Christmas and things. 767 00:42:04,840 --> 00:42:07,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, like he's been to our house for graduation parties, 768 00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:11,680 Speaker 2: and he's like family. He is like he is like family. 769 00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:13,040 Speaker 2: If you were to ask him, he'd be like, yeah, 770 00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:14,560 Speaker 2: you're my family, You're my people. 771 00:42:15,560 --> 00:42:18,120 Speaker 1: That is just phenomenal. 772 00:42:18,239 --> 00:42:18,399 Speaker 2: Yeah. 773 00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:24,840 Speaker 1: So someone's sitting around in another city thinking this is 774 00:42:24,960 --> 00:42:26,920 Speaker 1: hard work, but I want to do it, and they 775 00:42:26,920 --> 00:42:29,560 Speaker 1: want to hear more. How do they reach you. 776 00:42:29,680 --> 00:42:32,200 Speaker 2: They can email me at Ellie's house three one three 777 00:42:32,680 --> 00:42:35,840 Speaker 2: spell that E L L I S H O U 778 00:42:36,040 --> 00:42:39,080 Speaker 2: S E three to one three at yahoo dot com. 779 00:42:39,880 --> 00:42:43,600 Speaker 1: Great and uh, I am certain that you would be 780 00:42:43,600 --> 00:42:45,839 Speaker 1: more than willing to tell everybody how they could do 781 00:42:45,880 --> 00:42:46,840 Speaker 1: this in their own community. 782 00:42:46,880 --> 00:42:48,960 Speaker 2: I would love to tell all of people how to 783 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:51,279 Speaker 2: do this in their community, because they can do it. 784 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:55,200 Speaker 1: You need a bigger voice, you need more people need 785 00:42:55,239 --> 00:42:59,160 Speaker 1: to know this story, and I hope somebody is listening 786 00:42:59,360 --> 00:43:02,560 Speaker 1: that record is the depth of the work you're doing 787 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:07,879 Speaker 1: and the lives that you are truly changing and saving of, 788 00:43:08,920 --> 00:43:12,480 Speaker 1: I mean the most desperate situations in our country. I mean, 789 00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:19,000 Speaker 1: we can't be to sensitized to what this is. Are 790 00:43:19,040 --> 00:43:23,240 Speaker 1: you hearing that we have twenty year old women selling 791 00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:26,480 Speaker 1: their bodies for food or a twenty dollars bill, living 792 00:43:26,640 --> 00:43:31,120 Speaker 1: in dilapidated, vacant homes that don't even have water or electricity. 793 00:43:31,680 --> 00:43:35,239 Speaker 1: Therefore they can't bathe, they can't take care of their 794 00:43:35,400 --> 00:43:40,640 Speaker 1: basic hygiene. And it's worse than a third world country 795 00:43:40,920 --> 00:43:50,200 Speaker 1: for sure. Yep, in the shadows of amazing wealth all around, 796 00:43:51,320 --> 00:43:54,400 Speaker 1: and it's happening right under our nose and it's unacceptable 797 00:43:54,400 --> 00:43:55,560 Speaker 1: that we allow it to happen. 798 00:43:55,880 --> 00:43:57,640 Speaker 3: I agree it is. 799 00:43:58,160 --> 00:44:00,880 Speaker 1: And you're doing all you can to fix it. I 800 00:44:00,920 --> 00:44:04,000 Speaker 1: am with an ice cream truck and fifty volunteers. 801 00:44:04,320 --> 00:44:06,759 Speaker 3: Yeap, ice cream truck and fifty volunteers. 802 00:44:06,920 --> 00:44:11,000 Speaker 1: I love that it has been my distinct honor to 803 00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:16,279 Speaker 1: meet you and to help tell your story. And you 804 00:44:16,320 --> 00:44:21,960 Speaker 1: know you couldn't. You're the daughter of a bus driver 805 00:44:22,120 --> 00:44:25,120 Speaker 1: and a JC Penny's worker who grew up in a 806 00:44:25,160 --> 00:44:29,960 Speaker 1: blue collar Detroit area, who married a carpenter and had 807 00:44:30,000 --> 00:44:33,400 Speaker 1: four kids and lost their house during the housing crisis 808 00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:39,040 Speaker 1: to foreclosure, and has fat breast cancer and in the 809 00:44:39,080 --> 00:44:43,759 Speaker 1: meantime been a light in a very dark place. You 810 00:44:43,800 --> 00:44:46,480 Speaker 1: are an amazing human being and I just can't tell 811 00:44:46,520 --> 00:44:48,440 Speaker 1: you how much I appreciate you coming to visit with 812 00:44:48,520 --> 00:44:49,520 Speaker 1: us and tell your story. 813 00:44:49,600 --> 00:44:51,680 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for having me. I feel privileged 814 00:44:51,719 --> 00:44:55,959 Speaker 3: to be here, and. 815 00:44:55,920 --> 00:44:58,759 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us this week. If deb or 816 00:44:58,800 --> 00:45:01,640 Speaker 1: another guest has inspired you in general, or better yet, 817 00:45:02,040 --> 00:45:05,160 Speaker 1: to take action by starting something like Ellie's House in 818 00:45:05,200 --> 00:45:09,560 Speaker 1: your own city, by donating Dellie's House or something else entirely, 819 00:45:10,040 --> 00:45:12,600 Speaker 1: please let me know. I'd love to hear about it. 820 00:45:12,920 --> 00:45:16,800 Speaker 1: You can write me anytime at Bill at Normalfolks dot 821 00:45:16,880 --> 00:45:20,680 Speaker 1: us and I will respond. If you enjoyed this episode, 822 00:45:20,760 --> 00:45:23,360 Speaker 1: please share it with friends and on social Subscribe to 823 00:45:23,400 --> 00:45:27,160 Speaker 1: the podcast, rate and review it. Become a Premium member 824 00:45:27,320 --> 00:45:30,000 Speaker 1: at normal Folks dot us. All these things that will 825 00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:33,879 Speaker 1: help us grow an army of normal folks. For our 826 00:45:33,920 --> 00:45:37,839 Speaker 1: premium members, we'll have bonus content from this episode, and 827 00:45:37,840 --> 00:45:41,359 Speaker 1: it's Deb and I talking about going deep versus going 828 00:45:41,440 --> 00:45:45,560 Speaker 1: broad and philanthropic work. If you don't want to miss it, 829 00:45:45,640 --> 00:45:49,319 Speaker 1: become a Premium member today thanks to our producer, iron 830 00:45:49,400 --> 00:45:52,720 Speaker 1: Light Labs. I'm Bill Courtney. I'll see you next week.