1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Tutor Dixon Podcast. I think most of 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: you have probably heard about the dangers in Haiti right now, 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: the government kind of being overthrown, all of the chaos. 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: I mean, we've heard of these gangs that are just 5 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 1: attacking folks. Overall, it's an incredibly dangerous situation. And what 6 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: you probably don't hear about every day is the kids 7 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: that are on the ground and what they're going through. 8 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: And that's why I wanted to bring you a couple 9 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: of guys from the Sentinel Foundation today who are going 10 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: to talk to us about what's going on on the ground. 11 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: They actually did some of these rescue missions in Haiti, 12 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: and we are so grateful that there are folks out 13 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 1: there that can do this. Just before we started recording, 14 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: I'm like, I'm glad you guys exist because this is 15 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:47,879 Speaker 1: not the kind of thing that I can do, so 16 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: I can talk about it, and I'm glad that they 17 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:52,239 Speaker 1: are both here to talk to me. So I have 18 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:56,639 Speaker 1: Austin Holmes with me. He is a senior operations officer 19 00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: at Sentinel and the chief executive officer and found under 20 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: of rally X and also TJ who works as the 21 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: chief of Special operations at Sentinel Foundation. Thank you so 22 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 1: much for both being here. 23 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 2: Happy to be here, Thanks so much for having us, 24 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 2: Thanks for having us absolutely. 25 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: So we we're kind of reading through what's going on there, 26 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: and I think for people who don't exactly know, I 27 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: think there's been a lot of rumors. We hear that 28 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: they've been overthrown by gangs. There was some story about cannibalism. 29 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: All of these things are very hard for us here 30 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: in the United States to understand. So can you just 31 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:35,039 Speaker 1: give us a little bit of background what happened there 32 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:36,960 Speaker 1: before we get into the rescue mission. 33 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 3: Oh man, okay, Golf you chubb in uh. You know, 34 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 3: to understand the situation now, you kind of got to 35 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 3: understand a little bit of the history of Haiti. And 36 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 3: I appreciate that question a lot. You know, Haiti we 37 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 3: joke is it's far more African than Latin American, right, 38 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 3: and so to understand that culture and their viewpoints and 39 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 3: from to voodoo to how that affects. 40 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 2: Their worldview is a really big deal. 41 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 3: You know, Haiti has a long history and it was 42 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:10,519 Speaker 3: a second it was a second nation or take a 43 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 3: successful revolution in the Western Hemisphere to gain their independence. 44 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 3: So in eighteen o four, and you have this history man, 45 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 3: you have resilient, strong patients that want to be independent. 46 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 3: That's why you almost see that kind of narrative coming 47 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 3: out right now at the gangs strongly pushing. 48 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 2: Back against foreign intervention. 49 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 3: But you also have a unique worldview that's oftentimes missed 50 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 3: by Westerners. It's it's polytheistic in nature. It's it's animistic, 51 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 3: and it's this idea that and there are multiple gods 52 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 3: playing on at their whims on people's fortunes, and that's 53 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:49,359 Speaker 3: going to impact how they seek to appease those guys. 54 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 3: And so that's a really unique play where it's not 55 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 3: a it's not an uncommon thing for you to hear, 56 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 3: you know, barbecue talking about well, I may pray to God, 57 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:58,359 Speaker 3: but I'm going to pray to. 58 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 2: These evil spirits and I'm going to deal with the devil. 59 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: Well that it's not in conflict in that view. 60 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 3: It's something that's existed for a long time and it 61 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 3: continues to be pervasive in formative as to how they operate. 62 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 3: But anyway, that's I really appreciate that question about the 63 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 3: context of Haite because it really informs what we're seeing 64 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 3: now with gangs and some of the violence, which you 65 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 3: want to share a little bit about how that manifests 66 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 3: itself for us right now? 67 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think, I mean, we all know that the 68 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 4: terrorists use terror to guide and drive their will. So 69 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 4: what they need or what they want, they don't have 70 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 4: the ability, like we need to go in and make 71 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 4: an election and have politicians operate on your behalf. They 72 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 4: go in, they scare people and do what they want 73 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 4: to take control, and they think that I think the 74 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 4: more control they have. Ultimately, I think the idea was 75 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 4: to turn it back over to the people. 76 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 5: It just hasn't worked out that way. 77 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 4: You know, once people get power, they want more, Once 78 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 4: people get money, they want more. And when what you're 79 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 4: doing isn't scaring someone enough, you got to take it 80 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 4: up a notch, which is where you see the telegram 81 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 4: videos of the annibalism, and like Austin said, cannibalism or 82 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 4: that version of it because of voodoo has been going 83 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 4: on there for a very long time. 84 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 5: It's not something new. 85 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 4: It's new to videotape, it's new to put it on 86 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 4: Telegram or Instagram or social media, but it's not something 87 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 4: new that happens in Haiti. 88 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 5: This happened for quite some time. 89 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 4: And ritualistic killings along with voodoo, especially with children, it's 90 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 4: very common in Haiti. 91 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 5: So we see a lot of that, especially with Sentinel. 92 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:25,799 Speaker 4: We've worked with Austin for years now trying to counter 93 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 4: child trafficking child abuse cases in Haiti, and they're always 94 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,280 Speaker 4: a voodoo or always a very dark tide to it, 95 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 4: a very African tie. I would say, more African than Caribbean. 96 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 4: Like Austin said, Wow. 97 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 1: I think I mean, for me, this is kind of 98 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 1: the first time that I'm fully understanding that because we 99 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 1: heard we heard these rumors, and I think some people 100 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: here were like, I mean, what do they really mean 101 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: when they say that? But it's so shocking to actually 102 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,720 Speaker 1: hear child sacrifice and that kind of thing, and that 103 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: makes what you're doing even more powerful. But how do 104 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 1: you even get in in this? How does Sentinel Foundation say, Okay, 105 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 1: this is a situation, obviously a very hostile situation. We're 106 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: going to fly right in there and see what we 107 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 1: can do to take care of it. 108 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 4: I think this started a few years ago when whenever 109 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 4: I met the founder of the Central Foundation, Glenn Devitt, 110 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,719 Speaker 4: we discussed fundraising and opportunities. It was just you know, 111 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 4: he and I at the time trying to bring on 112 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,720 Speaker 4: other guys that were retiring from Special Forces and our 113 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 4: community to do what I think is a very impactful job, 114 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:36,039 Speaker 4: you know, resturing kids. So we go and we we 115 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 4: end up talking to the Tim Tebow Foundation. We have 116 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,599 Speaker 4: a meeting, tim ass to come down, and before we 117 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 4: go into the meeting, Glenn says, hey, man, we go 118 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 4: in there at one place. 119 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 5: I'm not going, Sadie. 120 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 4: I was like, okay, I've never been, but that sounds reasonable, 121 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 4: Like whatever you say. 122 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 2: We going in to the meeting. 123 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 5: Two hours into it. You know it's supposed to be 124 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 5: an hour meeting. We're already an hour over, worried about 125 00:05:57,360 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 5: the three hour mark ish. 126 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 4: And they start talking about the interest and they clearly 127 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 4: like us, they want us to do the job. They 128 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 4: start going over countries that they're interested in. It was 129 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 4: you know, Vietnam, Philippines, place like that. And he was like, 130 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:11,840 Speaker 4: but our number one concern is Haiti. And I knew 131 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 4: it was coming as soon as he said but and 132 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 4: he said nothing else. 133 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 5: I was like, it's gonna be Haiti. He's going to 134 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 5: say Haiti, and I. 135 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:19,039 Speaker 4: See Glenn over there, he's got his head in his hands, 136 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 4: and I was like, Okay, we got to say yes. 137 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 4: We're not saying no to Tim Tebow and TTF because 138 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 4: they want to support. 139 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 5: Us and we want to do what they want us 140 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 5: to do. 141 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 4: And clearly, if that's what the most need is, that's 142 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 4: where we're going. We just had a lot of risk 143 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 4: mitigation things to go through. 144 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: And this is is that why Glenn said no to 145 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: Haiti initially? I mean, what was his initial reason? 146 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 5: He had been prior and had a really bad experience. 147 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 5: He was I dude, I couldn't get anything done. 148 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 4: It's really hard to work their super complicated environment. And 149 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 4: this is years before, so that's probably a year or 150 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 4: two before we were sitting here with Tibo. Now this 151 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 4: is four years ago, so that have been six years 152 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 4: ago whenever Glenn had that experience. Well, now we're two 153 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 4: years foward to that. But now we're four years to 154 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 4: hear and we're still working with something that's similar to 155 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:00,279 Speaker 4: what we saw when we first went into Haiti, which 156 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 4: is just gang violence. I mean, in everyday life, it 157 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:05,719 Speaker 4: just filence hard and. 158 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: You don't have airports, you don't have the supportive government, 159 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: I mean, how it has to be different than any 160 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: other place you go when you don't have any confidence 161 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: of how you get there and how you get out. 162 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 4: It reminds we did a lot for the Afghanistan evacuation, 163 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 4: and it reminds me of not exactly of that, because 164 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 4: it's not a Taliban. 165 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 5: Controlled state, but it's similar. 166 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 4: You know, it's a terrorist controlled state, and people there 167 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 4: generally take the brunt of that pain, kids and women 168 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 4: chiefly the weakest, so we see a lot of similarias. 169 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 4: And it's also impossible to get in, almost impossible to 170 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 4: get out. So the borders, like the dr Dominican Republic 171 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 4: closes its borders in and out, and the US government 172 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 4: has been a big part of that, and we've asked 173 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 4: every way that we could think of how to ask 174 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 4: to be able to go in when others can't. But 175 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 4: you just have to be one, go by the letter 176 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 4: of the law and do everything legally, but try to 177 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 4: find as many workarounds as you can to get in. 178 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 4: And the process to get in is allmost as hard 179 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 4: as the rescue, so that is one of the most 180 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 4: difficult parts. And you can often deals with all this 181 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 4: at a much higher level than I have to, but 182 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 4: it's painful. 183 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: So what is that like trying to get in there? 184 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 1: Are you saying physically it's challenging or documents or what 185 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: do you mean? 186 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 4: Both awesome if you want to talk about some stuff, 187 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 4: you want to do all the above. 188 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:25,239 Speaker 3: So when we on this mission, we arrived in the DR. 189 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 3: I believe it was on Saturday. Maybe the operation happened 190 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 3: on the nineteenth, but the DR was really tightening the 191 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 3: restrictions around travel in and out of Haiti. The airspace 192 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 3: over Haiti was closing and orders both by land in 193 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 3: by sea were being closed off, so we could not 194 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 3: find a route in all of our options. We had 195 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 3: half a dozen options to get in the country, and 196 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 3: then within seventy two hours all of those had got 197 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 3: shut down. Everyone was fearful they were going to lose 198 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:59,319 Speaker 3: permits or or get some kind of significant penalty from 199 00:08:59,360 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 3: the government. 200 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 2: And we're sympathetic to that. 201 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:03,560 Speaker 3: I mean, we certainly understand that the DR has their 202 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 3: own national interest and their population to protect, and they're 203 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 3: concerned about spillover across the border. But we spent more 204 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 3: time troubleshooting how to get in and out, primarily how 205 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 3: to get in, than we did actually run the mission 206 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 3: on it. 207 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 2: That's how big of an obstacle it was. 208 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 1: And then the mission was to save kids. 209 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 2: Right, that's right. 210 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 3: So there's this language that TiVo Foundation uses, which we love. 211 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 3: It's talk about MVPs, your most vulnerable people. And you know, 212 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 3: you have fifty nine high special needs where we've lost 213 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 3: three kids in the last seven months due to inability 214 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 3: to access healthcare and just other critical provisions in country. 215 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 3: And so that area around Portal Prince could not be 216 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 3: a more difficult areadam to operate in right now. 217 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:54,719 Speaker 2: So we stay nine. 218 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 3: The team that's in all discussed and wanted to accelerate 219 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:01,560 Speaker 3: getting these fifty nine out tremendous amount of support from 220 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 3: the Jamaican government or not here to bash governments like, 221 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 3: we can't get what we've done without incredible relationships with 222 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:12,440 Speaker 3: you know, host nations. Dr Haiti included US government, but 223 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 3: working with Jamaica was tremendous. There's this organization called Mustard 224 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 3: Seed who stepped up to the plate. I cannot tell 225 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 3: you how difficult it is like to go care for 226 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 3: fifty nine. We did it for three days and Tan 227 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 3: I would both tell you that's probably the best circle 228 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 3: we've ever done where. Oh, I mean, they're a tremendous 229 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 3: amount of need. And you know that's off to the 230 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 3: thirteen caregivers that came across. 231 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 1: And when you say special needs, how what are you? 232 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 1: What are you dealing with? Because I think about trying 233 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 1: to take my four kids someplace and my kids are 234 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: not in that situation. Gathering up four kids can be 235 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 1: a challenge. You're talking about fifty nine special needs children. 236 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 1: What are we looking at? Are you looking at wheelchairs? 237 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 1: Are you looking at you know, mental capacities that are 238 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,679 Speaker 1: diferent than the average child. What are we what are 239 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 1: you dealing with? 240 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 2: Twenty nine? 241 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:09,080 Speaker 3: We're a mobile And I would say all fifty nine 242 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:13,559 Speaker 3: we're unaware of the difficulty and austerity in their environment. 243 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 3: So I mean when I say severe, I mean we 244 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 3: had thirty in kind of the holding bay at the 245 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 3: now we have two locations where we were basically set 246 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:28,199 Speaker 3: up words on the ship coming in, but the lower 247 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 3: one everyone was a mobile in there. And so, yeah, 248 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 3: I've got five five kids, I've got one Haitian And 249 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 3: this made it feel like a cakewalk being at home 250 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 3: with my five under did right. 251 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: Now, let's take a quick commercial break we'll continue next 252 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: on the Tutor Dixon podcast. When you get these kids out, 253 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:52,959 Speaker 1: I mean that alone has got to be challenging. Are 254 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:55,679 Speaker 1: you taking them to the US? Where do they go? 255 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: What is the ultimate goal for those kids? 256 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 3: So we were able to plan in this evacuation to 257 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 3: get them out of Haiti. And then this is where 258 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:09,319 Speaker 3: Mustard Seed was so critical. They're this organization that specializes 259 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 3: in special needs care, a tremendous partner. They have operations 260 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 3: across Latin America, obviously in Haitian, Jamaica, and in West 261 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 3: Africa as well, and so they understand the context of 262 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 3: the situation that we're working through and if a tremendous team, 263 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 3: So they stepped up to the plate. They handled all 264 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 3: the coordination with the Jamaican government, so we had absolute, 265 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:32,319 Speaker 3: full not just clearance, but support. I mean to the 266 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:35,080 Speaker 3: point that the last members of our team joined us 267 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 3: by way of the Jamaican Coast Guard, adding them and 268 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 3: bringing that team and critical medical supplies to us and 269 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 3: root from Haiti to Jamaica. So we can't say enough 270 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 3: about the support and the cooperation with the Jamaican government 271 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 3: and Mustard Seed, this tremendous organization and encourage everybody to 272 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:53,960 Speaker 3: look at and support and that. 273 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:59,200 Speaker 1: Whole idea behind Tim Tebow's organization has really been heavily 274 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:05,359 Speaker 1: about trafficked people and children and saving them from this situation. 275 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 1: Was that an issue in Haiti? Were you dealing with 276 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 1: anything like that? 277 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 2: You go to speak to that kind of some work there. 278 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 4: Yeah, So a lot of the work we did and 279 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 4: initially in Haiti was exactly for that for orphanages that were, 280 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 4: you know, some using some of their kids for prothels 281 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 4: and things like that, or just flat out child trafficking. 282 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 4: But most of those leads that we get come from 283 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:33,680 Speaker 4: Christian based organizations are NGOs in Haiti. So they'll call 284 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 4: TTF they say, hey, look, we think we have a 285 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 4: problem our neighboring orphanage and such. We believe we've gotten 286 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 4: a few kids here that arebuts that came from there, 287 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 4: and then that's how we start kind of doing our 288 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 4: investigation and that's what leads into something like this. 289 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 5: But this wasn't that exactly. TTF called and. 290 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 4: Said, we have, you know, around ninety kids that are 291 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,079 Speaker 4: in severe need. They've been blocked off due to their 292 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 4: location geographically, they're not kind of a hard spot they're 293 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 4: just north the Porter of Prince, kind of up into 294 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 4: the hills the mountains, a very hard road to get 295 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 4: in and out of. It's beautiful and it's really not 296 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 4: very far from the ocean, so it's a good place 297 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:09,280 Speaker 4: to have the orphanage. It's just hard to get in 298 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 4: and out of, so they couldn't get supplies, and when 299 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 4: they could, the gang started taking the supplies. So we 300 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 4: tried to give them two separate shipments of food and 301 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 4: medical supplies that they needed because these kids have severe 302 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 4: special needs, but they also have severe medical needs, which 303 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 4: includes things medicines they have to take daily and then 304 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 4: you see doctor business weekly. Depending on the child, some 305 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 4: of them need to see a doctor almost daily, so 306 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 4: that wasn't happening. So we're trying to replace that with 307 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 4: nutrition and medicine, but it wasn't. We couldn't get them 308 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 4: to hold on to it because there was no adult 309 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 4: leadership at the compound to stop these gangs from taking 310 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 4: these supplies, so we actually had to hire it. We've 311 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 4: been paying a security team for what six months now, Austin, 312 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 4: So we had to go through Austin and one of 313 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 4: our good friends in contacts and try to get a 314 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 4: security team, Haitian security team that would stay there in place, 315 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 4: and we finally did. And it's not cheap, but it's 316 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 4: the only option we had to figure, you're out, what 317 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 4: we could do to get these kids out and not 318 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 4: let them start to death, because that's that's legitimately what 319 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 4: was happening. You've got You've got kids with with FD 320 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 4: sores and open infections that aren't getting treated. You've got 321 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 4: kids that are already you know, under nouris because of 322 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 4: their disease or ailment, and now they're not even getting. 323 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 5: The foody're supposed to have on top of that. So 324 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 5: it was a very dire scenario. 325 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: What's the population of Haiti, I mean, it seems like 326 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 1: you're talking about a lot of orphanages in a country 327 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 1: that doesn't seem like it's got that large of a population. 328 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: Does it have kind of a an upside down number 329 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: of orphan children. 330 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 3: You've got about eleven to twelve million in the country. 331 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 3: About a third of that, probably more is in the 332 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 3: porterer prints area. You know, orphanages are prolific. Anyone that's 333 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 3: worked there will tell you that ninety five percent of 334 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 3: those kids are not orphans. They are taken there by 335 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 3: their parents and hopes that they're going to get a 336 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,280 Speaker 3: better opportunity, they're going to get access to nutrition or 337 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 3: educational opportunities, and so you know, when the terms us 338 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 3: really loosely, and to Taye's point, it's also where we 339 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 3: see a tremendous amount of abuse. So these are vulnerable kids. 340 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 3: We're under the care of somebody else who typically is 341 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 3: well versed. 342 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 2: At at placating you know. 343 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 3: NGOs or ignorant North Americans who are seeking They're well intentioned, right, 344 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 3: they're seeking to do good, but they're not within a 345 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 3: framework of accountability and they have no understanding of the context. 346 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:35,080 Speaker 3: So oftentimes you see these kids abused and kept for 347 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 3: kept in the state of poverty because when those heartstrings 348 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 3: are pulled by that person who's there for five days, right, 349 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 3: they're going to write a check and leave, and so 350 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 3: they're not actually bringing accountability to that support system. So 351 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:55,400 Speaker 3: we strongly discourage direct giving without in country context and 352 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 3: relationship and follow up. It's just a recipe for abuse 353 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 3: by all sides. So that truly helped kind of grow 354 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 3: this problem in country. 355 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 1: So are those people that are directly giving two orphanages 356 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:12,119 Speaker 1: there or is there. I mean because I think that 357 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,399 Speaker 1: we know there's a lot of corruption that surround this situation. 358 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:17,679 Speaker 1: We know obviously there's a lot of danger. But I 359 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 1: think everybody when it comes to kids, you just named it, 360 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 1: it tugs on your heart strings and you can very 361 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 1: easily go, well, if I give them money, that will 362 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:28,480 Speaker 1: help them. How do you know? How do you know 363 00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 1: what's safe and what's not safe. 364 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:34,080 Speaker 3: So I worked there for the last fifteen years, got 365 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 3: to work with Tate very closely on a lot, and 366 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:40,879 Speaker 3: I'll speak the language of a Haitian sun, and I 367 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:42,880 Speaker 3: will tell you that I still don't trust myself. 368 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:45,120 Speaker 2: And so what I'm going to do is work through 369 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:46,119 Speaker 2: a staff. 370 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 3: So are in a staff in country of eight hundred nations, 371 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:51,359 Speaker 3: who love their country, who would die for their country, 372 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:53,879 Speaker 3: who are serving it right now, a group of mission 373 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 3: of still feeding one hundred and thirty thousand kids a 374 00:17:56,160 --> 00:18:00,720 Speaker 3: day in the face of this terrorist group that's running 375 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:04,240 Speaker 3: the city. And so the narrative that's missed so often 376 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:09,240 Speaker 3: is the capacity of so many good, resilient, capable leaders 377 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:11,880 Speaker 3: within the country who are willing to do and want 378 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,439 Speaker 3: to do whatever it takes to see Haiti become what 379 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 3: they know it can be. 380 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:17,719 Speaker 2: Haiti was on it was the pearl of the Caribbean. 381 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:18,919 Speaker 2: It's a beautiful country. 382 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 3: It means land of mountains, and yet you have this 383 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 3: one person of the population that is now the right 384 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 3: language to use is they are an insurgent force who 385 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:32,120 Speaker 3: are terrorizing a country, holding the other twelve million as 386 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:35,359 Speaker 3: hostages to get whatever they want to abuse it. They're 387 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 3: internationally funded, they're well supported. We see arms and funds 388 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:43,440 Speaker 3: from outside the country. This is a choreograph play deal. 389 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,239 Speaker 3: This is not kids running around in flip flops. And 390 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:48,679 Speaker 3: that's what we and I continue to see missed in 391 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 3: this narrative. And so we know we appreciate chances like 392 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 3: this to drive that a little bit more, you know. 393 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 2: And it's just and we've thought about Haiti. 394 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 3: Wrong, we feel like for so long long, And so anyway, 395 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:05,479 Speaker 3: I'm thankful because you know, you asked the question about 396 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:10,119 Speaker 3: the nature of these kids, and you know, Tate runs 397 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:14,960 Speaker 3: a team of the highest level operators that our country has. 398 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 2: Okay, I don't know a tougher group of guys. 399 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:21,640 Speaker 3: Watching them carry kids, and I'm watching every single guy 400 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:25,679 Speaker 3: just tears coming down their face carrying these you know, 401 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 3: these m vps, because that's that's what drives them, That's 402 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:32,640 Speaker 3: what drives a character, you know, of the individuals who 403 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 3: are out there servant and and it's such a privilege 404 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:36,120 Speaker 3: to to get to be a part of it. 405 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:40,360 Speaker 2: You know, I'm putting on the spot a little bit. Uh, But. 406 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 3: Sis, he's carried them from the boat, just man, that's 407 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:50,120 Speaker 3: what that's what drives every one of us are here. 408 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 2: So yeah, it's a privilege. M hm. 409 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 4: I would say to that point too. The I think 410 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 4: what may of the hardest is they were all dressed 411 00:19:57,800 --> 00:19:58,439 Speaker 4: up to get. 412 00:19:58,320 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 5: On the boat. 413 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:01,919 Speaker 4: Now, mind you, this is a flat packed tugboat and 414 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:03,560 Speaker 4: there's not an ounce of the boat doesn't have rust 415 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 4: on it. 416 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 5: It smells like fishing feet, you know. 417 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:07,959 Speaker 4: And we look like death because we've been sitting outside 418 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:09,880 Speaker 4: for a day and a half, not taking a shower 419 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,639 Speaker 4: and sweating, and these kids smell like baby powder. And 420 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 4: they've all got like little prom dresses on. And the 421 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:17,680 Speaker 4: guys had nice clothes on, they had their nicest clothes 422 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 4: on that they could have, and their their backpack ready 423 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 4: to come on the boat. And I think, you know, 424 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 4: one of the girl, I think, and when he caught me, 425 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:26,960 Speaker 4: I was carrying a girl that looked like she was 426 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 4: wearing a prom dress, and she was happy to be there. 427 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 5: But she just rode a wooden boat. 428 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 4: To an even shittier ship and then had these bunch 429 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 4: of strange men, you know, pull her off and then 430 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 4: stick her on the back of the boat. And she 431 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:40,119 Speaker 4: was just completely trusting. And that's what bothered me the 432 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 4: most is that when these kids get taken advantage of, 433 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 4: they're just as trusting to the person that took advantage 434 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:47,200 Speaker 4: of them as they were to us. So it bothers 435 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:49,879 Speaker 4: me that they've got that amount of trust still, you know, 436 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:52,439 Speaker 4: even after how long they've spent Haiti and probably how 437 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 4: many times they've had to come in contact with abuse 438 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 4: or something like that, or just dealing with hunger on 439 00:20:57,400 --> 00:20:59,399 Speaker 4: a daily basis, whatever it is. I don't know that 440 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:01,920 Speaker 4: I would feel like putting on an ice dress and smiling, 441 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 4: you know, getting on the back of a boat if 442 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 4: that were me, So I'd like to also's point, they're 443 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 4: incredibly resilient, incredibly loving and trusting still, which is amazing 444 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:12,399 Speaker 4: to me. 445 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: It's so easy for us to forget what happens in 446 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:19,400 Speaker 1: other countries because we're so we really truly are privileged 447 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:22,680 Speaker 1: and blessed in the United States in a way that 448 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,679 Speaker 1: other countries just aren't. You talked a little bit at 449 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 1: the beginning about Afghanistan, and I think for those of 450 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 1: us watching that withdrawal, seeing the people run to the 451 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:38,119 Speaker 1: plane and fall from the plane, it was again you 452 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:41,120 Speaker 1: feel like, oh my gosh, how does this happen? How 453 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 1: do we Because I think that we felt differently a 454 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:47,280 Speaker 1: little bit about that situation because we all had a 455 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:50,199 Speaker 1: piece of us there, because we knew our military had 456 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:53,040 Speaker 1: been there, We knew that that was something that we 457 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:56,879 Speaker 1: a country, we had changed for the better, especially for 458 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,359 Speaker 1: young women. And then to watch that, know that it 459 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: was all getting rid away, We're wondering on the sidelines 460 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:07,119 Speaker 1: what can be done? And you guys went there, So 461 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 1: tell us a little bit about what that was like, 462 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 1: because I think it's probably somewhat of a similar situation 463 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:16,920 Speaker 1: when the Taliban comes in and then they take over, 464 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:21,119 Speaker 1: and I would imagine that for those kids, they had 465 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:25,160 Speaker 1: somewhat of a normal life for a while where girls 466 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 1: could go to school, and then that's all getting ripped 467 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 1: away from them. 468 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 5: Yeah, I think that's what I mean. 469 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 4: I don't think anyone saw that evacuation needing to happen 470 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 4: because they imagined a draw down and pull out of 471 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 4: Afghanistan that was reasonable spread out over time, maybe even 472 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 4: a year plus. And when that timeline got put on 473 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,200 Speaker 4: it and the Taliban was now being seen as a 474 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:51,119 Speaker 4: political organization, everyone scrambling to get out. And the question 475 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 4: we kept getting once we were there helping was like, well, 476 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:56,919 Speaker 4: why didn't they get out sooner? They were there seeing family, 477 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,240 Speaker 4: they hear it's happening, they all buy plane tickets and 478 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 4: then they shut down the aircraft. So now they're stuck. 479 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:04,159 Speaker 4: So they bought plane tickets to leave, or they had 480 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 4: plane tickets to go, but they just so happened to 481 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:08,679 Speaker 4: fall within those dates of what two three weeks they 482 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:11,359 Speaker 4: decided to pull out. I mean, you can't everyone in 483 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:12,919 Speaker 4: the country that needs to go to anywhere in the 484 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 4: world is buying plane tickets to leave out of one airport. 485 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 5: It's not going to happen. So I just hate to 486 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 5: hear people say that. 487 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:22,240 Speaker 4: For one, and then trying to help during that situation 488 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 4: was very similar to this because the government hadn't dealt 489 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:27,400 Speaker 4: with having NGOs do something like that in a while 490 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:29,919 Speaker 4: where they bypassed what the government said was the right 491 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 4: thing to do, and again I know a lot of 492 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 4: people bypassed exactly what they said to do, so I'm 493 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:35,920 Speaker 4: not saying it's illegal, but it was definitely frowned upon 494 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 4: knowing that we could get our retirements taken away and 495 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 4: we were threatened with everything from jail time, to losing 496 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:43,120 Speaker 4: retirements to whatever. 497 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:44,440 Speaker 5: If you're a proper. 498 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 1: Service why if you were, why were you threatened with that? 499 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 4: They didn't want former service members going into Afghanistan to 500 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 4: be mercenaries, and they've got good reasons for it. But 501 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 4: even if you could prove that you were going in 502 00:23:57,320 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 4: to be a part of the evacuation or an indio 503 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 4: that wanted to be in and around Afghanistan, they were 504 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:04,880 Speaker 4: discouraging you from any help and they wanted to control everything, 505 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 4: control the narrative, control the support. But the problem was 506 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 4: they weren't providing it. So you have what you saw 507 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 4: Americans that were stuck by the hundreds, if not thousands, 508 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:16,880 Speaker 4: in Afghanistan with no evacuation plan other than this date, 509 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:19,440 Speaker 4: We're done. Good luck for everybody after that. I've never 510 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:20,680 Speaker 4: heard of that in my lifetime. 511 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:22,639 Speaker 1: So that's what I was to say. I mean, was 512 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: this a Biden administration special? Have we ever? Has the 513 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 1: United States ever left people behind like that? 514 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:33,439 Speaker 4: I know my memory is awful, I'll be honest with you, 515 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 4: and I love history, but I can't find anywhere in 516 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 4: any history book for the United States where we've left 517 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:41,160 Speaker 4: that amount of people sitting for that amount of time, 518 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:43,200 Speaker 4: knowing they have no way to get out and what's 519 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:45,680 Speaker 4: about to be a terrorist controlled state. So that's the 520 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 4: bigger issue. Wasn't that we left people behind. I think 521 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 4: we left people behind with no infrastructure, no aircraft, no 522 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 4: ground evacuation. There's no way to get in and out 523 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:57,680 Speaker 4: of a Taliban controlled Afghanistan, especially not for Americans and 524 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:01,679 Speaker 4: everyone after that date. If you're a or American, you're screwed. 525 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 4: That's the way it was. And I just couldn't believe 526 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 4: that was the answer. And we didn't take that. None 527 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:08,040 Speaker 4: of us did. All the nonprofits you saw them, they 528 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:09,399 Speaker 4: all came together and suck screw that. 529 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 5: They're Americans. We'll figure it out. 530 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 4: And I think everyone that did it hats off to 531 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 4: them because we were all getting threatened with some type 532 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 4: of something negative when we came back. So when you 533 00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 4: cross back the United States we'll see what happens. But 534 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 4: by the end of that they were asking for a 535 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,200 Speaker 4: joint talk or a joint operations center that we could 536 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 4: combine all this information and work together all the evacuations. 537 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 5: So we stuck to our story. We said we would. 538 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 4: We did it by the letter of the law, and 539 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 4: by the end of it it turned out much much better. 540 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 4: Almost have we done something positive not something negative. Narrative 541 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:42,680 Speaker 4: much different from beginning to end. But the end state 542 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 4: was they were happy and they had no reason to 543 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:46,480 Speaker 4: be upset with it. Thought, well, they did great, we 544 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:48,320 Speaker 4: have nothing to say. I guess we'll come with that 545 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:49,399 Speaker 4: in hand and be nice. 546 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:51,840 Speaker 1: And it's amazing how God works it all out for 547 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:54,879 Speaker 1: good when you're doing the right thing. Let's take a 548 00:25:54,960 --> 00:26:00,320 Speaker 1: quick commercial break. We'll continue next on a Tutor Dixon podcast. 549 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:04,240 Speaker 1: These missions, they have to be so expensive, So how 550 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 1: do you fund this stuff? I mean, I look at 551 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 1: this and I'm like, this is amazing. But I also 552 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 1: if I take a step back from this, I'm like, 553 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: my gosh, you have to have so much in place. 554 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 1: I mean, you talk about the paperwork, but the flights, 555 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 1: moving the kids, this supplies. How do you pay for 556 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 1: all of this, I. 557 00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:23,679 Speaker 5: Mean for this one, it was it was pretty easy. 558 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:28,159 Speaker 4: We went to Tim Tebow and Steve Ttf. I said, hey, 559 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 4: we really need some funding to do Haiti. Now you know, 560 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:32,600 Speaker 4: I know we've been paying for it over the past 561 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 4: six months. Now is the time to move and we 562 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 4: don't have a choice. It's getting worse. He said, Hey, 563 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 4: I've already got three donors lined up. We're good. You 564 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:40,560 Speaker 4: guys go out the door and we'll get paid for. 565 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:44,159 Speaker 4: And that's usually how it goes for something that's of 566 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:46,200 Speaker 4: dire need like this, and it's been the case even 567 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 4: when we went to Afghanistan. TTF funded it. They paid 568 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 4: us a very large chunk of money very quickly to 569 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:54,240 Speaker 4: go and get there now. And that was exactly what 570 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:55,560 Speaker 4: they said, get there as soon as you can. 571 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:57,359 Speaker 5: What's going to take? How can we help you? 572 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:00,159 Speaker 1: And that's so somebody wants to help, do they go 573 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 1: to Sentinel Foundation? What do they do? 574 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:05,480 Speaker 4: At the time we were we were just starting out. 575 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:07,920 Speaker 4: Sentinel was kind of new still and we were much smaller, 576 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:10,040 Speaker 4: and we had had to pull together a group of 577 00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:13,160 Speaker 4: ten nine nine employees excuse me. And then now we've 578 00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:15,640 Speaker 4: kind of grown and we have a few more donors 579 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:18,399 Speaker 4: and a few more places to go and ask for funds, 580 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 4: but we still go back to TTF because they are 581 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 4: one of our biggest supporters and one of our first supporters. 582 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 4: So we always give them the first rude of refusal 583 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:27,200 Speaker 4: to help us because I know that's what they want, 584 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:29,199 Speaker 4: and they've got a servant's heart, like Austin knows. We 585 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 4: work with them all the time and there's a reason 586 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:32,920 Speaker 4: that that's who we work with and the majority of 587 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:35,440 Speaker 4: the time, as far as other large nonprofits go, they've 588 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:36,159 Speaker 4: got great hearts. 589 00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 3: So yeah, I'm sorry, you know, from Support Too Foundation 590 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:47,240 Speaker 3: to Sentinel you know, Sentinel Survivalency three and and doing 591 00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:49,840 Speaker 3: tremendous work. That's how I got pulled in initially some 592 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 3: child exploitation stuff with them, but strongly recommend people join 593 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 3: us in support and pain his team and the team 594 00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:59,840 Speaker 3: there feel privileged to get to YEP. 595 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:04,200 Speaker 1: I think that people don't realize how much Tim Tebow does, 596 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:07,440 Speaker 1: you know, and they see him as this sport's great, 597 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:12,240 Speaker 1: but he really his heart and his wife they are 598 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:16,159 Speaker 1: so dedicated to helping kids and it's been amazing to 599 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:18,880 Speaker 1: just kind of watch alongside what he's been able to do. 600 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: But when you talk to him, it's so genuine. I mean, 601 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 1: this is a guy who's really like, I have a 602 00:28:25,119 --> 00:28:28,679 Speaker 1: goal and it is to save kids. And it is 603 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 1: amazing to see what he has been able to create 604 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:34,879 Speaker 1: with that and just how God blessed him with the 605 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:37,520 Speaker 1: ability to get his name out there. And then it's 606 00:28:37,560 --> 00:28:40,360 Speaker 1: funny because you watch his life and you go, Okay, 607 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:42,800 Speaker 1: he's going to be the sports great and he took 608 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 1: that and he gave that to these kids. Really, he 609 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 1: took what he was given by God, this gift, and 610 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 1: he gave it to kids across the world. And I 611 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:53,960 Speaker 1: just think it's amazing. It's been amazing to watch what 612 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:58,600 Speaker 1: he's done. 613 00:28:57,240 --> 00:28:58,600 Speaker 2: And it's one hundred percent real. 614 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:02,600 Speaker 3: That's exactly who he is, been crazy faithful the platform 615 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 3: God's given him and for him to stand there and 616 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:07,840 Speaker 3: to just continue to put that on the line for 617 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 3: the sake of these kids who are never going to 618 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 3: have a voice right nobody else is stepping up for them. 619 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 3: And what a tremendous picture of faithfulness right from a 620 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 3: guy who's just seeking to do it right and follow Jesus. 621 00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 1: Love it absolutely well and you guys too, We so 622 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:25,600 Speaker 1: appreciate what you do I mean, honestly, I listen to 623 00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:27,800 Speaker 1: it and I'm amazed by it. And you talk about 624 00:29:27,840 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 1: the tears you see in the eyes of these men 625 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:33,040 Speaker 1: who are carrying children. It's just such a beautiful picture 626 00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 1: because I think there's nothing stronger or more masculine than 627 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 1: someone who goes out there and puts his life on 628 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:44,320 Speaker 1: the line and is willing to pick up these vulnerable kids, 629 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:47,680 Speaker 1: these MVPs and save their lives. So Austin and TJ 630 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you for what you do, and thank 631 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: you for talking to us about it today. 632 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:53,440 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for having us, Jeter, thanks for. 633 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:56,240 Speaker 1: Having us absolutely, and thank you all out there for 634 00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:59,960 Speaker 1: joining us today on the podcast. For this episode and others. 635 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:02,760 Speaker 1: As always, go to Tutordison podcast dot com. You can 636 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 1: subscribe right there, or go to the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 637 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:09,360 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts and join us next 638 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:12,000 Speaker 1: time on the Tutor Dixon Podcast. Have a blessing.