1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: I hosted a program, so I'm a program called Girls 2 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:09,880 Speaker 1: Shop Talk, which was a wood shop and Bible study 3 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:11,800 Speaker 1: for teen girls. And it was just. 4 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 2: Wood shop and Bible study. There's something I haven't heard yet. 5 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was a weird combination, but it was just 6 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: the coolest because I had all these thirteen to sixteen 7 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 1: year year old girls come in and I rallied up 8 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 1: some of my friends who are handy, and it was 9 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: really cool watching them go from being terrified of a 10 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: chopsaw to just like kind of hammer. 11 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:44,279 Speaker 2: Welcome to an army of normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney. 12 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 2: I'm a normal guy. I'm a husband, I'm a father, 13 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 2: I'm an entrepreneur, and I've been a football coach in 14 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 2: Inner City Memphis. And that last part it accidentally led 15 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 2: to an oscar for the film about our team. It's 16 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 2: called Undefeated. I believe our country's problems will never be 17 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 2: solved by a bunch of fancy people in nice suits 18 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,839 Speaker 2: using big words that nobody understands on CNN and Fox, 19 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 2: but rather by an army of normal folks, US just 20 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:17,760 Speaker 2: you and me deciding hey, I can help. That's what 21 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 2: Christina Mind does. The voice we just heard has done. 22 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:24,320 Speaker 2: After pursuing a career that was definitely not in the trades, 23 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 2: Christina found herself being the only girl volunteering with an 24 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 2: army of tradesmen to renovate buildings for nonprofits, and she 25 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:39,040 Speaker 2: loved it. The amazing work of Servant's Heart Ministry has 26 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 2: turned out to be her true calling. And I cannot 27 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 2: wait for you to meet Christina. Right after these brief 28 00:01:45,040 --> 00:02:09,639 Speaker 2: messages from our general sponsors, Now we begin by hearing 29 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 2: from Christina on growing up in North Jersey. 30 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: Both parents worked all my life, but always always made 31 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,359 Speaker 1: time to kind of be with family, and there was 32 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,360 Speaker 1: always always some type of margin no matter what the 33 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: season is for serving and volunteering. 34 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 2: And so yeah, let's talk about that. So what did 35 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:31,640 Speaker 2: your mom and dad do service wise? 36 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, so every season was kind of different. I mean, 37 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: I grew up in church, so they were kind of 38 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: first first a church, last a church, you know, anywhere, 39 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: from my mom kind of spending all of our years 40 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: leading nursery, my dad teaching in Sunday school. And then 41 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: any event like a coffee house or something, they were 42 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: always kind of the first coffee house. 43 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 2: Like. 44 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: Like back then they used to churches used to kind 45 00:02:57,280 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 1: of host like kind of a coffee house vibe with 46 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 1: like a speaker and uh and like. 47 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 2: List speaker, drink coffee. 48 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, like a kind of cool event to kind 49 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:11,399 Speaker 1: of bring people into the church kind of thing. 50 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, so pure coffee. 51 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah. So, you know, my my parents both really 52 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: modeled that nothing. You know, you're not too good for 53 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:25,239 Speaker 1: any kind of job. And so I I joined him 54 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: one night and he was kind of running the back 55 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: end of serving coffee and stuff and helping and volunteering, 56 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 1: and I think they didn't need me there. So I 57 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: kind of went off and another leader had instructed me 58 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: and a friend that was that was with me to 59 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: go and clean the toilets, the bath you know, in 60 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: the church. And so you know, one would think, Okay, 61 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: you know, I was in middle school at the time. 62 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: You know, one would think, oh man, she probably was 63 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 1: like grossed out by it. But yeah, right. But honestly, 64 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 1: I think it's a testament to who my how my 65 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: parents instilled this. But I just thought, Wow, I'm doing 66 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: the grown up job. I'm doing the important job that 67 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 1: like needs to keep this thing running. Like like you know, 68 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 1: like they thought to ask me to like go and 69 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: serve in this. 70 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,280 Speaker 2: Way, so you embrace honor. 71 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 1: I did, And it's so funny because I like, I 72 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: remember that fondly, and I went home and I told 73 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:26,280 Speaker 1: my mom. I was like, guess what I did? And 74 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 1: my mom was so upset that they asked me to 75 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 1: clean toilets. But I went home being like, look look 76 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 1: at the important job I did. And and I think, 77 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: I think it's testament to my parents, because nothing, no job. 78 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 1: I didn't know any better, Like I didn't know it 79 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 1: was a lowly thing to do. I was like, I 80 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: wanted to serve, and I wanted to be like my 81 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: dad and serve, and I was given a job that 82 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 1: you know isn't given to everybody. 83 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 2: So yeah, but you know what Christ clean feet, so metaphor, 84 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 2: I think cleaning the toilets was about as christ like 85 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:03,720 Speaker 2: thing as you could do. 86 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:07,480 Speaker 1: And it's funny how it's stuck in my brain all 87 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 1: these years. I mean, there's loads of things that I 88 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 1: got to serve with my parents, but that's the one 89 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 1: thing that's stuck and I got and I gotta believe 90 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 1: it's like God reminding me I'm never too good for 91 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: any job. Like it needs to stick in my brain, 92 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 1: so I can remember. 93 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 2: You know, your dad's what's his name, nor Men does Yeah, 94 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,600 Speaker 2: you hear that, mister and missus Mendez, Your kid did 95 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,359 Speaker 2: it right. So your parents were working full time, both 96 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 2: of them, raising two kids, doing the best they could 97 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 2: to keep your words, to keep you in the I 98 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 2: guess a good neighborhood is what it sounds like you're 99 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 2: saying to me. But they always found time to certain Yeah. 100 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: It's it's interesting because now as an adult, I realized 101 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: there's a million things that pull for your time, and 102 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:58,280 Speaker 1: there's it's I sometimes I'm kind of amazed. I mean, 103 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 1: you hear about kids that are like traumatized from having 104 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: working parents because they never had time for them and stuff. 105 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:07,720 Speaker 2: Give me a break. I know, it's so ridiculous, but life. 106 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, but they always just had this balance of 107 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 1: like they work hard. You know, I was the last 108 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 1: to be picked up at soccer practice, but that's okay 109 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 1: because the weekends were dedicated to us. But but yeah, 110 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 1: it was always kind of modeled for me that no 111 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:24,600 Speaker 1: matter what the season is, there's some margin. There's some 112 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:29,559 Speaker 1: margin for serving people and sacrificing your time. 113 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 2: Where do you think that came from? 114 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:36,359 Speaker 1: And them, you know, that's a good question, you know what. 115 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 2: I mean, they modeled it for you? Who modeled it 116 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 2: for them? Or did just come from their their faith 117 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 2: and their time in church or maybe even the way 118 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:45,160 Speaker 2: they came up. 119 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, probably there's an element of the way they came 120 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: up that maybe they just were kind of instilled of 121 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: like they know, you know, my mom had a pretty 122 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 1: you know, kind of normal childhood. My dad kind of 123 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:02,480 Speaker 1: came from rough beginnings, and so. 124 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 2: What does that look like. 125 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 1: So my dad's family, so his dad wasn't really around. 126 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: They were pretty poor living in Greenwich Village, which was it, 127 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 1: I'm Greenwich Village, New York, Manhattan. 128 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, so which I moved. His parents moved from Puerto 129 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 2: Rico straight to Greenwich Village. 130 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, but his dad was never really round. It was 131 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: really just his mom. But that area. I don't know 132 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 1: much about it at the time, but it was that 133 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: they kind of were allowed to live there because I 134 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: think the Catholic Church kind of helped them out. And 135 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: so anyway grew up. Yeah, really poor. Tells me all 136 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 1: kinds of stories, but you never really know it because 137 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: he only talks about all the good stuff, you know. 138 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: But it wasn't until like this year that he actually 139 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: told me. So I thought his mother had passed when 140 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: he was eighteen, because then from there he went straight 141 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: into the Marines. But I found out this year that 142 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: she actually passed when he was sixteen, and he was 143 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: basically like living on the streets for two years. Your father, Yes, 144 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 1: and you how does he He is sixty. 145 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 2: Five and he just told you this, And he just 146 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 2: told me this. 147 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 1: But you know what, I think. You know, he's telling 148 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: me this just a few months ago, and I'm sobbing 149 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 1: thinking about this story and he's like, I, oh, no, 150 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: it was what it is. And I was like, wasn't 151 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 1: that hard? Like traumatic? And you know what, I think, 152 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: it's so funny. You meet him and you would never 153 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 1: he would never ever play the victim card. He would 154 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 1: never ever dwell. 155 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 2: I was just about to say, it sounds like your 156 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 2: dad refuses to be a victim of circuit. 157 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean he you know, obviously, my both my 158 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 1: parents really love the Lord and their faith is really 159 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 1: important to them, and so he sees everything as you 160 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: know what it was the season and it all goes 161 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 1: into the story that made me and how God provided 162 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: for me. And yeah, I mean he's I mean, you 163 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,679 Speaker 1: can kind of see it. He's he's just a super 164 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 1: grateful man, you know, And I guess I can now 165 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: as an adult and hearing this story piece together a 166 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: little bit of why he is the way he is. 167 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 1: But you never know it. He would never he would 168 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: never brag about the hard times. It's always it's always 169 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,840 Speaker 1: I've only heard the funny stories of him and his 170 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 1: buddies growing up and him and his sister, and I've 171 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: only heard the good stuff. I mean, I've always had 172 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,959 Speaker 1: an idea of a tough life because he'd give some details, 173 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: but yeah, he would never sit in that. And so 174 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,680 Speaker 1: it's probably what makes him work so hard, because he's like, 175 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: I've got this life to live. God's provided for me. 176 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:41,199 Speaker 1: I've come this far, and I know maybe it's just 177 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 1: part of how he's made up. 178 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:50,319 Speaker 2: Christina was a creative kid, but she's also very practical 179 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,200 Speaker 2: and so she thought that fashion design could be a 180 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 2: great career. But it's something creative that you can get 181 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 2: an actual job in and you know, pay those pesky bills. 182 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 2: This is interesting, you said, Okay, Well I went to school, 183 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 2: got out of grand fashion, got the job in fashion, 184 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 2: making a living doing it. Nah, I'm gonna quit and 185 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 2: go volunteer for nine months, yes. 186 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,079 Speaker 1: And actually it started as six months. You know what's 187 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 1: so funny is I at that point I wasn't known 188 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: to be the spontaneous person I just I was. I'm 189 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,679 Speaker 1: very much my personality is very much planned but for 190 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:37,240 Speaker 1: some reason, and honestly, like my faith plays a huge 191 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 1: role in that. 192 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:37,959 Speaker 2: Right. 193 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: So I felt like I'm gonna do something. But if 194 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:43,040 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do something, I need to know what the 195 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: needs are in the world. And so I've got to 196 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 1: figure out how I'm gonna apply this fashion. And I 197 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 1: really felt like called from the Lord to go and serve, 198 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,200 Speaker 1: and so I sign up for this. I like, kind 199 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 1: of I'm googling places to serve and that's it, and 200 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: a lot of a lot of the places kind of 201 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: have this weird like come see this beautiful country while 202 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 1: you work in an orphanage. And I was like, that 203 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:10,960 Speaker 1: seems like like volunteer tourism or something. But I came back. 204 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 2: There is such a thing. No, there is such a 205 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 2: thing called philanthropic tourism. Oh yeah, exactly. What you say 206 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 2: is it's it's it's it's service light, it's where you 207 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 2: go somewhere for six months, and you serve a little 208 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 2: and build a dam or proof on a hut, but 209 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 2: you spend a lot of time seeing the country, yeah, hanging. 210 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 1: Out, which to me, it's like, I want to do 211 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 1: something that's actually going to impact them and not myself. 212 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:38,439 Speaker 2: So what you do? 213 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 1: So I found this website for this anti human trafficking 214 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 1: organization and they had. 215 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:45,959 Speaker 2: Ever been involved anything like that. 216 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:49,199 Speaker 1: So I had learned a decent amount over the last 217 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 1: maybe like three years before that point, a little bit 218 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: about human trafficking, and so then I kind of switched 219 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:01,319 Speaker 1: my search to that. But the problem is is it's 220 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:03,079 Speaker 1: very hard to find, or at least at that time, 221 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:04,719 Speaker 1: it was hard to find, because so much of it 222 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 1: is like protecting, you know, the victims that they're serving. 223 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 1: So I found this site, which at the time wasn't 224 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: very developed, but it was a nonprofit in Cambodia that 225 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 1: had what they called a reintegration home where they housed 226 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: girls ages six to sixteen who had either escaped the 227 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 1: sex industry were at risk of it. Six yeah, yeah. 228 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 2: And now a few messages from our generous sponsors. But 229 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 2: first I hope you'll consider becoming a premium member of 230 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 2: the Army at normal folks dot us. By becoming one 231 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 2: for ten dollars a month or one thousand dollars a year, 232 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 2: you can get access to cool benefits like bonus episodes, 233 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:54,839 Speaker 2: a yearly group call, and even a call with your 234 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 2: sturely me frankly guys. Premium memberships also help us to 235 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 2: grow this army that our country desperately needs right now. 236 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:05,840 Speaker 2: So I hope you'll think about it. We'll be right 237 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 2: back now. Let's return to Christina on serving survivors of 238 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 2: sex trafficking guys as young as six years old? Were 239 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 2: you mentally prepared for that? 240 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: You know? 241 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:38,719 Speaker 2: I don't know how you could ever be mentally yeah, I. 242 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 1: Mean how old is I? What like twenty three? I 243 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 1: think you know? Naive? I don't know now. I signed 244 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 1: up for a volunteer role, so they had like professional 245 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 1: counselors and mentors. I wasn't going and I wasn't allowed 246 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:56,080 Speaker 1: to ask them about their trauma or anything. So it 247 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 1: wasn't so much that I was in there and I'm 248 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:01,840 Speaker 1: hearing all this stuff and wasn't prepared for it. The 249 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 1: the emotion of part of my role was like going 250 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: in and teaching English and and teaching art and stuff, 251 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 1: but still impactful. You see a six year old like 252 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 1: full of life, like wandering around and you're like, my 253 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: brain can't even. 254 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 2: Get me neither. Alex reminds me of a podcast we 255 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 2: did not too long ago, Jessica Lamb's Stories Unbelievable. 256 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 1: I didn't finish it yet, but I paused it in 257 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: the depth of really tough stuff and I was like, Okay, 258 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 1: I'll have. 259 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 2: To her story. Haven't done this work? 260 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it's it's hard to identify when I'm 261 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 1: not I'm not a victim of it, but I I 262 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: could hear her story. I could hear her story right, right, 263 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: And it's. 264 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 2: Why in the world did you choose this? Because that's heavy? 265 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, I think I had already heard so 266 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: much about it, and I it became a passion of 267 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: mine to learn more and figure out how to help, 268 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 1: because it's such a giant problem that you're like, what 269 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 1: do you do about it? And so I kind of 270 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 1: went over there just to be your average volunteer. But 271 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: then when I got there, they were like, you know, fashion, 272 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: and they had this little micro enterprise where they would 273 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 1: like employ the girl's parents to make things that they 274 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,520 Speaker 1: would sell. And part of that is because most of 275 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 1: the world, the reason you know, a kid falls victim 276 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 1: to that is because the parents are poor, right, poverty 277 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: except for in the US. Actually in the US's broken families, 278 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 1: I think. But anyway, so I went over and kind 279 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 1: of got thrown into designing this whole new line that 280 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: would kind of impact them. And long story short, I 281 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: got to six months and I was like, well, I've 282 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: got to implement this before I leave. So I ended 283 00:15:57,080 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 1: up extending it three months. And anyway, it was that 284 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 1: I think that trip was kind of the the shift 285 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 1: in kind of shifting me to kind of eventually leave fashion. 286 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 2: How did you did you save up money? I mean, nobody, 287 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 2: how do you survive? 288 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 1: So I ended up yeah, I know, I know, I know. 289 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 1: So I ended up quitting my job early in fundraising, 290 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 1: so I saved up a little bit. I fundraised for 291 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: maybe like a month or two, and then made enough 292 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: to kind of sustain me for. 293 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 2: The okay, And so then after nine months of that 294 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 2: unbelievable work, you come home, but you need a job. 295 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: So you're back in the fashion back in the fashion industry. 296 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 1: But I'm kind of trying to process you know where. 297 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 1: Now I've I've seen all of this. I'm now like, okay, 298 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 1: I'm going back to Bergen County where we sit in 299 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 1: our little bubbles of consumerism, and and I'm like, okay, 300 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 1: I gotta I gotta start serving. And somewhere around that time, 301 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: my dad had started volunteering at Servants Heart Industry where 302 00:16:59,000 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: I work now. 303 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 2: Well, at that time, tell us what Service Art Ministry was. 304 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:12,399 Speaker 1: Yeah, So Servants Heart Ministry was then basically a ministry 305 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 1: where every Saturday a group of volunteers, skilled and unskilled, 306 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 1: but mostly the ministry started from skilled tradesmen who wanted 307 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:24,680 Speaker 1: to serve the community. So they would go and partner 308 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:28,480 Speaker 1: with these other nonprofits and ministries that are serving community 309 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 1: fix their buildings to enhance their work. So, for example, 310 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 1: a ministry like a New City Kids, which is an 311 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 1: after school program in Patterson that gets kids into college, 312 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:44,680 Speaker 1: teaches them music and helps them study their work. They 313 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:46,920 Speaker 1: want to take in more kids, but legally they need 314 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 1: more bathrooms, right, So Servants Heart says, oh, we'll build 315 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 1: your bathrooms, So come in, build their bathrooms, build their stage, 316 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,399 Speaker 1: and then it enhances their work in the community. So 317 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 1: that's kind of the model servant's heart is going and 318 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 1: doing community projects to kind of help out all these 319 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 1: nonprofits that are struggling for funding, are in these tough days. 320 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:10,159 Speaker 2: That's volunteering on Saturdays. 321 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, so he's working his full time job. He's going 322 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 1: on Saturdays. 323 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 2: And what's he doing on Saturdays? Is he a tradesman? 324 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean he's he's always been kind of handy, 325 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:22,120 Speaker 1: but he's he's going in and doing what he can, 326 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 1: and then the crew that are a little more skilled 327 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 1: are teaching him, and he's kind of growing in understanding 328 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: construction and he kind of over the course of his 329 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: life had learned things and pretty handy around the house. 330 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:36,880 Speaker 1: Still a lot for our house that we lived in, 331 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 1: and so and so. 332 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:39,919 Speaker 2: One day he said, why don't you come with me? 333 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, he came back. So they did a 334 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: mission strip to New Orleans. 335 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 2: And a mission strip to New Orleans to New Orleans. Interesting, 336 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:54,280 Speaker 2: you said, Costa Rica, then corrected to New Orleans. 337 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:57,359 Speaker 1: Well, I was gonna say Katrina because the Ministry had 338 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: been serving down there since Hurricane Katrina. I see, So 339 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 1: I got stumbled over my words. But he had just 340 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,359 Speaker 1: gotten back from that and they were working on they 341 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:08,480 Speaker 1: were working on a project. He tells me the story 342 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:11,719 Speaker 1: about this project where they took this this building that 343 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:15,359 Speaker 1: for like years was used as like brothel kind of 344 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:19,919 Speaker 1: center for drugs. This is this is New Orleans and 345 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 1: they ministry had bought it and they rehabilitated it and 346 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 1: basically it was going to be a home for women 347 00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:30,200 Speaker 1: and children. And he came back with that story. 348 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:32,640 Speaker 2: They turned it from a brothel into a place serving 349 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:37,959 Speaker 2: formerly women who were formerly in the life right. 350 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 1: Right, Absolutely, that's. 351 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 2: Kind of perfect. That turns that thing out here, doesn't it. 352 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:44,639 Speaker 1: It's it was really cool and it really impacted me 353 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: because I was like. 354 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 2: So your parents join or went on a quote mission 355 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:53,120 Speaker 2: and basically went down there and helped do the construction work, 356 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:56,400 Speaker 2: same type thing they were doing in Jersey. Yeah. 357 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: Absolutely, So the Ministry goes down my dad goes with 358 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 1: the whole crew of guys and women who were down there. 359 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 1: They helped fix up this building in a matter of 360 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 1: a week. And then he comes home tells me about 361 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:12,160 Speaker 1: the story, and I'm like, what a what an incredible, 362 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:16,159 Speaker 1: amazing like way to serve the community, Like what a 363 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:20,639 Speaker 1: redemptive story and how that models like life right? And 364 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:23,880 Speaker 1: so I was like, Oh, I started watching A Fix 365 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:25,400 Speaker 1: a Rubber And I was like, is. 366 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:26,160 Speaker 2: That a TV show? 367 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:30,919 Speaker 1: Fixed Rubbers a chip? And Joanna gains, Oh, I know 368 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:35,359 Speaker 1: what you're talking. Yeah, yeah, this has nothing to do 369 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 1: with that. I just was like, oh, no, I know. 370 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 2: But what I'm saying is is that the show? 371 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:41,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, they're in Waco, Wa. 372 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 2: Waco, Utah, Waco somewhere over there. Actually that dissimilar in 373 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:51,360 Speaker 2: terms of anyway. But you tell you tell Waco, and 374 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 2: what they do is they go in and buy houses 375 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 2: and fix them up and flip them. But you're not 376 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:59,439 Speaker 2: watching to flip houses and make money. You're watching to 377 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 2: see the war that they did. 378 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:02,680 Speaker 1: Yeah. So I'm like, oh, it'll be cool to learn 379 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: some things I want to. This story was really powerful. 380 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 1: And I'm trying to figure out a way to serve 381 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 1: the community and get into Patterson, which is basically a 382 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 1: few times over for me, and and I want to 383 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 1: spend some time with my dad. So I was like, 384 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:19,480 Speaker 1: this would be a really cool way. But I was like, 385 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 1: I don't know, Dad, I don't know. I don't have 386 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 1: any skills, right, I have no construction skills. And He's 387 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:27,360 Speaker 1: like no, no, no, people come all different skill levels 388 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 1: they teach you just come out. So so yeah, I 389 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 1: go on a Saturday and like that first Saturday, we're 390 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:40,119 Speaker 1: like hauling cases of tile up three floors. Oh how 391 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 1: I am? Man? My god, do the math. So this 392 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 1: is probably like seven years ago, so I'm probably twenty seven. 393 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:53,359 Speaker 2: Okay, So you're twenty seven and you show up on 394 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 2: a Saturday with a fashion degree, yes, but admittedly spent 395 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,879 Speaker 2: nine months in body, which is probably I mean, it's 396 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 2: definitely third world, so you're used to a little bit 397 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 2: of dirt and dust and stuff. What's the crew look 398 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 2: like that you show up with on this Saturday? 399 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, so all guys my first two years of serving 400 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:19,679 Speaker 1: are all middle aged men kind of. 401 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 2: All who are carpenters and plumbers just giving of their time, 402 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 2: just giving of their time, guys. But there's twenty seven 403 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:31,399 Speaker 2: year old girls running around now except for me, And 404 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:33,959 Speaker 2: so what are they doing? Looking at you? Going, what 405 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 2: do you do? You know what you're doing? 406 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,879 Speaker 1: Right? So that's kind of what I expected, right. I 407 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:40,639 Speaker 1: was like, I was thinking I was going to be 408 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:41,680 Speaker 1: like the go fetch? 409 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 2: Were you uncomfortable at first? 410 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:45,360 Speaker 1: At first? I was like, I'm not sure what I'm 411 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 1: going to walk into because I'm like, they're going to 412 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go get pails of water or something. 413 00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 2: And you know, like pails pails of water in two ten, 414 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:57,199 Speaker 2: This is not in eighteen four. What are you going 415 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 2: to water the mules? What are they paiales water something? 416 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 1: I don't know water, and I don't know what I'm doing. 417 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:07,919 Speaker 2: Fetch coffee or something. 418 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 1: I figure, you know what, whatever, my dad's gonna show 419 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 1: me what to do. I'm just gonna follow him all day. 420 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 1: So anyway, they I show up. The director John is 421 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:21,199 Speaker 1: there and introduces himself and he's like, We've got to 422 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:23,960 Speaker 1: haul up all these giant cases of tile up three 423 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:26,040 Speaker 1: flights of stairs and then I'll teach you how to tile, 424 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:30,159 Speaker 1: and so I was like, yeah, so much. Yeah, So 425 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 1: we haul it all up and then my very first 426 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,679 Speaker 1: day I learned how to tile the wall. And I 427 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:39,400 Speaker 1: think what was cool? Yeah in a bathroom. 428 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 3: So yeah, like to a boys bathroom. So that example 429 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 3: that I used that after school program, this is this. 430 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:54,639 Speaker 2: Is your first day you have and then you didn't 431 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:56,920 Speaker 2: know how to do anything. 432 00:23:57,800 --> 00:23:59,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, I didn't know how to do anything. 433 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 2: We'll be right back. 434 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:13,480 Speaker 1: All of the guys. What I quickly learned of the 435 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:16,359 Speaker 1: culture of the guys that were there were that it 436 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: was just it was they all want to teach you. 437 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: So right off the bat, they hand me a trout 438 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: and they say, you gotta put the mud on the 439 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:27,439 Speaker 1: wall like this, and they let me put mud on 440 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:30,920 Speaker 1: the wall and lay tile, and I thought, Wow, they're 441 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:35,439 Speaker 1: trusting me to like do this this work. And it 442 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:39,480 Speaker 1: was a really cool full first day because I came 443 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:42,280 Speaker 1: in expecting, Okay, I know nothing, I'm just gonna be 444 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:46,199 Speaker 1: kind of watching, maybe help my dad with something, and 445 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:51,080 Speaker 1: by don't fail with water because something I had no 446 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:56,640 Speaker 1: concept of what they need water, but fair. But by 447 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 1: the end of the day, I had like tiled an 448 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 1: entire wall with their help and guidance, and I just 449 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:07,800 Speaker 1: had this confidence of Wow, they entrusted me to do it. 450 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:10,920 Speaker 1: And then so I decided to keep coming back. 451 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:13,959 Speaker 2: And it was I guess that was especially gratifying. 452 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:18,400 Speaker 1: Oh man, look at what I said. Yeah, absolutely, and 453 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:21,400 Speaker 1: feeling capable of something like feeling first of all that 454 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 1: you trusted me to do it, you took time to 455 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:26,680 Speaker 1: teach me how to do it instead of worrying about 456 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 1: getting the job done fast. Because this is important for 457 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: the Ministry, and then I got to engage with the 458 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 1: director of the Ministry and kind of hear a bit 459 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:39,359 Speaker 1: more about the ministry and what they were doing. 460 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:42,800 Speaker 2: I gotta believe your dad was so proud. 461 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I imagine I imagine he was. 462 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:47,920 Speaker 2: And I think he was none of those other dudes 463 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:50,439 Speaker 2: had there out there. 464 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:52,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, I imagine he was. 465 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:54,879 Speaker 2: You know, maybe, I don't know. This is kind of 466 00:25:56,280 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 2: I don't know. I mean for an artist person. I mean, 467 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 2: you're also using your hands and create something that had 468 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 2: to I guess fill some bit of thing that you liked. 469 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: I guess absolutely. I quickly learned. What kept coming back 470 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: were quite a few things, but one of the elements 471 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 1: was I was like, how cool. There's something creative about this. 472 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 1: The construction by nature is creative. You're creating these structures 473 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:30,560 Speaker 1: of nothing. There's more systems to it right for it 474 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 1: to be functional. But there was this element of like, 475 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 1: I'm making something with my hands, and then not only 476 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:42,160 Speaker 1: is there a product at the end, but the purpose 477 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 1: behind that product and imagining all these kids that get 478 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 1: to come in and have this safe place in Patterson 479 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:50,679 Speaker 1: to learn and be mentored and grow and you know, 480 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:54,800 Speaker 1: have and change their lives and so it was it 481 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:58,600 Speaker 1: was real cool moment. And the other element was it 482 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:02,719 Speaker 1: was a group. There was an unexpected shift, right. I 483 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 1: came from working only in this world of women in 484 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:09,479 Speaker 1: fashion and being in this environment where I had a 485 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:13,960 Speaker 1: certain expectation of how I would be treated, and you know, 486 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:17,040 Speaker 1: they were just the coolest group of guys that just 487 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:20,639 Speaker 1: loved the Lord and loved people and wanted to serve 488 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:25,600 Speaker 1: and teach me right like quickly, very quickly, I learned 489 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:28,200 Speaker 1: every time I was on a site, you know, I'd 490 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 1: ask for some direction and instead of just giving me 491 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 1: the minimum for me to just do the job, they 492 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:37,520 Speaker 1: would you know, I still have this memory of one 493 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 1: of our board members willly teaching me and he he 494 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:44,680 Speaker 1: took time to explain the entire processes as if he's 495 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 1: entrusting me because he's expecting that I'm going to grow 496 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:50,440 Speaker 1: and learn and be able to do this on my own. 497 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 1: And there was there was something really confidence building and 498 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:59,399 Speaker 1: empowering about that. And I just observing all these guys 499 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:02,440 Speaker 1: that dedicated every single Saturday, on top of their full 500 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:06,240 Speaker 1: time jobs, to coming and serving and doing hard work. 501 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:08,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's one thing if these guys are sitting 502 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:11,439 Speaker 2: behind a desk five days a week and then volunteering, right, 503 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:15,680 Speaker 2: But these guys are working their backs off five days 504 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:18,440 Speaker 2: a week and then volunteering to do it again a six. 505 00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:21,199 Speaker 1: Day absolutely, And like I would say, about half of 506 00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 1: them are our trades guys. In the other half are 507 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:26,359 Speaker 1: the ones that don't get to do this work and 508 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:29,879 Speaker 1: serve on it. But they do it because it's you know, 509 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 1: well for all the reasons, but also they get to 510 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 1: work with their hands. They don't get to do it. 511 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 2: So you go back and back and back. 512 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:39,160 Speaker 1: I go back and back and back for about a 513 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:44,080 Speaker 1: year and a half. And then and then the director 514 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:46,040 Speaker 1: asked me, if I want to quit my job and 515 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:49,760 Speaker 1: work for a servience Heart, it's kind of a heart. 516 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 2: Was it a large organization at this point? 517 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 1: Very small, so it's own separate five ohoe C three Right, 518 00:28:56,840 --> 00:28:59,280 Speaker 1: it was an official organization. It started out of a 519 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 1: church and wake off. But at this point only the 520 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:08,480 Speaker 1: director is on staff, but not really because he's also 521 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 1: a pastor at that church. So really, Servant's Heart isn't 522 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 1: really paying anybody, right essentially, So I'm it's. 523 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:22,320 Speaker 2: A beautiful thing, but it's not. It's not a big thing. 524 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:25,480 Speaker 1: No, not a big thing. A lot of volunteers coming 525 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 1: out and committed and accomplishing a lot of things. But 526 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 1: at that point, I think right before I came on, 527 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 1: they hired one person, one of one of our staff 528 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 1: that's still with us today, and he's kind of a 529 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:44,160 Speaker 1: trades guy that kind of does electrical and stuff, and 530 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:46,480 Speaker 1: he came on staff. But after that I was only 531 00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:48,160 Speaker 1: the second staff member pretty much. 532 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 2: And so you know, when I was reading this, I 533 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 2: kind of thought to myself, you're kind of a nonprofit 534 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:55,120 Speaker 2: for nonprofits. 535 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:57,280 Speaker 1: Yes, yeah, I mean. 536 00:29:57,280 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 2: Because you don't. You're not out there sakh homes or 537 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:05,720 Speaker 2: places to fix up on your own. You're out there 538 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 2: helping other nonprofits who do this. You're helping them pull 539 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 2: it off right at very low cost because you're donating 540 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 2: all the skill, talent and labor. 541 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 1: Absolutely. 542 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:20,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's really cool. 543 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:24,000 Speaker 1: It is very cool, And I think that's one of 544 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 1: the things that drew me to love it was it 545 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:30,880 Speaker 1: was like, you know, I don't know how it is 546 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 1: everywhere else in the world, but by me, all these 547 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 1: nonprofits and churches, not all of them, but a lot 548 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:40,600 Speaker 1: of them kind of function. We're going to do it 549 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:42,720 Speaker 1: and we're going to do it on our own, and 550 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:45,160 Speaker 1: we're gonna this is our We're going to try to 551 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:45,719 Speaker 1: do everything. 552 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:46,760 Speaker 2: This is our mission. 553 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 1: This is and like I hadn't seen a lot of 554 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:55,680 Speaker 1: different entities working to their strengths to serve the community 555 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:59,600 Speaker 1: and partnering together. And it was very cool to see 556 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 1: not only the partnership between all these nonprofits, but then 557 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:06,280 Speaker 1: even the people serving were from all different churches coming 558 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:10,840 Speaker 1: together and doing a very specific thing. That was how 559 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 1: they were uniquely wired. 560 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:16,120 Speaker 2: Do you think it is that some of the nonprofits 561 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:20,600 Speaker 2: and or churches doing this work wanted to be so 562 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:26,080 Speaker 2: singular in focus? Is it ego, is it wanting to 563 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:30,440 Speaker 2: be able to to claim the project as on their 564 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 2: own or is it that's interesting that you say that, 565 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:43,880 Speaker 2: because often I hear, you know, there's there's this nonprofit 566 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:46,680 Speaker 2: working at this school, this nonprofit working at this school, 567 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,000 Speaker 2: this nonprofit work at this school, and this nonprofit work. 568 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 2: So for nonprofits serving for schools. But if those for 569 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:56,040 Speaker 2: nonprofits came together and pulled all their resources, those for 570 00:31:56,160 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 2: nonprofits could now maybe provide services to twelve schools. In 571 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:06,440 Speaker 2: other words, you can exponentially do more. But so many 572 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:11,440 Speaker 2: times we have all these resources, but none are communicating 573 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:14,719 Speaker 2: or reacting with each other. And are you finding that 574 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 2: yours bring some of that together? 575 00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 1: Yeah? Yeah, you know, I don't know what it is. 576 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:23,120 Speaker 1: If it's a cultural thing. I mean, we kind of 577 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 1: live in a very individualistic society kind of where community 578 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:33,080 Speaker 1: is kind of hard. But I think that's it. I 579 00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:37,720 Speaker 1: think the Servant's Heart embodies that partnership and it's really beautiful. 580 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:40,840 Speaker 1: And it's also like kind of a metaphor for us 581 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:45,160 Speaker 1: as individuals, like we don't have to do everything, but 582 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:47,120 Speaker 1: we need to know what we're good at and then 583 00:32:47,280 --> 00:32:51,560 Speaker 1: use that to serve. And what was cool was all 584 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 1: the people that all the guys that were drawn to 585 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:58,040 Speaker 1: this ministry. You probably see them on a Sunday morning 586 00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:00,920 Speaker 1: in the church and they'd be kind of quiet, reserve. 587 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:03,720 Speaker 1: They're not the ones standing on stage. They're not the 588 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:08,400 Speaker 1: ones in, you know, necessarily in like kids ministry, teaching 589 00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:11,880 Speaker 1: the kids. You know, you wouldn't you know. They kind 590 00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:13,760 Speaker 1: of seem like they'd come in and out. But then 591 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 1: you see them working as hard as they do on 592 00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 1: a Saturday and it's like they're in their element, Like 593 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:20,400 Speaker 1: this is what they were made, this is how they 594 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:23,640 Speaker 1: were made to serve. And I think that was such 595 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:27,160 Speaker 1: a cool part about it because I feel like they 596 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 1: were all these guys that are kind of doing the 597 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:34,120 Speaker 1: unseen work that doesn't always get the credit, and. 598 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:37,320 Speaker 2: It was it sounds kind of like your dad. 599 00:33:37,720 --> 00:33:43,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. My dad will do anything and never 600 00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:46,520 Speaker 1: receive any credit for it and doesn't need credit. 601 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:48,600 Speaker 2: Doesn't even care. 602 00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:51,560 Speaker 1: I mean it kind of shows that. I what I 603 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:54,560 Speaker 1: learned about him just recently, it's like he doesn't he 604 00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:56,840 Speaker 1: doesn't need you to see that he overcame a lot 605 00:33:56,880 --> 00:34:00,360 Speaker 1: because he doesn't think. He doesn't think it was in 606 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:02,480 Speaker 1: his own strength. It was a part of his life, 607 00:34:02,520 --> 00:34:04,120 Speaker 1: and he's doing what he can do. 608 00:34:04,280 --> 00:34:07,560 Speaker 2: And you're saying, these guys that do this work oftentimes 609 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:09,319 Speaker 2: are a collection of men much like that. 610 00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 1: Don't worry about absolutely no, I'm just here to help 611 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:14,439 Speaker 1: and absolutely just me on the back. 612 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:16,239 Speaker 2: I'm happy to do it. It makes me feel good 613 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:16,880 Speaker 2: and I'm moving. 614 00:34:16,719 --> 00:34:20,960 Speaker 1: On absolutely absolutely. And it's very very humbling, and it 615 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:23,840 Speaker 1: was a very cool environment to be adopted into. I 616 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:26,640 Speaker 1: felt like, I'm not one of you, but I just 617 00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:27,600 Speaker 1: want to be one of you. 618 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:35,800 Speaker 2: And that concludes part one of my conversation with Christina Mendez, 619 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:38,560 Speaker 2: and you will not want to miss Part two. It's 620 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:42,280 Speaker 2: now available as we dive deep into the awesome work 621 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:46,240 Speaker 2: of this Servant's Heart team. But if for some strange 622 00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:49,400 Speaker 2: reason you don't, make sure to join the Army of 623 00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:53,360 Speaker 2: Normal Folks at normalfolks dot us and sign up to 624 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:56,319 Speaker 2: become a member of the movement. By signing up, you'll 625 00:34:56,320 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 2: receive weekly email with short episode summaries in case you 626 00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:02,960 Speaker 2: have to miss an episode or you just prefer reading 627 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:07,680 Speaker 2: about our incredible guests. Together, guys, we can change this country, 628 00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:11,040 Speaker 2: but it starts with you. I'll see you in Part two.