Gospel Con Carne

Remember the dot-com heyday of the late 1990's? As co-founder of the software company Vignette, Ross Garber certainly does. Ironically, starting a successful high-tech start-up also happens to have been one of the most lonely and isolated moments in his life. Today, in midst of a decades long family genealogy project, Ross has acquired a growing sense of gratitude for his Jewish ancestors along with a desire to weave charitable acts, a giving heart and simple kindness into his everyday actions. As the topic of homelessness becomes an increasingly polarizing subject in Austin, Texas and other cities around the country, this powerful conversation with Ross Garber provides a timely reminder about priorities and the value of being connected. 

In many ways, Ellis Johnston is the epitome of one of our fundamental beliefs at Mobile Loaves & Fishes related to the largest cause of homelessness in our country. In almost all cases it starts with a profound loss of family or an otherwise significant breakdown in one's family unit. Ellis knows this all too well. An abusive childhood at the hands of his father led Ellis on a path toward drugs and alcohol at an early age. Following time in prison, he wound up homeless and paranoid while living on the streets of Austin. Today Ellis is an actively contributing neighbor of Community First! Village and thrives on the many friendships that are now a regular part of his life. 

She was never homeless, though Wendy Smith recalls how she easily could have ended up on the streets when she was ready to give up at one point in life. Following a rough childhood involving divorced parents, she found steady ground in her relationship with Christ. Following a failed date to a Huey Lewis concert more than 30 years ago, today Wendy and her husband Larry have found themselves as missional residents living in Community First! Village where they serve individuals coming out of chronic homelessness. It is an experience she never imagined encountering in life, and also one she's quite certain she would never change.

Raised as one of 11 children in a sharecropper's family in Mississippi, Dexter Batie encountered a literal life-changing storm when he was only seven years old. Several years after his mother passed away he dropped out of school, and as a teenager found himself on a path of crime and drugs. Dexter was in prison by the age of 17, and eventually wound up homeless on the streets of Austin for two decades. After living in Community First! Village for more than a year, he takes pride in defending his new neighborhood as a place that has him closer to the path he desires in life.

As a successful day trader with a solid work ethic, David Jamail distinctly remembers the point in his life when God offered him a welcomed alternative to his self-reliant worldview. For once, the Gospel made sense to him. The timing also couldn't have been more appropriate, as a self-inflicted marriage crisis soon followed that would test David to the core of his being. We love to talk about relationships on the Gospel Con Carne, and this deep discussion on the struggles faced by a husband and wife is a true testament to the power of unconditional love. 

The first real memory Robin Draper has of her parents is when they divorced when she was only 8-years-old. That breakdown in her family unit - the profound loss of family that we talk about so much at Mobile Loaves & Fishes - ultimately became the start of a long, tough road for Robin. She is an adventurer. She is a fighter. She is a mother. Today her own beautiful and spunky 8-year-old daughter is having a different kind of impact on the family all around her, and has given Robin new inspiration to become a better woman.  

As co-founder and general partner of Austin Ventures, Ken DeAngelis is a man who understands financial success. A disciplined investment strategist, his venture capital firm has raised more than $4 billion in capital over the past three decades. While Ken is regarded by many as a captain of industry and pillar in Austin's investment community, he is by no means a man without struggles. He also has reached a point in life in which he's okay talking about those struggles as he puts his newfound understanding of the importance of building authentic relationships into action.

When he was a child, Johnny Brown says he dreamed about being a police officer. He always wanted to help people. Part of that dream would eventually come true, but Johnny's time on the police force was cut short by a series of bad decisions that ultimately resulted in him ending up homeless. Johnny has spent a good number of years trying to find his way again in life, and has learned many lessons along the way. He also has been a believer his entire life, and for once says he feels free from the wounds of his past. 

John Vincent was the most enthusiastic neighbor ever to grace Community First! Village, known by all for his larger-than-life personality and entrepreneurial mindset. Sadly, John left this world too early. He passed away a few months ago after suffering a major heart attack, and we miss our brother deeply. We’re grateful to have been able to record this Gospel Con Carne episode with John prior to his passing and be able to share a glimpse of the amazingly rough though beautiful life he lived. John endured a childhood of abandonment and as an adult spent a good number of years in prison where, as he describes, it often seemed easier than living on the streets. In this final conversation we were blessed to have with John, he shares the ongoing struggles of addiction and how community was the difference maker in his life as he pursued a path of transformation. Your Community First! family misses you, John, and we love you dearly. 

Ever since seeing Elvis Presley in concert as a 7-year-old boy, Louis Messina knew he wanted to be in the music business. Today he is recognized as a powerhouse promoter in the music and entertainment industry—and has been for the past several decades—with current and past clients including Taylor Swift, George Strait, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and U2, among others. Taking a trip down memory lane evokes a range of emotions from Louis as he discusses family, relationships, business and a career focused on helping others' dreams come true. 

When Gary Floyd talks about his childhood, he has plenty of good memories to share. The one part that he wishes would have been different is the role alcohol played in his upbringing. Gary was introduced to alcohol at a very young age, and it led him down a path of recklessness that ultimately landed him in prison for nearly two decades. Today Gary is a well known, outgoing neighbor in Community First! Village - and though his days are not without struggle, he is grateful for the power of hope.

Texas Senator Kirk Watson joins the Gospel Con Carne podcast for a compelling conversation about the current issues facing our community. His journey to the state senate has led him to see the power of both collaboration and communication. Through his time spent in politics, Senator Watson also has been witness to a new level divisiveness and its unfortunate impact on society. He shares his deep belief that hope matters, and is what ultimately can bring about real change in our world. 

If you want to find Richard Devore around Community First Village, you need to look no further than our Genesis Gardens. Richard works diligently as part of the gardening operation in the Village, and even leads regular tours with volunteers to share about his newfound community. This is quite a change from the previous life he lived, during which Richard says he lacked drive and direction. Today, he's grateful for the little ways in which he feels appreciated on a daily basis.

At one point in life, Donna Berber described her existence as one of misery, sorrow and hardship. Once you hear her amazing story, you’ll understand why. After enduring a childhood filled with tremendous grief and loss, Donna shares how her experiences cultivated in her a heart of compassion for others who found themselves in a place of suffering. Today she leads A Glimmer of Hope, an extraordinary foundation she co-founded with her husband Philip, which is dedicated to inspiring hope and empowering community throughout Ethiopia. Today, Donna's halo and her impact on the lives of others has literally been felt around the world.

Our friend Will Langley is a person who acutely understands the deep impact of broken family relationships on one's life. He survived a past riddled with abuse and immense loss, and ultimately ended up on the streets living a life of panhandling and struggling to overcome addiction. Will shares his intense journey of brokenness, battling addictions and the friendships that helped lead him to the place he is today as a hard working and trusted neighbor. 

To the world it seemed like Joelle Maryn had it all. She was an accomplished model, ran a successful cosmetics company and lived a life of luxury while splitting time between New York and Los Angeles. Joelle contends that she indeed had a lot of 'stuff' - but hers was the stuff of emptiness. Her journey through emotional homelessness led her into the ministry, and she now works with youth and young adults to cultivate spiritual growth in their lives. Joelle's story of grace, redemption and reconciliation is a powerful reminder of what can happen in one's life when they simply stop and turn around.

For Kristin Paulson, fewer square feet at home has resulted in fewer burdens in life. It hasn't always been this way. A year ago she and her family traded in their comfortable American dream lifestyle for a 350-square-foot tiny home in Community First! Village where they serve as one of several missional families. While our friends who live in the Village all have different paths and experiences that led them here, the power of transformation is a common thread woven throughout their stories. Kristin's journey of discovering her true identity through Christ has left her with a greater sense of purpose, and an opportunity to help others who are in need of healing.

Charlie Click is a welcoming neighbor who most folks around Community First! Village recognize from his regular trips around the neighborhood on his motorcycle. After growing up in what he refers to as a hard core environment, Charlie battled with drugs, alcohol, prison time and a profound sense of loneliness for much of his life. Charlie's journey of survival led him home to Community First! Village, where he has found a new sense of safety and security. His is a powerful conversation touching on the pain of broken families and the deep desire to discover a place to belong.

Tim League is the founder and CEO of the Alamo Drafthouse, and has been a strong advocate of Community First! Village since its beginning. His unexpected exposure to issues involving homelessness came by way of his professional journey and his desire to create a unique - even transformative - moviegoing experience. Tim shares about his path in life marked by positive family relationships, crisis, failure and his focus on trying to lead with kindness in all that he does.

Emily Seals has been living in Community First! Village for two years, though many folks likely still remember her as the kind, white-haired panhandler who often flew a sign at the corner of Loop 360 and Bee Caves Road in Austin. She survived a past full of abuse and significant trauma, and ultimately ended up living on the streets for more than a decade. When a stranger rolled down his window one day and asked Emily her name, she unknowingly took her first steps into a restorative journey and the security of a new friendship.