Citizen ATX
Citizen ATX
Changed | David Gillian
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As we continue in our changed series, welcome the Director of Development from the Texas Baptist Children's Home; David Gillian! David shares with us how he experienced God's hand in his early life in the midst of abuse and how God used Texas Baptist Children's Home to transform David's life.
Well, welcome to System ATX Podcast. This is Jonathan Spencer, and we are here continuing in our series of changed lives, and we're talking about life encounters with Jesus Christ, bringing in different guests here into the room with us. But as always, I have with me my co-host Matt Gillam. How are you, Doctor?
SPEAKER_04Hello, Jonathan. Uh it is crazy ridiculous hot. So my least favorite time of year.
SPEAKER_00Well, I think the break is about to get worse, buddy. It's not even summer time. I know it.
SPEAKER_04I wish when we were talking about change, we'd be talking about it changing to being cold already. Oh no.
SPEAKER_00No, that change ain't coming. Uh Jesus can do all things. Who knows? But I don't I don't see it happening here in Austin, Texas. It would be a miracle. But also with us, we have another special guest for those of you who are new to the series. Every week we are bringing someone in over the course of the series just to hear their story of how Christ has encountered them in their own personal lives. So we have with us David Gillian. David, how are you, sir? I am good. Thank you guys for having me. I appreciate it. Absolutely. No, David, thank you for joining us. And uh for our listeners, I had an opportunity to get to know David just a few weeks ago. We got to have a good visit in my office here, and he works for the Texas Baptist Children's Home, and we got to talk ministry in life, and I got to hear his story, and I asked him if he would mind sharing it with a bunch of strangers over a podcast because I thought it was just such a compelling story. But uh, David, let's just start, just familiarize yourself with the people, just let them know a little bit about you, just tell us about your family, where you're from, kind of the basic bullet points of your background. Well, I'm one of the few true Austinites I know.
SPEAKER_01It seems like everybody else seems to be coming in from somewhere else. Except for Jonathan, he's as true as well.
SPEAKER_00I am, and then I abandoned ship and I came back. But it's true enough to make it back quickly.
SPEAKER_01No, I was actually raised in South Austin and then moved to Round Rock in, I guess, 1987. Great. Um have a wife and three kids, and um two of uh two of my kids are well my daughter's about to graduate, which is heartbreaking to me. My son, my son already graduated, but it's my my my little my my mid-princess and my little princess is coming up.
SPEAKER_04Well, and and uh what what's your role there at Texas Baptist Children's?
SPEAKER_01I'm the director of development. Okay. It's awesome. Fundraising. Yeah. Fundraising is yeah, that that's kind of the pr the the point. But it's interesting, right? It's really it's really it. It's trying to get people involved, no matter how. Yeah, fun fundraising is the job title kind of, but uh it's really getting people involved.
SPEAKER_00Well, and I want people to hear about what y'all do over there. And just so y'all know, those of you that are listening, our church, we have been partners with the Texas Baptist Children's Home for many years. I'm actually uh most likely about to join the board here coming in January, so also I'm looking forward to serving with David and that organization for the next several years. But David, for those that know nothing about the Texas Baptist Children's Home, kind of give them the overarching vision of what y'all do over in Round Rock, Texas.
SPEAKER_01Well, today the program is really focused on single moms and and their children, bringing them onto the campus. Um we have uh we I forget how many cottages we have. It's changed over the years, but we have cottages uh up to 5,000 square foot cottages that can, you know, um we have three separate steps to the programs that we have. Um so it's the this the family care program has on the you you come into the family prayer, I'm sorry, you come into the family care program, um, you start out in the back side of the campus, which is their first steps program, and that's multiple families living together at one time. And the whole idea is to continue to move towards independence as you're the longer that you're there, the closer you get to independence. And so you should come in, show that you're willing to work the program, which is not always the easiest thing. I mean, there's rules, and yeah, if you're an adult, going back to rules is not always the funnest thing. But uh going in, saving 30% of your income, which is what you would save if you were or you would be spending if you were living out on your own. Right. So um coming in, saving your income. Once you show that you're willing to work the program and go to the classes, parenting classes, counseling, all of those things, and then you move to the front side of the campus, which is two families, and you know, you spend some time there, and then as you move on, you move into the the independent living program. So that's part of the program. Other part of the program is 18 to 24 year olds. Um, we were doing some research and we found out that there was about 500 kids in the Williamson County area that were either couch surfing, living in their car, living under bridges, trying to finish their high school diplomas. And, you know, those kids are fighting for themselves. And so, you know, we thought this is a good population to bring onto the campus and try to help them get through. And the success of that program has been incredible. It's only been going on for about a year and a half. Yeah. That program took off.
SPEAKER_00Well, and y'all cover such a wide range of ages and people, which I think is amazing. I think that's fantastic the amount of people uh that y'all impact and kind kind of talk about circumstances that that I mean you mentioned the the older, the young adults have kind of those kind of circumstances, but even talk about the kids and moms. I mean, as far as backgrounds, where where are people coming from? What are life circumstances that bring them there?
SPEAKER_01Well, it's pretty it's pretty diverse because you could have a mom who's been a stay-at-home mom for her, you know, for twenty years. And you then all of a sudden divorce happens or a circumstance happens, loss of a spouse, and then they have no job skills to take into the workforce, and then it's them and their kids and trying to get on their feet. And that's one circumstance. Of course, there's always a the the chance that there's abuse and or neglect in the family, and so bringing families on that that are going through those uh those things. Um and then just financial struggles. The the children's home, this particular program actually started uh back in 1978 because a mom who was a resident, so the program has changed over time, and we'll go into that in a minute. But um you know, back in 1978, a mom who had two kids came to the then executive director of the children's home and said, Hey, I don't want to put my kids here, but but I can't afford to to uh take care of them.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And so they allocated two cottages back then for the family care program, and that program took off, and that's who we are today.
SPEAKER_04And one question I would have is just kind of ballpark. How many clientele would you say are currently there at Texas Baptist Children's Home?
SPEAKER_01I would say there's over 35 moms and 80 kids, and then the 18 to 24 year olds, I think we're at 16 right now. For a relatively new program.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and and that's that many people who are who are struggling in in life and need needing that hand up, and it's uh definitely a huge a huge uh foothold, which is great. Great that y'all are doing that ministry up there.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And for those that don't know, I mean David kind of alluded to it, Texas Baptist Children's Home, they've been doing this for a long time. I mean, so even the amount of people, when you just roll that over year after year, I mean, the amount of people that that they've impacted and the lives they've seen transformed just through their care, through their care and ministry there, and through obviously the gospel of Jesus Christ, uh I think it's just been amazing. And and one reason I wanted to have David on here is because David, you're you're such a unique story in that uh you know, you serve a great vital ministry, but not many people get to serve in ministries that they were ministered to. Right. Um and so that for those that don't know, David, that that really is your story is that you actually were a r a recipient of this ministry as a kid. So if you don't mind, just kind of go back to the beginning, just kind of your first impression. Like how'd you how'd you get involved just as a kid at the Texas Baptist Children's Home?
SPEAKER_01Well, as a kid, you know, circumstances, all kinds of circumstances would get a kid to the children's home. Uh back in the between the 50s and I guess in in the last two years. It just changed in the last two years where we moved away from the campus program. Um, but all kinds of circumstances. For me, I had a lot of abuse in my family. Uh my dad was a an alcoholic and my grandmother was a pill addict. And um they would they would do crazy things. I don't know if you want me to share any of the crazy things. Whatever you want to share, David, everybody. It's up to you, whatever you're comfortable with. Just to give con context and color to it. So, and I think I shared this with you. Um, there would be times, and I don't even remember exactly what I was what I did, but I I remember being four years old, and I had done something, and my dad and my grandmother loaded me up in the car and took me to Capitol Hill Memorial Cemetery, and it was coming around right at dark, and they kicked me out of the car at the back of the cemetery, told me, don't, don't step on the grave, somebody's gonna get you, and they acted like they were gonna leave me there. And so, of course, I go running across the cemetery and and climb up on the back of the car, and the big joke was how funny it was that I held on so tight as a four-year-old. And I that's one thing, and then uh, you know, there was a there's the physical abuse too. I remember sitting there and um actually in a uh daycare and uh CPS was there talking to a mom, and I was a kid overhearing this, and I was looking at this kid that had a bruise. They should pulled up the kid's shirt, and he had a about a quarter size bruise on his back, and I'm thinking, my neck is black from my shoulders to my my my legs. And they're taking him out of his house house for that. And so, you know, I thought that I could go and and maybe get out that way, but uh my sister went and told my family, and so that they ended up keeping me out until I healed. Um, but that I think just there's the physical abuse, and then of course the continued mental stuff around that same age, you know, uh I was there was a joke played on me, didn't know it was a joke. And so nobody ever told me it was a joke, but uh I was laying in my bed and I was always scared of my closet. And so my closet was open, you know, about three or four inches. And so I'm laying in bed, and then somebody jumps out. That somebody has like a ski mask on in the mirrored aviator, sunglasses, military jacket, all this stuff, and wraps me up in my blankets and then runs across the hall. And I see him run across the hall to the closet. And so I jump out of my bed, run to the living room, like, hey, somebody's in my closet, you know, and no, go back to bed. Nobody's in your closet. Well, while I was in there, he had ran and got back into my closet. Yeah, and so I get back in bed, he jumps out and does it again. Well, nobody tells me that that's a joke. And so when they didn't want to take me places, they would lock me in that closet.
SPEAKER_02Oh man.
SPEAKER_01And so in my mind, I'm thinking, and it was crazy how a kid's mind works because you think, man, if I could just see out, if I could just see a little light, I'll be safe. You know, even though in the back of my mind I'm thinking this thing opens up and there's some guy in here with me that's gonna get me.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um, so anyway, by the time I hit 12 years old, you know, I s I was really acting out. And in my mentality kind of was, what are you gonna do to me? Like if you're an authority figure, what are you gonna do to me that's worse than what I've been through? Yeah. And so I was challenging authority, and and you know, my mom, in her wisdom, you know, my mom worked 24 hours a day, five days a week, so she wasn't there a lot, but somebody had to work. Somebody had to work. And so um, she told me I was going to the children's home. Now she didn't know that my grandmother had always told me that she was going to put me up for adoption at the children's home. And so the day she tells me that you're going to the children's home, I'm like, oh great, you know. And so, but at that time I kind of thought, is it that big is it that bad a thing to happen to me that they would put me up for adoption? Yeah. At that time.
SPEAKER_00So you were 12 years old when you end up getting there when you when you first arrive at at the same place you're working at now, which is amazing. But tell me kind of your your those first days, whether it be the first day or just those first early days, when you were adapting into a whole new world over there, what what was it like stepping into that place?
SPEAKER_01Oh, it was it was horrifying. Well, the bit the toughest part about it, and that's why I love what we do now, was watching my mom drive off that campus because my mom was the person that really protected me, the only person in my life that ever took the time to protect me. And so watching her drive away was tough. But then, and I promptly got kicked out. I was kicked out within six months of being there. Um, and you know, and that was a grace moment too. God had always had his hand on me. You know, I could never, ever deny that, you know, even through the worst parts of my life, I could see that God had his hands on me. And at that point, God had given me wisdom. I got kicked out, uh, went home, and I failed the seventh grade. And so I called my c case manager up and said, Hey, if I don't do something, I'm not gonna finish school. So will you guys take me back? And so they showed me grace and took me back. And of course I came back with the heart saying, I need this place instead of this is a punishment, yeah, I need this place. And so my heart changed, and once my heart changed, I was there for another five years. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Well, and that's a that's heavy decision making for a middle school boy. Like uh I was a youth minister for quite a long time, and I mean having to having to work through those thought processes of I this is what I need in order to survive, not just you know, based off a preference, but survival. I mean, that's that's crazy. Like to have have to walk through that.
SPEAKER_01Well, and I had people, you know, at home I didn't really have a great example of being of a dad, right? And so when I went back to the children's home the second time, there was a set of house parents there that just chose to love me where I was at. You know, they I they didn't make me feel dumb for my mistakes, they didn't make me feel like I was a bad person because I messed up. They just chose to love me where I was at and and try to help me through, you know, and and that was the first real example of being a husband, a father, a believer that I had ever seen. And it was so genuine and so real. And and so, of course, you know, they ended up transitioning out of the children's home. And that was one of the tough parts about being the children at the children's home as a kid, was you know, there was a lot of turnover house parents. And so um watching them leave was really tough. Um then shortly after that I would go and move to the senior house. And when I went to the senior house, another set of house parents, great, like great, strong, spirit-filled Christian people. And really where I learned that the gifts of the Spirit are real and that there were nothing to be afraid of, and and that you could really trust God. Now, did I know him? I wouldn't realize that until a little later, but um I got to see people living it out. And so that was the biggest thing I thought.
SPEAKER_00Well, I'm sure that was the first step of healing. Obviously, it's just seeing it, seeing that there is a better life that's available through Christ and having it modeled, and then obviously through the program, uh, they're communicating God's truth to you as well through all these things. And so kind of talk through that, because you said that was the first part, and you know, it all kind of came together. Where were you? You said you there was a five-year chunk there. Kind of how far in did the wheels really start tur starting to turn and God was working in your heart calling you.
SPEAKER_01Well, in all honesty, it was seed planting.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01I mean, you don't know how any of this stuff is gonna pop up and how it's gonna manifest itself in somebody's life, right? Yep. And you know, I knew all the right things to say because I was around Christians all the time, and I knew all those things, and and I knew I was broken. There was nobody that had to convince me that I wasn't damaged. I mean, the the real struggle the children's home had when I first came there was teaching me that there was something wrong at home. Like the weird thing was watching people be nice to me. I mean, I was literally somebody that if you walked past me, I'd flinch because I thought you were that you were gonna hit me. Yeah. And it took a long time for me. It took them a long time to convince me that somebody being an alcoholic in the home was, you know, not something that was normal for everybody. Yeah. Um and I think that was one of the things that, you know, was really hard for me when I was a kid, was I thought everybody else was going through what I was going through. Yeah. I thought that was the norm. I mean, CPS was called on my family four times, never took me out of the home. Uh, my oldest sister, she really tried everything she could to protect me as a kid, and and she took me to the police station one time and and uh was talking to a detective, and the detective, you know, at the and this is back in the 70s, right? Or no, I guess early 80s. And so, of course, they wanted to protect my dad, and they started saying, Hey, you want to get your dad thrown in jail? Is that what you're looking to do? And and so I completely backed off and I was like, No, that's not what I want that to happen. I just don't want this to keep happening to me. Um, but you know, I go to the children's home, start developing those relationships and meet these house parents, and it was really confusing, if I'm 100% honest. It was so confusing. And um, and not for anything that they were trying to do. I mean, they were they were doing everything they could to help me. Um, but when we talked, the only thing that really changed me was my salvation.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01I mean, like I I I went to counseling and there were seeds definitely plant planted in counseling. Um, but then I mean, really, I got to understand there is a wonderful counselor. And yeah, and really the salvation I had.
SPEAKER_00Well, and talk through that. So when when did you give your life to Christ? Put it to that, those Christian terms. When tell us about your salvation experience, just kind of when and how, all that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, not to be not to be overly mystical. Yeah, I was walking, I I was uh I was working in an Exxon that's now a Starbucks at the end of 79 in Round Rock, and it was a graveyard shift, and in graveyard shifts you kind of run out of work to do. And so about four o'clock in the morning, now I'd always carried my Bible to work because my boss was Muslim, and I was like, I'm gonna show this guy what a Christian is. And so I didn't know what was in that Bible. I was just like, I'm gonna carry it. So anyway, but four o'clock in the morning hits. There's no other work to do at the moment, so sit down and actually start reading scripture. And you know, it was a three-night thing, it was crazy. So it was, I mean, it was I read scripture for three nights. The Lord really focused me in Matthew. Um, but the scriptures that hit me the hardest in the night that I was saved was I was reading the story about the woman with issues of blood. And uh the Lord kind of took me there and let me watch this walk that this woman went on to to receive her healing. And so I'm why I'm watching her fight her way through this crowd, and and you know, she gets to the front and touches his tuches Jesus' robe, and and Jesus said, Who, hey, who did it? She said, It's me. And Jesus said, Go and say no more, your faith has made you whole. And I was like, Okay, wait a minute. You've said that before. And so I start going back in scripture, and it was like a lot of times when there was a healing or forgiveness, it was go and say no more, your faith has made you whole. And it's like, okay, so God. If if I believe that you'll heal me, you'll heal me. Because I knew how damaged I was. And the only thing I can really say about that night was that the God of this universe saw me. And that was the thing that changed my life was knowing that He saw me. And then it was immediate that night God putting things on my heart that were directives that I had to do. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So well, and and so you then make a turn just in your life. So I know, you know, obviously you came through that ministry, you're working there now, but there were steps between where you're at now. I know we fill them in on that just where you started feeling God's tug to go back there and start serving and even give a little context, just kind of the capacity of ways you've served over the years over there.
SPEAKER_01Well, and and there's also the part about the what really changed me as an individual, too, which was the forgiveness. Yeah. First thing God put on my heart, the absolute first thing God put on my heart was you need to go forgive your family. The second was that I was gonna go back and serve at the children's home. So the hard part was my grandmother was now buried at the same cemetery that she dropped me off in when I was a kid in an unmarked grave. So I had to go find the grave and went through the office and found it, and you know, more symbolically, I guess, than anything else, got down and forgave her. But then I had to get in the car and go down to South Austin and forgive my dad. Yeah. And walked in the front door and and he was sitting on the couch and I said, Dad, you know what you did to my sisters. I know what you did to me. But I want you to know you're my dad. I absolutely love you and I absolutely forgive you. And I I didn't understand at that time what God was doing with me. I was just being obedient. Yeah. I didn't understand that the healing, he was there was actually healing going on in my life. I I was just being obedient. And then there was and it was like God was taking me from bondage to healing and bondage to freedom and and releasing chains. And I didn't even know that he was doing it. I was just being obedient.
SPEAKER_00Well, it's such a good illustration, even though I know people listening, not everybody's obviously going to carry the same story you did. You had it in some of the most difficult circumstances, but we all have that decision every day of essentially will we forgive or will we get bitter? And those are really the two different pathways you get to take. And uh to that point, I know it's we're called to forgive as Christ has forgiven us, but sometimes we wonder the whole why. And yes, we model Christ to others. But to your point, what you just said was so great because it's for our own good. I mean, it it unlocks those chains of bitterness so that you are free to then move forward from that hurt and become whatever God's making you to become in your future, which obviously He's done quite the work in your life now since that moment going forward.
SPEAKER_01Well, and you know that Jesus says, Take my yoke upon me, because my work is easy, my burden is light. And and I didn't get revelation of what that really meant and what the forgiveness part really meant until I was sharing my testimony in a little church. Um, and this was out in the middle of nowhere. And I share my tr share my testimony, and a mom and her four daughters come up with me come up to me and they're in tears. And they said, you know, the daughter said, Well, does but our dad have to have it together for us to forgive him? And I said, Well, no, Jesus didn't call you to have it together before he forgave you, so no. And uh and then the mom said, Then how do I forgive him? And it was almost like God taught me in that moment she asked that question what he was doing for me and what he had done for me in the beginning. I said, you know, forgiveness is really giving back somebody, giving something back to somebody that something that never belonged to you in the first place. Like you're giving them their junk back. Yeah. And uh give them his give him his stuff back. Let God deal with that, but don't go back and pick up the pieces of things that you think you should take with you. Yeah. If you forgive him, forgive him and walk away. Yeah. You know, and let God do the rest of the work. And then that's when, you know, I kind of got revelation of Jesus saying, take my yoke up on me, because my work is easy, my burden is light. Well, why? Because Jesus was operating in mercy, grace, and forgiveness at all times.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Right? Like, how free would we be as humans, as people that walk this earth, if even on the way over here I wasn't yelling at the people in front of me, like, get over, get over, you know, and I mean mercy, grace, and forgiveness. He walked in that freedom every day. And and it's not carrying other people's stuff. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04And I think one of the things that I'm hearing in your story, because I think you know, that some of those who are listening will say, well, that's just such an out outlier example or testimony. It's really not. I mean, it it the the reality of abuse in families is so much more widespread than we know. And the the problem of it is that so many, so many people carry that because they think I'm I'm the only or like in your as in your case, this is just something that would that we deal with. And then in some other cases, the guilt of what would happen if I did something about it. And I mean I think that that I hope that those listening will understand that that what we're talking about today, and I really appreciate David you pulling back the curtain on this, because pulling back the curtain of on the experience of a lot of people that a lot of people are experiencing. Um and so I mean, in that, I mean as someone who experienced that kind of abuse um and who who went into a Christian organization and was b beginning to receive help, one of the questions that I would have is what were things that people did as either volunteers there or as um as believers trying to minister to you? First off, what are things that they did that weren't helpful? And then what were things that really did impact you?
SPEAKER_01Well, you I I'll be honest, when I was a kid there, I took it all for granted. You know, um all I knew I I was just surviving. When you're in crisis, you you get tunnel vision and your world becomes about the size of a keyhole. And that's all you can see is life through that keyhole. And, you know, so at that time I didn't really get it. And then as God, you know, because as this goes on, I end up going back as a house parent. Yeah. And me and my wife served for 10 years as house parents at the children's home before I came back into this role. Um, but you know, I didn't understand how much of an impact people were making. And then God calls me back to this role out of nowhere. Well, I say out of nowhere. I'm praying. I I get up and I'm in the shower, getting ready for work, and I'd left the children's home to go finish my degree. And I wanted my kids to see me finish my degree because I didn't finish high school. I got my GED. Um, and when I met my wife, she just assumed I was going to college. And I was like, what? It was not even on my radar. It's like I was an awful student in high school. Like, why would you think I was going to college? She was going to UT at the time, you know, and so um, so she just, hey, would you get yourself signed up for school? What are you talking about? I'm not, well, you just need to go ahead and do that. I'm like, oh, okay, so fine. Go ahead and I do it, and then I get to ACC at the time, and it was easy. College was easy. And I was like, I thought this was gonna be the but I was on the dean's list and I had success. And and I guess it was all of the things that I was carrying when I was in high school. I mean, I got involved in a lot of stuff that I shouldn't have been involved in. Um, but you know, going through and finishing up my degree, um, I I took the 10 years off. And so when I come when God says it's time for me to go and finish my degree, well, now I'm going back after 10 years of not being in school and starting over, but again, I made the dean's list and you know, had those opportunities. So I finished up my social work degree because in my mind I was like, I'm just I'm just gonna get the easiest degree I can find. I mean, really, like it wasn't and it wasn't because social work is easy for everyone. It was just I was at MHMR when I was a little kid. I was at the children's home, I was always in counseling. So it was like you could write a dissertation already. Right, right. And I'd spent 10 years as a house parent. And like there was I had papers for everything. You just cough out papers the right and left. That was no problem at all. Yeah. And so anyway, I get done with the degree and I'm going out into business, kind of doing my own thing. And then I get to 2019, and I start wondering, is this all there is? You know, I I always need my purpose. I'm watching my wife, she's a teacher and a Spanish teacher, and she's just living her purpose, you know, and I'm like, God, I had a purpose when I was a house parent. You know, what's my purpose now? And really, is this all you have for me is to just make money for my family and which I'm good with. Lord, don't take the money away. But, you know, is that all you have for me? Well, two hours later, the president of the children's home, Debbie Ripstein, calls me and says, Will you come in and interview for this position? And it was like I I couldn't deny that okay, God had timed it all out to where I'd ask him that question, he'd give me a very clear answer on what I needed to do, and then I would go back and do it. You know, and so um coming back into this role, and you know, I this was not my background, fundraising wasn't my background, but my heart was I'm so grateful. I'm so grateful for the people that cared, that never saw me. There were so many people out there that never saw my face, never knew a moment of what I was going through, but took the time to be there for me. Um some of the biggest honors I've had as in this role have been going and saying thank you to people. Um the people, the family that donated the property to the children's home. Um having the opportunity to speak with them and and get that chance to say thank you and to to that family and and then to encourage people. Um you know, there was a person that I won't mention names, but she was going through a health issue and and um I said, you know, I said, Can I encourage you with something? And she said, sure. And so I said, okay. Uh I was out sharing my testimony, and that before I went to share my testimony, a pastor said, David, will you you know we don't we we have vacation Bible school starting up tonight and nobody signed up to help? And I said, Okay, so I share my testimony, and I get to the end of my testimony and I start sharing about this lady. And I said, there was this lady, she was really important to the children's home, but I had no idea who she was as far as status and how important she was to the children's home. Um, but that lady always gave me a hug, knew my name, and made me feel like I mattered when I didn't think I mattered to anybody. And I said, There's gonna be a kid that comes through the doors of this church tonight for vacation Bible school that may be that kid that nobody wants to spend their time with, nobody wants to give them that that attention. But that's the kid if you do it will probably never forget you if you do it.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And so I get a text two days later from the pastor and said, Every everybody from the congregation showed up to serve. And four kids were saved, and I got to tell that lady, I said, that was you. You're the one that did that for me when I was a kid, and you didn't have to. Um and then the um, you know, the Mr. Henno, he uh the ms Mr. Henna Jr. from Hannah Chevrolet. Uh he he ended up, I ended up getting a chance to go meet him. And while I was standing there talking to him, it just hits me the impact his family had on my life. And I kind of teared up and I was like, Mr. Henna, your mom and dad didn't see me in 1950. And they didn't know that every good thing in my life would come from seeds planted from their gift, you know, and so that's where God changed my view on giving, and and it wasn't just money, it's time. It's and and I think I shared this to you with you with you. Man, it's really important for people to understand that if God is putting something on your heart to do, it's really important to act on it because there's somebody out there, and it's not all about the Texas Baptist Children's Home, right? There's a million great organizations out there that are doing amazing things for their communities, right? But if God is putting something on your heart to do, be obedient. Because there's somebody like me that was sitting there as a four and five-year-old kid that had no idea how God would use all of those people in his life and pull him out of that situation.
SPEAKER_00Well, and and the verse came to my mind as you were as you were saying all this, it was it's in Galatians 6 9, but Paul tells us to not let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. And I think I think your story just illustrates that verse so well that so much good was put into your life during that time where there wasn't a harvest, frankly. You know, during those days where you were being ministered to and uh probably you were just kind of struggling trying to figure it out, and obviously, like you said, just re-orient and your whole world was being reconstructed in the way you view things. But the harvest is coming now, years later. And I love what you said earlier of going back and thanking the people, those that were working the field and those that were doing all those things, because ultimately their perseverance where maybe they weren't seeing a radical conversion moment while they're serving you as a child, now they can look at your life story and say, wow, you know, I'm glad I didn't grow weary and doing good because the harvest did come in due time. So I I think that's a great just word for all of us because there's all a whole lot of workers in the field that are gonna be listening to this that are doing a lot of good and a lot of organizations and churches and areas, and we don't always see the impact of it, but but heaven does, and and I think others are starting to see it right now as well through your life there. Um so uh we're gonna wrap up in just a couple moments, but I I wanted to really hit just a I guess a couple items real quick. Uh first one was I wanted to give you an opportunity to really to plug the ministry right now over at Texas Baptist Children's Some. As I said, we are already partners and advocates for it, but if people are listening to this and they're hearing the way that that ministry impacted your life, and they'd say, I want to help some way, what what would you say to them as ways they can jump in?
SPEAKER_01My encouragement is gonna be get involved. However, like uh and I think it's more it I I think the more people are there and involved and get to see hand face to face. I I I've listened to some of the moms that have come through and tell me this, and this is one thing, shame is what they felt when they first got there because they didn't feel like they felt shame for just putting their hand up. And I would say this number one for anybody, and anybody who's listening to this, if you're hurting and you need help, there is no shame in asking for help. Yeah, there is no shame in putting your hand up. The moms that we serve, the young men and women that we serve, they're not asking for handouts. These kids are coming in, these adults are coming in, these moms are fighting for themselves. Yeah. And if I could give a plug to the ministry, it's that. It's we're not serving a population that's not trying to serve themselves.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01You know, they're in that, they're in it and they're fighting for themselves. And so that's that's the biggest thing I can share. And then the other thing that I we haven't touched on is our hope program, and that's no cost counseling to the community. That's right. Yeah, right.
SPEAKER_00You mentioned that to me.
SPEAKER_01That's great. Yeah, and that's one thing that we that gets left out a lot, but that that that's such a great gift to the community.
SPEAKER_04Well, and I know one thing uh Jonathan was telling me the other day from one of y'all's conversations, and I mean this uh kind of is a uh a topic as well. Uh I know that once kids hit 18 and then they leave the home or uh or when a when a mother gets to the point that they are prepared to leave, I know that you were bringing up some of the needs that folks like that have of and that the that the children that TB TBCH is trying to help them with. And so I know that those are some initiatives that y'all are looking at. And so is there anything you can tell the listeners about initiatives that y'all are doing in that area?
SPEAKER_01Oh goodness. Well, I mean it it really it's it's trying to give people all the tools they need to walk out when they walk out. And you know, it's funny because something that I didn't think about even when I got there when I was coming back to the children's home was if somebody has a vehicle that is just sitting around that you need, there are people that need that vehicle. Yeah, and and you know, if you know you're not gonna get what you want for it, yeah, which you wish pretty, which you won't. But you won't. I don't know, they're gold right now. Um but but uh you know, then there's teenagers that we get on campus that there we don't have enough teenage clothing uh for for kids that that need it. Um I mean there's always gonna be the financial need. We're looking to, you know, hopefully double our our ability to support. So we we we have the capacity, I believe, for it's about 45 moms and uh nine or I think it's a hundred, no, ninety children, and then another twenty in the home base program. So it's about 145 people. So we want to get somewhere around 300. And so that's gonna be the goal is to get there. I believe we can. I believe we will. That's my that's what I want to see before I leave there.
SPEAKER_00Well, and if and as you hear this, if God puts that on your heart to partner with the Texas Baptist Children's Home, I encourage you to reach out to David, Gillian. Uh, you can also reach out to us at the church, and we'd be happy to be that person who make that bridge and make that connection to get you uh to David so that you can partner with him in ministry. David, any final word before we wrap up, I want to give you a last word, any word of encouragement. In particular, I know you with your story there's a heaviness there of just pain and and people dealing with that. I thought your word on forgiveness was just so so profound. But what would you say, I guess, to anyone out there that maybe they have their own pain points? It might be different, but they're carrying some form of pain right now that they're working through. Any any word of counsel, kind of parting word for those right now today?
SPEAKER_01I have to go back to put your hand up. You don't don't don't sit there and suffer silently. I mean, there's no point in that. There's there's so many people out there, especially if you're listening to this podcast, there is a ministry that's ministry for a purpose, right? Like they don't call it ministry for no reason. It's yeah, people are there to be there and walk by your side. And for the other folks, be ready. Be ready to love someone where they're at without judgment, without you know, persecution, any of that. Put all that stuff out of your head and just love someone where they're at. Yeah. Because maybe they made a bad decision. That doesn't make them dumb. Yeah. It doesn't make them less. Yeah. Uh the enemy has a great way of keeping us from ever getting help because he tries to tell us that we're not worth it. And don't let the enemy keep you from believing that you're worth it.
SPEAKER_00Well, I think that is a good word, David. We'll leave it at that. And if you want more information, you can go to TBCH.org. That is for the Texas Baptist Children's Home. That is their website. And once again, you can reach out to us at Austin Baptist Church, and we'd be happy to help make that connection to David and others there in their organization. But David, thank you for joining us today. Thank you for your vulnerability, sharing your story, and most importantly, talking about Christ and your story and how your life was changed through meeting him. And for those that are listening, that is our encouragement for you that if you need change in your life, it's available as well simply through encountering Christ. So thank you all for joining us. Be back with us next week. We'll have another guest. Have a great week, and we'll talk to you soon.