An Army of Normal Folks - Christina Mendez: The Fashion Designer Who Wound Up In The Trades (Pt 1)

Episode Date: January 23, 2024

While working as a fashion designer, Christina found herself being the only girl volunteering with an army of tradesmen to renovate buildings for nonprofits—and she loved it! The amazing work of Servant’s Heart Ministry has turned out to be her true calling that she never could have expected. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premiumSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I hosted a program, a summer program called Girl Shop Talk, which was a woodshop and Bible study for teen girls. And it was just... Woodshop and Bible study for teen girls. There's something I haven't heard yet. Yeah. It was a weird combination, but it was just the coolest because I had all these 13 to 16 year old girls come in and I rallied up

some of my friends who are handy and it was really cool watching them go from being terrified of a chop saw to just like kind of hammering it. Welcome to an Army of Normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney. I'm a normal guy. I'm a husband. I'm a normal guy. I'm a husband. I'm a father. I'm an entrepreneur and I've been a football coach in inner-city Memphis and that last part it accidentally led to an Oscar for the film about our team. It's called undefeated. Guys, I believe our country's

problems will never be solved by a bunch of fancy people in nice suits using big words that nobody understands on CNN and Fox, but rather by an army of normal folks, us just you and me deciding, hey, I can help. That's what Christina Mendes, the voice we just heard, has done. After pursuing a career that was definitely not in the trades, has done. After pursuing a career that was definitely not in the trades, Christina found herself being the only girl volunteering with an army of tradesmen to renovate buildings for nonprofits. And she loved it. The amazing work of Servants Heart Ministry has turned out to be her true calling, and I cannot wait for you to meet Christina right after these brief messages

from our generous sponsors. Hey, this is Reed Isable and Dale Isable otherwise known as the Brothers Hunt We're hosting a new podcast Gods Country by Meteater and I Heart Podcasts God's Country is a weekly drive to the intersection of music and the outdoors two things that go together like Sunday and some pond fishing or cows and green pastures We're talking to the riders behind your favorite songs about the deer they've loved and they've lost So I shot an 11 point with a 23 inch inside spread like it was giant. Somebody stole it. And the story's behind their biggest hits. Boy they hooked that man. They really hooked that. That's that's right in 101. And hearing from today's biggest stars like our friend Michael Hard Rock Hardy. This record will be the one that it will always define

who I am or like just as an artist. So hop on in and ride shotgun with us as we take the back roads with some of the most influential people in country music today. Listen to God's country on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Hey there, I'm Maya Schunker and I'm a scientist who studies human behavior.

Many of us have experienced a moment in our lives that changes everything, a moment that instantly divides our life into a before and an after. On my podcast, A Slight Change of Plans, I talked to people about how they've navigated exactly these moments. Something died in me that day. It never came back. I also talked to experts on the science of change about how we can live happier, healthier lives. Because as we all know, the only constant is change. So let's make the most of it. Listen to a slight change of plans on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast,

or wherever you get your podcasts. It's Kate. And Oliver. Hudson! Host of the new podcast. Well, it's not new. It's not new. But we are at I Hard No. We're at I Hard No.

But it's called sibling revelry. Sibling revelry. That's right. We started this show because we just wanted to hang out together. We decided a couple of years back. You know what? Let's just, no one talks about siblings and that dynamic. The siblings, they know each other better than anybody.

Yes. You know, a lot of the time. And we get inspired by other siblings. I think other siblings make us want to be better siblings. 100%. A thousand percent. You know how many times shows that we have done? I'm like, yeah, I love it.

I wish we were like that. I'm like, not a great sister. I know, I'm like, I'm terrible. Anyway, I hope you love our show. We love doing it. Listen to sibling revelry on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Now we begin by hearing from Christina on growing up in North Jersey. Both parents worked all my life, but always made always made time to kind of be with family. And there was always always some type of margin no matter what the season is for for serving and volunteering.

And so, yeah, let's talk about that. So what did your mom and dad do service wise? Yeah, so every season was kind of different. I mean, I grew up in church, so they were kind of first, first at church, last at church, you know, anywhere from my mom kind of spending all of our years leading nursery, my dad teaching in Sunday school, and then any event like a coffee house or something, they were always kind of the first coffee house like Like back then they used to churches used to kind of host like kind of a coffee house vibe with like a speaker and

So people come on listen to a speaker drink coffee. Yeah. Yeah, like a kind of to do a speaker drink coffee. Yeah, yeah, like a kind of cool event to kind of bring people into the church. Kind of late back, no pressure, have coffee, listen to speaker. Yeah, yeah, so, you know, my parents both really modeled that nothing, you know, you're not too good for any kind of job. And so I joined him one night and he was kind of running the back end of serving coffee and stuff and helping and volunteering and I think They didn't need me there. So I kind of went off and another leader had instructed me and a friend that was that was with me

To go and clean the toilets the bath, you know in the church and so you know one would think okay, you know I was in middle school at the time, you know one one would think, oh man, she probably was like, grossed out by it, but I- I would have been. Yeah, right? But honestly, I think it's a testament to who my, how my parents instilled this in me, but I just thought, wow, I'm doing the grownup job.

I'm doing the important job that like, needs to keep this thing running. Like, like, you know, like, they thought to ask me to like go and serve in this way. So you embraced cleaning the toilets as an honor. I did. And it's so funny because I like, I remember that fondly and I went home and I told my mom, I was like, guess what I did. And my mom was so upset that they asked me to clean toilets. But I went home being like, look at the important job I did. And I think it's testament to my parents because nothing, no job.

I didn't know any better. Like I didn't know it was a lowly thing to do. I was like, I wanted to serve and I wanted to be like my dad and serve and I was given a job that you know, isn't given to everybody. So. Yeah, but you know what? Christ cleaned feet. So metaphorically, I think cleaning the toilets was about as Christ like thing as you could do. Amen.

And it's funny how it's stuck in my brain all these years. I mean, there's loads of things that I got to serve with my parents, but that's the one thing that stuck. And I gotta believe it's like God reminding me I'm never too good for any job. Like it needs to stick in my brain so I can remember, you know. Your dad's, what's his name?

Norm Mendes. Yeah. You hear that, Mr. and Mrs. Mendez? Your kid did it right. So your parents were working full-time, both of them. Raising two kids, doing the best they could to keep your words to keep you in the, I guess a good neighborhood is what it sounds like you're saying to me. But they always found time to search.

Yeah. It's interesting because now as an adult I realized there's a million things that pull for your time and there's it's I sometimes some kind of amazed I mean you hear about kids that are like traumatized from having working parents because they never had time for them and stuff give me a break I know it's so ridiculous but you mean live in life? Yeah, yeah, yeah. But they always just had this balance of like, they work hard, you know, I was the last to be picked up at soccer practice, but that's okay, because the weekends were dedicated to us. But, but yeah, it was always kind of modeled for me that no matter what the season is, there's some margin, there's some margin for, for serving people and people and sacrificing your time.

Where do you think that came from in them? You know, that's a good question. You know, I mean, they modeled it for you. Who modeled it for them or did it just come from their faith in their time in church or maybe even the way they came up? Yeah, probably there's an element of the way they came up that maybe they just were kind of instilled of like, they know, you know, my mom had a pretty, you know,

kind of normal childhood. My dad kind of came from rough beginnings. And so- What does that look like? So my dad's family, so his dad wasn't really around. They were pretty poor living in Greenwich Village, which was... I'm sorry, where? Greenwich Village, New York, Manhattan.

Yeah, so they moved, his parents moved from Puerto Rico straight to Greenwich Village. Yeah, but his dad was never really around. It was really just his mom. But that area, I don't know much about it at the time, but it was that they kind of were allowed to live there because I think the Catholic Church kind of helped them out. So anyway, grew up, yeah, really poor, tells me all kinds of stories, but you never really know it because he only talks about all the good stuff, you know? But it wasn't until like this year that he actually told me. So his, I thought his mother had passed when he was 18, because then from there

he went straight into the Marines. Um, but I found out this year that she actually passed when he was 16 and he was basically like living on the streets for two years. Your father? Yes. And I, and you own, how does he, he is 65. And he just told you this? And he just told me this, but you know what?

I think, you know, he's telling me this just a few months ago and I'm sobbing, thinking about this story and he's like, I don't know, it was what it is. And I was like, wasn't that hard? Like traumatic? And you know what? I think it's so funny, you meet him

and he would never, he would never ever play the victim card. He would never ever dwell. I was just about to say it sounds like your dad refuses to be a victim of circumstance. Yeah. I mean, he, you know, obviously my, both my parents really love the Lord and their faith is really important to them. And so he sees everything as, you know what? It was a season and it all goes into the story that made me and how God provided for me and yeah, I mean he's, I mean you can kind of see it, he's just a super grateful man, you know? And I guess I can now as an adult and hearing this story piece together a little bit of why he is the way he is, but

you'd never know it. He would never brag about the hard times. It's always, I've only heard the funny stories of him and his buddies growing up and him and his sister and I've only heard the good stuff. I mean, I've always had an idea of a tough life because he'd give some details, but always had an idea of a tough life because he'd give some details. But yeah, he would never sit in that. And so it's probably what makes him work so hard because he's like, I've got this life to live, God's provided for me. I've, I've come this far and I know, and maybe it's just part of how he's made up. Christina was a creative kid, but she's also very practical.

And so she thought that fashion design could be a great career. But it's something creative that you can get an actual job in and, you know, pay those pesky bills. Yeah, this is interesting. You said, OK, well, I went to school, got my degree in fashion, got the job in fashion, make it a living doing it. Nah, I'm going to quit and go volunteer for nine months. Yes.

And actually it started as six months. You know what's so funny is I, at that point, I wasn't known to be the spontaneous person. I just, I was, I'm very much, my personality is very much planned, but for some reason, and honestly, like my faith plays a huge role in that, right? So I felt like I'm going to do something, but if I'm going to do something, I need to know what the needs are in the world. And so I've got to figure out how I'm going to apply this fashion. And I really felt like called from the Lord to go and serve.

And so I sign up for this. I like kind of I'm googling places to serve. And that's it. And a lot of a lot of the places kind of have this weird like come see this beautiful country while you work in an orphanage. And I was like, that seems like like volunteer tourism or something. But I came across. Actually, there is such a thing. Oh, I know.

There is such a thing called philanthropic tourism. Oh, yeah? Exactly what you say. It's service-like. It's where you go somewhere for six months and you serve a little and build a dam or produce on a hut. But you spend a lot of time seeing the country and hanging out. Which to me, it's like, I want to do something that's actually going to impact them and not myself. So what'd you do?

So I found this website for this anti-human trafficking organization and they had- Have you ever been involved in anything like that? So I had learned a decent amount over the last, maybe like three years before that point, a little bit about human trafficking. And so then I kind of switched my search to that. But the problem is, it's very hard to find, or at least at that time it was hard to find

because so much of it is like protecting, you know, the victims that they're serving. So I found this site, which at the time wasn't very developed, but it was a non-profit in Cambodia that had what they called a reintegration home where they housed girls ages six to 16 who had either escaped the sex industry, were at risk of it. Six. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

And now a few messages from our generous sponsors. But first, I hope you'll consider becoming a premium member of the Army at normal folks dot us by becoming one for $10 a month or $1,000 year, you can get access to cool benefits like bonus episodes, a yearly group call, and even a call with your Stirlie, me. Frankly guys, Premium Memberships also help us to grow this army that our country desperately needs right now, so I hope you'll think about it. We'll be right back. section of music and the outdoors. Two things that go together like Sunday and some pond fishing. Or cows and green pastures. We're talking to the writers behind your favorite songs about the deer they've loved and they've lost. So I

shot an 11-point with a 23 inch inside spread like it was a giant. And somebody stole it. And the stories behind their biggest hits. Well they hooked that man. They really hooked that. That's right in 101. And hearing from today's biggest stars, like our friend Michael Hard Rock Hardy. This record will be the one that will always define who I am, or just as an artist. So hop on in and ride shotgun with us. We take the back roads with some of the most influential people in country music today.

Listen to God's Country on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey there, I'm Maya Schunker, and I'm a scientist who studies human behavior. Many of us have experienced a moment in our lives that changes everything. A moment that instantly divides our life into a before and an after. On my podcast, A Slight Change of Plans, I talked to people about how they've navigated exactly these moments. Something died in me that day. It never came back. I'm so grateful that something new did

emerge. A new me emerged. A new me was born. I also talked to experts on the science of change about how we can live happier, healthier lives. These momentary experiences of awe, they tend to, through their challenges to your belief system, help us be more resilient. Because as we all know, the only constant is change. So let's make the most of it. Listen to a slight change of plans on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In the new Amy & TJ podcast, Amy Robach & TJ Holmes, a renowned broadcasting team, with decades of experience delivering headline news and captivating viewers nationwide, are

sharing their voices and perspectives in a way you've never heard before. They explore meaningful conversations about current events, pop culture, and everything in between. Nothing is off limits. This was a scandal that wasn't. And this was not what you've been sold. The Amy & TJ podcast is guaranteed to be informative, entertaining, and above all, authentic.

It marks the first time Roboc and Holmes speak publicly since their own names became a part of the headlines. This is the first time that we actually get to say what happened and where we are today. Listen to the Amy and TJ podcast on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Now, let's return to Christina on serving survivors of sex trafficking guys as young as six years old.

Were you mentally prepared for that? You know, I don't know how you could ever be mentally. Yeah, I mean, how old is I? What, like 23? I think, you know, naive. I don't know. Now, I signed up for a volunteer role, so they had like professional counselors and mentors.

We, I wasn't going in. I wasn't allowed to ask them about their trauma or anything. So it wasn't so much that I was in there and I'm hearing all this stuff and I wasn't prepared for it. The emotion of part of my role was like going in and teaching English and teaching art and stuff. But still impactful, you see a six year old like full of life, like wandering around and you're like, I my brain can't even compute them. Right. Right. Me neither. Right. Right. It Alex reminds me of a podcast we did not too long ago. She's actually listened to Deb Allen. Oh, I did start of listening to Jessica lamps Jessica lamp stories.

Unbelievable. I didn't finish it yet, but I paused it in the depth of really tough stuff. And I was like, OK, I'll have to identify with her story. Haven't done this work. Yeah, I mean, it's it's hard to identify when I'm not. I'm not a victim of it, but I I could hear her story. I can hear her story. I could hear her story, right, right.

And it's- Why in the world did you choose this? Because that's heavy. Yeah, you know, I think I had already heard so much about it and it became a passion of mine to learn more and figure out how to help. Cause it's such a giant problem that you're like, what do you do about it?

And so I kind of went over there just to be your average volunteer. But then when I got there, they were like, you know, fashion and they had this little micro enterprise where they would like employ the girl's parents to make things that they would sell. And part of that is because most of the world, the reason, you know, a

kid falls victim to that is because the parents are poor, right? Poverty. Except for in the US actually, in the US, broken families, I think. But, but anyway, so I went over and kind of got thrown into designing this whole new line that would kind of impact them. And long story short, I got to six months and I was like, well, I've got to implement this before I leave, so I ended up extending it three months. And anyway, it was, I think that trip was kind of the, the shift in kind of shifting me

to kind of eventually leave fashion. Did you save up money? I mean, nobody, how do you survive financially? Yeah, I know. You gotta have a roof over your head. I know, I know. So I ended up quitting my job early and fundraising. So I saved up a little bit. I fundraised for maybe like a month or two and then made enough to kind of sustain me for the for the next. Okay. And so then after nine months of that, unbelievable work, you come home, but you need a job, so you're back in the fashion industry.

I'm back in the fashion industry, but I'm kind of trying to process, you know, where, now I've seen all of this, I'm now like, okay, I'm going back to Bergen County where we sit in our little bubbles of consumerism, and I'm like, okay, I gotta start serving, and somewhere around that time, my dad had started volunteering at Servants Heart Ministry

where I work now. Well, at that time, tell us what Servants Heart Ministry was. Yeah, so Servants Heart Ministry was then, basically a ministry where every Saturday a group of volunteers skilled and unskilled but mostly the ministry started from skilled tradesmen who wanted to serve the community so they would go and partner with these other nonprofits and ministries that are serving in community fix their

buildings to enhance their work so for, a ministry like a new city kids, which is an afterschool program in Patterson that gets kids into college, teaches them music and, and helps them study their work, they want to take in more kids, but legally they need more bathrooms, right? So servants heart says, Oh, we'll build your bathrooms. So come in, build their bathrooms, build their stage, and then it enhances their work in the community. So that's kind of the model. Servant's Heart is going and doing community projects to kind of help out all these nonprofits that are struggling for funding or in these tough buildings.

You tell your dad's, volunteering on Saturdays. Yeah. So he's working his full-time job. He's going on Saturdays. And what's he doing on Saturdays? Is he a tradesman? Yeah, I mean, he's always been kind of handy, but he's going in and doing what he can. And then the crew that are a little more skilled are teaching him, and he's kind of growing in understanding construction.

And he kind of, over the course of his life had learned things and pretty handy around the house, did a lot for our house that we lived in. And so, he's gone. And so, one day he said, why don't you come with me? Yeah, you know, he came back, so they did a missions trip to New Orleans. And a missions trip to New Orleans. To New Orleans. Interesting you said Costa Rica then corrected to New Orleans.

Well I was going to say Katrina because- Of Katrina. The ministry had been serving down there since Hurricane Katrina. I see. So I had stumbled over my words. But he had just gotten back from that and they were working on a project. He tells me the story about this project where they took this building that for like years was used as like brothel kind of center for drugs.

This is in New Orleans. This is in New Orleans. And they, ministry had bought it and they rehabilitated it and basically it was going to be a home for women and children. And he came back with that story and it was like- So they turned it from a brothel into a place serving... Yeah. ...formerly women who were formerly in the life.

Right, right. Absolutely. That's kind of perfect. That turns that thing on its ear, doesn't it? Yeah. It was really cool and it really impacted me because I was like, wow, what a... So your parents joined or went on a quote mission and basically went down there and helped do the construction work.

Same type thing they were doing in Jersey. Yeah, absolutely. So the ministry goes down, my dad goes with the whole crew of guys and women who were down there. They help fix up this building in a matter of a week. And then he comes home, tells me about the story and I'm like, what an incredible, amazing like way to serve the community. Like what a redemptive story and how that models like life.

Right. And so I was like, oh, I had started watching a fixer upper. And I was like, oh, is that a TV show? Fixer upper is a Chip and Joanna Gaines. Oh, I do know what you're talking about. But aren't they like in you? Yeah, this has nothing to do with that. I just was like, oh, I know.

But what I'm saying is, is that the show? Yeah, yeah, they're in Waco. Waco in Texas. Waco, Waco. Waco? Utah, Waco. Somewhere over there. Actually, that is similar in terms of anyway.

But Utah, Utah, Waco. And what they do is they go in and buy houses and fix them up and flip them. But you're not watching to flip houses and make money. You're watching to see the work that they do. Yeah, so I'm like, oh, it'd be cool to learn some things. I wanna, this story was really powerful and I'm trying to figure out a way to serve the community

and get into Patterson, which is basically a few towns over from me. And I wanna spend some time with my dad. So I was like, this would be a really cool way. But I was like, I don't know, dad, I don't know. I don't have any skills, right? I have no construction skills. And he's like, no, no, no, people come all different skill levels.

They teach you just come out. So, so yeah, I go on a Saturday. And like that first Saturday, we're like hauling cases of tile up three floors. Oh, hold on, hold on, howdy. I am, man, I gotta do the math. So this is probably like seven years ago. So I'm probably 27.

Okay. So you're 27 and you show up on a Saturday with a fashion degree, having worked in fashion. With a fashion degree, yes. But admittedly spent nine months in Cambodia, which is probably, dummy, it's definitely third world, so you're used to a little bit of dirt and dust and stuff. What's the crew look like that you show up with on this Saturday? Yeah. So all guys, my first two years of serving are all middle aged men kind of all who are carpenters and plumbers, just giving of their time, just giving of their

time, wonderful guys, but there's no 27 year old girls running around. No, absolutely not. Except for me. And so what are they doing? Looking at you going, what do you, do you know what you're doing? Right. So that's kind of what I expected, right? I was like, I was thinking I was going to be like the go fetish girl.

Were you uncomfortable at first? At first I was like, I'm not sure what I'm going to walk into because I'm like, they're going to, I'm going to go get pails of water or something and, you know, like, I don't know. Pails of water in 2010. This is not 1904. What are you going to water the mules? What are you doing? Pales of Water. I'm like for something. I don't know. Pales of Water and I don't know what I'm doing. You're going to fetch coffee or something. Right. Well, I figure, you know what, whatever my dad's going to show me what to do. I'm just gonna follow his all day.

So anyway, they, I show up the director, John is there and introduces himself and he's like, we've got to haul up all these giant cases of tile up three flights of stairs and then I'll teach you how to tile. And so I was like, yeah, so fun. That's back breaking work. Yeah. So we haul it all up and then my very first day, I learned how to tile the wall.

And I think what was cool. Like in a bathroom? Yeah. In a bathroom. So yeah. Tug or whatever. Like a two boys bathroom. So that example that I used that after school program.

This is needed a bathroom. And so your first day you high and then you didn't know how to... I didn't know how to do anything. But you have to cloak mud and all that. Yeah, I didn't know how to do anything. We'll be right back. Hey this is Reed Isbill. And Dale Isbill.

Otherwise known as the Brothers Hunt. We're hosting a new podcast, Gods Country by meat eater and our heart podcast God's Country is a weekly drive to the intersection of music and the outdoors two things that go together like Sunday and some pond fishing Or cows and green pastures. We're talking to the riders behind your favorite songs about the deer They've loved and they've lost so I shot an 11 point with a 23 inch inside spread like it was giant and somebody stole it. And the story's behind their biggest hits. Well they hooked that man. They really hooked that. That's right in 101. And hearing from today's biggest stars like our friend Michael Hard Rock Hardy. This record will

be the one that it will always define who I am or like just as an artist. So hop on in and ride shotgun with us. We take the back roads with some of the most influential people in country music today. Listen to God's country on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey there, I'm Maya Schunker and I'm a scientist who studies human behavior. Many of us have experienced a moment in our lives that changes everything. A moment that instantly divides our life into a before and an after. On my podcast, A Slight Change of Plans, I talked to people about how they've navigated exactly these moments.

Something died in me that day. It never came back. I'm so grateful that something new did emerge, a new me emerged, a new me was born. I also talked to experts on the science of change about how we can live happier, healthier lives. These momentary experiences of awe, they tend to, through their challenges to your belief system, help us be more resilient.

Because as we all know, the only constant is change. So let's make the most of it. Listen to a slight change of plans on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In the new Amy and TJ podcast, Amy Robach and TJ Holmes, a renowned broadcasting team with decades of experience delivering headline news and captivating viewers nationwide The AMI and TJ podcast is guaranteed to be informative, enter into the world of the podcast, and be a part of the podcasting team.

With decades of experience delivering headline news and captivating viewers nationwide, are sharing their voices and perspectives in a way you've never heard before. They explore meaningful conversations about current events, pop culture, and everything in between. Nothing is off limits. This was a scandal that wasn't.

Yeah. And this was not what you've been sold. The Amy and TJ podcast is guaranteed to be informative, entertaining, and above all, authentic. It marks the first time Roboc and Holmes speak publicly since their own names became a part of the headlines. This is the first time that we actually

get to say what happened and where we are today. Listen to the Amy and TJ podcast on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All of the guys, what I quickly learned of the culture of the guys that were there were that it was just, it was, they all want to teach you. So right off the bat, they hand me a trowel and they say, you got to put the mud on the

wall like this. And they let me put mud on the wall and lay tile and I thought, wow, they're trusting me to like do this, this work. And it was a really cool first day because I came in expecting, okay, I know nothing. I'm just gonna be kind of watching maybe help my dad with something. And by the-

To token pails. To token pails of water. Suddenly I had no concept of what they need water for. But fair. But by the end of the day, I had like tiled an entire wall with their help and guidance. And I just had this like confidence of,

wow, they entrusted me to do it. And then so I decided to keep coming back and- It was, I guess that was especially gratifying, wasn't it? Oh man. Look at what I learned today. Yeah, absolutely. And feeling capable of something. Like feeling, first of all, that you trusted me to do it. You took time to teach me how to do it

instead of worrying about getting the job done fast because this is important. It's for the ministry. And then I got to engage with the director of the ministry and kind of hear a bit more about the ministry and what they were doing. I gotta believe your dad was so proud. Yeah, I imagine he was.

And I think he was. I mean, none of those other dudes had there. Yeah, had there. 20-something-year-old daughter out there. Yeah, I imagine he was. You know, maybe, I don't know. This is kind of, I don't know. I mean, for an artist person, I mean, you also use your hands and create something that had to, I guess, fill some bit of thing that you liked. I guess. Absolutely. Absolutely. I quickly learned what kept coming back were quite a few things. But one of the elements was I was like, of like I'm making something with my hands and then not only is there a product

at the end, but the purpose behind that product and imagining all these kids that get to come in and have this safe place in Patterson to learn and be mentored and grow and, you know, have a- It changed their lives. And changed their lives. And so it was real cool moment. And the other element was, it was a group, there was an unexpected shift, right? I came from working only in this world

of women and fashion and being in this environment where I had a certain expectation of how I would be treated. And, you know, they were just the coolest group of guys that just loved the Lord and loved people and wanted to serve and teach me. Like quickly, very quickly I learned, every time I was on a site, I'd ask for some direction. And instead of just giving me the minimum for me to just do the job, I still, you know, I still have this memory

of one of our board members, Willie, teaching me. And he took time to explain the entire process, as if he's entrusting me, because he's expecting that I'm going to grow and learn and be able to do this on my own. And there was something really confidence building and empowering about that. And I just observing all these guys

that dedicated every single Saturday on top of their full-time jobs to coming and serving and doing hard work. Yeah, and it's one thing if these guys are sitting on a desk five days a week and then volunteering. Right. But these guys are working their backs off five days a week and then volunteering

to do it again the sixth day. Absolutely. And like I would say about half of them are our trades. Guys in the other half are the ones that don't get to do this work and serve on the Saturday. But they do it because it's, you know, well for all the reasons, but also they get to work with their hands for shit they don't get to do it.

So you go back and back and back. I go back and back and back for about a year and a half. And then the director asks me if I want to quit my job and work for Servants Heart. It's kind of a... Did Servants Heart have... Was it a large organization at this point? Very small.

So it's own separate 501C3, right? It was official organization. It started out of a church in Wyckoff. But at this point, only the director is on staff, but not really because he's also a pastor at that church. So really, Sermon's Heart isn't really paying anybody, essentially. So I'm... It's a beautiful thing, but it's not a big thing.

No, not a big thing. A lot of volunteers coming out and committed and accomplishing a lot of things, but at that point, I think right before I came on, they hired one person, one of our staff that's still with us today. And he's kind of a trades guy that kind of does electrical and stuff and he came on staff. But after that, I was only the second staff member pretty much. And so, you know, when I was reading

this, I kind of thought to myself, you're kind of a nonprofit for nonprofits. Yes. Yeah. Exactly. Because you don't, you're not out there seeking homes or places to fix up on your own. You're out there helping other nonprofits who do this. Right. You're helping them pull it off. Right. At very low cost because you're donating all the skill, talent, and labor. Absolutely. Yeah. That's really cool.

It is very cool. And I think that's one of the things that drew me to love it was it was like, you know, I don't know how it is everywhere else in the world, but by me, all these nonprofits and churches, not all of them, but a lot of them kind of function, we're going to do it and we're going to do it on our own. And we're going to, this is our, we're going to try to do everything. This is our mission. And like, I hadn't seen a lot of different entities working to their strengths to serve the community and partnering together. And it was very cool to see not only the partnership between all these nonprofits,

but then even the people serving were from all different churches coming together and doing a very specific thing that was how they were uniquely wired. Why do you think it is that some of the nonprofits and or churches doing this work wanted to be so singular and focused? Is it is it ego? Is it wanting to be able to claim the project as on their own or is it that's interesting that you say that because often I hear, you know, there's there's this nonprofit working at this school, this nonprofit working at this school, this

nonprofit working at this school, this nonprofit. So for nonprofits serving four schools. But if those four nonprofits came together and pulled all their resources, those four nonprofits could now maybe provide services to 12 schools. In other words, you can exponentially do more. But so many times we have all these resources, but none are communicating or reacting with each other. And are you finding that yours brings some of that together? Yeah, yeah. You know, I don't know what it is if it's a cultural thing.

I mean, we kind of live in a very individualistic society kind of where community is kind of hard. But I think that's, I think the Servants Heart embodies that partnership. And it's really beautiful. And it's also kind of a metaphor for us as individuals. Like, we don't have to do everything, but we need to know what we're good at and then use that to serve. And what was cool was all the people,

all the guys that were drawn to this ministry, you probably see them on a Sunday morning in the church. And they'd be kind of quiet, reserved. They're not the ones standing on stage. They're not the ones necessarily in kids' ministry teaching the kids. They kind of seem like they'd come in and out, but then you see them working as hard as they do on a Saturday. And it's like they're in their element. This is how they were made to serve. I think that was such a cool part about it because I feel like there were all these guys

that are kind of doing the unseen work that doesn't always get the credit. That's interesting. Sounds kind of like your dad. Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. My dad will do anything and never receive any credit for it and doesn't need credit. Doesn't even care.

Doesn't even care. He really doesn't, does he? I mean, it kind of shows that I had what I learned about him just recently. It's like, he doesn't need you to see that he overcame a lot because he doesn't think he doesn't think it was in his own strength. It was a part of his life and he's doing what he can do. And and you're saying these guys that did this work oftentimes are a collection of men much like that. Don't worry about it. Absolutely. No, I'm just here to help.

And absolutely. They don't have me on the back. I'm happy to do it and makes me feel good. And I'm moving on. Absolutely. Absolutely's very very humbling and it was a very cool environment to be adopted into I felt like I'm not one of you but I just want to be one of you and that concludes part one of my conversation with Christina Mendes and you will not want to miss part two. It's now available as we dive deep into the awesome work of this Servants Heart team. But if for some strange reason you don't, make sure to join the Army of Normal Folks

at normalfolks.us and sign up to become a member of the movement. By signing up you'll receive weekly email with short episode summaries in case you happen to miss an episode or you just prefer reading about our incredible guests. Together guys we can change this country but it starts with you. I'll see you in part two. Hey this is Reed Isable and Dave Isable, otherwise known as the Brothers Hunt. We're hosting a new podcast, Gods Country, by Meteater and Ironheart Podcast. Gods Country is a weekly drive to the intersection of music and the outdoors. Two things that go together like Sunday and some pond fishing are cows and green pastures.

This record will be the one that it will always define who I am. So hop on in and ride shotgun with us. We take the back roads with some of the most influential people in country music today. Listen to God's country on the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Jacob Goldstein. I used to host Planet Money. Now I'm starting a new show. It's called What's Your Problem?

Every week on What's Your Problem, entrepreneurs and engineers describe the future they're going to build once they solve a few problems. I'm talking to people trying to figure out how to do things that no one on the planet knows how to do, from creating a drone delivery business to building a car that can truly drive itself. Listen to What's Your Problem on the iHeart radio app or wherever you get your podcast. It's Kate and Oliver Hudson. Host of the new podcast, Sibling Revelry. That's right. We started this show because, you know what, no one talks about siblings and that dynamic.

The siblings, they know each other better than anybody Yes, you know listen to sibling revelry on the iHeart radio app Apple podcast or wherever you listen to podcasts