April 28, 2025 • 55 mins
Kerry Owen returns to share more transformative stories about divine promptings, miracles, and the power of seeing others as God sees them. Building on our previous conversation, she reveals how listening to spiritual guidance has led her to save lives and create lasting change.
• Kerry shares the story of being visited by the spirit of a teenager's deceased father who revealed his daughter's plan to take her life
• Understanding promptings: Kerry explains how spiritual guidance typically comes to her three times before she acts
• The miraculous story of two youth named Joshua and Jericho who were divinely selected for an overseas program
• Details about Kerry's experience wearing a Maori cloak (karawai) and feeling the arms of love from ancestors
• How witnessing a homeless man being mistreated led to a six-year project creating transitional housing for youth
• Stories of helping refugees and recognizing the privilege of having access to medical treatment
• Insights from Alison Merrill Hong's story about missionaries bringing light to a Taiwanese slum
• Information about Kerry's upcoming book "The Gift of Charity: Embraced by Karawai of Love" releasing in July
If you feel inspired by this episode, act on the good thoughts you have. Connect with Kerry and support her work at www.reachouttodayorg.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Today we have a very special guest who we adore,
carrie Owen, and if you listenedlast time, this is the second
edition.
We loved her story so much andher spirit and we I mean at the
end of the last podcast we werealready planning this podcast
and there's some stories that wedidn't quite get to, that we
(00:23):
wanted to get to and that Carriewanted to get to.
So here we are.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
It's been a very popular podcast episode.
Many people have reached outand said that it impacted them
and changed the way they thoughtabout, the way they're prompted
and taking action on thoughtsthat they have.
It was there's.
If you have not listened toepisode one of Carrie Owen, turn
(00:48):
this off.
Go back one episode to CarrieOwen part one.
Listen to that, because that isgoing to make this podcast even
more incredible to listen to.
Carrie is doing so many amazingthings.
She started internationally,came to America and she's just
making a footprint wherever shegoes.
So we're not going to recapeverything that Carrie's done.
(01:10):
Otherwise, half of today'spodcast would be recapping all
of the really cool things thatshe has done and the honors that
she's received.
However, so go back and listento episode one.
There's a few things that wedecided we needed to touch on a
little bit more.
The stories that she tells areincredible and there was just a
(01:31):
couple of those lessons, thetakeaways from last episode,
that really felt like we neededto flesh out some of these
surrounding stories, because Ithink I may be speaking for
myself here, but I learn andremember conversations and
lessons and things that I carryon through my life by stories,
(01:53):
because I remember those stories, I remember the people, I
remember the feelings that Ifeel when I hear the stories.
So Carrie is a masterfulstoryteller.
So today you're going to hearsome of Carrie's stories that
have built her faith, that havebuilt the type of person that
she is to take action and do thethings that God wants us to do
in our lives.
We're going to touch on thisthroughout the podcast, but
(02:15):
she's got a book out and a bookcoming out.
We're going to touch on both ofthose things so that you can
find Carrie in other placesbesides the Gentleman Project
podcast.
So we'll recap shortly here.
There was a story that you toldin episode one of a prominent
leader in New Zealand that hadasked you how do you know why
(02:35):
you're here?
What's your purpose in life?
Been able to share with himsome things that changed his
outlook from less of an academicstandpoint to understanding
more that God knows each andevery one of us.
And we said in the last episodewe've got to.
We've got to hear some of thesestories that you shared with
him so that we can maybe hearsome of those things and have
(02:58):
that same effect in our lives.
So would you mind Carrie nowtalking that we've I've
blubbered enough.
So would you mind?
Carrie now talking that I'veblubbered enough.
It's time for the morebeautiful voice in the room to
take over and tell us somestories.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
So would you start with that one?
Yeah, so this gentleman hadasked me to prove God was real,
and he kind of did it jokingly,with a wink.
I thought, like you said, Ithought I can't do it from a
scriptorial point of viewbecause I'm not very good at
remembering scriptures, but Ican share stories with him, and
so I shared three, and I'm goingto share one of those today.
(03:33):
One night my sleep wasdisturbed by somebody standing
next to the bed.
Initially I thought it was oneof the kids, but quickly
realized that that once again Iwas receiving a visit from a
soul who had passed on.
I closed my eyes and prayed forthe being to leave, but then a
calm feeling came over me.
This soul was the deceasedfather of a teenager I knew,
(03:55):
although I did not know her verywell.
He told me that his daughterwas planning to take her life.
He explained in details thereasons she had come to that
decision.
By the time he finished, I wasmoved to tears, realizing how
much this girl had been through.
The father asked me to tell hisdaughter about his visit,
including all the details thatno one else knew, and to hug her
(04:18):
and tell her he loved her.
I promised I would, and then hewas gone the next morning.
I became nervous.
I did not doubt the visit, butI did doubt my own ability to be
the messenger.
Later that day I invited thegirl to go into town with me.
On the drive there she seemedhappy.
She openly shared her hopes oftraveling the world, teaching
(04:39):
English in foreign lands andsinging on stage.
I was confused and decided notto say a word about her father's
visit.
On the way back to her house Ifelt as though someone gently
pushed me.
I knew at that moment that itwas her father, giving me the
nudge I needed.
I blurted out about herfather's visit and she stared at
(05:00):
me in disbelief.
When I pulled into the driveway,I recounted everything her
father had told me in detail.
She burst into tears and turnedaway from me, occasionally
turning back at me exclaiming noone knows any of those things.
After some time she reachedover and hugged me tightly,
crying.
(05:20):
She then sat back in a seat andlet out a huge sigh and said I
know that my dad visited youbecause no one knows any of
these things.
There is so much more to thisstory which I'm not at liberty
to disclose, but I'm happy toreport that the father's visit
was life-changing for hisdaughter.
She did go on to travel theworld and teach English in
(05:43):
foreign lands.
So that was one of the threestories that I shared with this
gentleman, and he becameemotional because he felt like
he couldn't.
He had a scientific mind and hecouldn't make sense of it, and
(06:11):
so I think it was really thatstory, that kind of softened him
and then he asked so what doyou think my life's calling is?
Speaker 1 (06:15):
what advice would you give to people as it relates to
listening to those promptingsand then acting on them?
You You've done a good job ofthat and, granted, I think God
gives you more because you'velistened over many years now.
But what advice would you giveothers to be in tune, to listen,
(06:37):
to act on promptings, becausethat's special.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
You know, I've thought, I've given it a lot of
thought.
You know how, do you know wherepromptings are prompting?
And I can only speak for myself, but they tend to come in
threes, I don't know why.
Um, so generally I'll have thisthought come to my mind and
pretty much 100% I'll dismiss it, and then I'll have this
(07:07):
thought again and then I'll tryand make sense of it and then
I'll have the thought again andit's almost like screaming out
to me.
And that's when I know, okay, Ican't ignore this, and so I'm
hoping one of these days I willjust react to the first
prompting.
I don't know why it has to takethree for me to act, but that's
(07:30):
how it rolls with me.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
And I learned something from someone one time
I respect a lot, and she saidsometimes it doesn't come again,
it doesn't come again.
And she's taught herself that ifthat feeling to do something
comes to mind, that that mightbe the only chance you have to
(07:55):
act on it, because it might besomething, like you just shared,
where someone's life depends onit.
And so she, she didn't want tomiss out on that opportunity to
act, and so she had taughtherself just, if you have that
feeling, you just act on it,almost without questioning it,
because if it's a good thing,the worst thing that could
(08:15):
happen is you do something goodfor someone else, so run it
through the filter of it.
Is this wise?
Is this wise?
Is this safe?
Right, uh, but if, if it meetsthe qualifications of service or
helping someone else, the worstthat could happen is you end up
helping someone else.
Um, the best thing that couldhappen is, um, you, you become a
(08:36):
tool to help them in their lifeand, uh, like you did with this
girl where no one knew excepther and God.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Well, we had another story that we wanted you to tell
, which was the two youth.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Okay, yes.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
That we talked about, yes, earlier.
Yes, can you tell us that story?
The two youth and thetabernacle choir?
I believe it is.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Yes story, the two youth and the tabernacle choir.
I believe it is yes.
So I feel like the last storythat I just shared, you know,
for me, really, um strengthenedmy belief that our loved ones,
once they pass on and they stayclose, um, but this next story,
really, for me, um reinforced,um my belief that god knows us,
(09:25):
and even by our names.
I found an opportunity for twoyouths to be sponsored to
participate in a four-day campin the united states.
When we advertised thisopportunity, many youths applied
, applied.
Two friends began interviewingthese candidates.
At the end of each day, thesepeople wondered how will we
(09:47):
decide on the final two?
Each one of them deserved to go.
Most of them had never left NewZealand.
One night, after four days ofinterviews, I had a dream.
I saw a young man with a longbraid and then heard the name
Jericho three times.
When I woke up, I phoned myfriend asking if we would be
(10:09):
interviewing anyone namedJericho that day and told her
about my dream.
My friend looked at a list ofnames and excitedly exclaimed
that there was someone namedJericho scheduled for an
interview that day.
Jericho is an uncommon name inNew Zealand.
I had never met someone by thatname.
As we entered the buildingwhere we would be conducting the
(10:30):
interviews, my friend took aquick peek into the room where
the applicants were waiting.
Then, with a big smile, shesaid there is a young man with a
long braid in the waiting room.
We concluded that he must beJericho.
When the young man with a longbraid walked into the room, I
was in awe, as he was the sameyoung man I had seen in my dream
(10:52):
the night before.
I looked at my friend andnodded to confirm that he was
the one.
However, there was a twist Hisname was not Jericho, it was
Joshua.
So who was Jericho?
When it came time for Jericho'sinterview, a young woman walked
in.
We knew we had the two who weremeant to go.
(11:16):
Later my friend informed Joshuaand Jericho that they had been
selected and they were ecstatic.
Neither had a passport.
So we helped them apply andorganise the travel arrangements
, and my friend would alsoaccompany them on their travels
and attend the four-day event.
My husband and I had family inthat part of the United States,
utah, so we decided to pay forour own trip and spend a day
(11:40):
with my friend, joshua andJericho before their event began
.
Day with my friend, joshua andJericho.
Before their event began, wegave Joshua and Jericho a list
of tourist activities to choosefrom.
Surprisingly, one of the thingsthey chose was to attend a
choir rehearsal in the city.
It was a world-renowned choircalled the Tabernacle Choir.
Because it was religious innature, I had wrongly assumed
(12:02):
that this might not appeal tothem.
Now I would like to justclarify that these youth that we
had interviewed were in asecond chance schooling
situation.
They had been either kicked out, they were part of gangs, they
were in trouble with the law.
So, yeah, I really didn't thinkthey were going to want to
listen to the choir.
(12:25):
My husband and I planned to meetthem at the choir rehearsal
after they had checked intotheir hotel.
While we were waiting for themto arrive, my husband asked what
their names were.
I said Joshua and Jericho.
He then looked up something onhis phone and said there's a
song with both those names andits title.
It's called Joshua Fit theBattle of Jericho.
(12:45):
And I was like huh, what acoincidence.
Just moments later, the choirstood up and began to sing that
same hymn Joshua Fit the Battleof Jericho, joshua, jericho.
And my friend arrived as thechoir was still singing the
first verse, and they said itdidn't take them long to notice
(13:07):
that this choir sang a hymn thatincluded both of their names.
They were thrilled.
Joshua commented that I musthave arranged for the choir to
sing this song for them.
No, I told him.
He gave me a look as if hedidn't believe me.
So I added honestly, I couldn'thave organized this.
Even if I'd wanted to, I had noconnections with this choir or
(13:28):
its conductor.
If I'd wanted to, I had noconnections with this choir or
its conductor.
Joshua and Jericho asked myfriend if she could take them to
see the live broadcast.
A few days later, after thelive broadcast had ended, the
conductor spoke to the audiencesaying that the choir had been
asked to sing the song.
Joshua fit the battle atJericho again and implied that
this was unusual.
Joshua and Jericho turned toone another with the biggest
(13:53):
smiles.
I'm convinced that thisexperience from the dream about
Joshua and Jericho to the songwhich included both of their
names in a place far from homewas no coincidence.
It added to my belief that weare all God's children and that
he knows each of us by name.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
You went through that so efficiently.
It's kind of like I'm stillmaking it sink in.
I had a dream I saw thesepeople Jericho name.
They come here, they hear thatsong.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
When you said Joshua and Jericho, I was like I know
that song.
I've heard that song.
It's amazing when sung by thatchoir.
It blows you away.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Yeah, and just the timing of it and the fact that
on the Sunday the conductor saidthis is highly unusual, but
we've been asked to sing itagain.
And then, just to add to thisstory, two days later my husband
and I were in a store and hesaid there's the conductor from
the Tabernacle Choir and he saidI'm going to go and tell him.
And he walked up to him.
(14:56):
They had this conversation andthe conductor was quite moved
and he said yeah, we all werewondering why we had to sing it
again.
And he said and now we know whyDo I have permission to go back
to the Tabernacle Choir andtell them?
And we were like, yes, Ofcourse.
They need to know.
So it was a really specialexperience and, you know, going
(15:17):
from the dreams to the end,meeting the conductor just
randomly in a store.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Yeah, that doesn't happen.
It doesn't happen.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
It's like the coincidence of it, and you know,
my husband was saying the otherday like we've been living here
now almost eight years.
We've never seen him again, youknow.
But the fact that it was justtwo days after this highly
unusual situation, yeah, so itreally did.
(15:44):
Um, yeah, add to my testimonythat he knows each of us
individually add to my testimonythat he knows each of us
individually.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
So you've got an upcoming book.
So you've got one uh, that'salready out and it's the not so
secret lives of real Mormonwives, which is kind of a play
on words with the whole Huluseries of um that's that's come
out this last year.
Um, but it's about women whowomen of faith that have done
amazing things with their lives,and Carrie is one of them.
(16:15):
Um, but she's also got a newbook, uh, coming up, called the
gift of charity embraced byKarawai of love, and I probably
mispronounced that.
It's a Maori word.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
It is.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
I am assuming.
It is, and it will be on thebookshelves in July.
What is a karawai?
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Yes, so a karawai.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Oh, I did say it wrong.
You were even close, not evenclose.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Tone was way off.
So a karawai is a Maori cloakworn on significant occasions.
Um, this particular cloakactually belonged to our
daughter's biological family andwhen they heard about me
receiving this royal honor, theyextended the invite for me to
(17:02):
wear this cloak.
And at first I wasn't 100% sureif I should accept, because I
wasn't Maori and I kind ofwanted to respect them and their
culture and you know, I waswhite Pakeha and so yeah, so
basically I actually prayedabout it and this feeling came
(17:26):
yes, this is a privilege, accept.
And so I did.
I actually found out later whenI was talking to Abby's
biological grandmother that Iwas telling her about this
little dilemma that I had, thatI didn't know if I should accept
, and she said, oh, you'd haveoffended them if you didn't
accept.
So I'm like, oh, I'm glad thatI did.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
They're not worried about cultural appropriation.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Yeah, but the one thing that so people have these
kowtow eyes made and they have ameaning to them, and the
meaning for this cloak was thearms of love from ancestors who
have passed on the family, whoare present and even the future
(18:09):
generations who are yet to beborn.
So, when this cloak is placedupon you, that is what they
believed, that I would have thearms of previous ancestors and
people and, you know, futuregenerations, which is beautiful,
especially because I do have atestimony that we have ancestors
that are still, you know,looking out for us.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
You might even speak to us in a dream.
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
And so, yeah, so when I went to this investiture
ceremony and Abby's biologicalgrandmother put this kauri over
my shoulders, I did not expectto feel the arms of love of
ancestors past, you know,present and future, but I had
this overwhelming feeling oflove come across me and it took
(19:03):
me by surprise and as I wasprocessing this, I just thought
it can't be, it's just a cloak.
But yeah, I literally did feelthis overwhelming, beautiful
feeling of love and although I'mnot Maori and although, um,
(19:26):
this is not my biological, Ireally felt that their arms were
around me.
That's cool, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
It was beautiful.
Your adopted daughters?
Tell us a little bit more aboutthat.
Did you feel like it was herfamily?
Speaker 3 (19:40):
I did, yeah, which was super beautiful and
unexpected, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Yeah, but that took a little while the process.
Like this family is gratefulfor us adopting their family
member into our own home.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Yeah, they always call her our beautiful Abby.
Her name's Abby, so you know itwas.
I feel like they gave us a giftand trusted us and and in
return, I feel like our liveshave been blessed by having Abby
(20:19):
, but also because we have thisbeautiful relationship with her
biological family, and I thinkit also reminds me that actually
, we are all brothers andsisters.
You know, we are actually allfamily.
I think we forget that, andmaybe that was one of the things
that I felt in that moment.
Um, and I looked at Abby'sgrandmother as she tied the bow
(20:43):
and her eyes were filled withtears, and mine, so I feel like
she felt that too.
Yeah, so it was beautiful thatis beautiful.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
So your book is titled after this experience the
gift of charity.
Uh, tell us a little bit moreabout the book yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
so the book, um, you know, just goes in a little bit
of background, um, for thereader to get to know a little
bit about me, where I was born,my family and so forth, how I
ended up in New Zealand and thenhow I ended up, you know,
starting up the charity Feed,the Need which we talked about
last time, you know, wasinspired by dreams.
(21:24):
Go back and listen to episodeone if you haven't back and
listen to episode one if youhaven't, um, and so yeah.
So I just talk about all thoseexperiences the highs, the lows,
the miracles, the many miraclesum, one of the lessons being
that I learned that charity workwas actually all about love.
It's that simple.
(21:44):
It's all about love and um,yeah, just amazing experience.
The experience with joshua andjericho was in there.
Um, so yeah, just uh, justlessons learned and some
incredible stories and,hopefully, um people will feel
inspired and motivated to getout and serve yeah, go buy the
(22:08):
book.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
It's hitting shelves in July.
How do you feel about that?
Speaker 3 (22:13):
excited you know, it's funny because, like I think
I mentioned it last night lasttime, I I never went to college
um, I wouldn't, I'm not academicat all and so I felt inspired
to write and I really didn'twant to because that would take
a lot of work, and I felt likeit was almost like stopping me
(22:36):
getting out doing the hands-onwork and why would I do that
instead of being out actuallydoing the hands-on work?
But I had an experience where Irealized that actually by
sharing experiences in a book,on a podcast, actually creates
(22:58):
this domino effect that peoplewill listen, people will read
and will be inspired to get outand serve and, like we touched
on last time, you know, I feellike we all have a calling, we
all have good that we can dowherever we are in the world and
, um, and so, yeah, there'sstill good that can be done and
(23:19):
hopefully even more like, ifthere's this domino effect, then
maybe even more good can happenthan if I focus just on doing
the hands-on work.
And so I began a long time agowith a friend.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Lisa.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Knowlton and we just started you know, putting a
compilation of my storiestogether, and it's taken years.
We began at the end of 2019.
But yeah, good things take time.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
So, since you've been on the podcast part one, go
back and listen to part one.
Has anything happened?
Like has some of those dominoesstarted to fall?
Speaker 3 (23:57):
yes, yes, so I've had different groups approach me.
We've had I've been asked to toa keynote speaker at a couple
of events.
I've had others wanting tointerview and do videos and all
sorts.
It's just been awesome just tosee this domino effect.
(24:22):
And you kind of think about thenumbers, like you know, imagine
at an event you're talking,let's say, to a thousand people
how many of them are gonna go onand do good.
You know, that's kind of coolwhen you think about it.
I think I said in the lastpodcast that, um, they did a tv
(24:43):
story in New Zealand on thecharity feed, the need and a
little bit about my story, andthen just to hear of people
being inspired by that and goingout and doing amazing things.
You know it's really excitingjust to kind of hear those
stories and then they'll beinspiring other people and it's
like this awesome domino effectand with all the you know the
(25:06):
troubles in the world, I feellike more than ever we need that
goodness in the world.
So if we can create this dominoeffect, like if this podcast
can reach an audience and one ofthe listeners will go out and
do some good, well, then it'sworth it.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
Yeah, agreed.
In your last podcast you talkedto us about how kind of the
story of what brought you toUtah on the first plates.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
But I don't think we got into the Reach Out Today
story, did we?
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Well a little bit.
But when it comes to thetransitional housing project
that you were involved in Coreyyou know we're involved in Corey
I don't think you've actuallyheard of the actual story that
began the process of learningabout homelessness and why this
project came about, and so Ihope today that I can share that
(25:58):
story.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
That'd be great.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Okay, awesome.
While waiting at the trafficlight of a busy four-way
intersection, I noticed adisheveled man hobbling
awkwardly along the sidewalk.
His tattered clothing andunclean appearance, along with a
half-filled trash bag hangingover his hunchback, suggested he
(26:22):
was homeless.
His face had a grey pallor withdeep wrinkles and his eyes
remained fixed on the ground.
With every step he took hegrimaced.
His right leg was limp andheavy and twisted.
My mind flooded with questions.
What could have caused theinjury?
What had led to his current sadstate?
Did he need help?
As the questions swirled aroundmy mind, I was struck by an
(26:45):
image of him as a preciousnewborn baby.
No longer was I seeing anunkempt homeless man on the
sidewalk, but rather a beautifulchild of God.
Pure love filled my soul.
This image made me wonderwhether he had been loved and
(27:06):
nurtured in his formative years.
Had he ever been told that hewas of great worth?
The light turned green for thevehicles coming from my left as
the cars passed this homelessman on the sidewalk.
A black pickup truck sloweddown and rolled down its windows
(27:31):
.
The young male occupants threwtheir open soda cans at the man,
while shouting obscenities ashe pulled his arms up to protect
his face and head from theheavy blows.
His trash can, felt trash bag,fell to the ground.
(27:53):
This young man, these young menlaughed hysterically at each
blow.
I gasped at this cruelinjustice and cried out no, no,
no.
But my window was closed and noone could hear my cries.
I tried to catch the truck'splate number, but it sped off
(28:15):
too quickly.
The traffic light for my laneturned green.
I desperately wanted to abandonmy car, run to this man,
comfort him and see what I coulddo to help, but there was
nowhere for me to legally pullover.
Honking sounds from multipleimpatient and angry drivers
behind me made me hit theaccelerator.
I had no choice but to drive on.
(28:37):
I got one more.
Look at the homeless man whowas now crying out to the
heavens with his armsoutstretched.
I burst into uncontrollablesobs as I left the scene.
God, I cried why did you showme him as a baby, only to see
(29:00):
him be hurt, ridiculed anddemeaned when there was nothing
I could do to help?
Ridiculed and demeaned whenthere was nothing I could do to
help?
I knew that this image of thatman as a newborn baby was
inspired.
I had been given a glimpse intohow Jesus saw this man that
(29:23):
night, I prayed about what hewould have me do.
A burning desire to learn abouthomelessness in America, which I
now called home, kept me uplate that night.
Bleak statistics surroundingyouth aging out of foster care
and ending up homeless wasdisheartening.
In the subsequent weeks andmonths, I visited local homeless
shelters and safe houses,asking youth and adults if they
(29:43):
would be willing to speak withme about how they ended up
homeless Sorry, sorry, sorry.
Thankfully, my British accentwith a New Zealand twang seemed
to intrigue them and they agreed.
Time and time again they toldme about being exposed to trauma
, suffering neglect and beingplaced in and out of foster care
(30:06):
.
As children, they desperatelywanted stability, safety, a
place to call home and a familywho would love them and meet
their physical and emotionalneeds.
My heart broke listening totheir stories.
Often my emotions got thebetter of me, like today, and
these individuals would reachover and comfort me.
(30:29):
Soon more images entered my mindthrough dreams, confirming that
I was on the right track.
I felt inspired to begin aproject to advocate for more
transitional housing for youthwho were aging out of foster
care or experiencinghomelessness.
If someone would have told methat it would take six years to
start to finish, to get thisproject done.
(30:49):
You know, how you said in thelast podcast, we've known each
other two years.
I'm like.
No, I think I may have beendeterred, but as the saying goes
, good things take time.
The beautiful apartment complexthat we talked about is in Mill
Creek now, and it's superexciting to know that these
(31:11):
youth have got a place to go, asafe place to go, and that we
can prevent homelessness.
After the ribbon had been cut,the beautiful apartment complex
was now officially open forthose youth who needed a home.
Inexplicable joy filled my souland, you probably guessed, my
tears began to flow.
Before leaving the apartmentcomplex on the day of the
(31:33):
opening, I reflected on thathomeless man from the roadside.
Oh, how I wished he could behere to see this building.
Then I would embrace him, tellhim about the image of him.
I'd seen the love I felt, hisgreat worth and how God had led
me on a journey to alleviate andprevent homelessness for
(31:56):
generations of youth.
Something good, even amazing,had come from the injustice he
had endured that day on thesidewalk.
So, corey, now you know.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
That's incredible.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
It is a beautiful building.
I went over yes, you did, and Iwas not prepared for how nice
it was and what a beautiful areait is in's.
It's not out in the middle ofnowhere where you've you feel
(32:33):
like if you lived there.
That would be a really niceneighborhood right across the
street from quote-unquote normalhousing and maybe even nicer
and it's got mountain views.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
It's just a lovely building like um.
It's just amazing how that allcame out to be and you know,
corey, you were part of that andI appreciate Kirk, you reaching
out to me and saying, hey, I'vegot clothing that I'd like to
take over.
You know, these youth have, youknow, gone through a lot and
(33:09):
you know, I feel like it's ourresponsibility to wrap our arms
around them and, you know,believe in them and believe that
they have a bright future andthat, as a community, we can,
you know, show that love to them.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
I think it builds people well, I didn't tell you
this yet, okay, but today I madeplans with our city club and
we're doing a suit and sportjacket clothing drive for you.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
And so we'll have many sizes and we're going to do
a clothing drive for a wholeweek a whole week and hopefully
be able to get some clothes forthese, these folks that are
there and going out and doingjob interviews and looking their
best.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
Yeah, awesome, can I high five you?
Speaker 2 (33:57):
Yeah, sure, that just happened today.
So, yeah, we're, we're excitedto support you some more.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
I think for those listening, it's good to know
that there's all these needs inour backyard that I don't think
people are aware of.
I, humbly, am sitting heregoing, man, I should do more
like right here in our backyardBecause you just don't know, I
(34:33):
don't.
I think we, we could know,right, I'm, I'm being
introspective, like I see thehomeless around my office and we
do things with the four streetclinic and the all, all.
We do tons of charity stuff.
You know, I did air quotes.
I said that I think we're givingback and we're you, we're um,
donating time and materials andwhatever, but I don't think I
(34:56):
know where the true, how muchthere's truly a need, and I
think, for all of us listening,we kind of need to roll up our
sleeves, probably a little bitmore at least I do and get more
involved in and I think moreinvolved being meaning more
aware.
I need to be more aware ofwhere the needs are, because
(35:19):
sometimes it's easy to justify.
Well, I did this with thechurch I belong to and I did as
in my, my company, and we'vegiven back.
But you know, I feel like Iwasn't even aware of the need,
this need that you've talked tous about now for six years, but
I wasn't aware until you came inand talked to us, right.
Speaker 3 (35:38):
So I think we all need to work on our awareness
and our humility and our anywaybeing introspective I think you
know for you, like during thelast podcast, you know,
afterwards you wrote a generouscheck because you understood the
situation for children enteringfoster care and wanted to do
(36:01):
something about it.
And then children enteringdomestic shelters domestic
violence shelters and so thanksto we've got a year's worth of
good things coming to thosechildren.
So thank you.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
I think you're right, Corey, and as you were talking,
I thought I just had thisfeeling the other day.
Last week, I attended theKindness Summit that Curtis
Bennett our beautiful friendfrom One Kind Act Today, Curtis
Bennett, our beautiful friendfrom One Kind Act Today does an
amazing summit up at theUniversity of Utah and brings
people of influence and impactinto the same room, and it's
(36:44):
just like an IV shot of goodnessto make you just want to go out
and do good in the world.
And I sat next to, uh, someonewho received an award which I
didn't even think about.
This Um, it's called thein-between and it's you've
probably, you probably know them, um, but they received an award
for what they do is.
They take people who, uh,cannot access benefits, access
(37:07):
benefits through Medicaid orotherwise, that are terminally
ill, who need to be on hospicebut don't have an address, and
they've turned this into abeautiful facility where they
have, on average, 55 people ayear come in and they pass with
(37:29):
dignity and respect.
And I turned to him and I saidI didn't even know you guys
existed.
How did you, how did you getthis?
How did you get this award?
And she said I think someonejust told the right person.
And I said but you guys havebeen doing this for years under
(37:52):
the radar, with absolutely nofanfare, no news stories.
But it's a need that obviouslyis there, but I hadn't ever even
thought about it.
And what more of a beautifulexperience than to be with
people as they pass with dignitywho are, at that time, without
(38:19):
housing.
So I think there'sopportunities for us to open our
eyes and think wider than we doand, carrie, you're an amazing
example of doing this with allof the programs that you work
with.
I mean, the list is long, butyou have Feed the Gap, clothe
(38:44):
the Gap, the Hygiene Gap, theTransition Gap.
List is long, but you have feedthe gap, clothe the gap, the
hygiene gap, the transition gap.
You work with dcfs, schooldistricts, counselors, other
organizations, like you'reeverywhere, and I don't say this
to like toot your horn, but itis.
It is amazing how wide you havecast your net and it inspires
(39:04):
me to do the same.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
We talked last time after the podcast about the
refugees.
Maybe we could.
I mean, nobody has more storiesthan Carrie like about
listening to promptings andmaking miracles happen.
But it was a cool story whenyou told us after the podcast
last time and maybe we could getin a little bit into that, if
you're okay with that.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
Okay, yeah so.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
Kind of like the refugees part one, I think, was
what we were referring to.
Speaker 3 (39:41):
Yeah, so not long after I'd moved here, like
within weeks, I actually brokemy leg and so, with my leg up
(40:05):
elevated, I was really prayingto know what Heavenly Father
wanted me to do here in Utah,and I think I mentioned last
time that, you know, I kind offelt like there was probably no
need here, which now I've had myeyes open.
But I ended up having a dream.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
If I'm okay sharing that dream, Every dream story
you've shared with us has been Aplus.
So, yes, okay, well, in thisdream, every dream story you've
shared with us has been A+.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
Okay, yes, okay.
Well, in this dream I couldhear wailing and crying coming
from a dark tunnel.
As I looked into this tunnel,refugees streamed out of the
entrance, worn out women wereholding their crying babies, and
men were carrying children andtheir family's belongings on
their backs.
They were cold, tired and sadand they seemed like they had
(40:49):
lost all hope.
Their clothing was torn andtheir shoes had holes in them.
They must be hungry.
I thought I am a feeder.
I ran over the road to a localrestaurant and tried to order
food for them.
The owner of the restaurantrefused my order and said we
don't want to encourage therefugees here.
I was stunned and asked him canyou not hear their cries?
(41:13):
He turned around and walkedaway from me.
I was dismayed that anotherhuman being could turn their
back on those who are suffering.
It was beyond my comprehension.
The next thing I remember wasmy husband waking me up.
He'd heard me crying in mysleep.
One time we helped a refugeefamily move into an apartment.
(41:36):
I wondered how they would movewithout our help.
They often had no means oftransporting their items and
families.
As we moved the items, wecouldn't help but think that it
would be easier to throw awaythese things and buy new ones
for them.
However, it was evident thatthe few belongings they had were
far more than just objects.
(41:56):
To them, these items were allthey had left of their former
lives, and to them they werepriceless.
Each item held memories, hopesand a sense of identity that the
chaos of displacementthreatened to erase.
Once we had moved everythinginto their new apartment, the
father let out a huge sigh andsaid something in his own
(42:19):
language to his wife andchildren.
His children excitedly huggedtheir father and cried, with
happy tears Smiling.
I asked what did you say?
He replied I told them we aresafe now.
As I drove home, I wept, knowingthat Jesus, having once been a
refugee himself, would havewanted this family to feel safe,
(42:39):
have their treasured belongingswith them and have their needs
met.
This is just one of manystories.
I've got so many stories and Ifeel like every single
experience that I have, whetherit's a refugee, whether it's a
homeless youth, whether it's achild entering foster care,
(43:03):
whether it's somebody entering adomestic violence shelter, I
kind of feel like they're allrefugees, they're all being
displaced and I really felt thatday, with this family that this
is what Jesus would have me do.
There are families that arrivehere with literally just the
(43:29):
clothes on their back, and Iactually ended up once helping a
family who had actually walkedfrom Afghanistan taking boats,
then walked again.
It had been five months thatthey'd walked.
They had a five-year-old boywho had His shoes were just like
(43:56):
being held together withthreads, blisters on his feet,
and there was a baby whowouldn't stop crying and the
mother was trying to show me meand she pulled off the baby's
diaper and it was just all bloodand, um, skin that peeled off
(44:17):
and, amazingly, a walmart girlcame over and she spoke their
language and I'm like, okay,what's the chance of this?
And so this woman interpretedfor us that the mother said she
didn't have access to water andto soap and things and diapers
and so on, and so this baby hadbeen very uncomfortable and so
(44:40):
we went and spoke to thepharmacist.
All these experiences and justkind of but all these
experiences just kind ofreinforce you know that these
are my brothers and sisters.
These are, and I know that thisis what Jesus would have me do
(45:07):
and have all of us do To buy themenu, buy the five-year-old-old
pair of shoes to get cream tohelp the baby.
The mother asked.
She held up a pack of hair tiesand said you know, like
basically she was pointing, canI have these?
And I said, oh yes.
She burst into tears about hairties and I just thought it also
(45:28):
reminds me of the things thatwe've been blessed with, our
privileges.
I wouldn't think anything ofgoing to Walmart and getting
myself a pack of hair ties, buthere is a woman crying about
hair ties and so it's, it's.
It's just.
All these experiences justremind me how, remind me how
privileged I am and and I don'tknow if I mentioned it in the
(45:52):
last podcast, but um, I requireplasma infusions every two weeks
.
Did I mention that?
Speaker 2 (45:59):
You didn't.
I knew that about you, but Ithought I'd let you bring it up
if you wanted to.
But it's incredible that youyou shared a little bit with us
after the podcast last time, butyou should, you should tell us
that.
Speaker 3 (46:10):
Well, so I have a chronic health condition and the
immunologist calls itlife-threatening.
I kind of try not to, you know,spend time thinking about that,
um, but I have plasma infusionsevery two weeks and one of the
(46:30):
nurses told me.
She said, you know, they callthis liquid gold and I was like,
oh, why is that?
And she said because it's soexpensive.
And she said did you know thatthis plasma in these bottles
they're three little bottles,she said comes from around a
(46:51):
thousand donors, and I had noidea.
So these 1,000 donors, whereverthey are, thank you.
And so I feel, like you know,I'm having 1,000 people preserve
(47:17):
my life, and so I'm sofortunate, I'm so privileged, I
have health insurance thatcovers it.
So when I see and meet thesepeople, I can't help but think
that I'm being sustained, mylife's being prolonged, I have a
(47:38):
responsibility, I have a workto do, and that I'm so
privileged, even with my healthchallenges.
I'm very privileged, yeah.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
You give me great perspective.
I do, and I'm sure, if you'relistening to this, you're
jealous that I get to be in thesame room as Carrie and Corey.
Um, you, you carry a spiritwith you and, and I think,
(48:13):
anywhere you go, I think youbless Uh, and I think you know.
I'm not going to ask you todefine what a lady or a
gentleman is again, because youalready did that once, but I
think that that is a quality ofsomeone who is a lady or a
gentleman that they inspirethose around them wherever they
go, and one of the first thingsthat I taught my children when I
(48:37):
was creating the GentlemanProject curriculum was a
gentleman takes care of thosewho can't take care of
themselves, and you haveexemplified that in your life's
work, so I commend you for that.
Speaker 3 (48:50):
Thank you.
I was wondering if I can justtalk about one story from this
book.
Speaker 2 (48:56):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (48:57):
Not so Secret Lives of Real Mormon Wives.
So there was eight women,including myself, that were
asked to write a section, a10,000 000 word manuscript,
within just a few weeks, and soI told you earlier it took me
like years to write this bookthat's going to be coming out in
July, but, um, amazingly I wasable to do it.
(49:20):
But as I read one of the otherwomen's stories, it was of her
name's, alison Merrill Hong, andshe was actually raised in a in
Taiwan, in a slum, and shetalks about how she had a very
difficult childhood and shetalks about these two LDS
(49:47):
missionaries that came andknocked on the door and ended up
coming in and teaching them,and they really looked forward
to every time these missionariescame, because they brought this
light and love with them.
Have I got time just to readher story?
Speaker 2 (50:03):
You bet.
Speaker 3 (50:07):
My two-year-old sister, dee, wailed, her face
distorted.
She rubbed her little eyes withher filthy hands, mixing dirt
with the tears on her tinycheeks.
Saliva dangled from her lips,swollen from marathon crying,
and soiled the front of hercotton shirt.
She trailed behind meeverywhere in the house,
wobbling with great difficulty.
Her thin white cotton pantswere bulging and had turned
(50:30):
brown.
She stank of sweat, urine andpoop.
Flies followed her the way shefollowed me and one of them
landed on her eye, making ascream Mama.
Perhaps she thought I could beher substitute mum for just a
brief moment, cleaning her,feeding her, holding her, but I
was only four at the time andcouldn't be anything other than
(50:52):
my helpless self.
She answered the door one nightand was shocked to find two
Caucasian young men standingoutside in a torrential downpour
next to their bikes.
In my 13, she was at the 13thtime in my 13 years of life I
had never seen anyone as tall asthem.
Their faces above the awningAdult ankle-length raincoats
(51:15):
reached only their calves.
Is Mr Hong here, one of themasked in Chinese?
I stepped aside, dashed towardthe back of the house, waving my
arms in the air and holleringAmericans, americans, americans.
My father seemed surprised, buthe didn't look alarmed.
Turns out that a year earlierhe had met the missionaries from
the Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints in a city park
(51:38):
seven hours away, but had sinceforgotten about it.
That night he gestured for themissionaries to sit in our
living room.
The missionaries had a messagethat God is our father in heaven
who loves us and answers ourprayers.
I didn't know what.
I didn't know For one.
I never knew peace and loveuntil the missionaries brought
(51:59):
them to us For our weekly visit.
They braved the bone-chillingwintry rains and biked miles to
the dark slum, always carryingsomething.
One of them hauled a projectorand a case of slides to share a
movie with my family, while theother balanced in one hand the
banana bread he had baked in arice cooker.
They carried a distinctive kindof warmth with them, as if the
(52:22):
sun was behind them whereverthey went and whenever they left
our house, the light left withthem, as if the sun was behind
them wherever they went andwhenever they left our house,
the light left with them.
This was just an impoverishedvillage in a dilapidated house,
and she saw them as being thesun.
And I was saying earlier,before this podcast, um, that I
feel like each of us can.
(52:43):
We don't have to wear amissionary badge, we don't have
to be a member of this church orany church, but we can bring
light and love and serve people,because, for this story of
Alison, this was the only timethat she felt that warmth, felt
that sun, felt that light, andso my hope today from this
(53:06):
podcast is that we can bringthat into our communities.
Speaker 1 (53:11):
That is a beautiful way to end the podcast.
Thank you, wonderful story andI couldn't be more appreciative
of the time that you spent withus and the inspiration that
you've given me and likely, myfamily and all the listeners.
So thank you so much.
Thanks for living the life thatyou live, thanks for being the
person who listens and acts, andI'm not sure I know anyone
(53:37):
who's done as much as CarrieOwen has.
It's pretty awesome.
Speaker 2 (53:39):
Yeah, it's a privilege to know you and a
privilege to have you on thepodcast twice.
It's a privilege to know youand a privilege to have you on
the podcast twice.
We hope that we can continue toto talk about you, to talk
about things you know, if youneed, if you need something and
we can help, even if it'smentioning it on the podcast.
We might just talk about CarrieOwen on future podcasts, just
(54:02):
like we talked about CurtisBennett today.
And you know the work thatyou're doing is inspiring.
Speaker 3 (54:07):
Well, thank you for what you do, amazing.
Speaker 2 (54:09):
If you want to connect with Carrie, the best
way to get a hold of her or tohelp if you feel so inspired to
make a donation, there's a Venmoon the website.
Will you tell us the websiteone more time?
Yep wwwreachouttodayorg and ifyou didn't listen to part one,
(54:30):
go do it.
Thanks everybody, we appreciateyou spending your time with us.
If again, if you felt inspiredby this podcast and someone's
name popped into your head asyou were listening to it, or an
idea popped into your head thatyou thought this is my mark,
that I can leave on the world,the dent in the universe that I
can make.
Act on it.
(54:51):
Act on each good thought.
I'm Kirk Chug.
Speaker 1 (54:54):
I'm Corey Moore, thank you.
Today we have a very special guest who we adore,
carrie Owen, and if you listenedlast time, this is the second
edition.
We loved her story so much andher spirit and we I mean at the
end of the last podcast we werealready planning this podcast
and there's some stories that wedidn't quite get to, that we
(00:23):
wanted to get to and that Carriewanted to get to.
So here we are.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
It's been a very popular podcast episode.
Many people have reached outand said that it impacted them
and changed the way they thoughtabout, the way they're prompted
and taking action on thoughtsthat they have.
It was there's.
If you have not listened toepisode one of Carrie Owen, turn
(00:48):
this off.
Go back one episode to CarrieOwen part one.
Listen to that, because that isgoing to make this podcast even
more incredible to listen to.
Carrie is doing so many amazingthings.
She started internationally,came to America and she's just
making a footprint wherever shegoes.
So we're not going to recapeverything that Carrie's done.
(01:10):
Otherwise, half of today'spodcast would be recapping all
of the really cool things thatshe has done and the honors that
she's received.
However, so go back and listento episode one.
There's a few things that wedecided we needed to touch on a
little bit more.
The stories that she tells areincredible and there was just a
(01:31):
couple of those lessons, thetakeaways from last episode,
that really felt like we neededto flesh out some of these
surrounding stories, because Ithink I may be speaking for
myself here, but I learn andremember conversations and
lessons and things that I carryon through my life by stories,
(01:53):
because I remember those stories, I remember the people, I
remember the feelings that Ifeel when I hear the stories.
So Carrie is a masterfulstoryteller.
So today you're going to hearsome of Carrie's stories that
have built her faith, that havebuilt the type of person that
she is to take action and do thethings that God wants us to do
in our lives.
We're going to touch on thisthroughout the podcast, but
(02:15):
she's got a book out and a bookcoming out.
We're going to touch on both ofthose things so that you can
find Carrie in other placesbesides the Gentleman Project
podcast.
So we'll recap shortly here.
There was a story that you toldin episode one of a prominent
leader in New Zealand that hadasked you how do you know why
(02:35):
you're here?
What's your purpose in life?
Been able to share with himsome things that changed his
outlook from less of an academicstandpoint to understanding
more that God knows each andevery one of us.
And we said in the last episodewe've got to.
We've got to hear some of thesestories that you shared with
him so that we can maybe hearsome of those things and have
(02:58):
that same effect in our lives.
So would you mind Carrie nowtalking that we've I've
blubbered enough.
So would you mind?
Carrie now talking that I'veblubbered enough.
It's time for the morebeautiful voice in the room to
take over and tell us somestories.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
So would you start with that one?
Yeah, so this gentleman hadasked me to prove God was real,
and he kind of did it jokingly,with a wink.
I thought, like you said, Ithought I can't do it from a
scriptorial point of viewbecause I'm not very good at
remembering scriptures, but Ican share stories with him, and
so I shared three, and I'm goingto share one of those today.
(03:33):
One night my sleep wasdisturbed by somebody standing
next to the bed.
Initially I thought it was oneof the kids, but quickly
realized that that once again Iwas receiving a visit from a
soul who had passed on.
I closed my eyes and prayed forthe being to leave, but then a
calm feeling came over me.
This soul was the deceasedfather of a teenager I knew,
(03:55):
although I did not know her verywell.
He told me that his daughterwas planning to take her life.
He explained in details thereasons she had come to that
decision.
By the time he finished, I wasmoved to tears, realizing how
much this girl had been through.
The father asked me to tell hisdaughter about his visit,
including all the details thatno one else knew, and to hug her
(04:18):
and tell her he loved her.
I promised I would, and then hewas gone the next morning.
I became nervous.
I did not doubt the visit, butI did doubt my own ability to be
the messenger.
Later that day I invited thegirl to go into town with me.
On the drive there she seemedhappy.
She openly shared her hopes oftraveling the world, teaching
(04:39):
English in foreign lands andsinging on stage.
I was confused and decided notto say a word about her father's
visit.
On the way back to her house Ifelt as though someone gently
pushed me.
I knew at that moment that itwas her father, giving me the
nudge I needed.
I blurted out about herfather's visit and she stared at
(05:00):
me in disbelief.
When I pulled into the driveway,I recounted everything her
father had told me in detail.
She burst into tears and turnedaway from me, occasionally
turning back at me exclaiming noone knows any of those things.
After some time she reachedover and hugged me tightly,
crying.
(05:20):
She then sat back in a seat andlet out a huge sigh and said I
know that my dad visited youbecause no one knows any of
these things.
There is so much more to thisstory which I'm not at liberty
to disclose, but I'm happy toreport that the father's visit
was life-changing for hisdaughter.
She did go on to travel theworld and teach English in
(05:43):
foreign lands.
So that was one of the threestories that I shared with this
gentleman, and he becameemotional because he felt like
he couldn't.
He had a scientific mind and hecouldn't make sense of it, and
(06:11):
so I think it was really thatstory, that kind of softened him
and then he asked so what doyou think my life's calling is?
Speaker 1 (06:15):
what advice would you give to people as it relates to
listening to those promptingsand then acting on them?
You You've done a good job ofthat and, granted, I think God
gives you more because you'velistened over many years now.
But what advice would you giveothers to be in tune, to listen,
(06:37):
to act on promptings, becausethat's special.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
You know, I've thought, I've given it a lot of
thought.
You know how, do you know wherepromptings are prompting?
And I can only speak for myself, but they tend to come in
threes, I don't know why.
Um, so generally I'll have thisthought come to my mind and
pretty much 100% I'll dismiss it, and then I'll have this
(07:07):
thought again and then I'll tryand make sense of it and then
I'll have the thought again andit's almost like screaming out
to me.
And that's when I know, okay, Ican't ignore this, and so I'm
hoping one of these days I willjust react to the first
prompting.
I don't know why it has to takethree for me to act, but that's
(07:30):
how it rolls with me.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
And I learned something from someone one time
I respect a lot, and she saidsometimes it doesn't come again,
it doesn't come again.
And she's taught herself that ifthat feeling to do something
comes to mind, that that mightbe the only chance you have to
(07:55):
act on it, because it might besomething, like you just shared,
where someone's life depends onit.
And so she, she didn't want tomiss out on that opportunity to
act, and so she had taughtherself just, if you have that
feeling, you just act on it,almost without questioning it,
because if it's a good thing,the worst thing that could
(08:15):
happen is you do something goodfor someone else, so run it
through the filter of it.
Is this wise?
Is this wise?
Is this safe?
Right, uh, but if, if it meetsthe qualifications of service or
helping someone else, the worstthat could happen is you end up
helping someone else.
Um, the best thing that couldhappen is, um, you, you become a
(08:36):
tool to help them in their lifeand, uh, like you did with this
girl where no one knew excepther and God.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Well, we had another story that we wanted you to tell
, which was the two youth.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Okay, yes.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
That we talked about, yes, earlier.
Yes, can you tell us that story?
The two youth and thetabernacle choir?
I believe it is.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Yes story, the two youth and the tabernacle choir.
I believe it is yes.
So I feel like the last storythat I just shared, you know,
for me, really, um strengthenedmy belief that our loved ones,
once they pass on and they stayclose, um, but this next story,
really, for me, um reinforced,um my belief that god knows us,
(09:25):
and even by our names.
I found an opportunity for twoyouths to be sponsored to
participate in a four-day campin the united states.
When we advertised thisopportunity, many youths applied
, applied.
Two friends began interviewingthese candidates.
At the end of each day, thesepeople wondered how will we
(09:47):
decide on the final two?
Each one of them deserved to go.
Most of them had never left NewZealand.
One night, after four days ofinterviews, I had a dream.
I saw a young man with a longbraid and then heard the name
Jericho three times.
When I woke up, I phoned myfriend asking if we would be
(10:09):
interviewing anyone namedJericho that day and told her
about my dream.
My friend looked at a list ofnames and excitedly exclaimed
that there was someone namedJericho scheduled for an
interview that day.
Jericho is an uncommon name inNew Zealand.
I had never met someone by thatname.
As we entered the buildingwhere we would be conducting the
(10:30):
interviews, my friend took aquick peek into the room where
the applicants were waiting.
Then, with a big smile, shesaid there is a young man with a
long braid in the waiting room.
We concluded that he must beJericho.
When the young man with a longbraid walked into the room, I
was in awe, as he was the sameyoung man I had seen in my dream
(10:52):
the night before.
I looked at my friend andnodded to confirm that he was
the one.
However, there was a twist Hisname was not Jericho, it was
Joshua.
So who was Jericho?
When it came time for Jericho'sinterview, a young woman walked
in.
We knew we had the two who weremeant to go.
(11:16):
Later my friend informed Joshuaand Jericho that they had been
selected and they were ecstatic.
Neither had a passport.
So we helped them apply andorganise the travel arrangements
, and my friend would alsoaccompany them on their travels
and attend the four-day event.
My husband and I had family inthat part of the United States,
utah, so we decided to pay forour own trip and spend a day
(11:40):
with my friend, joshua andJericho before their event began
.
Day with my friend, joshua andJericho.
Before their event began, wegave Joshua and Jericho a list
of tourist activities to choosefrom.
Surprisingly, one of the thingsthey chose was to attend a
choir rehearsal in the city.
It was a world-renowned choircalled the Tabernacle Choir.
Because it was religious innature, I had wrongly assumed
(12:02):
that this might not appeal tothem.
Now I would like to justclarify that these youth that we
had interviewed were in asecond chance schooling
situation.
They had been either kicked out, they were part of gangs, they
were in trouble with the law.
So, yeah, I really didn't thinkthey were going to want to
listen to the choir.
(12:25):
My husband and I planned to meetthem at the choir rehearsal
after they had checked intotheir hotel.
While we were waiting for themto arrive, my husband asked what
their names were.
I said Joshua and Jericho.
He then looked up something onhis phone and said there's a
song with both those names andits title.
It's called Joshua Fit theBattle of Jericho.
(12:45):
And I was like huh, what acoincidence.
Just moments later, the choirstood up and began to sing that
same hymn Joshua Fit the Battleof Jericho, joshua, jericho.
And my friend arrived as thechoir was still singing the
first verse, and they said itdidn't take them long to notice
(13:07):
that this choir sang a hymn thatincluded both of their names.
They were thrilled.
Joshua commented that I musthave arranged for the choir to
sing this song for them.
No, I told him.
He gave me a look as if hedidn't believe me.
So I added honestly, I couldn'thave organized this.
Even if I'd wanted to, I had noconnections with this choir or
(13:28):
its conductor.
If I'd wanted to, I had noconnections with this choir or
its conductor.
Joshua and Jericho asked myfriend if she could take them to
see the live broadcast.
A few days later, after thelive broadcast had ended, the
conductor spoke to the audiencesaying that the choir had been
asked to sing the song.
Joshua fit the battle atJericho again and implied that
this was unusual.
Joshua and Jericho turned toone another with the biggest
(13:53):
smiles.
I'm convinced that thisexperience from the dream about
Joshua and Jericho to the songwhich included both of their
names in a place far from homewas no coincidence.
It added to my belief that weare all God's children and that
he knows each of us by name.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
You went through that so efficiently.
It's kind of like I'm stillmaking it sink in.
I had a dream I saw thesepeople Jericho name.
They come here, they hear thatsong.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
When you said Joshua and Jericho, I was like I know
that song.
I've heard that song.
It's amazing when sung by thatchoir.
It blows you away.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Yeah, and just the timing of it and the fact that
on the Sunday the conductor saidthis is highly unusual, but
we've been asked to sing itagain.
And then, just to add to thisstory, two days later my husband
and I were in a store and hesaid there's the conductor from
the Tabernacle Choir and he saidI'm going to go and tell him.
And he walked up to him.
(14:56):
They had this conversation andthe conductor was quite moved
and he said yeah, we all werewondering why we had to sing it
again.
And he said and now we know whyDo I have permission to go back
to the Tabernacle Choir andtell them?
And we were like, yes, Ofcourse.
They need to know.
So it was a really specialexperience and, you know, going
(15:17):
from the dreams to the end,meeting the conductor just
randomly in a store.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Yeah, that doesn't happen.
It doesn't happen.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
It's like the coincidence of it, and you know,
my husband was saying the otherday like we've been living here
now almost eight years.
We've never seen him again, youknow.
But the fact that it was justtwo days after this highly
unusual situation, yeah, so itreally did.
(15:44):
Um, yeah, add to my testimonythat he knows each of us
individually add to my testimonythat he knows each of us
individually.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
So you've got an upcoming book.
So you've got one uh, that'salready out and it's the not so
secret lives of real Mormonwives, which is kind of a play
on words with the whole Huluseries of um that's that's come
out this last year.
Um, but it's about women whowomen of faith that have done
amazing things with their lives,and Carrie is one of them.
(16:15):
Um, but she's also got a newbook, uh, coming up, called the
gift of charity embraced byKarawai of love, and I probably
mispronounced that.
It's a Maori word.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
It is.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
I am assuming.
It is, and it will be on thebookshelves in July.
What is a karawai?
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Yes, so a karawai.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Oh, I did say it wrong.
You were even close, not evenclose.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Tone was way off.
So a karawai is a Maori cloakworn on significant occasions.
Um, this particular cloakactually belonged to our
daughter's biological family andwhen they heard about me
receiving this royal honor, theyextended the invite for me to
(17:02):
wear this cloak.
And at first I wasn't 100% sureif I should accept, because I
wasn't Maori and I kind ofwanted to respect them and their
culture and you know, I waswhite Pakeha and so yeah, so
basically I actually prayedabout it and this feeling came
(17:26):
yes, this is a privilege, accept.
And so I did.
I actually found out later whenI was talking to Abby's
biological grandmother that Iwas telling her about this
little dilemma that I had, thatI didn't know if I should accept
, and she said, oh, you'd haveoffended them if you didn't
accept.
So I'm like, oh, I'm glad thatI did.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
They're not worried about cultural appropriation.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Yeah, but the one thing that so people have these
kowtow eyes made and they have ameaning to them, and the
meaning for this cloak was thearms of love from ancestors who
have passed on the family, whoare present and even the future
(18:09):
generations who are yet to beborn.
So, when this cloak is placedupon you, that is what they
believed, that I would have thearms of previous ancestors and
people and, you know, futuregenerations, which is beautiful,
especially because I do have atestimony that we have ancestors
that are still, you know,looking out for us.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
You might even speak to us in a dream.
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
And so, yeah, so when I went to this investiture
ceremony and Abby's biologicalgrandmother put this kauri over
my shoulders, I did not expectto feel the arms of love of
ancestors past, you know,present and future, but I had
this overwhelming feeling oflove come across me and it took
(19:03):
me by surprise and as I wasprocessing this, I just thought
it can't be, it's just a cloak.
But yeah, I literally did feelthis overwhelming, beautiful
feeling of love and although I'mnot Maori and although, um,
(19:26):
this is not my biological, Ireally felt that their arms were
around me.
That's cool, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
It was beautiful.
Your adopted daughters?
Tell us a little bit more aboutthat.
Did you feel like it was herfamily?
Speaker 3 (19:40):
I did, yeah, which was super beautiful and
unexpected, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Yeah, but that took a little while the process.
Like this family is gratefulfor us adopting their family
member into our own home.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Yeah, they always call her our beautiful Abby.
Her name's Abby, so you know itwas.
I feel like they gave us a giftand trusted us and and in
return, I feel like our liveshave been blessed by having Abby
(20:19):
, but also because we have thisbeautiful relationship with her
biological family, and I thinkit also reminds me that actually
, we are all brothers andsisters.
You know, we are actually allfamily.
I think we forget that, andmaybe that was one of the things
that I felt in that moment.
Um, and I looked at Abby'sgrandmother as she tied the bow
(20:43):
and her eyes were filled withtears, and mine, so I feel like
she felt that too.
Yeah, so it was beautiful thatis beautiful.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
So your book is titled after this experience the
gift of charity.
Uh, tell us a little bit moreabout the book yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
so the book, um, you know, just goes in a little bit
of background, um, for thereader to get to know a little
bit about me, where I was born,my family and so forth, how I
ended up in New Zealand and thenhow I ended up, you know,
starting up the charity Feed,the Need which we talked about
last time, you know, wasinspired by dreams.
(21:24):
Go back and listen to episodeone if you haven't back and
listen to episode one if youhaven't, um, and so yeah.
So I just talk about all thoseexperiences the highs, the lows,
the miracles, the many miraclesum, one of the lessons being
that I learned that charity workwas actually all about love.
It's that simple.
(21:44):
It's all about love and um,yeah, just amazing experience.
The experience with joshua andjericho was in there.
Um, so yeah, just uh, justlessons learned and some
incredible stories and,hopefully, um people will feel
inspired and motivated to getout and serve yeah, go buy the
(22:08):
book.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
It's hitting shelves in July.
How do you feel about that?
Speaker 3 (22:13):
excited you know, it's funny because, like I think
I mentioned it last night lasttime, I I never went to college
um, I wouldn't, I'm not academicat all and so I felt inspired
to write and I really didn'twant to because that would take
a lot of work, and I felt likeit was almost like stopping me
(22:36):
getting out doing the hands-onwork and why would I do that
instead of being out actuallydoing the hands-on work?
But I had an experience where Irealized that actually by
sharing experiences in a book,on a podcast, actually creates
(22:58):
this domino effect that peoplewill listen, people will read
and will be inspired to get outand serve and, like we touched
on last time, you know, I feellike we all have a calling, we
all have good that we can dowherever we are in the world and
, um, and so, yeah, there'sstill good that can be done and
(23:19):
hopefully even more like, ifthere's this domino effect, then
maybe even more good can happenthan if I focus just on doing
the hands-on work.
And so I began a long time agowith a friend.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Lisa.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Knowlton and we just started you know, putting a
compilation of my storiestogether, and it's taken years.
We began at the end of 2019.
But yeah, good things take time.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
So, since you've been on the podcast part one, go
back and listen to part one.
Has anything happened?
Like has some of those dominoesstarted to fall?
Speaker 3 (23:57):
yes, yes, so I've had different groups approach me.
We've had I've been asked to toa keynote speaker at a couple
of events.
I've had others wanting tointerview and do videos and all
sorts.
It's just been awesome just tosee this domino effect.
(24:22):
And you kind of think about thenumbers, like you know, imagine
at an event you're talking,let's say, to a thousand people
how many of them are gonna go onand do good.
You know, that's kind of coolwhen you think about it.
I think I said in the lastpodcast that, um, they did a tv
(24:43):
story in New Zealand on thecharity feed, the need and a
little bit about my story, andthen just to hear of people
being inspired by that and goingout and doing amazing things.
You know it's really excitingjust to kind of hear those
stories and then they'll beinspiring other people and it's
like this awesome domino effectand with all the you know the
(25:06):
troubles in the world, I feellike more than ever we need that
goodness in the world.
So if we can create this dominoeffect, like if this podcast
can reach an audience and one ofthe listeners will go out and
do some good, well, then it'sworth it.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
Yeah, agreed.
In your last podcast you talkedto us about how kind of the
story of what brought you toUtah on the first plates.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
But I don't think we got into the Reach Out Today
story, did we?
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Well a little bit.
But when it comes to thetransitional housing project
that you were involved in Coreyyou know we're involved in Corey
I don't think you've actuallyheard of the actual story that
began the process of learningabout homelessness and why this
project came about, and so Ihope today that I can share that
(25:58):
story.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
That'd be great.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Okay, awesome.
While waiting at the trafficlight of a busy four-way
intersection, I noticed adisheveled man hobbling
awkwardly along the sidewalk.
His tattered clothing andunclean appearance, along with a
half-filled trash bag hangingover his hunchback, suggested he
(26:22):
was homeless.
His face had a grey pallor withdeep wrinkles and his eyes
remained fixed on the ground.
With every step he took hegrimaced.
His right leg was limp andheavy and twisted.
My mind flooded with questions.
What could have caused theinjury?
What had led to his current sadstate?
Did he need help?
As the questions swirled aroundmy mind, I was struck by an
(26:45):
image of him as a preciousnewborn baby.
No longer was I seeing anunkempt homeless man on the
sidewalk, but rather a beautifulchild of God.
Pure love filled my soul.
This image made me wonderwhether he had been loved and
(27:06):
nurtured in his formative years.
Had he ever been told that hewas of great worth?
The light turned green for thevehicles coming from my left as
the cars passed this homelessman on the sidewalk.
A black pickup truck sloweddown and rolled down its windows
(27:31):
.
The young male occupants threwtheir open soda cans at the man,
while shouting obscenities ashe pulled his arms up to protect
his face and head from theheavy blows.
His trash can, felt trash bag,fell to the ground.
(27:53):
This young man, these young menlaughed hysterically at each
blow.
I gasped at this cruelinjustice and cried out no, no,
no.
But my window was closed and noone could hear my cries.
I tried to catch the truck'splate number, but it sped off
(28:15):
too quickly.
The traffic light for my laneturned green.
I desperately wanted to abandonmy car, run to this man,
comfort him and see what I coulddo to help, but there was
nowhere for me to legally pullover.
Honking sounds from multipleimpatient and angry drivers
behind me made me hit theaccelerator.
I had no choice but to drive on.
(28:37):
I got one more.
Look at the homeless man whowas now crying out to the
heavens with his armsoutstretched.
I burst into uncontrollablesobs as I left the scene.
God, I cried why did you showme him as a baby, only to see
(29:00):
him be hurt, ridiculed anddemeaned when there was nothing
I could do to help?
Ridiculed and demeaned whenthere was nothing I could do to
help?
I knew that this image of thatman as a newborn baby was
inspired.
I had been given a glimpse intohow Jesus saw this man that
(29:23):
night, I prayed about what hewould have me do.
A burning desire to learn abouthomelessness in America, which I
now called home, kept me uplate that night.
Bleak statistics surroundingyouth aging out of foster care
and ending up homeless wasdisheartening.
In the subsequent weeks andmonths, I visited local homeless
shelters and safe houses,asking youth and adults if they
(29:43):
would be willing to speak withme about how they ended up
homeless Sorry, sorry, sorry.
Thankfully, my British accentwith a New Zealand twang seemed
to intrigue them and they agreed.
Time and time again they toldme about being exposed to trauma
, suffering neglect and beingplaced in and out of foster care
(30:06):
.
As children, they desperatelywanted stability, safety, a
place to call home and a familywho would love them and meet
their physical and emotionalneeds.
My heart broke listening totheir stories.
Often my emotions got thebetter of me, like today, and
these individuals would reachover and comfort me.
(30:29):
Soon more images entered my mindthrough dreams, confirming that
I was on the right track.
I felt inspired to begin aproject to advocate for more
transitional housing for youthwho were aging out of foster
care or experiencinghomelessness.
If someone would have told methat it would take six years to
start to finish, to get thisproject done.
(30:49):
You know, how you said in thelast podcast, we've known each
other two years.
I'm like.
No, I think I may have beendeterred, but as the saying goes
, good things take time.
The beautiful apartment complexthat we talked about is in Mill
Creek now, and it's superexciting to know that these
(31:11):
youth have got a place to go, asafe place to go, and that we
can prevent homelessness.
After the ribbon had been cut,the beautiful apartment complex
was now officially open forthose youth who needed a home.
Inexplicable joy filled my souland, you probably guessed, my
tears began to flow.
Before leaving the apartmentcomplex on the day of the
(31:33):
opening, I reflected on thathomeless man from the roadside.
Oh, how I wished he could behere to see this building.
Then I would embrace him, tellhim about the image of him.
I'd seen the love I felt, hisgreat worth and how God had led
me on a journey to alleviate andprevent homelessness for
(31:56):
generations of youth.
Something good, even amazing,had come from the injustice he
had endured that day on thesidewalk.
So, corey, now you know.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
That's incredible.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
It is a beautiful building.
I went over yes, you did, and Iwas not prepared for how nice
it was and what a beautiful areait is in's.
It's not out in the middle ofnowhere where you've you feel
(32:33):
like if you lived there.
That would be a really niceneighborhood right across the
street from quote-unquote normalhousing and maybe even nicer
and it's got mountain views.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
It's just a lovely building like um.
It's just amazing how that allcame out to be and you know,
corey, you were part of that andI appreciate Kirk, you reaching
out to me and saying, hey, I'vegot clothing that I'd like to
take over.
You know, these youth have, youknow, gone through a lot and
(33:09):
you know, I feel like it's ourresponsibility to wrap our arms
around them and, you know,believe in them and believe that
they have a bright future andthat, as a community, we can,
you know, show that love to them.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
I think it builds people well, I didn't tell you
this yet, okay, but today I madeplans with our city club and
we're doing a suit and sportjacket clothing drive for you.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
And so we'll have many sizes and we're going to do
a clothing drive for a wholeweek a whole week and hopefully
be able to get some clothes forthese, these folks that are
there and going out and doingjob interviews and looking their
best.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
Yeah, awesome, can I high five you?
Speaker 2 (33:57):
Yeah, sure, that just happened today.
So, yeah, we're, we're excitedto support you some more.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
I think for those listening, it's good to know
that there's all these needs inour backyard that I don't think
people are aware of.
I, humbly, am sitting heregoing, man, I should do more
like right here in our backyardBecause you just don't know, I
(34:33):
don't.
I think we, we could know,right, I'm, I'm being
introspective, like I see thehomeless around my office and we
do things with the four streetclinic and the all, all.
We do tons of charity stuff.
You know, I did air quotes.
I said that I think we're givingback and we're you, we're um,
donating time and materials andwhatever, but I don't think I
(34:56):
know where the true, how muchthere's truly a need, and I
think, for all of us listening,we kind of need to roll up our
sleeves, probably a little bitmore at least I do and get more
involved in and I think moreinvolved being meaning more
aware.
I need to be more aware ofwhere the needs are, because
(35:19):
sometimes it's easy to justify.
Well, I did this with thechurch I belong to and I did as
in my, my company, and we'vegiven back.
But you know, I feel like Iwasn't even aware of the need,
this need that you've talked tous about now for six years, but
I wasn't aware until you came inand talked to us, right.
Speaker 3 (35:38):
So I think we all need to work on our awareness
and our humility and our anywaybeing introspective I think you
know for you, like during thelast podcast, you know,
afterwards you wrote a generouscheck because you understood the
situation for children enteringfoster care and wanted to do
(36:01):
something about it.
And then children enteringdomestic shelters domestic
violence shelters and so thanksto we've got a year's worth of
good things coming to thosechildren.
So thank you.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
I think you're right, Corey, and as you were talking,
I thought I just had thisfeeling the other day.
Last week, I attended theKindness Summit that Curtis
Bennett our beautiful friendfrom One Kind Act Today, Curtis
Bennett, our beautiful friendfrom One Kind Act Today does an
amazing summit up at theUniversity of Utah and brings
people of influence and impactinto the same room, and it's
(36:44):
just like an IV shot of goodnessto make you just want to go out
and do good in the world.
And I sat next to, uh, someonewho received an award which I
didn't even think about.
This Um, it's called thein-between and it's you've
probably, you probably know them, um, but they received an award
for what they do is.
They take people who, uh,cannot access benefits, access
(37:07):
benefits through Medicaid orotherwise, that are terminally
ill, who need to be on hospicebut don't have an address, and
they've turned this into abeautiful facility where they
have, on average, 55 people ayear come in and they pass with
(37:29):
dignity and respect.
And I turned to him and I saidI didn't even know you guys
existed.
How did you, how did you getthis?
How did you get this award?
And she said I think someonejust told the right person.
And I said but you guys havebeen doing this for years under
(37:52):
the radar, with absolutely nofanfare, no news stories.
But it's a need that obviouslyis there, but I hadn't ever even
thought about it.
And what more of a beautifulexperience than to be with
people as they pass with dignitywho are, at that time, without
(38:19):
housing.
So I think there'sopportunities for us to open our
eyes and think wider than we doand, carrie, you're an amazing
example of doing this with allof the programs that you work
with.
I mean, the list is long, butyou have Feed the Gap, clothe
(38:44):
the Gap, the Hygiene Gap, theTransition Gap.
List is long, but you have feedthe gap, clothe the gap, the
hygiene gap, the transition gap.
You work with dcfs, schooldistricts, counselors, other
organizations, like you'reeverywhere, and I don't say this
to like toot your horn, but itis.
It is amazing how wide you havecast your net and it inspires
(39:04):
me to do the same.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
We talked last time after the podcast about the
refugees.
Maybe we could.
I mean, nobody has more storiesthan Carrie like about
listening to promptings andmaking miracles happen.
But it was a cool story whenyou told us after the podcast
last time and maybe we could getin a little bit into that, if
you're okay with that.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
Okay, yeah so.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
Kind of like the refugees part one, I think, was
what we were referring to.
Speaker 3 (39:41):
Yeah, so not long after I'd moved here, like
within weeks, I actually brokemy leg and so, with my leg up
(40:05):
elevated, I was really prayingto know what Heavenly Father
wanted me to do here in Utah,and I think I mentioned last
time that, you know, I kind offelt like there was probably no
need here, which now I've had myeyes open.
But I ended up having a dream.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
If I'm okay sharing that dream, Every dream story
you've shared with us has been Aplus.
So, yes, okay, well, in thisdream, every dream story you've
shared with us has been A+.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
Okay, yes, okay.
Well, in this dream I couldhear wailing and crying coming
from a dark tunnel.
As I looked into this tunnel,refugees streamed out of the
entrance, worn out women wereholding their crying babies, and
men were carrying children andtheir family's belongings on
their backs.
They were cold, tired and sadand they seemed like they had
(40:49):
lost all hope.
Their clothing was torn andtheir shoes had holes in them.
They must be hungry.
I thought I am a feeder.
I ran over the road to a localrestaurant and tried to order
food for them.
The owner of the restaurantrefused my order and said we
don't want to encourage therefugees here.
I was stunned and asked him canyou not hear their cries?
(41:13):
He turned around and walkedaway from me.
I was dismayed that anotherhuman being could turn their
back on those who are suffering.
It was beyond my comprehension.
The next thing I remember wasmy husband waking me up.
He'd heard me crying in mysleep.
One time we helped a refugeefamily move into an apartment.
(41:36):
I wondered how they would movewithout our help.
They often had no means oftransporting their items and
families.
As we moved the items, wecouldn't help but think that it
would be easier to throw awaythese things and buy new ones
for them.
However, it was evident thatthe few belongings they had were
far more than just objects.
(41:56):
To them, these items were allthey had left of their former
lives, and to them they werepriceless.
Each item held memories, hopesand a sense of identity that the
chaos of displacementthreatened to erase.
Once we had moved everythinginto their new apartment, the
father let out a huge sigh andsaid something in his own
(42:19):
language to his wife andchildren.
His children excitedly huggedtheir father and cried, with
happy tears Smiling.
I asked what did you say?
He replied I told them we aresafe now.
As I drove home, I wept, knowingthat Jesus, having once been a
refugee himself, would havewanted this family to feel safe,
(42:39):
have their treasured belongingswith them and have their needs
met.
This is just one of manystories.
I've got so many stories and Ifeel like every single
experience that I have, whetherit's a refugee, whether it's a
homeless youth, whether it's achild entering foster care,
(43:03):
whether it's somebody entering adomestic violence shelter, I
kind of feel like they're allrefugees, they're all being
displaced and I really felt thatday, with this family that this
is what Jesus would have me do.
There are families that arrivehere with literally just the
(43:29):
clothes on their back, and Iactually ended up once helping a
family who had actually walkedfrom Afghanistan taking boats,
then walked again.
It had been five months thatthey'd walked.
They had a five-year-old boywho had His shoes were just like
(43:56):
being held together withthreads, blisters on his feet,
and there was a baby whowouldn't stop crying and the
mother was trying to show me meand she pulled off the baby's
diaper and it was just all bloodand, um, skin that peeled off
(44:17):
and, amazingly, a walmart girlcame over and she spoke their
language and I'm like, okay,what's the chance of this?
And so this woman interpretedfor us that the mother said she
didn't have access to water andto soap and things and diapers
and so on, and so this baby hadbeen very uncomfortable and so
(44:40):
we went and spoke to thepharmacist.
All these experiences and justkind of but all these
experiences just kind ofreinforce you know that these
are my brothers and sisters.
These are, and I know that thisis what Jesus would have me do
(45:07):
and have all of us do To buy themenu, buy the five-year-old-old
pair of shoes to get cream tohelp the baby.
The mother asked.
She held up a pack of hair tiesand said you know, like
basically she was pointing, canI have these?
And I said, oh yes.
She burst into tears about hairties and I just thought it also
(45:28):
reminds me of the things thatwe've been blessed with, our
privileges.
I wouldn't think anything ofgoing to Walmart and getting
myself a pack of hair ties, buthere is a woman crying about
hair ties and so it's, it's.
It's just.
All these experiences justremind me how, remind me how
privileged I am and and I don'tknow if I mentioned it in the
(45:52):
last podcast, but um, I requireplasma infusions every two weeks
.
Did I mention that?
Speaker 2 (45:59):
You didn't.
I knew that about you, but Ithought I'd let you bring it up
if you wanted to.
But it's incredible that youyou shared a little bit with us
after the podcast last time, butyou should, you should tell us
that.
Speaker 3 (46:10):
Well, so I have a chronic health condition and the
immunologist calls itlife-threatening.
I kind of try not to, you know,spend time thinking about that,
um, but I have plasma infusionsevery two weeks and one of the
(46:30):
nurses told me.
She said, you know, they callthis liquid gold and I was like,
oh, why is that?
And she said because it's soexpensive.
And she said did you know thatthis plasma in these bottles
they're three little bottles,she said comes from around a
(46:51):
thousand donors, and I had noidea.
So these 1,000 donors, whereverthey are, thank you.
And so I feel, like you know,I'm having 1,000 people preserve
(47:17):
my life, and so I'm sofortunate, I'm so privileged, I
have health insurance thatcovers it.
So when I see and meet thesepeople, I can't help but think
that I'm being sustained, mylife's being prolonged, I have a
(47:38):
responsibility, I have a workto do, and that I'm so
privileged, even with my healthchallenges.
I'm very privileged, yeah.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
You give me great perspective.
I do, and I'm sure, if you'relistening to this, you're
jealous that I get to be in thesame room as Carrie and Corey.
Um, you, you carry a spiritwith you and, and I think,
(48:13):
anywhere you go, I think youbless Uh, and I think you know.
I'm not going to ask you todefine what a lady or a
gentleman is again, because youalready did that once, but I
think that that is a quality ofsomeone who is a lady or a
gentleman that they inspirethose around them wherever they
go, and one of the first thingsthat I taught my children when I
(48:37):
was creating the GentlemanProject curriculum was a
gentleman takes care of thosewho can't take care of
themselves, and you haveexemplified that in your life's
work, so I commend you for that.
Speaker 3 (48:50):
Thank you.
I was wondering if I can justtalk about one story from this
book.
Speaker 2 (48:56):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (48:57):
Not so Secret Lives of Real Mormon Wives.
So there was eight women,including myself, that were
asked to write a section, a10,000 000 word manuscript,
within just a few weeks, and soI told you earlier it took me
like years to write this bookthat's going to be coming out in
July, but, um, amazingly I wasable to do it.
(49:20):
But as I read one of the otherwomen's stories, it was of her
name's, alison Merrill Hong, andshe was actually raised in a in
Taiwan, in a slum, and shetalks about how she had a very
difficult childhood and shetalks about these two LDS
(49:47):
missionaries that came andknocked on the door and ended up
coming in and teaching them,and they really looked forward
to every time these missionariescame, because they brought this
light and love with them.
Have I got time just to readher story?
Speaker 2 (50:03):
You bet.
Speaker 3 (50:07):
My two-year-old sister, dee, wailed, her face
distorted.
She rubbed her little eyes withher filthy hands, mixing dirt
with the tears on her tinycheeks.
Saliva dangled from her lips,swollen from marathon crying,
and soiled the front of hercotton shirt.
She trailed behind meeverywhere in the house,
wobbling with great difficulty.
Her thin white cotton pantswere bulging and had turned
(50:30):
brown.
She stank of sweat, urine andpoop.
Flies followed her the way shefollowed me and one of them
landed on her eye, making ascream Mama.
Perhaps she thought I could beher substitute mum for just a
brief moment, cleaning her,feeding her, holding her, but I
was only four at the time andcouldn't be anything other than
(50:52):
my helpless self.
She answered the door one nightand was shocked to find two
Caucasian young men standingoutside in a torrential downpour
next to their bikes.
In my 13, she was at the 13thtime in my 13 years of life I
had never seen anyone as tall asthem.
Their faces above the awningAdult ankle-length raincoats
(51:15):
reached only their calves.
Is Mr Hong here, one of themasked in Chinese?
I stepped aside, dashed towardthe back of the house, waving my
arms in the air and holleringAmericans, americans, americans.
My father seemed surprised, buthe didn't look alarmed.
Turns out that a year earlierhe had met the missionaries from
the Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints in a city park
(51:38):
seven hours away, but had sinceforgotten about it.
That night he gestured for themissionaries to sit in our
living room.
The missionaries had a messagethat God is our father in heaven
who loves us and answers ourprayers.
I didn't know what.
I didn't know For one.
I never knew peace and loveuntil the missionaries brought
(51:59):
them to us For our weekly visit.
They braved the bone-chillingwintry rains and biked miles to
the dark slum, always carryingsomething.
One of them hauled a projectorand a case of slides to share a
movie with my family, while theother balanced in one hand the
banana bread he had baked in arice cooker.
They carried a distinctive kindof warmth with them, as if the
(52:22):
sun was behind them whereverthey went and whenever they left
our house, the light left withthem, as if the sun was behind
them wherever they went andwhenever they left our house,
the light left with them.
This was just an impoverishedvillage in a dilapidated house,
and she saw them as being thesun.
And I was saying earlier,before this podcast, um, that I
feel like each of us can.
(52:43):
We don't have to wear amissionary badge, we don't have
to be a member of this church orany church, but we can bring
light and love and serve people,because, for this story of
Alison, this was the only timethat she felt that warmth, felt
that sun, felt that light, andso my hope today from this
(53:06):
podcast is that we can bringthat into our communities.
Speaker 1 (53:11):
That is a beautiful way to end the podcast.
Thank you, wonderful story andI couldn't be more appreciative
of the time that you spent withus and the inspiration that
you've given me and likely, myfamily and all the listeners.
So thank you so much.
Thanks for living the life thatyou live, thanks for being the
person who listens and acts, andI'm not sure I know anyone
(53:37):
who's done as much as CarrieOwen has.
It's pretty awesome.
Speaker 2 (53:39):
Yeah, it's a privilege to know you and a
privilege to have you on thepodcast twice.
It's a privilege to know youand a privilege to have you on
the podcast twice.
We hope that we can continue toto talk about you, to talk
about things you know, if youneed, if you need something and
we can help, even if it'smentioning it on the podcast.
We might just talk about CarrieOwen on future podcasts, just
(54:02):
like we talked about CurtisBennett today.
And you know the work thatyou're doing is inspiring.
Speaker 3 (54:07):
Well, thank you for what you do, amazing.
Speaker 2 (54:09):
If you want to connect with Carrie, the best
way to get a hold of her or tohelp if you feel so inspired to
make a donation, there's a Venmoon the website.
Will you tell us the websiteone more time?
Yep wwwreachouttodayorg and ifyou didn't listen to part one,
(54:30):
go do it.
Thanks everybody, we appreciateyou spending your time with us.
If again, if you felt inspiredby this podcast and someone's
name popped into your head asyou were listening to it, or an
idea popped into your head thatyou thought this is my mark,
that I can leave on the world,the dent in the universe that I
can make.
Act on it.
(54:51):
Act on each good thought.
I'm Kirk Chug.
Speaker 1 (54:54):
I'm Corey Moore, thank you.
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