Blog
03 | A Rubbish Dump and a 70 Acre Farm | Claire Brown
Claire Brown is an Ohio native living in eManzana, South Africa. In 2017, she founded Lydia’s Mission, a non-profit organization that empowers women in generational poverty and children in chronic food insecurity by addressing their physical needs, while embracing their hearts for Christ. Today Lydia’s Mission has 29 women working full time in the ministry and feeds over 1600 children five days a week in the local community.
In this week’s episode, Claire shares how she realized at a young age she had a passion for sharing the gospel and being available for God to use her. She never intended to start a large growing non-profit but her willingness to say “yes” has taken her on a journey she never could have imagined.
Hear stories of how she’s empowering women by encouraging their creativity, giving them a voice, and creating a sense of belonging, under a tree in a rubbish dump.
Links to learn more:
Lydia’s Mission – Facebook
Lydia’s Mission – Instagram
A limited supply of hand sewn Lydia’s Mission stuffed animals are available at: https://lydiasmissionshop.org/
A special thanks to COhatch Mason for providing podcast studio space. https://www.cohatch.com/
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02 | Good Times and Ford Motor Company | Brent Billingsley
Brent is the founder and CEO of ARTE, whose mission is to simply connect communities and create a culturally competent dialogue through the arts. Brent’s work with Pieces Art Engagement reaches out to community and business organizations to help with diversity, equity, inclusion awareness, and training. After a 16-year career working locally for Ford Motor Company, he felt called to return to the artistic gifts God has given him and pursue a degree in fine arts from Miami University. While completing his degree, he began working in group homes in Cincinnati, found a full-time position with Children’s Hospital in an adolescent mental health unit and was inspired to earn his Masters in Social Work from the University of Cincinnati.
In this week’s episode, Brent shares what prompted him to make a midlife career change and live life on purpose. Hear why he believes art is a powerful tool for engaging reconciliation, truth, and empowerment while bringing hope and healing in the lives of children, families, and communities.
Don’t miss Brent’s powerful impromptu spoken word performance at the end of the episode!
Links to learn more:
Pieces Art Engagement – instagram account
ARTE – facebook
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01 | An Izuzu Trooper and an Atlas | Todd and Beth Guckenberger
Todd and Beth Guckenberger live with their family in Cincinnati and serve as the co-executive directors of Back2Back Ministries. After college graduation, the Guckenbergers packed up an Isuzu trooper and moved to Monterrey, Mexico where they lived for 15 years. Between biological, foster, and adopted children, they have raised eleven children.
In this week’s episode, Todd and Beth share some of the experiences that led them to realize they had something to offer, the emotions they were feeling as they crossed the Mexican border for the first time, and how their dream of being the difference has grown and changed in the past 25 years.
Hear why they still say people are worth the work, 25 years, 5 countries, 8 ministry sites, and thousands of co-laborers later.
Links to Learn More:
To learn more about Back2Back Ministries, check out Back2Back.org.
To hear more from Beth, go to recklessfaith.com.
Find Beth Guckenberger on Instagram.
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Episode 00
The Be the Difference Podcast by Back2Back Ministries shares stories of everyday people who are being the difference in the lives of others. Hear what they’ve learned, obstacles they’ve overcome and why it’s worth it.