From Career Shifts to a Life-Changing Mission: Pioneering OurCalling Part 1-ft Carolyn Walker

OurCalling - Our podcast about homelessness

In this episode, Pastor Wayne Walker, CEO of OurCalling, interviews Carolyn Walker(wife and co-founder) as they delve into the compelling story behind founding OurCalling, a mission borne out of a clear directive from God to serve the homeless in Dallas. Together, they discuss the initial gaps in spiritual care outside of shelters and how personal experiences with trauma and homelessness fuelled their commitment. They highlight the challenges and adjustments faced while transitioning from planned international missions to focusing entirely on local needs, evolving their services beyond mere food provision to address deeper issues of autonomy and identity. Through reflective narratives and personal anecdotes, the Walkers emphasize the importance of dignity, autonomy, and the balancing act between their intense professional commitments and maintaining a healthy personal life.

https://www.ourcalling.org/

- **Carolyn Walker Introduction** (Time 01:15): Carolyn shares her background, mentioning she’s from Arlington, Texas, the youngest of 7 kids, and has worked in Dallas for most of her marriage.

- **Purpose of Our Calling** (Time 02:55): Carolyn explains that founding Our Calling felt like the only option – a clear direction from God for their lives.

- **Filling a Void** (Time 03:14): Initially, there was a significant void in spiritual care for the homeless outside of shelters, which led to the creation of Our Calling.

- **Background and Motivation** (Time 05:09): Both Wayne and Carolyn had early experiences with trauma, homelessness, and witnessing the needs of others, which motivated their current mission.

- **Shift from Planned Careers to Founding Our Calling** (Time 09:13): The couple originally planned to serve abroad, but meeting needs in Dallas redirected their path, confirmed by advice from a mission agency.

- **Challenges and Adjustments** (Time 14:56): Living full-time serving the homeless community in Dallas presented challenges, including ignorance from others about the homelessness situation in the city.

- **Incorporating Our Calling (2009) and Full Time Service (2010)** (Time 24:15): The couple describes how they established Our Calling officially and moved into missionary work in Dallas full-time, highlighting some obstacles, such as city regulations against food services and extensive relief efforts during Hurricane Katrina.

- **Expanding Services and Understanding Needs** (Time 30:55): Starting with a small facility, they realized the broad and intensive needs of the homeless, which wasn't just about providing food but also addressing deeper issues of autonomy and identity.

- **Personal Reflections and Learning Through Service** (Time 31:19): Carolyn recalls her learning experiences through direct interactions, particularly with a woman named Yvonne who taught her about resilience and hope amidst suffering.

- **Maintaining Focus and Expanding Impact** (Time 35:49): The approach to homeless ministry evolves, focusing on respecting the autonomy of those served, emphasizing that personal choices are paramount, and advocating for engaging human dignity at each step.

- **Balancing Professional and Personal Life** (Time 38:52): Carolyn and Wayne underline the complexities and rewards of working together in such intense ministry settings while maintaining their marriage and personal lives.

- **Lessons and Future Directions** (Time 39:14): Concluding, they mention the upcoming episode will continue discussing the operational aspects and impacts of Our Calling.

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