A Gritty Journey of Tex-Mex Theology with Alan Graham, Founder and CEO of Mobile Loaves & Fishes
Creating Beauty Through Service, with Dita Heilman
On this episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast, Alan sits down with one of our beloved volunteers, Dita Heilman!
Dita’s story of serving others began long before she found her way to Community First! Village. Born and raised in the Albania/Kosovo region of Europe, she met her husband, Steve, while he was volunteering with a medical nonprofit during the early 1990s. What started with a chance encounter and a shared cup of coffee grew into a life rooted in compassion, hospitality and a calling to serve others.
Today, Dita and Steve faithfully volunteer in the Art House at Community First! Village, where they help create handcrafted ceramic pieces alongside our neighbors living in the Village. Through every conversation, shared project and creative endeavor, Dita reminds us that the most meaningful connections are built when we take the time to simply be present with one another.
In this episode, Dita reflects on the power of kindness across cultures, the unexpected path that led her from Kosovo to Austin, and how volunteering has become a beautiful expression of gratitude for the life she’s been given. Her story is a reminder that serving others doesn’t just their change lives—it has the power to transform our own.
The Power of Presence, with Ilene Green
On this episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast, Alan sits down with a longtime friend of Mobile Loaves & Fishes, Ilene Green!
Ilene’s journey to Community First! Village began long before she called Austin home. While living out of state, Ilene started volunteering with Mobile Loaves & Fishes when her son, Charles, began working at the organization. After retiring from a career as a teaching aid, where she spent years working alongside children and adults with disabilities, Ilene moved from Illinois to Austin and quickly found a new place to serve.
What started as simple volunteer work in our Genesis Gardens and Community Market has grown into a beautiful rhythm of showing up, listening and loving our neighbors well. Every Wednesday, Ilene spends the entire day at the Village; walking the neighborhood, sitting with neighbors, learning their stories and helping them access the support they need.
For Ilene, it’s never about the state of someone’s home—it’s about the person inside it. She celebrates neighbors’ growth, encourages them through challenges and cherishes the friendships she’s built along the way. She’s witnessed firsthand that the blessings flow both ways, as neighbors and volunteers continue to teach, encourage and love one another.
In this episode, Ilene reminds us that patience and grace can go a long way, and that sometimes the greatest gift we can offer someone is simply our presence.
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About the Podcast
Each of us has a story to tell about who we are and how we got to where we are in life, and the element of community, whether you realize it or not, has played a vital part.
You alone have not just pulled yourself up by your bootstraps. Your path in life—your story—has been molded by other individuals along the way.
Hosted by Alan Graham, founder and CEO of Mobile Loaves & Fishes, the ‘Gospel Con Carne’ podcast explores the woundedness of society through the untold stories of individuals who have encountered homelessness. You’ll hear from men and women who lived on the streets for years or even decades, and other guests who, though never homeless, understand the profound impact of family and community on their lives.
Join Alan as he takes you on a gritty journey of Tex-Mex theology while unpacking poignant stories from the streets of life that will leave you with a new understanding of the significance of community and home.
Alan Graham is one of the country’s leading visionaries on issues involving homelessness. He’s also a pretty cool dude. Meet Your Host >
