Call Summary: Kingdom Tribe Movement and Carlos's Spiritual Progress

Overview

Morning phone conversation between Gary and Ida exploring the vision for a "Kingdom Tribe" movement where Christians actively support each other, discussing Carlos's remarkable transformation post-deliverance, and sharing insights about ministry through lived example rather than performative faith.

Key Topics Discussed

Kingdom Tribe Movement Vision

• Core Concept: Ida envisions a movement where Christians wear an identifiable sign so people know they can approach for prayer and support
• Ida's Vision: "I wish we could have a movement... if you're kingdom tribe, people know they can ask you for prayer and you will pray for them. You'll stop and pray"
• Current Problem: Traditional Christian symbols don't work - "I had a guy who says Jesus saves and he flipped me off for like two miles"
• San Antonio Example: Referenced local anti-bullying group where Black men escort bullied children to school when schools won't act
• Hospital Ministry Desire: Ida wants chaplain credentials to respond to social media prayer requests: "I saw this on Facebook. I'm here to pray for your son"
• Facebook Ministry: Currently sends prayers through Facebook but feels in-person prayer is more powerful
• Safe People Concept: "What will it take for Christians to be safe people?"

Brother Alex's Continued Struggle

• Mechanic Ministry: Despite leaving family, Alex continues helping stranded motorists for 20+ years, carrying tools in vehicle
• Marriage Context: Wife Amy showed no love for 30 years, no physical intimacy except 3 times (resulting in 3 children)
• Breaking Point: Had heart attack 6 months before leaving, woke saying "I have to leave Amy"
• Amy's Coldness: "She was just cold... went to church and everything, but she didn't live that at all"
• Failed Counseling: Multiple Christian counselors couldn't help; Amy showed kindness to others but not to Alex
• Alex's Desperation: "I'm going to die. I'm going to die" - was suicidal for last 3 years of marriage
• Family Rejection: "The children were in the middle of this and suffering" - second divorce in Ida's family history
• Ida as Black Sheep: "I just was always the black sheep in my family of my obsession with Christ and spirituality"

Carlos's Remarkable Transformation

• Dramatic Social Change: Now going out 10x more frequently - "He would only go out two or three times a year. Not leave the house" for past 10 years
• Active Engagement: Calls parents asking "Are y'all planning to go anywhere today?" - wants to join for errands, dinner, etc.
• Reading Gary's Content: When asked about scripture reading: "I read whatever Gary sends me" (referring to Gary's micro podcast)
• Emotional Development: Developing feelings after years of nihilism - "He had no feelings. He never felt joy. He never felt sadness"
• Recent Emergence: Feelings only started developing "a couple of years ago"
• Spiritual Awareness: "He knows that God is working on him"
• Processing Deliverance: Doesn't want to discuss blind Carlos - "Mom, I don't want to talk about that... I'm trying to stay positive"
• Past Nihilism: Due to reading Ecclesiastes - "Nothing matters on Earth. Nothing matters"
• No Romantic Interest: At 25, never cared about relationships because "he had no feelings"

Spiritual Sight Vision

• Three Men Connection: Ida sees divine orchestration between Gary, her son Carlos, and blind Carlos
• Complementary Gifts: "Carlos can't see. Blind Carlos can't see physically. My Carlos sees spiritually"
• Carlos's Abilities: "He could talk to you for a few seconds and know what it is that you're going through"
• Partnership Vision: Ida imagines Gary and Carlos partnering in ministry with complementary spiritual gifts
• Untapped Potential: "All he has to do is grab it. And what God will do... I don't know what's next"
• Divine Orchestration: "God's up to something with you three... Something's up. I don't know what"
• Prayer Focus: All three men praying for something related to sight/vision

School Ministry Challenges

• 15-Year-Old Girl Crisis: Lost her mind after mother left father for another man
  • Stays with church preacher when family can't handle her
  • Has been hospitalized multiple times
  • Rejected Ida's counseling attempts three times
  • Mother rejected her for "having a bad attitude with her new husband"
• 11-Year-Old Suicide Outcry: Made suicide statement due to bullying
  • "He's a little baby. He looks like he's eight. He's tiny"
  • Ida incorporated God into counseling since he attends church
• Mental Health Philosophy: "I believe that Jesus can heal people from mental illness, from depression, from what is being called bipolar"
• Community Healing: Referenced world-renowned psychiatrist's findings that "people heal through community. Not medications"
• Staff Pushback: Christian coworkers argued "that's why God made doctors" when Ida suggested prayer over medication

Ministry Philosophy and Action

• Being vs. Talking: "The only thing we can do is be it, you know, like me be it, you be it"
• Holy Spirit Leading: "If the Holy Spirit leads me, I'm going to do it"
• Practical Ministry Examples:
  • Helped elderly couple at H-E-B when man appeared to be choking
  • Offers help despite husband's caution: "Ida, don't get involved in everything"
• Workplace Ministry: "When I walk into work right now... my heart is full, my spirit is full. I'm ready to pour into people"
• Daily Filling: "God fills me every day with more. If he didn't, I don't think I could do what I do"
• Performative Christianity Problem: Woman at school wearing "Jesus saves" shirts while "committing adultery in the parking lot" and stealing money
• Catholic Critique: "You can be a Christian, but you can still do whatever you want and then you can go get absolved by saying 10 Hail Marys"

Carlos's Unique Perspective

• Heightened Senses: "His heightened senses, a billion times higher than other people"
• Selective Engagement: Won't give time to people without high vocabulary - considers them "annoying, stupid, worthless"
• Seeing Darkness: Where Ida sees potential, Carlos sees people's darkness
• Past Resistance: "I don't want to help people" (though this was in the past)
• Intellectual Standards: Can only be influenced by people like Gary with matching intellectual capacity
• Purpose Seeking: Doesn't know his purpose yet, though Ida believes "it's your sight"

Key Quotes

• "I wish we could have like a movement... if you're kingdom tribe, people know they can ask you for prayer and you will pray"
• "The only thing we can do is be it, you know, like me be it, you be it"
• "Carlos can't see. Blind Carlos can't see physically. My Carlos sees spiritually"
• "He would only go out two or three times a year... the past 10 years" (now 10x more)
• "I read whatever Gary sends me" - Carlos on spiritual reading
• "God's up to something with you three"
• "I believe that Jesus can heal people from mental illness"
• "If the Holy Spirit leads me, I'm going to do it"
• "God fills me every day with more. If he didn't, I don't think I could do what I do"
• "I just was always the black sheep in my family of my obsession with Christ"

Action Items / Takeaways

• Ida's Kingdom Tribe vision aligns with need for visible, active Christian community support
• Carlos showing dramatic improvement in social engagement and spiritual receptivity
• Divine connection emerging between Gary, Carlos, and blind Carlos around spiritual sight
• Ministry through being and doing rather than just talking about faith
• Carlos actively engaging with Gary's Daily Spirit micro podcast content
• Family planning church visit Sunday to connect with blind Carlos
• Ida continuing to minister to troubled youth despite repeated rejection
• Brother Alex's story illustrates complexity of failed marriages even in Christian contexts