My "WHY"
A look under the hood at why I do what I do
It's no secret that I am a #girldad (see: Bluey Shirt and my beautiful wife Damaris Cavazos Fike) with three unique, beautiful, intelligent, and tenacious little girls.
And they get 'less little' every day. The more they explore the world around them, the more they ask questions, and the more their questions begin to stump me. I look at my girls and see a future they will inherit and a promise they will build. But both of those things rely on me fulfilling my promise: to leave the world a little bit better than I found it.
I have spent my entire career in nonprofits, serving folks where spirituality and physical needs meet. First, it was at CityChurch (formerly BRCC) in San Antonio. Then, I spent four years at the San Antonio Food Bank during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and I've spent the last 15 months at SAMMinistries.
Every role I've taken since having children has been with this people focus in mind. That is not only because of my children, but because of the Christian scripture passage that has guided me for the last decade:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”Luke 4:18-19
Many cite the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus' first sermon, but to me, this passage was truly the first time Jesus stepped out and preached; his message was that God's favor was upon the most vulnerable. And I wanted to bring myself as close to that mission of love as possible. The Good News is that God's Kingdom of Love came down to us, His face shining upon the widow, the captor, the oppressed, the poor.
That is why I love serving at SAMMinistries. It is why I continue to push against food and housing insecurity, why I cannot abide pain and suffering for our neighbors in a plentiful land.
I can do what I can where I am with what I have, and you can, too. Service is not reserved for those who work in nonprofits. Everyone can contribute their talents, treasures, and unique perspectives to make our communities a beautiful place of hope.
If we do that, I can look at my children and know I left everything on the table for them and their future. We can build higher walls or a longer table for our neighbors in need. I can tell you what I want to build, and I can't wait to sit at that table with all of you. 🏠🔑