Joe and Ali Batir came to know and trust Christ through different journeys, but both have seen how a relationship with him changes everything. Now, as they serve together with Watermark Community Development Corporation’s Job Connection Program, they are using their experiences, gifts, and love for others to help people in South Dallas see their God-given value and purpose. Learn more
How did you come to have a relationship with the Lord?
Joe: “There was a time when I was selfish and really living for my own glory and pleasure, but then I met Christ and realized that he gave everything for us.
Growing up in the Midwest, everything was about being the best, making a name for yourself, or becoming famous. I carried that mindset into college. I thought the only person who could bring me satisfaction and pleasure was myself.
During my senior year of college, four different friends invited me to church in the same week. Because I trusted and loved these friends, I decided to go. It was a completely different experience than what I’d had before with church. The message of Christ felt personal, real, and alive.
By the end of that year, I realized that Christianity isn’t a set of rules. It’s about surrendering to Jesus, having a relationship with him, and living with him throughout life.
Since then, my life has been continually learning more about Christ, building that relationship, and recentering my life so that he is at the center—not my own pleasure, satisfaction, or accolades.”
Ali: “There was a time in my life when I believed that following Christ meant doing all the right things and that I would be guaranteed an easy, conflict-free life. I learned that instead of an invitation to an easy life, life with Christ is an invitation into an adventure.
I was raised in church, homeschooled, and surrounded by very tight-knit church circles. I knew all the verses and stories, did all the right things, and knew all the right answers.
It wasn’t until my late 20s that I was confronted with injustice, suffering, and what I saw as hypocrisy among Christians. It seemed to hit me all at once, leading to a crisis of faith. I had lived my entire life confident in my foundation so suddenly questioning my faith was painful.
That deconstruction journey lasted for years. What was beautiful about that journey was stripping away my performative view of being a Christian. We may not intellectually believe that doing good guarantees good things will happen to us, but that idea can still seep in when you grow up in the church. I thought, “I’ve done all the right things. Why are bad things still happening to me and to people I love?” I was overwhelmed by those questions and struggled with God’s purpose for the church.
During those eight years of deconstruction, the Lord was patient and kind. Our community group gave me a safe place to ask hard questions and show up angry, sad, confused, or frustrated. They helped me see that although the Church is full of broken, sinful people, it is also God’s hands and feet in this world and can be an institution for good.
That eventually led me to begin a master's degree in theology and culture, which I’ll finish next spring. It has been healing in so many ways. God has shown me, “I don’t dislike or reject your questions. This is how I made you. You are mine. And I’m going to use your questions for my glory.
I’ve already seen how God has used my curious mind and my passion for justice to disciple others and grow his kingdom. I once viewed those qualities as weaknesses that kept me from God, but God is using those qualities so that I would know him more deeply.”
How has your relationship with the Lord influenced the way you serve with Watermark Community Development Corporation?
A: “After Joe and I finished serving 10 years in Watermark Students, we learned that the Job Connection Program (JCP) serves the previously incarcerated, underemployed, and/or under-resourced in South Dallas, and we thought it could be a really meaningful way to serve together as a family. We wanted our dinner table to look like Jesus’ table, inviting our son to witness God’s heart for people in tangible ways.
I grew up with my needs and wants met yet still struggled with trusting in God’s sovereignty. Now, I get to learn from people who experience poverty and face incredibly difficult circumstances, yet their faith in the Lord remains unshaken. Their resilient faith is a constant encouragement to me.”
J: “It can be difficult to have a Christ-centered perspective while living in a society so focused on materialism and financial success. That connects with my own story because I believed I needed to make a name for myself and build my own kingdom. It has been a shift for me to ask, ‘How do I work in the world and provide for my family while also glorifying God and building his kingdom?’
That is difficult in general, but it can be especially challenging for people in a community like South Dallas. It can feel almost impossible to work within the system and still move forward. South Dallas is a food desert. There are few banking options and other barriers that make it difficult to earn a living wage. I’m passionate about showing that Christ is present in the brokenness.”
A: “One of the main things the Job Connection Program curriculum teaches is: You were created by God with value and purpose. For some of our participants, this is the first time they have heard this truth.
We teach practical tools that many participants have never had the opportunity to learn. But the core of the program is making sure they leave knowing, “God made you intentionally. He loves you, and the people in this program do, too.”