Brett Swayn was born in Perth, Western Australia. He came to the U.S. in 1991, settling in Austin, Texas, to pursue a promising music career. His search for God began in earnest many years later, and he understood he was called to go to Nashville.  March 19, 2002, he left the life in Texas for the call in Tennessee.

What wasn’t foreseen was that Brett was to spend the next four months living on the streets of Nashville, experiencing the heartache, alienation and desperation of homelessness. He calls this period “the hardest, most beautiful time of my life,” because he experienced a closer walk with God and came to understand the sufferings of a marginalized people of America.

Through a series of what he calls “miracles,” he was offered a job at Fleming’s restaurant, where he worked his way to sous chef and traveled around the country training others in culinary arts. At the same time, he felt called to address the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the homeless community. Over time he felt drawn to a life of simplicity.

He left his position at Fleming’s, deciding to devote his life to those in need. Brett’s dream of opening The Cookery finally materialized in 2013. In addition to serving coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner and catering, it is also a training facility. Here, Brett and associates will instill culinary crafts to select homeless individuals in order to prepare them for employment in the food industry. “Through all of this, God has taught us perseverance, resilience, patience and trust,” Brett says.

Merari Joy Swayn was born in Puerto Rico and grew up in the States. She serves as the Business Administrator for both Lambscroft Ministries and The Cookery. She grew up in a ministry family and graduated from LIFE School of Ministry with a certificate in Pastoral Care and Biblical Counseling and Harvest School of Missions in Mozambique. In the past, she served as a youth pastor for a local Nashville church and spent both short and long term time in the mission field. She is passionate about seeing lives restored. She loves to travel; try new foods, dance and loves her dog Aslan.

Brett and Merari Joy live in Nashville with their beautiful daughter. Together with others, they help manage Lambscroft Ministries and all of its programs.