“A year into our marriage, we moved to the urban community of City Heights, San Diego's refugee hub and (at the time) home to more than 34 dialects and ethnic groups. We were driven by the commission and promise of Jeremiah 29:7: "But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." Our intent was to become neighbors to families displaced from their home countries. Our hope was that the Lord would expand our faith in him.  

As we prepared for our move, we expected to be most challenged by the neighborhood’s resource disparity and the harrowing stories of the resettled families' journeys to America. But we were also challenged in an unexpected way when we began living life with our Christian brothers and sisters who had moved to City Heights decades before us. Through the years, they had quietly demonstrated what it means to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with the Lord. They were generous with their time as they cared for neighbors in spiritual and physical need, and their family trajectories were designed to be immersed in the community. As foster and adoptive parents, these friends gave us a firsthand look into the vulnerable children in our own backyard, as well as the reward and real cost of surrounding them. We were soon led to become foster parents ourselves, and we took in a little boy from a mile away who would eventually become our son.