It was around age 42 that God seemed to have flipped a switch. "Wait a minute, what am I doing?" At the time, David was pursuing his career goals and doing well for himself financially. But when the 2008-2009 recession happened, he experienced job loss in Los Angeles and was forced to move to Las Vegas. That year, Canyon Ridge asked families to open their homes to host middle school students, so David signed up and said yes. "This was a two feet in moment."

Over the last 11 years, David has fostered 35 children, adopted one, and witnessed two baptized. To this day, David prays for each kid he has encountered through fostering and hosting.

For David, fostering and caring for children is God's story for community. While not everyone is called to foster, the Church invites contribution from everyone. And this gift of loving the people around him has shown David that he needs people to partner with. "I learned that God is always moving and loving in the chaos and hard places, and we are never closer to God than when we partner and serve alongside him in those areas."

Outside the case worker and children's support group, David has found parents and relatives who help through resources, encouragement, and prayer. He also has found support from therapists, a foster parent support group, the local church community, and organizations like Olive Crest and Safe-Families that provide safety for children in crisis. There is joy in loving one another, for another, together!

"Before fostering, because things have been going very well career-wise, I [could] do everything alone. It is a humbling experience and forced me to actually see God's body and [be] willing to depend on others with help. Working with other foster parents, asking for lots of prayer for different kids at different stages. Ultimately, taking care of kids and adoption, it's a reminder that through Jesus we are adopted, so we all have an adoption story."

David's Story