While living in Canada, my dad would go fishing every day in order for us to have food on the table. One Saturday, we spent the whole day at the lake and could not catch a thing; we realized we wouldn’t have anything to eat that night. While we were packing up to leave, we saw some ducks coming closer. Even though it was illegal to capture ducks, my dad threw enough bread to attract them and eventually pulled one in by using a piece of bread that was connected to a hook and line. At that moment, I realized what my father was willing to do for our family.

This past Sunday we gathered to hear God’s heart for our community and the world around us as we launched our Celebrate Differently outreach campaign. We highlighted how God sees the poor, marginalized and forgotten as loved children of their Heavenly Father and encourages us to do the same.

As I walked out on the patio after service, I was overwhelmed by the incredibly generous response I saw. There were tons of families out there with their kids picking out gift tags and a huge line of people at the Syrian refugee station where people were picking up lists to fill a “Comfort & Joy Box” for refugee kids. But what struck me the most was how many families in our church signed up to join our “Good Neighbor Team” to welcome and be a good neighbor to Syrian refugees coming to Orange County.

Seeing this made me emotional because I saw my family in those who are on their way to Orange County. How beautiful the church is when we are seeing people the way our heavenly Father does.

To follow the campaign and sign up to serve, please visit CelebrateDifferently.