The Homeostasis Journey: "Journey of Growth and Shared Care”

I come from a background filled with trauma. For a long time, I didn’t understand why my past felt so heavy, why it shaped how I viewed myself, relationships, and the world. But now I believe that God called me on this journey because of that past.

When we opened our home 4 years ago, it started as a family home. We thought we were ready to care for others from a healthy place, having done personal work and prepared ourselves as best we could. But as the first children moved in, it became clear that this journey was about more than preparation. It was about growth, learning, and adaptation.

All the children came with deep trauma, and in many of their behaviors, I saw reflections of myself: shutting down, avoiding connection, protecting their hearts before being hurt. It was challenging to bond with them at first. I have avoidant tendencies when it comes to emotional closeness. I need space and can feel overwhelmed when someone gets too close. Suddenly, I was living in a home where emotional needs were constant, where closeness was unavoidable, and where I couldn’t retreat.

I had to ask myself some difficult questions: Am I capable of forming deep bonds? Do I want to? And how can I truly be present for these children while continuing to care for myself? The truth is, I still don’t have all the answers. But I’ve learned to choose openness every single day. To stay when I wanted to walk away. To speak when I wanted to shut down. To sit in discomfort instead of avoiding it. And through this process, God has been healing me piece by piece.

Over time, we grew from a family home into a community home, welcoming not only children, but their whole network. We also became emergency contacts for young adults living in the room training center (semi-independent living) within the same building. Across the street, we organize projects for elderly residents, creating opportunities for them to engage with the community, socialize, and participate in creative, wellness, and gardening programs.

This transformation inspired The Green Garden, a community garden where children, youth, and elderly residents can participate in gardening, creative activities, and wellness programs. Every project teaches us the importance of presence, patience, and collaboration, and demonstrates how care extends beyond the walls of our home.

Living in a community home has not only transformed the lives of the children, youth, and elderly we serve. It has transformed us as a family. At first, adjusting to the constant closeness, shared responsibilities, and emotional intensity was incredibly challenging. I had to face disappointment, pain, and even moments of feeling threatened or unsafe. I had to learn patience, presence, forgiveness, and love. Both for others and for myself.

Over time, I grew to love this lifestyle. The rhythms of shared care, collaboration, and connection became part of who we are. It’s this experience, the lessons learned from both the joys and the hardships, that fuels our bigger dream: expanding our current community home into a full care estate. We know that the life we are learning to live now, the life of intentional care, presence, empathy, and love, is exactly what will allow us to carry this dream for many more people in the future.

To make this possible, we have created a building fund within The Homeostasis Foundation. This fund is exclusively for the purchase and renovation of our future care estate. Our vision is to create a safe, green space for children, youth, young adults, and the elderly, with room for daytime activities, wellness and creative programs, sustainable gardens, orchards, and a food forest. The estate will also be open to local community members and anyone who wants to enjoy this inspiring environment.

Our journey from a family home to a thriving community home shows that growth doesn’t happen instantly. It takes time, care, and intention. Step by step, we are building the capacity, wisdom, and love to create a place that feels like home for everyone who comes: a place where care, creativity, and community intersect.