Back in 1987, Tim Peters was a Kansas teenager when he first heard Ridge Burns (founder of CSM) speak at his high school. It was there that Tim was moved to make a commitment that would radically transform his life – “to go anywhere, anytime and do anything God wanted”.

Tim remained in contact with him throughout college. As Tim was finishing up his senior year at Tabor College (Hillsboro, KS), Ridge contacted him about serving through CSM as a summer intern.

Tim agreed to fly out to Los Angeles over his spring break to check out CSM first hand. That first trip out to LA will forever remain ingrained on Tim’s mind as he saw the city from the view of a self-proclaimed “Kansas farm boy”. He was told they would be staying at a hotel during his weekend, but the Brandon Hotel was not what he pictured a hotel to be like. As they walked up the graffiti filled stairway, people stared. As Ridge flipped on the lights of the room they’d sleep in, cockroaches scurried across walls and floors. Tim surveyed the room and realized there was no furniture. They unrolled their sleeping bags and just as Ridge said he was going to the bathroom to brush his teeth, Tim realized there was no bathroom in the room. Just after Ridge headed to the community bathroom down the hall there was a knock on the door. Tim assumed Ridge forgot his toothpaste, but to his surprise, it was a prostitute asking if they needed company.

Ridge returned and both headed to bed. But for a farm boy from Kansas, it was hard for Tim to sleep on the dirty floor, with sounds of traffic, gun fire, police helicopters and other city noises all around him. He knew he was out of his comfort zone.

During that weekend, Ridge brought Tim all throughout the city to different ministry sites, homeless shelters, food distributions, churches and missions. Tim was amazed by how many ministries there were and even more in awe of the thousands of homeless people he saw. His heart was broken and he knew he could not return to Tabor and not do anything about what he had just seen.

So he headed back to Hillsboro, KS and sold his ’76 Camaro and motorcycle to buy an ’86 Oldsmobile Firenze. He loaded his life into that Oldsmobile and within two days of graduating from Tabor College had moved into the Brandon Hotel.

During that summer internship with CSM, Tim got to know gang members, prostitutes, drug dealers and users. He spent every spare minute he had investing into the lives of the families and children that lived in the hotel. And as the summer came to a close, Tim knew he didn’t want to leave. He returned to Kansas briefly to share with his home church, Parkview Mennonite Brethren, the news that he was going to stay in Los Angeles as a missionary.

Tim became the CSM-Los Angeles City Director in 1992. It was that year that Tim experienced the LA riots first hand. As he entered the Brandon Hotel that day there was more activity than normal. One of the gang members, and Tim’s friend, Joseph, yelled out “What are you doing right now? Don’t you know there’s a riot going down and whites and Asians are the target?” Tim had no idea what was happening or what he should do.

Ridge called and told him to get out of there, but the freeways were closed with rioting. Joseph offered to protect him, but Tim had to stay inside the hotel. If he left, he was in danger of attack. Fearing for the safety of the children that had been left unsupervised, he continued running the kid’s club he had started to keep the kids inside the building. School was cancelled and he basically ran a 48 hour kids club. Because Tim stayed, his ministry to those families won their respect and admiration.

After the riots, Tim found out it was Joseph’s birthday. He bought a cake with candles, presents, and decorations and had everyone singing “Happy Birthday” when Joseph walked in. Tim noticed that Joseph started to cry and he quickly ran off. Tim followed him and asked what was wrong. Joseph had never had a birthday party, a cake or presents before and he was overwhelmed by their kindness. Tim quickly learned this was the same for many children living in the hotel and was impacted by Joseph’s gratefulness that day.

While serving with CSM groups at the Union Rescue Mission (URM), Tim met his wife, Malia, who was working there at that time. They were married and Malia came on to work alongside Tim at CSM. They continued to live on Skid Row and 2 of their 3 kids were born there. It is because Tim involves his family in his ministry that his children truly grasp the concept of homelessness even though Evan is now only 7, Alayna is only 5 and Lydia is only 2.

During his time as the CSM City Director, Tim began a comprehensive after-school program for homeless children called S.A.Y. Yes! (in partnership with Central City Community Outreach) . He was continually drawn to the need of the children living on Skid Row.

“It was incredibly exciting and rewarding to work with these incredible children and youth, but yet it was also incredibly heart breaking to have to see them go to their welfare hotels, homeless shelters, cars or parking lots.”

In 2000, Tim left CSM to work full-time with Central City Community Outreach and to further develop his ministry to homeless families (the fastest growing segment of the homeless population) living on Skid Row. He continued to advocate for such families and researched how other organizations were doing it already. He established Central City Community Housing Corporation and became Executive Director. Through his organization, he has been able to help homeless families find transitional and permanent affordable housing.

In his research he also ran across an organization called the Door of Hope – a home for homeless families that provides meals, a case manager for each family, an onsite counselor, finance classes, Bible studies and much more. In 2006, Tim was selected to become the new Executive Director of the Door of Hope. He continues in their mission to “equip families to rebuild their lives” and their goal to “break the cycle of homelessness permanently”. Under his leadership, Door of Hope was able to undergo a $100,000 major house renovation. Anywhere from 5 to 8 families at a time are off the street and building their lives back up – together.

CSM groups serving in Los Angeles have the amazing opportunity to serve with Door of Hope occasionally. Tim is able to meet with these groups and share his testimony of where God brought him from and how He’s using him now. Tim reflects back on the commitment he made over two decades ago and encourages young people to do the same.

“Remember, this is not a commitment for sissy Christians or 2 day a week Christians, or too cool Christians. This was a commitment for just those really serious about following Christ. It was a commitment to be sold out to Christ. Are you willing to make a commitment? To go anywhere, anytime and do anything God wants?”

We challenge you to do the same.

• To learn more about serving with Tim in the city, check out our Los Angeles page.

• Check out this great article about Door of Hope to learn more about this amazing organization.

• See pictures from Door of Hope's Open House at SGVTribune.com (San Gabriel Valley Tribune).