The first five years were the toughest, they say. At first, group members got acquainted with children in the apartment and immediate neighborhood, taking them on bicycle rides and to the movies, and offering an informal tutoring program. Slowly the group became more familiar in the neighborhood. The latter two are now on their own. Relocation began with their move to the neighborhood.
Redistribution happens as they share their skills and empower others to take charge of their lives.
Reconciliation is ongoing, though they insist it couldn't happen without the other two R's. As members look back on 10 years, they say they don't measure progress in traditional ways of profits or numerical gain. And they insist they're in for the long haul, because it's what faith demands. People want a transforming power in their lives, he believes, but they're not sure what it is or where to look for it. Bales and four other committed Christians say they know what it is, though it took them a long time to understand and accept it.