Author: Daniel Somboonsiri

As an Asian American born in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, Daniel Somboonsiri had profound experiences of racism and marginalization from a young age. Following his father’s death to cancer, Daniel was brought into an abusive home and eventually spent some time in the foster care system. His was not a home of mentionable faith. When Daniel was brought to church for the first time in his memory, he had a deeply touching spiritual experience where he felt the love of God for the first time. Though the process of truly turning to the Lord was a long journey, Daniel looks back to that moment as the first time he recognized the existence of a God who loves him and desires to know and be known in intimate relationship. Daniel became heavily involved in the electronic music scene. Daniel lived missionally as a recording artist and DJ, seeking to share God’s incredible love amongst those seeking peace amid the escape music and drugs provided. However, Daniel himself had not dealt with his own issues, and went through a faith crisis when his suffering seemed to prevent him from finding the peace of Christ. It makes every difference to Daniel that God is the God of the fatherless, who cares for the orphan and the poor in their distress, who has a special place in his heart for the foreigner and the outcast. Given his upbringing as an immigrant’s son and as a survivor of abuse, Daniel has always struggled to see himself as valued or valuable. This message of the loving and just God who proclaims the value of the marginalized, and indeed himself becomes marginalized and suffers in the incarnation, is nourishment for Daniel’s soul. As Daniel has been embraced by God and is being transformed by the Spirit, he passionately desires to share God’s love with others and walk with them in God’s beloved community. This has led Daniel and his wife Regi to shared life with the marginalized, particularly with the addicted and homeless. His family fellowships at PDX mission church in a downtown homeless shelter, where Daniel shares the Word of God. His wife Regi is a drug and alcohol counselor that works for the Portland Rescue Mission. They have one daughter, Imogen, to whom Daniel is a stay at home father. Daniel is a student at Multnomah Biblical Seminary. His academic interests include philosophy of religion, Christian ethics, theology of culture and the Hebrew Scriptures. He is fascinated by how the universal gospel fits into particular cultures.