Jordan and Jeff Wonsmos could only pray through their newborn daughter’s challenging diagnosis. Their baby girl, Lila, was born with bladder exstrophy – a condition where the bladder is exposed outside of the body at birth, affecting only 1 in 40,000 babies.

The family found the journey easier with friends. Chad McSwain, a former St. Andrew contemporary service preacher, had a daughter, Eliana, born three and a half years prior with the same condition. The Wonsmos’ and McSwains’ mutual surgeon brought them together. St. Andrew helped keep it that way. “We came to find that Chad was preaching at St. Andrew and decided to give it a try,” Jordan wrote. “We fell in love. Our sweet girls are dear friends and our families will share a lifelong bond.”

Lila attends St. Andrew Preschool, a nationally accredited program her older brother, William, graduated from last year. “It’s definitely been an amazing journey with the kids because the preschool is so accepting and understanding of all types of children, and they’re so loving,” Jeff said. “They wake up, and they’re excited to go to school.”