Caroline's Promise News

This is what it's all about. We can visit orphans, love on them, give them shoes and school supplies and backpacks. We can host fun events, and teach them sports and share our lives with them. But if we don't share Jesus with them......we've done it all in vain. Psalm 89:1 "I will sing of the Lord's great love forever! What a year! Thanks for all that you've done to help Caroline's Promise minister to orphans. We could not have done any of it without you.

Our lives are changed when we learn about the needs of orphans. We find purpose when we allow God to use our talents and resources to minister to them. Our children are no different. They see the world differently, learn to give, and gain a glimpse of the heart of God.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by the statistic: 143 million orphans worldwide . When we focus on ONE - and do our part - we realize that God IS the father to the fatherless. This child has a home because a lot of people did their part. I'm reminded of the story of the young man who saw an older man on the beach - bending down and then throwing something into the ocean. As he got closer he realized that the older man was picking starfish off the beach and throwing them into the ocean - saving their lives. The younger man said "What are you doing? You can't make a difference for all of them!" The older man picked up a starfish, threw it into the ocean and said "I made a difference for that one."

Our 2008 Family Team visited a different orphanage each day and presented a program called "Children of the King." Each child was able to choose a prince or prince costume which made them feel great about themselves! The program stressed what it means to be a child of THE KING!!!

We were at a church in Guatemala, thinking that we were there to minister to kids in need. The team had worked hard to prepare a carnival for a group of kids who were sponsored by Compassion International. They go to the church twice a week where they are tutored, fed a nutritious meal, and experience the power of God's love. This is one of our favorite ministries in Guatemala and teams love to minister to the kids. They knew we were coming and so they had worked for weeks to prepare a special program for us. Each class made their way to the stage with a special song or dance. In this groups' mime the little girl had a beautiful paper heart. One by one boys came on stage and tried to take her heart from her. Three boys stole her heart and ripped it to pieces. The little girl fell to the ground, crying over her broken heart. You could have heard a pin drop as the mime progressed. In the end this little boy shared Jesus with the girl and she prayed to receive Christ. God was the...

Merry Christmas from The Holbrook Kids!

This is Anna Kathryn. Last Christmas she was living in China, alone. Oh how this Christmas is different! With your help Caroline's Promise was able to assist Mark & Kimberly with their adoption and this fall Anna Kathryn came home to her forever family. Just think of how different her life is going to be! Thank you for helping us "Reclaim Hope for Orphans." Merry Christmas Anna Kathryn:)

THE 10TH ANNUAL A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS WITH FAITH HILL, a new entertainment special to be broadcast Tuesday, Dec. 23 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, will include moving performances by Grammy Award-winning country music star Faith Hill, Grammy Award-winning rock singer/songwriter Melissa Etheridge, Grammy Award-winning country music star Tim McGraw and rock musician Gavin Rossdale and Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx, among others. Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth ("Pushing Daisies," "Wicked"), Emmy and SAG Award winner Patricia Heaton ("Everybody Loves Raymond," "Front of the Class"), Rene Russo ("The Thomas Crown Affair"), Emmy Award-winning comedian Martin Short ("Father of the Bride," "SNL") are among the celebrities presenting inspirational stories about adoption.

Seeds of Hope is a ministry of Quaker Gap Baptist Church. It was started by a group of ladies at our church with a heart for adoption and foster care. Information packets about adoption, foster care, and orphan care were put together by the Seeds of Hope ministry in hopes that getting information into people's hands would move them to action. Our God sized vision is to see no waiting children in Stokes County, North Carolina, and eventually the world. We started this ministry at home by saying that there are currently 56 children in foster care and over 90 churches in the county. If every church took a child, or supported a child, we would solve the problem here at home. We hope that as other churches in our area learn about the plight of the orphan they will get involved in some way. We can't all do everything, but if we all do something, we can make a huge difference in our community and in the world when it comes to these precious children. Our goal for the first year w...

I hope you enjoy this song by Third Day (click here)

Waiting....it's pretty hard for me. In December, 2000 God made it crystal clear that He had a daughter for us. Christmas came and went and I didn't miss her - I didn't even know her. I was just excited that He had called us to adopt. Christmas 2001 - we finally "got out of the boat", stepped out in faith and started the adoption process. What took us so long? We were overwhelmed by the cost. We were excited to finally be on the journey! Christmas 2002 - our paperwork had been turned in for 4 months but we didn't have a referral. It was the third Christmas since God had told us that He had a daughter for us. We had named her "Baby Caroline" and the boys kept asking when she would be home. I didn't want to take family pictures because I didn't feel like my family was complete. It was hard. Christmas 2003 - Well worth the wait! Caroline had been home less than a month and it was as if I had forgotten about the 3 years of waiting. I know that sou...

One of the joys of ministry is meeting incredible people from around the world. One of our favorite couples is Pastor Carlos and Delmi who faithfully minister in Guatemala. Delmi is like my 2nd Mom and Carlos always makes me smile. Pastor Carlos had surgery on Dec. 5 to remove a mass, his prostate, and his gall bladder. After weeks of complications he is now at home. My friend Sarah was in Guatemala and describes her visit with him at the "hospital." "It was a rude awakening for me because when we left to go visit, I was expecting to arrive at a hospital that looked somewhat like we have here in the United States. As we pulled to the curb in an area of low-rise commercial and residential row buildings, you had to look hard to see the sign that indicated a hospital was present. For those of you who have been to Guatemala, it looked like most any of the area we pass through on the way to the airport from the compound. There was a guard to let us in and you could see a car ...

The Adoption/Orphan Care Ministry of Sedge Garden United Methodist Church began two years ago. The ministry was formed of not only parents who have adopted but of individuals who have a sensitivity to the need and a heart to serve. There are three components of this ministry at this time: Adoption Grant Program : This is to help ease the financial challenge of adoption. Orphan Care : Supporting organizations that directly provide aid to orphans such as medical care, surgeries, nutrition, clothing etc. Resource and Mentoring : There are members who have adopted domestically and internationally who are willing to offer support and or mentoring to those seeking to adopt or in the process of adoption In November, Adoption awareness month, the ministry participated in Sedge Garden’s Mission Tree program, a program in which a tree is decorated to represent a mission project each month. They made a paper doll chain, added colorful clothes and used them as garland. Each doll highlighted a ...

A friend sent this to me and it speaks volumes! It reminds me so much of my kids......and hundreds of kids that I've met throughout the years. I hope it causes you to thank God for the children in your life and pray for those around the world who are fatherless. You can make a difference! We pray for the children who put chocolate fingers everywhere, who like to be tickled, who stomp in puddles and ruin their new pants, who sneak Popsicles before supper, who erase holes in math workbooks, who can never find their shoes. And we pray for those who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire, who’ve never squeaked across the floor in new sneakers, who never had crayons to count, who are born in places we wouldn’t be caught dead, who never go to the circus, who live in an X-rated world. We pray for children who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions, who sleep with the dog and bury goldfish, who give hugs in a hurry and forget their lunch money, who cover themselves with...

Our friends Doug and Jennifer are adopting from Nepal. It's so fun to be a part of their journey and watch God provide. Jennifer (with help from family, left) is making scarves with all proceeds going toward their adoption. They can make just about any color so if you're looking for a Christmas gift, contact her at 336-708-5177 or jenbarrow@bellsouth.net . They are $12 each or 2 for $20.

Several years ago we started an advent tradition. Each Sunday night leading to Christmas we light the advent candle and share a little devotional. Our favorite part is when each family member chooses a Christmas card that we've received during the week and we pray for that family. I know this will shock you, but we've only received ONE Christmas card this week! So, I guess God knew that we all needed to spend time praying for our friends Tripp & Buffy and their son, Hunter - adopted from Guatemala. Buffy, how in the world did you find time to get your cards done this early?! We love this family and count it a privilege to be able to share in their lives. I was amazed at how the kids prayed what was on their heart without really knowing this family's needs. David and I of course knew their concerns and were so touched to hear our kids pray specifically for those things. We hadn't told them what to pray but God did! Of course we can't get through a family prayer ...