Every so often we would like to introduce you to some folks who work very hard behind the scenes at Caroline’s Promise. All of them are volunteers, from board members to directors to envelope stuffers. You already know David and Lisa Holbrook, executive directors and co-founders of Caroline’s Promise. Today we want to introduce you to our director for Carolina’s Promise, South Carolina
. Martha-Marie Smith, of Liberty, South Carolina, is passionate about children who have no one to give them a safe permanent place full of love. For Martha-Marie, the desire to promote the values of Caroline's Promise is more than a full-time job. She and her husband Eddie are the parents of a daughter, Selah, and son, Brayden. Brayden was first a foster child in their home, and later they adopted him. The Smiths have always loved children and knew what God's Word says about caring for orphans. But being foster parents to Brayden changed everything. "After we met our little boy, everything changed," says Martha-Marie. "That's when my husband and I began to have such a passion and heart for orphans. We had a living, breathing ‘orphan' in our home."
Martha-Marie knew Lisa Holbrook for years and Martha-Marie watched as Lisa and David went through the process of adopting their daughter Caroline, and ultimately beginning what is now Caroline’s Promise. Watching Lisa’s example spoke volumes to Martha-Marie and it was the seeds of this willingness that began a harvest of faithfulness and obedience for Martha-Marie. A few years after Caroline’s Promise began, Lisa approached Martha-Marie about directing a program in South Carolina and Martha-Marie knew that Lisa and God must have the wrong person! At the same time, her heart was breaking over the horrible situations that many children have to live in and felt God ask, “Are you going to step out and let me use you to make a difference?” As she prayed about the idea, she knew that God was leading her to say yes.
Since her acceptance of the director role, Martha-Marie has been busy making connections with churches and other organizations promoting the cause of orphans. This past spring Caroline’s Promise, South Carolina had a fundraising banquet, to raise the awareness of orphans and ways that individuals and groups can help. This fall they are sponsoring a pastor’s luncheon and a conference for those interested in starting orphan ministries at their own church. (More information to come!) In November, Caroline’s Promise, South Carolina will be hosting a dinner/auction raising funds for the first grant to be given by Caroline’s Promise, South Carolina.
When asked what someone could do to help support Caroline’s Promise, this is what Martha-Marie said, “ We need all sorts of help from being a financial supporter, a prayer partner, a person to stuff envelopes, a photographer, a videographer, a baby-sitter, a person who works well with numbers, a person who wants to go on a missions trip, ANYBODY!!! We need all kinds of gifts and talents to help us make a difference for orphans!” If you are interested in supporting the cause of the fatherless, go to our website at www.carolinespromise.net for more information.