Caroline's Promise News

This summer a team of 25 people on our family team ministered to and loved on the 150 children of Casita Adonai in Guatemala through an art camp, which culminated with an art exhibition for the parents of the kids. Prior to the trip,  the team collected the much needed supplies and money for the undertaking of this project. An art camp for 150 kids means suitcases full of brushes, paint, glue, paper, etc.  But, as always, God had it all under control. We were so excited when Aimee Bray - Director of Impact Girls at Calvary Church in Greensboro contacted us.  A former team member had shared with her our need for art supplies for art camp. Aimee shared the need with the girls in her group and asked the girls to  bring in whatever they wanted; she suggested a one dollar donation. Not only did she encourage the girls to give, but also  told them she would match what they brought dollar for dollar. The next Wednesday these 35 young ladies brough...

Wilson Community Church sent 17 team members to serve at Casita Adonai and Gerona the last week in July. Among all of the amazing moments of the trip, here are a few highlights:                    In Gerona, the team was able to take part in the first Quinceañera! As this event was a big deal for the community, just being able to attend and sing Amazing Grace for them was an amazing experience. In preparation for the trip, the team collected formal dresses and hair/make up supplies for the girls and their moms. Seeing them all dressed up was a very special moment.                  Each year the current sixth graders go on a special trip to Pana as a graduation gift. Our team was able to pour into the 11 sixth graders by having one-on-one time with them to play, swim, and pray. God really showed up during the...

On one of the last nights of our trip the women’s team decided to read the lies and truths that the women from both retreats (Pana and Gerona) wrote.  We cried as we heard the ugly things satan has spoken over them. Lies: I’m never going to prosper – get ahead – I’ll go to hell.  I’m not worth anything.  Noone loves me.  Jesus doesn’t listen to me when I pray.  I’m not worth anything.  My family is bad.  I have no future.  I can’t pray for anyone. God doesn’t exist.  Who would believe in God?  God can’t forgive you.  You are a bad mother.  You are a sinner.  God doesn’t love you. You’re not a good mom.  You’re not a good wife.  You’re not a good daughter.  God cannot use you.  You are weak.  You don’t have any ability.  You can’t be happy. Nobody values me.  I’ll never be successful.  I’m not worth it. I don’t do things that the Lord finds pleasing.  God...

Our partner church, Iglesia Adonai is planting a church and holding services for kids and women every Sunday afternoon.in the community of Gerona, right outside of Guatemala City.  There is a beautiful Christian camp there called Shama. As we are blessed to know the owners of this camp, our ladies team was able to join the women’s ministry team from Iglesia Adonai to host a retreat for women from both communities. Twenty ladies from Adonai and Gerona arrived on Friday afternoon for a 24 hour retreat. Upon the arrival of the women from Gerona, the ladies from Adonai greeted them with corsages, and our team placed beautiful gifts on their bed, at the table for each meal, and in the services.  After the warm welcome and corsages, their first stop was a Mary Kay makeover. While walking them through this process, Ruth and her team spoke life over them. After makeovers, the ladies got their hair cut and styled…and of course had their nails painted! You could see the beauty they hav...

Our vision for the women’s team was to invest in the women’s leadership team from Iglesia Adonai (our partner church) and then help them lead a retreat for women from their church and the community of Gerona (where they are planting a church). God gave us three things that we felt like He wanted to accomplish: Help the ladies feel and understand God’s love. Establish unity by walking them through the process of forgiving themselves and others.  Encourage them to believe what God thinks of them and begin walking in the beauty of who He created them to be. Teachers, students, moms, worship leaders, speakers, first timers, and veteran mission team members, all between the ages of 11 and 46, created a very diverse team. Despite the unexpected challenges and changes that the first 24 hours of the trip brought, God helped us fight through the frustration. Our diverse team of 13 boarded a bus with 15, full of laughter and excitement, ladies from Iglesia Adonai as we travelled to...

  The following post was written by Karen Parrish who was a member of our Family/Teen Team.  Karen is a teacher at Oak Ridge Elementary in Oak Ridge, NC.  We loved having her and her daughter, Katie Lee on our team! This week we are using Ephesians 2:10 as our theme for art camp. It reads, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” I am seeing God use this verse to influence the children, participating in art camp, our team and myself.               This week we are using various crafts in order to teach the children that they are God’s masterpiece. For example, at the opening assembly in the beginning of the week I was deeply influenced not only by the touching words of Stephanie that reiterated Ephesians 2:10, but the attentive look of the children’s faces when listening. I could tell God was speaking through Step...

The first team of the summer arrived in Guatemala on Friday and got to work with our team right away. We woke up Saturday morning and headed to the school to begin painting and to do some demolition on the new school building. We quickly began to build relationships with each other and with the people at Casita Adonai. We got to go to Iglesia Adonai on Sunday and some of us worked with the kids in Sunday School and others sat in the service to hear Pastor Carlos speak.  These are a few of the guys that have been helping us tremendously with translating and work around the school and we are so thankful! This week has been full of laughs and learning. At the end of the trip we sat down to spend some time with God. During this time we asked what He has been teaching us or showing up throughout the week. Below are the sentences of our team members and what God has taught us:  – In Guatemala God showed me that we are all family through God. – In Guatemala God show...