Caroline's Promise News

  In 2019 Joanna signed up to join us on a 2020 trip to Guatemala.  She worked hard to raise money and before long her account was fully funded.  She jumped right in, helping her team plan a week of ministry and she even hosted team meetings in her home.  We were excited for her to meet our friends in Guatemala and we loved getting to know her! Then....COVID-19.  The disappointment when we cancelled our 2020 teams was real.  As the months went on and it became clear that we would not be taking teams in 2021, Joanna contacted us and asked if the money in her trip account could be used to support a project in Guatemala.  It was at that exact time that we learned of a need for funding of a Vacation Bible School in the community of San Nicolas and we quickly applied Joanna's trip account to this need.   This week the kids and families in San Nicolas are enjoying a huge VBS, thanks to Joanna!   Rodrigo and Monica have been able to plan and organiz...

I don't know about you but each year it seems to get harder and harder to choose a meaningful Mother's Day gift for the women that I love.  We want to help you out this year by giving you an opportunity to honor your mom while helping a woman in Guatemala.   Our Threads of Promise sewing project in Guatemala City enables women to learn the skill of sewing while also earning their own machine.  This program, which lasts for 3 months has been a blessing to so many of our mamas!  Not only are they learning a skill that will help them provide for their families, but they are learning about Jesus and connecting with women in the church.  Since the beginning of the program we have seen many mamas come to know Jesus and actually get involved in the church and the school.  The friendships that develop in each class are long lasting and we are thrilled with the ways that these women and their families are changing because of Threads of Promise. Our next cl...

We've mentioned that one of the three teams serving in Guatemala this summer was an all-girls team. The uniqueness of that team allowed us to care for a special group of girls in Guatemala that are already serving in leadership positions in their church and community. The all-girls team loved on them and cared for them at a retreat camp. The camp was a special time of fun, healing and learning about God's great love for each girl. Some of the girls who attended the camp shared in their church service at Iglesia Adonai about how the camp impacted them. Here is what one person said: "The service on Sunday was awesome, There were 22 girls, we had 15 minutes to talk and Silvia and Madeline shared their personal testimony and how the camp helped them... All the girls said how the camp impacted them in one word... Forgiveness, Love, Share, Be near to God, Happiness, God's love, was a blast, harmony, strength ... those were some words the girls said. Anna Roco and I...

On August 10th, there will be a 5k family walk at Shady Grove Wesleyan Church in Colfax, NC. The proceeds for the walk will go towards the building project at Casita Adonai. It is only $15 to register, and the walk will begin at 8:30. This can be a family activity; kids can ride their bikes or walk with their parents. If interested, contact Wanda King at: wking@wakehealth.edu for more information and to register. To give a donation, click here! Fair Trade Items will be set up on site for you to shop after you walk! Come out and join us!

Are you looking for a fun, creative Vacation Bible School Project that will truly make a difference for kids?  We can help! Our 2013 Vacation Bible School Project will teach your kids about life in another country and show them that they can change the world!  We'll help you promote your project and even send someone out to talk to your kids.  If you are interested please contact LisaHolbrook@Carolinespromise.net or 336-669-7340. The Hope Grows Campaign is an effort to build a new building for a school and church in Guatemala City.  This building will not only minister to the 125 kids at Casita Adonai School, but will be used by the children's department at the church there.  When it rains this building floods.  Help us raise the last $50,000 to start construction by October, 2013.  Watch the video below to see a day in the life of Melany who attends both the school and church that this project will benefit.    Hope Grows in Guatemal...

It's a little hard to believe, but this year Caroline's Promise is 10 years old!  Our Board of Directors wants to celebrate but we need your help!  We'd like to put a committee together that will pray, dream, and plan a special celebration to be held in the Fall of 2013.  If you like to party, have great ideas, or just want to work on something fun - contact us.  336-669-7340 or LisaHolbrook@CarolinesPromise.Net

Today at the CP office, we received a list of children that will be attending Casita for the school year 2013. Lisa asked me to go through the list, and figure out the kids who will be returning to the school and who wouldn’t. Not really thinking, I started my job. I went through the new list of kids looking for the names to match up. About half way through, I felt my heart get heavy. I had to mark in yellow the kids who had left the school and I realized the list was starting to become more yellow than I had anticipated. So I did what I always do, I triple checked the list. Still the same. Lisa came back in from her morning meeting and asked me to read off the list that I had marked yellow. I started reading them off, one by one. I could see the hurt in her face as she pulled out the children’s pictures and put them in a discard pile, and I felt it too. “How is it that these children left the school?” I asked Lisa, she responded quite simply, “It’s the economy.” I thou...

We always love to hear the creative ways people find to raise funds, whether for an adoption or to go on a trip with Caroline's Promise. The ingenuity and creativity of each story amazes us, as we watch God prove His faithfulness when we take that first step in faith. The Soutter family is no stranger to watching God's providential hand. Caroline's Promise was able to award them with a grant when they adopted their son from Guatemala. And when Rob Soutter and his daughter Anna, went on one of the family teams to Guatemala, God provided again. Last year,  15-year-old Anna witnessed first hand how God provided exactly what she needed with her own unique step of faith. While planning a second trip with Caroline's Promise, she started an art camp for kids to help pay for it. It was a great success. This year Anna is planning on returning to Guatemala and is hosting two more craft camps this summer to help pay for her trip. If you live in the Raleigh area, this would be a...

Our journey started 12 years ago, in the spring of 2001, as a 17 year old girl and a 20 year old boy. We had not been dating but a few months when my (now) husband Brian went on a missions trip to Kenya, Africa. He worked with orphans while he was there and came home a different man. He wanted to bring those children home with him. He told me that he wanted to adopt one day. So from the first few months of our dating relationship, we knew this was a calling for our future. For these past 12 years it was always part of our future plans and we just continued to pray that the Lord would direct us when the time was right to start the journey of adoption. In 2007 we had our first son, and then we welcomed our second son in 2010. When our youngest was not even a year old, we began to feel like the Lord was calling us to start the process of adoption. We were led to the country of Ethiopia and sent in our first applications in October of 2011.  We were concerned about the...

Caroline's Promise is blessed to partner with others as they work out God's plan for their lives. Sometimes we don't get to see the end of the story, we only get to walk a small part of the journey with them. While we don't know the end of the story for these ladies, we did get to witness a huge milestone for the sewing ministry at Iglesia Adonai. We wanted to share their excitement with you! Seven ladies successfully graduated from the sewing ministry last week. They received their very own sewing machine and a Bible. What is amazing to us is the way God weaved so many different groups into the path of these women. When we first mentioned the s ewing ministry last August ,  we shared that a local preschool had a fundraiser to support the start up of this ministry, that Iglesia Adonai provided a teacher for these women and a space for the sewing classes. We told you about the sweet girl who asked to receive a donation of pillow cases for her birthday party in lieu o...

 " STUCK is a new award-winning documentary film, produced by Both Ends Burning that uncovers the personal, real-life stories of children and parents navigating a roller coaster of bureaucracy on their journeys through the international adoption system, each filled with hope, elation – and sometimes heartbreak. STUCK steps into the complex human experience of adoption, exploring the challenges faced by birth parents, prospective adoptive parents – and children. The purpose of the film is to help the average person understand the issues and create a movement that will ultimately put pressure on U.S. officials to force a more supportive attitude toward International Adoption. One objective while we are on the road is to gather over 1 million petition signatures asking congress/global leaders/President Obama to take specific actions to change the landscape of adoption. The petition will be hand carried to members of Congress in the Step Forward for Orphans...

  Last spring we found a great deal on kids' back packs. We were so excited because this gave us an opportunity to offer backpacks to the children at Casita Adonai! Offering a child a useful tool that is their very own is so special to them. We are excited to tell you that the kids received their backpacks this week!  The parents and kids were thrilled not only for the kind gesture it represented but also because the economy is so bad right now, buying simple things like school supplies is extremely difficult.Thank you for allowing us to share in their joy!

  Here's what our intern Natalie has been up to! This past week in the Caroline’s Promise offic e we have been very busy! Last Tuesday we had a board meeting, where I presented the pitch for the   Hope Grows: 5k and Family Fun Walk and we were approved! I am so excited to get the ball rolling on this amazing project. So get ready to have a fun time with friends, family and Caroline’s Pr omise supporters on  April 13 from 8:00 AM -12:30 PM! The Hope Grows 5k and Family Fun Walk is designed to raise money, solely for the new school building at Casita Adonai in Guatemala City.  The idea is that each participant at the event will be running/walking for a child at Casita. What is great is that if you sponsor a child, you can run for them! You will get the child’s story and a button with a picture of the child (that you will wear during the race) in your packet pick-up before the event!  We are really excited for people to start registering fo...

This story touched our hearts and we wanted to share it with you. Written by Garrett Tenney, from FoxNews, this article was published on January 23. "At first, the Sterlings didn't believe the email that reached their Missouri home: Five Peruvian siblings were orphans and needed a mommy and daddy. It might’ve been scam. But the five hopeful children whose pictures were in the email weren’t asking for money, just making a plaintive plea that worked its way into the hearts of Scott and Lauren Sterling. When the couple checked into it, they learned the children's parents indeed had both died of tuberculosis. And although they were already busy with two kids -- Scott's 17-year-old daughter from a previous marriage and their 15-month-old girl -- one night. Lauren couldn’t fight the nagging feelings anymore. “Somebody’s got to do it, and why can’t it be us?” Lauren, 30, said to her husband. It was pretty much decided then that they were going...

Hey all! So excited to fill you in on what I have been up to at the Caroline's Promise office. So far, I have had so much fun working with Lisa and coming up with fundraisers for the new school in Guatemala. Right now, we are talking about chocolate and running... only one of which I actually like. Valentines day is coming up and for those of you who are chocolate lovers like me, listen up, we have an little fundraiser that can not only benefit you but also Caroline's Promise and the summer mission projects we have planned! There are some handmade delicious treats we are selling that range from $4-$30 and shipping is available too! Find out more about the chocolate fundraiser on the CP blog under the post "How sweet it is to do something good!" Secondly, Caroline's Promise has been trying to plan a fundraiser for the spring and we are thinking on putting on a HOPE GROWS: 5K and Family Fun Run! Our mission for the race and walk is to raise money to b...

Join us in Guatemala Next Summer! We have just announced dates for our 2013 Summer Mission Trips to Guatemala!  Now is the time to pray and make decisions.  Application and $100 non refundable deposit are due January 15.  Consider asking for the deposit as a Christmas gift!  There will be an Orientation/Training for anyone who has never been with Caroline's Promise on a short term trip - Saturday, February 16. Wilson Community Church Team June 21 - 29, 2013 - open to WCC Members Only. Family Team   June 28 - July 6, 2013.  Open to adults (18 and up) and their children (10 and up)                                                                Adults without children are also welcome.                           ...

Maybe you have read that a friend of the ministry has given us a gift of $5000 to help build the new school in Guatemala City under the condition that we match that $5000 by Christmas Day.  Or maybe this is the first time you've heard about the project.  Either way we need you! As of today we have received $1035 toward the go al of $5000.  Your gift of a ny amount will help us reach the goal and what better feeling than to know that your gift is being dou bled!  If you are thinking about end of year giving, we encourage you to give now - be fore we reach the deadline.   Donate Now     Choose the fund, "Guatemala O rphan Projects"  Check out this short video and see why this projec t is so important! Don't forget our Hope Grows Christmas Contest!  Once you watch the video follow this link to enter and win great prizes !     Hope Grows in Guatemala: Building a School for Casita Adonai from Lisa Holbrook on Vimeo .

You may have heard that we received a $5000 matching grant this week toward the construction of a new building for the church and school in Guatemala.  We are excited about the ways that God is going to provide and wanted to let you know that when you give a Gift With a Purpose that donation will be matched! There are two ways you can do this: Honor a special Teacher - $10 each Honor a loved one - $25 each We'll send you this beautiful Christmas card that you can give your loved one, acknowledging the gift.  Just follo w this link to order you r gifts and remember - your donation is matched 100%! If you haven't seen the video of the Ho pe Grows Project , check it out!  You'll be blessed!

We’ll never be able to do this. Without YOU! God has given us a monumental vision and goal to raise $80,000 to help construct a new building for Casita Adonai in Guatemala City.    We’re answering His challenge with a fundraising campaign called “Hope Grows”.   The task ahead of us is HUGE!   But! We know that with Christ, all things are possible.   And, the Lord is already showing us that He provides where He guides .    In the past week some exciting developments have taken place!   The Church in Guatemala City has committed to join us in raising the funds.   In fact, the ladies in our new Sewing Ministry each donated $40 to the campaign!   This is amazing considering these ladies do not have jobs and if they did, they would probably earn less than $2 a day!   It reminds us of the Scripture in 2 Corinthians, where Paul tells the church in Corinth how generous the suffering church in Macedeonia had been with their o...

On Saturday the first group of PAL children made their way to town to purchase their school textbooks and believe me when I tell you this event sized up to be about a lot more than just textbooks.  This day was about: Simple smiles of thanksgiving Big brown eyes of shocked belief Words of thanks from hearts so deep Walking tall in dignity Bianca is one cousin in a sea of ten more who all live with their mothers and no fathers.  At eight years old she is the one lone cousin that has made up her mind to attend PAL consistently.  Saturday she reaped the benefits of that decision and joined sixteen others on a trip to Georgetown. She returned home with a backpack full of school textbooks totaling $20. I have a feeling we will be seeing more of her cousins in PAL, and one day, they tool will benefit.  Ryan, is one of our five consistent high school students that attends PAL. He has lost both of his parents and is in the care of his 22 year old sister. As a 1...