By the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ through the Power of the Holy Spirit, Children for Children is called to be a source of financial support to Sonrise Orphans Ministry, Rwanda, Africa; To be an avenue of awareness to the nations of the need for healing, resources, and love for the children of Rwanda; and To inspire all children to serve other children around the world.

 

     Children for Children was birthed in the heart of Caela McCarthy, a 7 year old girl, led by God to help the orphans left by the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. After hearing about the suffering of these children in her Vacation Bible School, she began to seek help to raise money for them.

     Caela's mom, Cheryl McCarthy, recalls, "Each day, on her return home from VBS, she would tell me about these children and how she wanted to help them. Caela has always shown a merciful heart, but this desire to help these children was a true burden. For months after the VBS, she pursued earning money to help. She would ask her father and me for jobs to do. She then started asking all of her grandparents. One day she brought me a bag of shells with a plan to go door to door in the neighborhood, selling them to raise money for the Rwandan orphans. When this happened, I knew I needed to get her focused. Caela is home-schooled along with two of her siblings, Isabella (6) and Daniel (4). Her youngest sister, Gracie (1) looks forward to joining them in a few years. After asking the children what 'extra curricular' activities they wanted to do for the year, I expected Caela to choose horseback riding; but instead, she said, “Mommy, I want to help people.” With this I found my answer.

 
 
Caela with her Children's
Minister, Lynne Pope

     Caela’s mother then sought out Caela’s Children’s Minister, Lynne Pope, at Church of the Holy Spirit, Roanoke, VA to find out more about the kids in Rwanda, to learn what it was that was affecting her daughter’s heart so much. It was there that she learned about the Sonrise Orphan's Ministry, a branch of the Mustard Seed Project.

     After talking about what could be done to help the Sonrise children, they decided to raise money to purchase athletic shoes for the orphans for Christmas. They hosted an Art Contest for all the children and youth. Each child paid $5 to enter, created a piece of artwork that portrayed "The Joy of Their Heart", and each picture was judged by local artists: Sarah Rutherford, Nancy Hauser, and Ken Marshall.

 
 
Caela helps Woody of
Woody's Graphics in Roanoke, VA.
   

     Caela joined Miss Lynne at the pulpit one Sunday to make an announcement about the project and also hosted an Art Day at the church where children gathered to "create" their entries. One thousand dollars was raised to buy forty pairs of shoes for the children at Sonrise School through both the Art Contest and donations. With the help of Woody’s Graphics in Roanoke, VA and children and mothers of the Children’s Ministry at Church of the Holy Spirit, 1000 packs of cards (10 cards per pack) were produced. Within the first two weeks of sales, $2200 was collected.

     Caela had a DVD made of her project with the help of her mother and Phil Powell of NOW-IC Media in Roanoke, VA. Caela then traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, with her family to sell the cards and with her pastor, Quigg Lawrence, at her side to share her DVD with the 100 AMiA churches gathered for the annual AMiA Winter Conference. Caela, her family and members of her church family sold over $2500 worth of cards. As people have heard Caela’s story, many have been led to give to the Sonrise School. One family has even given a one time gift of $15,000!

 
 
Caela meets Bishop John Rucyahana for the first time at the AMiA Winter Confernece in January 2006.

     Children for Children’s main focus is bringing awareness and support to the Sonrise Orphan’s Ministry started by Bishop John Rucyahana of Rwanda. His heart was to save a generation that would have been lost if something was not done. Caela, her family, and her church family have decided to join Bishop John Rucyahana in doing something!  Children for Children is taking donations for continued support of the Sonrise School in Rwanda and finding creative ways of incorporating the gifts and talents of children to raise support for the Sonrise children.

     We continue to walk out the path the Lord reveals in ministering to the children of Sonrise School and bringing vision to encourage other children to step out in faith to use the gifts the Lord has given them to serve other children around the world. The organization is now in the process of discerning other avenues of focus. A Roanoke Valley Wide Yard Sale is in process to draw the churches together in having the children become more involved in serving.

     In conclusion, what Caela began with her desire to help  the children at Sonrise School who she calls, "The greatest children in the world" has blossomed into an ongoing movement to inspire other children to reach out to help children around the world in the Love and compassion of Christ. Caela's mom says, "My hope is that Caela can see that when the Lord places a burden on your heart, He desires to use you, no matter how young, to walk out His work on this earth. A tiny seed in the hand of a mighty God grows "Oaks" for His glory! May this little child lead other young hearts to do the same."

     ”Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these…, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:40)

 

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Join us in making a difference in the lives of children all across the globe!
Here are a few ways you can get started:

  • Send a note to Caela.
  • Become a Prayer Partner.
  • Make a donation: Send checks to Church of the Holy Spiirit with checks made out to
    CHS, "Children for Children" in the memo section.
  • Order Cards: $10/pk ($7 goes directly to the children of Sonrise). Send checks to Church of the Holy Spirit with checks made out to CHS, "Children for Children" in the memo section.
  • Order a free DVD of the Children for Children Project to share at your church or event.
  • Children's Ministers can request more information on how you can get your kids involved.
  • Make a request for Caela/Children for Children to come to your event.
  • Inquire about other ways you, your church family, or organization can Get Involved!

 

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Contacts: Lynne Pope or Cheryl McCarthy

Phone: (540) 772-4915 or (540) 382-3975

Email: childrenforchildrencoths@yahoo.com

Address:

Church Of The Holy Spirit
Att: Children For Children
6011 Merriman Rd.
Roanoke VA 24018

 

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 “Walking in Big Shoes of Faith” written by Jay Greener

 Free Download of Adobe Reader

 

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www.coths.org Church of the Holy Spirit - Merriman, Roanoke, VA, Rev. Quigg Lawrence

www.chstheriver.com Church of the Holy Spirit - The River, Blacksburg, VA, Rev. Keith Allen

www.mustardseedproject.org Chairman, Bishop Thaddeus Barnhum, Mustard Seed Project,
oversees Sonrise Orphan's Ministry

www.woodygraphics.com Woody’s Graphics, printer, Roanoke, VA

www.anglicanmissioninamerica.org AMiA headquarters, Pawley’s Island, SC

www.landofathousandhillscoffee.com Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee, Roswell, GA,
Founder, Jonathan Goldman, contact Robert Crow.

NOW-IC Media, Roanoke, VA, Phil Powell, video editor, 540-977-1775

www.faceofthedeep.com Dwight Huthwaite, “GO”, song on Children for Children DVD,
St. Andrew’s Church, Mt. Pleasant, SC

www.furtheronline.com Further Online, Alex Radin, webdesigner, Mt. Pleasant, SC

 

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