When Pigs Fly BBQ and Carshow

This Saturday Aug 20th is a big day in in the process of building the orphanage in Honduras.  For the last 2 months work on the orphanage has been at a stand still.  We are much further along than we could have ever imagined.  Over half of the block structure is complete, and the foundation for the other side is well on its way.  We Are very thankful for the support this project has received by friends, family, and brothers and sisters in Christ.  We understand that the economy is a scary, but God is bigger than any problem we may be facing.  This Saturday we are hosting a day of fundraising with many chances to come and be a part of God plan in this village town of Honduras.

Trinity of Fairview we will be hosting a 3-3 basketball tournament at Newbridge Baptist.  This is open to anyone age 21 or under.  Entry fee is $30 per team with up to 4 players.  Please call Tanner Narron @ 828-458-2440.  Please call by Friday @ 7 to enter.

There will be a car show held from 10am until 3:30pm  Entry fee will be $10 and you may register at the show from 10am until 12pm.  Judging will be from noon to3pm with trophies awarded at 3:30pm.  This is an open show for all makes and models of cars and bikes.  To enter or to get more information please call Andy Plemmons @ 828-775-6646.

Family Festival will be open from 10am-4pm.  There will be Inflatables, cotton candy, sno cones, face painting, and more for you and your family to take in as you enjoy the car show and basketball tourney.  We will have concessions available as well until 3:30.  something

Starting at 4pm come and get the best meal deal in Asheville for the day.  We will be serving BBQ, hushpuppies, coleslaw, baked beans, and a drink for $5.  We will have take out available and will even deliver for orders over 10 plates or $50 dollars.  To call ahead and order you may call 828-279-3021.  We will be serving until 8:00pm.

This day holds great promise for this project.  Construction is waiting on funding,  the only thing keeping the structure from completion in 11 weeks is money,  $19,900 is what we project to finish this phase of building.  This is an extremely large sum of money, however we serve an amazing God.  We pray that this Saturday would make a great dent in this.  We are hoping for a great turnout for all the events of this day.  If you are looking for something to do next Saturday come join us and bring the family as we make this dream of a home reality for 40 children in Honduras.

Always remember that if you cannot make it to the event you can always send a tax-deductible  donation via Pay Pal at www.carpentersheart.org or send a check to Carpenters Heart @ PO Box 1220 Weaverville NC 28787.  All funds donated go directly to the mission field, no person within this organization receives a salary or help in funding there trips from any donated money.

Operation Soul Saver 2011

                                                                   Back 2 School
For kids it brings either excitement or dread.   For teachers it can mean back to the grind.  For parents around Madison and Northern Buncombe County it can mean the added financial strain of shoes, backpacks, and other supplies.  In the book of James it references "what good is it if you see a brother naked and do not cloth him".  It is with this in mind we look forward to Saturday August 13th and a chance to love our brothers and sisters in Christ by trying to meet physical needs in order to share the Gospel.  Over the last 3 years  Operation Soul Saver has put shoes on the feet of over 300 children and assisted in suppling the necessities for school.  This year from 4-6pm we will be eagerly awaiting the chance to serve anyone in need with what we have while it lasts.  We will be distributing shoes, backpacks, and school supplies to any who need a hand.  This will take place in Marshall NC at Enon Baptist church.  This ministry is only possible thanks to the support of many area churches including, Enon, Barnardsville, Morgan Hill, Flat Creek, and many others.   There is still time to donate items to be used in this ministry by dropping it off either at Enon Baptist, Barnardsville Baptist, or calling Andy Plemmons @ 828-775-6646 for pick up.  

Join us this Saturday August 13th in loving like Jesus!

Enon Baptist Church
174 Ammons Branch Rd
Marshall NC 28753
828-649-3986

What a blessing this last trip was.   The work that this team accomplished through God is mind blowing.  From the evangelism opportunities in the school, from the door to door visitation, to the work on the orphanage God truly blessed.  The support of so many made this trip a success.  Our prayer is that God is continually glorified not only in Honduras but here in the states as well.  We are so blessed to have the partnership of many wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ that allow God to produce miracles here and abroad. 
The foundation is almost complete, there have been almost 4,000 block placed and most importantly over 300 confessions of faith.  The work here is only just beginning.  We pray that you continue to partner with us in any way you feel lead.  We are always in need of prayer for the work that is ongoing on this project, for the safety of the workers, for the continued growth in Christ of our friends in Honduras, and a clear direction from Gods will on this project.    We are also planning a trip in November.  The dates fro this trip will be Nov 5-12.  Tickets are currently $385 dollars and can be ordered at anytime.  There will be another $300 due the day of the trip.   This will cover all expenses for the week.  If you are interested please call Doug or Andy as plane tickets change daily.  We are also in need of monetary support.  The current work expenses are running at around $1,300 per week.  You may join us at Chilli's this week on Thursday and present this article for a Chilli's giveback day.  Anyone who presents this article will give 10% of there total bill to the Carpenters Heart.    You may always donate through Paypal at www.carpentersheart.org or mail a check directly to us at PO Box 1220, Weaverville NC 28787. 

Doug Garrison 712-6406
Andy Plemmons 775-6646

Where does your joy come from?

James 1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this; to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

What have you experienced this week to feel happiness.  Was it a special meal out on the town, a purchase of something not needed but really wanted.  Could it be the a walk in the mountains, or just the simple smile of your child after a day of fun at the park.  There are millions around the world that will  never experience any of those things, yet they are full of a joy that is unmistakable.  Where does there joy come from? More importantly how do I attain it and pass it along to my children. 

Joy of this nature comes from one place or should I say person alone.  God details in the book of James not how to be saved but how our lives should look after salvation.  For a big part of my life I assumed that God called me to sacrifice because I needed to suffer  for my sins.  I was incorrect in my thinking.  God doesn't call us to a life of sacrifice for our punishment.  If that was the true, then He would have never had to suffer on the cross.  You see the life of sacrifice He is calling me, really us, to is for our own benefit.  For the first time in my life the truth of the statistics that 3 million people are living on less than a dollar a day is real.  Not just something I tell my Sunday School class, or something I hope my daughter grasps.  I was shown what true happiness comes from over the last few years while serving in Honduras. 

The picture you see above is from the home of a  single young mother named Maria.  Her and her seven children ages 16 through 6 live in a two room home that is about 10ft X 10ft.  When we first met there was one bed for three of the children and a mat for Marie to sleep on.  There kitchen with a wood burning  plaster and iron stove and nothing else was barren of food.  The water from the mountain side is unfiltered.

The heat on the day we met was almost unbearable with no fans and no ac(or windows for that matter).  As we walked down a worn path to this beautiful Honduran home we where greeted with a smile only God could inspire. 

We where there in the village to hand out beans and rice as a means to share Christ, little did we know she was going to witness to us.  We found Maria in her hammock.  You see Maria age 35 is suffering from a 2 year bought with what was described as a lung and bone disease.  All 80lbs of her where smiling as she received food to feed her children where only minutes before there was none.  As we sat with her and herd her story our hearts where broken.  After becoming ill her husband had left her to care for the children by herself.  As her health had declined she was no longer able to do even the simplest of tasks.  Her oldest children where now carrying her to the hammock each morning and back to her mat each night.  She is now unable to eat anything but baby formula.  Baby formula that she had been out of for several days before we arrived.  Yet when we asked if she knew God her eyes became alive and she smiled as she told how she would have her children read from Gods Word each day.  She explained that God was what was carrying her through day to day.

Over the next couple of days money that had been donated went to fill her kitchen with over 100lbs of beans.  We where also able to secure 4 cans of enfamil, several bags of pasta, 25lbs of rice and other food.  We where also able to put shoes on the feet of all seven children and Maria herself.  God was also able to provide some medicines  for the children as well as clothes for everyone in the family.  One of the simplest but most appreciated blessings God allowed us to share was the gift of a bed.This bed not only allowed Maria to get off of a mat and her children off the floor.  A simple bed and pillow, something I have taken for granted all of my life gave her joy.

We have been truly blessed to see so many stories playing out in front of us over the last 5 years.  Stories that would not be possible without the prayer and support so many have offered.  We pray that you hear Gods call to find joy in your life.  See the reason Christ told the rich young ruler to sell his possessions and the reason we are called in James to put our faith in motion is not a punishment.  It is Gods call to each of us to have purpose to our lives.  He commands you and I to serve not to make us a slave but to free us from our own slavery.  There are many more Maria's and others not only in Honduras but around the world.  Please consider a donation to allow us to serve, feed, and just love people in the name of Christ. 

The Orphanage is coming along well over the last few weeks.  Construction is in full blast as we have seen the foundation come to near completions and interior and exterior walls grow from the ground.  Please continue to support this project.  At a cost of near $1,300 per week we are praying for God to provide.

Look for Gods joy in your life, it is the only joy that is everlasting.

Small gifts, big blessings

The Carpenters Heart has just returned from an amazing trip to serve God in Honduras.  While there

we where blessed to worship and serve with our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is such a blessing to see the hand of God at work in lives here and abroad.  Several years ago it was our pleasure to meet an amazing woman with a true heart for God that was caring for her daughter who is living with Cerebral Palsy.  This amazing lady is the spiritual leader of her home and is always seen with a smile on her face and joy in her heart.  Last year through a translator we where able to ask if there is anything we could do to ease her burden..  She said if it may be possible that a wheelchair would make things much easier, you see she was transporting her daughter in a child's stroller.  A stroller that was meant for a 2-3 year year old child, not the 12 year old that was pushed and crammed inside.  Through an amazing donation and God's provision a wheelchair was donated to the Carpenter's Heart.  Unfortunately the chair was the wrong size for the young lady.  We where just a few days away from the trip but God had a plan.  Through Gods open doors we where able to trade that chair for a perfect fit through another non-profit in Hendersonville(Susie's Closet).  Thanks to Susie's Closet God answered prayers in Honduras.  The thing that will stand out to me about this trip is the honest fact that Jesus Christ is enough.  If all we have is Chris,t it is still enough.   The Bible is clear that God will sustain through whatever we may face.  Our trials are nothing in comparison to the hunger and suffering that  a large part of the world will be facing tonight as we go to bed.  You see what I learned from this trip is that I have fooled myself into thinking that I am doing pretty good for myself.  In reality God has blessed me and allowed me a family, job,  and a church.  None of this has come by anything I have done myself but are all gifts from God.  If God was to remove the blessing's of my life I pray that I would live with the faith and love of Christ that I have seen demonstrated in Honduras.

  The money that has been given to this ministry is going to share the love of Christ and encourage the warriors of the faith that are pressing on towards serving Christ the King.  Over 95% of the money given and raised by the Carpenters Heart  goes directly to the mission field.  There are no salaries, and none of the money goes towards the travel and ministry expenses.  Each team member pays there own way for these trips as well as giving above to be used in the ministry while there.  I want to thank anyone and everyone who has blessed this ministry over the last two years with your prayers and monetary gifts.  I also pray that you seek God's will in what you will do from this day forward.  The orphanage is moving along at God's pace, which is much faster than  we had planned.  We have a Honduran general contracotr that has a team ready to lay block and finish the foundation and rough in the plumbing.  This portion of the project will run at the expense of about $1,800 per week.  That will get approximately 1,500 block layed along with the material needed to do so.  This team is prepared to complete 20 meters of wall per week.  This is a tall bill, a bill that only God can provide for.  We are currently scheduled to resume work May 2nd and are praying to work straight through November and our next trip.  Please follow Gods call in helping provide for this project if you are able.   We are able to accept donations through our paypal @ http://www.carpentersheart.org/ or you may mail a tax deductible donation by check to PO Box1220, Weaverville NC 28787.  We are always available to speak about this project or missions in general to any group large or small.  If you have questions about this project or would like to come with us on a future trip please call Andy @ 828-775-6646.

April 10-18

Please lift up the team that will be leaving next Sunday from Atlanta to travel to Honduras to begin construction on the orphanage as well as minister to the people of Honduras.  This will be our largest team to travel, please pray that all the logistical details would be worked out according to God's will.  Pray for the people of Honduras to be open in mind and heart to receive God and His gift of salvation.   Pray for the Holy Spirit to move among and through this group as we seek to serve an awesome God.  Pray specifically for the health of those laying block and mixing concrete.  Pray for the High School seniors that will be sharing the gospel with students in three different school systems.  Pray for the several orphanages that we will be working with in the afternoons as we share the Gospel as well as share the love of Christ.  Most of all please pray that God will be glorified by this trip.
We will try our best to send updates and pictures when possible.  It is never to late to make a donation to help this cause.  Money is still needed for construction, food, and medicine's.  Thank you to the many brothers and sisters in Christ that make this possible.  Remember we are planning a trip Nov 6-12 if you are interested.  Sign up early to get the cheapest airfare.

Carpenter's Heart 5k and fun run

     Saturday March 26th please join us at Carrier Park on Amboy Rd. in Asheville for the first annual Carpenter's Heart 5k and fun run.  Thanks to the wonderful support of our sponsors and volunteers we will be hosting this charity race to raise funds for the building of an orphanage in SanFrancisco Honduras.  Money from this race will specifically go towards the cost of putting the foundation in place.  Work began in mid-February. 
      We are registering runners and walkers online now @ www.carpentersheart.org and follow the race links.  This will be open until Friday March 25th @ 5pm.  You may also register on race day from 8-9:30am.  Remember to register early to assure you get a race t-shirt and gift bag.  Your $25 entry fee will pay for a days labor for a mason as well as buy 8 blocks. 
     This certified course is a great run for any and all ages.  Race will begin at 9:45 with awards to follow as soon as scoring is complete.  There will be medals awarded to the first through third place finisher in each of the 8 different age groups.  There will also be a first overall for men and woman that will include a gift tour with Navitiat Canopy tours.
     In addition to the 5k there will also be a fun run starting at 9am.  The entry fee for this is $10 with online registration available at www.carpentersheart.org  Online registration will close on Friday March 25th at 5pm.  You may also register for this event from 8-8:50 on the day of the walk.  We will award participation medals to children under 12 who take part in this walk(while supplies last). 
    In addition to the medals and gift bags we will be raffling off 4 prize packs each valued at over $100 dollars.  Each person who enters either event will receive 4 tickets with extra's available for purchase at $1 each.  Items in these prize packs include gift cards to Applebee's, Athens, Bellagio, Carmel's, Carrabbas, Cakes by Jane, Olive Garden, tickets to the Titanic Experience in Pigeon Forge, Cd's, Shirts, D-feet socks from Foot Rx, and much more. 
   Please come join us as we run for a reason.  Help make the first annual Carpenters Heart 5k and fun run a success.  Each entry fee helps bring the dream of a young boy or girl closer to the reality of a place to call home, 3 meals a day, and an opportunity to attend school.  The urgency of this project is hard to understand, but if you can just imagine living on two meals per week, no money to go to a doctor, and no money to attend school.  This is what this race is for.