Carol and Ashley Ware

Carol and Ashley are a mother-daughter team.

Carol - After dropping out of college, I was a stay at home mom. I have two amazing daughters: Lexie (16) and Ashley (14). When Ashley was about 3, I decided to work in our church's daycare center. I was able to have Ashley with me and yet, contribute to our budget. This is where I discovered that God had his hand on me and HE was guiding me to work with children. After working in the daycare for a year, we were transferred to eastern kentucky. I was able to attend Eastern Kentucky University and pick classes in early childhood. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Child and Family Studies in December 2003. After that, I worked in several different capacities all revolving around child care centers until I became a Director of a child care center in Owensboro, Kentucky. By this time, I had divorced and moved home to Owensboro to be close to family. I have been a Director for almost 3 years. As well as a Director, I also work for our church, Macedonia Baptist Church as the Nursery Coordinator. I feel that my past has led me to this point. I fell in the working in a child care center and now I have a degree and am still loving what I do. I love to help children and it is my goal on this mission trip, to show children that there are people out in the world that love and care for them.

Ashley - As my mom said, I am 14 years old and I already have felt the calling of God to tell me to go on this mission trip, to GO to El Salvador. I have always been around children younger than me, being the second oldest of all my 7 cousins, you wouldn't disagree. My mom and mentor (Tracy Monarch) have helped me make some important decisions in my life and have encouraged me every single step of the way. Everyone says that I'm a leader; that I have the characteristics of a leader. I just don't see it as well as they do. At least, i didn't. I started off with just me and my family, then it grew to me, my family, and my church friends; then Will (our youth pastor) told us to go out and find a mentor in the church. And now, my mom calls Tracy (my mentor) my other mother. Tracy started to take me to Chick- Fil- A on mondays where an FCA group met in the mornings. Tracy's truck started filling up with more of my friends and we kept going. And this school year, we started our own group that meets on tuesdays; we have about 10 youth and 4 adults! But, before this school year even started, I was put in charge of our own youth group mission. We make birthday cards for all the youth and youth volunteers. And we call this "The Birthday Brigade". I've been blessed by soooo much. Friends, family, love, food, shelter, clothes, and many things that I don't need, but have. I just want to bless someone else for once. The kids in the orphanage don't get as much care and attention as we do here. The homeless people on the street; they're lucky to even receive their next meal, they don't know where its coming from, though! On this trip we are going to love and care for those children and give the homeless their next meal so they have one less to worry about. Please just help us raise money so we can go bless them with our overflow of blessings!

The mission trip is going to cost $2000 per person. It covers our lodging, food, transportation and a small donation to the orphange. Since there are 2 people from my family going, it will be $4000 for us. (Lexie, btw is choosing to not go on this trip. She doesn't feel a calling to go). As a single mother, this amount is very expensive for us. I've never been good at fundraising or asking people for help. But, I am finding myself in a spot that I need all the support that I can from prayers for both my girls, to the mission trip itself and for the fundraising. Thank you to everyone for your support, love and prayers.