| In memory of William Noble "Bubba" Carson February 13, 1950 - December 2, 2004 by Judy Carson Vafeas |
| click on any image to enlarge |
William Noble Carson was born in Alabama, served his country in Germany and Vietnam,
and worked as a pipe fitter most of his life. William tried to find happiness and peace in
material things, in people, in drugs and alcohol. He cried out for help, and early one
morning in July, 1996, at a Christian Drug Rehab Center, he fell on his knees and asked
Jesus Christ to come into his life. At that moment, God radically and completely changed
him from a sinner to a saint. He began to serve God faithfully.
The next year he went on a mission trip to Mexico and later to Guatemala. This became
a turning point in his life. In Guatemala his heart was touched as he saw the great need.
In 1997 he went to Guatemala to oversee the construction of small homes for poor
families in Guatemala City. Soon 35 homes had been built, and William's heart was won
by the people of Guatemala as they labored with him in building a community called
Lomas de Santa. He met Sarita Diaz, who had a ministry and feeding center in the area.
On May 7, 1999, they were married in Tuscumbia, Alabama, and returned to Guatemala
where William spent the rest of his life helping poor Guatemalans. The community of
Lomas prospered and God blessed.
One day in 2001, while reading the newspaper, William saw an article that startled him.
In an area in the southern part of Guatemala, children were starving to death. There
had already been 125 deaths. On February 1, 2002, they moved to Chiquimula to begin
a new ministry to the starving Chorti Indian children, a neglected and forgotten people of
Guatemala. Over the next year and a half the two feeding centers in Guatemala City
were phased out. A new ministry had begun in the small village of Lela Obraje in the
Descumbres community of Chiquimula, Guatemala. God provided the land and in 2001
a feeding center was opened. God began to put a vision in the hearts of William and
Sarita for the area, which was only three percent Christian. The vision included opening
the only Christian School within 40 miles to educate the children of the village, a trade
school to teach youth a means of survival, and a mission house that would have endless
uses. It would not only house missionaries but would be used to train pastors, for
Christian retreats and spiritual renewal.
The dreams and visions that God gave William and Sarita are daily becoming a reality.
Off the main road and a short distance on a rough dirt road, there is an oasis in the
desert. The dream of having a Christian School for the village of Lela Obraje is today a
reality. Sitting beside the feeding center is a brightly painted school, attended by 103
children. A lot has been accomplished in the four years since the ministry started. It is a
happy place where hugs and smiles are continuously given. A place where love is
understood and a place from which countless other ministries stem. People come for
food, for medicine, and for help. People are won to the Lord frequently, and the faces of
the children have changed from eyes filled with pain to eyes filled with hope. A forgotten
people by their government, but not forgotten by God. On a small hill God has placed a
monument of hope that will change the future generations of the Chorti of Lela Obraje.
With the death of William in December of 2004, many people wondered if the ministry
could continue. God's work always continues, He just changes players. God has
continued to bless Sarita and opened doors for others to help in the ministry. God has a
plan for all of us. He uses us if we allow Him to. In the last seven years of William's life,
he sold out to God and God did miraculous things through him. He lived a life of faith.
God was faithful and always provided what was needed. God is good and He can
accomplish great things if we trust Him and allow Him to use us.
and worked as a pipe fitter most of his life. William tried to find happiness and peace in
material things, in people, in drugs and alcohol. He cried out for help, and early one
morning in July, 1996, at a Christian Drug Rehab Center, he fell on his knees and asked
Jesus Christ to come into his life. At that moment, God radically and completely changed
him from a sinner to a saint. He began to serve God faithfully.
The next year he went on a mission trip to Mexico and later to Guatemala. This became
a turning point in his life. In Guatemala his heart was touched as he saw the great need.
In 1997 he went to Guatemala to oversee the construction of small homes for poor
families in Guatemala City. Soon 35 homes had been built, and William's heart was won
by the people of Guatemala as they labored with him in building a community called
Lomas de Santa. He met Sarita Diaz, who had a ministry and feeding center in the area.
On May 7, 1999, they were married in Tuscumbia, Alabama, and returned to Guatemala
where William spent the rest of his life helping poor Guatemalans. The community of
Lomas prospered and God blessed.
One day in 2001, while reading the newspaper, William saw an article that startled him.
In an area in the southern part of Guatemala, children were starving to death. There
had already been 125 deaths. On February 1, 2002, they moved to Chiquimula to begin
a new ministry to the starving Chorti Indian children, a neglected and forgotten people of
Guatemala. Over the next year and a half the two feeding centers in Guatemala City
were phased out. A new ministry had begun in the small village of Lela Obraje in the
Descumbres community of Chiquimula, Guatemala. God provided the land and in 2001
a feeding center was opened. God began to put a vision in the hearts of William and
Sarita for the area, which was only three percent Christian. The vision included opening
the only Christian School within 40 miles to educate the children of the village, a trade
school to teach youth a means of survival, and a mission house that would have endless
uses. It would not only house missionaries but would be used to train pastors, for
Christian retreats and spiritual renewal.
The dreams and visions that God gave William and Sarita are daily becoming a reality.
Off the main road and a short distance on a rough dirt road, there is an oasis in the
desert. The dream of having a Christian School for the village of Lela Obraje is today a
reality. Sitting beside the feeding center is a brightly painted school, attended by 103
children. A lot has been accomplished in the four years since the ministry started. It is a
happy place where hugs and smiles are continuously given. A place where love is
understood and a place from which countless other ministries stem. People come for
food, for medicine, and for help. People are won to the Lord frequently, and the faces of
the children have changed from eyes filled with pain to eyes filled with hope. A forgotten
people by their government, but not forgotten by God. On a small hill God has placed a
monument of hope that will change the future generations of the Chorti of Lela Obraje.
With the death of William in December of 2004, many people wondered if the ministry
could continue. God's work always continues, He just changes players. God has
continued to bless Sarita and opened doors for others to help in the ministry. God has a
plan for all of us. He uses us if we allow Him to. In the last seven years of William's life,
he sold out to God and God did miraculous things through him. He lived a life of faith.
God was faithful and always provided what was needed. God is good and He can
accomplish great things if we trust Him and allow Him to use us.
