Introducing Carissa

Welcome to my new blog! Hope it blesses you!  My name is Carissa Alma, about 15 years ago I sensed God calling me into a life of missions. I had a BA from University of Georgia in Early Childhood Education, and a MA from Asbury Seminary in Missions/Intercultural studies.  I left my home in America, and set out for Asia (I can't get too specific since the area I'm working in is actually a closed area).  After exploring, learning, and volunteering around the country, I decided to settle down (13 1/2 years ago).  I joined some Asian friends and together we started Joy Children's Home!  (You can read a little more about this cross-cultural journey in my book, Thriving By Carissa Alma.)

Over the past years we've adopted 48 beautiful children.  All came from broken backgrounds, and were without families or hope.  They were orphans, but now they have been adopted and are thriving in every single way possible.....THRIVING!   With God's grace, we are raising these children into adulthood;  we are in awe of them and who they've become!

I believe God has given me wisdom, discernment, and anointing to be able to raise children well.  I'm not perfect, not even close.....but......I have a lot of kids! Different ages, personalities, backgrounds,  talents, strengths, weaknesses, giftings, struggles.  Someone asked me "Carissa, what would you do if you ever got kicked out of Asia? What kind of job would you get?" I jokingly replied, "I'm not qualified for anything.....except raising children. I guess I would hire myself out as an American super-nanny, of sorts!"   While most parents raise children and have a short season of toddlers or a short season of kids in elementary school, or a short season of teenage kids.....I've had more than 13 years of ALL!!!

Even now, I'm raising all ages!

I have 15 boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 11.
I have 14 teenage girls and 14 teenage boys!
I have 5 young adults between the ages of 20-22!

We have artists, musicians, great students, class clowns, dancers, athletes, leaders, writers, and missionaries!

We have children with ADHD, Learning Disabilities, special needs, developmental disabilities, and physical struggles from Epilepsy to HIV.

We have children with traumatic and abusive pasts, children whom were loved, others whom were neglected, and others whom were abandoned.

All, literally ALL of them are thriving here now under God's grace!

I hope and pray that this blog would be an encouragement to all who read! I hope I can share some of what I've learned with parents along the way. There are some truths that know no boundaries and are universal. I hope to share those parenting truths in this blog!

If you have a parenting problem/question and need help, just write to carissaalma@gmail.com, I will keep your names/details confidential, but will be happy to share my insight through this medium!