Hi friends and family,

My name is Myriah Ellison, I'm a student at BYU-Hawaii who returned home from a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the ABC Islands 2 years ago. During that time, I met a family that changed my life forever: the Carti family.

Jessica Carti is a single mother with four children on the island of Bonaire. After her husband left her and the kids, she took the full responsibility of providing for her family. She works full time, and still finds time to love and teach her children. Her small boxcar home was always filled with faith, love, and positivity.

The most valuable lesson I gained from Jessica, was when she said,

“I may not be able to give my kids everything, but I can give them the gospel—and that’s more valuable than anything else.”

I came to know this family well when visiting to help clean and teach the children to read. Despite their circumstances, they were always smiling, kind, and thankful.

They changed and shaped my life just from their example, now I want to do something for them. The Carti children have never left Bonaire, which is only about 100 square miles in size.

They’ve never seen snow, traveled by plane, or had a family vacation. I want to change that. With your help we can give them their first white Christmas and a family vacation full of lasting memories! The goal is to send them to Utah where they will be able to experience winter, visit several LDS temples, have new experiences together as a family.

What the Funds Will Cover:

I’m hoping to raise $6,500, which will go directly toward making this dream trip possible. The breakdown is as follows:

Flights for 5 people from Bonaire to Utah – $4,000 ($800 per person)

Airbnb stay for 1 week ~ $800

Food ~ $700

Activities ~ $1,000 (ice skating, sledding, attending a musical, and other new adventures)

Meet the Carti Family:

Jessica - the incredible mother who inspires me with her faith and determination

Ashley (not pictured) - the oldest son, and is working hard to overcome personal challenges and addictions

Jamal (13) - a baseball-loving, adventurous, and faithful young deacon who passes the sacrament at church

Jameela (10) - a darling and creative cutie who helps and plays with her younger sister

Amaris (7) - the cutest little girl with Down syndrome who is always caught wearing a smile

This family impacted my life for good. I hope to give them a small token of love from all those who have known and loved them. Help me create a memory they will never forget!

Please consider donating to help give the Carti family a Christmas miracle. Any amount helps. Even just sharing this campaign means the world to me.

With love and gratitude, Myriah