Eric and Sharon have been a couple for over 20 years. Eric (born in Idaho but raised near Christmas Florida) and Sharon (a native Floridian raised in Christmas her entire life) found Jesus Christ and each other at the Redemption Church youth group in Christmas Florida.
Bonded in the love of Christ for each other, they have been working with the children in their home church for over 7 years. On Wednesday nights Eric teaches the 13 year old boys and Sharon teaches the 13 year old girls. She also helps cook for between 60-80 children being mostly composed of the children in the Christmas community. Eric is a full-time plumber and Sharon is finishing up her Bachelor of Science degree in Developmental Psychology in order to help those children with extensive emotional and developmental needs.
They not only work tirelessly at the church, but along with their sons Eric, Jr and Zachery, they have opened their home over the years to numerous children in the community who need a hot meal and even help with their studies so that high school graduation is a viable goal. They sometimes take them on educational and fun day trips. But most of all, they give them the love of Jesus!
The goal of their ministry together is to show children that genuine Christ-filled love is real and available to them. Their goal is to make sure that no child within their reach ever goes hungry or has a need for clothing or basic hygiene needs. Sometimes they provide funds for those children who want to participate in extracurricular activities so that they can be actively involved but have no means to make that dream come true.
Eric and Sharon minister so that these children are able to experience things that most often others take for granted. They hope to give them some semblance of a happy childhood that can also deter the chain of addiction that sometimes surrounds their environment. A safe place to go; a warm bed to sleep; a time to teach or counsel…whatever they can do to help a child succeed in life is where their hearts fixed.
