April 30 – May 2, 2026 | Swansboro | North Carolina
RENEW Retreat
Featured Speakers
Sara Vargas
Sara Vargas is an internationally known influencer in the global movement for orphan care. A native of Brazil, she grew up as a missionary kid in the Amazon. She has been married to Rodrigo for 29 years, and is mother of 4 children, three of whom are adopted. Sara is a well-known pastor and worship leader in Sal da Terra Ministry, a prominent church movement. She is co-founder and president of Pontes de Amor, Bridges of Love, which serves foster and adoptive families. She is a counselor for ANGAAD (The Brazil National Association of Adoption Support Groups), a director for Orphan Sunday and Second Mothers coordinator for Brazil. She is the facilitator for World Without Orphans Brazil and Regional Ambassador for World Without Orphans in Latin America. She graduated with a degree in Law and also has an advanced degree as a Family Therapist. She is the winner of multiple awards, including the Inspiration Award by Globo TV Brazil, and The Friend of Children Award by the National Association for Adoption.
Sara will share her incredible story and lead us in a Worship Concert on Friday Evening.
JILLANA GOBLE
Jillana Goble is an author, speaker, and long-time foster and adoptive parent. Jillana helped found an organization called Every Child that is partnering with Child Welfare agencies across the nation, which started in her home state of Oregon. Jillana believes in being honest about the high’s and low’s of parenting kids from hard places and all she is learning along the way. Jillana is the author of two books: A Love Stretched Life, and No Sugar-Coating. She is humbled and excited to make her 2nd trip ever to NC to be present for Renew.
JACKSON TERKEURST
Jackson TerKeurst is an entrepreneur, speaker, and adoption advocate who continues to defy the odds as a first-generation immigrant from war-torn Liberia, West Africa. Adopted into a new life in America, he has transformed his story of resilience, survival, and redemption into a mission that unites people across cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Jackson is devoted to creating spaces where authenticity, healing, and community can thrive—especially within the adoption and foster care world. He lives outside Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife and their two children, where he continues to inspire others through his work, his message, and his unwavering hope.
DAVID MELBER
Rev. David Melber is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina, who recently moved to NC to lead this organization. He is a Kentucky native who has dedicated his career and calling to non-profit ministry and has served in executive positions with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and Send Relief. He attended The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY where he received his Master of Divinity. David has been married to his wife, Tera, since 1991. The couple, who are now empty-nesters, have three biological children and three adopted children. Reverend Melber will serve as our presiding pastor and will close Renew with a Communion Service.
OLIVIA JACKSON
Olivia Jackson is a newlywed and proud mother to her stepson and an adorable puppy. God has gifted her with a passion for photography, graphic design, and marketing, and she works full time in the corporate sector. In her free time, she loves praising the Lord, spending time with her family, traveling, and working on freelance creative projects. Olivia is an adoptee and advocate who uses her voice to encourage others navigating the adoption journey. Drawing from her own experiences, she speaks openly about identity, belonging, and the challenges that can arise long after the adoption.
ANGELICA DEWBERRY
Angelica Dewberry was born in Kviv, Ukraine and was adopted to the U.S. at the age of seventeen. She discovered a passion for baking, and through training by her adoptive father and in the workplace, she now enjoys creating spectacular foods as a Sous Chef at Lucky 32 in Cary, NC. She also has her own well private catering business, Ukranian Soul Bakery. In addition to her love of cooking, Angelica loves fixing things, sewing, and being engaged to her fiance, Ellis. Angelica says: “I love taking care of people and create beautiful things.”
RENEW RETREAT
Workshop Presenters
SANDRA FLACH
Wired Differently–Understanding FASD, Trauma, and the Brain
This introductory workshop explores the impact of prenatal exposure to alcohol on the brain & body, outlines the primary, secondary, and tertiary characteristics of FASD, and unpacks accommodations and strengths-based strategies for parents, caregivers, and professionals
Sandra Flach is mom of 8 children, 5 through adoption—2 diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. She encourages and equips foster and adoptive parents through her weekly Adoption & Foster Care Journey Podcast and blogs at SandraFlach.com. She is a certified facilitator of the FASCETS Neurobehavioral Model, teaches FASD workshops, and leads the Hope for the FASD Journey online support community. Sandra is co-founder of Justice For Orphans and Director of Adoption & Foster Care Resources at JFO. She’s author of Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father and just released her newest book, Soul Care Saturday—52 Devotions to Encourage Adoptive & Foster Parents. Sandra and her husband Wayne have been married 39 years. They reside in upstate NY where they love to spend time in the Adirondack Mountains.
DEBBIE AUSBURN
Avoiding & Dealing With False Claims: Foster Parents in the Crosshairs
A false claim of maltreatment is a nightmare for foster and adoptive parents. Fortunately, there are practices you can implement from the start of your parenting journey. Our instructors, experienced attorneys, child welfare experts, and a former foster parent, will give you principles and best practices for avoiding and responding to claims.
Debbie makes her living as a lawyer, but what she does is take care of other people’s children. For more than 40 years, she has served as a juvenile court probation officer/social worker, group home parent, criminal prosecutor, non-profit volunteer and Board member, and attorney defending youth-serving organizations. Her most important role has been foster parent and stepparent, with 7 children and 10 grandchildren. Along the way, her foster children, stepchildren, and grandchildren have taught her the life lessons that are the core of her speaking and writing — the lessons that she wishes she could have learned from a parenting manual rather than trial and error. More about Debbie at https://debbieausburn.com/
TOM RAWLINGS
Avoiding & Dealing With False Claims: Foster Parents in the Crosshairs
With Debbie Ausburn
Tom is a recognized national and international expert in child welfare law, practice, and policy, having served as a juvenile court judge, as Georgia’s State Child Advocate, and as the Director of the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services. He is a board-certified child welfare law specialist attorney and regularly trains attorneys, judges, and other child protection and welfare professionals across the US and abroad. That work has taken him to Romania, Guatemala, Lebanon, Peru, Thailand, Armenia, and Uzbekistan. Tom graduated with honors from Duke University and the University of Georgia School of Law, which he attended on a Robert W. Woodruff Scholarship. He went on to earn a masters’ degree from Oxford University in International Human Rights Law. He is a former Fulbright Senior Specialist in Law and has authored books on juvenile court procedure and child protection policy.
Tony and VeniTa Mitchell
Marriage as the Foundation to Your Family
We know that a close marriage is one of the best gifts we can give our children, but how to we practically navigate real-life conflicts and live out a “two shall become one” marriage with the added stress of children, particularly in adoption and foster care? Tony & Venita will provide guidance and real-life examples to help and encourage you in the vital yet challenging call to be parents of our deeply loved children.
After being placed in foster care as a newborn, Tony lived in the foster care system for two years before being adopted by a caring family. Raised in a loving but impoverished home, he became the first and only person in his family to attend and graduate from college, with honors, and went on to navigate a successful 30-year business career. Now retired, Tony serves as an independent board director, national speaker, and strategic advisor. He also serves on the board of Christian Alliance for Orphans (cafo.org). Venita has worked in both public and private accounting, served as Women’s Ministries Director, and is a board member, speaker and mentor. Tony and Venita reside in Atlanta, Georgia and have two adult children.
Rodrigo Rangel
The Second Father: A Journey of Faith and Faithfulness
The journey of being a foster and adoptive father holds unique challenges for men today. We invite you to join us as we come together in faith and fellowship. If your heart seeks to unlock new life, draw closer to God, and learn to minister with wisdom and love in your family, this gathering is for you. Let’s embrace a new season of spiritual growth, deeper attachment to our Heavenly Father, and fresh insight into His heart for us.
Rodrigo has been married to Sara for 29 years, and is the father of four children, three of whom were adopted. As a pastor, he carries a deep calling in his heart to strengthen and bless families in every season of life, with special care for the vulnerable quartet—orphaned children, widows, foreigners, and those in need. He firmly believes that understanding and restoring the role of men is essential for the health of families and communities in every sphere of life. By profession, he is a lawyer and a businessman, bringing integrity, wisdom, and a servant’s heart into his work.
Tera Melber
Rooted and Resilient: Biblical Self-Care
This session explores the difference between cultural self-care, and the deeply Biblical rhythms Jesus invites us into; His “easy yoke,” honest self-reflection, dealing with personal sin, creating margin, and building a simple weekly soul care plan grounded in prayer, Scripture, and community.
Honoring Your Child’s Story with Truth, Grace, & the Gospel
Tera and her husband David are the parents of six by birth and adoption, and grandparents to five! For nearly two decades, she has dedicated her life to Gospel-centered foster care, adoption, and kinship family advocacy, trauma education, and parent coaching, walking alongside countless parents and others ministering to vulnerable people. Through training and discipleship grounded in Biblical principles, she empowers individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to serve their families and communities, even on the most challenging days while resounding the name of Christ. She has a Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling specializing in Child & Adolescent Development and Parenting, and is a Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) Practitioner & Mentor
Meaghan Langston
Navigating Birth Parent Relationships (with Jillana Goble)
If you’ve ever been told that shared parenting is important but wondered “what does that actually look like in real life?” then this workshop is for you. Navigating birth-parent relationships can feel complicated and ever-changing. Safety, boundaries, sibling dynamics, and your own emotional bandwidth all play a role. Meaghan and Jillana will share real stories from their own journeys, as caregivers and as advocates. Together, they’ll unpack practical, grace-filled ways to build and maintain birth-parent relationships that honor your children at every age, respect parents in their own healing journeys, and ultimately reflect God’s heart for restoration.
Meaghan Langston is a birth, foster, and adoptive mom of four, raising a lively crew ages 1 through 10 alongside her husband in Durham, North Carolina. She and her family have welcomed children from newborns to teens, walking with them and their parents through some of life’s hardest and most hopeful transitions. As co-founder of The Village Durham, Meaghan advocates for strengthening families long before foster care becomes necessary. She is deeply committed to relationships with birth parents, championing reunification, and supporting preventative initiatives that keep children safely with their families whenever possible.Professionally, Meaghan works in marketing, but her most formative work has come through parenting, navigating childhood mental health needs, responding to safety concerns related to foster care and adoption, and learning how to raise children across racial lines with humility and intentionality.
Trent Taylor
Protecting Your Children from the Lure of Dark Technology
Technology and pornography addiction are pervasive issues facing children and teens today. This session is designed for parents with children struggling to navigate technology in a healthy way. This session will offer a real, faith-based discussion on how parents can walk alongside their children through these struggles, model healthy technology use, and provide practical, relationship centered guidance for the home. Trent will share his own journey of overcoming pornography addiction and parents will leave feeling more equipped to face these difficult temptations.
Trent entered foster care at the age of four due to domestic violence, extreme neglect, and sexual abuse. After traveling a painful journey through the foster care system, Trent was adopted at the age of nine and came to dramatic levels of healing from his traumatic past. Trent, now 24, has devoted his life to helping others find healing. He is a mentor and public speaker and has authored two books. Trent graduated from Arizona State University with a 4.0 GPA with a B.S. in Family and Human Development. He is CEO and Co-Founder of Watch Me Rise. Trent is a trauma consultant and serves as a TBRI Practitioner, Life Coach, Educational Therapist, mentor, and parent trainer. Trent gives all the glory to God for his healing and strives to be a light in the darkness.
Gaile Osborne
Mercy and Grace: Parenting Medically Fragile and Special Needs Children (with panel of parents).
Loving a child with complex needs is a calling that stretches many parents. In this compassionate workshop, we will examine both the emotional and practical aspects of this journey. Attendees will leave feeling encouraged and equipped, and with new connection to other parents on the same journey.
Gaile Osborne and her husband have adopted 4 children from foster care, have two children under guardianship and one current placement of a medically complex infant. They have fostered over 28 children in the past 10 years. Gaile’s passion is helping other families overcome trauma, creating changes through advocacy to systemic challenges and coaching parents and school systems when supporting children with trauma. Osborne is a native of Alamance County and currently lives in the Asheville area. Her desire to get help for her children—adopted from significant trauma backgrounds—led her to a full-time career as an advocate for children with disabilities for 8 years. Before becoming an advocate, Osborne spent 18 years as a special education teacher in North Carolina. She has her master’s degree in special education from UNC-Greensboro with focus on emotionally disabled children and currently holds NC teaching certification in four areas.
Pam Taylor
How Lament and Gratitude Coexist While Healing from Trauma
Participants will discover how lament and gratitude can coexist in the healing journey. Former foster youth Trent Taylor and his adoptive mother, Pam Taylor, will share their powerful testimony of how biblical principles helped them shift their view of trauma and fulfill God’s purpose for their family. Through their story, they’ll explore how embracing both sorrow and thanksgiving can lead to healing and restoration. This session will offer insights on how faith and resilience can bring hope even in the most challenging times
After Pam’s own personal adoption journey, Pam felt called to work on behalf of the children in Foster Care. She has been serving in this arena for the past ten years by leading a non-profit organization she founded in 2011. Pam now serves as co-founder and CEO of Watch Me Rise ministry alongside her adopted son. Together, Pam and Trent serve foster and adoptive families with a vast array of support services. Pam is a TBRI Practitioner, Making Sense of Your Worth Facilitator, Building Freedom From Within, Art Therapy Practitioner, Educational Therapist, Life Coach, and mental health coach. Pam considers it a true honor to walk alongside foster and adoptive families and to guide them to the healing that is found in God.
Teri Froman
Strategic Prayer for Your Family: Ancient Tools for Praying With and For Your Children. (with Sandra Flach)
Prayer is an essential and important tool that undergirds the home and sustains the family. In this workshop, you will learn how to pray against negative generational influences in family lines, and teach children to pray for themselves. We will look at Spiritual Practices to strengthen our prayer life and walk out the authority given to us through Christ. Take a strategic stand in the courts of heaven and teach your children to do the same. Changing the future by targeting the past. Attendees will enter a drawing for a new devotional book on adoption.
God broke Teri’s heart for the orphan during the adoption journeys to Russia and China for her children. She is committed to God’s calling on her life to ensure children’s voices are heard and families are equipped to provide loving homes to God’s children. She brings over 30 years of experience in leadership from both the secular business world and church ministry. She currently serves on the board of Second Mothers and has served as an Executive Pastor, Adult Ministry Pastor, Local Missions Pastor, and completed her Master of Arts in Christian Studies. She has served as an Orphan Sunday coordinator, founding member of Hope 1:17 Orphan Ministry, and as a board member of Both Hands Foundation. She and her husband Ryan and their children make their home in mid-Tennessee.
RENEW Retreat
Retreat Team
Malen Papadopoulos
Malen was born and raised in the Philippines. She was called as a missionary to Costa Rica in the 90’s, then God opened the door for her to serve in various churches in the US. While serving faithfully in churches with walls, she asked God intensely “What else, Lord?”. That’s when God spoke to her and brought her to James 1:27! She moved to the Philippines together with her family to serve as an orphan advocate in 2011. She served as the Philippines Orphan Sunday Coordinator for Christian Alliance For Orphans, CAFO, for more than a decade. She also served as the Vice President of Philippines Without Orphans. She is married to a Greek American and has a biological daughter and an adopted son with special needs. Malen coordinates Connection and Prayer elements for Renew.
Linda stone
Linda believes that prayer is the most important thing we can do, and it is the greatest weapon we have. “Mama Linda” is a former foster mother and she has served in leadership roles for National Day of Prayer, Promisekeepers, Men at the Cross and others, including a ministry for at-risk, fatherless teens of Chicago. She is also a volunteer to teens at Western Guilford High School. She leads several prayer groups including for Prodigals, Youth and those battling thoughts of suicide. Linda serves as lead intercessor for Renew Retreat.
Ruthie Gomez-Stuart
Ruthie and her husband Tom became foster parents in 2018. They both had careers in the Military. She retired from the Army and Tom is retired Navy. In 2012 they married and moved to beautiful Emerald Isle from Northern Virginia. Besides her voluntary service with the Armed Forces, she’s also volunteered for many organizations; Breast Cancer, ALZ, Sea Turtle Patrol, White Oak Elementary and Backpack Friends and other small entities. Together they opened their home to serve precious foster children in their county. She is blessed and grateful that God has led her to this paradise where he has given us a home to share, a church family, and the freedom to serve Him! Ruthie is our local coordinator for the Renew Team.
Kayla Moffitt
Kayla is totally and completely…. exhausted!
As a mom to 5 siblings who spent years in the foster care system and a new baby girl, her days are spent sipping unintended cold coffee in the carpool line and folding tiny t-shirts while searching for every single left sock– she has plenty of right ones if you need them!Kayla holds a BA in Creative Writing and an MA in English Language. As a TBRI Practitioner, she especially finds fulfillment when teaching and training parents to find successful ways to navigate the challenges of parenting children from trauma and hard places. Kayla married her middle-school sweetheart, Jerad and serves a number of foster care and adoption organizations supporting their marketing and social media strategy.
CHRISTIAN and karol BERROSPI
Christian and Karol started their foster care and adoption journey in California where they adopted their youngest child. In 2020, they moved to North Carolina and continued fostering. They founded and lead the foster ministry in their church, Foster Connect, which hosts events for foster & adoptive families to build community and connections. They have been guest speakers at the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) Summit.Karol was born in Guatemala and Christian in Peru. Because of their connection with the Latino community, they are always looking for opportunities to encourage Latinos to become involved in the foster community. Karol and Christian serve for outreach and logistics for Renew.
PAULA DROEGE
Paula is mother of three adult biological children as well as “second mother” to three young men she and husband Tom adopted as older teens and young adults. Paula also has seven grandchildren. Early in her Christian journey Paula spent two years in Mexico and Honduras, doing mission work where the Lord impressed on her heart a burden for the poor and the orphaned. For the past 10 years Paula has volunteered as a Guardian ad Litem for children in foster care. She is treasurer for the nonprofit organization, Second Mothers, as well as for Child Evangelism Fellowship. She serves as the financial coordinator for Renew.
JOHNSTON MOORE
Johnston has been married to Terri since 1988, and together they have seven children (five girls and two boys); all of whom were adopted through the Los Angeles County foster care system. John enjoyed a career in Hollywood in film & TV production before becoming fully immersed in adoption and foster care ministry. He is a freelance writer and consultant, and speaks regularly -including at Focus on the Family’s Wait No More. Currently, John, Terri, and their youngest three daughters live in the Richmond, Virginia area, where they are members of Redeemer Anglican Church. Johnston has served on the Renew planning team since its inception, and is its beloved annual MC.
ANASTASIA MEENACH
Anastasia is a digital media designer and military spouse. Her husband, Jett, serves in the USMC and is frequently deployed. Together they have three children, including a 13-year-old they adopted through foster care, a four-year-old and a two-year old. The Meenach family resides in Lawrenceville, GA where they have a small, suburban homestead including goats, chickens, dogs and a cat. They are active in their local church. Anastasia serves as graphic designer, photographer and social media coordinator for the Renew Planning team.
JERRY and Jodi TUCKER
Jerry and Jodi have a family that has been blended in all possible ways. Presently, nine young adults call them Mom and Pop, along with a growing army of spouses and grandchildren. Their family includes bio kids as well as domestic and international adoptees. Jodi is the author of three books, including Second Mother: A Bible Study Experience for Foster and Adoptive Mothers, and Healing for Every Heart in Adoption: Redemptive Strategies and Prayers for Adoptive Parents, Adoptees and Birth Parents. Jodi is the founder of Second Mothers, a ministry for women who serve vulnerable children as well as Renew Retreat. Jerry is the CEO of Treasured Property, a real estate company that gives back to help every child have a home. Jerry and Jodi founded Renew Retreat in 2021.
natalie giduz
Natalie has her masters in social work and works as pediatric medical social worker at UNC Chapel Hill. She is passionate about caring for the vulnerable, whether that be supporting at-risk families through her job or supporting foster and adoptive parents at church. She is a member at Waypoint Church where she serves in the buddy ministry. In her free time Natalie enjoys practicing Spanish, swing dancing, playing board games with friends, and listening to audiobooks. She serves as administrative and logistics coordinator for Renew.
SHANN AND SARAH DAVIS
Shann and Sarah are biological, foster, and adoptive parents who are still learning that parenting children from hard places requires a foundation of faith, a gameplan of teamwork, and an attitude of humor. After serving as foster parents for 7 years, they adopted through the foster care system and continue to build a home rooted in grace, resilience, and lots of prayer. Shann works in biologics manufacturing and spends weekends repairing cars and working on the house. In his free time, he leads a wild troop of 11-year-old boys at Trail Life. Sarah has successfully homeschooled their 2 oldest kids, and her plate is currently full, teaching 10th grade at a homeschool co-op and educating a child with dyslexia and ADHD. The latter requires large doses of patience, perseverance, and coffee. Together, they are passionate about encouraging married couples to stay connected, lean into their faith, and remember they’re on the same team – even on the hard days.
Ashlie Atento
Growing up with an adopted little brother, Ashlie has always had a heart for orphans and hopes to adopt in her future family. Ashlie is a graduate of NC State University and works as a Digital Marketing Analyst for Belk’s corporate office. She served as a Development Intern for Lifeline Children’s Services and serves on Renew Retreat’s volunteer team as a content creator. Ashlie loves to combine her passion for helping vulnerable children and their families with her creativity and social media savvy.
April 30 – May 2, 2026
SWANSBORO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
SWANSBORO, North Carolina
See you at the beach!
April 30-May 2, 2026 | SWANSBORO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | SWANSBORO, North Carolina
*Thanks to Todd Dini for outdoor photos of the beauty of Swansboro.
RENEW RETREAT IS A MINISTRY OF SECOND MOTHERS, A NC NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION