About the Holders
Many Hands is pleased to introduce A.T. and Crystal Holder, with their four children, Tommy, Keiper, Judah, and Belize Josette! This family brings experience and a deep desire to serve others in Abaco.
A.T. is Many Hands for Abaco’s Director of Community Engagement. He has leadership, project management, and community development experience, along with an understanding of cross-cultural ministry and a history of making a difference in faith-based organizations. His construction background is also very helpful for our ongoing rebuilding projects in Abaco, as Many Hands focuses on providing needed resources and project implementation to rebuild homes and ensure safe housing for everyone affected by Hurricane Dorian (2019). Crystal and the children bring energy and enthusiasm to the Abaco community, opening doors A.T. wouldn’t be able to on his own.
The Holders have a remarkable story of serving overseas in missions for about ten years.
This journey began with working with children rescued from sex trafficking in Ecuador. This experience sparked a passion for fighting injustice and led them to join Agape International Ministries (AIM), which works against human trafficking worldwide. They served in Cambodia and Belize, establishing new programs and building strong relationships. As Crystal shared, “We came out of this season where we weren’t really sure if we were going to be still serving abroad. The Lord had released this previous burden that we had for another line of work… He kept, opening the door for us to come to Abaco.”
All-In Approach to Family Mission
For the Holders, their service is a family calling. A.T. explains: “We’ve always been a family on mission…And so that has brought us to different places.” AT further elaborates on this shared purpose: “We visited Abaco to see how can it not just be us (A.T. and Crystal) who can serve, but how can we do this as a family with all of our gifts? It was abundantly clear that this is where our family was being called.” They believe in the strength of community and are eager to get to know the people of Abaco.
Their family approach is central to their mission. A.T. pointed out, “There is an avenue that only a mother can navigate and there’s doors that only kids can open. So Crystal actually gets to go to work with other moms around the islands… the kids and my bride here, they open doors that I could never open.” Crystal added, “The Lord’s already brought some lovely Bahamian families into our life… they’ve been so welcoming and really have helped us, get more grounded quickly here.”
The Holders are driven by their faith and a desire to live boldly for Jesus, meeting the physical and spiritual needs of those around them. As AT put it, “As a family, we love Jesus. We love that he has asked us to be on mission. He asked us to leave some things that were hard to leave. And yet it’s been the joy of our life. We find life to the fullest by saying yes… he provides our needs. He’s provided support.”
Your support is essential for the Holder family’s work in the Abaco community. As AT said, “What I would just have people consider is, what is God asking of you?… As a family, we need support… We need prayer partners. We need people who will be invested in us… Maybe God’s asking you to join our team. Maybe he’s asking you to be a monthly supporter of us… That’s what I like you to consider, is we’re on a mission. Come join us on mission.”
Every gift is taken seriously: “Every person who’s ever given we want to connect with and we want to say, hey, you’re investing in the kingdom. Let me tell you about the return on your investment… It’s we’re walking life together, and you are part of the mission that we’re on.”
Join A.T., Crystal, and their children as they bring hope, faith, and everyday help to the people of Abaco. Your financial partnership allows them to continue building connections, strengthening families, and making a lasting impact.
