About Us
FamilyLife T&T is part of a global network of experts in Family Life education, who share a common mission to change the world through a common passion to build healthy families worldwide.
FamilyLife consists of a team of professionals and volunteers who have devoted their lives bringing biblical principles to people in ways that positively change their lives. At the heart of our organization is a volunteer team of 15 couples locally and more than 10,000 couples internationally.
FamilyLife Trinidad & Tobago is a non-profit, charitable organization, that has been in operation in Trinidad and Tobago since 1999.
Our Mission
FamilyLife’s mission is to change the world one home at a time, by building healthier marriages and families through the practical application of time-tested techniques and teachings based on biblical principles.
Our History
Beginning as an internal program to help the staff of a US-based Campus Crusade for Christ in 1975, FamilyLife® has grown globally into a multi-faceted ministry to families, with marriage events, radio programs, a growing global outreach, and dozens of books, workshops, and other practical resources, all helping to grow Godly marriages and families..
Our Tools
FamilyLife's primary approach to transformation is through education. Our purpose is to provide support to couples via educational resources that address all the stages of the family life cycle.
Our goal is to provide this support to families through partnerships with groups and organizations that understand the value of building strong relationships.
Our Story
Co-founded in 1976 by Dennis and Barbara Rainey, the mission of FamilyLife is to effectively develop godly marriages and families who change the world one home at a time. FamilyLife has now expanded to over 100 countries, with over 3 million having attended events, approximately 9.1 million radio listeners weekly, and an extensive FamilyLife bookstore. David and Meg Robbins currently lead FamilyLife.
FamilyLife Trinidad and Tobago is a registered non-profit organisation (incorporated on 9th November 2001) that leverages a volunteer network of couples nationwide. Steve and Cecile Mohammed, leaders of the national ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, sensed the need for help for families, as they themselves began to expand their own family. FamilyLife in the US provided speakers and conference assistance for the first FamilyLife “Weekend to Remember” (W2R) marriage conference organised by the Mohammeds in 1997, held at the Cascadia Hotel. Soon after, Steve & Cecile led a group of nine married couples in a HomeBuilders couple’s study, most of whom began to lead their own HomeBuilders groups with other couples. Bill and Laila Naranjit, who were part of the initial HomeBuilders group, has since led over 400 couples in couples groups. In 2002, Subesh & Debbie Ramjattan, also members of the first HomeBuilders group, built the FamilyLife Conference Centre inside the Anapausis Community compound in St. Augustine that hosted the W2R marriage conferences and other FamilyLife events for many years. FamilyLife USA continued to resource FamilyLife T&T with resources and training for local speakers and volunteers.
After 21 years of helping families, FamilyLife T&T now has its own continuously expanding Core group of volunteer couples, an experienced and committed “Weekend to Remember” speaker team, a thriving resource centre that provides books and other resources on marriage and each stage of the family life cycle, and multiple programmes that provide help for single life, engaged couples, marriage, parenting, blended families, and family life education.
FamilyLife T&T is presently led by Russel & Joëlle Aching, who spearheaded the expansion of FamilyLife T&T’s radio and social media presence. Russel and Joëlle met on the dance floor in 1989 and in 1995 they tied the knot at their dream wedding at Stollmeyer’s Castle. They started their own business (a creative agency) in the same year they got married. “We met on the dance floor and danced to the tune `Rock the Boat’ not knowing that later our marriage would encounter turbulent times.”
In its formative years, Russel focussed on the business while Joelle pursued a corporate career in marketing. The first five (5) years of marriage gradually became a nightmare, and they managed to make many bad choices, including unfaithfulness. They had daily conflict to the point that they both lost all feelings for each other.
Just when it came to an unbearable state, Russel’s mother gave them a gift of a FamilyLife’s Weekend to Remember conference. At the conference they realized that they were not alone and that through education and with the right support, they would gain the tools needed to recover and restore their marriage to it’s full potential. That was the turning point of their marriage and they continued to attend FamilyLife events.
The transformation that they experienced in their own family life created a passion to help other couples. In 2015, they closed their business and accepted the invitation to volunteer with the organization in Trinidad, and are currently serving as the FamilyLife Trinidad and Tobago Team Leaders.
Today they are happier together than when they first met and continue to grow in understanding and love for each other. They have three beautiful children.