About Us

Background:

Sunday, July 9, 2023, life as we knew it changed in an instant.  Ayden, age 13 and Keeton, age 11 were traveling home after spending time with their father and his family. At about 1pm, they were involved in a car accident, and both boys departed their earthly home and entered their heavenly one. Even though they were both young, they lived very full lives. They loved purely and deeply, and they allowed no less from everyone. To know them was to love them. Compared to salt and pepper, they were very different, but they were a team and worked well together. Rooted in faith, they lived each day with the purpose of winning souls for Jesus. They knew where they would spend eternity and wanted to make sure everyone knew about the goodness of God and His unending love.

Closer Walk Ministries:

Although Ayden and Keeton's earthly jobs are complete, their stories are not over. They lit a torch for all who knew them to carry. It's our mission to spread hope and love in their honor. 

Established in May of 2002, Closer Walk Ministries is based in Winton, NC. Closer Walk  is a Bible-based ministry that's devoted to bringing the love of God and salvation through belief in Jesus to the nations. We travel the world spreading the good news. Closer Walk organizes mission trips to minister to people all over the Earth. We build wells, churches, and children's homes. We participate in healing crusades and pastor training conferences. Leading Closer Walk Ministries is Pastor Mike Blowe and his wife, Bonnie, affectionately known as Pappy and MeMa to Ayden and Keeton.

In January 2024, while traveling to Kenya to begin planning for the children's home, Ayden and Keeton's MeMa suffered a stroke. She entered her heavenly reward on January 14, 2024. 

The Team:

My name is Crystal Craig, and I am so incredibly blessed to have been chosen as Ayden and Keeton's mama. As the Mama in Charge (MiC), I am tasked with making decisions, providing updates, and telling our story as we minister in a place and a way that we never imagined. Together, with my husband Scott, we are focused on making sure all those who partner with us get to know Ayden and Keeton even if they never actually met them. Scott and I also travel internationally sharing the love of Jesus as we complete the tasks on the boys' lists.

Designing the brochures, postcards, and journals is the boys' aunt, Charlotte Stanley, known to them as Aunt Char Char. She also designs and orders all the merch we sell. She handles all of our flight itineraries  too. Aunt Char Char, Uncle Brian, and Matthew work to create the physical copies of the boys' stories that we hand out as we travel and share Ayden and Keeton's love, joy, light, and hope.