Love is in the air-October 2024

Francisco had the honor of officiating the wedding of Paola and Eneas. Paola is part of our Celebrate Recovery forever family. She started attending our Tuesday night Celebrate Recovery Large group meetings approximately one year ago and soon realized she needed Jesus in her life. Francisco had the privilege of introducing her to Jesus and later baptizing her. Paola is serving in our program for youth called The Landing. Eneas came into the picture and started dating Paola. He joined Paola in attending church services at Calvary Rosarito and he too recognised his need to invite Jesus into his life. Francisco recently had the opportunity to baptize Eneas and Paola’s son Angel. It is beautiful to see their whole family growing together in their relationship with Jesus.

Speaking of family, in August I had the opportunity to be in Canada to celebrate my 20th anniversary of being a missionary in Mexico with family and friends in St. Albert Alliance Church. I am thankful to those who were able to attend the Picnic in the Church. Your support always makes me feel loved and cared for. I had an amazing time reconnecting with some friends I had not seen in over 20 years. I returned to Mexico refreshed and ready to serve.

Serving in the Prison Ministry has always been a favorite for me. My team and I hosted a movie event for “Our Girls” on the inside of the Ensenada Prison. We watched a Celebrate Recovery movie called “Home Run”. We started the event by reading a short devotional. After the devotional I offered those that did not know Jesus an opportunity to come to know him personally. To my surprise eight women responded to the call. The angels in heaven are rejoicing with us. It’s such an honor to be able to serve these women that are hungry to grow in their faith.

Mexican Independence Day

Celebrate Recovery hosts four events per year. Mexican Independence Day is a favorite for all our Celebrate Recovery participants. We dress in traditional clothing, and bring Mexican dishes to share with our forever family. The night was filled with fun, laughter, great fellowship and delicious traditional dishes.

Francisco and I want to thank you for being our partners in the Mexico Recovery Ministry. Your friendship and partnership means a great deal to us.

Blessings,

Cheryl & Franciso

If you would like to join us financially in ministry, click on the ink below https://www.cten.org/canada-giving

20 Years in Mexico-August 2024

Dearest Family and Friends,

Join us in celebrating 20 years serving in Mexico. God has a way of making himself real in our lives, especially when He has something He wants us to do.

1999- God prompted us to go on a short-term mission trip to Mexico. It was there that He spoke loud and clear to prepare to serve Him full time in ministry. We felt so excited, yet so inadequate!

2004-After selling our home, Rod, Rebekah and I packed up our 21-foot travel trailer, said our goodbyes to family and friends and went to serve as full-time missionaries. We were excited yet uncertain of what the future held for us.

2009-Rebekah returned to Canada to go to Prairie Bible Institute to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. As an empty nester, God prompted me (Cheryl) to bring Celebrate Recovery Inside to the female prisoners of the Ensenada Prison. I knew this mission was way beyond my abilities. My Prison Ministry team and I have been serving in the prison for over 15 years and have witnessed many changed lives.

2014-God was prompted us again, this time to launch a bilingual Celebrate Recovery in our local church, Calvary Rosarito. That was ten years ago, and we continue to see the fruit of our labors as we train up leaders and see God’s people continue to find healing and freedom in their lives.

2017-This was a hard year! My husband Rod, my soul mate, my best friend, and fellow servant in ministry went home to be with Jesus. God wasn’t done with me yet. He called me to continue the work Rod and I started together in Mexico. I accepted the challenge.

2019-Two years later I went on my first coffee date with Francisco Ahumada. After much prayer we felt led to take a leap of faith, get married and lead the Mexico Recovery Ministry together. I am thankful to have a partner to walk this road with.

2004 to 2024-Twenty years of serving in fulltime ministry as a missionary in Mexico brought many great and new experiences. God has a beautiful plan to bring people into his Kingdom and heal the broken. How does He do this? He uses people behind the scenes, unknown ordinary people like you and I to fulfill his purposes.

Francisco and I thank God for trusting us to join Him in His plans. We want to thank you for walking alongside us on this journey. We leave you with this thought, “When God calls us to do the seemingly impossible, He’ll also give us the power to do it.”

Blessings, Cheryl & Francisco

Happy 90th Birthday Dad-June 2024

I love Spring! I love the longer days, the warmer days, the blooming flowers and so much more. This year spring also brought with it my dad’s 90 birthday! I was able to be in Canada to take part in my dad’s birthday bash. Spending quality time with my daughters, grand kids and family always brings great joy and lots of fun memories. I even had the opportunity to reconnected with relatives I had not seen for many years. It was a wonderful time! All that was missing was my husband, Francisco. To our dismay, Francisco was not able to travel with me. After 15 grueling months filling out paperwork, the Canadian government denied him access into Canada. We know and trust God has another plan!!!

Spring also brings Mother’s Day! May 10th our Prison Ministry team united with another ministry called Rancho Refugio from Ensenada bringing some love, hope, and joy to all the female inmates in the Ensenada Prison. After some inspiring worship music Francisco was able to share his moving story of how he came to know Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior while in jail. His message ended with an invitation for those who do not know Jesus to do so. Nine women raised their hands and surrendered their hearts to Jesus. Rancho Refugio gave a powerful message encouraging believers, new and old to keep walking with Jesus. We ended the day by handing out toiletry gift bags, socks and tennis shoes. We left the prison feeling filled to overflowing with contentment. It was a great day!

15 years in Celebrate Recovery Inside and now Estella has been set free

In Celebrate Recovery many come out of all kinds of backgrounds, including idol worship (very prevalent in the Mexico), adultery, prostitution, alcoholism, chemical abuse, verbal abuse, mental abuse, physical abuse and the list goes on and on. Many are battling with unhealthy desires but are finding victory as they draw closer to Jesus. Being loved and not judged is the key to recovery. People’s lives are being changed in our local churches and prisons by knowing and growing in their relationships with Jesus Christ. It’s not the program of Celebrate Recovery that changes lives, it’s the biblical content of the curriculum that leads our participants into a deeper relationship with Jesus. And, it’s your prayers that are softening hearts. It’s your generosity that are providing toiletries for the inmates (Mexican prisons do not supply toiletries for prisoners), and Celebrate Recovery participant guides for the those who could never afford them. You are an integral part of the Mexico Recovery Ministry. Thank you for being our partners in ministry.

Blessings,

Cheryl & Francisco

15 Years in the Endenada Prison-April 2024

Greetings from Mexico Family & Friends,

Easter is just around the corner! I loved Easter as a child and love it even more today. Easter is a time to gather with family and friends to celebrate Jesus defeating death and offering us eternal life with Him. We have much to celebrate as we enter into this Easter season.

Ana, Karla & Francisco preparing tortas (subs buns) for the prison event

2024 marks 15 years bringing Celebrate Recovery into the Ensenada Prison. Many of “Our Girls” on the inside of the Ensenada Prison come from broken, rebellious backgrounds. They wanted to be free to live as they pleased and had to hit rock bottom, and be cast into prison before coming to their senses. It has taken great sorrow and tragedy to cause them to look to the only One who can help them.

God’s love is patient and welcoming. He searched for each one of “Our Girls” giving them opportunities to respond to His love. We have the beautiful opportunity to lead the lost to Jesus and introduce them to His healing power through the Christ centered 12 steps and 8 principles of Celebrate Recovery.

In January the director of the Ensenada Prison allotted us 30 female inmates to relaunch Celebrate Recovery Inside. It was very exciting! Most of the participants were first timers to the program. You could feel the excitement as our Prison Ministry team members shared their testimonies of how Celebrate Recovery helped change their lives. “Our Girls” shared their gratitude and excitement at having this opportunity to walk on the Road to Recovery. Some shared they had been waiting for years to join us in the Celebrate Recovery program. We look forward to seeing how God will transform their lives.

In February we celebrated Valentines Day with “Our Girls” on the inside of the Ensenada Prison. As most of the inmates were new to the program, they thoroughly enjoyed the event as we worshipped together, heard an encouraging message and testimony, fellowshipped while making a Valentine’s Day card, ate a filling lunch (complete with delicious cupcakes), and ended the event handing out toiletry and candy bags as “Our Girls” returned to their cells. We all went our separate directions filled with joy and fond memories.

Francisco and I agree our greatest joy is having the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus’ love and healing power with others in the Ensenada Prison and in our local church. Thank you for partnering with us in ministry.

Blessings, Cheryl & Francisco

NOTE: The Ensenada Prison are asking for help to build a small commercial kitchen for the female inmates. Having a kitchen would allow the women inmates the opportunity to learn culinary skills so they could use them to support themselves and their families when they are released from prison. We have workers to do the work, and now we just need the funding. If this project is something you would be interested in donating to, please send funds through Commission To Every Nation (Prison Ministry Commercial Kitchen) for a taxable receipt: https://www.iatspayments.com/saaura/PA4E35632C7C25A8A4

Celebrating 10 years-February 2024

Greetings from Mexico Family & Friends,

2023 was a wonderful year of ministry! December brought with it many opportunities to celebrate the birth of Jesus. After 15 years serving in the Ensenada Prison, Christmas events in the prison are still one of my favorites. My prison ministry team arrived with toiletry gift bags, candy bags, a tasty meal and games which brought lots of laughter and joy to “Our Girls” on the inside. We ended our event with hugs and goodbyes, jumped into our trusty 25-year-old ministry vehicle to head back to Rosarito. To our dismay, our ministry vehicle failed us.

A guards that gave our team grief week after week came to our rescue and patched our vehicle just long enough to get us back on the road. We had imagined having to hire a tow truck to haul us back to Rosarito (1 1/2 hours away). God had another plan. He used this opportunity to bring out the side of this prison guard we had never seen before. He was helpful, kind, concerned and had mechanical skills! It was a beautiful gift to end a wonderful day!

Our Celebrate Recovery Christmas event in Calvary Rosarito was remarkable. We served a traditional Mexican meal, heard powerful testimonies, handed out door prizes and enjoyed each other’s company. This made for a memorable night! It was touching to see 21 participants step forward to receive certificates for having completed their first set of Celebrate Recovery 12 steps.

In January we celebrated our 10th year anniversary of having Celebrate Recovery in Calvary Rosarito. We heard some great testimonies, enjoyed the delicious desserts, caught up where we left off with friends and stepped into 2024 knowing it is going to be a great year as we walk the Road to Recovery together.

The greatest gift in Celebrate Recovery is seeing non-believers respond to the Gospel. Francisco ends each teaching with an opportunity for participants to make a decision to commit their lives to Christ. Paola had been attending Celebrate Recovery Large group meetings for quite some time. At the end of the teaching, Paula put up her hand and invited Jesus into her life.

Francisco had the privilege of baptizing Paola. Being baptized was Paola’s outward sign to the congregation that she had decided to follow Jesus. With this commitment came a heart to serve. Paula has joined our servant leader team by serving at The Landing (our Celebrate Recovery program designed for youth) and helping with the media.

We are so grateful for our Celebrate Recovery servant leaders and their willingness to be used by God in all areas of ministry. As they share acts of kindness, God’s love and hope pour out of them. Francisco and I stand in awe as we see the fruits of their labor. It’s a blessing to serve alongside this amazing team of men and women.

Francisco and I are thankful for each of you! Not everyone is called to the mission field. Each of you, who work for Christ at home are vital to ministry for those, like ourselves who have been called to go. It is through your prayers and financial gifts that we became partners in spreading the Gospel message and bringing healing to the broken.

Blessings,

Cheryl & Francisco