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