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