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
