Monthly Archive

Last week, Janelle, the administer of Foundation For His Ministry, came to the Home For Needy

Janelle

Children in Oaxaca Mexico.  She always brings words of encouragement for each of the staff members, individually and corporately.  She gave a wonderful devotion which she called Aim High and Stay low.  It was a great balance for the life of a Christian.  Especially for Christians living in community.

The “aim high” part came from the words of Jesus where he told his followers that when He departed from the earth, that they would not only do the things He did, but even greater things.  With the empowerment of the same Holy Spirit that empowered Christ, the disciples of Christ would do incredible things to grow the kingdom of God.  But this only happens when Christians know what Christ did, and then aim high, to do the same things He did, and greater.

That’s what Charla Pereau, the founder of Foundation For His Ministry did over forty years ago when

Charla Pereau

she started a little home for needy children in Baja .  Looking at her then she just seemed like an ordinary, everyday housewife.  But, filled with the Holy Spirit, she began to Aim High.  She prayed.  She took food and clothes to the poorest of the poor children in Mexico.  She went to garbage dumps and brought children who were living off rotten scraps of cast off food, and brought them to a place where they ate three squares a day, received clothes to replace the filthy, soiled, rags that passed for their old clothes.  With a humble heart filled with the same compassion Jesus had, she made a difference in this cold, dark world.  She initially brought light and love to a handful of needy children.  After almost half a century, her and the ministry of Foundation For His Ministry have touched and transformed thousand of poor Mexicans.  That’s what I call Aiming High.

But during her years of leadership she always stayed low.  Janelle defined “staying low” as always regarding oneself as a humble servant.  She echoed the Apostle Paul’s words that we should always think of those around us as better than ourselves.  She frankly told the staff of the Oaxaca mission, that if you think you are better than anyone else at the mission that you should leave the mission.  That this is not a place for people with big egos who think that they are better.  This is not a place for gossiping and bad-mouthing other people, but for edifying, encouraging, and building others up.  It’s not a place for focusing on yourself, but on others.  This reminded me of what C.S. Lewis said about humility, “Don’t think less of yourself, but think of yourself less.”

Charles epitomizes the idea of staying low.  She has never received a salary for her years of faithful service and leadership.   That meant more money and resources for the poor.  Whenever she came to the Oaxaca mission and people tried to heap praise on her, she would immediately deflect it and point to heaven, letting everyone know that it was by the grace and power of God that she was able to accomplish anything.  I believe she receives her richest reward with children’s smiles lives that have been changed for eternity.  The greatest compliment she can have is when she stands face to face with Jesus and he says to her, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.  Enter into your rest.”

It’s a profound message for all Christians, Aim High and Stay Low.  With the power of the Holy Spirit and examples like that of Charla Pereau, we can all cooperate with God in spreading the good news that God loves us and wants us to be happy, and make this world a better place.

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