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Today is Good Friday. I’m thinking about the death of Jesus Christ. I’m also thinking about the death of Charla Pereau. They both have had a great impact on my life. Jesus was God in the flesh. Charla was made in God’s image and was conformed to the image of his Son (Romans 8:29). Because of the death of Jesus my sins are forgiven, my guilt is washed away and I am redeemed. Because of the life of Charla, I found my place in the Kingdom of God; I also found my wife and have a precious family.
Before I met Charla, I met Foundation For His Ministry (FFHM). Charla started FFHM over 60 years ago. The ministry began as a home for needy children in Vicente Guererro, Baja, Mexico. I first visited in 1987 as a recent graduate of Bible college with a degree in Missions. I was disappointed and disillusioned with how the mission program of my denomination worked. Too many hoops to jump through before a person would get to be on the mission field. I had kind of given up on ever being a missionary. FFHM renewed my dream of serving God in another country. At this children’s home I saw a lot of normal, everyday type of ordinary people who just wanted to make a difference in the lives of poor Mexicans, especially Mexican children who had been abandoned, abused, neglected and were suffering the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual effects that come from not being wanted. The staff was made up of Americans, Canadians and Mexicans who simply wanted to be the hands and feet of Jesus and bring healing to hurting people.
I had come for a week to volunteer and left with a hope and a lifetime ambition to one day be a permanent part of this incredible organization. Unfortunately I had to wait 18 years for my dream to become a reality. In the meantime I went to Vicente Guererro almost every year to help out for a week at a time, as thousands of volunteers have done since the founding of the Mission. I met Charla and talked to her a little bit over those years. Looking at her and chatting with her, I would never have guessed that she was the visionary who, full of faith, determination and grit, was making such a big difference in the Kingdom of God in Mexico. On the surface she just seemed another volunteer who cared. I knew better, because I had read her book, Charla’s Children where she described her vision from God and how she began to think God’s thoughts after Him with regards to loving the poorest of the poor in Mexico.
Fast forward to 2005 and I was finally at a place in my life where I could live full time doing the work of God in Mexico. But instead of Baja, Mexico, I went to Oaxaca, Mexico, where FFHM was putting the finishing touches on a new home for needy children. Oaxaca is one of the poorest states in Mexico and the need was great and still is great, to bring help and healing to suffering children. And not only to rescue children, but also to reach the lost in remote mountain areas and restore the broken lives of those in prison and rehabilitation centers.
I jumped in with both feet in March of 2005 and have been here ever since. These have been the happiest years of my life. I feel like a puzzle piece that never quite fit just right for most of my life and then the Lord put me here and it has been a perfect fit. Not only have I loved working in various aspects of ministry here, but I also met my wife here and we have two super daughters. I couldn’t be happier, and it’s mostly because of Charla.
Charla, and her husband Chuck, would come to Oaxaca every couple of years which was a joy for us all. She would tell stories to the kids and share with the staff how the Lord had spoken to her, used her, directed her, and sometimes rescued her through the years of her life. I never failed to laugh and cry when she spoke and was always inspired to trust God more, give more freely and love more deeply. Charla said one time that her daily prayer in the morning was “God, lay some soul upon my heart, and love that soul through me.” I wonder if some days I was that soul. I also remember her saying one time that God doesn’t want our ability so much as he wants our availability. That encouraged me as I don’t have all that much ability to give the Lord, but I have plenty of availability.
When different partners of this ministry would die over the years, Charla liked to say that they “graduated to heaven”. Charla “graduated to heaven” February 28. I imagine there was a heap of treasure waiting for her. She laid up a lifetime of loving others well and no doubt filled up many celestial coffers with her acts of compassion, her works of kindness and her obedience to the Lord in meeting the felt needs and more importantly, the spiritual needs of thousands of people. In Matthew 6:20 Jesus tells his followers to store up treasures in heaven. In Luke 12:21 Jesus encourages people to be “rich toward God” and in verse 33 to “Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail”.
Charla was a great example to us all of storing up treasures in heaven by being rich toward God. Thank you God for Charla!
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“As Chuck and I face our few remaining days, we sense God would still have us focus on what matters the most – His commission to reach the lost with the message of Christ and His charge to believers in Matthew 25: feed the hungry, provide drink for the thirsty, give shelter to the homeless, clothe the naked, care for those who are sick, and visit the prisoners. This is the foundation on which we built His Ministry.”
Charla Pereau – Charla: An Ordinary Woman with Faith in an Extraordinary God
Today is World Earth Day. Today we lament what has happened to God’s Good Creation.
HAS GOD LEFT CREATION?
Has God left Creation?
We stumble over the carcasses of earth in search of life.
Abandoned, betrayed, and denied its Goodness, we weep.
Lightless.
Hopeless.
Helpless.
God, you once moved and lived and breathed in all things.
God, you once walked in the Garden and consecrated Creation.
God, you once bound us all together in your covenant of salvation.
But where is our help to be found
In this world clouded by sin?
But how can we reach you, God,
As we choke on this poisoned air?
But when can we eat this food,
Emerging from toxic soil?
All of your Creation struggles to breathe,
To live and thrive.
Our city’s streets are slick with oil,
Our walls with slime.
Your birds falter.
Your deer stumble.
Your streams die.
God, you have seen Creation and called it good.
Save us now.
God, you have made Creation in Your image.
Save us now.
God, you have called us into your healing love always.
Save us now.
God, you knock at our doors, begging entrance.
But we look away, we turn toward ourselves.
God you invite us down a different path.
But we go our own way, sure of our footing.
God, you offer us abundance and plenty.
But we see only through eyes of fear and greed.
God, be with us in our despair and hear us as we cry out to you.
By Jessica Abell
It’s no news that Ukraine and Russia are at war, and Israel and Hamas are at war. It may be news to some that in Ukraine over 9.6 thousand civilians and over 61,000 soldiers have died since the start of the war (OHCHR). 300,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or seriously wounded. Over 28,000 people have died in the Israel – Hamas war. Besides death, countless people have been maimed for life and thousands of refugees have fled their homes, many of which have been destroyed. So much pain and loss in these two wars alone. Throughout history war has raged and ravaged lives, broken up families causing misery and suffering. Below is a lament for war and a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer.
O Lord, God of our salvation, as we cry out before you today about the injustice, pain and sorrow in our world. We think of those impacted by war and terror. We know that each person and every child is precious to you, yet we see fear, suffering seemingly without end. You Lord are the great provider, you see the needs of those impacted by war and you love them and weep with them. Comfort them Lord as they struggle and nourish their souls with renewed hope each morning. Guide those who seek refuge to places where they can find help and rest, and move the hearts of nations to welcome them. Help your people Lord to find community and sustaining joy in places of refuge or exile. Lord you promise a time where there will be no more war, no fear, or pain, or sorrow, or suffering. Build your kingdom here, come Lord Jesus.
We pray for peace in our world: that all people may live free from violence, in safety and security, and with hope for the future. We pray for all people who are working to build peace in their communities: that they may inspire others by their example and be strengthened to carry on, even in the hardest times. We pray for families impacted by war; for those living in fear, for those indelibly touched by tragedy, for those who mourn; We pray for boys and girls whose childhood has been stolen in the cause of war, bring restoration, healing, family, love. We pray for those fleeing war and persecution, those seeking refuge and those seeking a fresh start in a land not their own.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9
Open Doors recently published its annual report on Christian persecution around the world. According to this report, more than 365 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. One in seven Christians are persecuted worldwide. 4,998 Christians were murdered. 14,766 churches and Christian properties were attacked. For those who suffer because of their Christian faith, we lament.
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Oh, Lord of mercy, we raise our voices in lament, For persecuted Christians, their trials unbent. In lands where faith invites the wrath of hate, They endure the darkness, bearing a heavy weight.
Amidst the shadows of persecution’s grim decree, They stand as beacons of light, steadfast and free. Their voices silenced, their freedoms stripped away, Yet, in the face of adversity, they kneel and pray.
In the depths of suffering, they find their strength, Their faith unwavering, no matter the length. Through trials and tribulations, they cling to You, Oh, God of refuge, their hope renewed.
As tears fall like rain in the night’s embrace, Their cries ascend to Your throne, seeking grace. Grant them courage, Oh Lord, in their darkest hour, A shield of faith, a fortress of Your power.
For they are blessed, though persecuted they stand, Their inheritance secure in Your promised land. In the midst of anguish, let Your love shine bright, A beacon of hope in persecution’s blight.
Romans 8:35, 37-39 (NIV): “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Open Doors lists the 50 countries in the world where persecution of Christians is most prevalent. Mexico was 37th worst in the world. I have lived in Mexico for almost 19 years and have heard many stories of Christians being persecuted. A few years ago I met a young man who father was killed for preaching the gospel. The rest of the family had to flee their little village and their house and property was taken from them. According to the report the persecution primarily happens in remote, mountainous communities where people are reluctant to change their ancestral ways and hostile to missionaries who try to evangelize and to those who convert, and also in areas controlled by drug cartels.
Foundation For His Ministry supports missionaries who try to share the Gospel in these areas. One of those missionaries is Mabel. She ministers in the Sierra Norte region of Oaxaca. She recently told me about a plan to build a church in the small town of Tepanzacoalco. At first the community leaders were ok with it, but later told the small congregation that they could not construct a building and forbid Mabel to ever come back. She also told me about some believers in a little pueblo called Yagila, who had built a church, and that it had been burnt down by people opposed to Christianity.
Below is a prayer from Open Doors for persecuted Christians in Mexico.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the incredible courage of our family in Mexico who speak out against violence and promote peace. Protect them, we pray, and continue to embolden them in their ministries. May their words and lives touch the hearts of criminal leaders, so they turn from violence and hatred to follow You. Strengthen the faith of those living in indigenous communities; encourage them with your love and show them how You are powerfully at work in their neighborhoods. May our sisters and brothers in Mexico not be despondent as opposition increases, but may they be empowered to grow in their faith and witness. Bring peace, justice and wise governance to all areas of Mexico. Amen.
We have gotten a lot more rain than usual here at the children’s home in Oaxaca, Mexico. Everything is nice and green and mushrooms of different shapes, sizes and colors are popping up all over the place, some as big as a dinner plates. I find them fascinating and have been doing some research on them. I have come to the conclusion that Christians are a lot like mushrooms, at least in two respects.
One thing I learned is that mushrooms grow best in places that are wet or really damp. We have received more rain this last June and now into July than I can ever remember in my 16 years of living here. So that explains the surge in ‘shrooms. They grow especially good in dead, decaying and moldering matter, like old leaves and sticks, exactly the place I found Old Shaggy, pictured above.
Christians actually grow and even thrive in exactly the same kind of environment. The Bible describes this world and its systems as dead, decaying and moldering. Yet Christianity, as the proverbial mustard seed, has been growing like crazy, not just in spite of pain, suffering and persecution, but because of it. Throughout the centuries different cultures and regimes have been trying to systematically snuff Christianity out, and yet it has grown into the largest religion on the planet.
I read an article recently in Christianity Today about how, in the past, the missionaries were kicked out of China, and church leaders feared for the future of the church in that country. Not to worry. Christianity grew from a few thousand believers to millions of believers within the following generations. Now it seems the same thing is probably occurring in North Korea; an expanding underground church amidst the worlds worst persecution of the church.
But not only the Church Universal grows amongst the death and decay of the world, but so do individual Christians. We all experience times of trials and tribulation, sorrow and suffering, frustration and failure. These are times of rotting leaves, moldy twigs and decaying branches. Times where we not only grow, but flourish. With these kind of experiences I think of Joseph and all he had to endure during his life. Sold by jealous, spiteful brothers into slavery. Falsely accused of a capital crime and tossed into prison. Forgotten by a fellow inmate he had helped out, he languished in jail. And then what? Next thing you know, he is second in command in the most powerful empire in the world.
When those same brothers came to him begging for food, he could have extracted sweet revenge, but instead he told them, “you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” He was able to say that because over and over Genesis reminds us that God was with Joseph. God is still in the “making good out of evil” business as we can plainly see in Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good to those who love God…” Even those decaying, moldering things.
The second way I see that Christians are like mushrooms is mycelia. I learned about mycelia from Emma Erler who is a landscape and greenhouse specialist at the University of New Hampshire. She writes, “Mushrooms will go away on their own once the weather dries out. Keep in mind that although these fruiting bodies have disappeared, the fungal mycelia is still growing in the soil. The fungus will continue to grow and persist as long as there is plenty of organic matter to feed upon.”
I found that to be very interesting. Mushrooms are only the fruit of a much vaster, invisible fungus network that lives underground. When the mushroom dies, the plant continues to live and grow and have its being. That makes me think of all the Christians who have died, yet a part of them continues to live and influence us who are living. I especially think of Christian writers from Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Paul to Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Stott and C.S. Lewis, to name just a few. They are all dead, but their ideas, theology and insights continue to live and spread through the world with their words, just like mycelia.
So, if anyone should happen to tell you that you remind them of a mushroom, take it as a compliment. You are growing strong through the murky mire of decay; the stench and darkness of this present world, because God is with you, just as he was with Joseph. And, after you are gone to be with the Father, your mycelia, your love, grace, compassion and kindness will continue to live on in all those you cared about and helped.
Mushrooms and Christians. Who knew?
I was studying Hebrews chapter eleven, often times called the Hall Of Faith. Here are a few things I learned about faith –
- Without faith it is impossible to please God 11:6
- Faith means believing that God exists and that He rewards those who seek Him 11:6
- Sometimes faith means you don’t know where you are going 11:8
- Sometimes faith means you are a stranger 11:9
- Sometimes faith means that you do not receive the things promised 11:13,39
- Faith means that you will be tested 11:17
- Sometimes faith means choosing to be mistreated 11:25
- Sometimes faith means making people angry 11:27
- Sometimes faith means being tortured 11:35
- Sometimes faith means facing jeers, beatings, chains and imprisonment. 11:36
- Sometimes faith means death by stoning, being sawed in two and killed by the sword 11:37
- Sometimes faith means being destitute and persecuted 11:37
So, do you want to be a person of faith? I like to talk about how much God loves us and wants us to be happy. Where’s the happiness in all that? The ultimate happiness for people of faith is Heaven. That’s easy to see by taking another look at Hebrews 11.
Verse 16 tells us that people of faith are longing for a better country – a heavenly one, and that God has prepared a city for them. Later we see that Moses was “looking ahead to his reward.” Verse 36 says that some who were tortured, refused to be released, so that “they might gain an even better resurrection.” The last verse of chapter 11 lets us know that God has planned something better for us.
The main thing to remember about Faith comes to us from verse one, “Faith is the substance of things HOPED for …” Not so much what we hope for in this world, but in the world to come.
After studying Hebrews 11, I came across some quotes from Timothy Keller about hope and heaven:
“We are future oriented beings, and so we must understand ourselves as being in a story that leads somewhere.”
“The disposition properly described as hope, trust, or wonder … three names for the same state of heart and mind – asserts the goodness of life in the face of its limits. It cannot be defeated by adversity.” (Keller quoting Lasch)
“Hope does not require a belief in progress, only a belief in justice, a conviction that the wicked will suffer, that wrongs will be made right, that the underlying order of tings is not flouted with impunity.” (Keller quoting Genovese)
“Hope that stands up to and enables us to face the worst depends on faith in something that transcends this world and life and is not available to those living within a worldview that denies the supernatural.”
“Christian hope has more power for sufferers than a mere optimism in historical progress.”
“We are trapped in a world of death, a world for which we were not designed.”
“The immortal Son of God was sent into the world, sharing in our humanity, becoming subject to weakness and death. But then through death he broke its power, in order to free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”
“We may physically die, but death now becomes only an entryway to eternal life with him.”
“All death can now do to Christians is to make their live infinitely better.”
(All quotes from Timothy Keller’s book Making Sense of God)
To Enjoy God 