. Dennis Bahr and Bill Rogers of Redding Christian Fellowship in Redding, CA visited the San Clemente office on Monday with a truck full of donations from our women’s auxilliary WINGS (Women in God’s Service). Twice a year the women of WINGS have a meeting to talk about and pray for the ministry and collect donations for specific projects at the Baja Mission. We are excited to bless the children and missionaries of the Baja Mission with these donations from their latest meeting and thank God for volunteers like these.

  
Bill and Chuck unloading the truck (left) Dennis and Bill with Chuck and Charla (right)

.  Juan Carlos and Elizabeth Serrano are new missionaries serving as houseparents at the Baja Mission. They are doing a great job and we have already seen improvements in the behavior of the children. We thank God for the houseparents at each Mission who do this challenging job.

Juan Carlos and Elizabeth

. Arely Suarez is now working as a cook at the Oaxaca Mission. The staff in Oaxaca had been praying that God would bring kitchen staff for over a year. We thank God for answering this prayer.

Arely

Prayer Requests:

. We never want to make our prayer letter a letter for solicitation of funds. So therefore, please receive this in the spirit in which it is written: a prayer request. The quality of education in Oaxaca is deplorable. We tried more than one school to no avail. Our 5th graders weren’t proficient in reading, writing or arithmetic. The only solution was to start our own school with the goal of bringing up our children to acceptable standards. God provided excellent material and teachers. Our visitor center was turned into classrooms even though we knew the importance of providing for workgroups and visitors. At last we have workgroups scheduled to come to help us build but we don’t have the resources to buy the materials needed to keep them busy. Please pray for God’s provision.

Visitors working on the school construction

. The Oaxaca Mission needs a Director for the Oasis Primary school and a Workgroup Coordinator. Please pray that God will soon call the right people to fill these positions.

Children of the Oasis School

. Lizette and Hugo Maldonado, the Administrators of the Sinaloa Mission, are now in Baja anticipating the arrival of their second daughter. Please pray that the birth is an easy process and their new daughter is healthy.

Hugo, Lizette and their first daughter Jimena

. Caroline Grivellaro, who directed the production of an opera with our children in Michoacán, is now working on putting together the same opera with the children in Baja.  She spent the last week meeting staff at the Baja Mission and the San Clemente office. Please pray for the right connections as she applies for grants and scholarships in order to make this possible.

Caroline in San Clemente (left) Caroline with the children in Michoacán (right)

. We are in need of curtains for the theater at the Baja Mission. Charla is sincerely hoping that somewhere an auditorium is being refurbished and someone isn’t sure what to do with their stage curtains. Please join us in praying that we discover a source to donate this need.

Theater in Baja

. We are grateful for the women who serve as “mothers” in various roles at all of our Missions. Please keep them in prayer as they daily serve and love our children.

The women on staff at the Michoacán Mission

.  The Oaxaca Mission is giving thanks for Jessica Patton who is there serving for the month of May. After two cancelled flights she arrived safely a few days later. She will be serving in a few different areas within the home this month. We thank God for people like her that go and participate in what God is doing there.

Jessica

. We thank God for a great time of celebration of Mother’s Day at the Oaxaca Mission. The children in the primary school planned and prepared a special breakfast, along with songs, poems and dramas. All the children participated with great joy and delight in order to make the mothers feel special and loved.

Mother’s Day celebration

. The children of the daycare at the Baja Mission were able to celebrate Children’s Day with a party at the beach house in Costa Brava.

Daycare children

. The construction of the staff housing at the Baja Mission continues to progress. We thank God for all of those who have donated towards this project.

Staff housing construction

. The Michoacán Mission reports:

We thank God for the lives of those who came to help our children celebrate Children’s Day. They brought pinatas, candy, food and gifts for all. All of our little ones had fun and were very happy and grateful.

Children’s Day in Michoacán

. Mexico’s famous band, Mariachi Vargas, will be playing in Ensenada Sunday afternoon and our own Tito Quiroz and his orchestra will be backing them up. Tito will be wearing a costume that looks like a building block with the hopes of raising money to build a room onto the Ensenada jail which will be used for teaching music to the inmates – another outreach for Christ.

Mariachi Vargas

. Charla was the speaker for the widows’ luncheon at South Shores Church in Dana Point, CA. It was a precious gathering and she was well received. If you’re looking for a speaker for your special event, we have speakers available: Ana Laura Haire in the Midwest, Janelle Keller in Chicago, or Chuck and Charla Pereau anywhere. For more information contact the US office at (949) 492-2200 or info@ffhm.org.

Charla and new friends Sharon and Debbie

. Lorraine Barter, US bookkeeper’s son Guy had successful back surgery this week. Praise the Lord!

Guy and Lorraine

Jan

. We continue to pray for the construction of the primary school in Oaxaca. Please pray God protects those who are working and doing heavy construction and that He will continue to provide all needed to progress in the building.

  
School construction

. We are praying for Sinthia Conde Olivera, the wife of Jose Alfredo Jimenez, a Bible Institute graduate. They both serve as pastors in the mountain town of Lachiguiri, Oaxaca. She has three herniated discs in her back which have been causing her great pain and suffering. She has spent the last few months at the Oaxaca Mission so she has access to medical care. Pray God will provide for her emotionally, physically and spiritually during this time and that she will have a successful surgery in the near future.

Sinthia

. Oscar Gatica and Israel Gamboa, who both live at the TJ House, will soon be graduating from the secondary . They are in the process of taking entrance exams for high school and ask for prayer that God will guide them in their futures.

 Israel and Oscar

. Pepe, the husband of Alma our accountant at the Michoacán Mission, is currently working in a very dangerous area 4 hours from his home. Please pray that he finds work close to home so he can spend more time with his family.

Pepe and his children

. Manuel Martinez, one of the students at the TJ House, will be graduating from the university this month. He needs prayer as he looks for jobs in this next stage of his life.

Manuel

. Abraham, the grandson of Rosy, one of the cooks at the Michoacán Mission, will be having surgery on Wednesday, May 15th to reconstruct his stomach. We pray that everything goes well and he quickly recovers.

Abraham with his mother and grandmother Rosy

. Charla has an invitation to speak in Austin, TX this year. We will be more than glad to accept this invitation, especially if we can build an itinerary around that area. We’re thinking about September. Contact Janelle at (949) 492-2200 or janelle@ffhm.org.

Charla

. Jeanne and Joel Ramirez have served for the last year at the Baja Mission. Jeanne served as the supervisor of Guest Relations and Joel worked as a teacher in the Bible Institute. Their time of service is coming to an end and they will leave a big hole. We are thankful they obeyed God’s call and pray for them as they return to church planting in Minnesota.

Jeanne and Joel

.  The demolition of the old motel and the construction of the new staff housing at the Baja Mission is happening simultaneously. We are all excited to see the progress on this project.

Staff housing construction

. Nancy Bryan, the daughter of Corrine Ehrick, wants to thank everyone for their prayers as she went through cancer treatment. God gave her strength and sustained her during this time.

Corrine

. Susan Rettino, who has served as the assistant bookkeeper in the US office for the last two years, is finishing her time of service next Wednesday. We are grateful for Susan’s life and the ways she has invested her gifts and talents in His Ministry.

Susan

. The Oaxaca Mission is grateful for the service of Brittany Fritz. She has served for  several months as the work group coordinator. She left last Wednesday and will be greatly missed. Please pray that God will bring someone to serve in this important role. Is He calling you? Contact us for a job description.

Brittany

Prayer Requests:

 WINGS ladies in action

Alma

Eleanor ministering in the camps

 
Outreach team

Charla 

. Orphan’s Promise has renewed a grant so that each of our children in Baja, Michoacán and Oaxaca can receive an orange and half a banana every day. We are so grateful for Terry Meeuwsen and the generosity of this organization.

Our children enjoying fruit

.  Dirk Kos, Assistant Administrator of the Baja Mission, reports:

Today, many of our staff as well as children of the orphanage and the Disabled Children’s Learning Center had a clean-up day of the playground. The weeds had overtaken the playground. We had asked the staff to come from 5 pm on and clean up what was overgrown. It turned out to be a very dusty, back breaking event with lots of laughter and a great atmosphere.  I would call the whole event: “Many hands make the work light and light-hearted”.

  

Staff and children hard at work

. In 1973 Chuck and I made our first deputation trip to Morris, Illinois. Jan Holter and Myrtle Duvick scheduled meetings in country churches out in the bean and corn fields. We have friends who have supported us from these churches all these years. Sunday, April 14th, I revisited two of these country churches – one in West Lisbon and Helmar Lutheran in Newark. I was warmly welcomed and amazed by their generous offerings for the ministry. 40 years later Myrtle still did the scheduling.

Charla in Illinois

. Praise God the dream team that went to minister in the mountains of Oaxaca safely returned Monday, April 15th with stories about the glory of God and ministry to the people in the remote areas of Oaxaca. Thank you for praying!

Dream team in Oaxaca

. Our dear friend Aubrey Beauchamp, founder of Hospital Christian Fellowship, will celebrate her 80th birthday on Saturday. Aubrey has been a blessing to all who know her.

Aubrey with family

Praise Reports:

. Dr. Ernesto Cano, the President of our Mexican board, recently lost his wife Miriam after years of battling a long, debilitating illness. Please pray for him and his family as they grieve this loss.

 Miriam Cano and Dr. Ernesto

. The Bible Institute is planning their outreach trip to Oaxaca in June. Please pray that God will bring all the details together and that this trip will be a blessing to all involved.

Bible Institute students

. Glenn Almerez is in need of a healing touch from Jesus. He’s been diagnosed with Hepatitis C. In his case it is definitely a life threatening disease. Glenn graduated from our Bible Institute, started our first rehab ministry, and pastors on of our satellite churches. The 700 Club video of FFHM has a segment of Glenn’s testimony (the video is available upon request).

Glenn

.  Ellie Lugo, a prolific writer and native Bostonian, has written a precious article from her perspective on the tragic bombings at the Boston Marathon. Ellie was the nurse at our Baja Medical Center. Her husband Enrique graduated from our Bible Institute. They are pastoring a church about nine miles north of the Mission.

. We thank God for a generous donation of medical equipment. We received a request for the oxygen machine the same day it arrived. Please pray we will get the permit for transporting the equipment across the border.

Donated medical equipment

. Raymond Madrigal, former truck driver for the ministry, is asking us to pray for a special prayer and healing service his church is holding this Saturday in Redmond, California.

Chuck Pereau, Raymond and friend

. Thanks to generous donations, teens from all three of our Missions were able to attend camps or conferences during their spring breaks.

Teens in Michoacán and Baja

. Lude, the dean of the Bible Institute in Baja, was able to visit the Michoacán Mission and preach in the church there. Everyone was blessed by her visit.

Lude preaching

. The Michoacán Mission is grateful for the visit of a group from Lutheran Church of our Redeemer. While visiting they helped with setting up the computer network, fixing beds and spent a lot of time with the children.

     
The group in Michoacán

. The Oaxaca Mission is also grateful to God for the groups that have visited this past month.  They had a group from Chicago that put together an Easter egg hunt for all the kids after breakfast on Easter Sunday.  Everyone had a lot of fun and hope that it becomes a new tradition in Oaxaca.

Kids the Easter egg hunt

. On Easter Sunday, 13 people were baptized at the Mission Church in the Baja. We are so blessed to have the leadership and shepherding of Pastor Ramon Avitia.

Baptisms in the river

. Upon request, below are the names of each of our San Clemente office staff. We are grateful for these behind the scenes workers who serve sacrificially.

Front row: Nancy Finks, Linda Ray, Gracie Yousef, Lorraine Barter, Janelle Keller
Back row: Susan Rettino, Sean Stephens, Steve Shaw, and Charla Pereau

. The Oaxaca Mission was able to complete another side of the wall surrounding the property. This wall prevents flooding during the rainy season and provides protection. We are grateful to the donors and workers who have made this possible.

The completed wall

. We have had great reports from Martin and Karen Arroyo, missionaries in Juxtlahuaca, Oaxaca, who are running the new radio station. They report the following:

We continue to receive messages from Catholics who tell us they like the programs and are learning things they never knew.  There seems to be no denominational barriers in responses to our programming. Praise the Lord!  The other night a woman wrote me to say thank you for helping her (and others) so much.  Another man called and wanted us to pray with him so that he could give his life to Christ.    Two weeks ago we began a live children’s program that will be aired every Thursday evening.  The brother who is doing the program is a professional clown and a teacher in one of the local primary schools.  He is doing a great job and has such a heart for children to come to Christ.  We are excited for this new program.

Martin and Karen in front of the new transmitter

. Dr. Laura Reyes, the dentist at the Baja Mission, is leaving after a year and half of service. She is the daughter of one of our missionaries and grew up at the Mission. She is a university graduate who resided in our Tijuana House. After graduation she came to serve at the Mission. Her departure means we are now praying for a doctor and a dentist to serve in the Medical Center.

Dr. Laura Reyes

. The Michoacán Mission reports:

We give thanks to God for the life of Rodrigo Andrade, who runs the Youth Foundation for Environmental Education. She is coming with a group of friends to the home every Friday for a year to teach classes about the environment and ecology to our children.

Classes with Rodrigo

. Lisa and Brandon Winters, who served at the Baja Mission for a year, stopped by the office for a visit. We are grateful for this young couple who are serving God with their lives and vocations.

Lisa, Nancy and Brandon

. The construction of the school in Oaxaca is in full swing. We are grateful to all who have donated towards this project. Let’s pray it is finished quickly and joyfully.

School construction site

. This week in Michoacán we thank God for the spring festival that was held at the school.

Spring festival in Michoacán

. Modesto, one of our missionaries serving in the remote mountain town of Amoltepec, Oaxaca, was able to borrow a pickup truck and take the long trip to our Mission base for donations of milk, rice and beans for the community.

Modesto

. Gina Gamboa, one of the supervisors of the Tijuana House reports:

 God has been very good and faithful with us here in the house. One example of Gabino Melo, an indigenous young man who lived at the Baja Mission last year. He is 18 years old and studying mechanics and electricity in a technical school. In January he did all of the elctrical installation in a remodel of the boys’ room. All of this is great accomplishment for him because when he arrived at the home in Baja 4 years ago at the age of 14 he didn’t know how to speak Spanish and he had never been to school. He is very happy because he is learning and he has been able to put that into practice. This is a young man who has a bright future.

Gabino working in the TJ House

Prayer Requests:

. Evelyn Kimber graduated to heaven on Wednesday, March 27th where she joined her husband Gil. The Kimbers served at the Baja Mission for over five years. After leaving the Mission Evelyn continued selling her crafts in order to donate the proceeds to FFHM. She also made ribbon crosses that Charla has sent out to hundreds of people. She went out as she had planned: still serving the Lord. To see a recent letter from Evelyn please read our February newsletter.

Evelyn and Gil

. On Sunday, April 14th at 10:15AM Charla will be speaking in a Sunday School at Helmar Lutheran Church in Newark, IL (11935 Lisbon Road) and at 6:30PM she will be speaking at the West Lisbon Church in Newark, IL (14381 Joliet Rd.). She would love to see you and any friends in the area who would like to hear about what Foundation For His Ministry is doing in Mexico. For more information you can contact the US office at 949.492.2200 or e-mail janelle@ffhm.org.

Charla

. The Michoacán Mission is praying for new mattresses to replace the ones they have been using for years.

Children and staff in Michoacán

. A good, dependable, low mileage sedan for doing Mission business is needed in Baja. Our vehicle was taken to Oaxaca where they also had a great need. Contributions can be made designated for this purpose.

Needed vehicle

. Please pray for the students in Baja and Oaxaca who will soon graduate from high school. They will be taking exams and making decisions about which university they will attend. Please ask God to grant wisdom and discernment to each of them.

   
Baja: Juan, Miriam, Juliana
   
Baja: Diana and Isai
     
Oaxaca: Zenaida and Yolanda
  
Oaxaca: Margarita and David

Isai with his family

Leslie

Team from Canby

. Some of you may never have heard of the Evangelical Sisters of Mary. This group of Lutheran sisters have been prayer support for our ministry since the beginning. We have been especially close to the Sisters of Kanaan in Phoenix, Arizona (http://www.kanaan.org/). They send us thousands of beautiful tracts and bookmarks. Recently they sent us flags (banners) to be used in spiritual warfare and celebration of victory. This is the US staff holding our banners. Sorry Chuck Pereau was not here when the picture was taken. He opens the mail each morning and helps with mailing both Canadian and US newsletters.

Staff in San Clemente

. Through contacts, Richard Dassow in Wisconsin, was able to locate an autoclave that is needed for the medical center at the Baja Mission. We are grateful that there will be good sterilization of the dental equipment used on a daily basis.

Linda, San Clemente office, with the new autoclave when it arrived

. The new staff housing at the Baja Mission is slowly progressing. We are thankful for all of those who have contributed to this project.

Construction site of new staff housing

.Will Hedman, who has delivered many loads of peanut butter and other supplies donated from his friends  fromWashington, took his last trip this month. We are grateful for his generosity and time invested in His Ministry.

Will with the peanut butter donations

. The latest report on Craig Pereau shows that his lung cancer is in remission. Praise God for miracles!

Craig

. The Michoacán Mission is thankful God answered their prayers for someone to work in maintenance. Roberto Velasques has now completed his first month working there and is a welcome addition to the team.

Roberto

.Chuck and Charla Pereau attended a memorial service for Ginny Moore at the Agape Bible Church in Willits, CA. John Moore, our agronomist, and Ginny served on the US board for over 20 years and never missed a monthly meeting. Ginny championed our literacy and daycare program. John established our experimental orchard which developed into the macadamia nut orchard. The service was a beautiful time of remembering this woman of God.

Ginny Moore

. Thanks to the generosity of the Bydilon family, the children at the Michoacan Mission were able to spend a day at a nearby water park. They had a great day enjoying the water and the food.

   
Children playing at the water park

. The Baja Mission is giving thanks for the new trailers that were recently donated. They are praying for additional trailers to accommodate the staff who have to move due to the construction of new staff housing.

One of the donated trailers

Prayer Requests:

. Please pray for the students at our schools in Baja, Michoacán and Oaxaca who are struggling academically. So many of our children come malnourished and behind in their education which makes school a real challenge.

Students at our Oasis schools

  
Construction site of the expanding prison

. Hans Huizinga, from Edmonton, Canada, was visiting a nearby ministry in the Baja when his leg became acutely swollen. He was directed to our medical center. Dr. Avitia diagnosed the problem as a blood clot. He knelt down and prayed for him. When Hans returned to Canada, his doctor ran some tests. Based on the tests results, Hans’ doctor declared that Hans has been miraculously healed when he was in Baja. Praise God!

Dr. Ramon Avitia

. Enrique Perez, Supervisor of the Prison Ministry in Oaxaca, has generously donated a piece of property next to his house which is located about half a mile from our mission base. In the future a house will be built on this property to help men transition into new lives after being released from prison.

Enrique at the new property

. The Oaxaca Mission sent this testimony from Norma, a teacher in the Oasis School:

 I know that everything that happens is with a purpose but in difficult moments sometimes one doesn’t understand. Now I understand that for those who love God everything is used for our good. I confess that there are difficult moments with some of the children in the school. It causes me to seek God more and fast and intercede for the children. Our Heavenly Father doesn’t wait to respond to our requests. We went to pray for and anoint the school and the situation has now improved with the children. We are in God’s hands.

Norma with children from Oaxaca

 . The students at the Oasis School at the Michoacán Mission won second place in a city wide color guard competition. We are thankful to God for the lives of these 10 children and for this accomplishment.

  
Color guard students

 .  The Mission Church in Baja is grateful for a tarp that was donated by Bonnyville Baptist Church. The plan is to take the tarp to different communities to have prayer and outreach services.

New tarp

Prayer Requests:

 .  Luderixa Rodriguez, dean of the Bible Institute writes:

. Esteban and Yadira, our missionaries working with the Zapotecs of Santa Cecilia, recently saw some “breakthroughs” they have been praying for. After much prayer and work they are beginning to see doors open. Recently, they began to minister to four new families. Some of the contacts are coming in through literacy classes and some have had their physical needs met through their relationship with Esteban and Yadira.

They are presently working on two projects in that village. One program is with the Bible Society that will offer 100 pairs of free shoes to village children. Besides this program they are organizing construction projects in the town where we hope to pay for a laminate roof after the villagers prepare their houses for the work.

Charla and Yadira

. We celebrated the life of our beloved Corrine Ehrick, former Administrator of the Baja Mission, board member and missionary at large, at our monthly prayer group dinner. Over 60 people gathered to pay tribute to Corrine and her life of service. Dr. Bruce Camp paid the first tribute by comparing Corrine’s life to Dorcas from the book of Acts. Others followed with testimonies that brought tears and laughs. Over and over we heard how one life committed to the Lord Jesus Christ could make a difference in the lives of thousands of others.

   
Corrine and Charla (left) Corrine and Lorraine, FFHM accountant (right)

. The Oaxaca Mission is giving thanks for the time of prayer they have been having as a staff in the mornings. They report that this is building unity among the missionaries serving there.

The staff during their morning prayer time

. Lloydminster Gospel Fellowship in Lloydminster, Canada, has generously donated $4,000 dollars needed to buy a new transmitter that will increase the frequency of our radio station in Juxtlahuaca, Oaxaca. We are now praying for the remaining $3,000 needed to make this purchase.

Maria and Karen working at the radio station

.  Terry Meeuwsen and Orphan’s Promise funded the first year of the operation of the school at our Oaxaca Mission. They also provide a piece of fruit to all of the children at our missions in Mexico. They produced this video about some of the young lives affected in Oaxaca through their generosity. Thank you Terry and Orphan’s Promise!

Terry Muessan of Orphan’s Promise

Prayer Reports:

. Charla met photographer Ron Kuntz at Gatesville Women’s Prison in Texas. This world traveled photographer shared how his son, Josh, who was born with Downs Syndrome, brought him to the place where he cried out to God for answers. Karla Faye Tucker, who was executed in Texas for a heinous crime, gave her testimony of faith in Jesus to Ron before her execution. Her testimony not only profoundly touched Ron but Larry King,
Dr. Dobson and countless others. Ron went to visit the Oaxaca Mission as our roving photographer. His biography can be found here.

Ron has finished his journey on planet earth and was welcomed in heaven by Jesus. Please pray for Ron’s family as his death was sudden.

Ron Kuntz, photographer

. There is an urgent need for staff at the Oaxaca Mission. They are praying for two housemothers, a cook and 2 teachers for the school. Please join us in asking God to send servants to work at this Mission.

Cooks, Anita and Elizabeth, who need one more person to join their team

. Audra Langford, friend of the ministry, has broken her ankle in 3 places. Please pray that this young, active woman will quickly heal from her injury.

Audra

. The Oaxaca Mission has a new child named Norma. She is 8 years old and timid but very sweet. They are asking for prayer for a quick adjustment and that she will quickly understand the love Jesus has for her.

Norma

. Chuck and Charla’s adopted son, Greg Barrett’s (see Chapter 20 in Charla’s Children), wife Luriya has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and will be undergoing surgery in April. Please join us in praying for Luriya.

Greg Barrett’s picture in “Charla’s Children”