History - a brief timeline
October 1966: The Pereaus’ and Beans’ first trip to Vicente Guerrero, Baja California, Mexico and God gave Charla a vision of a waving field of grain and the multifaceted ministry He would build in the remote desert area of the Baja peninsula.
April 1967: The
land went up for sale.
August 1967: God
provided the money to purchase the property under a Lutheran corporation,
Christ for His World (Cristo Por Su Mundo).
October 19, 1967:
Foundation for His Ministry, an interdenominational California non profit
corporation was formed. The direction and property was put under this Board.
Renovations of the old adobe ruins began.
January 1968: Our
first newsletter was mailed to 50 interested people. We now send over 12,000
every month.
July 1970: Our
first of many work groups came from Central Lutheran Church, Van Nuys, CA.
December 1970: Bill
and Kay Lawrence came as administrators. They would serve the next 8 ½ years.
They are now the directors of Rancho Santa Marta, 50 miles north of the Mission.
June 1971: We
began our child sponsorship program for $12/month. Would you like to be an aunt
or an uncle to one of these children? Today
it is $25/month.
September 1972: Power
lines reach Vicente Guerrero. Four hours a day we have electricity from the new
power plant. Away with the kerosene lamps and the wash boards.
January 1973:
Building committee meets to plan for new building to replace the old casino.
Spring 1973: Charla
and Chuck’s take their first deputation trip to the Midwest, hosted by Carl and
Jan Holter.
Fall 1973: First
trip to Canada and Washington.
1974: Sunday
school rooms were added behind the simple chapel, from the children and people
in the community. The Sunday school rooms would eventually be used as a clinic.
July 1974: We
started raising funds for our new building. 300,000 cement blocks will be
needed at 5 cents each.
1975: Our
first long term house parents, Juan and Elisa Carrillo, came. Juan would serve
for the next 30 years.
April 1976: Land is
purchased; US and Mexican corporations formed. Construction of the new building
commences.
May 1978: An
unfinished building is available near the University in Tijuana. Asking price
is $35,000 and will become our Student’s
Home in Tijuana.
April 1979: The Day
Care Center is opened to care for.
1980: A flood
washed buildings away that where used as an orphanage. We took in 38 more
children, bringing our number to 103 children.
1980: First
group of Oaxacan field workers arrive in the San Quintin Valley of Baja
California.
May 1981: Our new
building of 18,000 square feet is finished and dedicated. It's beautiful.
1981: The
first edition of Charla’s Children was published. Our first
mercy ministry to the work camps around us was started. John Moore arrives to
start an experimental orchard with the vision of planting fruit/nut trees to
produce income for the Ministry.
1983-1989: We saw
the first fruits of the vision of a harvest as thousands come to Christ! Five
churches are planted and built.
1984: Our
statement of purpose was rewritten including evangelistic outreach to our
neighbors. The policy manual was written.
1985: We got
our first big truck. We established our first satellite church.
February 1985: God
sent a full time nurse to minister in the camps.
April 1985: The
beginning of our medical ministry to the poor, and our first full time doctor
arrives. Sunday school rooms turn into a clinic. Our chapel is overflowing and
we move into the old theater; people are standing on the outside. Revival!
April: The
Soup Kitchen is opened to feed the poor and hungry. Agronomist John Moore and
Brad Bertelsen planted macadamia nut tree seedlings as they showed the most
potential for a cash crop.
April 1986: Chuck
and Phyllis Mills join our staff - he as master builder, she as kitchen
supervisor. We had a first paid secretary in our US office – LuAnn White.
Corrine Ehrick was added to the staff and will serve for the next 9 years at
the Mission.
May 1986: Our literacy
program is birthed to teach reading and writing in the camps.
August 1986:
Communist Party headquarters is opened in Baja California, Mexico.
September 1986: We
start construction of the 850 seat Mission Church building.
May 1987:
Christian Renewal Center, Silverton, OR partners with FFHM to establish our Bible
Institute on the Baja campus.
July 1987: First
intercom phone system installed at the growing Mission (but still no outside
telephone line).
February 1988: Charla’s
Children is revised in 1987, and receives the coveted Angel Award for
Excellence in Media the following year.
May 29, 1988: The
Mission Church with Sunday School rooms is dedicated - constructed by Master
Builder Carlos (Chuck) Mills ... and Jesus!
October 1988: Our
Bible Institute opens on property next to the dry river in Vicente Guerrero.
November 1988: Mario
Cordoba and his three little girls arrived at the Mission. He was destined to
be our Administrator.
April 1989: Our
second U.S. staff member, Lorraine Barter, bookkeeper joined us; (she’s still
with us.)
July 1989: Opened
a full time outpatient medical clinic.
September 1989:
Dedicated the church building in Zapata and Agua de Burro. Established
congregations and temporary church housing in Chula Vista, and two others known
as the “Pumpkin Church” and the “Pigpen Church”.
January 1989: Our
first class of Bible Institute graduates.
1990: The
addition on the Student House in Tijuana is finished, doubling its size to
house 20 students. A parsonage for the pastor of the church is completed.
February 1990:
Establishment of a Christian bookstore.
June 1990: Dr.
Patrick Murphy comes as full time doctor in the clinic.
October 1990: The
teen boys bunk house is constructed.
November 1990:
Established a full time child evangelism program in the camps.
1990: Addition
to our daycare center completed to shelter 30 children. First duplex was
completed for staff housing. We completed spaces for RV parking with services
for volunteers. A successful grafting and development of a frost and drought
tolerant macadamia nut is achieved.
1991: Our
Alternative Christmas Giving program was launched. 1,000 macadamia nut
seedlings were planted.
June 1991: Dr. Luc
Chausse and family arrive just days before Dr. Pat and Ana Murphy leave.
1991:
Expansion of the dining room and sala completed. First telephone service to the
outside world. Short wave radio was the only way of communication prior to
this.
October 1991:
Dignitaries from all over Mexico came to our 25th anniversary celebration.
1992:
Completion of three duplexes for staff housing. We got our first commercial
washing machine.
February 1992: We sent
our first missionary to Oaxaca.
May 1992: Jon and
Eleanor Cowpersmith arrive to work as a Pastor/ teacher and secretary. Eleanor
is still with us at the Mission today.
August 1992: Dr. Luc
Chausse launches our music program.
September 1992: We sent
a group to Barcelona, Spain to represent Mexico at the opening of the Olympics
and to do street ministry.
1992: We introduced
solar cooking to the area. It was a failure!
1993: We
moved the US office from the Pereau’s home in North Hollywood, CA, to Osborne
Neighborhood Church, Van Nuys. Water reclamation system and soccer field is
complete. New office building at the Mission was completed.
January 8, 1993: The
Bible Institute is washed away in a flood.
May 1993:
Dedication of satellite church in Padre Keno.
May 1994:
Dedicated a print shop and an upholstery shop.
December 1994: Dr. Luc
Chausse and the children’s band travel to Quebec for ministry concerts.
1995: Nancy
Benning began teaching violin lessons at the Mission. She continues to travel
to the Mission every month to give lessons.
April 1995: New
Bible Institute dedication (this time not at the river).
Christmas 1995:
Launched our annual Christmas party for children from the camps; thousands
attend.
1996:
Dedication of our Medical, maternity and dental center.
April 1996: The drug
rehab building was dedicated.
October 1996: FFHM
receives the Selma Green Award for integrity in fund raising.
November 1996:
Construction of the Nut House for processing macadamia nuts.
October 1997: Our
first-home made pumper truck arrives for the establishment of the fire
department.
April 1998: Morelia,
Michoacan orphanage opens.
June 1998:
Purchased land in Oaxaca for new Mission.
1999:
Launched our Night in Bethlehem ourdoor Christmas pageant.
April 1999:
Dedication of our new staff housing.
2000:
Launched our Flying For Jesus air evac and missionary outreach with Joe Vaine.
February 2000: We
dedicated our beach retreat house for staff.
May 2000: We had
a first Pastor’s conference in Oaxaca.
September 2000: The old
chapel at the Mission was turned into our first Christian elementary
school in Baja.
October 2000: We move
from the San Fernando Valley to our first real office and warehouse building in
San Clemente,
CA. The 700 Club visits the Mission and makes video
of the ministry which airs on their program. Opening of the Christian school in
Morelia.
2001: Built a
hangar for the plane at the air strip. The hanger was later moved to the
Mission, to be used for the bicycle and wheelchair
ministries. First outreach to Culiacan, Sinaloa.
May 2001:
Addition to our Morelia home for children was constructed. Ground breaking in
Tlacolula, Oaxaca for new Mission.
August 2001: First Operation
Blessing eye clinic.
November 2001:
Launched our Angel Ministry to the disabled.
2001: First television
transmission from the Mission. WINGS, our first women’s auxiliary, was founded
in Redding, CA. A ministry to the unreached in the mountains of Oaxaca is
launched.
2003: Major
out reaches into the mountains of Oaxaca. Our first outreach into Chiapas with
literacy teacher Yadira. She is our first missionary sent to Chiapas.
December 2003: God Among Us is published.
June 2004: Prison
ministry expands; a chapel is built within prison walls in Oaxaca. We made an
$11,000 profit on macadamia nuts!
2005: Dr.
Arnie Gorske completed his 10 year project of a pictorial health care manual,
The Health Education Program, which is printed at the Mission in a number of
languages and distributed by FFHM to missionaries around the world.
January 2005: One of
our students in Tijuana received a scholarship to study International Relations
in Spain.
February 2005:
Orphanage in Morelia judged best in the nation and the children were invited to
the Presidential Palace. Angel Ministry expands and the Mission hosts seminars
for the disabled.
April 2005: We
dispatch our first missionary from Mexico to India. Our children moved into the
40,000 square foot Mission in Tlacolula, Oaxaca.
2006: Ground
breaking at Rancho de Cristo. Mission trade school launched.
Celebrating our 40th anniversary.