Road to Recovery Newsletter: September 2016

Celebrate Recovery is a biblical and balanced program.  It is based on the actual words of Jesus rather than psychological theory.  This program is designed to help those struggling with hurts, habits and hang-ups by showing them the loving power of Jesus Christ through a recovery process.

We are completely bi-lingual with Step Studies on Tuesday evening and Large Group/Open Share Group meeting on Thursday evenings.

Tuesday evenings we dig deep as we work through the 8 choices of Celebrate Recovery in a small group setting. This is a safe place to open up, share and grow in your recovery walk. Because these groups share intimate details and go through the steps together the groups have a certain “open/close” date. For more information regarding the next open sessions please contact us.  We meet from 7pm – 9pm at Calvary Chapel Rosarito.

Thursday evenings start with a time of corporate worship, followed by announcements and a lesson or a testimony to listen to and then a time of meeting with a small group to discuss what was shared in the lesson. Thursday evenings are open to everyone.  On Thursday evenings we meet from 7pm – 9pm at Calvary Chapel Rosarito.

Jose and Merella's story

One or our Celebrate Recovery participants invited Merella to Celebrate Recovery. After asking a few questions about the program, she made mention that she was not an alcoholic or drug addict, and questioned why she should attend the program? During a Large Group meetings she recognized that Jesus Christ gave his life for her and accepted the free gift of salvation. Even though she was not a drug addict or an alcoholic she realized there were other hurts, habits and hang-ups in her life that she wanted to deal with.  Within weeks Merella and her husband Jose were baptized together. They have servant hearts and are a tremendous blessing to all that come in contact with them.

October 22, 2016 we will be hosting our 2nd Annual Celebrate Recovery Information Seminar.  This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our Bi-Lingual program.  If you are in the Rosarito area please join us for the day!

Back row: Cheryl, Karla, Lorena, Sharon

Front Row: Madi, Pastor Wendy, Melissa

These were the ladies who went into the Ensenada prison to minister to "Our Girls on the Inside".  It was all about sharing the love of Jesus as we celebrated Step Study Graduations.  Thank you St. Albert Alliance team for living out Matthew 25:36b, 39 & 40 ... I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

 

Updates &
Prayer Requests

From East Tijuana to Ensenada, approximately 60 pastors and church leaders have received the Celebrate Recovery Step Study training. Please pray for them as they personally complete the 24 week step study and then open it up to their congregations so that healing can begin.

At Celebrate Recovery Calvary Chapel Rosarito we have just completed our third set of step studies.  Please pray for the new session of step studies as it begins on August 16th.

 

Celebrate Recovery
Summit 2016

What a joy it was to be able to gather with others who are also involved in a ministry we so dearly love. Our team came back to Mexico refreshed and ready to continue the good work we have been called to in helping others be set free from their hurts, habits and hang-ups. Please pray that God would continue to meet the needs of this ministry.

Your prayers, your love,
your encouraging words, your support ...
these never go unnoticed. 
Thank you!

Information Seminar

Hurts, Habits and Hang-ups

A testimony from one of "Our Girls" on the Inside: Grace

My name is Grace and I am a believer in Jesus Christ who struggles with anger, resentment and bitterness.  During my childhood I saw people I loved being beaten and killed. My aunt sold me to a man for $100. I became pregnant but had a miscarriage at 8 months.  My heart began to fill with revenge and hatred. I spoke to no one and chose not to have friends.

I was 18 when I met my husband a few days after our daughter was born my husband was diagnosed with bone cancer. We were devastated.  My husband was deported to Mexico and I joined him 7 months later. We had a second daughter. I thought things were settling down but I was wrong. We agreed to have a gentleman come live with us as he said he was having a hard time making ends meet. We agreed that he would pay rent to help us out. He stayed with us for four months; when he left he still owed us some money.  My husband became seriously ill and I had to contact the man and request payment as I needed it to pay for medicine. He agreed to pay and so I went to meet him. Upon arriving back home with my children the police arrested me on kidnapping charges. My husband was also charged with kidnapping.  Our girls were taken by DIF (social services) but fortunately my family was able to bring them home and care for them.  I found myself in prison full of hatred, resentment and bitterness. I constantly had revenge on my mind.

One day someone shared with me about the Celebrate Recovery program offered in the prison so I decided to join. I learned about forgiveness and I knew that I needed to forgive as God had forgiven me but it was not easy to hear this. I don’t focus on “why did this happen to me” anymore. I know without a doubt that God was with me through it all. He allowed it because He has a plan and purpose for my life.  He gives me the strength I need to face each day.

Principle 8 really touched my heart because says: "Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and by my words. Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires." Through this Principle I understand that if I give my whole life to God I can be used by Him to bring hope to all those who have gone through situations similar to mine.  I'm working on surrendering my life and my will to my Heavenly Father every day. Through Celebrate Recovery I am gaining a deeper relationship with God and gradually my heart is being emptied of the anger, bitterness and revenge and it’s being filled with faith, hope and love. Now I know that God cares for me, my husband, my children and even my legal situation, I have peace that can only come from God.

Thank you for your support and prayers and thanks for letting me share my story with you.

God bless you.

*names have been changed to protect their identity*

A testimony from one of "Our Girls" on the Inside: Rosalynn

My name is Rosalynn and I am a believer in Jesus Christ struggling with co-dependency issues and low self-esteem. Before starting Celebrate Recovery I had very little knowledge of God. I easily exploded in anger when something bothered me. The only time I spoke to God was when I was in trouble. I had a good attitude towards others unless they tried to tell me what to do. Now I recognize that my rebellious attitude and my problems with addictions brought me to prison.

The lowest point of my life came when I entered the dark world of drugs. I remember spending entire nights wandering from place to place with my friends waiting for our next fix. I knew that sooner or later I would have to pay for my mistakes and face the consequences of my actions. Now I understand that it is by the grace of God that I am here in prison. I am thankful that He allowed me to come to this place so that I could begin my recovery.

Someone invited me to the YUGO-Celebrate Recovery program.  I admit, at first I didn’t appreciate having to sit still for two hours, but then, something magical began to happen; I started to pay attention to the CR lessons and it was as if every one of the lessons were written just for me. I became interested in learning more about God and started talking to Him. I learned how to pray and I learned that God loves me and is interested in me. I gave my heart to Jesus and began my personal relationship with Him. I get excited and can hardly wait for Mondays when the YUGO team hosts the CR program. I know God will speak to my life through the lesson of that day. I have learned through the program that God cares for me and His love is never ending.  This so beautiful to me.

Lesson 6 ACTION is the lesson that touched my life the most. It is in this lesson that I learned to surrender my will to Jesus Christ and allow Him to have control of my life. I feel God has helped me to have sanity in my thoughts and my life. I have learned to be more sociable and to relate differently with others. I've exchanged the feelings of hate, anger and resentment with  feelings of peace as I stay in communion with God and continue to read His Word. I am able to go to church every Sunday and get to share this very beautiful journey of recovery with many other women here in prison.

I am a different person today as I walk with confidence and am learning to have self- control with my reactions. My goal is to continue walking with God and allow Him to be the power that guides my life. One of the greatest benefits I have gained through the CR program is that I now have a personal relationship with Jesus and that I can trust my life in His care.  I believe with all my heart that God has a purpose for my life. My part is allowing myself to be led by His Spirit and obey Him. I bravely share this message with other inmates who are dealing with the same issues I had in the past. Thank you for allowing me to share. God Bless you all.

*names have been changed to protect identity*

Road to Recovery Newsletter: June 2016

Jesus hung out with the lost and broken people of society in his day.

Luke 19:1 - 10 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”  But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

It is our call to embrace
the very people
Jesus embraces.

 Not only are the people of Mexico finding healing from their hurts, hang-ups and habits- they are finding the gift of eternal salvation- the greatest gift ever offered to us by God.

A set of 4 books costs $20. If you would like to purchase a set for someone who can't afford them please select RECOVERY MINISTRY from the giving list and then write CR BOOKS in the message area.     Lives are being transformed.

The Recovery Ministry team feels called to change the world one broken person at a time. Participants are admitting their sins, confessing them to God and accepting the healing they need most in their lives.

A testimony from one of "Our Girls" on the Inside: Star

My name is Star and I am a believer in recovery, I struggle with anger.  Prior to starting recovery I was rebellious and had no fear of God.  I drank a lot of alcohol and lead a promiscuous lifestyle. I surrounded myself with very bad people. The only time I would cry out to God was when I was in trouble as this was when I remember he actually existed. I was distant, defensive and could be cruel. I reached the lowest point in my life when I started stealing, cheating, selling my body and ending up in prison. But it was in prison when I realized that even in here there were women getting their lives back together, being transformed by the power of God. I felt that I needed that kind of change in my life too, so I became involved in the Celebrate Recovery group.

Now that I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit has led me to make changes, changes I could not make with my own strength. Celebrate Recovery has taught me to be a better person, a loving and compassionate person, a person who shows mercy to others.  The 12 Steps have been a blessing to my life because they reflect the condition of my heart and also reflect the need I have to depend on God every day. One of the changes that God has done in my life in terms of my relationship with others is that now I am learning to love other people despite their shortcomings and differences, the same way God loves me.

By the grace of my Lord Jesus Christ I no longer lie or steal and I am able to control my anger. All of my trust is in Jesus Christ and I am more aware of my attitudes (good and bad).  I try to please Him at all times.  I have received many benefits and blessings since I started working through the CR program. I am able to see patience in me, love, peace and joy despite being in this place. I am able to encourage new believers by sharing with them that they too can recover from the hurts, hang-ups and habits of their former lifestyle. I can share with them that in Christ they will always find forgiveness, healing and restoration for their lives.
Thank you for letting me share.  God Bless!

*names have been changed to protect their identity*

Pray for the Recovery team:
~ as we reach out to the community of Rosarito. We will be handing out the "Does your life need to change?" invitations and posters in the community so they too can find hope for their broken lives.
~ as we reach out to the lost and broken through special events and training.
May- Mother’s Day event in the prison
May- Movie events at Calvary Chapel Rosarito and the Ensenada Prison
May & July-Information seminars and Celebrate Recovery Step Study training for pastors and church leadership in the East Colonias of Tijuana and Ensenada.

“The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make His face
shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up
His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”’