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Mark & Lisa Charles Across Borders
Lisa, Brogan, Conrad, and Mark
After Mark graduated from High School in South Africa, he received a scholarship at Lee University in Tennessee through his church denomination. At the time he thought it might be a way to get his family out from under apartheid. (They are all still in South Africa but apartheid is now gone) Mark met his wife Lisa at Lee University.
Lisa also has a remarkable testimony. She was raised in a suburb near Cleveland, Ohio. Lisa never faired well at school. Reading and mathematics were her enemies. Teachers accused Lisa of not trying hard enough. They would tell her, in front of classmates, that she was not motivated and an under achiever. Her test papers were always the last to be returned and her teachers would show the red ‘F’ to the entire class. Lisa, an undiagnosed dyslexic, started to spiral out of control. Drugs became her means of coping. Her friends became bikers and at the age of 15, Lisa was involved in a motorcycle accident. She was bed ridden for 2 ½ years. Lisa was told by the finest orthopedic and neurosurgeons that she would never walk again. She has been operated on 26 times to rebuild her shattered leg. When Lisa was 24 yrs. old, her sister Kathi met Christ. Kathi invited Lisa to church one day. Lisa was dramatically touched by God and was called to be a missionary to South Africa. She went home that evening, found a bible in her Dad’s study and began to read it constantly. Two months later, her mother wheeled her to her doctor’s appointment. His associate, who was always very pessimistic towards Lisa, told her that she needs to get it into her system that she is never going to walk again,. Lisa bowed her head and prayed, “Lord, you have called me to go to S. Africa and I am either going in this wheelchair and with crutches or I am going to walk again. Lisa then felt tingling in her atrophied leg and for the first time in 9 years and after 26 major operations, Lisa walked and has been walking ever since. She met Mark two years later and, at first, was surprised to find out that he was from the very place that God had called her to.
In 1995, Mark, Lisa and their two children moved to South Africa, as church sponsored missionaries. They started a church in the Zulu squatter camp they ministered in, worked with street kids, started a day care and provided job skills training for adults. Mark and Lisa felt called back to Ohio in 2002. Their one prayer was to be a voice for the less fortunate around the world. Mark served as the director of world missions for the Christian Churches of North America for 4 years. In 2004, Mark began to have a burden to switch his emphasis from sending American missionaries around the world, to training nationals and partnering with them to be more effective. That concept eventually gave birth to Across Borders in June of 2006.
Personal Passion: Mark's heart is to be a voice for the downtrodden and a bridge of ministry to them. He enjoys going to the most desperate parts of the world to break the cycle of poverty, rekindle dreams and facilitate ministry. It’s an expression of Father God's own passion for a hurting world.
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Prov 31:8-9 NIV
Personal Benefit: Mark simply enjoys giving. Mark and Lisa have been involved in everything from starting schools, digging water wells, planting churches, etc. One church in Mozambique met under a tree for eleven years before Mark helped them with a building.
Value to others: Mark represents an open door to help people fulfill their life's purpose and calling. His outreach opportunities are remarkable venues for businessmen to take short-term missions trips with great effect.
Business Potential (upside): Mark is in the process of setting up micro-businesses that will support ministry - "self-sustaining missions." It will provide jobs, skill training and marketplace vehicles for evangelism. It's a concept that teaches disciples how to prosper and engages the wisdom and experience of those in the marketplace.
Complexities, failures (downside): Mark personally lacks the means to meet all the needs he encounters on a regular basis. He is making appeals for help from others instead of doing it himself.
Vision for the Kingdom: Mark’s heart is to see people saved and to see the Body of Christ networked as one around the world for the sake of ministry to people. He's currently all about Releasing Kings in the third world.
Impact from Releasing Kings: Mark attended the March, 07 Releasing Kings conference in Huntington, WV. He was impressed by John's genuine passion to help people live out the call on their lives. The message that came through strongly, during that weekend, was that we are all called to minister – everyone has a "mission field." We are members of a "church" with no walls. The conference helped confirm and encouraged Mark to continue to release Kings in the 3rd world. He wants to see a networking of Kings all over the world... a global partnership of Kingdom Builders.
How Can Mark Help You: Mark is a great resource in a number of specific areas.
Last summer, Mark met Pete Dalpiaz, Student Council President of SIFE (Students In Free Enterprise) from the University of Findlay (Ohio). SIFE is an International Business Student organization located on University campuses in over 40 countries. Pete was very excited about the business ventures that Mark was doing around the world and wanted his Professor to meet Mark. A great connection was made during their lunch meeting. Findlay has been involved with business ventures for over 30 yrs, but, this would lead them to their first international business project. Students enter their business plans in a competition amongst other Universities and are graded as to how their business impacts a community. Findlay has won their regional division for the past 7 years and will be competing in Dallas this May (2007), in the National competition. Mark is working together with Findlay to set up a couple businesses in the Philippines. These businesses will help fund a home for street-kids that Mark has been connected with for the past 5 years. He will be taking a group of students and Professors to the Philippines to meet the children they’re helping. The students will also be involved in a work project while they’re there. Mark and Lisa have been invited to speak at the University to about 150 students and faculty.
Mark with Field Workers in India
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