Charlie was born premature, and his first battle took place when he was just 4 months old. The doctors told his parents that Charlie was not expected to live. Following a call to prayer by a lot of people, Charlie pulled through. As a child, Charlie was not able to run or walk. He was not able to talk properly. He could not sit up and eat at the same time. He did not respond emotionally as most kids do. He struggled enormously in school. Doctors were puzzled, but when Charlie was 18, they finally had a label for Charlie's condition: Asperger's Syndrome, a mild form of autism.
Due to the Asperger's, Charlie didn't really understand sports, but he loved trying them. As Charlie grew older his muscles and coordination began to develop. As a result of watching the movie The Princess Bride, Charlie was inspired to try fencing. He enrolled in fencing lessons and began competing. The sport unlocked all kinds of things in Charlie's brain and muscles that he had never used before. Over time, fencing did more for Charlie's physical development than all the occupational therapy he had before. Specialists now refer a lot of young patients with similar needs to the sport of fencing because it is an individual sport that does not require teamwork and the person can focus solely on his own actions. About the time Charlie was diagnosed with Asperger’s, he graduated from high school with a 4.0 GPA.
Charlie was raised as a missionary kid through International Family Missions, and has impacted hundreds of lives in Mexico through his Gospel fencing presentation. Now his desire is to expand his ministry in order to reach more people with the message of eternal hope that can only be found through knowing Jesus. Charlie's life story which he tells along with his Gospel fencing presentation is one that is full of battles with a dark enemy but also one of joy, victory and an ongoing acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus Christ, that He loves mankind. Currently Charlie is writing a fiction novel about spiritual warfare.
OM Arts International seeks to encourage and mobilize Charlie and others like him who have a unique visual, performing, or technical skill that they want to use to tell others about Jesus. Charlie is looking for someone who can assist him with his ministry and help him produce an even better Gospel presentation. If you are interested, please contact OM Arts International at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
You can also read more about Charlie and his ministry at his blog: Fencer for Jesus.
