“Make Love, Not War,” young people chanted all over the country. In 1968 the United States was going through some radical changes where people were questioning if there really was a God; drug abuse became a lifestyle; and sexual freedom replaced morality for thousands of young people.

In the midst of these tumultuous years, a movement of young people finding God in untraditional ways became known as The Jesus Revolution. Charles McPheeters became a part of that revolution after his incredible transformation from drug abuse and immorality. However, he kept his nightclub singing style, added Jesus lyrics and formed several Christian bands, The Disciples, The New Creatures, and The Bible Belt Boogie Band. Even though he was on Christian TV and radio programs, his heartbeat was always to take the Gospel to the lost on the streets. One of the regular places that The New Creatures played at was “His Place,” a coffeehouse on Sunset Blvd., which Arthur Blessitt had started.

It was the summer of 1968 and I had finished my first year of college at Southwest Texas State University. I joined a Christian musical group called "Chosen Ones" and we headed for California…where all the hippies and flower children hung out by the thousands. Of course, we had no money and no place to stay, but that didn’t seem to stop us from doing anything. Those were the beginning days of learning to walk by faith. But we did have an abundance of passion to win souls for Jesus.

Unknown to me, Charles had been praying for a wife. “Even if you have to bring her from Texas, God bring me a wife…my helpmate.” We had a whirlwind courtship and got married two and half months later. (Not something I recommend.) Shortly after getting married, God opened a door for Charles to speak in public high schools to over a million kids all across the country doing an anti-drug program climaxed with his testimony.

In 1970 we began our trek back to California when God intersected our path with a church in Denver, Colorado, Redeemer Temple, where Charles became the youth pastor. It was the peak of the Jesus Movement and 500 or more radical kids came every Friday night to unashamedly worship Jesus. Scores of those young people are all over the world ministering or in businesses, but following after the heart of God. Charles said, “I don’t want these kids to become like typical church kids. So I’m going to take them out on the streets and teach them to share their faith and let them sense God’s heart for the lost.” Out of that mission grew a street ministry, The Holy Ghost Repair Service, in downtown Denver with The Planet Jerusalem Coffeehouse, Counseling Center and bookstore. We also oversaw a men’s and women’s discipleship home and published a radical newspaper called "The End Times".

Charles always had a dream to go back to Hollywood, where God had spared his life from an overdose of drugs. We finally ended up in Hollywood in 1979 after some time of schooling and ministry at Christ for the Nations in Texas and serving again as a youth pastor in Florida.

We began by going out on the streets and talking to people one on one. After a few months we started a Bible study for the new converts and then rented a small storefront bookstore, which became our launching pad to send the Jesus Night Patrol teams out on the street. Out of the ministry to the prostitutes we discovered a need for a safe home to help the girls escape from their pimps. We rented a home in the San Fernando Valley and The House of Magdalene became that refuge. Scores of young women found Jesus and new direction for their lives. Some of the girls not only chose a new life, but also gave their baby a chance for life by giving them up for adoption to wonderful families we connected them with.

On July 31, 1982, I experienced an emotional earthquake, which would have been off the Richter scale charts. Charles went home to be with Jesus. Of course, for him it was wonderful because he had no more pain from cancer and he was in Heaven with his Lord and Savior. But my two little kids and myself were still here on earth to deal with the heartache and the dilemma of how I would support them. My parents encouraged me to go back to Texas so they could help me with the kids. As I began to pray and seek guidance from the Lord, He spoke to me one night from Joshua 1 “Moses my servant is dead, so now arise and take his place.” I made all kinds of excuses, “I’m a mother! I’m a housewife, and where’s the money going to come from God?”

A few nights later I was reading again in the Amplified Bible and God spoke to my heart, “Fear not! I will provide for and support you and your little ones. And he gave them cheer and hope.” After that confirmation I became the President of the ministry and have continued on for the past 25 years. I was a single mom for four years and much to my amazement along with the help of some faithful staff, the ministry grew. In 1986 I married Ron Radachy who now works full time in the ministry alongside me.

Presently, we have a center called the Oasis of Hollywood right in the heart of Hollywood at 1725 Ivar Avenue where we have many multi-faceted programs:

• Three Kidz Klub after school programs (two off of a mobile stage)
• A Friday night teen drop-in center called "Club Zion"
• A Sunday night youth church called "Spin" & discipleship groups
• A dance & drama team
• Christmas & Thanksgiving projects and giveaways
• Urban School of Evangelism (a week long mission trip to Hollywood led by our staff to minister on the streets and with our programs)
• After school tutoring and a computer learning lab
• Summer and winter camps and many field trips
• Emergency food and shelter for families in need

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