Setting The Prisoners Free-April 2007

The prisons in Mexico are full of people who need to be set free. The chains of bondage come in many different forms. We have witnessed prisoners with chains around their ankles and wrists. The greatest bondage of all are those that do not know or place their hope in Jesus Christ as their Savior. It has been a privlege to join other missionaries in the La Mesa (Tijuana) and Ensenada prisons. A mime group from San Luis, Mexico joined us in reaching out to the prisoners. Terri, her husband and the rest of the group travel to prisons and rehab centers sharing a message of hope. They begin with games that bring great laughter, followed by worship music and a testimony of how God released Terri from a life of drugs and how she found freedom from a life of pain. Each event gives the prisoners opportunities to be prayed for and end with a hot dog lunch. Many of the women wept as they felt God's fogiveness for their sins. Many have been set free from guilt and shame.

Family In Ministry-March 2007

You can only imagine how excited we were to have family members join us in ministry in Mexico. John & Gerry Szott (Cheryl's parents) winter in Arizona in a RV park called the Lost Canadian. The residents of the park adopted La Tribu de Jesus (a Mexican orphanage) as a service project. They began to make blankets to keep the children warm, purchase food products to fill their empty stomachs while others sent finances so items could be purchased to meet their daily needs. Marie Hesse, Jeanine Lock (Cheryl's aunts) and a dear friend of theirs, Joan Mc Collum decided to join John & Gerry and adventure into Mexico. They arrived with a van full of goodies to be dispersed to the needy children in the orphanage. Thank you to the residence of the Lost Canadian and our family and friends from Canada as their giving hearts brought many smiles as the children got lots of attention as well as treats. We also had a lot of fun visiting, shopping and taking part in some cultural activities. Our home is always open to visitors that want to experience Mexico.

Mittens To Mexico-February 2007

January 2007 was the first time in 20 years that snow could be seen falling in the northern border towns of Baja, California, Mexico. Rod, Rebekah and I were spending Christmas in Canada with family, friends and our grandbabies. We heard reports of the snow and cold in Mexico. I called one of our close friends in Tijuana and found out that the temperature had dropped below freezing. Our friends in Mexico were extremely cold. Many live in small humble homes with sheets or blankets for doors. Others live in shanties made of cardboard and pieces of boards with dirt floors. The poor weather conditions caused many to be have colds and the flu.

Mittens to Mexico was birthed in Canada as a way to reach out to our Mexican sisters and brothers that were suffering due to improper protection from the elements. Rod drove back from Canada with a donated Dodge 4X4 truck followed by a 16 foot cargo trailer filled with warm clothes, blankets, plastic tarps, scarves, mittens, hats and vitamins. Thank you to the many that helped us gather these donations to give to those in need. We are grateful for the those that will work with us and the local churches reaching out to the Mexican people. Our prayer is that by reaching out and meeting their physical needs we will then have the opportunity to meet their spiritual needs.

Can you concentrate

when your stomach

is growling?

Half of Mexico's 107 million people continue to live at or below poverty. Malnutrition now afflicts 40-65% of the population, with the worst cases found in the impoverished Indigenous communities, where it approaches 85%.

Studies done in local school districts of Mexico have uncovered a malnutrition problem that manifests itself with restless, inattentive students. 30% of students show signs of malnutrition.

YUGO Ministries has set up breakfast feeding programs in various areas of Tijuana, Ensenada and Mexicali so the children can go to school and concentrate on learning rather than questioning where their next meal will come from.

Various individuals and groups take part in bringing food to be cooked and served at feeding programs and orphanages. Other groups and individuals have adopted feeding programs as projects and send in financial donations so food items can be purchased and served to the children. All donations are taxable. If you are interested please feel free to contact us. We can be reached at our US # 619-446-6929 or CDN # 780-628-2415 or e-mail hoopleshideaway@juno.com