Wow, what a year! Let me recap some of the events that have taken place in our lives and the growth in the ministry of YUGO Canada.
January 2004, YUGO Canada was birthed. Charitable status came into being eight days after paperwork was completed. This is unheard of! We were told this process should take at the very least 3 to 6 months. Now, that is God at work.
Mid January 2004 we placed our home of twelve years on the market. The first couple that looked at it bought it. We felt blessed to know that the hand of God was with us on with this sale.
April 1, 2004 we handed over the keys to the new owners of our home and proceeded to Mexico for one month. We joined other staff doing the background work for 500 youth from Canada and the U.S. who came to Mexicali as part of the Easter/Spring evangelistic outreaches.
Many Mexican people came to know Jesus in a personal way during this these two weeks. Youth went home changed. Some experienced short term missions for the first time. It was our privilege to plant seeds in the hearts of our future generation to be a part of the Great Commission.
While in Mexico we visited the Tijuana Outreach Center, the place we would call home come August, 2004. I remember being shown the apartment that we would live in and glancing at the living room furniture. The furniture was quite tattered. I knew we would be bringing only personal items with us and was grateful that there was furniture. God had other plans.
Two days later a church group from California came to build a home for a poor Mexican family. They brought with them a load of donations. I must share with you, we are now the proud owners of a lovely couch complete with a matching valance, a recliner, 2 lamps, a round end table with a matching skirt and a center piece. God knows our needs and supplies them.
Transitioning is tough. It was hard to leave behind family and friends and relocate to a ranch out in the country after living in the most friendly small town one could imagine. Yes, it was hard to leave behind family who love us and were concerned about us moving to a third world country.
And yes, it was hard to move away from a loving church body were we could understand the language and enter into the worship and share hugs over small talk. God has been faithful to send us new friends to share a common vision to spread the love of God to the Mexican people. We are blessed.
With all these blessings have come hardship in this time of trailblazing. We have all been on a learning curve with starting a new ministry. Our office staff, the McIntosh family have struggled diligently to maintain the YUGO office as well as continue on with their busy lifestyles. Our sincerest thanks for all they have done to get YUGO Canada up and running. And many thanks to you, our partners in ministry for all your patience as YUGO Canada continues to grow.
Rod, Rebekah and I are not the only Canadian missionaries on the field. Last summer 4 of our 10 of our summer interns at the Tijuana Outreach Center were Canadian.
During MissionsFast in Edmonton last year, we met the Huebert family. We told them about YUGO, and they have just recently joined YUGO on staff in Ensenada.
Amanda heard about YUGO through MissionsFast in Winnipeg last year, and she has joined us on staff working with the children in Sharon Nelsons ministry in Mexicali.
This has been an exciting year. Rod, Rebekah and I have just spent the past 5 weeks in Canada reconnecting with family and friends. We have represented YUGO at MissionsFasts Vancouver and Edmonton sharing our passion of reaching the Mexican people for Christ. There have also been opportunities to share in churches, cell groups and youth groups what God is doing in Mexico. Canadians have a great interest in what God is doing in Mexico.
None of this could have happened without your help. Your prayers, words of encouragement and finances have kept us on the field doing what God has called us to do. Your job is as important as ours. He may have called us to go, but He has called you to be our senders.
We personally want to thank you for partnering with us on our first year with YUGO.
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