Opening Prison Doors-Mar 2010

“But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.” Galatians 3:22

Click-jingle-clang, click-jingle-clang… The doors creak open after keys rattle and the guards confirm our proof of admission as our prison ministry team goes through eight sets of locked doors manned by armed guards. This is a weekly ritual as we enter into the secured area where a group of incarcerated women we work with are housed in the Ensenada Prison. We are warmly welcomed each time we get to our destination and enter into the area where the women are allowed out of their cells.


This cell houses nine women in the Ensenada Prison

These women enter into the prison system carrying pain from tragedies that have brought them to this place of separation, loneliness and despair. Each of these women carries her own deeply buried memories that have built up barriers, iron doors within their hearts that need to be unlocked so they can be set free from the pain from their pasts. Some of their hearts are guarded, as guarded as each of the doors we have to pass through to bring them hope. The Celebrate Recovery program we offer them gives them an opportunity to express themselves and break through the obstacles that stop them from receiving God’s love and healing. We as a team are in agreement; even if they have committed the crime they deserve dignity to find the love of God and rehabilitation.

God reveals himself to us through his Word, the Bible which is His Love Letter to us. He daily changes us to be more like Him, filled with love for others when we take the time to read and reflect on what He is saying through the Bible which is alive and powerful to change our lives. Each woman prisoner is given the opportunity to believe in Jesus Christ and secondly, encouraged to commit to reading and studying His Word which allows their hearts to be changed and transformed into His image.

Shortly after returning from Canada we continued missionary training. Our newest Canadian missionaries Jody and Angela came to Mexico with their youth from Immanuel CRC from Langley, B.C. one year ago. Both returned to Mexico July 2009 to join our staff in volunteering at Grace Children’s Home. Now they have committed to being short term missionaries. This year their youth group from their church body have returned to join us in ministry in Mexico and Jody and Angela are leading their team as YUGO missionaries. Good job ladies! The Immanuel CRC team served in Mexico in many areas of ministry, including presenting the love of Jesus through Drime (drama with music).


Rod, John, Gerry and Peggy waiting for fish tacos in Ensenada

My mom (Gerry), dad (John) and sister (Peggy) also came to visit us in El Faro. It was fun to have family on our turf doing the things we like to do best. We had a chance to do a fair amount of visiting and of course, shopping in the local markets in Rosarito and Ensenada. It was great to join up with the Langley group at a favorite taco stand after Rod led the group on an adventurous day experiencing the culture of Mexico.

Batten Down The Hatches-Feb 2010

“How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!” Ps 133:1

Batten down the hatches! (Get ready!) Many of us have heard the term while others have experienced it first hand. Loree and her son Jaxon bunked in with us at El Faro while serving at Grace Children’s Home (YUGO’s Orphanage). The winds were howling and the heavy rain could be seen pelting against the window pains. We had just finished supper and were enjoying sharing each others company when the power went out. Doing dishes by candle light is just one of the many experiences that Loree and Jaxon will take back with them to Abbotsford, B.C. as they share with others their adventures while serving along side YUGO staff while in Mexico.

The heavy rains are always a great concern for us as we see our Mexican friends living in such great need. We always welcome plastics tarps, warm blankets and food donations during these desperate times of need. During the rain the schools close down as many walk to school. Feeding programs are placed on hold while the children remain hungry. Please keep our Mexican friends in your prayers.

January and February always brings exciting times. The days are filled with opportunities to represent YUGO ministries at mission’s conferences and attend YUGO’s annual retreat at our Ensenada Outreach Center. It was exciting to gather at the annual retreat with other missionaries, office staff and board members to hear what God is doing in and through each of us individually as we serve Him. It was like a big family reunion! Many thanks to our YUGO Canada board and office staff for joining us at the retreat and checking out the different ministries our missionaries are involved in.


Margaret, Lucia, Marylyn, Dwight & Ismeal - Some of YUGO Canada's board members and office staff that joined us in Ensenada for YUGO Ministrie's annual retreat

UNITY & RECONCILIATION!!! This same message was heard at our YUGO annual retreat and through out mission conferences across Canada. At Winnipeg Mission Fest Canadian missionaries John and Eloise Bergen shared with us how they became national news in 2007 after they were brutally attacked in Kenya. They shared how God called them into a place of forgiving their attackers. It is evident that God is calling his people to let go of past hurts so we can walk in unity and serve Him to the fullest of our capacity.

Returning to Canada to represent YUGO Ministries always brings opportunities to see family and friends. I spent four glorious days with our daughter Jessica and family. Rebekah was able to skip a day of classes to join Rod and I for a five day stretch in Stony Plain. We were able to spend family day together followed by a few days representing YUGO at Global Connections at Prairie Bible Institute. We are always uncertain of when our next trip to Canada will be and appreciate squeezing in as much family time as possible.

Thank you to the many that continue to lift us in prayer. We are passionate about sharing with others what God is doing in Mexico through our YUGO missionaries.

40 Below Zero-Jan 2010

December 13, 5:00 am at 40 below zero Rod, Rebekah and I began our long trip from Canada back to Mexico. We arrived in Mexico and hit the ground running. Our first Prison Ministry event took place days after our arrival. Preparing jello, cake and ice cream for 300 was our Prison Ministry team’s part in preparing a Christmas fiesta, complete with a turkey dinner for the prisoners of the Ensenada Prison along side five other ministries. It was a joy to see the faces of the women prisoners as they took part in worship and singing Christmas carols. Some stood, tears steaming down their faces as they openly thanked us for bringing them much needed personal items through out the year. Thank you to the many that helped load up our van with donations before we left Canada. Each item is a blessing and the Mexican people are very thankful for what was given them.

Three days later we had a second event for the women that were in the Celebrate Recovery Program. While entering the first set of locked doors (one of many), one of the guards was quietly speaking to a couple of our Prison Ministry team members. She shared how she had miscarried and fell into a place of brokenness. She then shared how she gave her heart to Jesus on the very day of the first event. Did she hear the message that was shared openly about the love of Jesus at the fiesta? Did she hear that God sent Jesus to earth so that her sins could be forgiven? Not sure, either way, she found the greatest gift of all this Christmas, eternal life with Jesus.


The prisoners live with less than bare necessities. Your generous donations of personal items are blessing to all who recieved.

We continued on through the many locked gates accompanied by guards until we reached our Celebrate Recovery Group. They warmly welcomed us. I asked each woman to write a short paragraph of what the Celebrate Recovery Program meant to them. During our drive home tears steamed down our faces as we read. Let me share with you what the Celebrate Recovery Program has done in their lives of a couple of the women. (These testimonies have been translated into English by our daughter Rebekah)

Damarius wrote: I love the Celebrate Recovery Program because it has helped to change my life, not commit the same errors from my past and forgive those who have hurt me, as well as ask for their forgiveness.

Arlene wrote: I am thankful and blessed by God and YUGO Ministries because the Celebrate Recovery Program has helped me see how great God is. It does not matter the sins I have committed in the past, He has forgiven all my sins. He loves me and has opened my eyes to the changes needed in my life. I am happy because I have learned to control my life. Life is difficult, but I will continue to fight the enemy so God can reign in my life.
Christmas 2009 was a festive time spent with other missionaries. After feasting on traditional delicacies we took part in a white elephant gift exchange followed by games and lots of laughter. Mexican Christmas and New Years are always celebrated with lots of fireworks. The sky was alive with spectacular light shows and deafening booms.

The days flew by very quickly. Rebekah traveled with us to Mexico and we spent three weeks together while she was out of school. January 2 we took her to the airport to return to school in Three Hills, Canada. The empty nest syndrome hit hard. We are grateful to be Mission Mobilizers for YUGO Ministries. We will return to Canada for four days in January to represent YUGO in Vancouver and for three weeks in February to represent YUGO in Winnipeg and Edmonton. These trips give us opportunities to see family and friends as well as encourage others to get involved in the Great Commission.