YUGO Ministries • PO Box 58, National City, CA 91951-0058 • (619) 336-9003 • outreach@yugo.org
“Reaching Mexico…Impacting the World!”
SAFETY IN MEXICO – YUGO Ministries 2010
In response to recent travel warnings issued by the U.S. State Department and the
media attention regarding the recent violence in Mexico, YUGO Ministries issues the
following statement:
We understand the concerns church leaders and parents may have because of all that is being reported
regarding the potential “dangers” of traveling in Mexico. Some have even stated “YUGO is being
irresponsible” in continuing to host groups in conducting evangelistic, orphanage and home building
projects ministry efforts in Mexico. The fact is that people making such statements actually have little to
no idea of what life is actually like in Mexico.
Our missionaries who live in the Tijuana/Rosarito area have never seen an actual act of violence. We
have seven couples with children who have lived in the area for the last two years – during the time of an
increased in media attention, negative reports, and warnings were given. Our missionary families believe
they are where God is calling them to be. They know there is crime, but also understand it’s not really all
that different from what is found in major cities in their home countries of the U.S. and Canada. The
crime rate in Baltimore, New Orleans and Chicago, for instance, is actually higher than in Tijuana, Mexico.
As they would in those cities mentioned or any other city, our missionaries avoid the areas in Mexico
which are more prone to criminal activity.
It is important to note, there are literally thousands of retired Americans living along the coast in or near
Rosarito, Mexico just a few miles from our Tijuana Outreach Center. They do not feel they are in any
greater danger than they would be in any major city in the U.S. They appreciate the work being done by
the local police to make their cities safe. Dishonest officials have been caught and put in prison.
Over the last twelve months, we have hosted many groups in the Tijuana/Rosarito area. Hundreds of
American and Canadian young people and adults have worked with local churches and orphanages and
have had no experiences with crime or violence. We do not send or take them to areas we know would
be dangerous or where we know the crime rate is higher. We work with local pastors who would not
consider hosting a group in a dangerous neighborhood.
We will continue inviting groups and individuals to come and work with us in Mexico as long as we see
that the region is reasonably safe. If crime and violence were to escalate to the point where our people
were in any danger, we would cancel all activities and call our missionaries home. That is not to say that
we can guarantee the absolute safety of every person who comes to minister in Mexico with us any more
than you can guarantee your safety driving through Los Angeles or San Diego to get to the border.
There is an ongoing battle in Mexico between the various illegal drug organizations and the authorities,
especially in Ciudad Juarez, south of El Paso, TX. From time to time, evidence of this battle is seen in
other cities such as Tijuana or Reynosa, Mexico, as well as Phoenix, AZ or Chicago, IL. We pray for
peace to prevail. There is also a battle going on for the souls of Mexican children, youth and adults.
Our eastern Mexico operations based in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, just across the border from Del Rio, TX
have basically not seen any increase whatsoever in crime. The biggest major change in Acuña has been
a huge drop in tourists crossing the border daily for shopping, dining, etc. The attention given to the
violence, which in fact is isolated to a short list of specific areas in Mexico, has led to a drastic drop in
tourism for the entire country. This major blow to Mexico’s economy has only led to a greater need for
ministry and more opportunities to deliver hope to the hopeless and the Good News of Jesus to the lost.
Our goal in YUGO Ministries is to mobilize Canadians, Americans and Mexicans to join us in reaching the
millions who need Christ across the border. Please pray for us, yes, for our safety, but much more for our
effectiveness in making the Gospel clear and strengthening the churches in Mexico. Ask the Lord to lead
and guide you if you are considering how to help us.
News
SouthWest trip April, 2010
Mexico brothers,
Just thought I would tell you that I believe all of our group had a really great time last weekend.
What a blessing to witness all that you guys are doing to serve our Lord in Mexico. I have heard story after story of how God was working in our lives as a result of this trip and the opportunity to serve in a small way.
The food was great and of your families were so gracious with their time and smiles. I am always inspired to see the fruits that result from Jesus working in you.
Well until next time, Vaya Con Dios!
Chuck Cawthorne
Capilla Calvario Horizonte
Hands of Mercy is building a lofthouse for a needy family using the extra building materials donated from US work teams (left after completed lofthomes). The three HoM missionary families living full-time in Mexico attend the English speaking service of “Horizon Calvary Chapel – Ensenada”. They are partnering with members of the Spanish speaking service of Horizonte to help construct the lofthouse. This will be the second lofthouse built that was constructed using all workers that live in Mexico. The Mexican church has the same need and desire to give as the US church, but lack the resources to build an entire lofthouse. Using these “leftover” materials gives them a chance to help. The prebuild will take place in Horizonte’s parking lot in Ensenada on January 16, 2009.
Calvary Bible Church Bakersfield
I hope this message finds all well. We as a group have been praying that God will intervene in the changing of the gaurd at the border. How did the meeting go? Hope everything was resolved in a gracious manor. I know the hearts of all of you and that you would not allow any other conclusion. What ever is the out come, we will support you and your ministry to the end.
You guys are such an inspiration to all of us, you cannot imagine the life changing impact you are having, not only in our community, but any where that has been involved. I can’t begin to tell you how many have ranted and raved about H.O.M. In our Tuesday bible study we were asked.? What for sure have you seen with your own eye’s that you can positively say is being blessed by GOD 100%.
Guess what You and your families are. Let me know what the outcome of your meeting was. May GOD continue to bless you all. Hope all is well. We LOVE you guys and can’t wait for the next adventure.
Randy Bradford
11/12/08
Sierra Vista Community Church
Those of us with Sierra Vista Community Church who came last weekend (Aug. 29-31, 2008) would like to say a huge THANK YOU to all of you!!! This was our very first missions trip as a church, and we were all very blessed to be a part of this amazing ministry God is directing in Mexico. Your warmth and encouragement and patience every step of this process has been so wonderful! We thoroughly enjoyed our adventure there…from the journey down, “the road,” the GREAT food, the rope swing for the kids, the fun loft homes, the building of the home for the family, the AWE inspiring stars….and on and on. We have all grown in our relationship with the Lord through this experience, and we can’t wait to come back. God bless you guys as you do this day in and day out! We will be lifting you up in prayer, as well as the Cruz family. Blessings on you all!
Lisa Rettberg
P.S. On a personal note, on Monday morning, my 10 year old son and I were talking, and I said, “I miss Mexico.” He replied, “I do, too. It would be fun to do that again.” Amen to that!
Hands of Jesus
Jesus liked to work with his hands. One significant thing that Jesus did with his hands was to wash his disciple’s feet. It was also one of the last things he did with his hands before having them nailed to a cross. Washing feet was a symbolic act communicating love and a willingness to be a servant. Jesus taught his disciples that they needed to wash feet, too. Hands of Mercy is an organization that seeks to be the hands of Jesus reaching out to love others in his name. HOM has been specifically called to help love the people of Mexico and we have found no lack of dirty feet to wash. HOM is asking people from the U.S. to take time out of their busy schedules, give sacrificially and take a risk to love others. This always means getting stuff dirty, broken or lost. It usually means feeling uncomfortable. It makes some people so uncomfortable that they ask whether we should be washing feet at all in Mexico. They sometimes ask if it wouldn’t be better for Mexicans to wash Mexican feet. They argue that we could train them so they could do the work themselves. Some even protest that it isn’t effective to wash feet because people tend to get them dirty again and that might set up an atmosphere of dependency with people coming back to have their feet washed. Perhaps, it would be good if the government would help pave more roads so people’s feet wouldn’t get so dirty. Others observe that some people’s feet don’t seem that dirty while others are so dirty that it is obviously their own fault, that they probably like dirty feet or that they should try harder to keep them clean. It is always more comfortable to focus on the condition of the feet than to stay focused on our need to wash. Of course, HOM doesn’t really wash feet in Mexico, although maybe we should. We build homes for needy people as a symbol of God’s love and grace. We build them in the name of Jesus, who gave us the example of washing feet. My prayer is that we never get sidetracked by asking the wrong questions or suggesting that God use someone else. We need to roll up our sleeves, get on our knees and be the hands of Jesus.
Brian McCoy
Building Loft Homes (PLC)
A coffee-time conversation turned into a ministry-altering emphasis for us here at Peñasquitos Lutheran Church (PLC) in San Diego. Thus it often is in the Kingdom of God. During coffee time on a men’s retreat in 2005, several men from our church met the architects of a ministry called “Hands
of Mercy,” a separate 501c3 non-profit organization out of Trinity Church in Redlands, California, and we forged a lasting relationship.
Hands of Mercy helps churches start loft-home projects. With a specific and basic blue-print for a 12’ x 12’ structure, congregants are encouraged to pick up their hammers and paint brushes. In a one-day session, we build the deck floor, four walls, joists, and roof in the church parking lot. Next, we load the prefabricated parts onto a trailer, and the following weekend a team of people drive the home to Baja, Mexico, where a family in need awaits its arrival. We assemble and erect the home in one day, and the recipient family participates in the project.
As is the case in many service projects of this nature, it goes way beyond simply cutting wood and pounding nails. Lives are touched and transformed in a tangible way. People who receive a Loft Home in the name of Jesus are forever changed every time they walk into the home that someone gave them in love. People stateside who donate to, build and deliver a home are forever changed as well.
PLC member Jason Harper states, “This is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever been a part of.” The reward comes by making a difference. Little can compare to the feeling of standing with a family who once lived in cardboard boxes as they are handed the keys to their brand new house. PLC member Steve Josephs puts it this way: “To see a dirt- poor family be blessed with their first home is one of the most spiritually moving and soul satisfying experiences I can imagine.” Steve is not alone. Many have shared a similar experience where serving God by serving others has opened up a new depth to their spiritual lives. As Steve says, “This is the stuff that you hear about in Bible Study or Sunday sermons, but you never fully understand until you’re right there among the poor.” Since our original conversation with Hands of Mercy in 2005, we have raised money for and delivered eight loft homes. Participation by PLC people in the planning, cutting, assembly, delivery and erecting of these homes now numbers
over three hundred; this number increases greatly if we count all the prayer warriors behind the scenes. With the increased participation comes increased production. We plan to build two homes simultaneously on one weekend in this month, and send two teams to deliver them to Mexico the following weekend. We are not alone in this outreach. Churches throughout California have partnered with Hands of Mercy and to date have delivered over 600 Loft Homes in and around Ensenada, Mexico.
Building Loft Homes
by Sean Kelly
Operation HOPE
By MELANIE LADONGA
The Press-Enterprise
After participating in a Christmas play about a girl collecting food and toys for the less fortunate, Hanna Hovren, 8, of Redlands, decided she wanted to help. “I thought the girl was really nice. And I decided that I wanted to do something nice like that too,” Hanna said. Hanna created Helping Other People Everyday or Operation HOPE, a charity effort with the goal of building a house for a needy family in México.
Hanna’s goal was $2,800, and before the walk she had raised $1,700 by selling candy and receiving donations from her congregation. The money will be enough to buy a 12 by 12 foot house for a family in Mexico. At the walk, Hanna’s total reached $2,749. Hanna’s mother said Hanna, her sister and brother are contributing the remaining $51. In May, the Hovrens will make their next trip to México with 25 volunteers. Shirley Linden, wife of the First Congregational Church pastor, said Hanna has gotten the whole church involved and aware of her project. In spite of all the recognition, Lori Hovren said Hanna has stayed grounded. “I’m amazed at what she accomplished. Her motives were very pure. They weren’t driven by any sort of recognition,” Hanna’s mother said. For Hanna, her only hope was that the family received a new home. “It could make a difference and they’ll be really happy,” Hanna said.