2011 has been a full year for our family on a number of fronts. We have primarily sensed a fullness of the Lord’s presence in our personal lives, marriage, family & ministry. And although we have many areas that need continual refining, this has been a season of delighting in God being at the center of everything and seeing the marvelous ways He works. The following are but a few of those examples:
Bakersfield:
You may remember that for the past two years I have helped to host a monthly Ensenada Leadership Breakfast that I initiated with a local pastor. This past October as we celebrated our 2nd Anniversary breakfast our keynote speaker was California Assemblywoman Shannon Groves from Bakersfield. We were also blessed to have the Mayor of Ensenada in attendance and Shannon was able to pray for him & his leadership. The Mayor commented on the fact that Ensenada is the fourth safest city in Mexico and that he believes it is because there is a great covering of the Lord as a result of the prayers of many.
In continuing the Bakersfield connection, almost eight years ago a dear personal friend of many years (Doug Carter of Bakersfield, Ca) started praying for a connection & relationship to grow between his church The Bridge Bible Church and the Body of Christ in Ensenada Mexico. As his church continued to grow in their involvement in Mexico, we continued praying together for a deepening relationship between Bakersfield & Ensenada.
I am overjoyed to report that this past Veteran’s weekend 11.11.11. The Bridge Bible Church from Bakersfield California sent nearly 800 people to serve 32 local pastors in 24 different communities of Ensenada in the largest single outreach we have ever coordinated! God is opening the floodgate! In the midst of adversity we are seeing The Church take action! JESUS is Alive!
A New Role & Responsibility:
After many years of hard work & sacrifice in Ensenada it has been wonderful to see all the fruit God is producing through His Body, as so many have come from afar and partnered with the ongoing work the local Church is laboring in. And while our personal commitment to this work in Ensenada remains, there has also been a growing sense that the time has come to expand our focus further out into Mexico.
Recently the YUGO Board of Directors met and decided to appoint me (Scott) as the YUGO Mexico Field Director, with the responsibility of serving all the YUGO Missionaries & Ministry Centers located in Mexico. As a result I have handed over the position of Director of YUGO’s Ensenada Outreach Center to Mardy Barnes & Rhonda Elgersma, who have worked with me at the EOC for the past five seasons.
Ana & I are excited for the new opportunities and challenges this new position will bring, as we recall our time as newlyweds in 2006 and our prayers for reaching out further into Mexico to love the forgotten.
YUGO currently has Outreach opportunities in Rosarito, Mexicali & Acuna in addition to Ensenada as well as a the Grace Children’s & Babies homes in Rosarito. Currently there are also Church Planting missionaries throughout Baja California and as far south as Oaxaca Mexico. I look forward to serving the entire YUGO Family and broadening our reach further south!
Ensenada, our Home Base:
As I will certainly be required to spend more time traveling, we are grateful for the opportunity to continue being based in Ensenada with the community of friends & family we dearly love. This will allow us more opportunities to continue seeing many of you who come annually to Ensenada as well:)
We ask for your continued prayers for our family, our financial support (as this new role doesn’t change the fact that we need to raise 100% of our living & personal ministry expenses) and our entire YUGO Ministry Family. We cherish you, your friendship & prayers as we depend on the Lord for everything in our lives. It is our great privilege to be serving as Christ’s Ambassadors to Mexico in partnership with you!
We love you & pray God’s Blessing over you, your family and community, Scott for Ana, Naomi (4) & Nicole (1)
