Canada

Boys by the river near "old faithful"
















Old faithful- we picked a bad spot to watch - we saw mostly steam. but it was cool, nevertheless
















Castle geyser steaming up a storm.
















One of the cool coloured pools. more like a hot tub- a REALLY hot tub. 95C- almost boiling!






We made it safely a few days ago here to Saskatchewan!! Praise God!

Our drive up was incredible- as usual! I love the drive north through mountains, deserts and cities. I've been wanting to go to Yellowstone Park the last few times we've been driving through, but the timing never worked out. This time, we made it work. It was a really cool place! Lots of forests and mountains interspersed with out of this world-like bubbling, hissing and exploding cones of steam, hot water and mud! Probably the coolest part was the last part through the park where you come alongside of a hill that is just steaming at several spots- it looks like some sort of a moonscape or something. It was all pretty cool.

That night we showed up in Harlowton, MT a little town with 2 motels. the first was full and the guy said the other was full too. The problem was that it was 9pm at night, and the next town 1 hour north had all full motels as well. so if we didn't stay here, we were driving almost 3 hours to Malta, hoping that there were motels open there!

Shar suggested we try the 2nd motel in harlowton and it turned out they had 1 room left- single bed mthough- so the boys slept on the leaky air mattress we bought! It was tiny and kinda stinky- but better than sleeping in the car on the side of the road!

Supper that night was at a roadhouse kinda place. we got in 5 minutes before the kitchen closed at 9:30. It was the best meal we had on the trip- fresh salads, good grilled chicken sandwich and real- homemade burgers for the boys. Beats Wendy's by 1000 miles!

I've booked a few places to stay in the past on priceline or hotwire. They are my new favourite travel websites. Our first night we stayed in Vegas and we got a 4-Star hotel south of town with a HUGE pool and hottub and it was the cheapest accomodations we had! The room was huge with a massive flat screen TV, the pool was open all night and by the time we were done swimming and needed a snack- we went to a restaurant in the hotel that had $2.45 ham and eggs and pancakes. We paid $50.00 totla for the room.

The next night we were in Idaho falls and there were no priceline rooms available there. so we took a little motel room for $70.00. The hallways were filthy, the pool was old and the edges were falling apart-- the room was stinky- but it was our only option! We couldn't believe we paid $20.00 more for it than the fancy place we were in the night before!

So far things are going well here. We are visiting friend in Mossbank, SK. It is a nice break before we go full tilt for a month of camps! The town here has an outdoor pool- so we purchased a week pass for the boys and they'l be in it all afternoon- home for supper then back out till 9 every day we're here.

Today Shar has gone out with Tina and abigail to MooseJaw for a girls day out and I'm helping Michael put up a hanging ceiling in their basement.

Weather is nice- 33C yesterday ad sunny and at noon it is 26C today.

Gotta go hang a ceiling.,....

Grad. Mexi-style

Shar and I went to the most unique- and by far most significant- high school grad type of occasion yesterday.

Rebekah Hoople is the daughter of fellow Canadian Missionaries- Rod and Cheryl Hoople. She has also been babysitter to our kids and they have fallen in love with her. Shar and I were asked to be her "Patrinos" which is kinda like god-parents. So we had an opportunity to say something to encourage her at the end of the program.

At this school she attends (Highland Prince Academy) in order to graduate she needs to write a thesis and a tesina. The tesina is basically a plan outlining your goals, vision and mission describing how you plan on getting there. She had to give the presentation in front of 4 Judges (teachers from the school) and about 20 family and friends watching.

With poise and youthful professionalism Rebekah outlined the final project that had taken her a semester to explore, pray about and Seek the Lord on. It has been a great excercise for her. They helped her to identify her strengths and weaknesses- and how to overcome the weaknesses and take advantage of her strengths- and what types of careers and post-secondary training would fit her desires, goals and values.

It isn't officially a "Christian school" ( don't think you can have such a thing in Mexico) but it was started by a church and the teachers are all believers and followers of Jesus. The judges asked some tough questions of her and encouraged her greatly. We had a chance to tell her how much she has meant to our family and encourage her to lay all of her plans before God allowing Him to guide and direct her steps.

This was one of the most impactful things I've ever seen! They helped Rebekah to look over her life and the people and events that helped influence her and she now has a very clear picture of who she is in Jesus and how He can use her to be His hands and feet in the world. She is returning to Canada to work for a year and upgrade English (Spanish English wasn't good enough, I guess!) and then is applying to Prairie Bible Institute's nursing program. We prayed for her and with her parents for God to guide and direct her and for her to make good decisions and this excersize was instrumental in doing that. She now knows her values, vision and mission and will weigh er decisions based upon those- rather than upon a whim, or the suggestions of a peer. I wish EVERY kid had the chance to do this!

We were blessed to be a part of it and are looking forward to seeing how God uses Rebekah in the future. She has a desire to go to Africa but it has not worked out as of yet. As she was checking out Prairie Bible Institute she found out that they offered a 1 month internship / mission to Africa as part of the program. She is a far cry from the old song please don't send me to Africa!

buen viaje (bon voyage)

We're off to Canada for a couple months starting this afternoon.

This morning we're going to do all of our last-minute stuff- pay bills, finish packing- buy dogfood etc. and then head down to las pasaditas for our last tacos for two months.

From there we cross to the US- do some grocery shopping for trip food and then begin the trek through the Mojave desert. The original plan was to leave bright and early- and get to the California-Nevada state line- but that meant we'd be there at 1 or 2 in the aft- in 108F heat! I really don't know how long someone can be in 108F heat before getting heatstroke- but I'll bet you it's not long! So instead of going for a short swim and languishing in the room all day (want to avoid driving in 108F heat too) we've decided to leave this aft and arrive in the desert as the heat dissipates- thus pulling in at 9:00pm or so in Las Vegas- where it'll only be 95F instead. We'll go for a nice night swim and get rested for day two!

We'd appreciate your prayers-- it'll be a long drive! As well- I've been taking some antibiotics and they seem to have affected my normal flora and fauna and it's causing me to need to be close to a washroom. I'm hoping that it is passing this morning and we can do this voyage without the inconvenience of hourly emergency stops!

The kids are REALLY excited to go back- they will be spending a week at Silver Birch Bible Camp in Loon Lake-- it will be Jacobs first year in a cabin! Even before we knew we'd be coming back- he was talking about how it would have been his first year and how much he'd like to go. The other two as well were talking about Silver Birch lots. Last year was the first year we've not been at a camp- for at least 1 week- in almost all of their lives!

God bless and thanks for praying!

not so mini update...

Happy Last Day of Spring!

On this last day of spring in Playa de Rosarito, Mexico, our grass is dead, it hasn't rained for 3 months and the daily weather is a steady 22C and "June Gloom" means we have overcast mornings almost every day here at the coast. But just as each spring turns into summer, God has continued to be faithful in our lives.

In May-June we were having some financial issues coming up- with getting our visas and some other things that were out of the ordinary costly. Thank you for Praying- all of our needs have been met!!!

Since last fall we were planning on going to Ontario to visit relatives and speak in some churches to raise support. Through God-ordained circumstances- we were not able to go this spring. It was somewhat saddening because my dad hasn't been in great health and our other parents are getting older and we realize that each time we get to see them- may be the last. It has been 3 years since we were back in Ontario- and we haven't all seen Shar's family since then. I've been back on deputation- and my dad's medical emergency- a few times, but they and the kids and Shar have not been reacquainted for too long.

A few weeks ago I was talking to a friend of mine in Saskatchewan and he asked if we could come speak at his camp for 2 weeks- kinda half-jokingly. I said we'd pray about it and see what happened. Well within a week or 2, I had 4 weeks of camp speaking engagements- some times to share in churches and a full July Schedule! You may remember my prayer request in our last letter for some wisdom on summer ministry opportunities- since they dried right up here till the end of August! So we became convinced that God was giving us the go ahead to go back to SK and MB for camp ministries this summer.

We are also planning on going back to Ontario before we head back to Mexico. It's not really a lot closer from MB to Ontario then from Mexico, but we asked for wisdom and believe it'd be the best, wisest thing to do while we have the opportunity and time this summer. All that to say that we will be in Ontario for 2 weeks in August. From Aug. 5th -12th in Wasaga Beach area and from Aug. 12-19 in Hamilton area. We have yet to secure any speaking engagements during that time- so if you are there and would like to have us come to your church , cell group, youth group or just over for supper to hear how things are going- we'd be more than willing to try to make it work in our schedule! After that it is a 4 day drive back to Mexico.

When we get back, we'll be jumping right back into ministry with some missionary training in September and my regular pastoral training and Bible College teaching in Ensenada.

Thank you again for your partnership with us in prayer-- a couple of prayer and praise items:

LAMBERTO: ( Neck Surgery this winter) just received a $1000 gift for his medical needs. They still owe the doctor this amount because one person who said he was going to pay this amount for his care- never did ( he owed them this money for a property the sold to him). However, the doctor has all but abandoned Lamberto in his "recovery"- so we are praying for wisdom as to what to do with this money- pay off the doctor or seek additional medical care to assist in Lamberto's recovery. His pastor, Ramiro- will be making this decision this summer.

Daniel and Dolores: Have started on their taco cart business this week- thanks to the gifts of friends from Canada! They are also praying about starting a feeding program in their impoverished neighbourhood that is in desperate need. There are at least 70 kids in need of daily food, if they had the finances to do so! Please pray for this need!

Severa Barboza (Student in pastors-leaders training) leaves June 28 for Nayarit, Mexico for 1 month. Seve is older than 60 and is married to Jose ( who is also in my class) She is going to this area in southern Mexico where some people travel up to 4 hours to find an Evangelical church to worship in. It is a desperately needy area for the gospel- many towns and villages have no Christian witness. Seve goes down- stays with the people and disciples the believers and shares the Good News with the others. It has been a fruitful ministry- but it is tough on her. She has few means and relies on the hospitality of the people to live there. Please pray for Seve's health and for her ministry there in the month of July- that the God of all the universe would be glorified!!

Our finances God has been generous to us supplying our needs for new visas and other spring needs that came up. We have received some other gifts and promises that will help pay for our way to Canada! PRAISE GOD! Please pray that all of our needs would be met in our voyage to Sask, Manitoba and Ontario and Back- and that our monthly support would be where Jesus wants it to be for the fall and winter!

Thanks again for your partnership in this ministry. We honestly feel as if we are an extension of your ministry and are humbled and honored that we can work together with you! ¹⁰For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:10.

It is exciting to partner with you to do those works here in Mexico!

May God bless you!

McDonald family.

June Prayer letter

Hey folks,

Thank you so much for your continued partnership with us. Together, during the first 6 months of 2009 we have served many in the name of Jesus- whether it was with a Christmas gift or rice and beans in Jesus name, some Biblical teaching and fellowship- (Iron sharpening Iron) or North Americans experiencing Missions- there have been hundreds touched though your partnership with us! Your ministry expands beyond the borders of Saskatchewan, Ontario, Manitoba or California and we are grateful to represent the Love of Christ that is in you, here in Tijuana Mexico!!

We've had a few good weeks here since I last wrote a big update and report!

So here are some updates on prayer requests and people- and after I'll let you know a bit of what's been happening lately...

1. Health Shar is doing much better. She had a flu, but slept it off for a few days and took some antibiotics and now she is back about 100% Praise God! The kids and I got it slightly as well, but it was pretty mild and we've all almost completely recovered.
   
2. Lamberto- Has not been doing well lately. Because none of us are doctors, we cannot adequately figure out why or why not. The doctor he went to for surgery is not being particularly helpful when it comes to follow up and recovery. He is still confined to a wheelchair and is in some discomfort. Please pray for wisdom to know what to do in his situation.
3. Our neighbour lady who was being threatened by cartel guys has been doing well. Her husband comes back and spends many nights of the week with her and commutes to his job in San Diego. They have not been contacted since. We wonder if it was a case of mistaken identity.
4. Leadership Training- I am done with out new missionary training for the summer. We had 7 people taking the class over the course of the school year. It seemed to be well received! My Bible College class ended in May. I taught James to 10 students at Calvary Chapel Bible College- Mexico in Ensenada- about 1 hour south of where we live. I loved this once/ week class and learned as much or more than the students did! The Pastoral Training that I do twice a week is going strong in Tijuana's poor Eastern Colonias. We have 10 students and they are faithful and love participating in the class. It is a stretching time as we challenge our perceptions and search the Scriptures together for Gods perspective. It continues to be a blessing to be involved in the lives of these servants of Jesus!

And now for recent happenings---

Food! We have been blessed by a contact with Club Dust ministries and Strong Tower ministries to provide food for two of the churches we work with in the poorest areas of Tijuana. Pastor Ramiro and Pastor Manuel cross over to the US once or twice a week to collect 1000lbs of food at a time to bring back to their areas to bless folks with some of the desperate needs that there are in that area. I went out with Pastor Ramiro the other day as he took bags of food out to 56 families along the railroad tracks. I was taken aback to see the multitudes come for food. The economic crisis has hit here with such force it is hard to put into words. Many 1 income families who used to make $200- $400 / month are now either out of work or the hours have been cut back so much that buying food is difficult, if not impossible. We are so thankful for the timing of this blessing, but also aware of the pressing need for an economic recovery here in Mexico. Please pray for the children and families in need here- and pray that they will not only seek out bread but also Jesus- the Bread of Life.

Homeschool The boys have been doing well in their studies. We did a wholesale change this year because it seemed as if the curriculum we were using was not being as effective as we would like. So it has added A LOT of work to Shar's preparation and delivery of the material, but the amount of learning that is going on is incredible! Our boys were struggling in the basics of math- so this year we tried a new math curriculum from scratch and where as Elijah was using his fingers and hands to add, subtract and multiply last year (which made all other math difficult, time consuming and, usually, wrong!) this year he has it all down pat and is flying through division this summer and will likely be up to his normal grade 7 level by around Christmas. Also- Caleb has continuously struggled with reading. With some concerted effort- and lots of help from mom, he is excelling in his reading and writing and will very likely be a very proficient- possibly above average reader some day soon! Jacob has just gotten started in his school career and so is excelling in his studies too! We are very thankful for God's grace and enabling! He has been good to us, indeed!

Other Stuff -- one of our dogs had 10 puppies this spring- we kept one and so now have 4 dogs again! We also found a cat (Elijah has been praying for a cat for months) that was pregnant and kicked out of her house. With Shar's approval, we brought her in, named her "Bengal" and she had 4 kittens last week. We've found that kittens are, so far, A LOT less work than dogs! With the puppies, we needed to construct a pen for them- and with kittens- a box with a towel is just fine! We will also be getting a turtle in the summer as a missionary kid will be moving back to Canada to go to College this fall. The farm just keeps growing!

Future Stuff This fall I will be continuing teaching the Pastors Training. We have about 6 months left on it- maybe 8- depending on the rain and other cancellations that sometimes happen. I also plan on teaching again at Calvary Chapel Bible College- Mexico. This fall semester I'll be teaching on Minor prophets- which was one of my favourite classes at Nipawin Bible College. I have also been asked to teach a class on Cross-Cultural Ministry here in our area, which I'll be doing a couple days a week for about a month. And I am looking at a possibility of teaching a class on Bible Study Methods and Rules of Interpretation for anyone who wants it in the area, but that will depend on interest!

Prayer Requests. --

1. Summer opportunities We are praying about what to do this summer. It is my slowest time of the year. Last year I was involved in an internship training program that is not happening this year- as well as speaking some of our outreaches. But this summer it will be different. I have been presented with an opportunity to speak at a camp in Canada for a week or two, but would need more opportunities to justify the trip! So please pray about this with us!
2. Finances- Our monthly giving amounts have been down this year. Praise God we have had enough when we needed it- He has been faithful to provide for our needs. Please pray that that would continue to happen the last 6 months of the year as well! Our expenses have increased substantially with having to cross the border 1-3 times a week for food donations and then go to classes in Ensenada (100 mile round trip) So please pray that God will work out those details!
3. Personal Spiritual Lives Please pray for our personal spiritual growth- that we as a family and individuals would be attentive to the Voice of God and be willing to walk in obedience and love for His glory! As with most Christian workers- it becomes easy to let the ministry supersede our own walk with God!
   
4. Safety As in most developing world countries, safety is a constant issue with us. We have complete trust in God, that He is our ever present help! We covet your prayers on our behalf for safety. Specific, regular times to pray for this are:

• Each Monday from 6pm-10:30pm-
  
• Friday from 10am-2:00pm and
  
• Saturday from 4:00pm-10:30pm.
  

And especially the first and last hours of those times- as that is when I am driving- sometimes in some precarious situations!

God bless you and keep you!

Mike, Sharlene, Elijah, Caleb and Jacob

--
Michael McDonald
Missionary to Mexico
YUGO Canada
1-(619)400-3326 (North America)
661-100-3396 (Mexico)
msmcdonald@yugomail.org