July Prayer Letter

Hello Ministry Partners!

Here we are at the end of July-- and I think I'm going to be able to find a couple minutes to update you well on whats been happening here since my last update...

Neighbour...
        The Neighbour issue has calmed down somewhat. He has been keeping to himeself the last few weeks. I heard that his landlord is evicting him at the end of this month. This may be a messy affair as we're pretty sure he is not mentally stable and will likely resist eviction (happening this week). Please continue praying for a peaceful resolution to this situation.

Pastors Conference
        Ivan ( my co-worker ) and I went to Queretaro in Central Mexico for a Pastors and Leaders conference. We had a good time down there and the highlight was meeting with Jose Luis Rangel- who is a church planter from our church in Rosarito.


       Jose Luis and his family left our church almost a year ago to plant a church in his hometown of Irapuato, Guanajuato.  It is in an under-reached part of Mexico. They have had a difficult time of things as discouragement had set in. He really had been second guessing his calling to plant a church there and took a break from things just to try to rethink through things and pray. Just a few days before the conference God dealt with him and some issues he was having and re-iterated his call to serve the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Jose Luis responded and decided at the last minute to go to the conference which was an hour away from his town.

         He was shocked to see Ivan and I there as he hadn't expected anyone from our church to be there! We were able to be an encouragement to him and it confirmed to Jose Luis again God's goodness and calling... I've covenanted with him to keep in contact and help him through the church planting process- espescially in such a difficult, hard hearted area.

        The conference was good and the city it was in was beautiful! It was refreshing to be in "real Mexico"! The culture is quite different from the border areas and we enjoyed being there!








Bible College
         I have been teaching at Calvary Chapel Rosarito's Bible College this summer in 1 Corinthians. It's been an adventure to explore through this book with these folks at our church.

Pastors Training
          We would appreciate your prayers for the pastors and leaders training ministry. We are just finished the 9th book of 10 and a large issue has come up that will keep several of the students from graduating. One of the main requirements to graduate is attendance. And each teacher needs to demonstrate that their students have attended at least 75% of the classes in order to graduate. We verify this every few weeks by checking attendance lists. Invariably some students leave due to the requirements. It is one of the ways that we are sure to keep faithful people in the program because ministry and leadership is difficult. If they have learned to persevere through the class, they are much better equipped to persevere in the midst of ministry difficulties.
         To make a long story short, we found out a few days ago that attendance records had been falsified. It was a great disappointment to us, both in regards to the teacher and the students. The reality is we don't know who was ever in classes and so it is impossible for us to graduate the group.
          I explained to the class that learning is never in vain and prayed that they would have changed lives as a result of the time they had invested in studying God's Word. For those who want to be pastors and NEED to graduate, we have offered to let them start again when the next generation begins in 2013.

         Please pray for this situation. Relationships have been hurt as a result. There are many false accusations happening as well within the churches in that area. Please pray for peace and reconciliation.

Church Planting
           We have 3 church planters I will be working with more and more in the next year. I will be team-teaching a course on church planting as well this fall.
             I also have 3 churches / pastors/ church planters potentially interested in joining our movement. I love working with these guys and cannot wait to get more into it as summer turns to fall!

(This is a picture of Martin Garcia and youth from our Church-- Martin is planting a church in Tijuana ina new community of about 30,000 people with very little gospel witness in it....)

Family
            We are all doing well. Shar and the boys have had a Spanish class 5 mornings a week this summer. You would think that that wouldn't go over well with the boys (or their homeschool teacher/ mom), but they are enjoying the classes and can see improvements in the Spanish. That has been encouraging for all of us!
             Caleb is going to have his best buddy / pseudo-cousin over for a couple weeks for the end of summer. We plan on taking a "staycation" during that time and wind down the summers ministries and get charged up for a busy fall. When I looked at the summer Schedule in May, I thought I was going to be bored looking for things to do this summer! But the Lord knew what the summer would hold and it has been an incredibly busy time for all of us. We're thankful for the strength to serve Him and for the family time we're going to be able to have in a few weeks!

(to the Right a pic of our family with Emanuel- a church planter and ex-student of mine from Calvary Chapel bible College)

Future
          None of us know what the future holds, but we make plans trustng that God will direct our paths! There may be some other changes in our ministry responsibilites in the near future. We will be still be involved in the same things, but as we train more people here to do the work of the ministry, our role may change a bit. YUGO has been growing and expanding in our outlook and vision and we're excited to be a part of that "Reaching Mexico- Impacting the World". I'll let you know more about it as it unfolds!

Vehicle
           Most of you know about our past vehicle issues.... this spring we had another one with our van. While it has been an incredible blessing, the van now has over 250,000km on it ans it has had the engine almost totally redone twice in the last year. The types of driving and the roads we run it on here in Mexico are brutal on a vehicle! When people are looking to buy a car down here- the value drops considerably depending on how long its been in Tijuana! They call it  "Tijuana-ed". In other words they will ask-- "has the car been tijuana-ed"?  and, unfortunately, ours has been... This is the vehicle we use for daily running around, trips to the states and long ministry and personal trips.  We have been thinking that we are going to need to replace it within the next year or so.
           YUGO Canada Board has approved us for a "Vehicle Fund". So if God is so leading you to participate in this, please see the donation information at the end of this letter. Please send a note or a place a note in the "memo" part of the check saying it is for "McDonald Vehicle Fund"

Thanks!
           Thanks to all of you who back us up in prayer and financial gifts. Both of those things keep us here serving God and these incredible people He loves so much. I am constantly amazed at how good a "fit" things seem to be for us down here. It seems as though God has been preparing us our whole lives for this season of service! Thank you so much, again, for allowing us to be here! I cannot wait until we get to glory and I can introduce you all to the people, the churches, the children, the pastors, the leaders whose lives you've had a part in!

God bless you and keep you!

Mike translating for Abelino on Thursdays at YUGO's Rosarito Outreach Center

DONATION INFORMATION:

YUGO Ministries Canada
PO Box 231
St.Albert, AB T8N 1N3

yugoministries@cruzinternet.com
ph. 780-461-0891

guisano con nopales

Here is the nopale "stir fry" that we had for lunch yesterday. Joseph Fruin is teaching Shar and the kids Spanish and for part of the lessons they are cooking good, inexpensive food he learned to prepare at New Tribes Bible Institute in Chihuahua, Mexico!

Guisano Con Nopales (cactus leaves)

Fry up onions until they are sort of clear. add some herbs- basil,
add chopped garlic and fry for a while.
mix all that around.
push onions and garlic to side and out in a couple pads of cut up nopales- add salt
wait for a while till the nopales are fried well.
add 3-5 chopped poblano (Anaheim) peppers- add pepper and granular garlic.
Add a couple arbol peppers here too.
cook this stuff up for a few minutes.
take all this stuff and put it in bowl.
fry a bunch of cut potatoes-- add spices and herbs.- granular garlic, basil, salt and pepper.
When potatoes are fried, mix some beans and all the stuff you put in the bowl.
add 3 cut limes. cover it with lid and let cook for maybe 2-3 minutes
add some cut tomatoes
stir everything around.
take out limes and its ready to eat with tortillas...

ENJOY!

(as dictated by Elijah McDonald)

BABY SHOWER VIDEO!!

Mirellya update and shower info!!

About 4 years ago Mirellya almost died. She had been diagnosed with a severe heart problem that incapacitated her. The doctors only gave her a few months to live.

God had different plans and she survived some serious brushes with death. Her faith, joy and hope in Christ was like a light in the hopeless darkness. Her doctor took notice and after several inquiries, he surrendered his life to Jesus.

Through a variety of circumstances, he was no longer able to practice medicine in Mexico and so moved to the States to doctor there. All through the years he has kept in contact with Mirellya.

Her current obstetrician responded differently to the light he saw in Mirellya. He confused it for obstinant foolishness and so refused to treat her if she did not consent to killing her babies to save her own life. After a series of sleepless nights and crazy dreams he saw Mirellya  in a hospital waiting line and declared that he had to treat her, he could not get her out of his mind!

The obstetrician was sure he was treating a dead woman and possibly to dead babies. But as time went on, against all logic, the babies and Mirellya got better, not worse! The doctor declared that if she and the babies survived he too would bow his knee to Jesus and accept him as his Lord and Savior.

When the time came to be ready to do the surgery the obstetrician contacted his  banished colleague (Mirellya's old doctor) in California for help. Could he possibly find a Doctor to do the liver and kidney surgeries as well as an anathesiologist? Absolutely! He found some of the best who only charged a minimal amount to help($1500) compared to their normal fees. God provided the funds and they were on their way. The exiled doctor was convinced that this was at least one of the reasons God had sent him back to the US!

The day came for the surgery and Mirellyas heart was too weak to do it.  Distraught, the doctors sent her home for 10 days with little or no hope. 20% chance of survival originally. Less now with the new test results.

"20%?" Said Mirellya's husband Pastor Abelino. "The doctors can only do 20%. Good. That leaves 80% for Christ to do His work!!"
He loved those odds!!

10 days later and it's surgery day. Mirellya was in the hospital overnight for observation while Abelino slept in his van outside, unable to be with  her.
At 11:00am  he was supposed to get some information on how she was doing from the waiting room in a separate building 200 meters away from the hospital.... Nothing. No information until at least 3pm they said.

At 3pm they permitted him to go upstairs where she was and through tears of joy he got to see his wife and twin girls all doing well!

Meanwhile there was more birth going on; Second births, as the three unbelieving doctors listens to the Christian doctor explain to the others what had happened and what their response needed to be. The surgeon exclaimed that this surgery was his best ever. It was like someone else was controlling his hands. The  anastheaiologist was dumbfounded that mirellyas heart had no ill response to the anasthetic. And all of them gave glory to God Most High for what He had done. They had witnessed a real miracle!!

All 3 Of them surrendered their lives to Christ, repenting of their sin and unbelief and declaring Him their Lord!!

Praise God that 6 lives were saved  that day! Thank you all for your fervent prayer!!

Is anything impossible for God??

May He bless you!


We are having a baby shower for Mirellya!! And You are invited!!!

 I have started a partial list of things they need that you can purchase on Amazon.com and it will be delivered to the YUGO office in National City. We are going to "videotape" the shower on May 14th (tentative date, depending on how she is feeling) and post it for you to see.

If you'd like to send a gift, here is the link!

THANK YOU!!

Mirellya goes to the hospital

Mirellya goes to the hospital Thursday afternoon at about 4pm PDT and will stay in for observation. Friday sometime, she will have the surgeries.  I'll be keeping Facebook updated as much as I can with the info I have when I get it.

Thanks for praying.

The not so much of an update, update...

Hey folks-- thanks for your continued prayers--

Mirellya went into the doctors a week ago to have her heart tested and the Doctors did not liek the results. Her scheduled C-Section / operations were for Sunday April 15 ao swith the bad test results they wanted to Wait until this past monday for a new test.

The took the tests monday including (I think...) administering a small amount of the anesthesia to see how her heart responds. It did not do well at all. The doctors were very dismayed and everything has come to a standstill. The Test results say that she will not survive the anasthesia for sure.

Mirellya is quite distraught at the news and seeing how discouraged and concerned the doctors were has fed her real fears.

We went to visit in the afternoon and Mirellya was sleeping. Her husband Abelino is continuing to trust in God and we are all continuing to pray earnestly and fervently for her and the babies.

Please pray that God would be glorified and that he would save all three lives. Ivan Martinez, my partner in ministry here reminded us all of the persistent widow and the unjust judge. How much more will our lovig Heavenly Father be inclined to listen to our persistent requests!  This has encouraged me to continue to pray and plead with our Dad on mirellyas behalf.

Please continue with us!!

As of now the new plan is wait until April 26-- just 1 week before her actual due date- to have another round of tests. Mirellya is at home resting and hoping to strengthen her heart.

Thanks for partnering with us here and standing together with us on Mirellyas behalf!

20% chance of survival...

20% chance of survival...

Those are not good numbers.  That's an 80% chance of dieing within the next couple weeks.  Those are number that send shivers down spines and make grown men buckle over in tears. Espescially if it has to do with his wife.

Abelino and Mirellya have been a part of our lives for over 4 years. During that time we've walked with them through some  unimaginable difficulties and rejoiced with them amid astonishing miracles.  But this one is different. This one has both at the same time.

Not only should mirellya not be about to deliver twins, she should not even be alive right now. She has struggled with health issues for as long as we've known her- a 30-something mom with chronic heart troubles that I don't understand, and they cannot explain to me. She wasn't supposed to live out the year- and that was over 4 years ago. I've seen her look like she was at deaths door- and that was after 6 months of improving.

 I'm embarrassed and ashamed to say that my lack of Spanish and a real understanding of my ministry here kept me from being much of a help, or even an ear to talk to or a shoulder to lean on for the first 2 years of our relationship. Most of their deepest struggles happened without me. But now I'm all in. They are my brother and sister. I hurt when they hurt, cry when they cry and rejoice when they rejoice.

They are hurting, crying and rejoicing all at the same time. Mirellya is having twins-- the very thing that was impossible for her to do (get pregnant) happened. This is the 4th time after she was never supposed to get pregnant again! Only this time she has a chronic heart disease that was supposed to kill her 4 years ago at the same time.

Her original doctor gave her an ultimatum- abort the babies, or I will have nothing to do with you.  This is suicide he said. This pregnancy with kill you and the babies. you must abort the babies.

They refused and went months without a doctor. Waiting in line for hours at the emergency room to be seen for a check up regularly, seeing a different doctor every time, feeling rejected. Finally one day the doctor saw them waiting in the line. He immediately came over to her, took her out of line and brought her into his office. "I cannot stop thinking about you" He said. I dream about you, I think about you all day, I see you everywhere. I will be your doctor, I will help you. Mirellya told him that God was convicting him for not treating on of His children. The doctor, shaken, said  this is against my best judgement. If you and the babies survive, I will follow Jesus too. Only He can do this.

And the doctors have been amazed. Mirellya is healthier than she has been for years, the babies all appear to be great during their tests. And all of their needs have been provided for! They are doing 3 surgeries at the same time-- a C-Section for the twins and two other surgeries- one on her liver and the other on her gall bladder (I think- still can't understand that word in Spanish...). They have brought specialists in for the procedure and even the Baby Doctr is paying for some of the other Doctor's services.

Still with doctors donating some time, there were $1500 in bills to be paid. for a family that makes $250/ month and barely gets by, that is an astronimical amount. 

I was told about the first deadline for $500 on thursday- it needed to be in by Monday. Someone gave the money to us on Saturday. They had the money waiting to give somewhere and felt this is where it was to go--- and the rest just kept coming in and well before the final deadline, the bills were all paid in full.

"How" asked the doctor " can you manage that on your salary??

 "What is impossible with man is possible with God" they replied!! "He did it"!

So here we are, 2 weeks away from the due date and the odds are starting to sink in... 20% chance of living to see my babies... 20% chance of seeing the babies room completely constructed... 20% chance of making supper for my family again...

20% chance...

"But" Abelino says to me "The doctors can only do 20%-- the rest is impossible for them to accomplish! That leaves 80% for Christ to come in and do the rest! What is impossible with man , is possible with God!" "I like those odds!"

I know you folks are busy and your lives are filled with lots of stuff to do. I know how difficult it is to pray for someone you don't know- espescially with the abundance of prayer requests that come across our emails, Twitter and facebook each day...

But for those of you who regularly support us in prayer and lift us before our Fathers throne, can you please ask God to consider Abelino and Mirellyas request- to fill in the 80%. In my eyes and thoughts, it seems like a great time to bring honor and Glory to the King of Kings by watching Him do the impossible again in there lives! The fact that she lived this long and is giving this gift of 2 little babies to her husband and kids is already more than they thought they would get, but they are humbly asking God for more. For the improbable and the Impossible.  Would you please plead with God on their behalf? That He would glorify Himself in their family and colonia and amongst the many who know and are praying. Please feel free to share this to whomever you like. I actually ask you to please share it with other brothers and sisters who may be inclined to pray with us! send them to our blog,  FWD this email, like this on Facebook-- however you want!!

I'll be gone for a few days and I don't know what my internet connection will be like until after Easter Monday, but I will keep you updated with what I know as things change and as I can.

May God bless you too. I wish you could meet Abelino and Mirellya and their two new "daughters to be" Diane and Sharlene (named after my beautiful bride!- What an honour!!)

Your representatives amongst the long-suffering, humble followers of Jesus in Baja California,

Mike, Sharlene, Elijah Caleb and Jacob