OLD BLOG, NEW BLOG

We're back...if this works that is 😀

I'm going to give this a try...this blog of ours has been inactive for a few years, maybe we can revive it!

 Last day in Canada...stuffing the garbage down...not trying to hide 😜

First day in our new home in La Paz, Mexico 

                  Children's Ministry with Oliver, fun times for the kids with such a great leader!!

Jaxon Started School August 31st 2015 In Rosarito, Mexico.

Working Our Way Back To Blog!!

Hey everyone!! We will be back blogging on a twice a week schedule by the middle of September!!

                                                                     See You Soon

                                                                             Irv

 I can't believe it, I just can't believe it! Our little girl Leah is going to be 18 years old in May. Leah has plans to go back to Canada for the summer and work. After the summer is over then Leah wants to return home to Mexico and continue working as a missionary until God leads her in the direction of Bible Collage and eventually a career. My personal highlight is that on December 2nd I will be turning 50 years old.

     On December 1st we will have been full time missionaries with YUGO Ministries for a full year. Here are some highlights that will open a window to you in regards to different aspects of living here in Mexico.

     Mari is going out with three other missionary wives 5 days a week to exercise and fellowship. Mari is enjoying her time with the ladies. Mari also continues to go to the ladies Bible study every Friday morning.

     Jaxon loves going to church every Sunday, he really enjoys the Sunday School time with his friends. On Fridays Jaxon goes with Mari to her Bible study and plays with his friends. Jaxon is doing very well here in Mexico.

     I have been busy here in Mexico. With visiting pastors, working with feeding kitchens, working on sending out donations that come in. Meeting with pastors before teams teams come out and then follow up with pastors after the teams leave and now teaching a 4 hour Pastor and Leaders course every Saturday. It is exciting and I would like to extend an invitation to anyone that would like to come out and spend a week with our family, we would love to have you.

      We are so very thankful for all of our prayer and financial support, and as I say that I just would like to update you on our financial situation.  Our monthly personal support has been good and steady over this our first year as YUGO missionaries. Our expenses have increased which has brought our "reserve" account that is there to pull us through the low support months and ministry expenses

       I would like to thank those who have partnered with us through prayer and finances this past year. I would like to ask that you continue to pray for our family and if you are not partnering with our family financially, would you  prayerfully consider partnering with us monthly or yearly?.

God Bless
Irv, Mari, Leah and Jaxon Penner

Penners Update

 Well as I said I we would send an update out when we knew how to word it. I am still not sure if we know how to word everything, but I do know that we need to send out an update.

                     THE TIMES OF ATTACK AND VICTORY

     So this last month has been filled with ups and downs in regards to physical and spiritual trials. James 1:2-5 says "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

      There are so many ways that we learn in our lives and each trial each hardship each difficult task should lead us closer to God. Likewise with every victory, with every success and with every answered prayer we should be lead closer to God.

      This is what happened to our family this past month. I honestly do not want to get into details, but I do want to let you know that the foundations of our faith were tested this past month. As you were praying for our family you were lifting us up before our almighty God. This is a testimony of Gods people working together in the spiritual battles it speaks of in Ephesians 6:12-18

      You know what the great thing is? It is that we are able to send out a letter like this that is full of pain and anguish that is so real that it makes you want to literally vomit, and that the outcome of that pain and anguish is victory through Jesus Christ. Victory because we were lifted up in prayer and through the power of prayer we were able to keep our focus on Jesus Christ. So thank you for all your prayer support you really do not know how much you helped us this past month.

                              THE ONGOING WORK

         We had a very busy month, we were in contact with almost 30 pastors visiting them and building relationships. The pastors are like none I have ever seen before. They have very small houses, they have very little money, they have a desire to learn and better themselves without letting their life circumstances get in the way. As we get to know and build relationships with these men we encourage one another through our common denominator Jesus Christ.

        We have been able to work with a new feeding kitchen, and that has been a very humbling opportunity. This feeding kitchen feeds 130 children, mothers and seniors daily (week days) from what the pastor makes and we are excited to see how God is providing for them. There are about another 200-300 children, mothers and seniors in another area that this pastor and his wife would like to reach one day.

        I am preparing to teach a pastor and leadership course in September that will stretch me in many ways. To date we have about 40 students with the possibility of more by the start date of September 14th.

                            FAMILY INFORMATION

         Mari continues to be my prayer support here as she also is a mother to Jaxon and Leah. Mari is driving through Rosarito and Tijuana on her own with the kids with great confidence. Jaxon is being a little boy just growing and getting to know some more friends. Leah was at the YUGO Rosarito Outreach Center as an intern this summer also. 

                                  PRAYER REQUESTS

           The more pastors I get to know the more help I need with the Spanish language. I have now hired an interpreter to be with me wherever I go for ministry and with that it takes extra finances. Juan Salinas is a husband and a father that has devoted his life to the ministry as my interpreter. Juan has three children and a wife and is trying to live off of $400.00 that I pay him. We are seeking to raise $800.00 per month for Juan and his family as I can not complete the task set before me without the aid of an interpreter. Please pray that God would provide the $800.00 per month for Juan and his family.

          Please continue to pray for our safety as we are all over Tijuana and into the prison once per week doing ministry. Pray for Mari and the kids as they are home and also driving to the grocery store and to friends houses.

                           SUPPORT INFORMATION

           If you would like to join our prayer support team please feel free to contact YUGO Ministries and let them know that you are praying for the Penners and they can pass that information on to us and we can add your name to our list of names that pray for us daily that encourages us each time we look at it.

           If you would like to support our family financially or Juan and his family financially also please contact YUGO Ministries and let them know how much and if you desire monthly cheques, debit cards or credit cards or once per year broken into 12 individual equal payments.

                                  YUGO INFORMATION   

           YUGO Ministries Canada     780-461-0891

            P.O. Box 231                     yugocanada@yugo.org

            ST. Albert AB. 

            T8N 1N3  

               Thank-You again for all of your prayer support that continually helpes carry us through the hard and good times alike. I also want to thank-You for all your financial support that you continue to enable us to fulfill the calling we have here in Mexico as your missionary representatives and partners.

       In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

                             Irv, Mari, Leah and Jaxon Penner 

      

 Hey there everyone, how is your summer going? Summer time is a busy time here and full of opportunities. There are teams from Canada and the United States along with the teams from the Mexico to Mexico training that we raised funds for with the perogy and sausage supper fundraiser in Canada. These teams are coming to help with home builds and with child evangelism, youth sports outreach along with women's and men's ministries also.

       Our house is emptier as Leah has moved to the ROC ( Rosarito Outreach Center) for the summer. Leah has been blessed with an opportunity to serve the Lord as the worship leader throughout the summer. When Leah was asked to take on the position of worship leader this was her response:

"she was pretty pumped up-- eyes all big-- she told me in her reading a little while ago about how in once instance God put singers and musicians in front to lead the troops into battle-- she felt like God was moving her to do that and she was really excited to do that if asked-- so now she was asked to lead the singers and musicians--- she felt it was confirmation of what she read and that God really was talking to her about it."  

      Mari has started going to a ladies Bible study on Friday mornings, she has also started meeting with a couple of ladies with children close to Jaxon's age every Wednesday afternoon at a park. It is such a blessing for Mari to be able to get out of the house for these two events each week.

       There is something that the Lord has placed on my heart over the past while and I just cannot get it out of my mind or off my heart. There is a feeding kitchen we were introduced to just a while ago, there are about 120 kids fed there between 6:00-9:00 A.M. five days a week by this couple that are using their own finances as well they are trying to feed their own family and pay the bills. This feeding kitchen to function properly needs $10,000.00 per year. I am asking you to please pray for the funds to come in to have these 120 children fed properly at least once per day. God has put this on my heart for a reason and it has been burnt or branded on my heart.

     Jaxon turns 4 on July 1st and just like Mari, Leah and myself he is changing as he grows. Thank-you for all your prayers for our family as we continue to minister here in Mexico through your prayer and financial support. 

      2nd Corinthians 13:11 "Finally Brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."

       2nd Corinthians 13:14 "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

       Irvin, Mari, Leah & Jaxon Penner