Mexicali update after being here 4 full days so far....

     Our time in Mexicali has been good, It was +27 here yesterday and as I was out with the team I now realize what playing in the dirt/ dust really means. We arrived here on the 26th and set up the kitchen and finished the set-up on the 27th. There are around 60 of us here in total, food has been great, people even better, and the commitment to the children, and adults in the community by the teams has been so great!!

     The children take every ounce of energy you have and are still ready to run and play when you are all tuckered out. The women are very receptive to the crafts that are being taught them and enjoy the opportunity to sit down with the young ladies here, while the men sit in the shade and enjoy watching the children play either kick-ball or soccer or jump-rope. 

     The gospel is being presented on a daily basis, and we ask that you continue to pray for the people of Mexicali. Please pray that their hearts would be softened as they find out that there truly is someone who loves them for who they are, and no matter what their past has been, they are loved by Jesus Christ without any restrictions put on them like man puts on people.

    There is no one here in Mexicali that is excluded from the love of God, and the opportunity of salvation that is freely given through Jesus Christ!!

     Please continue to pray for my family as well, as we are here sent by God and supported by you our team members spiritually (through prayer) and financially as God directs by placing our family on your hearts and minds.

    I do hope and pray that your Christmas was a blessed time with family and friends, and that God would bless each of you as we head into the New Year!!

           With many thanks for your commitment to our family today and in the future....

                        Irv, Mari, Leah and Jaxon Penner

Off to Mexicali

       Hello there everyone!! I do hope and pray that your Christmas was a wonderful time of being with family and friends and celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!
      Tomorrow morning we are off to Mexicali, Mexico which will be about a three and a half hour drive. We will be there until I believe January second, (so on that note, may God give you many blessings as the New Year comes.) There is an outreach going on in Mexicali and my family gets to be a part of that. I do believe there will be some time set aside to update what is going on and how things are going.
     Please pray for our safe travel to Mexicali, for a safe time for us and the other team members that are going to be there. Please pray that God would be softening the hearts of the people that will be hearing the good news (gospel message) and that He would be preparing the hearts of the ones that will be presenting the gospel as well.
     We appreciate your prayers and if you have any questions that we might be able to answer about our ministry here, please ask away at the bottom of any of our updates and we will answer you to the best of our ability.
     God bless you, and again thank you for your prayers for our safety, wisdom, discernment, and just letting us know you are there behind us. It really makes a difference!!
      Irv, Mari, Leah and Jaxon Penner

Be a Light in the World

This is a picture of the neighborhood we are living in right now, and the candle given to us by our friends at Little Woody Baptist Church in Swan River, MB. It is a reminder that we have friends who are praying for us as we are here in Mexico and a reminder that we need to be a light wherever we are.
Today Irv and Ivan went into the men's prison in Ensenada, Irv preached with Ivan translating for him....and they brought homemade tamales for the prisoners Christmas dinner meal.
Thank you so much for praying for us as we strive to be a light in the world, your prayers do make a huge difference and we appreciate them so much! Thank you for teaming up with us in prayer!

Rosarito, Mexico our home right now...

  Not sure why the picture uploaded like this,
     it is fine on the computer....

Prison Ministry Update and Prayer Request

Well it looks like Wednesday December 21st will be the day I (Irv) will be going into the prison with Ivan, and Ivan is allowing me the opportunity to share God's Word with the men in prison. Please pray that God would grant me wisdom and discernment and that He would be preparing the hearts of both the inmates and myself to be obedient to Him. This is a gift of God to be allowed to go into the prison and share His Word. I would be lying if I said I am not at all nervous, but as the people of God pray together God can remove all fear and doubt and replace it with confidence in Him.

     I want to thank all of you that are on our prayer support team, this is where we team up as servants of God working to expand the kingdom of God. Your prayers for safety each and every day make a difference in my families well being here in Mexico, and I want to thank you for the time you take out of your day to remember us in prayer.

     Making a difference for God for His Glory as we team with you!!

DAY 2 NOVEMBER 29th

Hey there everyone:
     Drove in Montana, Utah, Idaho, Arizona and we are in Nevada now at Virgin River Casino and Hotel. Another 11 hour drive today, a little more tired today than yesterday after the drive. Looks like we will be in Mexico tomorrow sometime. 
    Thank you for all of your prayers, we have had great highways and beautiful weather for driving so far. Please pray for our safety as we drive and for another day of great weather for us.

Tomorrow we are off to Tijuana and Rosarito Mexico I just wanted to update 


you on some prayer requests we have for day 3.

1. For safe travel with good roads and good weather, that the wildlife would 


stay in the fields, ditches, mountains and off the highways.

2. For Mike and I as we drive, to make wise decisions on the crowded highways 


and in the busy cities.


3. For a good and easy crossing into Mexico, that we can get across without 


being pulled over.

Thanks again and God Bless!!

Irv
 

November 28th Day One Drive towards Mexico

Hello there everyone!!
     You know how when you are excited about something you can not sleep as you usually would. Well it was no different for me Sunday night, but not only was it myself that was going through this, my friend Mike who I am travelling with had the same kind of night.
     I was up at 4:00 A.M. and just could not get back to sleep so I just made sure that everything was packed up, and just sat around because I told Mike I would pick him up at 7:30 A.M. I left the house early, went and sat outside A&W in Martensville for 45 minutes until they opened and picked up a bacon and egger for Mike and I.
    I got to Langham where Mike was staying at 7:30 on the nose, when Mike got in the car he said that he was up at 4:00 A.M. and sent me a message on facebook that if I was up we could leave then. Go figure the one day I do not go on my computer when I am up we could have left 3 hours sooner....
    We had a great day one!! The weather was great, the roads were great, we made it to Butte, Montana a 11 hour drive. Your prayers have made a difference, please keep praying as we continue tomorrow morning.

     There were many opportunities to take pictures as we drove, above are just a few of them..
   
Tomorrow we are off to Mesquite, Nevada I just wanted to update you on some 


prayer requests we have for day 2.




1. For safe travel with good roads and good weather, that the wildlife would 

stay in the fields, ditches, mountains and off the highways.

2. For Mike and I to be alert as we drive, and that we will know when to call it a 

day.

3. Mountain driving tomorrow so for super great weather for travelling.

Thanks again and God Bless!!

Irv

Irvin is leaving for Mexico

The car is packed, and in the morning Mike and I head for Mexico. Day one from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada to Butte, Montana, United States. According to the Google Maps it is 1,071 Kilometers or 665 Miles which is according to Google Maps a 12 hour drive before food and bathroom stops.
       Thank-You for your prayers as we travel, and please remember to pray for Mari, Leah and Jaxon as they are in Canada until December 13th when they fly out to meet me in San Diego and bring them back to Mexico with me. Jaxon seems to be having the hardest time with everything so please add some extra time in prayer for him....I will update again soon...
         Irv

Warman Saskatchewan

     Hello there again, it has been a bit since my last post here. Here is the update thus far. We packed everything in a u-haul and set out to Warman, Sakatchewan on October 27th at 10:30 A.M. and arrived in Warman at 4:30 P.M.
     We have moved into Mari's mothers basement for the month of November. Myself and Mike McDonald will set out on our drive to Mexico on or around November 26th and arrive in Mexico December 3rd. Mike's family and my family will fly down at later dates.
     Mari and I would appreciate your prayers concerning safe travel, good health and the spiritual (prayer) and financial support we need to stay in Mexico once we are there.
     At this time neither Mari or myself are working as we prepare for the move to Mexico and we are open to going out to your homes, or out for coffee, or come into your churches to share more about what we will be doing in Mexico.
    It is getting closer and we are looking forward to what God is going to do as we team together with you as His hands, feet, eyes and ears in Mexico for His Kingdom.
    God Bless you all, and thank you for your loving prayers and financial support.
         Irvin, Mari, Leah and Jaxon Penner

As we Leave the Swan River Valley and Surrounding Area....

      First of all please allow me to say that we will be leaving the Swan River Valley around October 26th and if anyone would like to sit down and chat over coffee about what we will be doing or what our needs are, please feel free to call or send an e-mail to set up a time.
  It has been our pleasure to live in the Valley both in 1999 - 2002 when we pastored the Little Woody Baptist Church, and over the last 5 years since we have been back. Over the 8 years we have been able to get to know many families and so very many friendships have been developed. We are very grateful to the people of the Valley, first of all for accepting us when we first came here, and secondly for their continued friendship over the years we were gone and now as we have been back.
   There is a value that comes with the friendships we have made in the valley. I was able to cry with many of you as you mourned the loss of a loved one, when I was the chaplain at Paull Funeral Home. I have over the past 4 years been able to develop good relationships with many of your children right from the middle school into the high school where I am working now.
   You the people of the Valley have become like family to us, like any family some closer than others, but in the end family (people who care for one another) and as we prepare to leave for missions in Mexico I want to thank you for that acceptance. One great example is the Star and Times putting my family's heart and desires into a story for all to read. If there was not a care for my family, they could have just known we were leaving and said and done nothing. But that is not what good friends do, good friends help each other out, and that is what they did for us.
   Allowing the desires of our hearts to be made known to the public, allows the public to come along side us and team up with us through prayer support and financial support. We will be adding information as to how things are going in Mexico here on this blog.
   So for now it is good-bye to the Swan River Valley, thank you for what you have done for us in the past and what you will be doing in the future. Feel free to take a look at the information I have posted over the past few months. There is information about speaking engagements I have had, the loss of one of my best friends ever from the valley here, and also information on how to support us and become another team member that will help make a difference in the lives of the people of Mexico.  
    Thank-You and God bless you.
       Irvin, Mari, Leah and Jaxon Penner   

New information from YUGO Ministries

     Hello everyone, YUGO Ministries passed on some information to me today that I would like to share with you. There is another place that you might like better if you are desiring to support our family financially. I had never heard of this web site before, it is called canadahelps.org ( http://www.canadahelps.org/ ) if you so desire to use this new avenue I would like to share with you the directions.
1. Log on to http://www.canadahelps.org/
2. Click on donate now
3. fill out donation amount
4. You can make one tome donation or change to monthly by clicking on donation frequency
5. Click on Fund / Designation
6. From the Fund / Designation area scroll until you see Missionary Support, Irvin and Mari Penner
7. Finish as directed.
   

 I also updated our penner's parables e-mail earlier today before I obtained the above information from YUGO Ministries and thus the information is not in the prayer letter. Here is a copy of it just in case you do not get our e-mails.

 Hello everyone!!

     I first want to thank all of you for praying for us. God has been displaying answers to prayer over and over again. Here is what is new:

  

     It has always been my personal belief that for one to be a missionary they need to have no debt before they go onto the mission field. Therefore we have been praying about the debt we have in our house, car, and the 2 1/2 acres we purchased for our future before God called us to the mission field. Well within the past two weeks God has answered our prayers by finding people to purchase our house and the 2 1/2 acres and by doing so our debt is covered and we step out in faith that God will prepare the way by filling the needs we have in regards to our prayer team building and our financial support raising.

    For those of you that have already sent us a reply to last months update e-mail to confirm that you would like us to put your name on the list of people that will be praying for us so we can tape it to our wall in Mexico and be encouraged as we look at it, thank you. If you would like to have your name added to the list of people praying for us and thus become part of our prayer support team, please reply to this e-mail so we can add your name to the list.

    In regards to our financial support, we are also continuing to build our financial support team. As you might know already we are not able to go out into the mission field until we are almost at 100% of our needed support. To this day we are at approximately 1/5 of our support needed and that is due to the kindness of your hearts as you pray and listen to the leading of God in the matter of finances. God is so good to supply all of us with our needs, and beyond so we can take part in the furthering of His kingdom through obedience. Stepping out in faith is a blast, seeing God answer prayer after prayer while some people question us as to why we are going and some might question you as to why you are giving, but in our hearts we know that God has called us to be a team of prayer warriors and financial warriors for the furtherance of His kingdom.

   

    Stepping out in faith   

    While many missionaries continue to speak at churches, Bible study groups, and other avenues to get their word out about the mission they are planning to go into, there has been a door swing open for us to go to Mexico and get involved with the mission work we have such a passion for. The YUGO house "El Faro" is in need of house sitters from December 15th until the beginning of March. Mari, Leah, Jaxon and I are going to house sit and become involved in the lives of the Mexican people we so love and desire to see come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. We are asking that you pray for us as we minister in Mexico, and because we are not supported close to the 100% mark we would need to come home in March to continue raising our support. Please pray with us that as we minister in Mexico that God would raise the support needed to keep us in the mission field. 

Ways to pray

    There are a variety of ways we can bring our requests to God, personally as individuals, intercessory prayer praying for others, and prayers of thanksgiving are three of the ways that I can say God has directed and shown Himself to me and my family. We have prayed for God to direct us in the way we should go, for our house and 2 1/2 acres to sell and for our support to come in quickly. It is one thing to see God answer our prayers, but it is another thing to directly thank God for the answers He gives us, and not every prayer we pray will be answered the way we want or expect it. No matter what the answer is we need to be thankful to God for His direction, discernment, and confirmation either with a yes or no.

    I would like to encourage you to pray that God would speak to you within your heart in regards to supporting our family by becoming a member of our prayer support team or financial support team or in both. Also pray for others that God is challenging to become members of our prayer support team or our financial support team or a part of both. As you pray for others they will be praying for you also. Be sure to thank God for what He has done in Mexico already and for what He is going to do in the future through your prayers and financial support as He uses our family through you to further His kingdom.

   

   There are great things happening and it is exciting to see it first hand and to have the opportunity to be your eyes and ears in Mexico. In this way you can rejoice with us in the great times and cry with us in the hard times.

    Thank-You again for making the commitment to pray for yourself, for others, and for us giving God all the glory and thanksgiving.

              Jude 1:2 "Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you."

--
God Bless
Irv, Mari, Leah and Jaxon Penner

Great Joy followed by Great Sorrow

     Hello everyone, God has blessed us so very much over this past weekend in Youngstown Alberta. First we were able to stay in two different homes of great Christian families that displayed the love of Christ to our family. Sunday morning was a great time of praise and worship with the congregation of the  Youngstown Gospel Chapel, I was able to share God's Word and share our Purpose, Vision, Mission and Plan as we get ready to go to Mexico as missionaries.
     We were also able to attend the closing of week one (teen camp) at the camp that the Youngstown Gospel Chapel runs and supports. It was a blessing for our family to see such a great number of campers excited about God.
     We were able to acquire some more prayer support into our "Prayer Warrior Team" and as you and them pray please continue to pray for the safety as we travel, and for our financial support to come in quickly so we can be on the mission field sooner for the need is great and we are ready to go.
     I also have a prayer request for one of my best friends family. My friend Ken went to be with the Lord today, and I would ask that you pray for Ken's family. Please pray for each by name and that God would lift them up and give them strength and the peace that passes all understanding. Please pray for Kathleen (wife) Breanne (daughter) Nicholas and Brittany (son and daughter-in-law).
     May God bless you all as you pray for our friends and continue to pray for us as we prepare to go into Mexico as missionaries as your team members in the field. Looking forward to teaming and  doing the kingdom work with you.

     Irv, Mari, Leah and Jaxon Penner
 

FOUR DAYS TO GO!!

     Hello again, we are all preparing for our road trip that begins on Friday July 8th. I (Irv) am preparing the messages I will be sharing with the churches we will be speaking at, and making sure I have all the information down that I need to share what the Lord is leading us to do in missions as we prepare to raise our prayer (spiritual) and financial support.
     Mari is still doing childcare until Thursday and getting laundry done, taking care of Jaxon and Leah's needs for food and just life in general. Oh yes and making the list of what we will need to pack for a two week road trip (I help with that) and taking care of the house (Leah helps with that) and keeping everyone on task.
     Leah is excited about the second half of our road trip more than the first half of our road trip, because onb July 17th we drop Leah off in Regina Saskatchewan, so she can catch her flight to Orange County California, for a Youth Leadership Conference. Leah is also making her own what to pack to go to California list and I hope she does a good job of that....don't want to leave anything behind.
     I am also setting up people to house sit for us, mow our lawn, and take care of our pets. just figured I would put that in so I looked as busy as Mari.
     We look forward to seeing you and again if you are wanting to sit down with us at one of the locations we will be in give us a text on our cell phone........
   
      Youngstown Alberta, July 9-10, Saskatoon Saskatchewan, July 11-17, Carman Manitoba, Lowefarm Manitoba, Winkler Manitoba, and a trip to Winnipeg Manitoba, July 18-24. If you want to see us in and around these areas text us @ 204-281-3153 We only text with our cell phone. July 17 in Regina to put Leah on an air-plane to California for a Youth Leadership Conference.....  


God Bless and please keep us in your prayers.
   Irv, Mari, Leah and Jaxon Penner
 

Summer Plans

Hello there everyone, I would like to update you on our summer plans.
   We leave Swan River on July 8th on our way to Youngstown Alberta, we expect to arrive in Youngstown on Saturday July 9th and will be speaking in the Gospel Chapel, Sunday July 10th.
    We also expect to be in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan the night of the 10th and we will be sharing with some Bible study groups near Dalmeny Saskatchewan over a B.B.Q. supper on the 12th.
    Our family will be sharing in Martensville Baptist Church on Sunday July 17th in the morning service, just a side note, Mari and I were married in that church almost 22 years ago, and had been attending there until we moved to Swan River 5 years ago.
    On the 17th we also head to Regina to drop Leah off at the airport as she flies off to Orange County California for a six day youth leadership conference. Please pray for a safe trip and a great experience and a challenging experience for Leah as she is challenged in her spiritual life.
    Mari, Jaxon and I continue to Carman Manitoba from there as we have one speaking engagement in Lowe Farm on Sunday July 24th. We have many friends in the Carman area that we will be able to catch up with also.
    We are still looking for opportunities to share in and around Saskatoon with individual families or groups of people between July 13th and 16th, so if you are interested in having our family over to watch a short dvd and talk about where God is leading our family just leave a comment at the bottom of this "summer plans" update and we would be happy to come to your home or your group to chat.
   We expect to be back in Swan River on July 25th, and are looking to fill our Sundays throughout the summer with opportunities to share where God is leading us. If your church would like to have us share for a short time or take the entire Sunday morning service please contact us either through e-mail or by commenting here on our blog. 
       Irvin, Mari, Leah and Jaxon Penner

Our Prayer Letter

PENNER'S PARABLES

The Penners (Irv,Mari,Leah,Jaxon)

Box 2772 Swan River M.B.

Canada, R0L 1Z0

pennersparables@gmail.com

204-734-5745

You know that fear you get when you are about to step into a job interview, you drive up to the
place of business gleaming with confidence, you step out of your comfort zone, which for the time
being was your car and some of that confidence slips away. You begin to walk up to the door and as
you pull the door open there comes a slight shiver of fear that tingles in your spine. You enter and see
three other people sitting on the couch waiting for their name to be called, and you start to doubt if you
should have come in the first place. That confidence that you had in your car as you drove up has
turned into fear and doubt and you begin to question if you are even qualified for the job any longer.
You want to just turn around and walk away, but you can't because deep down inside you know you
were meant for this position. That is how I had been feeling about being accepted as a missionary, we
filled out all the paper work, had everything in order and then, fear set in, what if I am not good enough
and I fall flat on my face.
The concept of falling flat on my face is not the attitude that shows the faith I need as God leads and
provides our needs. God is always reliable, no matter the circumstance; all I need to do is open my eyes
to what God has done in our previous mission trips to Mexico.
Our first experience in missions was going to an orphanage in Mexico, and even before we left God
exemplified His compassion for the orphans through the heart of our daughter Leah, as she organized a
coffee and dessert evening where Leah and her friends used their musical gifts to play while others ate
dessert and had coffee, no admission was charged but a love offering was taken. That evening they
raised $1,000.00 for the orphanage.
There were groceries purchased, medications purchased, and when we went to drop off all the
supplies we were told that the orphanage had emptied their shelves and were praying that God would
provide for them. Through Leah obeying the leading of the Holy Spirit their needs were supplied for
another month. Even at this time our hearts were being prepared for a return to Mexico.
Last summer when we were in Mexico helping with the church plant, teaching ways of using our
friendships to evangelize in our everyday lives, and doing the evangelistic outreach, we knew that God
was calling us to Mexico.
Like the example I used in the beginning of this letter, fear and doubt set in, but all of our thoughts
were towards Mexico, and our hearts yearned for the people of Mexico. We knew we were meant for
this task, this ministry. We have been praying for confirmation of that as we had applied to become
missionaries with YUGO Missions.
I have worked in a high school over the past few years as an educational assistant, and my
supervisor had told me that my ministry was in the high school, and that I should stay and not go to
Mexico. I will admit I was confused for a time, I was getting opportunities to teach morals and ethics to
students and that felt good. But my heart was still in Mexico. One day I was so confused that while at
work I just cried out to God, “I am willing to give up on Mexico and stay in the high school if that is
what You want, please either close the door to Mexico and open the door for the high school so I can
see it clearly.” About seven minutes after I had called out to God I received a text message from Leah
to call Mari when I had a minute. It was lunch break so I picked up the phone and called Mari, and was
told that YUGO Missions called and said we had been accepted and we can move into the prayer and
financial support raising in our preparation for going to Mexico. I hung up the phone and said “thank
you God, I will go to Mexico in obedience to You, please find the people we need for our prayer
support and for our financial support.”
The door has swung open, We are now beginning the process of raising both spiritual (prayer
support) and financial support so we can move forward into the work we believe God is calling us to.
We have been learning about ourselves more and more over the past few years, and one thing we
have learnt is God's timing is everything.
We have been praying that God would direct you in the path you should take as you pray for His
guidance in deciding how to support us. I know that everyone can support us in prayer, and recognize
that our God is a wealthy God and could supply all our needs on His own, but God wants us to do the
work together, to be His hands and feet in the world as we minister together. So thank you in advance
for teaming with us in Mexico, your gifts of prayer and finances will make a difference in God's
kingdom!!
In Christ

Donations

Irv, Mari, Leah and Jaxon Penner

YUGO Ministries

PO BOX 231

St. Albert AB.

Canada T8N 1N3

yugoministries@cruzinternet.com

Our Pledge Card Information

YES! I want to partner with the Penner Family in the ministry God is calling them to.


I want to commit to the Penner’s prayer support team.
I would like to make a one-time gift of: $25 $50 $100 $__________
I want to commit to supporting the Penner Family with a monthly gift of: $__________
I would like my monthly gift to be deducted monthly from my bank account using monthly electronic funds transfers. (For this option, please attach a
voided cheque, and check below whether you would like these funds to be deducted on the 2nd or 17th of each month.)
I want my bank to pay to YUGO Ministries the amount shown above on either the
2nd
17th
This authorization is the same as if I had personally signed a cheque and will remain in effect until I notify YUGO ministries that I wish to change this
agreement.
Signed: __________________________________________________________
Name: ____________________________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________________
E-mail: ____________________________________________________________
YUGO Ministries
PO Box 231
St. Albert, AB
Canada T8N 1N3
YUGOMinistries@cruzinternet.com
In compliance with CRA regulations all gifts are received as unconditional donations to YUGO ministries.
They are under the ultimate control of YUGO’s Board of Directors, which establishes policies for their use.

Our Cover Letter from YUGO

From the office of the Executive Director
P.O.Box 58 • National City, CA 91951 • 619-336-9003
What an honor it is to introduce to you our newest short-term missionary appointees, Irvin and
Mari Penner. They have met the requirements as set down by the YUGO, Canada Board of
Directors for missionary service in Mexico. The Penners will play an important role in ministry
in the greater Tijuana & Ensenada Mexico. They will be serving underneath and alongside of
YUGO Missionaries Mike McDonald and Rod and Cheryl Hoople.
We are excited about the great possibilities for how their ministry will assist Mexicans in their
faith and life needs. They will do this by facilitating training of local leaders and enabling them
to serve their communities better. Serve with the YUGO Prison Ministry Team teaching and
preaching with the male inmates of the Ensenada Prison.
Be in prayer for them – that soon their total support goal can be reached, and that they soon will
be able to begin this new phase of their lives in missions ministry in Mexico. Please feel free to
contact me if you have any questions about Irvin & Mari or about our ministries throughout
Mexico.
Together In Christ With You!
Ray Schwartz
Interim Executive Director
YUGO Ministries, Inc.
ray@yugo.org

The beginning

Well we are planning to go to Youngstown Alberta for July 10th and be in the Saskatoon area from July 12th to 17th. Our desire is to find brothers and sisters in Christ that are willing to commit to praying for us as we prepare to go to Mexico and when we get there also. We are also looking for people who are willing to commit to supporting us financially as we raise support to live in Mexico and do the work God has called us to.