Ensenada Outreach Center - YUGO

Please read the following letter from Scott Wester, written to our summer teams regarding the flu concerns.

This year we've had to respond to concerns regarding economics, violence, and now the H1N1 (swine) flu.  It's a difficult time but we trust God will continue to work and move and provide opportunities to love and serve the forgotten people here in Mexico.

Read our latest letter from EOC Director, Scott Wester, regarding about safety in Mexico

In regard to the recent concerns about safety in Mexico, I wanted to share a few comments from some recent team's experiences.  Although each team has a unique experience serving in Mexico, one common experience shared by all teams over the 45+ years with YUGO is a wonderful experience with the people, culture & safe travels while in Mexico.

We are your host on the ground in Mexico, and if there is anything we can do to assist you in your preparations, or responding to concerns or questions you may be receiving, please don't hesitate to let us know.

We understand & believe that God is ultimately in control and has a purpose in our lives, but we also appreciate your position as a leader with many parents & families who want to know we are being responsible and proactive.  I can assure you that we are continuing to closely monitor the border area (which contrary to media reports has seen a dramatic drop off in crime for the 2009 year, 80% below 2008 level in Tijuana), as well as practice safe and responsible ministry outreach in the communities of Ensenada.  We continue to hold a weekly leadership briefing and review the situation and our operations.  We have done a risk assessment & communicate with other Baja area ministries in an effort to be responsible stewards in our service to the Lord's Kingdom.  We will continue to be proactive, and should the situation change, we will immediately communicate with you.

While this has been a tough year so far in cancelations, the teams that have come have experienced tremendous fruit.  (see the following testimonials from some March & April leaders)

"Our latest mission trip to the EOC proved to be as safe and enjoyable as all our previous missions.  Our group did not see or experience anything which made us feel uneasy.  We are currently planning our next youth mission to the EOC and just can't wait!"

Rich Gadreau

Adult & Youth Foreign Missions, St.Andrews United

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

“Making decisions regarding the safety and security of others, especially someone’s teenagers, needs to be a ministry priority and a matter of prayer and trust in the Lord. With the recent media reports in Canada, we ensured our team members and their parents were well informed, including a personal letter from YUGO director Scot Wester. In the end the decision lies with the participant and their family, but as team leaders we encouraged each of our other 22 team members to join us for an incredible spiritual adventure, trusting the Lord for his protection and provisions, which we had done so many times already during the months of  preparation as a team. We would often remind the team “This is missions, it’s not a holiday, its missions” in an effort to prepare their minds and hearts to serve. Our experience was no different than our trip in 2005 in regards to border crossing and security. We had security in the back of our mind at all times, as we did in 2005, and never had any reason to be fearful for our safety. It was a wonderful opportunity to grow in our faith and trust in the Lord. We are grateful to the YUGO staff for their ongoing ministry in Ensenada and look forward to working with them in the future.”

Les and Cheryl Priebe

Youth Pastors, Greenfield Baptist Church

Edmonton, AB, Canada

“Making a choice to carry on with our mission trip to Ensenada was undeniably the most difficult decision our team made throughout the process of this trip.  We did what we could to responsibly gather information, alleviate our concerns and fears and make an informed choice from this distance.  We researched the web for facts relating to the travel advisory, talked to Scott, our "eyes on the ground" at camp and prayed.  Ultimately, we chose to trust the God that was calling us.  We realized that there is a danger in all that we do, we recognized that Satan was trying to maximize on our fear and we determined that the risk was not greater than the calling. We carried on and saw nothing at any time that caused us concern.  We never felt in any danger and were so blessed throughout the trip.  The enemy did not gain ground but God won the victory as people gathered to pray for our team and we stepped out of the boat in faith and obedience. If you feel God is calling you then trust Him and GO.” 

Donna Redekop,

team leader, Unity Baptist Church  

Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. 

For further resources and responses to the concerns of violence in Mexico, click here

Im learning a bit about fullness these days. We have over 215 campers here this week, plus our staff and extra staff we've called in just for this week puts us at about 250 people on site! We have people sleeping in tight quarters, we have two dining halls, we have buses and vans, we have a full camp.

Amidst the busyness of a week of a week like this, amidst the running around, organizing, and answering questions...there's an excitement in having so many people here. full chapels. full worship. full community.

We are building 11 houses this week and 8 other ministries including a cement project, children's ministries, women's ministry, and clothing distribution. It's amazing how much work 215 people can do in only 4 days! Hundreds of lives are being touched this week... hundreds....

In these weeks of business I too am reminded in the need to be filled with his love, perseverance, patience, and Spirit. I need the fullness of God to be dwelling in me as I strive to serve and care for these teams and people. When i try to do it on my own strength, i run dry. i fall short. i mess up. and i don't see the fullness of God in what's happening around me. I end up missing those moments when a little bit of heaven crashes down to the earth. And i don't want to.

May you be filled with the fullness of God today...

First things first - apologies for being delinquent on keeping the blog updated. The last several weeks have been a smorgasbord of happenings... some small teams have been here, some planning and prepping for the spring and summer months, camp renovations, visioning, and lots of things to keep us busy! It's a neat season of working all together at the camp, as well as continuing to support and be involved with various ministries that are ongoing in the communities.

But its also wonderful to hear the courtyard filled with laughter and talking! We have 80 campers in this week, 4 teams from Canada & the US. Its fun having a fuller chapel and dining hall again - getting us moving and going again. And preparing us for our biggest week of the year next week with approximately 230 campers joining us - 11 houses and 8 other ministry sites. Phew! We are excited and ready (hopefully!) for this amazing spring season!

And we are grateful that despite recent cancellations of teams, God is still active and moving in this ministry. This is HIS ministry. We continue to pray, and ask that you join with us, to ask for HIS direction, wisdom, and potential in this changing world we live in. We are excited for new opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus to these forgotten people of Baja California Mexico.

eight months ago i packed up my bedroom and i moved down here to the Ensenada Outreach Center. When i left roseville, i was excited, nervous, anxious and overwhelmed at the thought of living down here for over a year. my heart beat sped up everytime my mind would wander to the smiling and greatful faces of the families i'd built for before. i remember as i sat on the plane from Sacramento to San Diego, i fought back tears of excitement. my heart just couldnt wait to see how God was going to use me to change the lives of so many poor mexican families. i was overjoyed to be able to be a part of the wonderful work being done down here everyday.
for the last few weeks i've been trying to write a blog to express everything God has taught me and shown me since i began this journey. however, i dont think that any amount of words, any number of sentences...no matter how big the paragraph...could accurately justify the amount of change and growth i've experienced in my heart. God has shown me what it means to have hope and faith. He taught me that i need to stop putting my faith and my hope in the people around me. i relied so much on the world to tell me what to do, when to do it and where to go that i stopped looking to God for answers. i had more faith and hope in the people in my life than i had in God. also, He has taught me not only how to have patience, but also what it means to have patience. with that patience he's shown and given me peace. God is huge. He knows what He's doing and He knows that i wont understand right away. but he promises that if i just keep my eyes on Him, everything will be just fine. so far, learning patience and peace has been one of the hardest things i've had to learn while being down here. slowly, but just like he promised, God has been showing me what he wants me to do with my future. for a while, i still had no idea what to do when this next August gets here. should i stay or should i go? as of right now, my future is still very undecided, but i'm begining to see a little bit more what God has planned for me. i feel my heart being tugged in a few different directions. all of which are equally as great as the others. i've really experienced this crazy mexican culture in many more ways than i ever could have expected. i've been going to a church down here called Cedes. its a spanish speaking church that is more directed towards the older youth of Ensenada. being there has taught me how to start having a real, one-on-one, relationship with God that is a lifestyle, instead of just looking at christianity as a "religion" that i follow.
so far this trip has been one of the most difficult and challenging times of my life. while at the same time it has been so wonderful and amazing. i wouldnt trade my time here for anything in the world. i came down here with a heart excited to serve the people around me. through serving them, they have taught me more than i could have ever imagined. i've grown in ways i didnt know that i could grow. i've never been so hungry to have a relationship with my savior. by watching these people live and worship i've seen things that will change my life forever. they have a genuine and unchangeable love for their savior, a love that i wish the world could see. a love, that in-turn, has taught me how to love them more and more.

sorry the blog is looking a bit strange these days. we ran into technological/photo copyright issues and have to work on some redesign of the blog. so until then, it looks a bit spacey and empty... our apologies!

soon hope to have it looking flashy and fun for you all again. just our hope to keep you all connected and partnered with the crew and ministry here at the EOC

Dios te bendiga!

Take a look at the perspective of a week in Ensenada from the perspective of 5 kids. The video was put together by a team from Canada who came down as families and adults to build two homes. The video was being shared with their churches children's program.
children... teaching children... teaching us...

Many people may think EOC is primarily a house building ministry. Granted, a lot of teams we work with do build houses for families in need but our hope and goal is far greater than shingles and drywall. Our desire is to bring people together, to build relationships, to love people. A house can't love - but the people who build it can... In all our projects and ministries we strive to see people sharing love and joy of Jesus, carrying one another's burdens, doing life together.

So the team here at EOC continually working on figuring out how to do this better. We are working on what it means to be one body... one community. Every Friday we take time as a full staff to be together and to work on this. Community building activities, communication exercises, and of course just having some fun together! 

Here is a little video of myself(britt) and my fellow intern steph having fun with a pile of 250 pillows. :) the simple joys of donations.

Check out the little article from a local newspaper about the ministry of EOC. We are excited about various connections and relationships building with the community, government, and social services. We desire to build a positive reputation in the community and city of Ensenada

Regarding the article, please note an incorrect figure. We are ambitious but aren't able to build 300 houses in a year. Last year are total count was at 102 for 2008.

http://www.elvigia.net/noticias/?seccion=generales&id=48531&como=palabras