Viva Mexico!

Viva Mexico! by Sophia Yoon 

Upon arriving home from school one afternoon, Sophia presented to us her "masterpiece".









Then I wondered...

The Giver of Life.
The Author of Life.
The Sustainer of Life.
The Breathe of Life.
The Passion of Life.
is the very Life Himself.
and I prayed...
Life Himself would fill this base,
would fill Maneadero
would fill Baja California,
would fill Mexico,
with His beautiful presence and His very LIFE.

SI SENOR, VIVA MEXICO!

The YOONIES have started school!

Julia, Christine and Emily in their school uniform

Emily, Julia and Christine have started school!  They go to the public school here in Maneadero (a 5 minute walk :) ) Differences in language, culture, school system and teachers made it a little difficult to adjust.  On some mornings they have gone to school with tears in their eyes.  Those were the most difficult days... and with tears in my eyes, they went into their classrooms. 

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement! 

Your prayers have moved God to strengthen us and to move the hearts of the teachers.   He has provided them with friends, some who speak English. The teachers have also consulted with us and informed us not to worry because they will work with them to teach them the basics of Spanish. 

Phil and I were so pleased, thankful and grateful to God who moved the hearts of the teachers and to of course, the teachers themselves. We believe that just as Esther gained the favor of the eunuchs and King Xerxes, it was God who moved and still moves the heart of people. Praise God and thank you for your continued prayers. 

Sophia and Cristal

Sophia has also started kindergarten! One of the children of Maneadero (see picture below) who come often to our base, Cristal is one of her classmates and has now become her best friend.  At school, they are found holding hands and speaking in the language of "play". It won't be long before Sophia is speaking fluent Spanish.  Gloria Dios!  

Transitions...

Maneadero, Mexico (East View) 

As the Yoonclan arrives at our new home, the village of Maneadero welcomes us.  Each morning the rooster crows and the dogs bark but we also awake to the new mercies of our beautiful God.  The mercies of God who shine the sun on our faces, the breathe in our lungs, living in community with the staff here at the base and the joy of knowing that His grace sustains us and keeps us.

Clara and Muffin :) 

The Yoonclan is still transitioning to our new home here in Maneadero.  Life here is in some ways very different than in New Jersey.  Garbage is burned and not picked up, water (washing) is rationed and sometimes bought when the water tanks run low and not abundance at the switch of the faucet. Yet, in some ways, life is still the same... the yoonies always seem to find a way to smile, laugh and cry.  They fill the house with chaos like in Jersey and much joy :)

The Santiago family

Hanaim Church YG blessed us with their presence as they came to Maneadero.  Pastor Jennifer Kim led 15 youths and teachers as they ministered to the children of Maneadero and to the yoonclan.  One of their first mission was to help rebuild the roof of the Santiago family (see picture) A family of 4 lives in this 20 X10 ft house.  They desperately needed a new roof as their old plastic roof offered no insulation and leaked.  Shingles were bought by another team (thanks Toronto church!) and Phil led Hanaim (Henry, Keith and Joe) and Mr. Santiago solidify the roof foundation and placed a new roof onto their house.

A complete roof! (Phil, Timothy, Keith and Henry)

And as Hanaim left, they left with us tremendous encouragement. Thank you Hanaim for hearing His heart and answering His call.  Thank you for blessing the children of Maneadero and for blessing the Yoonclan. Your actions, your words and your heart planted eternal seeds of hope and love!

Summer VBS Graduation Celebration @ Maneadero 

On the road...

Beginning in New Jersey... 

3200 miles

15 fill ups

5 days

and so many, oh so many bathroom breaks... 

Arizona

These past days have been filled with awe and amazement at the Hands of an Almighty God who created and still creates such beauty.  On route 66, the yoonclan witnessed the most beautiful sunset.  Red, orange and yellow  swirled together perfectly on a canvas blue and white sky.  The scene took our breath away.  On the night rides as the yoonies nestled in slumber and as the darkness enveloped the night, gigantic, brightly lit crosses marked the highways.  


These crosses reminded us that our Lord “will go before us and the God of Israel will be our rear guard” (Isaiah 52:12b). Those 
magnificent crosses served as beacons of hope and light amidst the darkness of the night sky.  Jesus, the author of light and hope, allows us to become extensions to bring hope and light to a world filled with such brokenness and darkness.  What a honor and privilege be be such an extension. 

Jesus, thank you for going ahead of us and Father for being our rear guard. Thank you Holy Spirit for painting the skies and bringing us to be again in awe of the One who created and creates such beauty.  We also give thanks to you who have prayed with us, for us, encouraged us, and have been part of “sending” us to Mexico.  We ask for your continued prayers and support as we transition to our new home and begin our lives as missionaries. 

We love you and miss you. 

The YOONCLAN are on the road!

the YOONCLAN van

The YOONCLAN have started their road trip to Maneadero, Mexico.  With a very heavy heart we said goodbye to our dear family and friends.  Beloved friends and family, you have been our greatest supporters and we love you so much.  We praise and thank God for giving us such godly people to call family.    

Our route?  We will go through New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California and finally...MEXICO!

July 16: Mexico here we come!

Strong Foundation's Van (Phil's Van)

After packing, finalizing and then repacking, we will start our cross country road trip to MEXICO.

Last night, as Phil and I looked at the enormity of the logistics of moving a family of 7 to another country, we understood that every logistical detail was evidence of God's grace and providence. We sat there in just utter amazement to how God was moving and working in the yoonclan's lives.

This morning, a local junkyard picked up phil's temperamental van (+290,000 miles). Every time it rained, the van stopped working, which meant Phil could not work... and when it did not rain, the van ran smoothly :) Phil spent so much time on what "mood" the van was in and taking care of it (it only runs on super gas), that as the van was being lifted up on the hitch, he found a bit hard to say goodbye.  I believe I saw him tearing up.

Are we not like this van? Sometimes, we just don't feel like "running"?  We feel like crawling up in a ball of despair when it "rains" on our lives?  We travel on this highway, these local streets called life to reach a destiny; the destiny of "running the race and striving towards the prize"?

We, vans have an owner. His name is God. He always wonders what temperament we are in. We ride on the Christian highway paved with the blood of His Son and we are fueled by the "super" fuel of the Holy Spirit!

So, let's ride!

JAMA

What a blessing this conference was!  Gathered together were Christians from all over the world for one reason: to repent and to pray for the awakening of America.  We worshiped, prayed and then was convicted and challenged to live out our faith by action...

I was invited to speak on the topic of missions and as I stood on the podium and spoke about the heart of God about His great commission to us, His CHURCH.  We are to live out our faith with COMPASSION in His great COMMISSION locally, nationally and globally (Acts 1:8)  Each believer is therefore a missionary (sent to be witnesses of Jesus Christ) to our own backyards as well as to the ends of the earth.

God chooses to partner with us to spread His love and grace.
He chooses us to preach, to comfort, to deliver, to feed, to heal, to go into His world.

All he asks for is a willing heart.

Jesus choose me.
Jesus send me.

I will go.