Congratulations to the iYPM High School Graduating Class of 2025!

Friday, July 4, 2025

Dear YPM Friends,

Sending warm greetings from Mexico on this 2025 Independence Day. May you celebrate with gratitude, joy, and hope for a future filled with freedom and justice. Today we are proud to celebrate the graduation ceremony of the first high school graduating class of iYPM. It was a beautiful day with graduation ceremony and dinner for the students and their parents, hosted by a local municipal official at a restaurant in Cancun. Please join us in celebrating and honoring both the hard work these students have already achieved and the future opportunities that they are now open to explore.

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 2025 to our Wonderful YPM Family and Supporters!

Thursday, February 27, 2025

The YPM USA and Mexico Board members met earlier this month for our annual onsite Board retreat in Leona Vicario. As usual, the best part was spending time with Wilian and Erly, as well as seeing all the progress being made on the YPM and IYPM campuses and the area communities.

Wilian's 2025 Christmas Letter

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Dear Friends, Board Members, and YPM US Churches-

In this expectant time of Advent, the spirit of Christmas begins to flood our days. We see it in faces full of happiness; we hear it in the melodies that adorn the air; and we perceive it in the multicolor lights that illuminate the streets and our homes. But above all, we contemplate a bright star, more resplendent than ever, reminding us with its glow of the eternal news:

Jesus is born. Our Savior has arrived and His good news brings great joy to the whole Earth.

August 2024 IYPM University Graduation

Monday, September 9, 2024

On behalf of the board of directors of IYPM University, please accept our thanks for the financial support to carry out this graduation ceremony, and for allowing us to give our graduates a dignified treatment. It was fantastic!

Plains and Peaks (Colorado) Mission Trip to YPM

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

June 4-11, 2024

The delegation from the Presbytery of Plains and Peaks consisted of 13 representatives from three different congregations. Westminster Presbyterian, Fort Collins, CO, were represented by Brad and Cindy Cassens and Jacquelyn and Calvin Bransen. First Presbyterian Church, Gordon, NE, were represented by Rev. Sue Spencer, Breanda Beliel, Anita Easton and Kayli Rose. United Presbyterian Church, Fort Morgan, CO, were represented by Bruce and Cathy Bosley, Jill and Daisy Longacre and Mike Gross.

2024 Board of Directors Retreat

Thursday, March 28, 2024

The YPM USA Board of Directors held their annual on-site board meeting in Leona Vicario earlier this year.  In attendance were Jim Witmer, Reverend Mark Hughey, Reverend Mike Gross, Kathy Markgraf, Cynthia Robinson and Leslie Barrett. As usual, Wilian and Erly were amazing hosts and we enjoyed our time at the base. The new kitchen chefs prepared delicious traditional Yucatecan dishes like Sopa de Lima, Chilaquiles as well as fresh bread and tortillas…we did not leave hungry! Over the course of 3 days, we met with the YPM Mexico Board of Directors, Wilian, Erly and Ricardo, as well as heard detailed presentations from YPM’s attorney Rene, accountant Clara, and Instituto YPM’s administrator and attorney Eva. The team from the water plant, Fabiola and David, also shared a presentation with us. 

Letter from Brody Kasprzak – Volunteer at YPM

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Hello my name is Brody and for the last two months of 2023, I had the opportunity to be a part of the organization, Yucatan Peninsula Mission (YPM). For the months of November and December I lived at the YPM base camp house in the town of Leona Vicario, Quintana Roo, with my host family and YPM directors, Wilian and Erly. During the two months at YPM, my primary vocations were teaching unofficial English classes, assisting in formal English classes at the YPM high school, and assisting at the YPM water plant. Secondarily, I delivered water and generally helped where and when I could. The following is a very condensed overview of my reasons for going to Leona Vicario, my favorite aspects of the journey, and then ending remarks.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year YPM Family!

Sunday, November 19, 2023

In this season of celebration and togetherness, I want to share reasons that we are thankful to God and to you for your trust in our cause. Your goodwill motivates and drives us to continue to work hard for the well-being of those we serve. This past August we graduated 37 students from YPM University and 4 from high school. These results are amazing! And thanks to YPM's educational projects, today, these young men and women will have a better opportunity for personal, family and community life.

2023 Year End Letter from YPM USA Board President

Sunday, November 19, 2023

Greetings from the YPM USA board president. This photo is one of my favorites from Northminster Presbyterian Church’s 2023 January mission trip.  Pastor Wilian and I were taking a "short" break from the work project. 2023 has been an eventful year for our YPM family: We hosted four week-long mission trips with three groups from Illinois and one group from Texas. The projects for all the groups took place at the Instituto YPM (IYPM) campus. The east wall enclosing the entire campus was completed along with the installation of a gate which will allow vehicles to park near the planned athletic facility.  Work also continued on the second classroom building erecting concrete columns on the second floor. Local artisans continued to work on the completing the first floor of the classrooms in second building. The work remaining for the second classroom building includes doors, flooring, electric service, and the restrooms. This work will be completed as funding is available. The primary project for 2024 will be working with the congregation in Kilometro Ochenta to build their permanent building. They have been meeting outdoors for several years.

Happy Summer Dear Friends and Family of YPM!

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

It’s been awhile since the last newsletter and we’ve got lots of news to share with you…

Mission Trip Groups to Leona Vicario Have Resumed!

With thanks to God, we have been blessed with some fantastic mission trip and construction groups this year and so much continues to be accomplished! If you haven’t been on a YPM trip in awhile, you won’t believe how much the Instituto campus is growing and what an amazing ministry is happening in this special part of the Yucatan. 

Northminster Presbyterian Church of Peoria, IL sent construction groups during 2 weeks in January, who worked on the perimeter wall around the university. This group had several sets of twins on the work crew - see if you can match up the siblings ;)