Not only a fun loving father of his three own children (two being teenage daughters), Atanai is “dad,” friend, and pastor to over 20+ youth at IYI’s Renovar Youth Ministry in Tijauna Mexico.

Meeting Sunday evenings and with midweek events and outreaches, Renovar (which is Spanish for “to be revitalized, to renew, to renovate”) was launched in June 2008 and serves as a model youth ministry to area youth workers. Youth workers and pastors from around Tijuana have been coming to Renovar to learn about youth ministry and how they can contextualize the concepts in their own youth ministries and churches. Renovar is serving as a hub for youth leadership development as leaders take what they learn to churches in the region. IYI is excited to continue to empower Atanai in his leadership of this youth ministry movement.