YWAM Vancouver

REMEMBER // Today we pause to honour and remember the men and women who have served, and continue to serve Canada during times of war, conflict and peace.

MEET LANDON // Landon is from Killarney in Manitoba, Canada. He did his Discipleship Training School (DTS) with us in Vancouver 2016/2017 and then went to Thailand for his two month outreach mission trip. Landon staffed our first Snowboarders + Skiers Discipleship Training School (SDTS) in 2019. The year prior he did a scouting trip to Japan and then lead the 2019 SDTS team there on outreach. Landon says his favourite thing about missions is, "Being able to experience other... cultures and their churches." Landon is now a YWAM alumni, but he still lives in Vancouver so we are fortunate enough to have him in our community. See more

MEET MARK // Mark is originally from Detroit, Michigan. He did his Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Cambridge, Ontario in 1987. Mark went to Guatemala for his outreach and it changed his life! Engaging with people who lived in a garbage dump caused him to reflect on his own life and just how blessed he was. This motivated him into missions from that point on. - Mark stayed with YWAM from 1987-1991. He met his wife Karen on the Cambridge base and then moved back to De...troit to begin married life together. They re-entered life in YWAM as a family in 2004 where they joined the YWAM Vancouver staff team as DTS Directors. They left in 2009 to move to Thunder Bay, Ontario where Mark began an independent ministry in partnership with a local church of pastoring and chaplaincy. - Mark says, "My favourite thing about missions is engaging with those who have no faith in God and watching them discover for themselves how God can transform their lives. Working in Correctional Chaplaincy has been the kind of environment where you can encounter those who are in the basement of their lives come to terms with where life has them and provide opportunities for them to make different decisions for a better life." See more

WHY STUDY THE BIBLE? Our 2020 Chronological School of Biblical Studies (CSBS) is well and truly underway, despite all COVID-19 odds! Our CSBS staff Andrew, and other alumni answer why they chose to do a bible school. They share all the highs and lows of what motivated them when it was hard, and what they've done with their deeper understanding of scripture. Check out our latest blog! ywamvancouver.org/blog/2020/08/14/why-we-came-why-we-stayed

MEET RANDY & RITA // Between them, this power couple have been with YWAM for over 38 years. Randy is originally from Ottawa, Ontario and Rita is from Prince Edward Island. They both did their Discipleship Training Schools (DTS) in Cambridge, Ontario, Randy in 1984 and Rita in in 1982. Their outreaches were in Guatemala, Costa Rica and the USA. Randy started YWAM Vancouver 27 years ago and currently serves as our Training Director. He says, "Seeing and experiencing God throu...gh people from various nations and cultures around the world is what I love most about missions." Rita currently works for Project Funding Office which processes all donations for ministries of YWAM Canada. She says, "I love being part of an organization that includes people from so many nations with the common goal of introducing people to Jesus using a wide variety of ways to do that." We love this couple and their family!

THAILAND // We don't know when we'll be able to go back to this beautiful country, but we do know that we can continue to pray and love on them! We've been doing mission trips to Thailand for over 15 years and have developed strong relationships with communities there. Let's pray for Thailand and all God is doing there!

WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT // Today is the final day of our Justice Series. We've talked about our three justice values here at YWAM Vancouver; water, poverty and women. We've provided info about them, shared how to serve, as well as how to pray. Today we invite you to pray for women's empowerment. - As Christians, we believe that every human life has intrinsic value, since every human is made... in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). We believe that what God has made is very good (Genesis 1:31). Every human should be treated with dignity. But unfortunately this isn't the reality, particularly for girls and women. - Let's invite God into the below and pray against gender based violence, injustice and inequality. - Child marriage - Bride burnings - Domestic violence - Forced female genital mutilation - Human and sex trafficking - Pornography - Girls lack of education - Women deprived of women are often deprived of maternity leave, child care and safe travel to work. - Laws protecting girls aren't enforced - This list is unfortunately endless. There are so many layers and deeper issues rooted within these injustices. But let's learn from what we read about Jesus in the Bible who empowered women throughout his ministry. Join us in prayer today for women's empowerment! See more

WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT // Women and girls face many challenges in the world today, simply because of their gender. So our third and final value in our Justice Series is Women's Empowerment. - Here are some numbers: - Worldwide, more than half of the 140 million children not in school are girls.... - This year, 113 million teenage girls just in India alone will miss school because of their period. - Every year, 15 million girls are married off as child brides. - Right now, 603 million women live in countries where domestic violence is not a crime. - 80% of those trafficked are women and girls. - These are just a few of the injustices a girl born today might face. We haven’t even mentioned sexual assault, the wage gap, or how many injustices disproportionately affect women. - Women are made in the image of God and should not be treated as lesser humans because of their gender. As YWAM Vancouver, we are committed to fighting injustice against women through our actions, our training, and our prayers. - Take some time to learn about the many injustices women face so we can do our part in contributing to women's empowerment. Check out UN Women, Malala Fund, Tearfund Girl Up and Girl Effect See more

MEET GILLIAN // Gillian was born in Birmingham, UK and emigrated to Canada when she was 23. She did a Crossroads Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Kona, Hawaii in 2004. After this, Gillian then lived in Mongolia, Central Asia for 10 years until 2016. She now works with immigrant families of children with disabilities, and at risk inner city families in the education sphere of YWAM. Gillian says, "It is such a joy to be able to participate in God’s Kingdom work and to see His hope and restoration come to those who are without any hope."

MEET HANNAH // Hannah is from Franklin, Tennessee and lives in Delta, British Columbia with her husband, Jacob. She did her Discipleship Training School (DTS) with YWAM Pursuits (Matamata, New Zealand) in 2013, and continued on as staff for YWAM Zion (Paparoa, New Zealand) until 2015. Before completing her Foundations for Counselling Ministry in Lausanne in 2018, she worked as a conference coordinator for her church (Grace Centre) and in event/staff management with a loca...l music venue (The Franklin Theatre). Hannah is a passionate communicator who loves to connect with others on a deeper level, and is a vision-oriented worker who enjoys seeing administrative details come together to make the "big picture" work. When she's not working, she can be found cultivating her indoor garden, reading, painting, or discovering new coffee shops and getting outdoors with her hubby. Hannah is a Mission Builder with YWAM Vancouver and serves as an Administrative Assistant. See more

NEW WEBSITE // Gosh, where do we start. This has been a project our Comms team have been working on tirelessly in the background these last few months. It feels really good to finally say we are almost there folks - yipee! We are really excited for you to see the end product of all the hard work + a few blood, sweat & tears that has gone into re-building and designing our new website. Stay tuned for more updates on the launch date!

ALLEVIATING POVERTY // Last week we introduced our second Justice Value, Alleviating Poverty. Humans have basic needs and rights essential to survival but the resources to meet our needs are shared unequally. So what do we do about this? How do we help alleviate poverty and end this injustice? It's a good question and not easy to answer.... But there are things you can do and organizations you can support who are already doing great work in this area. We recommend serving with those who have long-term relationships with communities and have developed programs that provide the right help. It can be tempting to go off on our own, but sometimes best intentions don't always serve the person we are trying to help. Here are some ways to serve in alleviating poverty in Vancouver: - CityReach Care Society food bank programs Food For Families and Club Freedom. - Union Gospel Mission in its various programs for those experiencing homelessness, poverty, and addiction. - Whole Way House in its community-building programs for seniors and veterans in the Downtown Eastside. If you can't physically volunteer we suggest financially supporting an organisation in your local area that seeks to alleviate poverty!

NEW WEBSITE // We can't wait to show you guys It's coming soon, stay tuned!

ALLEVIATING POVERTY // Even though every human has the same basic needs and rights fundamental to survival such as food, water and shelter, many people go without while others are in excess. - This is not ok. -... Poverty is a complex issue with many causes, types, and kinds. But as Christians, we have a responsibility to not only serve and give our finances towards alleviating poverty, but also to pray. - God has a huge heart for people living in poverty. Scripture is full of God's anger at this man-made injustice and the call for His people to stand against it. Proverbs 31 says, Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. - Join us in praying for the physical, mental and spiritual poverty: - For all people to have access to the basic necessities of life: food, water, clothing, shelter and health care. - To lead a fulfilling and productive life. - That all children will receive basic education. - For safe working conditions and access to a living wage. - For complete healing of any addiction, mental health, or physical impairments. - For fair and just governments in every nation that protect the rights of their citizens. - Join us in prayer right now, and add this issue to your prayer list. If you want to learn more, shoot us a message for more resources. See more

MEET JANELLE // Janelle is originally from Quesnel, British Columbia. She did her Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Vancouver in 2012, and then her outreach in Thailand and Bali. She stayed on staff with Vancouver for the next six years and also did her School of Ministry and Leadership Development (SOMLD) and Chronological School of Biblical Studies (CSBS) with us too. Janelle staffed various DTS’s, taught a photography track, and also spent a lot of time in Thailan...d supporting the YWAM base there. Janelle says, "I looooved being in Thailand because I got to experience a new side of Gods heart for the nations there, something we don’t get to experience a lot of in Canada just because it’s different. It unveiled a new part of God for me that lives in that specific culture and I love that. And that happened with every new country or tribe that I got to immerse myself into." Janelle is now a YWAM alumni and is pursuing her passion in photography! See more

COVID-19 // Wondering how we are running schools right now during the pandemic? Check out our latest COVID-19 update with our guidelines for staff, students and volunteers. If you have any questions at all feel free to message us! ywamvancouver.org/covid-19/

HAPPY THANKSGIVING // Happy Thanksgiving, Canada. What are you thankful for?

ALLEVIATING POVERTY // Our second Justice Value is Alleviating Poverty. Humans have basic needs and rights essential to survival but the resources to meet our needs are shared unequally. We recognize that poverty is complex with no easy fix but we believe it is our responsibility as Christians to try. Our world is rife with poverty. All around us we see lack of access to water, prohibitively expensive and inaccessible healthcare, insufficient development and infrastructure, h...unger and starvation, and dehumanizing work for insufficient pay. As families struggle to make ends meet, relational and emotional needs are neglected, as basic survival is understandably prioritized. In Vancouver and in our international missions, we know people experiencing homelessness, extreme poverty, stuck in the cycle of drug addiction, abuse, and prostitution. This is not what God wants. At YWAM, we affirm the Christian Magna Carta, which describes the following basic rights as implicit in the gospel. Everyone on earth has the right to: - Hear and understand the gospel of Jesus Christ. - Have a Bible available in their own language. - Have a Christian fellowship available nearby, to be able to meet for fellowship regularly each week, and to have Biblical teaching and worship with others in the Body of Christ. - Have a Christian education available for their children. - Have the basic necessities of life: food, water, clothing, shelter and health care. - Lead a productive life of fulfilment spiritually, mentally, socially, emotionally, and physically. To learn more about poverty, check out Habitat for Humanity, UNESCO and United Nations

CSBS // Our Chronological School of Biblical Studies starts on Monday! Please be praying for our students as they will be arriving over the weekend. We can't wait to start studying the word together. The best is yet to come!

CLEAN WATER // We need water to survive. Of course we need water for drinking, but it is also vital for sanitation and hygiene. And yet today, 1 out of 10 people still do not have access to safe, clean, drinking water. So today we’re asking you to pray. Pray for access to clean water worldwide. Many injustices stem from people’s lack of access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene.... - Children are held back from school so they can collect water for their family every day, sometimes walking for hours. As girls and women are often the ones responsible for collecting water for their families, this widens the education gap and the employment gap between men and women. - Marginalised groups (like refugees, indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, and others) are often at a greater disadvantage (either because of systemic issues or intentional discrimination) as they try to access and manage the safe water they need. - Without improved sanitation, people have no choice but to use inadequate communal latrines or to practise open defecation. For women and girls, finding a place to go to the toilet outside, often having to wait until the cover of darkness, can leave them vulnerable to abuse and sexual assault. - Without improved sanitation, exposed fecal matter will be transferred back into people’s food and water resources, helping to spread serious diseases such as cholera. Join us in prayer right now, and add this issue to your prayer list. If you want to learn more, shoot us a message for more resources.

MEET JANELLE // Janelle is originally from Quesnel, British Columbia. She did her Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Vancouver in 2012, and then her outreach in Thailand and Bali. She stayed on staff with Vancouver for the next six years and also did her School of Ministry and Leadership Development (SOMLD) and Chronological School of Biblical Studies (CSBS) with us too. Janelle staffed various DTS’s, taught a photography track, and also spent a lot of time in Thailan...d supporting the YWAM base there. Janelle says, "I looooved being in Thailand because I got to experience a new side of Gods heart for the nations there, something we don’t get to experience a lot of in Canada just because it’s different. It unveiled a new part of God for me that lives in that specific culture and I love that. And that happened with every new country or tribe that I got to immerse myself into." Janelle is now a YWAM alumni and is pursuing her passion in photography! See more

STAFF RETREAT // Last week, all of us at YWAM Vancouver gathered together for a couple days of community and worship. These photos were taken at last years staff retreat, when we could be this close together to pose for a photo - strange times huh?! This year we gathered at a local church for just a couple hours each day, making sure we were appropriately physically distanced, wearing masks, sanitizing our hands and were outside for a portion of the day too! One of the highlights from the retreat was hearing stories of "our first love with Jesus". We reflected on our own testimony of when we first came to faith or just moments in our life where we've seen God's love for us in full force. What's your first love story with Jesus?

COMMISSION THE CITY // It’s so evident, now is a time for action. The Gospel must come in truth AND love, word AND action. We want to empower you to respond to the pain and brokenness we see in our nation right now. Introducing...Commission The City! This 4 week online school is designed to help you identify your mission field and meet real needs with the love of Jesus. We believe the everyday believer continues to be God’s solution to a broken world. . Find 2 or 3 friends a...nd sign up to take this course together. We must meet the pain of our nation with the radical love of Jesus. . James 1:27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. Commission Online is for anyone (DTS not required) who wants help to create a plan to impact their community. Sign up now, starting October 5th! See more

CLEAN WATER // Clean and safe water is one of our Justice Values here at YWAM Vancouver. As Christians, we have a responsibility not only to learn and understand, but also do and serve. Like we read in James 2:17, "Faith without works is dead." So today as we continue our Justice Series, we are talking about how you can serve and bring change to the injustice of inaccess to clean and safe water. Whether you have an afternoon in your week to volunteer, you want to host a time ...to share and discuss with others what you are learning, you are skilled in blogging or video to spread a message, or you have capacity to sponsor a community’s water sanitation repairs - all of these actions serve and support the justice issue of clean water. You can serve by volunteering, teaching, raising awareness, and giving. There are many organizations in Vancouver, Canada and internationally that need support in all of these areas. Check out Justice Water, UN-Water Unicef Water and One Day's Wages. What will you do today?

MEET GWEN // Gwen was born in Saskatchewan, Canada and grew up in Langley, Metro Vancouver. In 1971 she did her Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Lausanne, Switzerland - the third DTS ever - with her outreach in the middle eastern countries mentioned in the Bible. Gwen has been with YWAM for 40 years, since her summer of service in 1970! She says, "My favourite thing about missions is that it's what Jesus asked us to do and I love YWAM because I think it has made the biggest dent in reaching the unreached."

CSBS // Our Chronological School of Biblical Studies (CSBS) starts on Monday September 28! This will be the first school since COVID-19 so we are so excited for CSBS even if it looks a little different to normal. Please pray for our students as they prepare to come here from all over Canada, and for our staff too as they navigate running a school with new health and safety policies. Let the countdown begin! #17days