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Waterloo, Ont.
Over 400 participate in YMI’s programs


Over 400 people participated in Youth Mission International’s programs in 1999. Over 75 MB churches across North America sent or hosted YMI participants. Currently, 45 YMI alumni are pastoring MB churches in North America and 12 YMI alumni are studying at MB Biblical Seminary.

SOAR

SOAR is designed for high school age students. In 1999, SOAR Northeast, Midwest, Pacific and Pan Am teams served in St. Catharines, Ont.; Montreal; Buffalo, N.Y.; Reynosa, Tijuana and central Baja, Mexico; central and southern California; and Winnipeg.

SOAR Pan Am, a one-time program, coincided with the Pan Am Games in Winnipeg in July and August. Teams of youth from several churches in the Winnipeg area provided cleaning and maintenance services at numerous Pan Am Games events, hosted children’s care sites throughout the city, did inner-city work at shelters and young offender facilities and partnered with other churches in doing outreach events within their communities.

ACTION

ACTION is designed for high school grads and college and career age people who desire a greater challenge in short-term missions. The winter program runs for three weeks in January, and the summer program for six weeks in July and August.

In 1999, the winter teams worked in Mexico, serving in MB churches and doing outreach with nationals in Leon, Guadalajara and Mexico City.

The summer teams taught English in China, helped in churches in Amman, Jordan, promoted new church plants in the US, served in Canada and ministered through drama, puppets and outreach in Russia.

TREK

TREK is a program designed for those considering a longer term of mission work, intense discipleship and a full-time commitment to missions or vocational ministry. This program has a two-month training period in B.C. and a six- to eight-month field assignment.

TREK, in its third year, has a mobilization team serving across North America and teams in Calgary, Mexico City, Paraguay and Colombia. Participants are from Canada and the US. International teams completed an additional two months of language study in Guatemala before serving in Latin America. TREK runs from September to May for North American teams and September to July for international teams.

New for 2000

In September 1999, YMI began the process of coming under the governance of MBMS International. SOAR Northwest (March 16-26) is YMI’s fifth regional SOAR program serving the Pacific northwest. Amy Klassen, a youth worker from Yarrow (B.C.) MB Church and a YMI alumnus, is the coordinator. SOAR Northwest anticipates 200-250 participants. Ministry assignments are located in the Vancouver area. May ACTION is YMI’s third ACTION program (May 8 – June 1). Jeanine Janzen Yoder, YMI alumnus and former Esengo Choir participant, is the coordinator. Assignments include Latin America, Asia and Europe. The summer ACTION program in 2000 has been pushed back to later in summer and shortened to six weeks instead of two months in order to accommodate high school graduates wanting to participate. ACTION assignments for 2000: Winter ACTION teams served in Mexico again this January in Leon and Mexico City and in disaster relief partnership with Mennonite Central Committee in Honduras. Current plans for Summer ACTION teams include the US, Canada, Kenya, the Middle East and Peru. TREK assignments for 2000-01 currently being considered include Peru, the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Africa.

 – YMI release

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Last modified May 4, 2000.

© 2000 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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