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ABOUT US
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
YWAM Cross Wind is a missional family passionate about helping people experience the freedom, healing, and restoration that Jesus has for us. We equip disciples to walk in their true identity, using their unique gifts and passions to carry His light to their communities and the nations.
What is YWAM?
Youth With A Mission (YWAM) is a global movement of Christians from many cultures, age groups, and Christian traditions, dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world. Also known as YWAM (pronounced “WHY-wham”), we unite in a common purpose to know God and to make Him known.
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Back when we began in 1960, our main focus was to get youth involved in missions. Today, we still focus on youth, and we also involve people aged 9 to 90. We currently have tens of thousands of staff (called “YWAMers”) and we work in thousands of teams and locations.
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One of the joys of participating in YWAM is to work with people from many nations. YWAM’s staff come from nearly every country in the world, including places like Indonesia, Nepal, Mozambique, and Colombia.
Where Did YWAM Begin?
It all began with a vision. In June of 1956, Loren Cunningham (the founder of YWAM), spent a part of his summer break in Nassau, Bahamas touring with a singing group. One night after a busy day, Loren had an unusual experience. “I lay down on the bed,” he recalled, “doubled the pillow under my head and opened my Bible, routinely asking God to speak into my mind.
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What happened next was far from routine. Suddenly, I was looking up at a map of the world. Only the map was alive, moving! I sat up. I shook my head, rubbed my eyes. It was a mental movie. I could see all the continents. Waves were crashing onto the shores. Each went onto a continent, then receded, then came up further until it covered the continent completely.
I caught my breath. Then, as I watched, the scene changed. The waves became young people–kids my age and even younger–covering the continents. They were talking to people on the street corners and outside bars. They were going house to house. They were preaching.
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‘Was that really you, Lord?’ I wondered, still staring at the wall, amazed. Young people–kids really–going out as missionaries! What an idea! And I thought ‘Why did God give me this vision?’” ​
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In the summer of 1960, Loren graduated from college. With the vision still on his mind, Loren led a youth mission trip to Hawaii. While there, he developed more of the vision for a new organization. This ministry would send young people out after high school to gain a sense of purpose. It would welcome all Christians no matter what their denomination. He started that organization, Youth With A Mission, by the end of the year. Two years later, Loren married Darlene Scratch. Together, they are viewed as co-founders of YWAM today.
For more on the start of YWAM and Loren Cunningham, read his book: Is That Really You God?
YWAM Cross Wind is part of the wave
YWAM Cross Wind is part of that wave to bring healing and hope to the nations. Our ministry began by serving children at-risk, then grew to include single mothers, and now extends to everyone who is brokenhearted, in bondage, and grieving.
We are specifically called to the most vulnerable in every nation we touch.
We believe that it is essential to care for the trauma wounds of the heart in order to open the door for the light of the gospel. Through women's conferences inside a Ugandan prison, camp programs for street children in Guatemala's Zone 18, and our transformative horse therapy program for local foster children, we are actively witnessing God's love heal and transform lives. We are the hands reaching out with a next-wave approach, committed to seeing the whole person restored.