"YWAM Vancouver template"

Hey! I'm Tim from Owen Sound, Ontario. I'm 19 and I've been a Christian for about six years. I've been helping out with the youth group and Jr. High ministry at my home church for the past couple of years and I've been involved in the worship band since age 14.

I loved the sound of committing to 5 months of getting to know God and having an adventure, so I decided to leave home and learn some things. I really wanted to be in a city and experience urban life, so I chose Vancouver.

My entire experience has changed me in some way. I love working with the homeless in our local outreaches...it has really opened my eyes to the needs of the city. During my time here, I can't help but see God's heart for Vancouver and it has become my heart.

G'day. My name is Sarah and I'm from Melbourne, Australia. I'm 21 years old and I've been a Christian for about 11 years. At my home church I am part of the worship band, I participate in dramas for church services and I'm a youth leader.

I've wanted to come to Canada all of my life and was planning on coming to visit, but I wanted to do something exciting and different than what I do at home, so I decided to apply to the DTS. I was looking for something apart from the norm...something that would stretch me and develop the gifts that God has blessed me with. Basically I wanted Jesus to "shake me inside and out" and I wanted to rediscover Jesus and allow Him to take over EVERYTHING. And this DTS has done that for me!

It was amazing to experience people really being open to God and to have God speak intimately to me. Certainly the experience that has changed me the most is the "road trip" (15 hour days driving across Canada). That was something significant but more so the personal and specific way that He has spoken, restored and inspired the deepest parts of me during that time was the most important thing!

Eunie Kim, Dagenu, South Korea: When I decided to go Canada, my goal was studying English, not DTS. I met a Korean minister in a church who encouraged me to do a DTS. At that time I wasn't sure if it was God's plan because of the expense. While I was praying about this, God gave me peace.  Once I completed my DTS I knew that it was part of God's plans for me. Thank God!  I learned more about God during DTS and really developed my personal relationship with Him.
Before DTS I didn't realize that God could speak to me by giving me pictures. It was awesome to see how God visualized his plan while his people were praying in unity.  DTS allowed me to live with others with different cultural backgrounds. We had to understand each other's differences, learn to share and sometimes even sacrifice ourselves.  I learned about building a relationship with God and people as well.  I can confirm that God uses His people to build His Kingdom and I that I can be used by God too. I strongly recommend DTS to all who want to experience God in person.

Hi. My name is Jacqui. I'm 23 years old and I'm from Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. I committed my life to Jesus at about age 13 and I've been walking with Him ever since. I interned with my church youth group before university and participated in a home group during my university years, but I really wanted to round out my faith with hands-on experience, which is why I chose to do a DTS.

I was taking a trip and when my plane flew over Vancouver, I really felt God tugging at my heart and I knew I needed to come here. DTS is so much more than I expected. I saw DTS as a hoop I needed to jump through to get to the next stage in missions, but it has done so much more and has opened me up to refining myself and my walk with God.

No matter how good or gifted you think you are, you need to take a step back (like a 5 month hiatus) to see where you need to grow. I did and I'm so glad that God put me in this place at this time.