A recent phone call left one former Manitoban packing for a two-month mission trip in western Canada.

Born and raised in Killarney and now living in Vancouver, Landon Goerzen is getting ready to lead community outreach programs in Kelowna, B.C. and Fort McMurray, Alta. through YWAM (short for Youth with a Mission).

The five-month training program of YWAM’s Discipleship Training School includes three months of lectures and two months of community outreach through April and May 2021. The current facilitator for the outreach portion was unable to lead the team in the two months in Kelowna and Fort McMurray, so Goerzen was asked to help.

Goerzen has worked with YWAM in the past, travelling to Cambodia with a mission team in 2019.

YWAM is short-term Bible school in a way,” he explains. “For those who want to go either full-time into missions or don’t have the funds to go to a full-time Bible school, or who also want to explore and share the Gospel in other countries.”

It took thoughtful prayer and sincere conversation with his boss to take the time off and then to return to his job at the end of the two-month-long venture, but it all worked out.

“I just felt that this is where I needed to be,” Goerzen shares.

YWAM usually works with local churches to provide outreach to local communities. However, COVID has created its own challenges when relating with the homeless or young people struggling with addictions.

“With COVID, it's hard to have all those opportunities like we had in a normal year,” shares Goerzen.

“People are a little more hesitant to come up and talk to you.  Also, with COVID more people are turning to the soup kitchens and homeless shelters.  So, there is need for help and we’ll be able to find some opportunities out there.”

YWAM Vancouver will cover the costs of the mission, but Goerzen is needing to come up with the funds that are needed to replace the lack of a paycheck for two months.

Landon’s parents, Mark and Myrna, have come up with their own fundraising initiative making paska, with all money raised going to the young missionary.