Why YWAM?

The last year of life has been a journey. I graduated from Tyndale University in May of 2023, and my plan was to find a job in a local church or a non-profit Christian ministry, and then to start my independent life out on my own. To my surprise, that was not what God had for me. Instead of jumping right into ministry, I sensed God calling me to step back from any form of leadership, and to go home to cultivate my relationship with Him, while working at a mundane retail job. What I initially thought would be a quick pit stop, turned into about a year of soul searching; as I wrestled with my place in the world, God’s purpose for my life, humbly serving Him and my church community in smaller ways, what it means to be “the church”, and what it actually means to call myself a disciple of Jesus.

Then in January I sensed the Lord leading me in a new direction. We had just finished the Christmas season at Lululemon, and it became very clear that I was not designed to keep working in retail. So I began to pray. Then in March of 2024, I received a vision. I saw myself climbing up a cliff, and upon reaching the top I saw Jesus calling me to jump off into the water below. So, I wrestled and prayed about what this might mean. At the same time, I was reading through the Gospels in my quiet time. God was beginning to challenge me to actually live out the calling of what it meant to be a disciple. Discipleship was not merely reading your Bible, doing a Bible study, and going to church. It was a lifestyle by which we apprentice under Jesus; and upon listening and reading John Mark Comer’s teaching, it started to become evident that this was the next step of what God was calling me into. I was to jump off the cliff into the water (the unknown), in full commitment and submission to His will and leading, as a fully surrendered disciple of Jesus.

At the same time, upon fasting, I randomly had the opportunity to work with YWAM worship team in late April. Upon talking to them, and just being around them, I sensed this might be something God might be calling me into. There was something different about the way they lived their lives. They had a complete trust and a total dependence on God to do everything in their ministry. They were simply just the hands and the feet for His work. This began to ignite a fire within me. Not even 2 weeks later, I met another gentlemen from a local worship and prayer night in Hamilton, who was also a YWAM worker. Again, it was evident that they were living their faith in a different way, and I wanted in. On top of this, my sister Brooklyn came home from a wedding in England raving about the faith of this girl she met who was from YWAM and was urging me to meet her to find out more.

Fast forward to the end of July, and me being me, I had procrastinated talking to Brooklyn’s friend in England, talking more in-depthly with the YWAM worker from Hamilton, I was still waiting to hear back about a local church job, and I was waiting to speak to a close mentor. Then within a matter of 24 hours, all 4 things occurred, and it became abundantly clear that I was called to give up everything and go to YWAM for training in London, England.

So, starting September 18th I will be serving with YWAM, as I will be joining a discipleship training school program in London, England. YWAM (Youth With A Mission) is a global Christian missions’ movement, filled with young people, driven by a passion to know God and make Him known. Their mission’s activity is expressed through Evangelism, Training, and Mercy. This all takes place through discipleship training schools (or a DTS), which are a six-month missions and discipleship course divided into two terms: lecture term and outreach term. During the first 3 months I will be stationed in London, England, where I will further my training, broaden my skill set, and discover more of who God is and how to be a part of His purpose throughout the nations. After finishing in London, I will continue as an overseas worker, as I will be deployed into the 10/40 window (North Africa, the Middle East, or East Asia) as frontier missions’ worker for the next 3 months. After the six months end, I am not 100% certain what God has for me next, but I sense it may be to continue with YWAM in more of a long-term capacity.

For me, my hope and my heart are to simply be where God is, to seek His face, and to walk with Him. To love the Lord with all my mind, heart, soul, and strength; and to love my neighbour as I love myself. To know Him in a deeper way, and to make Him known to all.

Unfortunately, this is not a cheap venture. I have sold my car and contributed my entire savings, which unfortunately will not be enough. The cost for training and outreach for the DTS program will be roughly $13,000 of which I will still need $6500. Would you be willing to partner with me financially, and more importantly in prayer? When you give a gift, you are not just giving, but you are partnering with the heart of God, by giving to His great commission. Truly without the generous partnership of you and others, I will not be able to continue my journey into the 10/40 window. So please pray as you consider partnering with me as I embark on a journey into the unknown of the water below, trying to follow God in the work He is doing in the nations. I know that not everyone who receives this letter will be able to help support, but all I ask is that you stick this letter on your refrigerator and pray for me as I jump into the unknown, seeking God and seeking to make Him known!

If you can give, you can donate at https://my.charitableimpact.com/groups/cameron-lofthouse-lc18. You can also follow my adventure by following me on Instagram (@cam.lofthouse) and/or by continuing to follow along here.