Went to a lovely children's Christmas concert there but who *are* Youth With A Mission, exactly?

[edam]

A woman I know told me about this Christmas Teddy Bear's Concert that sounded fun, up at the Youth With A Mission HQ. Well, it was fantastic. Excellent chamber orchestra, whole thing geared around small children, even invited one of them up to conduct. A lovely afternoon. But I'm curious about these missionaries - does anyone know anything about them? I didn't realise their HQ was even here - a whole estate, lovely grounds, looks like a planned community - Bourneville or Port Sunlight. Lots of Edwardian houses around a green plus a chapel.

They weren't obviously recruiting or anything, just put on a lovely show. They did show a film about their work with kids orphaned by AIDS in Uganda (very touching - they fund retrovirals, schools and help the kids find new families rather than keeping them in orphanages). But I'd like to know more about the organisation and how they came to have this gorgeous estate in Herts.

bump because I know the religious MNers are out there, somewhere!

YWAM

This should tell you a bit more (it's my first attempt at linking, hope it works!) They are highly respected from all I've heard.

as far as I know - they are young people who go out to other countries and within their own to minister to young people. We have had a number from the UK, US and other places come to our church here in Aus to work with the young people. Also attend our church as their 'centre' is just up the road.

My sister works at the pre-school which is part of the Oval. It's lovely up there. YWAM is an evangelical christian international organisation which mainly specialises in short-term projects for young people (giving them the opportunity go and work for a church in Kenya for a couple of months for example). They are usually very keen christians but the ones I've met are lovely and genuinely interested in people rather than being pushy or off-putting.

If you get invited to anything the pre-school (Highfield I think it's called) do go because it's a lovely little place and the staff are wonderful. (Well i would say that it's my sis!)

I was involved with a group about 20 years ago and they were pretty hardcore, quite obsessed by people being possessed by the devil etc. - but there were also a lot more moderate groups within the YWAM umbrella. It seemed quite diverse and I expect it still is.