In particular, we feel that God’s call on our community is to focus our resources in the direction of the Shan people. In the winter of 1985, God led a group of individuals to purchase and move into the location now known as YWAM Sheep River. Originally, they lost the bid for the old hospital property, but God saw to it that the property would come back to YWAM for the purpose of Christian mission
s. Not long after all the pipes in the main building froze. Three thousand feet of piping was pulled out of the building and God provided massively for the bill, which at the current market value, equaled the original cost of the entire property. Through much more renovation the building finally came up to a level comfortable enough to make it livable. This was to be the seed of many years of outreaches and transformed lives. Initially missions teams were sent to Mexico. On the home front, a few training schools such as School of Evangelism and Discipleship Training School were offered. Gradually, the ministry would target the Carib people of Dominica and then Kel Hoggar of North Africa. Since 1998, YWAM Sheep River has been reaching out to the Shan people of Southeast Asia. Not long ago, people from YWAM SR planted a Bible Study and community development program amongst the Shan people of southeast Asia. We feel this is only the beginning of a new chapter of missions history for YWAM Sheep River. To encourage young people to consider offering their lives to reach out to the Shan is our way of offering what we have before Jesus. We are excited to meet the challenge of missions to the Unreached abroad as the Holy Spirit leads us. Much like the rest of YWAM, our community of friends is always changing. Our building and property is always changing. Even our location’s mission statement over the years has been in flux. But what remains the same is, YWAM Sheep River is called to the Unreached. We exist to know HIM and make HIM known and to serve Jesus in missions.
