Our Story
Where we began
Abrie joined Youth With A Mission in January 2021. At first, he imagined the experience as something like a gap year—a chance to grow, gain practical experience, and discover where God might lead him. As he served, God gave him a growing heart for young people and for helping people move from wanting to make a difference into practical action.
Lydia joined YWAM independently in January 2022. Her journey led her into direct ministry with young people and into environments where relationships, encouragement, faith, and practical challenges could help someone grow.
We were serving in the same wider mission, but our stories were still unfolding separately.
Together
Although we had both been serving with YWAM, we did not connect personally until 2023. As we got to know one another, we began to recognise how naturally our individual callings worked together.
Abrie was drawn to building ministries, teams, and pathways that help people move forward. Lydia was drawn to walking closely with young people as they develop faith, courage, resilience, and leadership. One calling focused on creating the pathway; the other focused on journeying with the person walking through it.
We married in 2025 and began building a shared life around this vision.
We believe young people are not simply the leaders of tomorrow. They can know God, serve others, and bring meaningful change today.
What we see
Many young people are wrestling with anxiety, fear, loneliness, uncertainty about who they are, and a lack of direction. But that is not the whole story.
We also see creativity, compassion, leadership, spiritual hunger, and a genuine desire to contribute. Young people often need more than inspiration: they need a trusted community, practical tools, mentorship, and an opportunity to put action behind what they believe.
Experience genuine community and healthy relationships.
Know God, grow in faith, and find confidence in who they are.
Develop courage, resilience, leadership, and practical skills.
Love and serve people in Townsville and across the nations.
What we do
Abrie serves in mobilisation and recruitment leadership with YWAM Medical Ships. He guides enquiries, strengthens communication and onboarding, and connects people with training and places to serve in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and beyond.
For Abrie, mobilisation is about helping people recognise what God may be calling them to do and removing practical barriers that keep them from taking action.
Lydia serves directly through the youth team, including Alive, the weekly youth group, youth camps, high ropes, and adventure-based learning.
These environments help young people build trust, practise leadership, respond to fear in healthy ways, grow in resilience, encounter God, and discover what they are capable of.
The pipeline
We meet many young people through everyday interactions, then invite them into regular events, camps, and missions—helping them grow into radical Christ followers.
A real pathway
One young man first connected with the youth ministry because of an invitation delivered during a letterbox drop. He joined the weekly youth group and began building relationships with the team.
Before becoming involved, he had never heard about Jesus or the Bible. He later attended a youth camp, learned how to read the Bible, heard the gospel, and chose to give his life to Jesus. His family became increasingly interested in church, and his mother later asked about the family being baptised.
The story did not end with one camp. The team continues to journey with him through relationship, discipleship, growth, and opportunities to become active in his faith.
Starting locally
Our vision begins in Townsville because meaningful change has to begin somewhere real—with a neighbourhood, a team, a weekly gathering, and an individual young person walking through the door.
Serving with YWAM Medical Ships also connects our local work to a much wider story in Papua New Guinea and beyond. We see a natural connection between investing in young people here and helping people serve elsewhere.
Looking ahead
Our long-term vision is to see young people find belonging, grow in faith, develop as leaders, receive training, serve practically, and flourish in whatever God calls them to do.
One current gap is between youth ministry and adult missions training. In time, we would love to help develop safe, age-appropriate international opportunities for teenagers to serve cross-culturally, practise compassion, and explore how their gifts can meet real needs.
Come along the journey
Whether you pray, give, serve, encourage, or simply stay connected, we would love for you to be part of the journey with us.
With love, Abrie & Lydia