We are all YABs, Young AnaBaptists!
This is to say that the term YABs refers to all young Anabaptists from MWC member churches. Though we have different faces, cultures, languages and ways of practicing our Anabaptist faith, all young people in the global Anabaptist family form part of YABs. What an extravagant gift.
Together we have much to share!
Just like the commissions and other groups of MWC, YABs also has a committee, the YABs Committee.
This committee represents all of us young people before the MWC General Council and works with the MWC Executive Committee.
The YABs committee is made up of a representative from each continent and a mentor. This committee changes every six years after the Global Youth Summit.
The YABs staff mentor for 2022-2028 is Ebenezer Mondez (Philippines).
The role of the continental representatives is to share the needs of young people in their continental regions with the YABs committee, and then to jointly discuss projects and themes related to young Anabaptists. The role of the mentor is to advise and monitor the work of the YABs committee.
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The YABs committee 2025-2028
North America representative
Liam Kachkar
Canada
Europe representative
Raphael Burkhalter
Switzerland
Latin America representative
Valentina Kunze
Uruguay
Asia representative
Blessing Joy Turqueza
Philippines
Africa representative
Isaac Nii Torgbor Gborbitey
Ghana
YABs staff mentor
Ebenezer Mondez
Philippines
History
The YABs network builds on the work of an earlier MWC youth committee called AMIGOS, which worked from 2004 to 2009 and planned a Global Youth Summit at the 2009 MWC Assembly in Paraguay. Based on this experience, a Youth Task Force was formed to develop a blueprint for the future. (See blueprint document.) The plan was formally adopted by the MWC Executive Committee in 2010 and the Youth Task Force was replaced by a Young Anabaptist (YABs) Committee with a representative from each of the five MWC continental regions.
This committee continues to work representing young people in MWC, facilitating connections and relationships among young people in the global church.
Learn more about YABs within the global church
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Building bridges across the global Mennonite body
Three new continental representatives have been appointed to the Young AnaBaptists (YABs) Committee. The five volunteer Committee members plus a staff mentor facilitate a network of global Anabaptist young people for empowerment, support and decision-making. The YABs Committee also presents to the Executive Committee and General Council about the concerns of young Anabaptists worldwide.
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Mentoring the next wave of global church leaders
From YABs to General Council: A path laid through mentorship “The strength of the young and the wisdom of the old, the Lord wants both,” said Timo Doetsch from Arbeitsgemeinschaft Mennonitischer Brüdergemeinden in Deutschland (AMBD) in Germany. He took to heart what church planter Lawrence Warkentin said to him many years ago – and so
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A lifestyle of giving takes many shapes and forms
Young adults are ambitious, capable, and more educated than the previous generations, according to a 2025 study by Randstad. However, the job market is becoming more competitive, and many are struggling to find employment. Yet giving is a part of life as Christians. Young Anabaptists agree that financial giving is important. They recognize their local
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Deep, spiritual transformation on YAMEN year
“I have always desired to see and understand the world beyond my immediate environment, to learn from diverse communities. When I learned about YAMEN’s vision for young people of global learning and service, I saw it as a platform that will expose, shape and equip me for the betterment of myself, the church and my community,” says Moses Johnson Jumbo. Moses Jumbo, a member from Mennonite Church, Inen district, Nigeria, served
