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 2022-2028
North America representative
Felix Perez Diener
USA
Europe representative
Saskia Horsch
Germany
Latin America representative
Valentina Kunze
Uruguay
Asia representative
Kkotip Bae
South Korea
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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Young adults learn to love God and others through cross-cultural service
Uganda — Among the many memories that Shammah Nakawesi of Uganda brings home from her one-year service assignment in Indonesia is her new understanding of loving God and others. “Even in the uncertainties of life, loving God and loving others is all that matters,” says Nakawesi, who served as an English teacher and community worker…
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My experience of culture shock from Indonesia to Colombia
My name is Rut Arsari Christy and I am from Indonesia. In my home country, I attend a Mennonite church called GITJ Kelet, part of the Mennonite World Conference member church Gereja Injili di Tanah Jawa. The influence of the Dutch’s culture and religion are quite strong, because Indonesia was colonized by the Dutch. There…
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Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace – Reflecting on Mennonite contributions to the Global Ecumenical Movement
Mobility and flexibility are necessary in today’s world for many young people: university in another city, intercultural encounters during travels, broadening one’s own horizons. And somewhere between all of this there is this “Mennoniteness” that shapes part of who you are. These experiences perfectly describe my reality. Coming from a small town, and an even…
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Young Anabaptists prepare for 2015 Global Youth Summit
Akron, Pennsylvania, USA – Preparations for the 2015 Global Youth Summit and transitions within the committee marked the annual meeting of the Young Anabaptists (YABs) Committee held here 23-28 May 2013. The committee welcomed Lani Prunés of the United States as the new North American representative, replacing Kristina Toews of Canada who is now serving…
