YWAM San Diego/Baja Annual Report 2021

1

ont
ta bl e of
ope for the Nations
tarts right here, but it
oesn’t end here. Our
mpact ripplesout across
he globe. Hope for the
ations starts right here,
ut it doesn’t end here.
ur impact ripplesout
cross the globe. Hope
or the Nations starts
ight here, but it doesn’t
nd here. Our impact
ipplesout across the
2

ents
1 section
2
section
3
section
4
section
5
section
6
section
7
section
Introduction: Letter from Sean Lambert p.4
2022 Impact Stats p.8
Call the Nations p.10
Serve the Nations p.14
Transform the Nations p.18
Fruitfulness Report p.24
Get Involved p.26
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SECTION 1: INTRO
ope
atio
Hope for the
Nations starts
right here, but it doesn’t end here.
Our impact ripples out
across the globe.
4

for
In October 1991, in response to God’s call on our lives, my wife Janet
ns
and I and
our three children left YWAM Los Angeles and officially launched YWAM San
Diego/Baja. We started with a $1000 gift, a handful of staff and a vision to bring
hope to those in need. We could have never envisioned all that God has done and
is doing through our simple steps of obedience.
Most of you know us through Homes of Hope, but our vision has always been
much more than just one program. Our staff of 230+ faith filled missionaries live
here in the incredibly dynamic region of Baja California. With the world’s largest
land crossing border and more than 900 foreign factors, many come here seeking
hope and a better life. Our staff are passionate about community engagement
and walking with the families we serve and build for, even beyond the home. We
are also committed to training young people from around the world who want to
be equipped to serve.
Our passion to bring “Hope for the Nations” falls within three key expressions:
1. Ca l l the Na tions
2. Ser ve the Na tions
3. Tra nsform the Na tions
ts
Our first pillar, Call the Nations, captures our mission of calling and mobilization.
We call young people, families, churches, businesses and individuals here to Baja
to serve and bring hope. We also call them here to be trained and sent out so that
the impact can be multiplied in the nations.
Our second pillar is to Serve the Nations. Jesus calls us “to serve the least of
these” (Matthew 25) and says that when we serve the poor, the homeless, the
widows and the orphans, we’re serving Him. Our main expression of this service
is Homes of Hope, but we also serve thousands of people every week through
our many Communities of Hope initiatives.
Finally, our third pillar is Transform the Nations. Transformation is the result
of the first two pillars. When everything comes together, true transformation
occurs. When we serve people, and equip them for life, we will inevitably see
transformation.
When I first came to Mexico, I saw the poor. But through the years, God has
shown me the beauty, capacity and destiny of the Mexican people. There is a
great hope for the nation of Mexico. I used to see the poor, but now I see an
army. An army of people who will rise up to bring hope and transformation
everywhere they go.
Sean Lambert
Executive Director & President
YWAM San Diego / Baja
5

& transf
everyw
they go
an
of pe
bringing
I used to see the poor,
but now I see an army.
6

army
ople
hope
orma tion
here
.
7

2
SECTION 2: 2021 IMPACT REPORT
8

021
2,770 960 911
Homes
of Hope
Participants
Bibles
Distributed
Conference
Participants
423 163 34
UofN
Students
Online
Seminar
Participants
Mission
Adventure
Participants
9

SECTION 3: CALL THE NATIONS
all
the nati
10

Joseph was
lost.
As a young man, he had great passion- passion to see the Bible
distributed throughout his nation of India. As a child, he had
faced a devastating illness and upon his miraculous recovery, he
committed his life to serving God. He and a team of friends knew
the Bible would transform their society, and they did everything
they could to purchase and distribute Bibles to those who would
receive them, but with little training the dream soon fizzled out.
Joseph found himself alone in ministry and unsure how to move
forward.
Unwilling to give up- he began searching online for someone who
would train him to be effective in ministry. He soon discovered
YWAM’s University of the Nations and a program called the
Discipleship Training School or DTS. In 2009, he applied to our
DTS all the way here in Ensenada, Mexico. This school gave him
an overview of missions, with the theme of Knowing God and
Making Him Known. While in DTS he not only grew in his faith,
he grew in vision and leadership skills.
He was inspired by both the triumphs and failures of the YWAM
San Diego/Baja story. If they could get it wrong and try again,
so could he! Upon graduating, he returned home to India,
encouraged and ready to try again to reach the unreached of his
nation. Since his DTS in 2009, Joseph’s ministry has flourished.
He has baptized over 8000
people, with a network of
200 churches that he has
helped to pioneer.
He trains and mentors pastors at each church plant. He also
opened a children’s home that houses and educates 120 children
each year. Being connected to the YWAM family has opened new
doors for him. He hosts YWAM teams from around the world that
come to serve and has a sense that he’s not alone in his efforts
to see the lost reached.
ons.
Sometimes all a person really needs is a little training that ignites
a spark of hope! We are so thrilled to be a part of Joseph’s story.
He is only one of thousands we have trained over the years.
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SECTION 3: CALL THE NATIONS
In addition to the Discipleship Training School, we have many
secondary courses here at YWAM San Diego/Baja through
the University of the Nations. Courses such as Community
Development, Biblical Studies, and Worship. The University of
the Nations offers courses in 95 different languages, at over
600 locations around the world and on various topics such
as Community Development, Biblical Studies and Worship. In
2021, we saw some of the highest student numbers ever at
our campus. We were able to train 242 students between our
two campuses, as well as 163 participated with us remotely in
a Master’s level course in linguistics. In 2021, we also hosted
a University of the Nation’s graduation in which six of our
staff received their AA degrees and several from our campus
and from around the world were honored with their master’s
degree. More than ever in our day, we need affordable
Biblically based education and we are excited to be a part
of that. YWAM San Diego/Baja is committed to calling the
nations and training them in effective ministry skills that will
help them bring transformation to their communities.
students
trained on our
campuses in 2021
participants in
online Masters
level course
242
163
y
i
c
t
c
t
staff members
that received their
AA degrees
6
t
12

wam sdb
s
ommitted
o
alling &
raining
he
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SECTION 4: SERVE THE NATIONS
Montserrat always
dreamt big dreams.
Creativity was a value her family carried, even in the midst of poverty. She grew
up as one of the middle children amongst her 10 brothers and sisters. Her
parents worked hard to feed their family, and her mom’s creativity came out
when they had little to no food in their home. Fried onion tacos were among
the dishes her mom invented to feed their family of 13. During her teenage
years, Montserrat’s family moved to Tijuana, Mexico, in search of a better life.
The process took about a year as they couldn’t afford to move all 11 children
at once. The younger siblings were sent first while Montserrat and her older
siblings stayed in Leon, Guanajuato to work and help provide for the family.
Once they arrived in Tijuana, they were welcomed into a one room apartment
with two beds, a stove and a table. Montserrat remembers giggling with her
sister at night as they would draw their blankets over their heads to shield them
from the mice that threatened to run across their faces as they slept on the floor.
After a few years of arduous work, Montserrat’s dad saved enough to make a
down payment on a plot of land. They heard about Homes of Hope and applied
for a home. Now all they could do was wait. Montserrat’s dad had to make the
difficult decision for their family to leave the one room apartment. They packed
up their things and moved to their empty plot of land. Their plan was to create a
makeshift shelter until they could make a better home for their family. That very
week they got a call from Homes of Hope, they had been selected to receive
their home! The week of her 18th birthday, Montserrat and her family received
erv the
a Home of Hope,
and they knew God
had seen them.
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e
nations.
15

SECTION 4: SERVE THE NATIONS
god no
ees, but r
to o
needs &
God saw Montserrat’s
life dream as well
One year later, a follow-up team shared with Montserrat
about the missionary work that YWAM does, something she
had dreamt of doing since she was young! She received a
scholarship to be trained through YWAM’s University of the
Nations and for the last 15 years Montserrat has served with
YWAM San Diego/Baja as full-time staff. She now has a
family of her own, a husband and three beautiful children, but
Montserrat’s story doesn’t end there.
Not only did God see her family’s need, and her desire to
dreams
become a missionary; He also saw her love for acting and
storytelling! From a young age, Montserrat would write stories
and act them out with her friends and family. With the help of
10 brothers and sisters, she never had a shortage of actors to
choose from to help her bring these stories to life. This love
for acting was reignited in Montserrat’s heart as auditions
were posted for a part in the Go Movie project, a film retelling
YWAM’s global stories of transformation. This will be a fulllength
feature film, created in partnership with YWAMers from
around the globe. The Go Movie will encourage young people
to serve in missions. One of the roles to be filled was the role
of a mother of a Mexican family in need, a family that receives
a Home of Hope! After weeks of thinking up excuses for why
she shouldn’t audition for the part, one evening after her
whole family was asleep, she snuck down to her laundry room
and recorded her audition with her phone propped up on her
washing machine. She soon got the news, she had the part!
You can watch the trailer for the Go Movie at TheGoMovie.
org and see Montserrat in action! Drawing from real life
experience, Montserrat was able to bring her character to life
in a stunning performance. Her story is one that shows how
God not only sees, but responds to our needs and dreams,
and now her story is being shared all over the world. The little
girl that dreamt big is living out those dreams one by one!
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t only
esponds
ur
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tra
for
SECTION 5: TRANSFORM THE NATIONS
At just 10 years old,
Erandy’s dream is to be
a missionary.
Her heart is to travel the world and serve people, building homes for people
in need. Homes just like the one her family received last year from Homes of
Hope. While a home was a major part of her family’s transformation, it wasn’t the
beginning or even the end of their process with YWAM San Diego/Baja.
In 2018, Erandy moved to Tijuana from Mexico City with her parents, Ada and
Marcos. At that time, she didn’t dream of missions at all, she only hoped to
survive. Marcos worked as an Uber driver and Ada worked for a juice business.
They found an affordable place to rent in Zona Norte, the hub for prostitution
and the illegal drug trade in Tijuana. While cheap rent and opportunity draw
people there, many families do not have hope of escaping its reach.
After their family was settled, a neighbor invited Erandy to YWAM’s Hope Zone
program just down the street. Erandy came home excited, saying things like
“They told me about God. You’ll love it, mom. You can learn too! Come with me
next Tuesday.” After a few months of pleading, Ada finally joined her daughter
at Hope Zone.
18

ns
m
the nations.
19

SECTION 5: TRANSFORM THE NATIONS
hey have
gents
Ada smiles as she remembers “We felt so loved by the YWAMers there. We saw Hope
Zone as a refuge during dark days. They prayed for us and we experienced peace.”
Of the many lessons learned at Hope Zone, Ada says she learned how “God cares
about me. He hears my prayers and cares for me and my family.” Eventually, Erandy’s
dad, Marcos, also began attending Hope Zone weekly and connected with a small
group of fathers.
After the relationship developed, Ada was invited to work in the housekeeping
department of our San Antonio Del Mar campus. She shares, “I don’t want to leave
at the end of the day! God feels present to me here. I talk to Him daily, and I feel like
I am working alongside Him. I am blessed that God gave me the opportunity to work
here.” Eventually, Ada’s husband, Marcos, came to work on our campus as well in
the area of maintenance.
After experiencing YWAM through the Hope Zone ministry, and working on our San
Antonio campus, they learned about Homes of Hope, and in faith, they applied for a
home. When they found out that they had been selected, they saw how God had not
only heard, but responded to their prayer. “Now we have faith and believe that God
hears our prayers. It feels like God is living with us… He feels present in our home.”
In the fall of 2021, the day before the school year began, they got a call that Erandy
had been sponsored by a Homes of Hope team member for her school tuition at
YWAM’s Hope Academy! Hope Academy is a homeschool co-op run by our staff
and located on the San Antonio Del Mar campus. Erandy loves her new school and
is thankful she has new healthy friendships that are free from bullying. When asked
about her new school she said: “ I love that I can feel God’s presence as I sit at my
desk.”
Erandy and her family have now become agents of change in their own community.
Their mission as a family is to radically love those around them because, as Ada
puts it, “If God loves me, I need to love others too.” Their prayers have changed and
grown just as their faith has. They have new hopes for their future and we are excited
to see these hopes coming to fruition. Transformation happens when we invest
in people through serving and equipping them to love their neighbor. While we
don’t yet know the fullness of Erandy’s story, we know that every interaction we have
had with her family has been worth it, and that each one has brought them closer to
the transformation we long to see in them (and in each one of the families we serve).
o
20

ecome
f change in
21

SECTION 5: TRANSFORM THE NATIONS
Hope Zone Ensenada is a ministry in the heart of Maneadero, Ensenada. We minister
to children, teens and parents through education and in the last 12 years, God has
given us new ideas and strategies to reach out to our community.
Over the past two years, despite the pandemic, God was expanding and clarifying our
vision. We were led to turn an old school bus into a mobile learning center, where the
kids can bring homework and get help or just participate in age appropriate activities
for their continued learning. This was especially strategic during the pandemic, as
schools were closed and it allowed us to maintain a connection to our kids and their
families. The bus is multifunctional, as we are also using it as a skills training classroom
to train our moms in sewing.
We are overjoyed to see some of our long term participants shifting from being recipients
of the ministry to now serving in the ministry. Lupita is one of these. We met Lupita the
first day we began meeting with the kids in this community, over 12 years ago. She
has been part of the ministry since that day. Over the last few years, Lupita has taken
opportunities to teach the children’s bible classes, mentor some of our teens, as well
as helping us pioneer our sewing program with women in the community. She likes
spending time with the kids and knows first hand the impact the ministry will have on
them. Lupita shares that Hope Zone has helped her grow in her relationship with God,
allowing her stay close to God and make positive choices, as well as it has helped her
grow in confidence and leadership.
o
p
a
n
s
22

ur
articipants
re
ow
erving
23

fruit
ful
ness
SECTION 6: FRUITFULNESS REPORT
report
24

On behalf of the Board of Directors of YWAM San Diego/Baja, thank you for your support and interest in our ministry.
One of the most important lessons I learned over the course of my business career is the role that strong governance,
accountability, transparency and excellent financial stewardship play in achieving organizational outcomes. It is no
different in the nonprofit sector.
We are committed to the highest standards of governance and have a world class board of directors that oversee the
effectiveness and growth of the ministry. The YWAM San Diego/Baja board takes its obligation to be excellent financial
stewards of the resources that have been entrusted to us very seriously, and we are committed to financial transparency.
To that end, we have an independent audit committee and our financial statements are audited annually by CapinCrouse,
a nationally recognized CPA firm.
We have emerged from the global pandemic in a very strong financial position—a sizable cash reserve and no debt.
That financial strength has translated a rapid recovery of our operations. Today we have over 230 full-time staff and a
thriving group of ministries including Homes of Hope, and community follow up programs, Mission Adventures, and our
University of the Nations training courses. As we look to the future, we are listening closely to the word of the Lord so
that we can faithfully carry out His plan. We are deeply grateful to partners who provide the financial support to make all
this possible. Thank you!
MARK JACOBS—CHAIRMAN, YWAM SAN DIEGO/BAJA
Total Income: $9,418,022
Homes of Hope: $2,841,636
Mission Adventures: $64,095
University of the Nations: $759,815
General Contributions: $2,420,731
Staff Contributions: $2,527,283
Other Programs: $804,462
Total Expenses: $8,637,553
Designated Campus Development Expenses:
$1,670,111
Programs: Homes of Hope, Mission
Adventures, University of the Nations,
Conferences: $3,647,921
Staff Support: $2,527,283
Administration: $636,830
Fundraising: $155,408
25

SECTION 7: GET INVOVLED
get
invo
SPONSOR
A HOUSE
Four ways to
get invovled with
YWAM San Diego/Baja:
Bring a team and join us for a Homes
of Hope build. If you can’t bring a
team, sponsor a home that our staff
or another group will build for a
family who is waiting.
26

lved
ATTEND A
SCHOOL
JOIN
US
MAKE A
DONATION
The Discipleship Training School
(DTS) is the gateway program into
YWAM and additional courses with
the University of the Nations.
Come and join us as a short term
volunteer at one of our two campuses
in Baja, Mexico or learn about how to
become a full- time staff member.
Your ongoing support and contributions
are vital to the continued growth and
fruitfulness of the ministries of
YWAM San Diego/Baja.
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