This fall Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM) sent its first U.S.-based YES team in 10 years.

The team, made up of four young adults between the ages of 18 and 21, is partnering in mission with Wilkens Avenue Mennonite Church in inner city Baltimore.

“I’m really excited about this team serving in the U.S.,” said EMM Discipleship Coach Troy Landis. “This generation of young people has a call to serve locally even as they connect globally. Urban areas are appealing to them, and those are the areas on our radar for future YES team locations.”

After two weeks of training, the team began service in Baltimore at the end of September.

The team, made up of Esther Choi, Evan Courtney, Brianna Maust, and team leader Maria Nissley, is tutoring students and helping teachers at Mt. Clare Christian School three days a week and teaching English to immigrants at a local church building. Team members are also meeting neighbors, getting to know them, and praying with them.

Glenn Kauffman, bishop of the Baltimore-Washington District of Lancaster Mennonite Conference, contacted Landis about sending a YES team to Baltimore. Kauffman had extensive experience hosting YES teams in Hong Kong when he served as an EMM missionary there.

Landis and Kauffman met with district leaders to talk about bringing a YES team to the area, and together they decided that the Wilkens Avenue congregation would host the team.

“Glenn had a vision to push out in ministry into new areas of Baltimore and he saw how a YES team could be part of that,” said Landis. “Local churches get experience training to see an increase in mission vision among young adults in the district churches.”

“I really appreciate this partnership because it feeds into what’s already happening in Baltimore and local YES alumni are mentoring the team,” Landis continued. “This lines up with our vision for EMM and local churches working together to mobilize and equip young people for ministry.”

Lia Kauffman, who served on a YES team to Indonesia, and Nate Thorne, who served in Guinea-Bissau with YES, both in 2012-2013, are serving as mentors for the Baltimore YES team, organizing training sessions for the team every Thursday. Training sessions include one-on-one mentoring as well as teaching and training sessions led by outside speakers.

“This team is open to transformation in their own lives and to seeing it in the community,” said Lia Kauffman. “I do not feel qualified to lead, as I am either younger than or only a year and a half older than the participants. But God is super gracious, and He provides creativity and inspiration.”

“The gifts I offer and the gifts she offers are working together, creating a stronger mentorship for the team,” said Thorne. “Having the other’s perspective helps to give more wisdom and insight beyond what we would see with just our own eyes.”

Lia Kauffman and Thorne are excited about the potential that domestic YES teams have for speading the gospel in the U.S.

“Gospel seeds being planted in Baltimore and other cities must be nurtured and watered so that the fruit of transformation in people’s hearts and lives comes forth,” said Thorne. “YES teams sent within the U.S. can help to nurture and water seeds already planted, and also plant new ones.”

The last YES teams to serve in the U.S. served in Connecticut and Birmingham, Alabama, both in 2004.