About Us

YWAM International:
Youth With a Mission International was founded in 1960 by Loren Cunningham with a vision to see waves of youth covering the nations proclaiming the gospel. YWAM now has more than 1400 locations in over 180 countries, with more than 16,000 staff. For more information visit the YWAM International website.

YWAM CLUJ – The Beginning:
After the fall of Communism in 1989, Romania was flooded with evangelism teams from all over the world and thousands of Romanians opened their hearts to the Lord. However, few missionaries stayed to disciple the new believers. After leading a short term missions team to Romania in 1992, Ove and Darlene Edskerud were challenged to come disciple Romanians to “arise and shine” for the glory of the Lord. In 1994, Darlene and Ove (as well as a team of 10 Americans), pioneered a permanent Youth With A Mission training center in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Since 1994, YWAM Cluj-Napoca Arise Romania! has been meeting the spiritual and humanitarian needs within Romania and across its borders.

Since it’s inception, YWAM Cluj has seen more than 650 people discipled!

YWAM Cluj’s vision is to train and equip Romanians, as well as other nations, to know God intimately and make Him known in Romania and around the world.

Leaders of YWAM Cluj - Alin and Gabi Ciorogar

YWAM CLUJ – The Tides Change
In 2002, Ove and Darlene Edskerud began to feel the Lord telling them it was time for Romanians to rise up and take charge of the ministry. In 2005, a leadership team of two Romanians and one American was established, ultimately the plan was that one of them would eventually take the lead. However, God had other plans and in 2007, the leadership team established Alin and Gabi Ciorgar as the first Romanian couple to lead the YWAM Cluj ministry.

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