Christian Youth in Action is a life changing ministry of CEFOntario geared towards teenagers and young adults that begins with our Summer Training Institute. (Check out the summer ministry tab for more info on this exciting opportunity!)

Many of the CYIA who return from a summer of ministry with us come back with a vision and passion for children's ministry and often dive right into the children's ministry at their local church.

Beyond the summer we provide CYIA with opportunities to continue to be involved with kids through ministries such as Slingshot Saturday, Good News Clubs and Fair Ministry.

But just as much as we are about investing in kids, we also want to invest in the lives of the CYIA who serve with us. In the spring and summer we have a retreat designed specifically for them to encourage them and challenge them to continue in their service to God. It's also a great opportunity for them to reconnect with many of the new friends they met over the summer.

We also do our best to maintain contact with the CYIA through facebook, emails, newsletters and msn. We'll do whatever we can to keep them connected to each other, CEF, and most importantly, God.

We believe in the CYIA that serve with us and want to do our part in helping them fulfill the call God has on their lives. Why do CYIA? Because it's an opportunity to change and be changed.

So many people go overseas to do mission work, but why not start in your own backyard where there are over two million children in Ontario who need the gospel?

CEFOntario's summer missions program (Christian Youth in Action or CYIA) begins the Sunday after the school year has ended at our Summer Training Institute (STI) in Brantford, Ontario and is designed primarily for high school and University students who have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and want to reach boys and girls with the gospel.

At STI the students are surrounded by high calibre instructors and other like minded CYIA who are passionate about being used by God and reaching children with the gospel. The CYIA are taught how to prepare and teach Bible lessons, songs, games, memory verses and in relevant, fun ways for kids.

After the training they spend up to six weeks in a region of Ontario teaching boys and girls in a variety of 5-day club and Vacation Bible School settings. Roughly 50% of the kids who attend the clubs in the summer come from unchurched backgrounds.

Our summer ministry goes as far east as Ottawa; as far west as Windsor; as far north as Thunder Bay (though we'd be willing to go even further north if the opportunity came up); and as far south as downtown Toronto.

During their time in the field the CYIA will have a partner and stay with a different host family each week. Given all the travelling they'll be doing we make every effort to ensure that we have valid police checks on every hostess and driver that the CYIA meet. We also check in on them during the summer through visits and phone calls. And of course we make sure to have each CYIA's itinerary sent to their parents so parents will know where their child is at all times and how to contact them.

After a summer of ministry with us it's not uncommon to hear our CYIA say with a glow in their face, "God used me." or "Now I know how to share the gospel with my friends." Many of them return for a 2nd, 3rd and 4th summer with us.

At only $475 for an entire summer of ministry with the opportunity to raise money for a personal honorarium it's a opportunity you don't want to miss.

I had an awesome summer! I feel that God has really challenged me and helped me to grow this summer. This is certainly an experience that will stay with me. It's an awesome feeling to know that I can go out and reach out to these kids with God's message.
CYIA Kayla Shepherd

"I have never walked so closely with God or trusted Him so completely in my life! This summer has changed me in so many ways and I can't wait to see what God will do next in my life."
CYIA Rachel McGuire

"From the beginning I have felt incapable and insignificant for this task. Now I know the truth, I am incapable and insignificant but God can still use me. I feel like teaching/missions work is where I belong and I am totally coming back next year."
CYIA Luke Egli

God used me this summer to tell the kids about Christ and to be there for them when they were down and needed to be picked up. Just being there for the kids makes the biggest difference in the world. Every week of camp was a challenge, but every week almost every single kid gave their life to Christ and in one week every kid did give their life to Christ.
CYIA Michael Dyck