Hey there! My name is MaCayla Goins, and I am a full-time missionary with YWAM (Youth With A Mission) in Portland, Oregon!
Youth With A Mission (YWAM) is a global Christian organization dedicated to training and sending young people on mission to serve and share the message of Jesus Christ. Founded in 1960 by Loren Cunningham, YWAM operates in over 180 countries, with a diverse range of programs and ministries aimed at reaching communities through evangelism, discipleship, and humanitarian work.
Here at YWAM PDX, we are committed to engaging our city with a loving God and to seeing His Kingdom come in Portland "as it is in Heaven."
One way we plan to specifically engage with our city is through partnering with an organization called 24/7 Prayer to launch a prayer room in the heart of Portland. I am joining staff with YWAM PDX to help get this prayer room launched, partnering with local church bodies to engage, and reach the streets of Portland.
When I first enrolled in my Discipleship Training School (DTS) with YWAM Fire and Fragrance, I felt an immediate connection. Stepping onto the ground in January, I knew I was surrounded by people who shared the same passion my soul had been longing for. Since giving my life to Jesus in 2012 and beginning to evangelize in middle school, I’ve understood that following Christ is not a casual pursuit. There has always been a fire within me—a deep calling to seek and save the lost, as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:16-20.
After completing my Discipleship Training School, I felt called to go deeper into missions. I joined the Leadership Track in Potchefstroom, South Africa, to gain the tools I needed for what I believed God had planned. During this time, the Lord began to stir in me a heart for America, revealing that my mission was to my own Jerusalem—the Portland/Vancouver area (Acts 1:8). It might have seemed easier to go overseas, but God made it clear: He had been preparing me all along to return and serve my community. Who will step up to heal a broken city?
Would you consider partnering with me through prayer or financial support? I would be honored to have you join me as I step into what God is already doing here in Portland!
MaCayla