A Canada-focused ministry is looking to reach those who need to be seen, right in their own backyards.

"Mission Canada is an organization that seeks to operate in missions within our own country," explained Lance Neubauer. "There's a time when we go to do international missions and that's awesome, and we want to keep doing that, but at the same time, we realize that we live right here and that the mission field is where we are."

A campus worker with the organization, Neubauer says they're trying to make Canada the mission field by reaching areas that the church can't traditionally reach. For him, those areas are found on Winnipeg college and university campuses.

Neubauer works to help create Christian community on campus, transition students well, and encourage serving and volunteering. With four out of five young adults losing their faith after beginning their post-secondary studies, the program aims to support kids that have been involved with church and youth groups and assisting them in their transition to campus ministry.

The organization also works to reach youth who may be considered at-risk. Anna Morgante works with Mission Canada as a Next Generation children and youth worker. Dealing with both at-risk youth and their families, Morgante travels as a speaker to high schools and youth groups and is currently serving at Calvary Temple in Winnipeg.

"We provide food, recreational activities, discipleship, and support," said Morgante.

Passionate about helping the community, the youth worker says she's recently felt God speaking to her through Winnipeg's tough news. Both the city's meth crisis and the increase of gang recruitment among newcomer youth are problems that Morgante feels need to be addressed.

Rather than trying the same approaches repeatedly, Mission Canada seeks to engage people in ways churches have not in the past.

"We all know people that won't go to church," says Neubauer, "and it's kinda easy to look at the situation and just give up on it or continually invite them back to a situation that maybe they've already had a bad experience at."

The ministry encourages those with potential ministry opportunities on their hearts to reach out and work with them to reach the areas and people that may have otherwise fallen between the cracks and away from the reach of the church.

Neubauer did not grow up as a Christian. "I went to church a little bit and I actually thought it was crazy," the youth worker chuckled. He continued on with a secular lifestyle revolving around drugs and alcohol until he was shot in the back of the head at point-blank range when he was 19.

"The bullet went through the back of my head, and come out of my mouth, into my leg, and this is now the mouth I use to proclaim the gospel everywhere I go."

His story, he knows, is a powerful one. "Life gets difficult," he often tells the kids he works with, "but it's okay because there's a God that's with you every step of the way, and He loves you."

Morgante lived as a youth in the inner city while growing up, and says the youth group she once attended is now the youth group that she has the privilege of running.

"That mentorship I received as a hurting youth, I'm able to give back, that love and compassion that others provided for me when I was in despair," she shared. "Through my testimony, many can really see that there is a God that is loving and compassionate and that there's hope. I think our youth need to find their purpose and identity in Christ."

For Morgante and Neubauer, it's about building long-lasting relationships to speak into individual's lives and share the love and power of Christ personally to inspire change.

"The biggest testimony you give is a life well-lived in front of them," explained Neubauer. "They can't deny the power God had in that.

"A life well-lived is the best testimony we can give."