YWAM kicked off in 1960 after Loren Cunningham’s 1956 vision of waves of young people carrying the gospel to the nations. The first proper Asian footholds came in the late 60s and early 70s.
The earliest documented team hit the Philippines in December 1968 (Jim and Jan Rogers, Manila and Mindoro). Ross and Margaret Tooley followed in 1971 with the Asian Circle Team. The first permanent base opened in Baguio in 1972 (Kel and Mike Shelling) and became the site of Asia’s first Discipleship Training School. Ross Tooley served as national director from 1973 as the work spread across Luzon and Mindanao.