Meet Hannah Yao, our new Director of Children’s Ministry

In October 2019, Council appointed a committee to develop a job description for a Children’s Ministry Director. A proposal for this part-time position was approved at the February 19, 2020 Congregational meeting. A second committee was appointed to advertise this position and interview applicants. Council approved the appointment of Hannah Yao, and asked her to begin her work here in September 2020.

Hannah, welcome to Ladner Christian Reformed Church! We are so glad that you will be our new Children’s Ministry Director.  Tell us about yourself. 

I was born in China, in the city of Bayan. I came to Canada with my husband in 1999.  

I earned my high school diploma from Jixi Secondary School in Heilongjiang Province in China. And then I studied two years of Foreign Trade English at Beijing Institute of Chemical and Engineering Management. I also attended Douglas College from 2000 to 2004 and Trinity Western University from 2015 to 2016.  

We are a family of five: my husband, our son and daughter, and my mother, who has been living with us since 2003. 

How did you become a Christian? 

I became a Christian at a three-day Gospel Camp (organized by the Vancouver Christian Assembly) in Chilliwack in May 2005. I was diagnosed with postpartum depression two months after my son was born. I was helpless and hopeless. I found Jesus at the camp and was saved spiritually. That September, I was baptized and experienced physical healing. I then started to tell my friends and families about the Lord and the miracle He performed on me. 

Tell us about your experience in children’s ministry.

Here is a brief history of my experience in children’s ministry: At Vancouver Christian Assembly, I began as a helper in 2008 for the children’s program. I then became a teacher and from 2011 to 2014, I was the children’s program coordinator. During that time, my role was mainly involved in programs for kids from birth to age 5. These programs included Friday Bible Study time, Saturday fellowship time, and Sunday worship time. Also, I directed the children’s program for our church’s annual three-day conferences.

From 2014 to 2019, I was a Sunday School teacher for children in grades 1 through 3 at South Surrey Christian Assembly.

What are your hopes and dreams as director of children’s ministry at Ladner Christian Reformed Church?

I hope the children at LCRC will learn more about God and become believers in Christ as early as possible and as soon as possible. 

Our Sunday School won’t be meeting in person for the next while. What are your plans for reaching out to the children?

I plan to phone each family with children at our church and set up meetings with them. I am eager to meet everyone! After I speak to all the parents, we will begin making plans for our kidsLife program.  

Nancy Yang was recently hired as our Associate Pastor of Chinese Ministry. How do you see your jobs intersecting?

The Chinese community in Ladner is growing. I can foresee a lot of Chinese kids coming to church once the Chinese Ministry begins. My goal is to help them to blend into kidsLIFE Sunday School smoothly and naturally.