Rebuilding Haiti on God’s love and truth

A Haitian, German, Canadian, Korean, American, and Indian are sitting around a table. It sounds like a beginning to a bad joke, but sharing a meal with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ from all over the world is an everyday thing at YWAM (Youth with a Mission). By everyday I don’t mean it is like brushing your teeth everyday; rather, I mean it is more special, like seeing the sunset everyday.

As I was chewing on the salad that was overstepping its boundaries of my plate, listening to Jude, the Haitian, talk about the vision God placed in his heart, I felt an enormous pull towards this man’s story and call to rebuild Haiti with the foundation of God's love and truth. 

Hearing this young man speak with such warmth and joy, it’s hard to believe that Jude grew up as a slave. As the second youngest of nine children, Jude's family sold him because they were too poor to keep and raise him. Jude was sold to his uncle and spent most of his childhood hauling buckets of water. Managing to buy his way out of slavery, Jude helped other children to do the same. To this day, Jude’s heart is still with the children and like a pied piper he brings the children into God’s love with music and laughter.

Growing up, Jude's heart was hardened towards the gospel, thinking that the gospel was not for him. Like a lot of young men he competed with his friends, vying each other to see who could sleep with the most girls. There was a void in his heart. When he was twenty, Jude was invited by his friend, Peterson to church. Jude started to regularly attend Sunday worship/ Week after week Jude saw how kindly the people in church treated one another and how joyful their worship was. Over time Jude decided to want to devote his life to Christ and eventually Jude became a worship leader and a pastor for children and youth.

About three years ago, God provided the money to allow Jude to complete a Discipleship Training School here in Kona, Hawaii. God placed it in his heart to pioneer a YWAM base in Haiti. As the plans began to develop, the 2010 Haiti earthquake happened. Despite all the chaos, Jude and his friend Peterson forged ahead, receiving the word from God to rebuild Haiti on the foundation of God’s love and truth.

Since the earthquake, Jude has seen people from Haiti turn away from the gods of voodoo to the love of Christ. Even the president, who in years past would always publicly proclaim his support for voodoo, has now (although unlikely an believer himself) sided with the body of Christ because he sees the power and influence a revived church can have.

They are now seeking volunteers to come and help rebuild Port au Prince, Haiti on the foundation of God’s love and truth. Ask the Lord if He is calling you to come to Haiti. Jude and Peterson need all kinds of people to help. You can contact them at info@ywamportauprince.com  For more information you can go to the YWAM Haiti website to take a look at current projects. 

The first Haiti DTS  (Discipleship Training School) is starting on June 11, 2011.