YOUTH WITH A MISSION is an international movement of Christians working to help make a difference in a needy world. Founded in 1960, it is now one of the largest interdenominational and international Christian ministries, with about 16,000 volunteer staff (and thousands more affiliated workers) based in over 1000 locations in over 149 countries.

In addition, tens of thousands more people from scores of nations are involved on a short-term basis each year. Coming from many different backgrounds and working in a wide range of situations, YWAMers are united in their desire to be part of changing people’s lives for the better. They have responded to the “Great Commission”—Jesus’ command to His disciples to go into all the world and tell the Good News.

They believe the gospel of Jesus is not just about words, but also actions. So they share their faith through many different kinds of practical help—from agricultural training to running medical clinics—as well as telling about the Christian beliefs that inspire their actions.

There are three strands of ministry weaving throughout all that YWAM does:

Evangelism is an integral part of both training and mercy ministries, but also an emphasis of its own. Drama, music, performing arts and sports camps are among the creative tools YWAM staff use to share their faith in a way that makes sense to their audience—whether it be teenagers, elderly refugees, or an unreached people group.

YWAM also engages in church planting, in coordination with churches and denominations, or on its own among people groups who don’t have churches among them yet.

Mercy Ministry meets some of the practical and physical needs of over 400,000 people annually. Caring for street children in South America; aiding in the recovery of drug addicts in North America and Western Europe; feeding and housing refugees and women in need in Africa and Asia, operating ocean-traversing ships demonstrating and declaring the Good News practically and verbally, are just some of the ways in which helping hands are extended.

Training and Education aims to better equip Christians to serve others in everything from agriculture and health care, to drug rehabilitation and biblical counseling. Through the mission’s degree-granting University of the Nations (see also the Kona Campus—largest UofN campus), staff can study in specialized areas such as science and technology, communications, the humanities, and Christian ministry.

The basic YWAM school that is a requirement for applying as YWAM staff, and serves as a prerequisite to all other training programs, is called Discipleship Training School (DTS).Each year some 10,000 students follow one or more of several hundred schools—in 250 different locations. Most YWAM schools combine classroom teaching with practical service application.

For more information visit: uofn.org

Jay had been feeling like God was calling him to be a missionary in Haiti, he just did not know where he fit in. One Sunday, he was asked to drive some Brazilian YWAM staff to church at a nearby UN Base. After sitting through a church service preached in Portuguese, the pastor pointed to him from the front and started praying for him in English.

“You are not called to just be a driver. You are called to be a blessing to the Haitian people”

God had just recently revealed to him within the past few days that he was being called to the north of Haiti. After that prayer, he saw an old map of Haiti, and on that map, God showed him Port de Paix.

Before we go further in our story, we must take a few steps backward, so you can see just how intricately and beautifully God has woven everything together.

In 2007, our founders found themselves on a mission trip to YWAM Saint Marc, Haiti with their church. What all happened on this trip is a story for another time, but it was indeed a life-altering experience. They both knew that as the plane left Haiti, God was making something clear; they were leaving somewhere they would one-day call home.

Little did they know that this home would be for the two of them to share.

In the fall of 2012, 5 years after their first trip to their future home, our founders were married, and finally ready to move to Haiti. As they listened to God, they realized that instead of calling them to Port de Paix right away, He wanted them to go through a training period. So in December 2013, with their 4-month-old son in tow, they set off to become staff on the campus where everything began in Haiti, YWAM Saint Marc.

Over the coming years, they would learn and grow not only in their knowledge of how to run and direct a campus and in the language and customs of the country, but God would work profoundly in their lives and give them revelations on how to be better disciples and follow him completely. They realized that this was to be the true purpose of YWAM Port of Peace- To BE Disciples, that MAKE Disciples.

Now after several years they feel like God is throwing open the door he has been skillfully constructing for many many years.  Jay and Kate officially launched YWAM Port Of Peace in 2020. The campus founders served their hearts out getting the campus ready to be passed off to the next leaders. 

The campus is currently under the leadership of Rosevelot Louis, alongside his family. They have been working with ywam port of peace for a long time now, and were even part of the team who set off to found the campus.

Today the campus is still in its pioneering stage. Taking each step, sometimes forward sometimes back, one day at a time. Even through the more and more inserc Haiti. Dispite the challenges, we have managed to keep our doors open to sometimes to over 100 people a week, doing the best we can to serve God by being disciples that make disciples.