Joe White, President of Kanakuk Kamps, established Kanakuk Haiti, in partnership with Cross International, to provide the children of Haiti with education, daily nutrition, and a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. Over 4,200 students, 133 teachers, 13 school directors, plus 52 cooks and school guards are impacted by Kanakuk Haiti in 13 schools and an orphanage.
The Schools
Pastor Jean Edmond
Thirty years ago on January 17, 1971, Pastor Jean Edmond (an Evangelical Baptist Seminary graduate) was called by God to evangelize and educate the children of Haiti. Pastor Edmond began his work with 17 kids in a lean-to-shack. His first educational tool was the Bible. Although he only had one in is his possession, he promised each child their own to study. Miraculously, he was given 23 Bibles within a week and the work that would eventually mushroom beyond his imagination had begun on the solid grounds of scripture. Over the next 30 years his ministry would expand to include 17 schools (each accompanied by a 'church' to evangelize and disciple the students' families) and one orphanage. Pastor Edmond's efforts have been entirely focused on Haiti's impoverished children. The majority of the ministry is with the poorest of the poor.
Pastor John Tierney
Soon after the beginning of the Haitian Christian school system, God called a dear Baptist preacher named John Tierney from Greenville, South Carolina, alongside Pastor Edmond to support his growing work. As Pastor Tierney would speak in well over a thousand churches in the United States and Europe, he would seek donations for Haiti. There were times of plenty as new schools would be built and times of want when food would run low and teachers would not receive paychecks. Pastor Tierney gave sacrificially, until his death, even mortgaging his own home to meet the ever-growing needs in Haiti.
Locations
We support 13 schools located throughout Haiti that serve nearly 4,200 Students, 133 Teachers, and 13 Directors. The teacher to student ratio is roughly 1:28. The schools are located in:
- Bainet
- Bas-Boen
- Bellanger
- Boukan Kare
- Crochu
- Dano
- La Vallee
- Ponce
- Pont Saintard
- Rigaud
- Santo
- Sarthe
- Soucaille