Haiti Christian Development Fund

One of the international ministries in which Voice of Calvary Ministries (VOCM) has been influential is the Haiti Christian Development Fund (HCDF).  HCDF ministry began with Jean and Joy Thomas, who have lived in Fond-des-Blancs, Haiti since 1982. Jean was born in Gonaives, a town in central Haiti. His father was a noted Baptist pastor in the area. Jean attended Carver Bible College in Atlanta, Georgia and Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana. After seminary he taught at Carver for two years and then worked with John Perkins and VOCM in Jackson, Mississippi. This is where his passion for Christian community development began. Joy grew up in Oregon and while in college at George Fox University, she volunteered for a summer at VOCM as well. Eventually, Joy moved to Jackson to work full time with Voice of Calvary. It was here that Joy and Jean met. They were married in 1981 and have three sons: Lemec (January 26, 1985), Jacques (September 5, 1987), and Josiah (February 21, 1991).

To break the cycle of poverty, HCDF has been offering economic development initiatives for the past 34 years.  By working through local churches, they have established farming programs, a credit union, housing initiatives, as well as providing quality education to the children of the community through L’Exode Christian schools since the 1980s. L’Exode schools have developed an excellent educational program as exemplified by the high student exam scores. Parents are eager to enroll their children in the L’Exode schools, which currently include over 1,500 students in HCDF-supported schools across seven campuses. Responding to the tragic destruction of so many high schools in the 2010 earthquake, HCDF launched its own high school in 2012, partnering with a U.S. university to assure the buildings are durable in earthquakes and other storms. The academic standards at L’Exode schools are as high as any in Haiti. HCDF extends even greater opportunities for its top high school graduates by offering university scholarships to advance beyond high school and then return to the community in leadership roles.  For more information on HCDF, feel free to visit their website at www.hcdf.org.

In respect and honor of our relationship with HCDF, you can make a contribution to HCDF through Voice of Calvary Ministries.  We are committed to giving 100% of any contributions we receive directly to HCDF.