St.Croix, often referred to as "The Gem of the Caribbean", is one of fifty beautiful islands and cay's that make up the United States Virgin Islands. At first you may see the "no problem", carefree attitude which is common to island cultures, but it only takes a short time to identify the glaring effects of a broken, scandalous history. Let's glance back in time, before the first cruise ship ever arrived; before one tourist ever stepped foot on St. Croix.  When sugar production meant wealth and power, slavery was commonplace and people were exploited as property. These were horrible times, fueled by the selfish ambitions of greedy and proud men who trampled the lives' of others underfoot for their own selfish gain. Hmm... I guess that is still going on in our time, isn't it?

   Today, many Caribbeans are still bound by the chains of slavery. Though their "masters" are not the same - the results still are: hopelessness, shame, anger, despair, rejection, abuse, bitterness, loneliness, abandonment, resentment, prejudice, depression, lack of identity, and many more. There is a great need for freedom from destructive behaviors, which have enslaved people for generations. What will YOU do to show them Jesus? The Lord has asked the question, "Who will go?  Whom shall I send?"  Perhaps He is calling you. Maybe it is you who is supposed to GO... or even COME to St. Croix!

YWAM St. CROIX

In 1985, YWAM Tacoma sent a team to pioneer a new work in the Caribbean.  The original team worked in the Bahamas, but due to difficulties at that time with local government regulations, the Lord led the team instead to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The YWAM St. Croix base began in September 1986 with a focus on Coffee house ministry, and towards facilitating short term teams to the island.  In early 1989, YWAM purchased it’s present home; the historically beautiful Diamond Ruby plantation with it’s sugar mill and 300 year old Danish great house.  Later that year disaster struck when Hurricane Hugo ripped through St. Croix.  The disaster was a pivotal point in YWAM St. Croix’s history, opening doors of local ministry opportunities which had previously been closed.  Over the 11 month rebuilding period nearly 500 people came to help YWAM in relief work, children’s ministry, evangelism, and in rebuilding the ministry center.  CLICK HERE TO VIEW HURRICANE HUGO PHOTOS

The significance of God choosing the plantation is no small matter.  As a mission, YWAM believes God has called them to bring restoration and healing to the Caribbean people.  The YWAM base is now on one of the very places that has been historically associated with the pain, suffering, and injustice of slavery.  The ministry desires to be a catalyst in bringing evangelism, training and mercy ministries to the West Indies.  The churches in the region have had the mind set of being a “mission field” rather than the powerful world changing force they could be.  YWAM believes that God has called them to come alongside the body of Christ, in helping to mobilize, train, and send West Indian missionaries for the task of world evangelism.