Our History

20 Years of School Development 

Worldwide Christian Schools (WWCS) was founded in 1986 with the purpose of building Christian schools worldwide in the areas they were needed most.  Today, WWCS provides holistic educational programs dedicated to the glory of God and to the service of the local community without regard for race or creed.

It Began in India

The WWCS ministry was launched by three businessmen from Grand Rapids, Michigan - Paul Land, Harry Pofahl, and Bob Wierenga - after a trip to India.  Harry and his wife Janet spent ten years as missionaries there at an industrial school in the city of Katpadi. When the Pofahls eventually returned to the U.S., many of those they came into contact with expressed interest in the work they had done in India.  The Pofahls soon found themselves leading a group of 12 Americans on a tour of Indian schools, two of which were their friends Paul and Bob.  

Co-founder Paul Land was strongly impacted by the state of the schools he witnessed in India.  There were no school buildings; children were being taught under trees without desks, pencils or notebooks.  “The Lord will hold us accountable for what we are seeing here,” he told Janet.  

Paul asked the Pofahls for their advice on the areas of greatest need for education in India.  “School buildings are needed,” said the Pofahls.  “What would we do?  We would build schools.”  At that point, Paul, Bob and Harry decided to begin a non-profit organization called Worldwide Christian Schools (WWCS).  WWCS would focus on Christian school construction in the developing world, beginning in India.  

The Ministry Launches 

On May 13, 1986, Worldwide Christian Schools held its first board meeting back in the U.S.  Paul Land was the first WWCS President, with Harry Pofahl as secretary.  The newly-formed organization soon hired Bill Sytsema, who led WWCS as Executive Director until 2001.  Today, the WWCS ministry is led by Scott Vander Kooy, who answers to the WWCS Board of Directors, currently made up of five members.   

The first WWCS school project was Shepherd’s Christian School in India, funded by a Mission Home built in Grand Rapids.  Within the first few years, WWCS was involved with Christian schools in 15 different countries.  Many of the school projects were funded by Janet Pofahl’s garage sales, and eventually by her thrift store.  20 years later, WWCS has had school projects in 44 countries around the world, funded by donors to our ministry programs.  WWCS has expanded and now has staff not just in Grand Rapids, but also in Ontario, Canada, South Carolina, USA, Bangalore, India and Uganda, East Africa.

Values of our Founders 

The WWCS founders took a unique approach to ministry through schools: they recognized that the most precious resource that God has given us is not money - it’s time.  Business people understand the value of time; non-profit organizations should be no different: what is our goal, what are we here to do, and how can we get there in the most efficient way possible?

To ensure accountability and sustainability, all WWCS school projects are carried out in partnership with local Christian ministries that are established and respected, with a long-term interest and investment in the community.  It is important that time is not wasted starting up school ministries run by those from outside of a culture that may be culturally uninformed and therefore short-lived.  WWCS believes the best approach is to come alongside national and international organizations that operate their own schools in their own nations, empowering local visionaries and leaders to carry the work forward. 

Our job is simply to provide them with the critical resources they need to do their jobs.