Haiti (MNN)–Violent crime has hit Haiti in a wave within recent weeks. The poorest country in the Americas, Haiti has struggled to contain poverty-related violence since Aristide’s ouster in 2004.
Christian World Outreach’s Greg Yoder says rising kidnappings caused their team concern, especially when the troubles hit too close to home. “Our director’s daughters, there was an attempted kidnap on them two weeks ago. For their safety, he sent his daughters to live with family in Florida for a short period of time till things can quiet down a little bit.”
The constant unrest, explains Yoder, takes its toll on their staff in the ministry center. Sometimes, the team needs a reminder that they haven’t been forgotten. “There’s a lot of tension that goes on there. So, part of what I did was just be able to be there with our staff and pray with them and support them and encourage them to keep going on. Sometimes it seems like there’s not a lot of hope in Haiti when you look at all the things that are going on.”
Yoder’s visit was initially taking care of a forty-foot container of supplies for their team in Haiti. The team was thrilled to see over 300 rolls of fabric, a complete dental office, cosmetology chairs, 600 lbs of flour, 13 bicycles, 12 cases of notebook binders and two complete cubical offices.
The chairs, cloth and flour will be used in the vocational training center that trains women how to dress hair, sew or bake to earn a living.
Many of the other supplies will not only help the Haiti team provide critical services to the community, but it will also open doors for further evangelistic work.
For more information on CWO’s work in Haiti, contact them using their information listed here.
