Haiti continues to move towards chaos.

Haiti (MNN)–With Haiti’s president seeking refuge in the Central African Republic, the remaining leaders’ scrabble for power is sending the country to the edge of anarchy.

Even as rebels declared control of Haiti, looting and violence continued. Compassion’s Edouard Lassegue (la-segg) says they were forced to close 90-percent of their projects this week. “It makes it very difficult for us to hold any type of activities at this point, and mostly, for security reasons, as the situation has deteriorated to the point where we do not feel safe to bring a group of children and young people together to minister to them.”

Even before the crisis, the situation for Haitian children was among the worst in the world. More than one in 10 Haitian children die before the age of five. More than 200,000 have lost one or both parents to AIDS, and up to 6.7 per cent of young women are living with HIV/AIDS. Maternal mortality is also among the highest in the world.

Against that backdrop, Lassegue says their teams see a bigger need, in spite of the turmoil plaguing Haiti.
Compassion’s dedication speaks volumes. “We also have shown the love of God by basically providing for the needy, when you consider over 35,000 children who are being supported by compassion in Haiti throughout over 150 churches in this country.”

Lassegue says Christians in America can help by praying in specific ways for Haiti. “Pray for the safety of the population,” he says. “Second, we are still praying for godly leadership in this country — people who can stand up with the fear of God. Pray also for the Church, that we may continue to keep our eyes upon God.”

Compassion International has worked in Haiti since 1968. Mission Aviation Fellowship has served the missions community and the people of Haiti since 1986. And World Vision recently celebrated 25 years of ministry in the impoverished nation, with three main areas of intervention: long-term development, emergency relief and promoting justice.