Haiti (MNN) — Haiti’s youth bear the brunt of an escalating crisis.
Humanitarian groups estimate that children now make up between one-third and half of all gang members. At the same time, there has been a thousand-percent rise in sexual violence against kids.
“This is a tragedy right now in Haiti,” says a Haitian man we’ll call Dierf*, who partners with Trans World Radio.
“Children are being the target of gangs in many areas, and they are being assaulted right in the middle of the streets. Most kids were on the street playing or on their way from school.”
(Photo courtesy of Miguel Caireta Serra/Pexels)
Unfortunately, some children willingly join gangs because they think it’s the lesser of two evils.
“Most of the population can’t eat; they don’t even have access to food. So, in that case, some children want to provide food for their family and decide to join the gang” to make that happen, Dierf says.
More than 500,000 children have been displaced since gangs took control of Haiti following the president’s assassination four years ago. Today, armed groups now control 85 percent of Haiti’s capital, Port au Prince.
“A couple of months ago, I had to go up to the mountain to shelter myself and my family because gangs were about to attack the city, and we had no choice but to run. We spent days without food,” Dierf says.
The chaos makes serving Christ difficult but not impossible. “Despite all [that] is happening in Haiti right now, we believe that, as Christians, we are called to be the light of Christ,” Dierf says.
“People who are enslaved by the power of darkness need us. They need us to go straight to where they are and bring that hope to them.”
Dierf disciples Haitian couples using the Every Man A Warrior curriculum. More about that here. Pray that God will protect Gospel workers’ families as the men travel.
“Pray that God will protect our children, as sometimes we have to leave them behind and go to another city to minister,” Dierf explains.
*Name withheld for security purposes.
Header image courtesy of MNN’s Katey Hearth.
