Haiti (MNN) — A brazen surge of coordinated gang violence this past week has plunged Haiti into a new depth of chaos.
Armed gangs led two massive prison breaks in and around the capital city of Port-au-Prince over the weekend. The government declared a 72-hour state of emergency starting Sunday night, renewable in 72 hour periods. Since then, gangs attempted to take control of Haiti’s international airport and civilians are desperate for safety.
Photo of Ariel Henry courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Greg Yoder with Christian World Outreach (CWO) says the chaos is not going to resolve quickly.
“It’s just baffling that that things can get this bad. There’s no real leadership, and no infrastructure to be able to take care of getting things back under control,” Yoder says.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry was in Kenya at the time, trying to secure a plan for Kenyan forces to help combat Haiti’s crippling gang violence.
Yoder says, “Our national director let me know he’s heard that gangs are using drones so they know where to move and where they can get around things. They’re using technology that maybe the military and police don’t necessarily have there.”
The director also said, “So far over 80% of the people living in and around (Port-au-Prince) are displaced. They have been kicked out of their homes or forced to leave because of the crippling fear of being gunned down, raped, or constrained to become gang members.
“No one is secure in the country. Twenty-seven police stations have so far been destroyed or burnt down. People are starving and going through dire suffering.”
CWO has a nearly fifty-year history of providing aid, training and care to Haiti along with the gospel. They are asking for financial assistance to meet the flood of requests for help coming their way.
(Image is a representative stock photo courtesy of StockSnap/Pixabay)
“We’re there to help with the physical needs and things we can help with here on Earth. But our ultimate goal is to use those opportunities to share the gospel and give a gospel of hope,” Yoder says.
“When there’s hopelessness, that’s when people are willing to hear and listen to the gospel, because it’s a gospel of hope.”
Click here to learn how CWO comes alongside the nation of Haiti and how you can partner with them.
“Pray for the church leadership not to fear, for protection for them as they continue to just share the gospel in (the) country.”
Header photo is a representative stock image from Haiti courtesy of TopSphere Media/Unsplash.
