Last month, Haiti declared a state of emergency after around 3,500 inmates escaped from the nation’s largest prison. Gangs roving the capital, Port-au-Prince, have increasingly endangered Haitian Christians’ safety as they attack, ransack and commit violence.
Thankfully, God has answered prayers for Christians and ministries in need. But the country remains in chaos, with thousands of people having been killed, trapped or displaced.
Additionally, many churches have had to shutter their doors. A Christian university located in the capital city was forced to close for nearly a month after criminals bearing guns invaded the campus. The university has since reopened, but the situation remains dangerous.
“The threats are still there, for we know anything can happen, but God spared us,” remarked university president Sénèque Edmond.
Local church member Marie Carmen Alvarez is one of many Haitian Christians who have committed to fasting and praying for deliverance.
“Only God has the last word. We can do nothing but rely on Him through prayer and wait on God’s intervention for we know that the situation will not last forever,” Alvarez shared. “I believe that God will work on our behalf.”
Tragically, persecuted Christians in Haiti are often at risk of being abducted, including 17 Christian missionaries from Ohio, who were held for months before some were released and others escaped. Earlier this year, six Christian women were taken hostage when armed men hijacked their bus and held them for nearly a week.
”This traumatizing event has, once more, tested our faith, but it remains unbreakable,” said Haitian clergyman Max Leroy Mesidor.
Also this year, a Christian teacher and four church leaders were kidnapped by a Haitian gang. While those five were recently released, two more Christians who were taken with them remain in captivity, according to the latest reports.
Still, God has been merciful and some kidnapped Christians have been freed. An American missionary named Jill Dolan, who runs an orphanage in Haiti, was trapped in the capital city with four of her children for 24 days. In an answer to prayer, they were recently able to return to the United States.
Two staff members of a Christian ministry dedicated to serving children in the city of Cap Haiten were also trapped in Port-au-Prince. Thankfully, they were able to return to Cap Haiten safely just in time to celebrate Easter with fellow believers.
“God protected them while they were there,” Darrin Badon, the president of their ministry, said. “By His grace, we got them out of there.”
Let’s pray for the persecuted Christians in Haiti—and all those suffering amidst the chaos and violence—while we praise God for providing for those who have been able to return to safety.
Lord, we lift up all of those who have been displaced, trapped and kidnapped. We trust in Your promise in Matthew 5: blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. Thank you for allowing Jill Dolan and others who are dedicated to serving Haitians in Your name to escape from harm’s way.
Please give courage to the oppressed and food to the hungry—and bring peace instead of violence and anarchy. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
About the author
Chandler Peterson is a staff writer and editor for Global Christian Relief where she shares stories of Christian persecution. Read the latest Christian persecution stories on our website and learn more at GlobalChristianRelief.org.
