Haiti Kidnappings, Violence Hit Poor & Rich Alike

KIDNAPPINGS. In view of cameras on Holy Thursday, men brandishing big guns entered Gospel Kreyol Ministry. They seized the pastor and three congregants and took them away. As a result, the victims’ relatives had to scrape for already depleted funds, and go into debt to pay ransom.

Last year kidnappings in Haiti spiked from 78 to 234, and this year they keep rising. Some of Haiti’s 150+ gangs actually specialize in kidnappings.

They strike poor and rich alike, desperate for whatever they can get. 60% of Haiti’s 11 million people earn less than US $1.35 per day.

Last month police tried to raid a criminal gang stronghold. Instead, the gang seized and killed four officers, repelling the rest. Now it’s holding the four bodies hostage, sparking a revolt in the police ranks.

President Jovenal Moise’s administration has tried to increase police presence and implement a special task force to target gangs. Yet even a member of his own security force has been kidnapped. Other recent victims have included five priests as well as children and a hospital director.

The widespread unrest makes it difficult to distribute aid as Haiti recovers from the pandemic. As a former missionary to Haiti, I know how much of a difference aid makes in the form of daily rice, beans and a few veggies, especially for schoolchildren. When lawlessness increases like this in a destitute country, we must pray all the more for miracles.