Haiti: The Storm is Raging
Photo: Twitter - @miguela69054525
A Year of Hope
Orchard Hill Church has a thirty-year relationship with the people of Haiti. In 2016, partnering with Hope Baptist Church in Cap Haitien, we planted a new church in Caracol. This was an answer to a long-term prayer and a step in the direction of supporting in-country missionaries to lead our efforts. Despite Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, continuing economic stagnation, challenges in education, health care, and a barely functioning government, 2016 was a year of optimism in Haiti:
Outside of a few neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince, the country was peaceful.
Troops from the UN were visible, creating a sense of security.
The markets in downtown Cap Haitien were active and vibrant.
The Haitian currency stabilized creating a period of economic confidence.
Many NGOs were focused on Haiti and beginning to have a positive impact.
The new 500-acre industrial park (in Caracol) celebrated a one-year anniversary with the promise of creating 40,000 jobs in the next few years.
The Seven Year Storm
Even with these positive steps and a real feeling of hope, Haiti was always one step away from a storm. The years 2017 to 2023 provided the storm, sending Haiti into real despair:
The UN troops providing security brought cholera killing 10 to 20 thousand and were accused of sexually abusing Haitians. By the end of 2017, the troops were gone.
A new president (Moise) was elected but the opposition did not accept the election results sending thousands of protesters into the streets. Even worse, political parties started hiring criminal gangs to create more chaos during the various protests.
Government fraud was uncovered totaling more than 1 billion $US and the new president (Moise), along with two past presidents, was implicated in the scandal.
The elected terms of the Haitian Senate ran out, but with all the upheaval, Haiti could not hold elections leaving the country without a functioning senate.
Supreme court justices were accused of plotting a coup and removed. Shortly after, the head of the court died of Covid leaving the court without the minimum numbers needed to hear cases.
In 2021, the president, Moise, was assassinated at his home in suburban Port-au-Prince. The true sources behind the assassination have never been uncovered. An acting president has presided over the shell of a government since that time.
Without a government, gangs took over the capital of Port-au-Prince and spread throughout the country.
In the last two years, the Haitian currency has dramatically gone down in value creating inflation of 70%, crushing the ability of Haitian people to even buy food.
A long promised international security force (after two years of “study and discussion”) was finally agreed to last week but will take “months” to put in place and have a term of only one year. Haitians are not optimistic the temporary force will solve the many problems.
Time to Step Back?
With things so bleak some legitimate questions come to the forefront:
Are we sending “good money after bad” to Haiti that could be better spent elsewhere?
If trips to Haiti are not possible, will we lose our connection to our partners?
If the situation in Haiti is beyond hope, should we investigate another mission country?
What can we really do if the country is in collapse?
The Mission Continues
But, with all the difficulties, even in extremely desperate circumstances, even in the middle of the storm, our Haitian Brothers and Sisters, with the help of Orchard Hill, continue to impact their country for the Glory of God.
Kidsfest 2023 happened in our church plant in Caracol AND in several other churches in the area. This simple idea, a week of kids-focused fun intertwined with the good news of the gospel, is spreading across the region.
Medical mission trips into the countryside are providing relief for the most desperate.
Drinkable water continues to bring health benefits to the surrounding communities.
Food supplies are distributed from the churches to the communities.
Evangelical teams go into the surrounding neighborhoods preaching the gospel.
Hope’s Bible College trains and raises up Pastors continuing the Great Commission.
In Hope Baptist Church and eight daughter churches, THOUSANDS hear the true gospel message each week. In the last year alone, through all the efforts above, <> two thousand people gave their lives to Christ!
A Lesson for Us
Very few Americans will ever face the hardship and trials our Haitian Brothers and Sisters are seeing today. If we need any inspiration and encouragement, I suggest looking to their rock-solid faith and continuing resolve.
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” – Matthew 7:24-27
Thank you, Orchard Hill Church.
The rain is relentless, the flood waters rise, and the wind shakes the house from top to bottom, but our partners in Haiti stand strong in the Lord. Your continuing prayers and financial support help in many, many ways, and the full impact will not be measured until eternity.
