Haiti (MNN) -- After a month in captivity, an Irish missionary and *seven others kidnapped from an orphanage compound in Port-au-Prince, Haiti have been released. Among the group was a three-year-old child. They were taken by armed gang members who stormed the compound in the early morning hours.
Christian World Outreach's (CWO) Greg Yoder says, "First of all, we thank God that these people that were kidnapped have been released, and [we are] just grateful that their lives were spared - others have not been."
Their safe return brings relief, but it also highlights the ongoing instability gripping the nation, fueled by gang violence and targeted kidnappings.
Around 1.3 million Haitians have fled their homes and are now internally displaced -- a 24% increase since the end of 2024.
"We have seen or heard reports of some of the towns, especially in the north where people have been displaced to. The way it was described -- it being one of the cities -- it's like ants," says Yoder.
"You just add more people, which probably adds food insecurity in those areas. That's how it affects ministries like Christian World Outreach."
CWO is seeing the impact of displacement firsthand through its children's feeding program. "We're just seeing an increase," says Yoder. "Eighty children gathered in one of our places where we have a feeding program, which is a little bit higher than the norm."
Pray for an end to the violence and instability permeating Haitian life, and for people to turn to Jesus for hope. Ask the Lord to sustain CWO's ministry with supporters and spiritual encouragement.
Yoder also urges prayer for the newly freed captives: "Emotionally, that God would heal there. I'm not sure what all they went through, but I'm sure that emotionally it was a draining month. [Pray] that God will work in their lives and they can get back to somewhat of a normal life that they had at that center."
Header photo from 2020 of a suburb of Port-au-Prince. (Photo courtesy of Reynaldo Mirault/Unsplash)