What In The World Is Going On In Haiti?
- Gang Wars
- A New Travel Advisory
- A Nurse From New Hampshire And Her Daughter Kidnapped
I am afraid it is difficult to describe all that is going on in Haiti and how important All Things New has been to our community over the past few months and years thanks to your support. However, things are not getting better, they are getting worse!
Before I get too far ahead of myself, I do need to say a huge THANK YOU! In our recent blogs, we set a goal to raise $10,000 to cover our moving expenses...We raised more than $9,000. Thank you.
Also, please continue to pray because our landlord has already sent what he initially wants us to pay him for "repairs and other items" and it is crazier than I expected. Please be in prayer for the negotiation process, and click here if you missed the initial blog about what is going on with our move.
Back to the blog.
If you have been paying attention to the news, then you have seen three things recently:
1. There is a new travel advisory from the U.S. State Department, and it is still a Level 4 advisory. In addition to that advisory, the U.S. Embassy evacuated all "non-essential" personnel from the country.
2. An American nurse from New Hampshire and her child were kidnapped in Haiti. There is not much news out there about her, but she is a friend of one of our friends in Haiti and it is a difficult thing to see.
3. Kenya is preparing to possibly send 1,000 police officer into Haiti to help with the instability (but they will probably do like every other country and just consider it without ever doing it).
I was talking to a friend the other day, and I realized that it is almost impossible to adequately describe how dire the situation in Haiti is. No matter what I write or say, not only can I not convey it accurately, I cannot understand it accurately. It has just been so long since I have been there.
The news keeps saying that gangs in Haiti control "80% of Port Au Prince." That is a strange way of saying that the entire capital city is essentially experiencing lawlessness. Kidnappings are common, rape and murder occur daily, and the leaders of these Haitian gangs are running the country.
With the complicated political history between Haiti and other countries like the US, Canada, and France, no other country is getting involved no matter how much the situation devolves.
It is difficult to say that, even with the great things going on at ATN like the move and with our kids continuing to progress in school, things in Haiti are very bad and they are only getting worse.
Things like the kidnapping and the new travel advisory bring a little attention to the situation, and that is good. But please continue to pray with us and do not let Haiti, All Things New, or our kids leave your prayers! We are blessed to be on the southwest side of Port Au Prince, and we are thankful for that. At the same time, as people continue to grow more desperate, as prices rise, and as work becomes more and more inconsistent, desperate people will begin to do desperate things...They already are!
Thank you for praying, thank you for giving, and thank you for always asking how things are going there...Please don't stop. Also, just so you know, next week our blog will be a very exciting announcement and a first for ATN even after 10 years of existence so don't get discouraged and stay tuned to next week!