For over three weeks now, Kainos and Espérance have been sheltering 37 people who had to flee their neighborhoods due to the growing insecurity. In just one month, over 60,000 people have been displaced. Gang attacks in Port-au-Prince continue to escalate, and in total, more than ONE MILLION people have been displaced by this violence (that’s the population of the Zurich metropolitan area!).
Our team in Haiti is working harder than ever to assist these families. Every morning, they prepare more than 40 meals. We are planning to create additional space at our base and in our apartment to accommodate even more people, while continuing to pray for peace in Port-au-Prince and for the protection of our home and neighborhood.
The international force is overwhelmed, and the Haitian police are unable to cover the entire capital with their limited manpower. Although kamikaze drones have successfully eliminated several gang members, these groups continue to operate in nearly every neighborhood of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, as well as in several parts of the Artibonite department. Recently, Kenskoff was the site of tragic attacks, where at least a hundred people were brutally massacred. Many homes were burned to the ground, forcing a large portion of the population to seek refuge within their own country. More than a million women, men, and children are now living in inhumane conditions, either in improvised camps or on the streets.
The statistics are alarming: sexual violence against children has surged by more than 1,000%, while child soldier recruitment by gangs is estimated at 70%. These horrifying figures, sadly, are rarely covered by the media.
Nevertheless, our team was able to restock our food depot, which allows us to feed families every Thursday and distribute food kits. We also distributed some of our chickens and hope that by Easter, our fish will be ready to share. Samuel has started writing a new book in Creole about the life of a believer, and Wanguerre taught people how to play UNO, which brought a lot of laughter—especially when they discovered the +4 card, full of little victories.
These moments, though difficult, are an opportunity for us to show our solidarity and commitment to those who are suffering.