Haitian and Kenyan forces are teaming up to oust gangs from a rough part of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.
Gangs controlling 80 percent of Port-au-Prince have left more than half a million people homeless as they fight to expand their territory. Over 3,200 people lost their lives in gang violence between January and May this year.
AMG International’s Brian Dennett says, "Hopes that things would get under control with some of the peacekeeping efforts have not been realized thus far, according to our team."
An international policing mission organized earlier this year was supposed to restore order. But only 400 of the promised 2,500 soldiers have arrived so far, and they haven’t made any progress against the gangs.
"Haitians just want to live normally. They want to be safe and secure, but this constant threat of gang violence is keeping those dreams very distant for them," Dennett says.
“People are very afraid. They’re not leaving their homes. They’re afraid of being wounded or even killed by the gunfire.”
Furthermore, Haiti’s inflation rate has surged to nearly 30 percent, crippling the economy. People struggle to afford essentials, including healthcare.
"Our clinics have tried to balance being sustainable in Haiti by offering free health care but charging for the cost of medicine," Dennett says. However, "inflation has caused a massive uptick in patients who cannot pay for the medications they need.
"We want to continue [meeting] the needs of our brothers and sisters in Haiti, but we are lacking resources to meet those demands."
Adding on to one of the current medical facilities will give believers more capacity to care for patients in need. Right now, there are more patients than rooms, so people often must be treated outside the building.
People can help AMG and its local partners bring hope and healing to desperate Haitians.
"Please pray for peace in Haiti. Think of our brothers and sisters in Haiti and what they are enduring every day as a result of all of this violence," Dennett says.
"Pray that we’re able to share the love of Christ with those [who] don’t know Him as we meet their desperate needs."
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This story originally appeared at Mission Network News and is republished here with permission.