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An Irish missionary and eight others were kidnapped from an orphanage compound on Sunday, August 3, including a three-year-old child. Armed gang members stormed the children’s home in Kenscoff, just outside Port-au-Prince, in the early morning hours.
The missionary, Gena Heraty, is known for her decades-long care for children with disabilities. EU officials are working to secure the group’s release.
The kidnapping happened not far from the Haiti office of Christian World Outreach (CWO). CWO staff weren’t targeted, but the ministry is feeling the strain of daily unrest.
“We have not directly been affected by any kidnappings or anything recently,” says CWO President Greg Yoder. “But it’s caused ministry to slow down and sometimes be postponed, especially in the Port-au-Prince area.”
That’s already forced closures elsewhere. In Mirebalais, another hot zone for gang control, violence has emptied the streets.
Yoder explains, “Recently, with the gangs kind of taking over Mirebalais, that shut down our Feminine Training Center there because pretty much everybody left town.”
Still, CWO isn’t pulling out. If anything, the team sees the chaos as a reminder of why they’re there in the first place. Haiti needs Christ more than ever.
“Our goal is to use those opportunities to share the Gospel. Our hope is, even during these difficult times, that it makes people think about their lives and eternity.”
CWO-partnered churches and training centers continue to meet when they can — sometimes online, sometimes in person, always looking for safe ways to encourage believers and train up leaders.
Pray for God’s protection and encouragement over those who were kidnapped. Petition the Lord for their safe return!
Yoder also asks, “Pray for the believers, that they won’t get discouraged. Pray for them as they evangelize in their communities. Pray for safety of the staff there as they try to continue on with ministry.”