With the latest UN security mission withdrawn and a replacement Gang Suppression Force still months away, civilians bear the brunt of Haiti’s deepening crisis.

Against that backdrop, a group of women in Haiti is preparing to celebrate a hope-filled milestone. Students at Christian World Outreach’s Feminine Training Centers are celebrating graduation this summer after three years studying in the program.

CWO President Greg Yoder says, “The ladies of Port-au-Prince have almost demanded having graduation because they’ve done the work and they don’t want to put that off just because of what’s going on in the country.”

Women learning sewing skills at a feminine training center (Photo courtesy of Christian World Outreach)

He explains, “The Feminine Training Centers in Haiti are a place where…the ladies come to the classes. Each day that they have class, [they are] learning cosmetology, sewing, cooking, [and] baking skills that they can use to go and support their families.”

For some students, simply making it to class has become an act of perseverance. One Feminine Training Center has already closed after gangs took over the surrounding area. In the capital, classes are held only when safety conditions allow.

“Our school in Port-au-Prince, of course, those ladies are kind of day-to-day on whether classes will be held, depending on what’s going on,” Yoder says.

“But they’re determined to come to class, determined to get whatever training they can get, and the determination they have is impressive. [They have a] desire to learn something that they can use to support their families in the countryside.”

The challenges don’t end with graduation. Starting a business in Haiti means overcoming poverty, finding supplies, and building a customer base. Yet, vocational training is only part of the mission.

Students at a Feminine Training Center in Haiti. (Photo courtesy of Christian World Outreach)

Yoder says, “We do share the Gospel with these ladies, so that’s the most important part. And as they go out, they can go back to their families and share the Gospel with them.”

Pray for protection over the graduation celebrations and for these women as they launch businesses, provide for their families, and share Christ with those around them.

Find ways to support CWO in Haiti at cwomissions.org.

Header photo: Urban neighborhood in Haiti. (Photo courtesy of Kelly/Pexels)

The United Nations reports that, from the first quarter of 2026, at least 1,642 Haitians have been killed and 745 injured.

For Christian World Outreach’s partner churches in rural Haiti, the crisis is bringing new faces through their doors.

Haitian community (Photo courtesy of Heather Suggitt via Unsplash)

CWO’s Greg Yoder says, “They are still seeing people coming – fleeing from the places where the gangs have taken over. They’re seeing people come to the Lord, people becoming members of the churches and joining those fellowships.”

The violence follows years of instability after Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in 2021. Despite international security efforts, gangs continue tightening their grip on Port-au-Prince while expanding into surrounding areas.

Yoder says the movement of civilians out of the capital has not stopped.

“I think it’s just been a continual exodus, trying to find relief from not being able to either sell in the marketplace [or] just live a peaceful life,” he says. “People are still trying to get away from that gang violence.”

Aspects of CWO’s ministry has been disrupted by the unrest. “We had to shut down our Feminine Training Center in Mirebalais because the gangs came and took over that town,” Yoder explains.

Churches in Haiti are all about music … and the CWO churches are no different. Choirs, musical instruments and songs of praise make these churches come alive! (Photo, caption courtesy of CWO)

Meanwhile, churches outside the capital are growing as displaced Haitians arrive searching for safety and hope.

“I think anytime there’s either a natural disaster or…in Haiti, the gang issue, people are looking for some place to put their hope,” Yoder says.

“When the churches can reach out to these people [and] help them in their need, that opens the door to sharing the Gospel and that God is our hope.”

That growth also brings pressure. Some smaller towns are struggling to absorb new arrivals.

Yoder shares, “People left with nothing but what they had on them, and so they left everything behind. They have to start over, and the Haitian people are generous!”

CWO is helping partner churches with relief funds and leadership training for pastors carrying the weight of overwhelmed communities.

Please pray for peace in Haiti, protection for vulnerable families, and endurance for church leaders serving on the spiritual front lines of the crisis.

Learn more about CWO’s Haiti ministry here.

Header photo from 2020 of a suburb of Port-au-Prince. (Photo courtesy of Reynaldo Mirault via Unsplash)

“I can see where, if a gang is willing to help take care of children, maybe even giving them food, that kind of thing, that would be a draw for them to join a gang,” said Yoder. “I don’t think of young children. I think of young teenage boys, especially, that I know in Port-au-Prince that I’ve got a concern about, just because that could be a draw, being able to help themselves or help their families by joining the gang.”

As much as 90 percent of Port-au-Prince is under gang influence, according to previous UN reports, resulting in blocked roads, limited public services, rapidly increasing costs for essential supplies, as well as many Haitians fleeing their homes.

Amidst the unrest and economic insecurity, CWO works with in-country leadership and staff to understand and address the emotional, spiritual, and educational needs of Haitians. Their main purpose is reaching families with the gospel, says Yoder.

“We just pray that God will speak to these children and their families as they go through this difficult time, and that the gospel takes hold with people. We’re seeing ministry continue on, not in every place where we’ve been in the past, because people have completely left one of the towns where we had a feminine training center, but in Port-au-Prince, in other places, we’re seeing ministry go on with our churches and the feminine training center and the feeding program.”

Yoder asks fellow Christians to pray for CWO’s staff and ministry, as well as for divine intervention.

“Just pray that somehow God will intervene and things will change in Haiti to where people can be reached for the gospel. Pray for safety of our staff as they continue on their continuing ministry, despite the difficult situation they’re in. And if they want to give, it would be great to have new donors join in and support the ministry as we continue on.”

Header photo courtesy of Christian World Outreach.

The wave of systematic kidnappings in Haiti reveals an ongoing power struggle for gang domination.

Kate Michel from 4VEH, a ministry partner of Trans World Radio, says, “It’s a power struggle to gain control of neighborhoods, to gain control of influencing people. And unfortunately, it’s the Haitian people who are paying the price.”

Yet, there is hope!

Radio (Photo courtesy of Pixabay via Pexels)

Kate Michel shares a moving testimony. A pastor from Cap-Haitien was kidnapped by a gang a few years ago.

“The kidnappers had forced him to put on headphones and blasted the radio into them, assuming it would distract and disturb him. But the radio was tuned to our radio station, 4VEH,” she says.

It was the same station he listened to every day, so the kidnappers unknowingly filled his captivity with encouragement and comfort! After his release, he shared the story with the 4VEH audience.

Another testimony tells of a gang member, trained mercenary, who was stopped from committing murder by a dream from God. Michel recounts, “This guy was on a mission to kill someone, but God stopped him. He ended up at 4VEH and gave his life to the Lord.”

“The gangs may be beyond the reach of the rule of law, but they are not beyond the reach of the Gospel!” Michel says.

These stories show that God is still working in Haiti — and that your prayers matter.

“We believe that in this time of real suffering, God is going to work through it, strengthen people, and bring a harvest,” she adds.

The way the Haitian church is responding is by going to the Lord in prayer. “It’s something that we see Haitians doing anyway — desperately praying for daily survival, protection, and blessing from the Lord, given the spiritual context they’re in as well,” says Michel. When there’s an attack on believers, it draws people to prayer and worship.

Pray for those recently kidnapped from the orphanage near Port-au-Prince — and for the salvation of gang members. Visit 4VEH to read more of their testimonies!

Header photo courtesy of Maxim Hopman via Unsplash.

As of Thursday, August 7, businessman Laurent Saint-Cyr is now the head of Haiti’s transitional presidential council. He is supposed to serve a three-month term before Haiti begins steps toward a 2026 general election.

Also last week, the U.S. announced a $93 million emergency food aid package. Supplies will go to Haiti and 12 African nations.

Medical clinic (Photo courtesy of For Haiti With Love)

The aid is desperately needed. According to a May-June 2025 report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, half of the people in Haiti face high levels of acute food insecurity. Makenson Saint Fleur, an attorney with For Haiti with Love, takes it a step further. “Somewhere in Haiti, people eat the dirt.” 

Regarding government leadership, Saint Fleur says candidly that some officials actually work with gangs. “They do nothing for the people. They do nothing for peace, nothing for security,” he said. 

Although the team at For Haiti has a security guard, Saint Fleur says this means nothing in a country where gangs run rampant in many places and leaders can be assassinated like President Jovenel Moïse was in 2021. 

Still, For Haiti continues to operate a clinic and distribute aid in the name of Jesus. “We teach the people the gospel, the Bible, but they still just need food, need clothes, need something to survive,” said Saint Fleur. 

In these struggles, pray over Haiti and the ongoing gospel ministry of For Haiti With Love.

“Haiti need[s] prayer,” said Saint Fleur. “We need more [resources] to help the people. We need more [things] like clinic supplies, like food, like clothes.” 

Header photo courtesy of For Haiti With Love. 

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.”

Women learning sewing skills at a feminine training center. (Photo courtesy of Christian World Outreach)

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.”

Learn more about CWO’s Haiti ministry.

Header photo features a child in Haiti. (Photo courtesy of TopSphere Media/Unsplash)

“It’s outside of Port-au-Prince, so they’re (the gangs) expanding in their territory,” Yoder says.

“There was a pastor and several of the people from his church who were killed by gang members, and I believe they also burned the church down.”

Estimates vary, but most agree that gangs now control at least 90 percent of Port-au-Prince. When gangs took over Mirebalais at the end of March, CWO partners had to shut everything down and run.

“We had one of our feminine training centers there, and that town is pretty much shut down. Everybody’s left, and the gang members have taken over,” Yoder says.

Believers sent a dozen orphans in their care to live with family members in a nearby town.

“People are migrating away from these areas, and then it adds a burden to the families and the people of other areas,” Yoder says.

The United States designated two Haitian gangs as terrorists earlier this month. “They’re acting very much like terrorists taking over, looting, and just advancing to more and more territory,” Yoder says.

Handiwork of women from CWO’s Feminine Training Centers in Haiti (Photo courtesy of CWO)

The activity in Haiti reminds him of terrorist actions in Burkina Faso, he adds.

“We just have to rely on the Lord’s wisdom and discernment to find ways we can help these people,” Yoder says.

Church partners in Haiti continue their work in eight locations, but the needs are growing daily. Yoder says, “We’re looking for ways we can help those we know and those in great need of food and shelter.”

Send financial help through CWO here.

Ask the Lord to guide and protect Gospel workers in Haiti. Pray that their daily needs will be met.

“I don’t know the answer at this point, but we just pray that God will intervene in what’s going on in Haiti and that, even during these hard times, Christ will be shared,” Yoder says.

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of TopSphere Media via Unsplash.

Makenson Saint Fleur is an attorney with For Haiti with Love. He says gangs carry on their criminal activity regardless of international designation. 

“The US tries to help Haiti with the situation, but for now, nothing is well. Everything is getting worse and worse every day.” 

Gangs have expanded their reach from Port Au Prince and are now trying to take over the entire North. 

“They take Mirebalais, they try to take Plateau centrale, they try to take Cap-Haïtien. They want to take all the country,” Saint Fleur says. 

Up to now, For Haiti with Love has been helping the needy of Cap-Haïtien with a burn clinic, food, and housing assistance. But Saint Fleur says if gang activity worsens in the area, the ministry will be forced to vacate. 

“If they take the city, you can do nothing – just leave the city,” he says. 

Currently, the burn clinic remains in place; but Saint Fleur says the ministry has had to cease meal distribution due to the unrest. 

“We can’t do everything we used to do,” he says. 

Even now, the Gospel remains central to FHWL’s efforts. 

“We always pray with them, and we teach a part of the Bible in every activity we do,” Saint Fleur says of their interactions with Haitians. 

As the team at For Haiti with Love cares and prays for their people, would you pray for them? 

“We need help. We need prayer,” Saint Fleur petitions. “We need every single prayer because Haiti is getting worse and worse again.”  

(Photos in this article courtesy of For Haiti With Love)

The attack impacted partners of Every Man a Warrior, a discipleship ministry of Trans World Radio (TWR). Gospel worker Obed* says someone is behind these attacks.

People fleeing across the river from Petite Rivière gang attacks (Photo courtesy of Obed at Every Man a Warrior, TWR)

“We don’t know for sure how they buy those guns. It’s impossible how they could buy those guns, so they have someone that back[s] up them to do that,” he says.

He believes Haiti’s deteriorating situation is not a physical but a spiritual battle — the devil against God.

“It’s more than [a physical war]. Most of the gang are voodoo priest[s]. So they practice voodoo, and they act like all the thing[s] that they say [are] about voodoo,” he says.

“Many churches are closed now. So I believe that it’s not just something that concern[s] Haiti. I believe that that should concern the whole world, the whole Christian world to join in prayer, to join in support [of] our brothers and sisters in Haiti.” 

Please pray for wisdom as Every Man a Warrior offers humanitarian aid alongside their discipleship work. Obed says they plan to help some residents displaced from Petite Rivière to relocate. They have 12 acres near the Dominican Republic border, which they look to use for the good of displaced people. 

“I started months ago on the DR border [something where] we have some ways to welcome our brothers and find another life. Because when your house [is] burned and you lose everything, it’s hard. It’s so hard,” Obed says. 

“We [are] praying so that God can help us navigate this situation, because our mission was to make disciple[s]. Those people are peaceful people, and they have now to leave their home.”

Obed says most Haitians believe they are alone in the world. That’s what makes your prayers and partnership such a needed blessing at this time. 

Learn more about Every Man a Warrior at TWR’s website.

*name withheld for security

Header photo: A group of men gather and sit together in prayer during an Every Man A Warrior meeting. (Photo, caption courtesy of TWR)

 “These people have left everything they had in Port-au-Prince. Some of them have just the clothes on their back they fled with,” she says. 

Widespread demonstrations protesting gang activity are an outgrowth of an aching question: Can things in Haiti get any worse? DeHart says people are discouraged, fed up, and tired. 

“They just pray that God will intervene and do something with Haiti with all these gangs because they can’t stand it anymore,” she says. “We try to help the ones we can.” 

For Haiti With Love has been working in Cap-Haïtien for years, but the recent violence is unprecedented. 

“This is the first time we’ve ever seen anything like this in Haiti,” DeHart says.  The ministry has a reputation for refusing to abandon Haiti, come what may. 

“God is really holding us together so we can continue to help them. And that is a big thing for them: knowing we will always be there for them,” DeHart says. 

Practical help includes food assistance, a burn clinic, and housing help. 5,000 US dollars funds the building of a starter house for a single mother. DeHart says the ministry has built eight such houses so far, with three more on the way. It’s a sizable effort for a team operating alone for the last five years. 

“Everybody’s afraid of going to Haiti now, so we haven’t had any team at all since 2020,” DeHart shares. 

She puts her faith in God, whose protection she entrusts herself to as she and her team care for the poor. As they serve, sometimes people ask more about the One in whose name these deeds are done. 

“That’s when the doors open and we tell them about the Gospel,” DeHart says. 

Please pray for peace and God’s intervention in Haiti. Pray for the people who are suffering and discouraged. Pray that God would turn chaos into order and restore Haiti to a country of beauty and thriving. 

Haitian boy. Courtesy of Tim Trad via Unsplash.

Header image courtesy of topshere via Unsplash