So far, gangs have displaced 150,000 Haitians. Greg Yoder with Christian World Outreach says, “Where it affects us is our Feminine Training Center in Port-au-Prince. Day to day, we are not sure if the ladies are able to travel. We have some staff members that have had to evacuate their homes. They’re basically displaced people because gangs are fighting in their areas.”

“They’ve had to move out. And the gangs just come in, take over the homes, and loot.”

How bad has Haiti’s judicial system gotten? In December 2020, the head of a judges’ association went on the radio, warning Haitians to avoid getting arrested because they might be imprisoned indefinitely for any crime.

This past June, a gang took control of the Port-au-Prince main courthouse.

Food access

Humanitarian groups say the core issue in Haiti is access to food. Twenty thousand people face famine conditions in Port-au-Prince. Nationwide, 4.7 million people deal with food insecurity.

Yoder says the inflation rate keeps growing. “And so, for us to continue to feed the kids is more expensive. But the feeding program at Port-au-Prince is especially needed. Because some of these people haven’t been able to keep their jobs. Even in the countryside, prices rise but income does not.”

It’s a good way to demonstrate the love of Jesus. You can support this work or learn more here.

CWO has eight churches in Haiti, Yoder says. “Just recently, one of the churches baptized 13 people. They came to the Lord and want to serve Him and to grow in their relationships.”

Header photo courtesy of Kaufdex on Pixabay. 

Peru has seen a week of fierce protests following the arrest of former President Pedro Castillo. Brian Dennett with AMG International says, “There’s been looting, robberies of businesses, even private homes. And in the process, I think we’re up to nearly a dozen people being killed. In one location, tear gas was released from helicopters, and a police station was set on fire. Some policemen were taken hostage.”

“Our partners are seeing a lot of unrest and some very angry people.”

In one area of the Amazon, protestors hindered travel by placing trees over the road and covering them with dirt. Dennett says, “So they’re having difficulty getting supplies around the country. People are purchasing whatever is in stores at the moment, and there is just a lot of fear.”

Future outlook

Why are people so angry? Castillo enjoyed broad public support. He was removed from office after trying to dissolve parliament, but his supporters want him reinstated. Others have called for new elections. New president Dina Boluarte offered to hold elections in December 2023, but the protestors want something more immediate.

Dennett says things could get worse as more protests have been planned. Please pray wisdom for the AMG team as they act as the hands and feet of Jesus during this unstable time; and pray for peace. “There are innocent civilians now being affected, and churches. I know among many families that we’re working with, there’s a lot of fear right now. And as always, the Lord can calm these situations and bring hope amid desperate times.”

The header photo shows clashes between police and protestors on December 8th. (Photo courtesy of Voice of America, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Three years had passed since Haiti’s last cholera case. The previous outbreak killed nearly 10,000 people from 2010 to 2019. Now, the waterborne disease has returned with at least 1,700 cholera cases confirmed — half of them children. Forty people have died so far.

Haiti was already struggling under hostile gang takeovers in major cities. A few somewhat-functioning medical centers are trying to treat cholera cases, but they lack something significant: fuel.

Port-au-Prince neighborhood. (Photo courtesy of Heather Suggitt via Unsplash)

David Carwell with Mission Aviation Fellowship in Haiti says, “At the seaport, there’s a gang that’s blocking that fuel, so no diesel or gasoline is being released, and that’s just bringing many businesses and health care facilities to a halt.

“The roadblocks continue almost on a daily basis with demonstrations. However, the police right now are able to clear those more effectively. But there have been major roadblocks, not just burning tires, but vehicles across the road, cement blocks, electric poles, or trees. So those roadblocks really hamper transportation. Sometimes the blocks are accompanied by gangs that have rocks in their hands or guns or want a toll to pass.

“Another issue is looting. There’s been water, fuel, and food warehouses that have been looted in some of the major cities.”

Gang kidnappings for ransom continue, and schools have been shut down. It’s too dangerous for students and staff to meet. Travel across the island is increasingly precarious. Ministry staffers have to exercise caution.

“We’re being very careful locating real close right here to the airport,” says Carwell. “Our families have been flown out of the country, so we just have a technical crew here right now that’s maintaining minimum services.”

(Photo courtesy of MAF)

However, this is not stopping MAF from being Christ in the crisis.

Carwell says, “The demand for our services is greater than ever. There are more people that are asking for help because there’s no other way for them to get to certain parts of the country.

“We’re here trying to do our best in the name of the Lord and pray that He would protect our team and those that we are able to serve.”

Local churches in Haiti are also stepping up to serve one another, whether or not they can gather together.

“Those congregations where people are able to walk to church, they’re still meeting. Churches that are more dependent on public transportation are not able to meet because those services aren’t functioning. But many of the churches are able to meet, and we just ask that they would be strong salt and light in their communities. We see that happening. We see people genuinely caring about their neighbors and trying to help one another through this crisis.”

Please consider supporting MAF in Haiti by donating to the ministry here!

But above all, Carwell says, “Prayer is key to this. We invite all of our brothers and sisters in Christ to be praying for the leaders of the country. We don’t pray for the downfall of the gangs. We pray for their salvation as well. But we do pray that there would be law and order in place and that ministries would be protected.”

Pray also for Haitians to get the resources they need to combat cholera, for medical centers to be effective in treating the sick, and for the Holy Spirit to open many doors for the Gospel in Haiti.

Header photo courtesy of Jouni Rajala via Unsplash.

The riots started out as protests against the imprisonment of a former South African president on corruption charges, but they quickly spiraled into violence that killed over 300 people.

Stuart Gordon with Trans World Radio Africa says, “There’s been panic buying by a lot of people because much of the supplies cannot get to the shops. So people are storming the shops, and there are queues and queues outside shopping centers. Again, it’s not like this everywhere, but it is over much of the country.”

COVID-19 lockdowns have added to people’s financial woes, though the government has now lifted some restrictions.

How to pray

Pray for peace and wholeness in South Africa. Gordon says, “Pray for protection for us, and that people won’t take the law into their own hands. Sometimes good people want to stand up for what is right, but they do it in the wrong way. Not that we don’t have a right to protect our own lives and our families, but sometimes we maybe get carried away, so be praying that there will be calm, and that wisdom will prevail.”

Thankfully, TWR stations suffered no damage. Pray the hopeful message of Jesus’ love will combat the fear and anger in the country.

The header photo shows South Africans in line to buy food after the riots. (Photo courtesy of Rudantu, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

Stuart Gordon, Human Resources Director at Trans World Radio (TWR) Africa, says, “We have some 200 shopping centers that have been vandalized, and even burned to the ground. We have some towns, for example, Howick, that have become ghost towns. It was totally destroyed and burned to the ground.”

Devastation

With so many shopping centers damaged, many South Africans can’t get food. Gordon says looters have even damaged gas and oxygen supplies to the hospitals. “It’s really bad. And I think most of us South Africans are in shock. We never expected this to happen. We have never seen this. I’ve never seen this in my lifetime.  A lot of reporters from South Africa are saying this is the worst that it’s ever been.”

Pray for the safety of South Africans, and ask God to bring calm to the country. Gordon tells of one TWR branch near a looting hotspot. “Just two days ago, they were going to march up close by the property. But we prayed, and nothing happened. But it is still a hot area. There is a lot of looting still going on. And there are other Christian ministries there as well.”

The header photo shows an empty grocery aisle in Johannesburg, South Africa, due to panic buying. (Photo courtesy of Aleksandar Bulovic’, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

(Photo courtesy Open Doors USA)

Central African Republic (ODM) — The conflict in the Central African Republic has been taxing for many ministries working in the country. This is the latest update, in its entirety, from Open Doors USA:

Since the arrival of the Seleka rebels (Muslim extremists) in Bangui, Central African Republic, Pastor Obona* has been maintaining a low profile. Well-known in his district because of his pastoral activities and the planting of churches, Seleka had him in focus as soon as they arrived in his district.

(Photo courtesy UNHCR)

But the flight came at great cost with one of their children not surviving the stress. “We had taken in an orphan who was nearly 15 years old. This boy was unable to cope with the situation. He fell ill and died.”

The rebels plundered Obona’s house and then occupied it. “A well-intentioned imam told them that it was the house of a servant of God and that they would be cursed if they didn’t leave. They must have been afraid, because they left.”

However, until security is restored, Obona does not dare take his family back to their home. In the lingering insecurity, their family life has been completely disrupted.

“My family has been scattered,” he says. “My wife and I live at another pastor’s house with our youngest son. Our other children have been scattered amongst other pastors.”

(Map courtesy Wikipedia)

When Open Doors team members visited, they went to his house. It was the first time in six months that he had returned. He says: “It is your visit that has given me the courage to return to see my house. It is a complete disaster! Everything has been plundered. There is nothing left. They even took my children’s school things. I also kept the church’s musical instruments at my house. Everything was taken.”

Obona does not doubt for a moment that the rebels targeted him because of his pastoral ministry. “We have planted churches in Bangui and its area. Around here, everyone knows me. The rebels have been looking for me because I planted these churches, especially the one in their stronghold.”

But despite the danger, he has discreetly started his pastoral activities again in an effort to bring comfort to the countless people whose lives have been disrupted like his. “Please pray for us, he says. “Pray for the liberation of the country, for the believers who are discouraged, and for my family to be together again.”

*Name changed for security.

First, it was a rebel takeover on March 24 that put President Bozizie on the run. In the chaos that immediately followed the coup, a Christian radio station was taken off the air by looters.

ICDI, a group working with HCJB Global in the CAR, lost three computers, a generator, transmitter pieces, and a mixing board when thieves ransacked their office in Bangui.

Click here for a complete list of looted items and critical needs.

In addition, the homes of four ICDI staff were looted; one man's son was shot and killed. Edmond Yakanenzi, the coordinator for ICDI's Orphan Care program, passed away on Monday as a result of tuberculosis.

But according to ICDI CEO Jim Hocking, there's finally some good news.

HCJB Global raised enough money to replace the equipment stolen last month, a total of $11,000 USD. Hocking will head to the CAR soon to set up the equipment, and ICDI hopes to have the radio station up and running again by early May.

Pray that Hocking and the replacement equipment would arrive in the CAR safely. Pray that the radio station will be on-air again soon.

Radio is a critical resource in the CAR, as technology is severely lacking. Through a short-wave radio station set up with the help of HCJB Global, ICDI communicates important information on AIDS prevention, orphan care, well repair programs, and many other community development initiatives.

For more on Radio ICDI, visit ICDI.org and select "Community Development."

In the chaos that followed the coup, looting was rampant. In a bid to win over popular support, Seleka forces began making a show of punishing looters, proclaiming "zero tolerance." However, the damage was already done.

Sources told Open Doors that as rebels approached, civilians fled. Some crossed the river Ubangui to DRC in small rafts while others made for Cameroon. The UN, UNICEF, and other NGOs also left.

Locals who couldn't flee the city–including an Open Doors co-worker (name withheld for security purposes)–are trying to remain safe by staying indoors behind lock and key. Power lines were cut, and communications are down. Food prices skyrocketed overnight by 80%.

Open Doors is concerned for the Christian population of CAR who seem particularly vulnerable in these circumstances. Initial eyewitness reports indicate grave disrespect to human life and property. Their team is aware of at least one pastor who has been killed and several churches that have been destroyed in the fray.

France indicated that they will bolster their small contingency in CAR to protect French nationals and called on the rebels to remain calm and show respect for human life.

However, rebels seemed to be targeting government buildings and Christian churches, homes and businesses while Muslim properties are spared. The Open Doors contact reported, "They go systematically from house to house and loot everything of value. The owners are forced to open their houses, flee in fear to the bush, or across the river or face death. There are many casualties and killings. Many people trying to escape over the Ubangui River to DRC have drowned because the boats that carried them were too small for the number of people on board."

Everywhere Christian institutions, businesses and farms became victims of the rebels who robbed people of all their food and supplies and intimidated people at gunpoint, in an attempt to get them to give up hidden possessions such as money.

Open Doors is watching the situation as closely as possible, given the cutting of electricity and water and unavailability of communications infrastructure. The Open Doors co-worker has been forced into hiding indoors along with the rest of Bangui dwellers.

Please pray for the Lord's protection over His children in the city, also for the Open Doors network in CAR. Please pray for God's strength and encouragement to the Body of Christ as they face these uncertain days.