The past two months have been marked by terror. Massacres have taken place in different neighborhoods, and gangs continue to expand their territories. Due to the high number of deaths and the increasing areas controlled by armed groups, insecurity in the capital has reached levels comparable to war-torn countries. Since the beginning of the year, 815 people have lost their lives, and over 637 have been kidnapped. Between April 14th and 19th, more than 71 people died in armed conflicts in Cité Soleil. These are the official statistics, but there are undoubtedly many other deaths that have gone unnoticed.
The situation is alarming, and we are living in an unprecedented state of emergency. While 90% of the capital is under gang control, the area near the airport remains relatively calm. How much longer can this last? Sometimes, we feel like the last domino that has yet to fall. Every day, 562 Haitians die of hunger. The difficulties in obtaining food, a 53% inflation rate on food items, and a lack of employment are contributing factors to this hunger crisis. While our focus is primarily on development, we realize that emergency aid is a priority in times like these.
Amidst all this, we could choose despair or escape, but we believe in the promises that God has given us, and we continue to move forward in His footsteps. Our expansion, the establishment of the community center, the relocation of families to safer areas, children being able to pursue their education, Haitians finding stable employment in a nurturing environment, people being discipled and continuing to dream about God's plans... We continue to believe that God's plans are perfect, and even when it's difficult to see, He is still at work.