Month: March 2024

HAITI RESCUE

On By Daniel CooleyIn MissionsLeave a comment

WOW!

You may know by now that our friends and missionaries, Byron, Shelley, Sue, and those who were serving with them from the States are safe. It was covered in a news report here. If you watch closely, you will see them at 29-31 seconds in.

But that is only part of the story. Below I put the story from Byron and Shelley’s perspective. I’ll put some notes in italics to help give the needed backstory.

They started their letter with this song:

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll,

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Dear Friends,

We are well. We have, again, placed our lives in God’s hands—and He has established the path before us.

Perhaps you’ve seen some familiar faces on the news the last couple of days?

God decided it was time for us to depart Haiti. We are grateful that He chose to make it very clear.

We received an invite to a WhatsApp group at 2:00 pm on Saturday, March 16th. It was titled “Evac 3/17”. This was the beginning of several strings of conversation with staff members in Corey Mills’ office, and with a gentleman in Haiti who is part of Haiti’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Shortly into the conversation, Byron was asked to be the point person for all of those people who would be gathered together to be evacuated. There were 7 from our mission (Byron, Shelley, Isabelle, Sue, Beka, Addie, and Ariana), another gal who lives full-time in Haiti, plus 5 individuals who have been traveling to Haiti regularly for work and ministry for many, many years. The day involved discussion about safe locations to land, where we would gather together, how we would safely navigate to our “pick up” location, and what time this all needed to happen.

Byron and Shelley have run Maranatha Childrens Ministries since its beginning after the earthquake of 2010. I first met them when they were working for another organization in PaP in 2007. We stayed in their house, and they ran a generator at night, which meant FANS! As a result, we have stayed there for every trip since. Do you want our help? Keep us cool. We are fair-weather missionaries.

As for the others, Isabelle is their daughter, Sue runs a home with four children, and Beka and Ben Remy have two daughters, Addie and Ariana. Ben has been trying but has not yet been cleared to enter the States. Beka had to come home with their daughters without him.

We spent the day gathering more supplies; preparing the April payroll which we had the staff come and pick up; (thank you AnchorPoint) and trying to mentally prepare for a departure that we had hoped would never come. It was a gift to see each of our staff members, to have an opportunity to explain what had happened, and to let them know we may not be seeing them for a while. There were tears, and also many sighs of relief. Our staff loves us, and they have been concerned for our safety.

It was 7:30 when we left our home. Alex (their guard and driver, a wonderful young man who came to faith at their place, and recently got married and had a child) took Byron, Shelley, and Isabelle in the pickup. We had to get a special key to leave out a back gate which is only supposed to be used for foot traffic. We made our way to Sue’s house, and then turned around and headed toward the airport – where we were told a helicopter would be picking us up in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Ben drove Beka, Addie, and Ariana from their home. The remaining six people came from different parts of the city, and we were all together by 10:00. The hotel was gracious to let us congregate in their lobby but ready for us to pay for some rooms. We obliged. By 11:30 everyone was in their rooms, and we all knew to have our phones close and ringers on.

At 12:30 am, the gentleman from the Haitian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called to inform us that permission to land the helicopter at the airport had been revoked. He was going to try and locate another option but admitted that it was not a good time to reach people. He called us back shortly to say that the one option he found required approval from two additional people, but he had been unable to reach them. It would need to wait until morning. We contacted the other members of our group and gave them the news that the evacuation had been canceled and we would regroup in the morning.

Fifteen minutes later we received another call. Corey Mills’ office wasn’t ready to give up for the night. They wanted us to find a solution. Our new friend from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave us permission to look for options. He’d told us, “You’ve got all of the permission needed, they’ve just got to have a spot to land.”

It’s weird when you’re not part of putting something together, but suddenly you’re thrust into the position of trying to make something happen. We were a bit baffled to start with, what business did we have looking for a place to land a helicopter? It was at this time that we received a message from a relative who is in the military. “Whatever you are told to do—just do it. Don’t question it. Corey Mills is a retired veteran with many tours under his belt who has been involved in evacuations from Afghanistan. Do whatever he tells you to do! He knows things you don’t.”

WELL. That lit a fire under us. If he says this has to happen tonight, we had better do our part. So, we prayed, and we did our best to contact the director of QCS, and the pastor of Quisqueya Chapel. We found Pastor David Nelson of Quisqueya Chapel, and began to talk through the possibilities, the challenges, and what steps would have to be taken to put everything in place. By 1:30 am, it was all arranged. We would be departing from the soccer field at Quisqueya Chapel. We contacted everybody again to let them know THINGS WERE BACK ON! The plan had changed, and everyone needed to be in the lobby by 4:00 to prepare for transportation to our new evacuation location. At 3:30, Brian, who was the OPS guy, contacted us and said they wanted us to leave ASAP. “We want you there sooner, rather than later. It would be best if you were there by 4:00.” GULP!! It was impressed on us that an evacuation under the cover of darkness was key. While we did not arrive by 4:00, we did arrive by 4:15.

I believe this is where many of us have been to church and played soccer on this field. It was a brilliant place to land as there isn’t much open space in PaP. However, it’s around thirty minutes from the airport . I can’t believe they made it from the airport to the church soccer field safely. The intersections can be deadly. Divine help is the only answer.

God graciously put people in our group who were self-controlled and patient. Although there had to have been some anxious thoughts, people were kind and quiet. We all did exactly as we were instructed, and as we waited dawn broke, and we were flooded by the beautiful Caribbean sunshine. There is no way to describe the silent glances that were exchanged. In spite of losing the cover of darkness, the helicopter landed at 9:15 and we were gone within minutes. We landed at the Santo Domingo Airport around 11:30.

Although we did not plan, nor even desire to be evacuated, we are thankful for the gift God provided through the group which Corey Mills spearheaded. They did not chastise us for remaining in Haiti, nor did they charge us any money. Rather, they thanked us for our service to the people of Haiti.

Upon arriving in Santo Domingo, DR, we were met by a beautiful Christian family who has shown our group of seven amazing hospitality. Beka was able to fly to Arizona with her two little girls yesterday. Sue, Byron, Shelley, and Belle will all fly to Miami tomorrow. We’re looking to God for direction for the next few days, in particular.

We continue to ask for prayer for all of those who are left in Haiti.

Specifically, would you please pray:

  • Ben Remy—would receive his visa and be able to travel to the US with his family.
  • God would post His guardian angels around our homes, and all of those who come and go each day to do their ministry work and provide them with protection.
  • Those of us who are currently out of Haiti will have clarity for the next steps.
  • That we will rejoice in God’s goodness to us, and not believe any lies of the enemy.
  • That our staff and students would be drawn close to Jesus, and that their hearts would become more wholly His. Same for us!
  • That we would steward our time well, whether it is in rest, ministry, work, or caring for our families.

We love you, Jesus!

Thank you for caring for us.

And now back to Dan

I am concerned. Shelley is putting a good face on an awful situation. It is hard after all these years not to love these kids—and workers. I don’t know what we will be able to hear from this point on. So, I’ll add another couple of requests…

  • The gang leader for their area of town has kept things relatively safe for them. Now BBQ—the one who has consolidated the other gangs and taken over most of PaP is coming for him, and their area. Barring a miracle, the “good” gang leader won’t survive. He has been to the house, his kids to the school. We would love to see him know Jesus before he meets Him.
  • Their son Andrew lives on the South side of the Island. Please pray that things remain calm in their area. He has only been married a few years, and they have a young son. UPDATE – they were able to get out over the weekend

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll,

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Dan

Did God Leave Haiti?

On By Daniel CooleyIn MissionsLeave a comment

Ro 12:15 (NIV2011)  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

This blog I wrote for the church just last Friday, but I thought it wise to shoot it out here as well. Above is one of my favorite Haiti pictures, with my daughter Megan and one of the school kids. Can you guess which one is Megan? I used to keep a website with a weekly blog about my writing and traveling to Haiti and dumb things I’ve done. Sometimes I just wrote about dumb things I did while in Haiti. You can read my old Haiti blogs here. I’m no Haiti expert, but I’ve been able to go every year or so since 2007.

I didn’t go this year.

I may never go again.

The last time I saw our Haiti missionaries Byron and Shelley and their family, it was in Boise ID, where we got to be part of their daughter’s wedding. But then they went back to Haiti, where many depend on their support.

  • The 200 kids who come to their school need their support – not just in education, but also for food.
  • Three orphanages depend on our missionaries to keep them supplied with food and supplies. When you give to AP and missions, it does a lot more than pay for electricity and childcare. It goes around the world.
  • NOTE: We CAN still get finances to them, which helps them to barter or buy off the street. You can support them directly here. Or through AP here, just designate it for Haiti.

Currently, the nation is in chaos. The two airports are shut down. The unelected Prime Minister Ariel Henry (accused of having links to the assassination of the previous prime minister Jovenel Moise) couldn’t even get back into the country after visiting Kenya for assistance. He resigned on Tuesday. Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Cherizier (so named for incinerating his enemies—although he claims it comes from his mother selling chicken when he was younger), has consolidated most of the gangs and taken over 80% of the capital of Port-au-Prince.  

On one of my first trips there, in 2008, I believe, I had a Haitian tell me how his slave ancestors had fought for their freedom from the French over 200 years ago. Not being able to win their freedom, they pleaded with the voodoo gods for help, “And,” he said, “we’ve lived in hell ever since.”

Haiti seemed bad back then, but now we realize hell was still a long-distance call. Now it’s local.

Reuters said that, “According to the U.N., some 360,000 people are internally displaced while close to 1,200 have been killed and nearly 700 injured since the start of this year, with widespread reports of rape and torture, and access to basic supplies and services blocked.” By some reports, there have been more deaths in Haiti this year than in the Ukraine, and with morgues unable to pick up the bodies due to gang rule, the city of Port au Prince is beginning to stink. ABC News reported this morning (last Wednesday) that according to the World Food Program, there are 1.4 million people in Haiti one step away from famine.

And I was frustrated this morning because my earbuds wouldn’t sink to my phone while at the gym. Hmmm. Perspective.

And this from the Human Rights Watch a few days ago,

“Criminal groups, which control much of the country, including nearly all of the capital, Port-au-Prince, have killed over 1,100 people and injured nearly 700 others just since the start of 2024, according to the UN. Nearly 13,000 people were killed, injured, and kidnapped by criminal groups between January 2022 and early March 2024. Thousands of women and children have been victims of sexual violence and over 362,000 people have been internally displaced. The rates of food insecurity in Haiti are among the worst in the world. Many children are out of school, and child use and recruitment by criminal groups are on the rise.

“We are abandoned to our own fate; nothing works in the country,” a 23-year-old mechanic in Port-au-Prince told Human Rights Watch by phone on February 19. “There is no state, the police are scared, and they have no way to defend us from the gangs that shoot, kill, kidnap, rape women, and take away everything from us on a daily basis.”

Our missionaries, Byron and Shelley, are still in Port-au-Prince with their daughter, their fellow missionary, and friend Sue at the children’s home with four children, ages eight to fifteen. Ben and Becca are also there with their 3-year-old and newborn. (Please be praying for them as Ben is waiting for his US visa, and the baby is waiting for her passport so that they can leave when the airport reopens). At a different location missionary and son Andrew is with his wife Dawn and new baby. Bryon, Shelly, Sue, and Andrew have been at AnchorPoint at one time or another. There is also no electricity, but that isn’t all that unusual. What is different is that it is also pretty impossible to obtain diesel for the generator.

Here is some information directly from Byron and Shelley that I gave on Sunday, as well as some updates from talking to them this week. Communication is a bit sketchy, but you can get a feeling of what life is like I believe from what we have received.

Thank you for your prayers. There is a lot of trouble in Haiti right now. We’re in unchartered territory, and just doing our best to process as we go.

The gangs have been holding food containers hostage at the port. There was already a shortage of food. Now the distributors can’t open to sell, even if they were able to obtain the containers. We are seeking to purchase food items for distribution at three orphanages where we steward food supplies, but do not know what we will be able to do.

The food sacks for our especially poverty-stricken students were distributed on Thursday, but I don’t know what we’ll be able to do this week. For now, school is closed – so those children will not eat either.

Saturday night was very bad – they are trying to take the police station … and they were all over our neighborhood. If you are caught out of doors between 6 pm and 5 am, expect to be arrested or shot.

They did make another effort to take the airport yesterday. Both airports are closed, meaning we cannot leave Haiti, nor can we leave PAP. It is bizarre.

We have a lot of unknowns right now. Lots of heavy gunfire last night, some of it moved behind our house.

For now, we would appreciate prayers for cool heads, wisdom, and the availability of supplies. Specifically, water. We have 12 – 5 gallon containers left for our house and for the children’s home.

Right now, the gangs are fighting against the government and police. Should they succeed, things could change very rapidly for us. We’re quite aware of this.

We do need wisdom for when the time comes.  Thanks for your prayers.

It’s awful. Hungry children, nothing to feed them. 

So where is God in all this? He is in Haiti, with the suffering. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote from a German prison before his execution during WWII, “Only the suffering of God can help” (Letters from Prison). And as Kenneth Surin wrote, “The only credible theology for Auschwitz is one that makes God an inmate of the place.” (The Impassibility of God and the Problem of Evil).

I’ve been asked, and you may be asking yourself this question, “Why didn’t our missionaries leave already!?” The simple answer is that it is more difficult than you can imagine. There are children there that may not be their blood children or their adopted children, but they have raised them since infancy. How do you leave them at a time like this?

And how could Jesus leave Haiti at a time like this? He can’t. 1 John 3:1 says, 1Jn 3:1 (NIV2011)  See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

God doesn’t ever leave us or forsake us. Dt 31:8 (NIV2011)  The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” If Jesus was in the fire with Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego, He will be with Byron and Shelley and family in PAP.

And if you know Him, He is with you, in whatever you are going through.

This is when theology gets real.

I hope you can support them financially and in prayer. That’s all we can do right now, so let’s do it. Let’s Ro 12:15 (NIV2011)  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.