Abducted Missionary, Orphans Released in Haiti

In the early hours of August 3, gunmen raided an orphanage near Port-au-Prince, and abducted Irish missionary Gena Heraty along with seven Haitians, including a three-year-old. Praise God, they have now all been released.

Gena, who has lived in Haiti since 1993, helped found Kay Christine, a home for those with special needs at St. Hélène Foyer, an orphanage with more than 400 children.

Such loving orphanages, where children who have lost homes and families are cared for well, make a marked difference in war-torn Haiti, where thousands of children are recruited into gangs.

Gang wars have increased over the last few years, leading to the internal displacement of 1.3 million Haitians. In 2024, more than 5,600 people died, 2,000 were injured and at least 1,500 were abducted.

This spring, two nuns were murdered by gangs in Port-au-Prince. Evanette Onezaire and Jeanne Voltaire, had been working at a school in Mirebalais, near Port-au-Prince, when gunmen attacked the house where they took refuge, and killed everyone inside.

In May of 2024, US missionaries Davy and Natalie Lloyd were murdered by gangs, along with Haitian pastor Jude Montis.

In July of 2023, missionary Alix Dorsainvil was abducted, along with her daughter; both were released 13 days later.

In October of 2021, 17 US missionaries, including four children, were kidnapped. Two months later, God led them in a miraculous escape, where they snuck past their guards, walked through the wilderness with the babies on their backs, and over a mountain to freedom.

Father, thank You for sparing Gena and the others who were released from captivity this week. Please meet them in powerful ways and heal their minds and hearts from the trauma. Do the same for every heart all across Haiti dealing with such intense trauma from these gang wars. Bring Christian counselors and pastors to pray with them and help them recover. Have mercy on Haiti, please, Lord. Bring an end to the violence. March in Your angel armies and defend the poor and needy. Restrain wrong and bring forth right. Meet every gang member in such powerful ways they will be forced to lay down their weapons and bow at Your feet, trembling in fear and awe of You. Meet them in their dreams. Get up in their face. Invade their space. Give them visions throughout the day. Show them Your fearsome angel armies defending the weak. Stay the hands of the wicked so they cannot strike the weak. Cripple their every step. Destroy their every evil plan. And deliver their victims and intended victims, Lord. Be a Shield around those in harm’s way, and use Christians to speak Your truth and forgiveness, together with a grand display of Your love and faithfulness. May those still in captivity sing Your praises and preach Your Good News. And as they do, soften the hearts of those bent on evil. Open their eyes to see You as You truly are. Break open their hearts to yearn for You, and save them, O God. Every. Single. Gang member. Extend Your long and mighty hand, and rescue them from out of the pit the enemy has trapped them in. Pull them up into Your glorious light. May they know the joy and everlasting peace only You can give. John 10:10. Then use them for Your glory to bring many others into Your Kingdom. And set the captives free, O God. Protect the children, the missionaries, and the Haitians and others who are held by gangs. Comfort their families and give them hope. Provide the way of escape, and do it in such a way that their abductors are dumbfounded by Your miraculous power and hunger to know this God who is mightier than their so-called power. Bring sinners to their knees before You, break Satan’s hold on their thoughts and lives, and set them free to love You and live the abundant, joy-filled life You created them for through Your love. And Father, please be with those who are suffering greatly in Haiti at this time, who have lost homes and loved ones. Make the way for every lost person to know of Your great love. When they cry out to You, answer them, Lord, and save them. Comfort those who grieve. Set the lonely and orphaned in loving families. Bring Christians into their path to show them Your love and to share Your Good News in such a way that they will easily understand. Give every person a deep hunger for You. Awaken the leaders to Your wisdom. Awaken the rich to Your humble sacrifice. Awaken the poor to the riches of Your love and protection. Awaken the lonely to Your Father-heart. Awaken every heart to Your love, O God. Awaken Haiti to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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