17 missionaries including children kidnapped in Haiti, U.S. officials seeking their release

A violent gang has kidnapped 17 missionaries in Haiti, holding them for ransom, as lawlessness increases in the nation.

Quick Facts

• The missionaries were kidnapped leaving an orphanage last weekend.
• The gang is demanding $1 million per person.
• Haitians are protesting the kidnapping demanding the release of the missionaries.

Information released on Tuesday states that of the 17 missionaries kidnapped in Haiti, 5 are children, with one as young as 8 months old. The gang has demanded $1 million for each person kidnapped. The group is made up of 6 men, 6 women, and 5 children. Of the 17, all but one are Americans, the other missionary is Canadian.

U.S. officials are working with Haitian authorities to secure the return of the captives who were working with Christian Aid Ministries (CAM), which has provided updates on the kidnapping. In Wednesday’s update, the organization said,

“As CAM associates, we plan to have a special day of fasting and prayer tomorrow, October 21. We invite believers around the world to join us in seeking God for His mighty hand to work. As mentioned in previous statements, we invite continued prayer for:

• The victims—for endurance, faithfulness, and a spirit of Christlike love. Pray for their release and that they could follow the example of Jesus who said of His enemies, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
• The kidnappers—that they would experience the love of Jesus and turn to Him.
• Government leaders and authorities—as they relate to the case and work toward the release of the victims.”

On Tuesday the group said,

“Today, we again commit our workers to God’s care. ‘For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways’ (Psalm 91:11). Pray that our workers could respond to hatred with Jesus’ love, overcome the spirit of fear with faith, and face violence with a genuine desire to bless their oppressors.”

“We request prayers for the Haitian and American civil authorities who are working to resolve this situation. We believe the command of the Bible in I Timothy 2:2-3—’Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.’”

“Before the kidnapping, their work throughout Haiti included supporting thousands of needy school children, distributing Bibles and Christian literature, supplying medicines for numerous clinics, teaching Haitian pastors, and providing food for the elderly and vulnerable,” CAM said. “In recent months, they were actively involved in coordinating a rebuilding project for those who lost their homes in the August 2021 earthquake. When kidnapped, the group was returning from a visit to an orphanage that receives support from Christian Aid Ministries.”

Their work has not gone unnoticed as Haitians have taken to the streets to protest the kidnapping and the ongoing wave of kidnappings and violence taking place. One protestor who did not give his name sasatstaffid,

“Without these missionaries, a lot of the old people you see out here would not have been able to send their children to school. Without these missionaries, a lot of these people would have lost their homes to floods. Without these missionaries, our damaged homes would never have been repaired. It’s they who built a road that we can travel on today.”

One protestor named Robert who quit his university studies out of fear of being abducted said,

“They asphalted our roads; they helped us protect our homes from landslides and floods. We are asking for their freedom right away. And we are asking the kidnappers to let us live in peace.”

As Haiti has become more dangerous, it has impacted humanitarian efforts. Without sufficient law enforcement, the nation has become ruled by gangs. CAM’s work has made an impact on the community, so much so that Haitians are protesting to demand the release of the missionaries. The love of Christ has been shown to these protestors and, prayerfully, even the gangs will see that.

On this side of eternity, it is every Christian’s responsibility to pray for their release and the responsibility of the government to continue attempting to rescue them.