We’re into our fourth week now since the 17 Christian Aid Ministries missionaries were kidnapped in Croix-des-Bouquets, with no news yet of when or how they will be released. It has been hands-down the most uncertain and unsettling time since our family arrived in May 2019. We keep our ears tuned to any news, and sometimes it’s hard to prove what is true and what is rumor. It seems the country is holding its breath, waiting on a break and a return to some sort of normality. Besides the safety and kidnapping issue, the fuel shortage is ongoing in the entire country, making travel very difficult if not impossible. We had already been staying pretty close to home out of concern since the kidnapping, but I sat together with a group of local leaders this past Sunday, and they unanimously told me that under no circumstances was I to travel the road between Fond Parisien and Port-au-Prince. So that pretty much sealed the deal, meaning we are going to need to find a new normal that does not involve going to Port-au-Prince for the time being. This means no airport, no American grocery stores, no mail, and no medical supplies.
I have also been in constant communication with our board of directors in North America. At this point, we do not feel an immediate need to leave the country. The area we live in is extremely remote and far removed from the worst of the kidnapping and violence, which is mostly centered in and near Port-au-Prince. We have been fortunate to build up a relationship with the local leadership and community here in Oriani, and we feel like they have our backs and we can trust them to keep us informed if we are in increased danger. Our route to the border with the Dominican Republic does not involve driving through Port, and as long as the border stays open we can count on leaving that way if things deteriorate further. As far as our household supplies go, we are able to find most major staples in local markets. We might need to change our style of cooking for a while, but that won’t hurt us.
For now we are continuing in faith, keeping the clinic open and pursuing alternate ways of restocking medicines and other critical supplies. We currently have a reasonable inventory and will be able to operate at almost normal capacity for several weeks yet. At some point soon we will likely have to start limiting the services we provide at the clinic, but that is out of our control. Even if the clinic were to close completely, there are other ways we can encourage and be an asset to this community in general.
We aren’t discouraged, but rather going forward cautiously and trying to remain flexible. For now the door seems open to stay, but we have no promise of it remaining that way. We realize these are very uncertain times and we have no idea what the next days will bring. We feel loved and supported by our church family here in Oriani, and they are concerned about our well-being and wish the best for us. Thanks for your continued prayers and support. We need them more now than ever!