04-20-10

The country has been in turmoil since February 7, 2019. There have been calls to remove the president, who has said he will not step down. Violence and gang activity have become common throughout the country, even in rural areas like ours. Costs were already high, and have spiraled upwards. Fuel shortages mean problems with transport of basic goods such as rice and seed for planting. People are hurting for lack of security, lack of food, and lack of spiritual peace. More than ever, they need to turn in faith to the only one who can give them peace, the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 2:15 ("who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage") could have been written with the Haitian people in mind. They know the power of the evil one and the threat of death that evil holds over them. Some people serve the devil so that they can share in his power. Haitians fear looking better off than their neighbors because there may be reprisals. Many fear that they will be alone in old age because their children might die before them or will not take care of them. That concern about being neglected may be growing as respect of elders wanes. Increased travel and exposure to television, cinema, etc., have led young people to be more independent of their families, and sometimes even contemptuous of their less-educated parents. The widespread use of cell phones since 2006 has brought a form of technology to everyone, but may have helped decrease the sense of true community. In this "modern" age, Haitians need to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ in repentance and faith to find deliverance from their deepest fears.