Greetings from Oklahoma in the name of Jesus!

A number of our friends and partners in our work in Haiti have asked us what our future plans for Missions in Haiti are after the terrible events of May 23rd. We should have updated you on the current status of Missions in Haiti several weeks ago, but every time I tried to put my thoughts down on paper, my mind would go blank and I would become overwhelmed with emotion. This is without a doubt the most difficult letter I have written during my 26 years as a missionary in Haiti. 

In our previous newsletter, I told you that the future of Missions in Haiti looked bright and that we were  very excited about Davy and Natalie joining Missions in Haiti full time. The international community was in the process of sending in a police force to deal with the gangs and we welcomed that news.

Davy and Natalie had a deep love for the people of Haiti, they witnessed firsthand the daily struggles of the average Haitian. Davy, Natalie and Jude knew that Jesus is the only answer for Haiti and they shared that vision with the people in our area every day. Natalie was working hard to learn the native Haitian language, Creole and she had developed a deep love for the kids at the House of Compassion. Natalie was enjoying her work in Haiti and her love for Davy and for Jesus was very apparent. Davy had a great vision for the future of Missions in Haiti and he had spent many months repairing and upgrading the facilities at the mission compound. Everyone who knew Davy knows he was a hard-working, exceptionally gifted young man. He repaired our vehicles, fixed plumbing issues, built a shed to store his tools and our tractor and Davy built several small houses in Haiti for members of our staff.

Now, after losing Davy, Natalie and Jude (Jude was our director for 20 years and he was “family” and we all loved Jude dearly. Jude was directly involved in everything Missions in Haiti has accomplished during the last 20 years) our world has been turned upside down. The area where the mission is located is under the control of 100s of gang members today and as a result, it is not possible for us to return to that area at the present time. The mission, school, church and bakery will have to remain closed until the gang situation is resolved.

We relocated our main staff and the children from the House of Compassion and the boy’s home to a safer location where we are providing food and shelter for them. There were considerable expenses involved with moving and getting the new location back into a useable condition. Our older boys jumped in and helped with the move and the renovations and we are grateful to them for all their hard work! Our children will be able to continue their education at the new facility. Thank you for the special offerings that you gave, your offerings will allow us to support operations at the new location.  Our trucks were stolen during the gang raid and we appreciate the offering that paid for a new replacement truck which is essential to our ongoing operations.
I also want to express my deep gratitude to the people who sent offerings to help Jude Montis’ family. Your offerings paid for all of Jude’s funeral expenses and his wife will continue to receive Jude’s salary to support her and their two young children. Jude and his wife were in the process of building an elementary school in the area where his wife owns some land and we have committed to provide the financial support that will enable Jude’s wife to finish building the school as soon as things are safe in that area.

Now, let me tell you what we know about the devastating events of May 23rd;

Alicia was already stateside and Sam and I returned to Oklahoma just after midnight on May 23 for three weeks of badly needed rest. Davy and Natalie were planning to leave for three weeks as soon as we returned to Haiti. 

Things had been relatively peaceful in our area and the gang that was in control of that area seemed to appreciate our work there and as a result they didn’t bother us or ask for protection money. As you may recall, we educated around 450 Haitian kids in our schools, our bakery helped feed the area during the time when it was unsafe for the people to travel out of the area to buy food. Our Church services were ongoing without interruption and we had 52 Haitian kids living at the House of Compassion. Missions in Haiti had been a large part of the community in our area for 20 years and given the relative calm in the area, we felt that it was safe for Sam and I to take a break.

The first call came in at around 4:45 in the afternoon of May 23rd. I was informed that Davy had been seized as he left the evening youth service at our Church and that he was dragged across the road to the mission compound and forced to open the gates to allow the gang members to enter the compound. I immediately hit my knees and begged God to intervene. Minutes later, Davy called on Jude’s phone (the gangs had taken Davy and Natalie’s phones) and told me that the gang members had pistol whipped him and looted the compound. After three minutes on the phone, Davy said, “Dad, I have to go, it seems like something else is happening and the gang is back.” I was able to get back through on a call and I learned that the gang or possibly a different gang had entered the compound and was actively shooting up the facilities. Davy, Natalie and Jude took refuge in the small house inside the compound that Alicia and I occupy when we are in Haiti. We don’t know all the details, but they were under fire for around two hours and at some point the gang broke into the house and murdered them. The gang then looted the house and set it on fire. Our house is a complete loss. We will probably never know what prompted the gang to act that evening, but reportedly they were high on drugs and alcohol and full of satan. It is estimated that over 100 gang members from a vicious gang from the North of us took part in these murders and destruction.

The Haitian kids and our staff were locked down in the House of Compassion during the ordeal and they told us that every time the shooting would stop, they would hear Davy preaching, quoting scripture and telling the gang members that they needed to repent and surrender their lives to Christ. A lot of people heard the gospel message that night and for many it was probably the first time that they had heard it. 

It was a couple weeks after the murders that I learned of Davy’s preaching. Prior to that I had asked God many times, “how could You allow this to happen when so many times before You showed up to protect us?” Then, after hearing how strong Davy’s voice was carrying the Gospel message through the night air and the strength he had even after the first group pistol whipped him and slammed his head into the concrete walls several times causing blood to flow from the wounds and most likely causing major head trauma. I still don’t have all the answers, but I now realize that God did show up and He gave Davy anointing like he had never had before. I still don’t understand the why, but we are resolved to keep trusting God and we believe that something great will be accomplished for His Kingdom through the testimony of these three. We are comforted knowing that the minute their souls left their bodies, they were in Heaven in the presence of Jesus!

What is next for Missions in Haiti? As you may know, the U.S. has supplied weapons and equipment and Kenya has sent in a police force to battle the gangs. So far, it doesn’t appear that there has been a lot of progress in getting the gangs under control. It is estimated that around 12,000 gang members control the daily lives of around 12,000,000 Haitians and it is reported that at least 30 innocent people are killed every day, including children. The gangs have set Haiti back further than the earthquake of 2010 and all of the hurricanes combined. There is a deep sense of hopelessness and despair throughout Haiti.

Please keep us in your daily prayers as we seek God’s will and direction for our ongoing works in Haiti. Since May 23rd, I have made three trips back to Haiti. On the first trip, I was accompanied by Natalie’s Father, Ben Baker, Natalie’s Uncle Bobby Thomas and our Daughter Hannah. Alicia and Sam accompanied me on our recent trip to Haiti. Our Haitian kids were definitely glad to see us and we were really enjoyed spending time with them and our staff. 

At the present time, we are working through a very difficult healing process and our mental state will not allow us to live in Haiti full time. We plan to go in once a month to resupply the mission and to show our staff and our kids that we love them and that we haven’t abandoned them. We do hope and we believe that at some point the gangs will be controlled or eliminated and we will be able to reopen the House of Compassion, our schools, our Church and our bakery. 

Haiti is our home and our hearts are there with the people of Haiti. To quit now would dishonor Davy, Natalie and Jude and the ultimate sacrifices they made for the people of Haiti. As Natalie’s Father Ben Baker said in an interview, “Places that are the darkest need the most light.” Haiti needs Jesus!

We also want to express our deep appreciation for all the prayers and for the multitude of people who came to the funeral services for Davy and Natalie in Neosho. Once again I saw that God’s family is very large and very caring. Honestly, we couldn’t have made it through this ordeal without your prayers. We covet your continued prayers for our family, the Baker family and Jude’s family, Missions in Haiti as well as for the nation of Haiti.

Thank you for all the special offerings that were given to cover the costs involved with getting Davy and Natalie out of Haiti and back to the U.S. We appreciate American Airlines for providing free transportation of the bodies from Port au Prince to Kansas City. The special offerings covered all the other transportation and funeral expenses for Davy and Natalie and that took a huge load off of us.

Words simply cannot express how much we love and appreciate all of you who are partners with us at Missions in Haiti. May God richly bless you for all you have done for us and for God’s children.

David Lloyd