This Giving Tuesday, champions and supporters of PLH gave $7,298 to bring joy and hope to the PLH community.
The plan was to hold a Christmas party in the town square to give people a hot meal and a boost of encouragement in the midst of the darkness that surrounds them. As the situation with nearby gang activity became more uneasy during December, PLH staff, along with local pastors and community leaders, devised a new plan to hold smaller gatherings throughout town the weekend before Christmas.
Eleven participating churches invited their congregations and the greater community to come together for a meal and time of encouragement. A twelfth community group organized a gathering in the town square. An amazing 2,524 people were fed and encouraged!
For just a short time that afternoon, children, men, and women could put aside the life-threatening darkness that has been sweeping the nation and is closing in on their community. They sat and enjoyed a good meal with friends and family. Life in Haiti is heavier than we can even imagine as violent terrorists continue to steal, kill, rape, and destroy. Communities need these rare moments of joy to be able to continue on. Thank you for helping bring encouragement and light to those surrounded by darkness.
Since the event, the situation in town has deteriorated further. The gang that calls themselves the Taliban continues to press north. A group of vigilante fighters from surrounding areas began using the town as a base, going out to fight the gang daily. This past weekend, the two groups were fighting just a few minutes south of town, and several from both sides were killed.
With the fighting getting ever closer, the majority of residents fled, seeking refuge in nearby cities and mountain communities. Most of the PLH staff have fled with their families. All of our staff, program participants, community members, and the PLH campus are in God’s hands. Please join us in praying for safety for all and for deliverance for all of Haiti.
While we cannot see or imagine when or how this suffering will end, we know that God will have the victory. Evil will not reign forever. Darkness will not prevail.
PLH continues to seek God’s guidance for our work in this community and for expansion plans in the north.
Thank you for standing with Haiti and with PLH.
