As we approach Christmas and the end of 2022, we want to make you aware of an urgent need in Haiti. Many unique challenges (see below) have created a humanitarian crisis that will require our best efforts, your help, and God’s grace to overcome. This crisis has been escalating and affecting countless lives. In 2021, Haitians saw the assassination of their President and experienced a devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake near Les Cayes. This year, Haitians are experiencing increased criminal gang violence, political protests, and severe gasoline and food shortages, all while dealing with rampant inflation that has increased to over 30%. Many Haitians are struggling to overcome these challenges in their everyday lives.

But God is still in control. As you read the testimony of Abdias (see below), our Haitian staff and families continue to put their trust in God and share their faith despite inflation, earthquakes, civil unrest, and other challenges. Their hope is deeply rooted in the Gospel and their faith is strong despite the constant struggles. Our mission has always been to provide a deep biblical foundation to equip the kids we serve for difficult times. Our Haitian staff and families remind us that in challenging times, we must put our faith and trust in Christ, while spreading His love to those without hope.

YOUR SUPPORT AT THIS SPECIAL TIME OF YEAR WOULD MEAN SO MUCH AND ALLOW US TO HELP THE MOST VULNERABLE IN HAITI DURING THIS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING SEASON. TO MEET THIS URGENT NEED, WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT A GENEROUS DONOR WILL MATCH YOUR DONATION UP TO A TOTAL OF $200,000. THIS MEANS THE VALUE OF YOUR DONATION, NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER, WILL DOUBLE UNTIL DEC. 31! 

We can’t thank you enough for prayerfully considering a financial gift to meet this urgent need. As a thank you, we will send you a copy of the “Thankful” CD if you have not received one already. Matt Drayer, member of the Psalm 100 quartet, along with his wife Tiffany and their 9 children, partnered with LSM to share their gift of music to help vulnerable families in Haiti. Together, we can glorify God by helping Haiti meet the unique challenges they face during this humanitarian crisis.

PLEASE PRAYERFULLY CONSIDER HELPING HAITI DURING THIS DEVASTATING CRISIS. REMEMBER YOUR GIFT WILL BE MATCHED FROM NOW UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 2022. ALL EXPENSES FOR THE CD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY A GENEROUS DONOR, WHICH ALLOWS 100% OF YOUR GIFT TO HELP THE VULNERABLE IN HAITI.

Abdias, one of our Haitian staff, prays daily for God’s provision and protection for his own family, LSM’s Home of Hope families, and those in his country. The challenges in Haiti have worsened throughout 2022. At the beginning of the year, unrest from political instability caused travel restrictions due to riots and scarce fuel. However, each month has brought increasing challenges, resulting in a humanitarian crisis.

Protests and barricades have made travel extremely difficult. Fuel prices have soared as the gangs in Port-au-Prince disrupt the flow of gasoline, causing prices to rise upwards of $60/gallon. People are unable to purchase food or supplies, and hospitals have no fuel to run the generators needed to provide medical care. The current situation has also forced schools to close once again, after children finally returned following the 2020 pandemic shutdown and a severe earthquake in 2021.

Do Abdias and our other Haitian staff fall into despair? Not at all! Abdias has spent the time being forced to stay home as an opportunity to go deeper in the Gospel. As God answers his prayer to put food on the table for his family, Abdias has a renewed faith that God’s grace will be sufficient each new day. In many ways, he says his faith has actually grown stronger during the current food and fuel shortage and unrest in Haiti.

Our other Haitian staff are also demonstrating remarkable faith. Our food delivery director is traveling to the Homes of Hope at strategic times throughout the night to avoid protesters in order to provide food.

Our LSM Tech staff and Education Team have launched soccer tournaments and Bible trivia contests for the community to keep the children active. And our Haitian Directors are wisely dispersing funds to those most in need in the community. In spite of the crisis, Abdias and our Haitian staff say, “God is good!” We praise God that Jesus is truly a refuge in the storm for our brothers and sisters in Haiti.