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Haiti (MNN) — For the first time in four decades, For Haiti with Love will not host its annual Christmas party for children in Haiti.

“We usually have the Christmas party for 500 children, but this year we have to cancel it, because of traveling” says Roseline DeHart of For Haiti with Love.

The decision comes amid growing uncertainty tied to expanded U.S. travel restrictions that now include Haiti. With the travel ban set to expand on January 1, 2026, there is uncertainty about whether commercial flights will continue operating reliably between Haiti and the United States. The risk of ministry teams becoming stranded made travel impossible this year.

The cancellation is especially painful because the children expect the event every year.

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Haitian girl (Photo courtesy of Zachary Vessels via Pexels)

“A lot of kids will be very sad, because they all know the party is going to happen, and they’re used to it, so they will be very disappointed,” DeHart explains.

The Christmas party has long been more than a celebration. During the event, children hear the story of Jesus’ birth and His love for them.

“And the kids would go home and tell their parents and their neighbors. That’s how it [the Gospel] spreads,” DeHart says.

Despite the canceled party, the ministry’s work in Haiti continues. Local Haitian staff are still operating the clinic, overseeing construction projects, and carrying out other outreach efforts. Teams in the United States continue to provide supplies and guidance remotely.

“We have all the nurses down there doing everything. When they run out of supplies, we send that to them,” DeHart adds.

Please pray for Haiti, where communities are engulfed by ongoing gang violence. Pray also for the children who were expecting the Christmas party — that they will remember what they heard in past years and continue sharing it with their families and peers.

“God can do anything, and we just continue praying that things will change,” DeHart says.

Visit For Haiti With Love to learn more about their work in Haiti and ways you can help.

 

Header photo: Haitian children (Photo courtesy of Zachary Vessels via Pexels).