Haiti (MNN) — A gang leader known as “Izo 2” or “Didi” holds more than 50 people hostage in a mountain village outside the Haitian capital. If security forces kill gang members while trying to recapture the village, Didi says he’ll take hostages’ lives in return.

The captives are among those who survived Sunday’s violent gang attack in Kenscoff that left at least 47 dead, including 22 victims who were executed in a church compound.

(Map created using ChatGPT)

“These were displaced people who had taken up refuge in this church, and the gangs attacked them as well as other community members,” Kate Michel says. Michel heads up Radio 4VEH, the broadcast ministry partner of TWR in Haiti.

The hours-long rampage sent shockwaves throughout the nation. The Haitian Times reported that the attack involved armed men who moved through Kenscoff, killing residents, setting homes on fire, and abducting dozens of people.

According to the United Nations, the Kenscoff attack was one of the largest mass kidnappings in recent years.

“It’s got a lot of people on edge even more than before,” Michel says.

“Protective barriers that society held in place have been broken by these gang members. The gangs have lost that sense of ‘You can’t touch people inside a church.’”

According to government statistics released Tuesday, more than 1,400 people were killed in Haiti between April and June.

“Over the last few years, there’s been so much loss. People are in a desperate situation,” Michel says.

Radio points Haitians to hope

Based in Cap Haitien, Radio 4VEH speaks life into despair. The radio ministry responded swiftly after news of the attack emerged.

“The day after the news of these attacks came out, the presenter of our midday prayer program was reading from Psalm 23. That’s an encouragement that people can lean into the Lord, put their trust in Him,” Michel says.

“Whatever craziness is going on, God is trustworthy, and He is in control. He does have a plan, both for Haiti and for people’s individual lives.”

Learn more about the ministry of Radio 4VEH here. “Our message is that Jesus is our hope. He’s the hope of nations. He’s our hope for every day,” Michel says.

“When these evil things are happening, we cry out and call on the Lord to intervene, and seek His peace and His resolutions to what’s going on.”

(Image courtesy of Friends of Radio-TV 4VEH, The Evangelistic Voice of Haiti/Facebook)

Four ways to pray for Haiti

Michel offers four ways to pray for Haiti: “The first one is to pray for lasting solutions to Haiti’s complex crises,” she says.

“There’s no one easy solution, but we believe God can bring about the answers that Haiti’s people need.”

Second, ask the Lord to intervene on behalf of Haiti’s people. “Pray for the protection of lives and livelihoods. [Pray for] families that are grieving and the communities that have lost people,” Michel requests.

“Thirdly, pray for solutions that will benefit all of Haiti’s people,” she continues. “Often, the solutions that are offered may benefit a portion of the population, but they don’t impact everybody.”

Finally, pray for Radio 4VEH and others, “that God will help sustain those ministries to be a voice of hope for Haiti’s people,” Michel asks.

Header image courtesy of Radio 4VEH.