The US missionaries killed in Haiti as violent gangs management 80% of capital | EUROtoday

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A missionary couple from the US and the director of a mission group in Haiti had been fatally shot by gang members after leaving a church youth group, a member of the family has mentioned.

Davy and Natalie Lloyd, a younger married couple from the US, in addition to Jude Montis, the native director of Missions in Haiti Inc, and had been killed on Thursday in the neighborhood of Lizon in northern Port-au-Prince.

Violent gangs that management 80% of the capital metropolis whereas authorities await the arrival of a police power from Kenya as a part of a U.N.-backed deployment aimed toward quelling gang violence within the troubled Caribbean nation.

Here are some issues to know in regards to the missionary work that targeted on serving to the youngsters of Haiti, and the gang assault that took three lives.

WORKING IN HAITI

Missions in Haiti’s web site says its purpose is “to see the Gospel of Christ make a difference in the lives of Haiti’s young people.”

Davy Lloyd’s mother and father, David and Alicia Lloyd of Oklahoma, began the group in 2000 with the intention of specializing in the youngsters of Haiti. David and Alicia Lloyd are full-time missionaries in Haiti.

“Although the entire nation is steeped in poverty, the children suffer the worst,” they wrote on the web site. “Thousands are malnourished, uneducated, and headed for hopeless lives apart from Christ.”

Hannah Cornett, Davy’s sister, informed The Associated Press that they grew up in Haiti. Davy Lloyd went to the U.S. to attend a Bible school and married Natalie in June 2022. After the marriage, the couple wasted little time transferring to Haiti to do humanitarian work.

Cornett mentioned Montis, a Haitian, had labored at Missions in Haiti for 20 years.

The group’s efforts embrace House of Compassion, which supplies housing for 36 youngsters — 18 boys and 18 women, the web site mentioned. “All are destined to stay at House of Compassion until they have finished school and are ready to be on their own.”

Good Hope Boys’ Home supplies a house for 22 boys, the web site mentioned. The group additionally constructed a church, a bakery and a college with greater than 240 college students, the web site mentioned.

THE ATTACK

A Facebook posting on the Missions in Haiti web page said that Davy Lloyd, 23, and Natalie Lloyd, 21, together with some youngsters, had been leaving a church when gang members in three vans ambushed them.

Davy Lloyd later known as his household to inform them that gang members hit him on the top with the barrel of a gun, compelled him upstairs, stole their belongings and left him tied up, Cornett mentioned.

As folks had been serving to untie Davy Lloyd, one other group of armed gunmen confirmed up, Cornett mentioned.

“No one understood what they were doing, not sure what took place but one was shot and killed and now this gang went into full attack mode,” Missions in Haiti’s posting mentioned.

The couple and Montis fled to a home related to the mission.

“They tried to take cover in there, but the gang shot up the house,” mentioned Cornett.

Ben Baker, Natalie Lloyd’s father and a Republican state consultant in Missouri, posted on Facebook on Friday that the our bodies of Davy and Natalie Lloyd had been safely transported to the U.S. Embassy.

GRIEVING FAMILIES

Cornett mentioned Montis left behind two youngsters, ages 2 and 6.

Montis’ household couldn’t instantly be reached for remark Friday. It’s unclear if he used social media and, in that case, whether or not his profiles are public. Missions in Haiti didn’t instantly return the AP’s request for remark Friday.

Baker wrote on Facebook that his coronary heart was damaged “in a thousand pieces.”

“I’ve never felt this kind of pain,” Baker wrote. “Most of you know my daughter and son-in-law Davy and Natalie Lloyd are full time missionaries in Haiti. They were attacked by gangs this evening and were both killed. They went to Heaven together. Please pray for my family we desperately need strength. And please pray for the Lloyd family as well. I have no other words for now.”

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Associated Press author Summer Ballentine in Columbia, Missouri, contributed.