Calvary Chapel Ministers in Haiti
Calvary Chapel Ministry Reaches Out after Assassination of Haiti’s President
Story by Margot Bass
Photos courtesy of Cross to Light
In the wake of the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise early Wednesday morning, the country has been locked down, declared in a state of siege by Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph. The president was killed by gunmen in his private residence, and his wife was wounded. Cross to Light, a Calvary Chapel-based pastoral training center in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, is asking for prayer and donations to help feed the starving in all 10 departments, or provinces, of the beleaguered country.
Well-Orchestrated Miracles
Just five days ago, however, Pastor Brian McDaniel, director of Cross to Light, preached the Gospel to the president through a well-orchestrated miracle.
Brian was out with the Cross to Light Evangelism Unit, a large truck fully loaded with loudspeaker public speaking equipment used to preach the Gospel in the streets of Haiti. He was out with students from the Haiti Bible Training Center and his friend Nick Rocco. The presidential motorcade drove in front of the truck, but the president's vehicle got stuck in traffic directly in front of Brian. So Brian took the opportunity to deliver a five-minute Gospel message to the president.
Fuel shortages have long been plaguing Haiti; for the past five weeks, Haitians have not been able to purchase gasoline, a precious commodity.
After he was done, the president's bodyguard got out of the vehicle to get a Bible and gave it to the leader. The second miracle was that the traffic immediately cleared, and the motorcade moved away. “In spite of this tragedy, we are witnesses that God is on the move. He allowed this miracle to happen for the president five days before his death,” Brian marveled.
Desperate Conditions
The assassination has only made a terrible situation worse, according to two pastors associated with Cross to Light. “In a state of siege, they’re not letting anybody out of their houses. Everybody’s really scared. They don’t know what’s going to happen or who’s going to take over the government. This could have been like a coup,” said Brian. He explained that after a state of siege, the next step is a state of war.
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Pastor Dave Hansen of Calvary Chapel Louisa, VA, a member of the board, reflected on the seriousness of today’s events: “What’s the next step? Nobody knows. Will the next leader be worse, or better? Nobody knows. The devil’s running the place. It’s scary.”
Brian McDaniels (far right), director of Cross to Light, observes as men organize food supplies.
Dave continued, “It’s very sad. Haiti’s been in a crisis situation for so long. It’s been their lifestyle.” The deceased president’s policies have angered the citizens of Haiti, who have faced severe shortages. “Unfortunately, in Haiti, it’s really wound up the people to a breaking point. There are street riots and gangs just attacking people left and right. The last year has escalated to a point where the gangs have pretty much taken over many of the cities, killing the police. The truth is that people have no water, no food, no gas, so they can’t get to work. They’re desperate right now.”
Brian added that there has been no gasoline in the country for five weeks, which means that supplies aren't being sent to the stores. “Now this assassination,” he related. “The people are hurting now.” The lack of gasoline has also disrupted, and even locked out, phone communications; generators at cell sites aren’t working. “It looks like they did some kind of block-out on communications today.”
Men from Cross to Light unload a food truck.
Yet both Dave and Brian share that there is hope through Jesus Christ despite the terrifying times. Dave acknowledged, “The devil’s got people gripped by fear. It’s a great time for the Gospel and hope to be given to the people. But it’s hard to explain hope when you’re in a desperate state. Our pastors are trying to get water, bread, and food to the struggling population. If you can help them with their felt needs, you can get to their hearts. But until they get their hunger and their fear taken care of, it’s hard to reach their hearts.”
In response to the massive food crisis, Cross to Light is trying to fill, as soon as possible, shipping containers in Florida with 4,000 pounds of beans and 1,200 50-pound bags of rice. Information on how to donate can be found at crosstolight.com, under the Emergency tab. “We have access to the ports and a distribution plan, so we will be able to get the containers in. These containers are going to save lives,” Brian proclaimed.
Men from Cross to Light work together to unload large bags of food to distribute to Haiti's poor.
Heroic Pastors
Cross to Light has been training pastors in Haiti since 2010, and now has pastors in all 10 provinces. Pastor Dave praised the heroic efforts of those pastors amidst the unchecked gang violence, where helping the poor there can be very dangerous. “It’s a bad situation that’s escalated, and it’s happening all over Haiti.” One of their pastors was shot in the stomach. In another church in a slum in Port-au-Prince, Cité Soleil, it’s like a “war zone all the time down there, and at least a dozen times, the pastor has had to leave there with his family for safety,” Dave shared. That pastor was fleeing there today following the assassination, Brian added.
Dave asserted, “But that’s where Jesus needs to be. In this dark place. That’s why we’re planting churches there—they need Jesus terribly. These pastors are to me spiritual giants and are going out there for the cause of Christ. I just love them; they’re spiritual brothers. Thank God for them.”
Brian concluded, “Pray for the safety of our pastors, that God pours out His Spirit on the nation of Haiti right now, and that we would fill that container.”
To donate, go to crosstolight.com/emergency-relief-haiti-under-siege. Updates on the crisis will also be available at the website.
All verses above are quoted from the New King James Version, unless otherwise noted.
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