Journey Update: February 2022

I pray you all are doing well.  There have been a lot of sickness in our area.  I find myself praying for so many.  Jesus is our Healer!  Jennie and I were sick with Covid for about two weeks in January.  We assume it was the Omicron variant.  We both tested positive but the usual testing does not distinguish between the different variants.  We had flu type (upper respiratory) symptoms.  It was uncomfortable but not severe.  We are thankful to be well and out of quarantine.

UPDATE ON THE HAITI CAREBOXES: Of all the years I have worked in Haiti, this is one of the worst situations.  ALL OF OUR BOXES WERE STOLEN BY ONE OF THE GANGS. This is what happened:  We knew this would be a precarious year for delivery.  Our shipper, who we have worked with for over two decades, had held the boxes in their Port au Prince warehouse for a safe window to transport the cargo to Leogane.  Last Thursday, January 27, they thought it was safe and sent out two trucks with our cargo along with other mission groups’ cargo.

The trucks were stopped by the gang.  They allowed one truck to proceed through their check-point.  The second truck with our cargo, cargo from four other mission groups, and four employees were kidnapped and hijacked by the gang.  They held all for ransom.  At first they wanted the crazy amount of $200,000 for the employees, truck, and cargo.  The shipper negotiated with the gang and they came down to $10,000 ransom.  On Friday, January 28, the shipper paid the ransom for all to be released.  The four employees were released with the truck but it was empty.  The thieves were also liars.  We did not recover any of our cargo.

The shipper was very diligent to keep me informed at every turn of events.  She never asked me for one dollar of the ransom money; she took full responsibility.  I sent out a call for prayer to a lot of people.  We were praying for a release of everything.  When I spoke with the shipper the first time, I told her we would be praying for all to be released, but safety of the four men should be the priority.  We are thankful the men were released unharmed along with the truck.

We are broken-hearted over this turn of events.  It hurts to know the kids will not be getting their CareBoxes this year.  We also had things in the shipment for Pastor Baptiste, the teachers, and the widows.  I am also sad when I think of all of you who worked so hard and bought so much for the CareBoxes.  I AM SO SORRY!!  We did all we knew to do at each step of the process.  My hands touched every one of the 667 boxes. 

We have prayed for the men who stole our boxes that they would come to Jesus.  Also, we pray that God would send some of these stolen goods to poor people who need help.  We pray some children, somewhere in Haiti will get a CareBox sent by us, yet delivered by the gang.    

I have been as transparent with this as I know to be.  Thank you for your support,  prayers, and understanding.  Our work continues in Haiti and our need for your support continues as well.  “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21 NKJV).

Rejoicing in the salvation which is by grace through faith, I am…

Yours on the Journey,

Harry L. Whitt   

PathwayOutreach.org