Team Haiti 2019: Sadly, for the first time ever, we had to cancel ...

by Rev. Ben Hopp, Missionary to Haiti (June-July 2019)The OP Haiti Mission was saddened to announce on June 20, 2019, that for security reasons this year's Team Haiti trip, scheduled for June 22-July 4, 2019, had to be cancelled.In a message published shortly thereafter in the Telenews newsletter, Ben said:

“Further disruptions have characterized this month with eleven days of partial lockdowns with protests and demonstrations in various cities and towns around Haiti. We are grateful that things have not been as bad as February, but it has been a challenge.

Even though we are safe at the Kaliko Mission Home, the uncertainty is stressful. It is difficult to plan anything because it depends on what’s happening out in the streets. Work and school have been disrupted for our church folks, especially in Port-au-Prince.

It was our hope that this month we would be reporting on the work of Team Haiti 2019. These teams have been coming during the summer months since 2008 to do Vacation Bible School (VBS) programs at the churches. Sadly, for the first time ever, we had to cancel the team’s visit because of the unrest. Our priority is the safety of our visitors, and this year things are just too uncertain.

Pray for Team Haiti as they deal with the disappointment of not coming to serve the churches after a lot of preparation. Pray for them to find productive ways to use this extra time for God’s glory. Pray for the many children who cannot participate in VBS. For many of them, attending VBS is a highlight of their summer."