Daily life in Haiti is deeply challenging. Recent stats show that ongoing insecurity and gang violence have forced hundreds of thousands of Haitians to flee their homes, pushing the number of internally displaced people inside the country to nearly 1.3 million, the highest ever recorded. Many end up in crowded, makeshift sites without easy access to enough food and water, health care, or functioning sanitation systems. Hunger is commonplace. Education for children and work for adults have been severely disrupted for much of the population. Many people have been displaced multiple times, attempting to avoid interaction with gangs. In February and March of 2025, more than 1,000 people were killed and nearly 400 injured, according to the United Nations.

Conditions in makeshift displacement sites across Haiti are dire, with more than 246 informal sites reported as of early June 2025, each hosting an average of 2,000 people.

In early January of 2024, 59 people from Drouillard Dasney Church of the Nazarene in Haiti fled their homes due to increased violence and took refuge on the Nazarene seminary campus in Port-au-Prince.

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries staff and volunteers in Haiti did their best to provide short-term assistance, including food, training, and tents. The displaced families stayed for about eight months before returning to their community. Currently, the Drouillard Dasney area is relatively calm, though still under the control of a powerful armed group.

Initially, NCM planned to provide additional food, household goods, and cleaning kits to the group. However, since the people had returned to their homes, leaders decided to redirect the remaining budget to serve additional families from the Drouillard Dasney church and other churches also facing hardship.

While the original plan targeted 13 families (59 people total) from Drouillard Dasney, NCM was ultimately able to serve 293 families across nine churches in the Central District. These churches are all facing similar challenges.

Jean Johnny Anacacis is the senior pastor of Cité Soleil Nazarene Church. Cité Soleil is the largest slum in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. It is also one of the most vulnerable areas, heavily controlled by gangs. Despite these difficult circumstances, the church continues to persevere. While it once had over one thousand members, attendance has now decreased to around two hundred. Pastor Anacacis and his congregation remain committed to ministering to the community in these challenging times.

Pastor Anacacis shared:

“For the past four years, my church members have been facing severe hardship. Providing food for their children remains one of the greatest challenges for families. The NCM food distribution has been a lifeline for several families who were on the brink of starvation. On behalf of my congregation, I extend deep thanks to the Church of the Nazarene for remembering Cité Soleil Nazarene Church at this crucial time.”

Brevil Carole, a member of Drouillard Dasney Church, received a food kit at the Nazarene seminary campus.

She shared:

“My name is Brevil, and I’m a member of Drouillard Dasney Church. I am very grateful to receive food supplies from NCM. I received rice, cooking oil, salmon, beans, spaghetti, and detergents. The food came just in time, as I had nothing to feed my family.”

Castra Louis, senior pastor of the Nazarene Church of Loiseau, adds:

“My name is Castra Louis, and I serve as senior pastor of the Nazarene Church of Loiseau. I want to thank the Church of the Nazarene for providing us with food supplies such as rice, beans, cooking oil, salmon, and cleaning supplies. These supplies will allow me to help feed several families in my church during this difficult time. May God continue to bless you.”

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries calls the global church to persistent prayer on behalf of the people of Haiti.

--

Learn more about the impact of instability on the Haitian people here.