Two of the 17 missionaries who were abducted in Haiti last month have been released, the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries confirms.
“We have learned that two of the hostages in Haiti were released. We praise God for this! Only limited information can be provided, but we are able to report that the two hostages who were released are safe, in good spirits, and being cared for,” the ministry shared in an update on Sunday.
“We cannot provide or confirm the names of those released, the reasons for their release, where they are from, or their current location,” they continued. “We ask that those who have more specific information about the release and the individuals involved would safeguard that information.”
The ministry also asked for continued prayers that the 15 missionaries still being held captive would soon be released.
“We encourage you to continue to pray for the full resolution of this situation. While we rejoice at this release, our hearts are with the fifteen people who are still being held. Continue to lift up the remaining hostages before the Lord,” the statement concluded.
The missionaries, 16 Americans and 1 Canadian, were kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo gang on October 16. The gang’s leader, Wilson Joseph, threatened to kill them if he did not receive a ransom of $17 million, $1 million per person.
As Christian Headlines reported last week, Christian Aid Ministries held another “special day of prayer and fasting” for the kidnapped missionaries.
Before Sunday’s update, an unnamed Biden official confirmed that at least some of the missionaries were still alive.
Haiti has seen an uptick in gang violence throughout the year, with the U.S. State Department urging all American citizens to flee the Caribbean nation. On Thursday, the Canadian government announced that it was withdrawing all temporary non-essential personnel from its embassy in Haiti.
The Haitian people are also still reeling from the aftermath of the assassination of their president Jovenel Moïse. Moïse was killed by gunmen at his residence in July. Not long after Moïse’s assassination, the island country was also rocked by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake. The quake, which happened in mid-August, left more than 2,200 people dead.
Related:
Pray: 17 Christian Missionaries Kidnapped in Haiti while Traveling to Orphanage
At Least Some of the 17 Missionaries Kidnapped in Haiti Are Still Alive, Biden Official Confirms
Haitian Gang Demands $17 Million for Kidnapped American, Canadian Missionaries
U.S. State Department Urges Americans in Haiti to Leave the Country amid Rising Violence
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Oleksii Liskonih
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
