The year 2022 was a year that brought many challenges for the Etienne's ministry in Haiti. There has been increased violence and poverty in the country. Haiti become a failed state because its government is so corrupt that it has lost all legitimacy to govern its people. Those in power have no authority over the gangs because these gangs are the product of their own doing. 
 

As a ministry working in such an environment, the Etiennes are affected on many levels. One of the levels is a safety concern. Their ability to travel back and forth from one city to another on the field has been severely limited/restricted. The second is that they need substantially more resources to get the ministry going now than before due to the constant price increase of everyday items. 

In October last year, they had 30 solar panels and 22 batteries stolen - these had been purchased to provide electricity at two of the churches since the city of Gonaives has not seen electricity for the past four years. As a result, they had to install security cameras at the ministry center and hire an armed guard to work at night. They are also beefing up all gates, doors, and windows with more metal reinforcement and more locks as the delinquency level have increased many folds.
 
Prayer & Praise Report from the Etiennes:

1. I praise God that I could finally find an opening to travel to Haiti for the ministry after about seven months where I could not due to everything mentioned above. It was not without challenges because all the issues remained, but I went and came back safely. 

2. On my last trip (January 18 to 27), I was able, with the help of the other ministry leaders, to hire a new administrator for the ministry. The last administrator was fired in October last year due to a lot of interpersonal conflicts instigated by him, and some other more critical issues with him that we are still in the process of resolving through the ministry lawyer.

3. The school restarted fully in December 2022. The school year was supposed to start in September, but due to instability and safety uprisings in the country, no school was able to function fully until the beginning of the year. We praise God that the kids can return to school.

4. There is a big humanitarian crisis being unfolded in the country of Haiti. The population is facing kidnapping every day by gangs. According to the UN World Food Program, 1.3 million people in Haiti are highly food insecure and 4.5 million don't have enough to eat. We have come across many of these people in our ministry both in the school and the churches. We haven't been able to get food for the school since they started again in December due to a lack of resources. So, we are trying to raise funds to get food for the school and to help some of the people in our ministry. if you can help please donate to the following account:
   Haiti Mercy/Compassion Needs, Account # P-0474. You can donate online at MTW.org

5. The last administrator/worship leader that we fired has deployed a lot of effort to try to divide Trinity Church but the Lord has prevailed. Please continue praying for us, Trinity church, and the new ministry administrator/worship leader. Pray for wisdom and humility as we move forward. Pray for healing for the ministry after going through these turmoils 

6. Please continue to pray for the ministry of Dociné Christian Academy and all its financial needs. Haiti LoveOne Project Account # 91493

7. Please pray for a permanent solution for the constant instability and the complex security situation of the country.

8. Pray for wisdom for me, Natacha, and all the ministry leaders in Haiti as we are trying to navigate through all of these issues to come up with solutions that are honoring God.

9. Pray for me and Natacha as we are preparing for our move to the Dominican Republic in September this year, and pray for the complexity of leading and overseeing ministries in two different countries.

10. Pray for us as we continue to raise funds to finish the construction of Trinity Church. Trinity PC Construction, Account # 92312

LEARN MORE ABOUT MTW and the Etienne's here: Etienne