MFB Haiti helping in a brutal year

Haiti endured a brutal, heart-rending year in 2021 as political and economic turmoil built to a crescendo by the year's end. Security collapsed following the assassination of their president in July and a massive earthquake in August. Movement of food and fuel slowed and then crept to a virtual halt as kidnappings and violence exploded in the fourth quarter. Gangs now control much of the country and often control the flow of fuel and food. Despite a grim year, God is sovereign, and He still brought "beauty from ashes."

A primary strategy for Midwest Food Bank Haiti is to replicate Child Feeding Centers beyond the Plateau Central to other areas of Haiti. These centers provide vital nutrition, vitamins, and protein to children in the first five years of life when the most critical cognitive and physical development occurs.

In 2021, Child Feeding Centers in the Plateau Central grew from 22 to 28, an increase from 1,100 to 1,400 children. Two new centers will be operating in the Cap Haitian area by the end of this month. We plan to develop more feeding centers near Jacmel on the southern peninsula in 2022. They are made possible through in-country partnerships, including Matthew 28 Ministries, Harvest Haiti Initiative, and Haitian Christian Ministries.

MFB Haiti was also able to increase general food distribution through existing agency partners during 2021. In the fourth quarter, nearly 30 tons of food was distributed directly to earthquake relief in the southern peninsula.

Contacts in Haiti help us avoid theft and violence and ensure the food gets to those for whom it is intended. We work with import brokers in Port au Prince and Cap Haitian regularly and adjust shipment arrival dates based on current security conditions. At times MFB Haiti pauses pick-up from the port until we are confident it can be done safely. Trusted Haitian contacts help us move food through the country to our secure locations. This careful approach has resulted in no loss of food so far.

MFB Haiti is hitting the ground running in 2022. Three sea containers of food product (est. 66 tons) are already on the move or planned through the end of February.

Please join us in praying for relative peace and security in Haiti this year and that MFB Haiti, with our many in-country partners, is able to touch more lives with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and alleviate suffering by continuing to provide food to "the least of these." Your support will bring help and hope to a hurting people.