Tampa Bay organizations’ missionary work on hold in Haiti amid unrest

Jeff Patterson
·2 min read

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Ron Patterson has been traveling to Haiti for years with his organization Christian Disaster Response. They are part of a large group that does missionary work in Haiti.

“We started working in Haiti after the major earthquakes that hit Port O’ Prince. We’ve been working there ever since,” said Patterson. “We have supplied doctors, nurses, medical supplies, food, clothing, water, water purification equipment.”

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Right now, the work has been put on hold as conditions in Haiti become increasingly dangerous.

“It’s been very difficult. There was corruption all along that made things really hard, but we were able to get through and get our work done,” said Patterson.

Pastor Dony St. Germain with El Shaddai Community Church is also based in Winter Haven and has been doing mission work in Haiti for many years.

“Our mission has about 237 churches and ministering to about 45,000 people throughout the island,” said St. Germain.

He just returned from Haiti three weeks ago.

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“When I was there, it was very difficult. At night time, you can hear the gangs shooting,” said St. Germain.

Gangs and armed militias have taken over the ports, airports and streets of Haiti.

“It’s hard to travel inland, because you have to have all of the security with you, with us, as we were traveling, And as we pass the different communities, we have to pay the gangs different ransom in order to cross,” said St. Germain.

He said right now, no one is in control of the entire country politically.

“There’s over 66 gangs just in the community of Port O’ Prince itself, so each one makes their own laws and their own principals,” said St. Germain.

He does intend to go back and resume his mission work, when it’s possible.

“I plan to go back and I’m going back soon,” said St. Germain.

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