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Today's episode contains violent descriptions that may not be suitable for young audiences.

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Listener discretion is advised.

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Welcome to today's episode of Dying to be Found the Dash. I'm Deb and today we'll delve into a

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gripping story of resilience, faith, and the harsh realities facing Haiti, the 2021 missionary

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kidnappings. This is a story that captivated global attention, underscoring the escalating

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challenges in a nation plagued by instability and violence.

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Missionaries kidnapped in Haiti. Gang violence spirals out of control.

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Royal family of Haiti gang that kidnapped American missionaries taken down by Feds before

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jailbreak battle. Notorious gang kidnapped U.S. missionaries in Haiti. 17 U.S. missionaries

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including children kidnapped in Haiti.

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It all began in October 2021 when a group of 17 individuals, 14 missionaries, and three children

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were abducted near Port-au-Prince by the 400 Mwozo gang. This gang's name roughly translates to

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400 inexperienced men. In today's episode we'll take you through the events leading up to the

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crisis, the ordeal of captivity, and the extraordinary journey to freedom. To understand the context of

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this event we need to look at the broader picture. Haiti is known to be the poorest nation in the

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western hemisphere and has long struggled with political instability, corruption, and poverty.

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The assassination of President Jovenel Moise at private residence on July 7, 2021 was a turning

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point. It created a power vacuum that gangs like 400 Mwozo quickly exploited.

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Just weeks after the president's death, a devastating earthquake measuring 7.2 on the

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Richter scale struck the southern peninsula killing more than 2,200 people and leaving

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countless others homeless. Amid this chaos the 400 Mwozo gang tightened its grip on areas near

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Port-au-Prince including Croix de Bouquet. U.S. Department of Justice says Jean Pélis, alleged

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member of Haiti's 400 Mwozo gang, was involved in October abductions. This group, infamous for mass

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kidnappings, used hostages as leverage to extract hefty ransoms. Their victims were the

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members of the Christian Aid Ministries, a U.S. based organization committed to helping vulnerable

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communities and actively supporting 9,000 Haitian children in orphanages and schools.

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The missionaries had been visiting an orphanage and were returning to their base

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when their bus was intercepted between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. on this Saturday morning.

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October 16, 2021. A peaceful day turned into a nightmare when the missionaries' bus was

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stopped at a gang-controlled roadblock. Armed men forced them off the vehicle and took them to an

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undisclosed location. Among the group were five children ranging between the ages of eight months

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to 15 years old. Four adult men and two women were also taken by force where the perpetrators

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soon made light of their demands. The gang's demands were clear. One million dollars per

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hostage. This was part of their broader strategy to fund their operations and assert control.

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Just days before the kidnapping, Haiti had received a visit from high-level U.S. officials

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who promised more resources for a stronger police force plus funding to reduce gang violence.

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But foreign aid did not come soon enough. Word spread quickly when one of the victims used

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WhatsApp to signal for help and word spread quickly of their kidnapping. As negotiations began,

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the missionaries' families in North America gathered for prayer vigils, hoping for a peaceful

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resolution. The hostages faced unimaginable conditions during their 61 days in captivity.

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Although the kidnappers provided food and clean drinking water to the missionaries,

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the water used to clean dishes was contaminated, which caused many of the captive members to

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endure sores on their skin. The missionaries and their families drew strength from their faith,

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praying together and supporting one another. The hostages spoke to gang members on numerous

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occasions, even reminding the ringleaders of God's eventual judgment in days to come.

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The gang's reaction could not be verified, nor could the treatment of the hostages during

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this disparaging time. They never lost hope. Their faith and solidarity kept them going

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through those dark days. Back in Haiti, the crisis highlighted the broader issue of rampant gang

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violence. By 2021, kidnappings had surged by 300%, leaving the population paralyzed in fear.

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Because Haiti has one of the highest kidnapping rates in the world, the 400 Mwazo gang took

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advantage of a weakening police force in the wake of the president's assassination and proceeded to

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carry out nearly 800 kidnappings. President Moise's death left Haiti's political and social

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infrastructures vulnerable to gang activity, allowing gang members to infiltrate essential

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supply routes in and out of the country. Citizens demanded action, but with limited resources,

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authorities struggled to combat the gang's growing influence. After weeks of negotiations,

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a breakthrough came in November 2021 when five hostages were released. According to the

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Associated Press, an unidentified person paid an undisclosed amount to have these hostages released

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and was not affiliated with a non-ransom policy set forth by the US-based missionary involved

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in this kidnapping. The final twist came on December 16 when the remaining 12 hostages

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executed a daring escape. Under the cover of darkness, they were able to break through a

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barrier wall, walking in silence for miles toward freedom until they finally reached safety.

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According to the remaining hostages, this escape was only possible due to the recent rains that

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forced gang members into shelter in another area of the compound where all the hostages had been

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held, allowing them to steal away into the night. Their courage was extraordinary.

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This was a case where diplomacy, pressure, and bravery all came together.

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The hostages were reunited with their family, bringing an end to this harrowing chapter.

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The images of their reunion was filled with tears, hugs, and relief. On May 10,

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2022, seven Haitian nationals and members of the 400 Mwoso gang were indicted on charges of

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conspiracy of armed kidnapping with the intent to take hostages, 16 US citizens and one Canadian

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citizen, while holding them captive for 61 days in 2021. A statement read to accused gang members

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on behalf of the victims stated, quote, We do not know all the challenges you face. We do believe

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that violence and oppression of others can never be justified. You caused our hostages and their

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families a lot of suffering. However, Jesus taught us by word and his own example that the power of

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forgiving love is stronger than the hate of violent force. Therefore, we extend forgiveness to you,

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unquote. The 2021 missionary kidnappings in Haiti were a stark reminder of the country's challenges.

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Yet amid the despair, there was resilience, courage, and faith. Haiti needs sustained

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international support, not just in times of crisis, but to build long-term stability.

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As we close this episode, let's remember the people of Haiti and the ongoing struggle they face

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every day, not just in the dangerous society that they live in, but the poor socioeconomic state that

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plagues this country. Consider making donations to those in need at hopeforhaiti.org or savethechildren.org

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which you can also find in our show notes. In the meantime, thanks for listening to Dying to

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Be Found and Dying to Be Found the Dash. Before we go, we would love to receive feedback from our

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listeners on this storyline or any of our other episodes. If you have a storyline you would like

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to hear, email us at dying2theletterbefound at gmail.com. Look for more content at dying2befound.com

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plus on our socials at Instagram and TikTok. Talk to you soon.