A Florida pastor who runs an orphanage in war-torn Haiti has warned that the situation is a ‘ticking time bomb’ for dozens of children they care for.
David Wine, 56, directs the nonprofit Black and White for Jesus Ministries’ shelter in Lilavois, less than six miles from the epicenter of the violence in Port-au-Prince.
An employee of the Lakeland-based company told DailyMail.com the situation is ‘pretty bad’, while Wine told NBC he’s never been more concerned for the children.
The orphanage is one of the few places which provides education, including for special needs pupils on the island, where schools have been forced to close.
Speaking from the warn-torn nation, Wine said: ‘I am very concerned about the state of Haiti right now. It’s a ticking time bomb.’
An employee of Black and White for Jesus Ministries’ shelter in Lilavois, Haiti, said the situation is ‘pretty bad’, while the director David Wine (far left) said he’s never been more worried for the children
Violence in the Caribbean nation spiraled over the weekend after thousands of inmates escaped a prison in Port-au-Prince and gangs stormed the capital (Pictured: tires on fire near the main prison of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on March 3, 2024)
‘I am very concerned about the state of Haiti right now. It’s a ticking time bomb,’ orphanage director David Wine (pictured) told NBC from the war-torn nation
Violence in the Caribbean nation spiraled over the weekend after thousands of inmates escaped a prison in Port-au-Prince and gangs stormed the capital.
It comes as leader of the powerful G9 gang alliance Jimmy Cherizier – known as Barbecue – pledged to oust the country’s acting prime minister Ariel Henry.
He called on police and the military to ‘take responsibility’ and arrest Henry, who has been leader since the assassination of his predecessor Jovenel Moise in 2021.
Haiti orphanage director David Wine
Cherizier is a former police officer who has faced sanctions from the United Nations and US Department of Treasury.
Prime minister Henry, 74, failed to hold elections last year and now says they will take place before Aug. 31, 2025.
Haiti has been blighted by killings, kidnappings and rapes over the past several years amid the rise of heavily armed gangs roaming the streets.
Wine’s orphanage has been caught up in the chaos before. In August, a shooting between two rival gang members forced Wine and the children to flee temporarily.
The humanitarian director told NBC he told the children to get on the floor, screaming over the cacophony of bullets and dogs barking.
They stayed at another church for three weeks until it was safe to return.
Over the past few years, Wine has redirected funds from private donors and churches in Polk County to security efforts rather than other essentials like food.
He said this includes installing 18 surveillance cameras around the compound.
On top of this additional cost, Haiti has been plagued by food and fuel shortages due to gangs blocking the ports. Wine said diesel costs around $25 a gallon.
‘We depend on God because no amount of guns, unless it’s an army, could fight these gangs,’ Wine told NBC.
Haiti has been blighted by killings, kidnappings and rapes over the past several years amid the rise of heavily armed gangs roaming the streets. (Pictured: A man drives past a burning barricade during a protest against Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s government and insecurity, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti March 1, 2024)
On Thursday, flights were suspended at the capital’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport amid gunfire, while several fire stations across the city have since been burnt down. (Pictured: Workers put down a fire set at an office of Haiti’s power company during a protest to demand the resignation of the Prime Minister Ariel Henry in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Friday, March 1, 2024)
Over 300,000 people have been forced to flee their homes from indiscriminate killing and rape in Port-au-Prince, which is largely controlled by gangs. (Pictured: People flee as police officers clash with gangs during a protest against Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s government and insecurity, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti March 1, 2024)
An employee of the Lakeland-based nonprofit told DailyMail.com the situation in Haiti is ‘pretty bad’, while David Wine (pictured) told NBC he’s never been more concerned for the children
An employee of the Lakeland-based company told DailyMail.com the situation is ‘pretty bad’, while Wine told NBC he’s never been more concerned for the children
The orphanage is one of the few places which provides education, including for special needs pupils on the island, where schools have been forced to close
Home to what Wine describes as his ‘large family’, the orphanage is also one of the few places offering an education on the island.
Over 300,000 people have been forced to flee their homes from indiscriminate killing and rape in Port-au-Prince, which is largely controlled by gangs.
One of the country’s policing unions, the National Police Syndicate of Haiti, posted on X that if efforts to contain the escape of inmates were unsuccessful than ‘we are done for’.
It added there would be 3,000 extra criminals on the loose, and urged all officers to assist in regaining control of the prison.
January was labelled by the UN as the most violent month in recent years, with around 1,100 people killed.
On Thursday, flights were suspended at the capital’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport amid gunfire, while several fire stations across the city have since been burnt down.
Other pictures showed workers putting out flames at the offices of Haiti’s power company after they were targeted by demonstrators.