Hundreds of mourners gathered in a hot church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Tuesday to pay their respects to Judes Montis, a mission director who was tragically killed by gang members. The same assailants also took the lives of an American couple who were working alongside Montis.
Tears streamed down Montis’ wife’s face as wails filled the crowded church during the early morning service. The service not only mourned the loss of Montis, but also honored the lives of Davy and Natalie Lloyd, a young married couple in their early 20s. Tragically, they were with Montis when they were ambushed by gunmen on Thursday night. The incident occurred as they were leaving a youth group activity held at a nearby church.
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Montis, aged 47, is survived by his wife, two children aged 2 and 6, and a brother who was present on the night of the tragic events.
As the crowd, dressed in black and white, solemnly made its way from the church to the cemetery, one mourner’s voice rang out, “We will always remember you and the trail you blazed for others!”
Just days after the tragic deaths of the three individuals in a gang-controlled area in Port-au-Prince, a solemn service was held to honor their memory. The area where the incident occurred was in the northern part of the city, where Montis, the local director of Missions in Haiti, a religious organization founded by Davy Lloyd’s parents, worked tirelessly to make a difference.
“We are currently going through the most challenging period of our lives,” Missions in Haiti expressed in a recent Facebook update. “We sincerely appreciate all the prayers and support we have received.”
Montis’ brother, Esuaue Montis, a 43-year-old Spanish teacher with the mission, witnessed the shootings firsthand. According to The Associated Press, he was in close proximity to the incident and observed the gunmen’s arrival. Taking quick action, he used a truck to block the gate, ensuring the safety of several orphans and employees. Subsequently, he led them to safety while fleeing from the scene.
At that moment, his phone started ringing. It turned out to be his friend, whom he had called earlier in a panic to inform about the situation.
“One of the gunmen warned Montis that the phone call he was about to receive would either save him or end his life,” he recounted.
He is yet to return to the school of the organization where he was employed and is currently seeking to escape from Haiti.
“How can I possibly carry on with my work at the orphanage without Jude by my side?” Esuaue Montis asked, her voice choked with tears. “He was always there for me, constantly checking up on me. If I ventured out in the afternoon, he would call and lovingly ask, ‘Brother, where are you?'”
The Anderson family’s spokesperson, Cassidy Anderson, shared in a Facebook post on Tuesday that they have successfully arranged for transportation. However, due to security concerns, they have decided not to disclose any further details.
Natalie Lloyd, a 21-year-old woman, happens to be the daughter of Missouri state Rep. Ben Baker. In a Facebook post, Rep. Baker mentioned that he had a phone conversation with former U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday. Trump reached out to express his condolences to the grieving family.
Baker wrote that he was deeply sorry for the tragic events that affected our children, acknowledging their incredible dedication to their mission and the people of Haiti.
During a recent interview with the AP, Hannah Cornett, the sister of Davy Lloyd, reminisced about their upbringing in Haiti. Their parents, being full-time missionaries, had raised them there, and as a result, Davy learned to speak Creole before he even learned English.
According to her, her parents oversee an orphanage, school, and church in Haiti. She and her brothers were raised alongside the orphaned children.
The Haiti National Police issued a rare statement condemning the killings and expressing condolences to the families of the victims. They have also committed to apprehending those responsible for the crime.
The Haitian police department is often unable to arrest Haitian gangs involved in high-profile kidnappings or killings due to chronic under-resourcing and understaffing. The gangs currently have control over at least 80% of Haiti’s capital, and violence persists as the country awaits the delayed deployment of a Kenyan police force, which is backed by the United Nations.
