Port Au Prince: A lay missionary serving in Haiti says the continuing violence across the country cannot discourage the Church from remaining alongside people who are suffering and in need of support.
Maddalena Boschetti, a fidei donum missionary who has lived and worked in Haiti since 2002, says the country remains caught in a deep crisis as armed gangs continue to control areas of the capital and expand their influence into other parts of the country.
“Violence cannot discourage a missionary,” Boschetti said, stressing that the presence of missionaries is most important precisely where people are facing the greatest need.
The situation was brought again to international attention by the massacre in Kenscoff, in the hills outside the capital, Port au Prince. In an attack during the night of August 23 and 24, 47 people were killed and 22 wounded, while more than 50 people were reportedly kidnapped. At least 13 children and women were later released.
Many children were among those affected when armed men entered homes and attacked civilians. Some people who had sought refuge in a church were also killed.
Following the violence, Pope Leo XIV expressed his closeness to the victims and their families and called for the immediate release of all hostages. He also appealed to those responsible for the violence to take concrete steps to protect the population and end the violence.
Boschetti said the Pope’s words were a source of comfort not only for missionaries but also for ordinary people and the faithful in Haiti.
She warned, however, that the Kenscoff attack was not an isolated event. The violence continues even when Haiti is no longer receiving international media attention, with deaths, killings, kidnappings and sexual violence occurring regularly.
The scale of the crisis is reflected in figures from the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. Between April and June 2026, more than 1,400 people were killed and about 656 were wounded because of the violence. More than 1.4 million people have been internally displaced.
Armed gangs continue to control large parts of Port au Prince, while their influence has spread towards other regions. Security operations have allowed authorities to regain control of some areas of the capital, but armed groups have also moved into parts of the interior.
Boschetti described Haiti as having several active fronts, stretching from the central region to the Artibonite department and into northern and southern areas, alongside the continuing crisis in Port au Prince.
The power of armed groups also affects movement across the country. Gangs have established checkpoints on roads, where they check documents and phones and demand payments from travellers.
Boschetti said travelling has become extremely dangerous and unsafe, adding that she has avoided travelling to the capital for the past two years.
In areas where armed groups are less visible, communities continue to face the weakness of state institutions. Boschetti said public security forces are absent in some places, while corruption and weak institutions add to the difficulties faced by the population.
The uncertainty also affects Haiti’s political future. The transitional government is expected to guide the country towards new elections, but Boschetti said restoring security is an essential condition for people to regain confidence in the electoral process.
“People want change,” she said, while also noting that many are discouraged and have lost confidence.
Amid the weakness of state structures, the Church remains an important point of reference for communities. Boschetti said parish priests are often people whom residents turn to for help and support.
For the missionary, continuing to live among the population is itself a response to the violence.
“The fact that we are present is our strength,” she said, explaining that missionaries share the daily life of people and remain close to those in need even when other forms of support appear to have disappeared.
In a country marked by fear and insecurity, Boschetti sees this presence as a commitment not to abandon people who continue to hope for security, peace and the chance to return to a normal life.