The families of a missionary couple who were fatally shot in Haiti received condolences and donations online.
Natalie Lloyd, 21, and Davy Lloyd, 23, were serving as missionaries at an orphanage when Natalie’s father, Missouri State Rep. Ben Barker, confirmed online that they were ambushed by a gang. Their organization, Missions in Haiti Inc., also confirmed that the two were taken while leaving the church, along with its ministry director, Jude Montis. The house they were living at was ransacked before all three were shot and killed.
Since the incident, Barker confirmed that the U.S. Embassy has the bodies in its possession. Barker expected their transportation back to the United States sometime next week in order to have funeral services for them.
“This is a huge answer to prayer for us. Thank you to everyone who is praying and offering condolences it’s been overwhelming and we can’t thank you enough,” Barker wrote.
“So many things to say. We are facing the most difficult time of our life. Thank you for all your prayers and support,” Missions in Haiti Inc. wrote. “The children and staff of Missions in Haiti has been relocated to safer location.”
Travel agency Agape Flights also issued a statement, as it is a charity that provides travel for Christian missionaries across Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas.
“The entire Agape Flights family expresses our deepest condolences to the families of Davy, Natalie, and Jude. Please pray for God’s presence and peace upon them as they process this unthinkable tragedy,” the company wrote before paraphrasing 2 Corinthians 5:5-8. “Now the power that has planned this experience for us is God, and He has given us His Spirit as a guarantee of its truth. This makes us confident, whatever happens. We realize that being ‘at home’ in the body means that to some extent we are ‘away’ from the Lord, for we have to live by trusting Him without seeing Him. We are so sure of this that we would really rather be ‘away’ from the body (in death) and be ‘at home’ with the Lord.”
“Heart-wrenching. God bless this family,” Former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines captioned a photo of the couple.
“The Bible tells us, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”(Psalm 116: 15) Our hearts and our prayers are with the family and friends of these deeply inspiring young Americans,” former Vice President Mike Pence wrote.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) sent his condolences to the Lloyd’s families, assuring them “all of Missouri honors them.” Hawley claimed he tried to intervene when he first heard of the attack.
“Last night, as my office urged the American Embassy to send help to Natalie and Davy as they were under siege, the Embassy told us it was ‘too dangerous’ to send police,” Hawley wrote. “What a weak country we have become. We cannot protect our own citizens from wanton violence.”
Two separate fundraisers on GoFundMe have raised an accumulative total of over $100,000. The funds are intended for the families in order to help pay for the transportation of their bodies along with a funeral service.
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Haiti issued a state of emergency in March when nearly 4,000 inmates escaped one prison, and another containing 1,400 prisoners was also overrun. Florida would go on to evacuate over 700 U.S. residents from the country due to the violence.
Montis is survived by his wife.
