2020 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20006
202-546-0054
ChristianNewswire.com
One Penn Plaza, Suite 6202
New York, NY 10119
212-290-1585
StandardNewswire.com
One Penn Plaza, Suite 6202
New York, NY 10119
212-290-1585
CatholicWireService.com
Religion Newswire
2020 Penn. Ave., NW, Suite CCN
Washington, DC 20006
202-546-0054
2020 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20006 U.S.A.
Update on Attempt to Free
American Missionaries in Haiti
Contact: Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, 540-538-4741, 202-547-1735
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 /Christian
Newswire/ -- Christian leaders condemn Haitian government for
charging American missionaries with kidnapping and will work for their
immediate release.
Faith leaders met today with Haitian Ambassador Raymond
Joseph to secure the release of ten American missionaries being held in
Haitian prison.
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition and the Rev. Rob Schenck, President of the National Clergy Council, prayed and shared their concerns with the Ambassador.
Rev. Mahoney, who has worked with members of the Central Valley Baptist Church of Idaho on past projects, assured Ambassador Joseph that the missionaries were caring, loving Christians who were not kidnappers or traffickers.
Ambassador Joseph asked the Christian leaders to send him a letter sharing their concerns and stated he would personally forward it to Haitian leaders and officials.
(Listed below is the letter.)
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition and the Rev. Rob Schenck, President of the National Clergy Council, prayed and shared their concerns with the Ambassador.
Rev. Mahoney, who has worked with members of the Central Valley Baptist Church of Idaho on past projects, assured Ambassador Joseph that the missionaries were caring, loving Christians who were not kidnappers or traffickers.
Ambassador Joseph asked the Christian leaders to send him a letter sharing their concerns and stated he would personally forward it to Haitian leaders and officials.
(Listed below is the letter.)
4 February, 2010
His Excellency Raymond Joseph
Ambassade de la Republique d'Haiti
Ambassade de la Republique d'Haiti
2311 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Washington, DC 20008
My dear Ambassador,
On behalf of myself, my colleague, the Reverend Patrick J. Mahoney, and our combined constituency of some 90,000 member clergy and lay church leaders of the National Clergy Council, the Christian Defense Coalition and Faith and Action, I thank you for your gracious reception this morning at the Embassy. Please know of our continuing prayers and condolences for you, the Prime Minister, the President and all your fellow citizens.
Rev. Mahoney and I were delighted to report to you that our members continue to donate money, supplies and equipment to relief efforts in an unprecedented way. We will renew our appeal immediately and expect they will continue to do as much and more.
We also registered with you our deep distress and increasing concern over the detention and allegations against the church group that was admittedly transporting children to a safe haven in the Dominican Republic. This group, some of its members, their pastor, the Reverend Clint Henry, and their congregation of origin, the Central Valley Baptist Church of Meridian, Idaho, USA, are personally known to us. They are good people who have no history and no reason to engage in any action that would cause harm to children or their families. We ask the Government of Haiti to immediately release these individuals and drop any charges pending against them, as well as restore the integrity of their reputations by publicly stating such.
Please know these individuals acted with naiveté and in an unprofessional way in their desire to rescue children in distress, but they did not do so with an intent to harm those children. These individuals may be guilty of a disregard for normal procedures, but they are certainly not guilty of criminal or immoral acts.
We testify to these things as true based on personal knowledge. We therefore humbly appeal for their immediate release and full exoneration.
Thank you for your urgent attention to this matter. We are,
Very truly yours,
Rev. Robert L. Schenck, M.A., D.D.
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney
The leaders continue to call upon the Obama Administration to move more aggressively to secure the Americans release and publicly state the group had no intentions of trafficking or kidnapping.
The Obama Administration's silence on this issue has slowed
efforts to free these Christian missionaries.
The Christian Defense reminded Haitian leaders and officials
that the people they have labeled as "kidnappers" and "traffickers" are part
of the Christian community that has given millions of dollars to help their
country, opened schools and medical clinics, orphanages, teaches their
children and are now giving countless hours and dollars to help rebuild
their country after the devastating earthquake last month.
The Haitian government should not make an "example" out of
people who were only trying to help their country.
The Christian Defense Coalition in the past has worked with
members of the Central Valley Baptist Church in Idaho on a variety of
projects.
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense
Coalition, states,
"We call for the immediate release of the ten American
Christian missionaries now under arrest and detained in Haiti.
"The purpose for their being in Haiti is now clear. They
sacrificed their own security and comfort to help the needy children of
Haiti after the devastating earthquake last month.
"It is obvious that these missionaries are not traffickers or
kidnappers but simply caring Christians sharing the love of God in the most
difficult of situations.
"They attempted to comply with local Haitian law, to the best
of their ability, as they reached out to these 33 children. They were
actually arrested as they were returning back to Port-Au-Prince to secure
the necessary paper work for their charitable mission.
"It is important to remind Haitian leaders, who have called
the missionaries traffickers and kidnappers, that they represent the same
Christian community that has given millions of dollars to help Haiti over
the years. These are the same kinds of people who have helped build schools,
orphanages and medical clinics in that country and who are now on the ground
rebuilding their country.
"We would also ask that the Obama Administration take a more
aggressive stance in securing their release and publicly affirming that
these Christian missionaries are not traffickers or kidnappers."
For more information or interviews call:
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney at 540.538.4741 202.547.1735