12/21/21 - Kidnapped Missionaries In Haiti Were Able To Escape

Christian Aid Ministries says the kidnapped missionaries in Haiti escaped and walked for miles to find help.

The missionaries that had been held for ransom in Haiti are now back home but last week they  found freedom by making a daring overnight escape and walking for miles to find help.

The group had been in Haiti with Christian Aid Ministries, the Ohio-based agency.

The organization held a press conference Monday and gave a detailed account of their journey to safety. 

A total of 17 people from the missionary group were abducted Oct. 16 shortly after visiting an orphanage. They were moved around several times during their captivity.

Their captors from the 400 Mawozo gang initially demanded millions of dollars in ransom.                                                                                        Five other captives had earlier reached freedom. It is still unclear if any ransom was paid.

CAM General Director David Troyer did say supporters of CAM raised funds for possible use for a ransom, but he refused to say whether one was paid for any of the releases.

"After a number of hours of walking, day began to dawn and they eventually found someone who helped to make a phone call for help," he said, his voice beginning to choke. "They were finally free."   The 12 were flown to Florida on a U.S. Coast Guard flight, and later reunited with five hostages who were released earlier.

They were not physically harmed by the kidnappers,  The main challenges included the heat, mosquitoes and contaminated water for bathing. Some of the younger children got sick.

Over time, the hostages agreed to try to escape, and chose the night of Dec. 15 to flee. They found a way to open the door, and silently escaped.

Everyone appears to have emerged from captivity in good health.

None of the freed hostages were at the press conference. They came from Amish, Mennonite, and other Anabaptist communities in Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Ontario, according to CAM.