His name was Emmanuel.

The name Emmanuel, both in its Hebrew form (Immanuel) and its English variant, means “God with us”.

He worked as a security guard at our home and he was very active in the local Catholic Church.

He lived up to his name- a kind word for everyone.

A smile lived on his face and he clothed himself with kindness every day.

Goodness was his essence.

When we started taking our young people to his church, he was extremely proud and told me several times the impact our Special Needs residents were having on his community. He always greeted us at the door of the church with his beautiful, happy, smiling face.

That beautiful church – built only a few years ago with the help of the poor farmers and other donations – is now inhabited by the gangs that took his life.

By the gangs that beat him, shot him and burned him in the house that he was guarding that Thursday night when the gang members went crazy in the rural community of Furcy.

That church is now a party house for the same gangs that kidnapped his only daughter- one of many they kidnapped.

That church is now one of the bases for the gangs that have destroyed Emmanuel’s community.

That church – once called St. Michel and now called St. Paul – is where gangs play their party music and celebrate the terror they have spread all over the hills.

Where they rejoice in killing poor farmers and show no mercy on those running screaming into the dark while the bullets fall like rain all around them.

Emmanuel-it was easy to see the goodness of God in you.

It was easy to see how a world is made better when people are kind and inclusive – when people care for each other and see each other as one.

Emmanuel you did not deserve this- no one does.

You were a strong young man with so much to live for. You died standing up against evil.

You died a martyr’s death.

You are not just another statistic, one number amongst the minimum 1,617 people killed in Haiti so far this year (Relief Web),

One more death to add to the 5,600 plus killed in 2024 (UN figures).

Emmanuel – God with us.

You were God with us.

Life is not fair – we learned this long ago and don’t expect it to be.

But we work hard to make it a little fairer.

Your presence touched many lives Emmanuel.

We give thanks for your life and your love and we believe you will soar with the angels and watch over your beautiful homeland.

You can enlist St. Paul and St. Michael, cos, as you know, your people pray non-stop to God and his Angels for protection.

Emmanuel your life was ended far too soon.

Your work on earth is done.

There is a song called “Your work on earth is done” and these two lines come from it.

“The Lord of love will be my comfort when my work on earth is done.
He’ll safely lead me through the valley,
When my work on earth is done”.

Bon voyaj Emmanuel.
Nou pap janm bliye w.

Gena Heraty
May 14th 2025