For Such a Time as This: Trusting God Through the Suffering of Sudan and Haiti
Left: Haitian people protesting against violence
Right: Sudanese children lined up waiting for food. (Norwegian Refugee Council photo via AP)
The chaos sweeping through nations such as Sudan and Haiti should awaken Black Christians across the world. Our brothers and sisters are suffering, yet little is being done to stop the violence. Many read the headlines and feel helpless, unsure of how to respond. But God’s Word offers hope and guidance; it shows us how to cry out to heaven when crisis strikes our global family. To act faithfully, we must first understand the struggles they face.
Haiti’s Gang Violence
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, Haiti has been gripped by gang rule. Armed groups now control Port-au-Prince, supplied with advanced weapons smuggled from abroad and provided by wealthy individuals. Thousands have been displaced, left without food, shelter, or basic necessities. Prices soar, malnutrition spreads, and fear dominates daily life.
Attempts at intervention, such as Kenyan police forces sent under a United Nations mandate, have been underfunded and ineffective. Some argue that stronger international action is needed to dismantle the gangs and rebuild political leadership. Others warn that if the crisis continues unchecked, Haiti risks complete collapse.
Sudan’s Genocide
Sudan is enduring what many call the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Since mid-2023, civil war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has claimed over 150,000 lives. Though the conflict traces back to the 2019 ousting of President Omar al-Bashir, today’s leaders fight not for justice but for power and wealth.
Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, accused of exploiting Sudan’s gold mines and funneling resources to the UAE, stands at the center of this devastation. Weapons traced to foreign suppliers fuel the violence in Darfur.
Formed in 2013, the RSF has been accused of genocide and ethnic cleansing, targeting non-Arab, African populations. Entire communities have been displaced, with cities like El-Fasher falling under RSF control.
Times of Crisis and Suffering in Scripture
The Bible records many moments when God’s people faced atrocities. In those times, they turned to Him through prayer and fasting, trusting His deliverance.
The Jewish Genocide
When Haman plotted to annihilate the Jews, Mordecai urged Esther to act:
“Don’t think that you will escape the fate of all the Jews because you are in the king’s palace. If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father’s family will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.” - Esther 4:13-14
Esther responded with courage:
“Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.” - Esther 4:15-16
Through prayer and fasting, God overturned Haman’s plans. Esther saved her people, Haman was executed, and Mordecai was honored.
Israel’s Oppression in Egypt
Centuries after Joseph’s death, Egypt’s new king enslaved the Israelites, ordering:
“If the child is a son, kill him, but if it’s a daughter, she may live.” - Exodus 1:16
Yet God preserved Moses, raising him to deliver His people. Through plagues, Passover, circumcision, and miraculous signs, the Israelites were freed in the great Exodus (Exodus 12-13).
How We Should Respond
Some may say Haiti and Sudan are beyond hope, but Scripture declares otherwise:
“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” - Matthew 19:26
We can trust God to deliver our brothers and sisters. Yet faith must be active:
“Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” - James 2:17
God has given each of us gifts (Romans 12:6-8). Prayer and fasting are essential, but they must be joined with action, service, advocacy, and tangible support. We cannot ignore the suffering of others:
“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” - Philippians 2:4 “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” - Acts 20:35
A Prayer for Nations Like Haiti and Sudan
Jesus taught us to pray (Matthew 6:9-13). Here is a prayer shaped by His words:
Our Father in Heaven, Your name be honored as holy, for holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is filled with Your glory.
We ask that Your kingdom come, along with justice, as Your Word says in Isaiah 30: You are a God of justice; blessed are all who wait for You. So we wait, Lord, for Your vengeance against evil and Your deliverance for Sudan and Haiti, as it is in heaven.
Give your children daily bread, both physical and spiritual. Jesus, You are the bread of life, and You promised that all who come to You will never hunger or thirst. Provide manna for the Sudanese and Haitian people in this desperate time.
Forgive us our debts, as Acts 3 calls us to repent and turn back so our sins may be blotted out. Help us forgive our debtors, that You may cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Do not let your children fall into temptation. Keep the Haitian and Sudanese people from despair, deliver them from the domain of darkness, and transfer them into the kingdom of Your beloved Son.
We thank You, Lord, because You have heard our cries for mercy. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
