Buckeye Reporter

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Violence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital and main port, has spiked in recent months, with gangs controlling a majority of the city.  As many as 200,000 people have fled their homes during a rash of murders, kidnappings, arsons, and other violent acts.

Amid the violence, Father Tom Hagan, who founded Hands Together charity, continues to operate relief efforts in Port-au-Prince’s Cite Soleil slum, where more than 500,000 Haitians live on top of 3 square miles of garbage and raw sewage. Father Hagan leads Hands Together’s Becky DeWine School, health clinic, and feeding program. Governor DeWine and First Lady DeWine have been involved in supporting Father Hagan’s work for nearly three decades.

Father Hagan’s work in Haiti during very violent times was featured in this Miami Herald article in July. Sadly, a peace treaty Father Hagan negotiated with rival gangs, which is referenced in this article, has been broken in the last few days.

Recently, Governor DeWine sat down with Father Hagan to talk about his work in Haiti – feeding and educating children and their families – during these violent days. Below are excerpted clips from the interview that the news media may use.

Original source can be found here.