Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere for more than 100 years. Located in the Caribbean and sharing the same island as the Dominican Republic, Haiti has been synonymous with hopelessness, instability, violence, failure, starvation, and poverty. The root of Haiti’s problems is Voodoo. Voodoo is a demonic religion of witchcraft. In fact it was during the Haitian Revolution against the French (1791-1804) that the Haitian Slaves revolting made a covenant with Satan himself, that if he helped them break free from the French, they would dedicate their country to Satan. This is why Haiti continues to be a demonic stronghold with so much turmoil. Haiti has always been ruled by terrible leaders, gone through government overthrows and collapse, and Haiti is a major source of illegal immigration. Most countries do not like taking in Haitian Migrants because they are viewed as a burden. The United States for decades turns back Haitian Refugee boats and deports the ones who make it to US soil. Jamaica does not like taking in Haitians. Even Haiti’s next door neighbor the Dominican Republic views them as unwanted. In fact in 1937, the dictator of the Dominican Republic at the time had hundreds of Haitian migrants killed. The United States Military has intervened in Haiti 3 times in my own lifetime, and I was born in 1992. Yet it seems there is nothing to show for after these 3 American Military interventions in Haiti. The country is still a hopeless and unstable mess. In this post, I will write about the history of US Intervention in Haiti, how it has not worked, and how a Gospel centered solution is what will save Haiti.
The 1st time the United States intervened in Haiti was from 1915-1934. During this time the US Military occupied both Haiti and the Dominican Republic at the same time.
When Haitian Dictator Vilbrun Guillaume Sam was killed by insurgents in 1915, the United States feared more instability in Haiti, and that it would threaten American Companies in Haiti. Specifically the sugar and molasses industry. So President Woodrow Wilson authorized an American Military Invasion on Haiti in 1915.

Once the US Military arrived they began taking over everything. The United States wanted to create a new constitution for Haiti, completely change their education system, take over their banks, etc. The US also re-shaped the Haitian Army and Police. It is noted also, that US Soldiers were very racist to the Haitian People, since the U.S Military were Whites Only at that time and the Haitian People are Black. Many Haitians resented what the US was doing in their country. The United States viewed itself as very benevolent while at the same time viewing Haitians as inferior and exploiting the island.
This intervention ended in 1934 due to the Great Depression. The Great Depression also forced the US at the time to end its occupations in Nicaragua, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic. Following the US exit, Haiti continued to be a poor banana republic. More failed banana republic dictators continued ruling the country, and their terrible leadership continued making Haiti worse. Also voodoo continued to be practiced in Haiti, just as it is today.
The next US Intervention in Haiti was 80 years later in 1994. This one was called Operation Uphold Democracy. It lasted from 1994-2000
This intervention was done to restore a democratically elected Haitian President to office. Jean Aristide a Catholic Priest was the 1st democratically elected President in Haitian history in 1991. He was only president for 9 months and then the Haitian Army overthrew him and kicked him out of Haiti. The Haitian military regime from 1991-1994 terrorized their people and made it an immigration nightmare of the United States. The US forced the military junta to stand down from power in 1994 and restored President Aristide to office to finish his term. This occupation was largely viewed as a success. Sadly some US Soldiers did commit suicide while stationed in Haiti. The US along with UN Peacekeepers occupied Haiti until the year 2000. Everything seemed to be going in the right direction and Haiti had its 1st peaceful transfer of power between presidents in 1996. Also during this time the Haitian Army was disbanded in 1995.
Sadly after the UN left Haiti in 2000, things took a turn for the worst again the next year. Jean Aristide was elected again in 2001. Upon taking office, he was accused of cheating to win. The United States decided not to recognize his presidency and blocked foreign aid going to Haiti. Former soldiers of the Haitian Army were vengeful at Aristide for getting rid of the Army in 1995. So they formed paramilitaries and began an insurgency against his rule from 2001-2004. The United States decided to sit back and do nothing until Jean Aristide resigned in 2004 in fear for his life and fled Haiti for Africa. The US flew Aristide out of Haiti and then the US Marines were sent into Haiti all over again like in 1994, to try and restore order
From 2004 onwards the United States began trying to police Haiti and reign in the Paramilitary violence, and try and organize new elections. What followed were very mixed results. Also, shortly after the US Military intervention in 2004, the UN also sent peacekeepers back into Haiti. The UN kept peacekeepers in Haiti from 2004-2017.
The came the Haitian Earthquake in 2010.

We all remember the terrible damage the earthquake did. We all saw it on the news.
The US Military was deployed again into Haiti to help deliver humanitarian relief
The US stayed for about 6 month to give humanitarian aid to the Haitian People. Sadly the results were once again short-lived. Haiti still continues to be a violently unstable country.
I read on the US State Department Website, that Americans are advised to never travel to Haiti. People are robbed right after they leave the airport. Violent riots occur everyday. Even after Haiti restored its Army in 2017, that has not improved Haiti. I watched a Video from last year (2020) of the Haitian Army getting in a shootout against the Haitian Police over wage disputes. Kidnappings are rampant in Haiti. Haiti remains poor and undeveloped. Also the former Presidential Palace of Haiti remains in ruin ever since the 2010 earthquake.

Obviously government solutions have failed to help Haiti for the long-term. Every US Intervention in Haiti has not produced any lasting difference. Not to mention the millions in foreign aid the US Government has given Haiti over the decades. The corrupt government of Haiti wastes this foreign aid on themselves, and the US just keeps giving them more. So let’s talk about alternative solutions.
Many American Churches have sent mission teams to Haiti to do charity work.
American missionaries have been able to do lots of volunteer work in Haiti such as: building schools, giving medical care, feeding the starving people, teaching job skills. Sadly these missionaries face many hurdles. Whenever there are violent riots in Haiti, Americans are evacuated out of Haiti.
So much of Haitian Society wants to continue holding on to Voodoo. Much of Haitian society practices a hybrid of Catholicism and Voodoo. They are not willing to part with their voodoo idols. Missionaries are up against real spiritual warfare in Haiti. Building houses and schools are important, but they are not going to fix the root problems in Haiti. Voodoo has to stop. There is so much demonic presence in Haiti, and it is going to take a spiritual rebirth in the country to make anything better. Missionaries and whatever true Christians among the Haitian People will have to renounce Voodoo and tell the people to stop worshipping it. There will be much resistance to this, but that is why it is called Spiritual Warfare. It cannot be fixed by US Troops coming in with guns. All the charity work in the world can’t fix it. The People of Haiti need to choose Christ and Christ alone! That is the 1st step to changing Haiti.