A church group from Goshen is among those stranded in Haiti amid violent demonstrations.
The group from River Oaks Community Church is safe. Thirteen high schoolers and five adult chaperones are at a nonprofit compound about an hour and a half north of Port-au-Prince.
The demonstrations in Haiti were ignited by a government announced fuel price increases on gasoline, diesel and karosene. Gas prices would rise to about $5 a gallon ($1.25 a liter) in a country where the average household income sits at about $7 dollars a week. The government has since decreased the price hikes in an effort to quell the baklash.
Americans in the country have been asked to shelter in place by the embassy.
River Oaks Pastor Drew Richey compared the area to Michiana to help his congregation understand it better. In the analogy Chicago is used to represent Port-au-Prince, where the violence is centered.
“They have to fly out of O’Hare and our team is currently in Valparaiso. And we’re not really sure what’s going on in Gary. And then instead of there being like 10 ways to get to O’Hare from Valparaiso, the only option is the Dan Ryan and that it’s not safe to travel on that road right now.”
Richey said the group is scheduled to fly out on Thursday but that may change depending on how the situation unfolds.