Unknown gunmen killed an American missionary and kidnapped a young child from her auto in Haiti, according to police and the victim’s church.
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The Estes Church of Christ, based in Henderson, Tennessee, said the missionary’s auto was intentionally blocked Saturday evening by another motorist. Edwards took care of not only the 20 orphaned or abandoned kids in her charge at the home: She also ran a local nutrition center that provided meals to 160 children five days a week, the Sun notes.
“Armed gunmen emerged from the vehicle and fired into Roberta’s auto, causing her death”, said the church. A Haitian National Police spokesman says the attackers also kidnapped a 4-year-old child from Edwards’ vehicle.
Edwards is survived by her parents, Robert and Laura Edwards.
“Roberta was a light to those in the community and dedicated to bringing hope to the hopeless”, said the church, based in Henderson.
A Tennessee missionary was shot and killed over the weekend while working in Haiti.
Burt Nowers, president of Healing Hands worldwide, said in a phone interview that Edwards was well aware of the challenges of working in Haiti’s capital and owned a handgun for protection.
“She knew that she worked in a unsafe setting, but had committed herself to care for children in Haiti despite these risks”.
Part of Edwards’ job was helping Solley connect with teachers in Haiti to help them find more effective ways of teaching children with a focus on literacy, Solley said.
According to Jesse Robertson, the minister at Estes Church of Christ, Edwards had recently bought a home in Henderson and was talking about retiring but was not quite ready to do so.
But in their 15 years serving in Haiti, Blackwelder said they’ve never experienced anything like this.
[Authorities identify South Korean missionaries stabbed at Md. retreat].
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For decades, missionaries from across the globe have run hospitals, orphanages, schools and food-distribution sites in Haiti, the hemisphere’s poorest country.
