Davy and Natalie Lloyd (pictured above) and Jude Montis, the local director of Missions in Haiti Inc., died when they were ambushed in turn by two Haitian gangs last week. The three missionaries had been helping children in the impoverished and increasingly lawless country.
Davy grew up in Haiti with his missionary parents, who started the agency. He and Natalie, the daughter of Missouri State Rep. Ben Baker (R), would have celebrated their second wedding anniversary on June 18.
"This has been the hardest thing we've ever faced in our life," Rep. Baker told AFR Talk this week. "But we want to tell the story of Davy and Natalie, because it brings glory to God."
Baker has known Davy's family for many years. In fact, when he was in Bible school, he prayed for Davy and Davy's sister when they were kidnapped as children in Haiti.
"They were returned, and no harm was done," the father remembers. "The Lloyds even remained in Haiti and have been there for 20-some years now."
Though he does not understand God's plan in this, he trusts Him and thinks his daughter and son-in-law's rare and selfless example of love and devotion will change the world.
"I believe that God's going to use this in a mighty way," Rep. Baker stated. "I believe that it could be the spark of a new generation of young people that are inspired and dedicated to do missions work."
The Voice of the Martyrs' (VOM) Todd Nettleton, who has met with Christians who have suffered persecution in more than 40 nations in his more than 25 years of service with VOM, says the Lloyds were committed for lifelong ministry and knew the dangers.
"Those who go to hard places, those who stay, even as law and order is breaking down, to represent Jesus Christ are heroes," he submits.
While the sending organizations vary in willingness to knowingly place missionaries in harm's way, Nettleton says they see no caveats in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20).
"I think every mission organization has their own philosophy of risk or … theology of risk, but ultimately, Jesus told us to go into all the world and make disciples," he notes. "He calls us to be willing to lay down our lives."
Meanwhile, as the Church has faced persecution and martyrdom since the beginning, Nettleton points out that training for security, risk assessment, and risk management are now available for people who know God is calling them into dangerous situations.
And though any missionary who begins to doubt their calling has the option to return home, that rarely happens, because those with dangerous assignments are always looking to reaffirm their calling.
"As the danger sort of increases, they go back again and again to, 'I know that God called me here. I know that I'm where I'm supposed to be,'" Nettleton tells AFN.
If everything goes smoothly, Davy and Natalie's bodies should be returned home this week.
