US missionary and family land at FLL after Florida-based nonprofit helps them escape gang violence in Haiti - | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale
FORT LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - An American missionary, his wife, and their young daughter landed in South Florida, days after they were rescuedRead More
FORT LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - An American missionary, his wife, and their young daughter landed in South Florida, days after they were rescued from the gang violence in Haiti.
7News cameras on Thursday night captured Zachary, Mia and their daughter shortly after they touched down at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
âHonestly, it feels unreal,â said Zachary. âI got my family home. Weâre safe, weâre good.â
Their arrival on U.S. comes after a very dangerous mission, with growing gang violence and massacres in a country that doesn;t have a real government right now.
Zachary, a Christian missionary out of Texas, said he flew to the island nation to help.
When Project Dynamo, a nonprofit headquartered in Florida, rescued Zachary and his family, they were first taken to the U.S. embassy in the Dominican Republic.
âWeâre very happy, we just landed in the U.S. with [Zachary and] his family. We rescued them on Monday from Haiti,â said Mario Duarte, President and CEO of Project Dynamo. âItâs a Christian missionary family that was stranded for over three years in Haiti. They contacted us, and we as Americans, we love our country, and we love our people, as weâd go anywhere where there is an American in harmâs way.â
Zachary corroborated that he and his loved ones had been trying to leave Haiti for three long years and had not been able until this week, thanks to aid from the nonprofit.
âThereâs no words that can express our gratitude towards these guys and their whole operation,â said Zachary.
Duarte said Project Dynamo will be doing this type of rewarding work by continuing to rescue Americans around the world and getting them back home.
This family of three is now one plane stop away from home.
âWell, thereâs a lot of tears. I will miss my people, miss my people over there, and at the same time, Iâm happy to get to know more of my family members in the States,â said Mia.
Zachary, Mia and their daughter will be heading home to Texas on Friday.
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