WESTLOCK — A young Oklahoma-based missionary couple killed by gangs in Haiti at the end of May, are being mourned by members of the Clyde Christian Bible Church who knew them.
David Lloyd III, 23 and his wife Natalie, 21, along with a third person believed to be a maintenance worker, were killed May 23 when gangs attacked the orphanage where they worked as missionaries, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Village of Clyde residents, Dennis and Barb Carbert, who are also members of the church, are acquainted with Lloyd’s parents, David and Alicia, through missionary work and shared their shock and sadness over the attack. They fondly recalled memories of the family and the orphanage, a place they have visited on several occasions during past mission trips in 2013 and 2016.
“Our hearts ache for David and Alicia, who have lost a son in the prime of his life,” said Barb Carbert.
Dennis said they were “pretty shook up” over the news and noted how close it hit to home.
“We know about the situation in Port-au-Prince. We’ve been following it and we know what’s going on … but all of a sudden this is right in our backyard now.”
He said he has reached out to the Lloyds via email and offered prayers and condolences, and spoke of the connection they have through the church’s missionary they support every year.
“Our missionary (Rico Leon) and the young man’s father (David Lloyd) are the best of friends,” said Carbert. “Our Clyde mission group has travelled to Port-au-Prince … (after arriving) we went to David Lloyd’s orphanage and we were accommodated there. We stayed overnight and visited.”
Barb also recalled the time they spent with the Lloyds in Haiti.
“We ate at the orphanage and we slept there. The Lloyd family was very hospitable and welcomed us into a busy place,” she said, adding they befriended several of the Haitian orphans.
Barb said the Clyde Christian Bible Church applauds news that the president of Kenya is sending a large group of soldiers to help with the situation and “hopefully quell the gang violence on the streets of Port-au-Prince.”
“We hope this helps the president-elect establish law and order and some governance in Haiti.”
