Gina Heraty Has Been Running an Orphanage in Haiti for 32 Years

A Message from Gena Heraty.

This time last year in August 2025 we were still in the hands of the gangs and people world wide were praying for us.

While we worried through long dark scary days and nights, families and friends tried to keep positive and tried to push back the awful thoughts that invaded every waking moment.

We were surrounded by forces of darkness and we clung onto our hopes.

We prayed through our despair, we sang through our worries and we kept our spirits up by counting our blessings.

It was not easy.

It could never have been easy.

We worried for ourselves and we worried for our loved us -we knew they were worried out of their minds for us.

Dark days and dark nights.

We prayed.

Ireland prayed.

Haiti prayed.

Wherever people knew, they prayed

Candles burned

People begged

Our Lady of Knock

People wondered

We wondered

This time last year we were enclosed in that tiny filthy dark room.

While we were there Yvonne died.

Our wonderful Yvonne.

She that loved her handbags and necklaces.

She that loved kids and hated if we gave out to anyone.

She that threatened to break your ribs with the force of her hugs.

She that gave you that mischievous smile when you yelled that she was crushing you.

She that loved to tie your buttons.

Our dear Yvonne.

She was unwell before they took us.

We have no doubt, the trauma of that violent night, pushed her closer to her departure from this life.

Having to leave her home, our home, took the life out of her.

She worried about us. Til she could worry no more.

She did not deserve this trauma.

No one does.

Over a year has gone by since they took us.

Not a day goes by that we don't remember.

That we don't appreciate how lucky we were.

That we don't appreciate all those prayers.

We were lucky.

Others were not so lucky.

So many massacres since we were taken.

So many more people kidnapped.

So many people disappeared

No dignified funeral for so many.

No funeral at all.

No bodies for families to mourn.

Symbolic funerals for the poor farming men and women that were guilty of nothing.

Guilty of being there when the gangs invaded their homes in the middle of the night.

Even in death they knew no peace.

Their bodies were used to barricade the roads -to stop the police.

Countless injured by the bullets,

Or from rolling down the hills trying to escape.

This time last year we were in the hands of the gangs.

I find it hard to write.

Not because the memories are painful-

Because so many awful things keep happening and how can I ever find the way to express the depth of my sorrow.

Real people are suffering and struggling.

Our Lady of Knock please give them strength.

Dear God in heaven, for how much longer will Haitians have to suffer?

Man's inhumanity to man!

I see the little sliver of the new moon.

I see the happiness on the faces of the children.

The gratitude and the relief on the face of those we can help.

We are alive.

Our mission is to keep serving.

Mayo won The All Ireland and like all Mayo people, I am sticking my chest out and I am proud to be from Mayo. Thank you Andy Moran, the team and all involved with Mayo football all down the years.

Thank you for not giving up.

Mayo people don't give up.

We have a lot to do here in Haiti

We can't go back to our home in the mountains.

We have to make this place more liveable.

We have to reach out and help more and more people.

When we were kidnapped I remember feeling so annoyed that I was all cooped up and unable to do anything. There were so many things to be done! Then I decided to change my mindset and use the time to pray for those in need of prayer. It was a good use of my time. Of our time.

Am feeling sad as I remember Yvonne.

She died one year ago today.

The feast of the Assumption.

A nice day to die.

Our Lady of Knock -thank you!

To all of you that prayed for us and supported our families-thank you.

Let us continue to pray for all those that are suffering, for all that are kidnapped.

Let us pray also for those that are in gangs and those that bring so much pain to lives all over the world.

Let us keep praying.

Keep lighting the candle.

Keep believing that things can be better.

Keep making things better.

Gena Heraty

15/8/2026