You may remember reading about Davy and Natalie Lloyd. Missionaries to Haiti who were murdered by gangs in the neighborhood where they served the Lord, their story of faithfulness and sacrifice goes far beyond the headlines.
A new book from Moody Publishers, “Strong to the End: The Simple Service and Sudden Sacrifice of the Martyrs in Haiti” tells a more personal, intimate version of that story. It’s written by Davy’s parents, David and Alicia Lloyd, as they alternate telling the stories of Davy and Natalie’s commitment to living out the gospel and of God’s faithfulness even in death.
It’s charming to hear the Lloyds recount their son and daughter-in-law’s early lives. Davy had grown up in Haiti, the son of missionaries who opened a children’s home and Christian school in Port-au-Prince. He spoke Creole fluently and was an industrious boy who longed to be back home in Haiti while visiting the United States. He grew up hearing the gospel, and it took root in his heart early. After finishing Bible college in Neosho, he knew God wanted him to return.
Natalie, daughter of former Missouri Rep. Ben and Naomi Baker, grew up nearly 2,000 miles away in Neosho. She, too, grew up hearing the gospel early and often, and followed Christ at a young age. Musical and bright, she and Davy met through church events, began dating, and later studied together at Ozark Bible Institute. They were married in Missouri in June of 2022 and soon moved to Haiti to serve together.
Amid a collapsing country
Judes Montis is a third “character” in the book. A passionate local ministry leader, he served alongside the Lloyd family caring for orphans in his homeland and ensuring they had an opportunity to hear the gospel amid a collapsing country. He and Davy were close friends, even though Jules was 20 years his senior.
By 2024, Port-au-Prince had been locked in the grip of more than 150 gangs for years, with estimates saying they controlled 85% of the city. Local gangs near the children’s home and school were responsible for launching large-scale attacks on police stations, and two of Haiti’s biggest prisons. The United Nations says gangs were responsible for killing or injuring more than 2,500 people the first quarter of that year alone.
Though the school and children’s home largely stayed off gangs’ radar, the peace in their neighborhood was fragile, with cracks widening in early 2024. On May 24, it broke apart. “Strong to the End” describes how Davy was attacked by armed men just outside the mission compound. The gang then broke into the compound where Natalie, Judes and the kids of the children’s home were taking shelter in the “Big House.” After a lull, three trucks full of attackers stormed in, trapping everyone inside. Judes, Natalie and Davy ran for the secondary house where they hoped to find a more reliable satellite connection to call for help. Hours later, the gang members stopped by the Big House, letting them know they were “finished” and those in the house should go to bed.
‘Brutal’ details
The account from there deserves to be read in the authors’ words, and with the warning that the details of the three Christians’ martyrdom are brutal.
The cold, factual details are vivid enough, but it’s the first-person retelling from David and Alicia that turn this into something more. It’s not overly dramatic or sensational, but its authenticity is palpable. From the opening page, we feel the fear and intensity of the phone call that Davy has been taken hostage, the sense of helplessness of being thousands of miles away, and heart break of when they got confirmation of news they feared. “God, where are you in all this horror?”
‘Hopeful rather than tragic’
Thankfully, it doesn’t end there. It’s far more than the martyrdom of Davy, Natalie and Judes. It’s the story of how each of them came to faith in Christ, how the Lord proved Himself early (even in some shocking ways), and how they loved ministry in Haiti so much they were willing to lay down their lives while preaching forgiveness to those who would soon kill them.
This is a relatively quick read at just 160 pages, but it is by no means a “light” read. It includes startling, excruciating violence. Although the subject matter is heartbreaking, the book is ultimately intended to be hopeful rather than tragic. Scripture doesn’t shy away from martyrdom, and this is absolutely a story that should be shared and remembered. That said, parents would be wise to read it first before putting it in the hands of younger, more sensitive readers.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Brian Koonce and originally published by the Pathway.
