Mission group from Oakland Co. now home safe from Haiti

ROMULUS, Mich. (WJBK) - A mission group from Oakland County has returned home safe after getting stuck in Haiti for multiple days.

The 44 people from Kensington Church, including Orion Township supervisor Chris Barnett, were supposed to fly home on Saturday but got caught in the middle of the country's ongoing protests.

Protesters are rebelling against their prime minister's decision to raise fuel prices to balance the budget. The plan has been rescinded, now, but Monday protests continued and a general strike kept most Haitians at home. That, combined with an incoming tropical storm ended up shutting down local airports. 

The group was able to get a safe flight out Tuesday, though. They landed at Detroit Metro Airport around 1 a.m. Wednesday -- and were met by relieved family members.

"They weren't mad at us; they never were. They were upset with their government so we didn't feel a threat from them," explains Barnett. "Obviously we wanted to be really careful because a lot of us had our kids; I had two of my daughters there. But they need a lot of support, they need our help."

The group was down in the impoverished nation teaching villages how to get clean water.