It Went Over the Cliff

Where’s the big truck? Excuse me…where? Oh, it went over the cliff. WHAT?! IT WENT OVER THE CLIFF?!

In January, RMI’s big Mercedes flatbed was coming back from a team visit on the other side of the peninsula. As it was coming across the mountains, the driver had to make a stop and got out of the truck. The emergency brake failed and it rolled backwards over a cliff and down into a steep ravine. We are thanking God that no one was in the truck and there were no injuries. The loss of the truck is a huge blow to RMI. It was in use almost every day, transporting equipment, luggage, water and ice for teams or delivering food aid or Homes for Haiti materials. After a difficult extraction process, transportation to Cayes and evaluation, it is clear that it is a total loss.

Fast forward one week…

Where’s the red Toyota? Huh? Where?! Ok, we’ll send out the Foton flatbed. Well, let’s do this – the Foton can meet you, you guys transfer the team’s luggage to it and it can still make it to the airport in Port-au-Prince in time. Once you off load that luggage, we’ll load the new team’s luggage and 4 people will have to squash together in the cab to get out to Cayes. Once it unloads the team and their luggage in Cayes, it’ll have to turn around, go load up the Toyota and bring it back here to Cayes for repairs.

This was a major breakdown and the jury is still out as to whether or not it can be repaired.

(Yes, these are true stories!)

How can we do our ministries without these vehicles?! These are significant issues and has left our staff in Haiti scrambling to carry on. We must have reliable vehicles, and urgently!

As of this week the following has developed:

1. A 1970 Jeep “Deuce and a half” military truck has been donated to RMI. It was transported from Venice, FL to a mechanic’s shop in Ft. Myers to be given a thorough checkup on Wed., Feb. 9. Once it is given the all clear, it will be driven to Miami and will be shipped in from there. It will cost approximately $10,000 for the shipping and customs. We are trusting that it doesn’t need any major repairs. It will be used in transporting equipment, food aid, housing materials and much more.

2. A 7 passenger Ford Everest has been ordered in Haiti. It is not available in the US but it will be a great help in transporting teams. They should have it by the middle of March.

3. A 4 door Toyota pickup (like the red Toyota in the picture above) has also been ordered. Since the dealer is so backed up, it will take 3-5 months to arrive. This will also be used to transport teams.

4. A used Ford F350 flatbed is being purchased locally here in Ft. Myers. Once the mechanic has given it a clean bill of health it’ll also be driven to Miami and shipped from there. The shipping and customs for it will be $10,000. This vehicle will be used to transport luggage, equipment, water, food aid, housing materials and much more.

Our vehicle fund will cover some of these costs, but not all of them. We are making a step (more like a LEAP) of faith in these purchases. We can’t emphasize enough the importance of having safe, reliable vehicles to carry out RMI’s ministries. Those who have been to Haiti know the kinds of “roads” we have to travel. Since there is only 1 paved road in the country this means anywhere we go off that road can be anything from a dirt or rock bed road to a cow path. Most of the time we literally go “over the hills and through the woods” to get to our destination. Vehicles are one of the main tools we use to minister.

We need your help! You can donate online here. Choose “Where needed most” on the form to donate to the vehicle needs. Please send us an email at rmioffice.florida@rminet.org to let us know of your donation towards the vehicles. Or you can send a check to: RMI, 5475 Lee St., Suite 301, Lehigh Acres, FL 33971.

Pray with us that God would supply the necessary monies to provide these 4 “tools” for RMI’s ministry in Haiti!