Photo Update from RMI...

Our Fall Food Sale is on NOW! Visit www.RMIbridge.org to donate today.


from Reciprocal Ministries International

Photo Update from RMI...

Haitian proverb of the week: Bel dan pa di zanmi. Translation: Beautiful teeth don’t say friend. Meaning: Just because someone is smiling at you doesn’t mean they’re your friend.


from Reciprocal Ministries International

eleve8: A Story That Tells Why (5 of 5)

A simple story that communicates the spirit of eleve8...

A couple of years ago, one of the RMI pickup trucks pulled into the parking lot at the office.  As the driver exited the vehicle, he started talking with another team member there by the side of the truck.  That other team member immediately noticed a wet rope that was left in the bed of the pickup overnight.  It had gotten wet from the rain the previous night as it laid disheveled in it's place.  Here in RMI, we value order and stewarding what God has given us.  The rope should've been wrapped up and put in the back of the truck so it was ready for it's next use.  Once he noticed the rope, he reached in and grabbed the rope to put it away. The driver who was ultimately responsible for that rope, asked, "Wow, why can't I see what you see?".

Why can't I see what you see?  What a great question!  It's about training.  The one team member had been trained to have open eyes, to take initiative, to look for opportunities to change things and to have an impact where God put him.  The other team member had simply not been taught to have open eyes.  We want all of our team to have open eyes.  We want to have a "take initiative" kind of culture.

Today, that team member who asked the simple question, "Why can't I see what you see?", is now the one with open eyes.  He is now the one teaching and leading others.  He is now the one taking great initiative to change things.

This is the spirit of eleve8.  It's about multiplication.  We all need to be passing on what we've learned along the way, as well as learning more from the others God puts around us.

Keep watch as we roll this out in an 5 post series...  Next up...  

1. ANNOUNCING: eleve8
2. Vision and Mission
3. 8 Core Values and Proficiencies
4. This is NEW, but not really!
5. A Story That Tells Why

eleve8: This is NEW, but not really. (4 of 5)

Is our eleve8 initiative new?  Definitely yes, but not really...

Why isn't this new?  For a long time, our desire has been to have a multiplication culture.  We've talked about empowering the team, raising them up, releasing them with authority to changes lives.  On a regular basis some of us have used the language "we are a teaching mission".  We truly value our team members and believe in their potential.  Frankly, we've at times purposefully, strategically and patiently sacrificed short term excellence and expediency in order to generate long term personal and professional development and impact by our team members.  We've provided tools and some training to our team members, even if they've had little experience using these tools because we respect everyone's ability to learn and grow into their roles.  We've started a learning resource library. We often choose to use the inexperienced because we believe in their God given future potential. We see equality between our national and international team members.  We believe in our people and we believe in each person's ability to do great things for the kingdom.

Why is this new?  It's time to double-down on our effort.  It's one thing to talk about it and believe, but it's another thing to actively implement.  We want that this language will more regularly be a part of our dialogue and lead us in every decision.  We'll not simply consider how we can develop others, but we will also consider how we ourselves need further development.  What will be do differently? We expect we will have an increased volume of strategic learning events.   We expect that we will bring in experts (local and international) to help us all learn (Interested in coming to teach us your skill?).  We plan to establish an eleve8 learning forum online.  Our library will continue to grow with strategic titles. We can claim we teach/develop people, but we want to be more aggressive in doing so.  We will push harder to expect and demand the development and the empowerment of our people.  There will be suggested books, suggested blogs to follow and articles to read.  There will be an increased volume of encouragement to lead and learn.

RMI Haiti Team - Full Time (Oct 2017)

Keep watch as we roll this out in an 5 post series...  Next up...  

1. ANNOUNCING: eleve8
2. Vision and Mission
3. 8 Core Values and Proficiencies
4. This is NEW, but not really!
5. A Story That Tells Why

eleve8: 8 Core Values and Proficiencies (3 of 5)

What are the 8 major areas of life and leadership that we will focus on in our eleve8 initiative?

8 Core Values and Proficiencies…  

1. Everyone can be a learner and developer (of self and others) - Skills 
2. Everyone can be a student of the Bible - Know the Bible 
3. Everyone can be of good character - Character and Values 
4. Everyone can be disciplined - Personal Discipline 
5. Everyone can be socially intelligent - Understanding People 
6. Everyone can be an initiator - Independent and Creative Thinking 
7. Everyone can be a manager - Self and Others 
8. Everyone can be a server - Service

Keep watch as we roll this out in a 5 post series... Next up... #4

1. ANNOUNCING: eleve8
2. Vision and Mission
3. 8 Core Values and Proficiencies
4. This is NEW, but not really!
5. A Story That Tells Why

Photo Update from RMI...

For now, only fifteen students are sponsored at this satellite church of Cote de Fer, but we believe that God is going to do great things through McGregor Baptist Church (FL), so that many more can be blessed with an education.

from Reciprocal Ministries International

Photo Update from RMI...

The men of the McGregor team (FL) were helping to set up for ladies tea at Cote de Fer church this afternoon.

from Reciprocal Ministries International

Photo Update from RMI...

We are thrilled to have Gary and Marilyn McLaughlin here in Haiti for two months. Last week they had the privilege to deliver goats from their church in Packwood, Washington to school kids in the Aux Coteau region.

from Reciprocal Ministries International

eleve8: Vision and Mission (2 of 5)

What is the vision and mission of the eleve8 leadership development initiative?

eleve8 exists to "Develop a Workplace Culture of Constant Leading and Learning" (Vision) in order to "Increase Personal and Professional Capacities to Transform Lives in Christ" (Mission).

Keep watch as we roll this out in an 5 post series.  Next up...

1. ANNOUNCING: eleve8
2. Vision and Mission (Done)
3. 8 Core Values and Proficiencies
4. This is NEW, but not really!
5. A Story That Tells Why

Photo Update from RMI...

There is even some ballroom dancing going on at the children's program right now in Cote de Fer, as the McGregor team (FL) visits their sister church for the first time.

from Reciprocal Ministries International

Photo Update from RMI...

The McGregor team (Lehigh Acres, FL) paused for a time of prayer at the park in Cote de Fer, Haiti tonight before their open air service.

from Reciprocal Ministries International

Photo Update from RMI...

2 teams are off today in 2 different directions to visit their Sister Churches in Haiti! Christ Baptist/Strings of Love (Burlington, NJ) to Dame Marie and McGregor Baptist (Fort Myers, FL) to Cote de Fer. Anticipating changed lives, Haitian and American. #rmihaiti #rmi #haiti

from Reciprocal Ministries International

ANNOUNCING: eleve8 (1 of 5)

What is This?

RMI desires to be all in on further developing our team of "learning leaders".  We're doubling-down on our efforts to create a vibrant fellowship of leaders who are constantly learning.  EVERYONE on the RMI team must know that they are in development mode.  We are all in process.  If we are going to transform lives, we must be in transformation ourselves. Out of our own constant development, we will more effectively lead others within our own sphere of influence to new places.

This is why we are launching our eleve8 initiative.

Notes on the Logo...

• "e" is for "everyone". Everyone can/should be a learning leader. 
• "leve" is a Haitian Creole word which means "to lift up". "lev" is the latin root word of the English word elevate, which indicates being "lightweight" and therefore able to be moved, raised up or lifted higher. 
• "8" refers to our 8 unique core values, proficiences or competencies. 
• "8" is elevated off the baseline to illustrate our own movement from who we are today to who we can become tomorrow. The shadow under the 8 refers back to who we used to be. 
• "green" and "blue" refer back to the RMI logo, but yet unique. 
• "green" is used to signify growth and "blue" is used to signify the sky, or the unlimited leadership potential for each of us learning leaders.

Keep watch as we roll this out in an 5 post series...  Next up...  

1. ANNOUNCING: eleve8
2. Vision and Mission
3. 8 Core Values and Proficiencies
4. This is NEW, but not really!
5. A Story That Tells Why

Photo Update from RMI...

Happening today at the RMI office--more than a month after Hurricane Irma our conference room carpet is being replaced! Now we can move things back in and resume using it. We truly missed having a conference/work/lunch/project room and are grateful to Britt's Carpet Outlet of Ft. Myers for fitting us in their busy schedule.

from Reciprocal Ministries International

Photo Update from RMI...

Our Partnership Facilitators do so much more than leading teams . . . here, Perguens helps some students in Port Salut with their French.

from Reciprocal Ministries International

Photo Update from RMI...

Yesterday, the Lifehouse/La Mano of Hope (Hagerstown, MD) team enjoyed sharing their gifts and talents with the ladies of Port Salut at their afternoon tea.

from Reciprocal Ministries International

Photo Update from RMI...

God is using Lifehouse Church and La Mano of Hope (Hagerstown, MD) to transform lives in Port Salut, Haiti. One young man gave his life to Christ today thanks to their ministry.

from Reciprocal Ministries International

Photo Update from RMI...

Thanks to reading glasses that she received this morning at the Health Clinic being coordinated by Lifehouse Church and La Mano of Hope (Hagerstown, MD) at the Port Salut Church this morning, this woman is now able to read the Word of God.

from Reciprocal Ministries International

Photo Update from RMI...

This week's Haitian proverb: Achte, peye; prete, remèt. Men sa ki fè yon nonm. Translation: Buy, pay; borrow, return. This is what makes a man. Meaning: Characteristics of honesty.

from Reciprocal Ministries International

Photo Update from RMI...

This is what happens when it starts to rain at an open air service with Lifehouse Church and La Mano of Hope (Hagerstown, MD) as they minister alongside the church in Port Salut, Haiti.

from Reciprocal Ministries International

Photo Update from RMI...

The team of LifeHouse Church (Hagerstown, MD) members are off to spend 5 days in Port Salute, serving and being served, along with the believers there. It's Reciprocal. One Church. One body. One Lord. #oneanother #rmihaiti

from Reciprocal Ministries International

Photo Update from RMI...

La Mano of Hope team from Lifehouse Church has hit the ground in Haiti! We're excited! #rmihaiti

from Reciprocal Ministries International

RMI’s Pilot Agricultural Project is Off to a Good Start

The first training seminar has been held in RMI’s pilot agricultural project.  Our goal is to work collaboratively with the national C3 partner churches and its leaders to introduce farmers to agricultural education and insights in farming their land.  They are going to work in conjunction with the pastor, deacons and community leaders to teach sustainable/renewable agricultural practices on each site where farmers can learn and apply their newly obtained skills to better improve their crop quality and quantity.  They will begin with a group of farmers who in turn will apply the newly acquired skills and knowledge to their own fields.  The national church will be responsible for the land acquisition and maintaining the fields.  The US C3 Partner church will help by resourcing portions of the project.

After testing the soil and examining which crops will thrive in that particular area, they will teach and model the basics of irrigation, prevention of soil erosion, conservation and preservation, composting, crop rotation, crop storage, pest prevention and pesticide usage.  They want to introduce farmers to wise marketing practices and use of supply/demand to boost earnings and basic money management.  Another goal is to build a nursery with plants that will benefit both the farmers as well as provide the opportunity for extra income.

Tomato, green pepper, eggplant, onion, leek, and carrot seeds have been bought for the first plantings.  The farmers involved in the project also received the necessary tools to get them started.  God has already supplied trained agronomists among our own staff.  They will do the weekly training and demonstrations.  The local pastor is so excited about this project that he is planning to put an agriculture course into the curriculum of the 4th, 5th and 6th grade classes in the church’s school.  He wants them to learn to do things the correct way!  This project has quite a bit of potential -- pray with us that it will be successful and the participants will be motivated to put into practice the new things they learn.

Hope for Kidz: It's Picture Time!

Did you know that the Hope for Kidz team here in Haiti is already working hard preparing for the 2018-19 school year? Yes, you read that right: 2018-19 is not a typo! Just last week the team started traveling to various schools to begin taking pictures of every child available to be sponsored for the next school year. The first round of picture taking will continue 4 days a week and last through the end of November.

Why start early for the next school year? While some school locations are close by, many others require hours of travel. Many of you know from experience the kinds of roads we travel to get to your sister church. It’s exhausting work just getting there! One of the main reasons to start early is that it takes time to enter each sponsored student’s new photo as well as update all the student information in our database. We currently have about 3,200 kids in the program, so this takes a lot of time. Taking photos in the fall also gives us an opportunity to check in on each sponsored child and make sure they are attending class. In a few months, the team will head out again for round two of photos, to get students missed the first time around or add new students as US churches request them.

Our HFKz Haiti staff is well prepared as they travel to each school. The travel bin is stocked with all the paperwork necessary to take photos of the right kids for that week, including names, ID numbers and grade levels of each sponsored child, last year’s photos for comparison, and new applications for the US churches that are ready to take on new sponsorships. Once they arrive at the school, they line up the sponsored kids in each grade level and get to work. The team works hard to get the kids to smile or laugh, but it’s not always an easy task! These kids see the opportunity to be sponsored for school as a very serious endeavor.

I think the best part of picture taking time is gifting each sponsored child with their photo from last year! For many of them, it is the only photo they will have of themselves. You can tell by the way they receive and look at the photo that it’s a gift they treasure. As the kids lined up for photos, it struck me that just this simple task of taking pictures brings hope to each child; hope for their future and knowledge that there are others who love and care about them and their education.

If you sponsor a child through RMI’s Hope for Kidz Program, thank you! You are truly changing a child’s life!