The Story of Tet Source

Tet Source (pronounced sous) is a very remote village up in the foothills of southern Haiti.  Five years ago Pastor Jean Benoit came from his large church in Labiche to establish a satellite church.  God blessed his faithful witness and preaching and soon a small congregation was established.  But Tet Source is a very poor community and could not afford to build itself a church building.  Thus, their services were held under a makeshift lean-to structure called a tonel (pronounced toe nell).  It provided a little bit of shade for the 80 member congregation.

Meanwhile, in Baraderes, a neighboring district, an RMI corporate sponsor regularly visited his church’s C3 partner church.  He also has sponsored, along with others, the building of several schools, churches, and several other large projects in the Baraderes area.  After his trips to Haiti, he regularly shared his love for Haiti, the great needs there, and his projects with his friends and colleagues.  One of his friends was so impressed with what could be done and the impact that these projects could have, he asked RMI to find a needy church and community that didn’t have a C3 church or have any other help that he could partner with.  RMI consulted with the MEBSH leadership and they suggested Tet Source.

The building took several months and was supervised by RMI’s construction crew.  Members of the congregation helped where they could by gathering large stones for the foundation, bringing water to mix the cement, and providing some of the labor to build and plaster the walls, put on the roof, and many other ways.  It was a real community effort.

The members of the Tet Source church and community now have a large, beautiful church in which to meet.  They are excited to see this answer to their prayers.  It is a reminder to them that God is concerned with their needs and knows their circumstances.

The construction is not done yet, though.  The sponsor is also funding the building of a 6-room school so a Christian school will be available to the area children.  That building is in process now and they plan to open in the fall.  MEBSH will also assign Tet Source its own pastor soon.

RMI is thankful to the corporate sponsor for being willing to be a part of God’s answer to Tet Source’s prayers.  This sponsor has made an eternal impact on this congregation and community.

Schools of Excellence

We are committed to ensuring that our schools are schools of excellence.  This means making sure that each teacher is well trained.  We have partnered with P4H Global to give our teachers the necessary evaluation and training that they need.  The first session of week-long training was completed by 54 teachers from 4 of our Hope for Kidz schools.   It involved classroom observations, evaluations, and training.   RMI staff member, Patrick, did a great job making sure the training went well and was a success.  We look forward to partnering with P4H Global again, training more teachers.

Don't forget...it's time to renew your child sponsorship.  

You can do this HERE.

Hope for Kidz Sponsorship Renewal Time

It’s time to renew your sponsorship of your child (ren) that you sponsor through RMI’s Hope for Kidz Sponsorship Program for this upcoming 2020-2021 school year.

If you don’t currently support a child, then now is the perfect time to start!  It is truly a life transforming experience for these sponsored kids.  Getting a basic education is the key to enabling them to rise above the poverty that they were born into.  Education is also the key to improving the country as a whole.

It is also life transforming due to the Hot Lunch Program that enables the kids to have one hot, nutritious meal at school.  These meals make it possible to concentrate and learn.  It is formulated to provide the vitamins, nutrients, and protein that they need to go from malnutrition to good health in just a few months.  Sometimes the improvements in the children are astonishing.

Sponsors are a part of making this happen for their sponsored child!

Our Hope for Kidz staff has worked hard at visiting each school, getting new and updated pictures and information on each child.  These are now available for each sponsor.

We are rejoicing that we currently have 2,705 kids sponsored and feed 10,600+ children each school day.

Don’t delay!  Renew or start your sponsorship HERE.  For more information,  check out the Hope for Kidz page on RMI's website HERE.  You can also find us on Facebook HERE.

Boy Gets New Prosthetic Leg

This young boy lost his leg after an illness and infection that went into his bone.  He is from the Desriveaux School and is 11 years old.  He had outgrown his previous prosthetic leg and foot and was in need of a new one.  

As you can see from his smile in the pictures, he was very happy for his new leg that our Hope for Kidz Program was able to provide for him from the Medical Fund.  

He will go every two years to get it checked out and see what needs to be done. Please pray for him, for this leg to work out well for him and for his whole situation. We are excited to see what plans God has for this young boy.

What a way to transform a life!

COVID-19 and RMI

Current Situation

On March 19, 2020, the Haitian President announced that 2 cases of the COVID-19 had been found in northern Haiti.  He also announced most of the same precautions as the US such as the closure of schools, factories and most stores and businesses, no gatherings of more than 10 people, practicing social distancing, shelter in place and hand washing as well as instituting a curfew.  All airports were also closed to commercial flights.

These measures are not easy for the Haitian culture, where they live their lives outside of their homes and shop for food just for that day’s meal.  It is a nation of 12 million people living densely packed into a mountainous 10,000 square miles.  There are few medical facilities.  Reportedly there are only 64 ventilators in the whole country.

So far we are not seeing much multiplication in infections, but that could be coming.  We have real concern for the country if this were to get out of hand as it has in other countries as they simply don’t have the healthcare capacity to handle this pandemic.

So how has this impacted RMI, our missionaries and staff, and the ministry?

RMI International Office:  The RMI in Florida is open with employees working from home.  Phones are being answered from 9:00-4:00.  Feel free to email us or call the office (239-368-8390) if you need to communicate with us.  Mail and donations are being processed.  Hope for Kidz is open and processing renewals and new sponsorships.  Providing hope for these children is more needed now than ever.

Teams:  Please contact Dawn Shoemaker and Lee Nunemaker through your partnerships.haiti@rmibridge.org email for information concerning scheduled team trips or to reschedule for the fall.

The RMI Haiti Office is closed until further notice.  All of the staff, both missionary and nationals are working from home and will be answering email and staying in contact with you and providing regular updates on how things are going with your C3 Partner.

RMI US Missionaries:  After much discussion together, RMI leadership, even though they highly recommended the missionaries come back to the US, have allowed them to consider staying in Haiti if desired.  Due to the many difficulties in returning to the US due to the “shelter in place” requirements, lack of supplies in grocery stores, not wanting to put elderly parents at risk, housing needs, and many other issues, most have decided to stay, knowing the risks inherent in doing so.   They have been able to stock up and are fairly isolated at the mission center. 

The Nunemakers and Starkeys stayed in Haiti and are working from home.  Joslynn and Tessa are there as well, working from home and continuing to teach their classes virtually online.  Dawn chose to come back to the States and is working from there.

Special Note

Thank you for continuing to support the RMI missionaries as they weather this crisis and continue to work at their ministry as possible both in Haiti and in the US.

Pray for RMI, our staff and missionaries, and the Haitian people during these difficult days ahead.

Keep Up To Date

On the RMI website home page, there is a COVID-19 button.  Click on that to be taken to this same information.  On the right-hand side you’ll see the latest update on the official number of cases and any new information we receive.

RMI’s Facebook page will provide you with the most current information as well as pictures.

Faithful Servant Despite Disability

One of the first things you notice about Drevel is his huge and ready smile.  The second thing is the homemade wheelchair that he is confined to.  He is in his 40’s and has been a Christian for over 25 years.  He isn’t married, so he relies on his brother or friends to wheel him around.  He was born with some severe physical disabilities but that hasn’t kept him from living for Christ, sharing his joy or serving in the church.  He really enjoys spending time with visiting teams from his church’s US C3 partner.  It’s always a great encouragement to him and he enjoys partnering with them in their community outreaches.  Despite his limitations, he is active in the youth group (in Haiti, anyone who isn’t married, is regarded as a young person).  He has a nice voice and sings with the men’s choir.  One of his passions is evangelistic events like an open-air service where he sings and shares his testimony. 



Yes, his life is difficult...more so than the average Haitian’s life. Disabled people are not only marginalized but sometimes hidden away at home.  There are no services for children or adults to help them out.  Equipment is next to impossible to find.  Drevel was able to get around for a while using crutches.  However, as he got older, he kept falling.  His brother and some friends came up with this combination of an old wheelchair frame and a plastic chair.  Now he’s able to be pushed down the dirt roads and paths to the church, which is so important to him.  This is the center of his life.  He is able to be a vibrant part of the congregation...praising God, participating in various groups and sharing his bright smile and the joy of the Lord. 

Drevel with RMI missionary, Dawn Shoemaker

School Teachers Needed

Want to have a significant impact on missionaries’ lives?  Then come teach their children!  Having their kids’ school needs cared for frees up their parents to fully enter into their ministry.

Want to serve the Lord overseas but don’t know what to do?  Come teach missionary kids in Haiti!  What an adventure and exciting opportunity to teach these kids in an English, American-style setting, yet being located overseas.

Teachers are needed for all grade levels this coming fall.  If you are fresh out of college, a retired teacher or a teacher that desires to serve the Lord in a more meaningful way, then you may be a good fit for Cite Lumiere Christian School. 

CLCS is located in Les Cayes, in Haiti’s southern peninsula.  It is on the same mission center, Cite Lumiere, where RMI has its headquarter and where many missionaries (RMI and other missions as well) live. 

CLCS was started in the late 1940’s to provide education for missionary kids.  By providing this service, it has enabled their parents to put their full efforts into their ministries.  Over the years, many, many families have benefited from this English-based education, enabling them to easily integrate back into their home country’s educational system.

Pray with us for the needed personnel as soon as possible.  If you are interested, contact Kim Rose at 239-368-8390 or kim.rose@rmibridge.org.

What Can One Church Do?

It's easy to feel overwhelmed when one looks at the needs in Haiti.  After all, what can one church do?  Here is your answer:

Madame Emilie and her family in front of their home

The home that was built for Madame Emilie and her family

One church can not take care of all the needs of Haiti.  Yes, it is overwhelming.  But they can make a life-transforming difference for one community or one family.  Madame Emilie is a single mother of 6 children.  All of them were living in the tin structure that you see in the first picture.  They'd been praying for a way to get a new home - for a way to get out of that cobbled together tin "house".

RMI learned of her need and was able to share that need with Kimball Church of Kimball, Nebraska area.  They took on the challenge, raised the necessary funds and put together a team.  That team came in January and worked at raising the walls.  The RMI staff finished the house over the next couple of weeks.

Kimball Church team at work

Madame Emilie's oldest son shared, "I cannot believe this is happening.  This has been something we have been praying about for so long".  Thank you to each and everyone who donated, worked on the house and prayed for the completion of this house.  What a blessing this is for this special family of 7.  A huge thank you to the Kimball team for making this happen.  God heard their prayers and answered through you.  You were Christ's hands and feet to this family.  

This is just one of the ways that our C3 partners are impacting their brothers and sisters in Haiti!  You CAN make a difference!

Divine Appointments

April Starkey made her first trip out with a C3 partner team in January.  Here are just some of her experiences:  “We are praising God for two people coming to know Jesus today! The whole group was supposed to walk up the steep mountain to the satellite church but Bud twisted his ankle so Perguens and I stayed back with him and his wife and we walked through the local mountain here near the church to go to peoples’ homes to pray for them, talk with them and give them food. Let me tell you...God had Bud twist his ankle for a reason!! Two women came to know Jesus today!

It was such an amazing moment to be able to be a part of leading them to Him! One lady knew today was the day. She saw us and she knew she didn’t want to be alone. She had tears in her eyes the moment we walked in and started talking to her. I prayed over her and Perguens translated as she prayed for Jesus to be her Savior! I loved being able to hug her, welcome her to God’s family and be a part of what God did in her heart today! She is coming to ladies' tea today.  Lundicia is her name.

The second lady was not a planned stop but oh how it was for God! She approached us as we were leaving the mountain and shared how she didn’t know why but she felt prompted to talk to us. We know that was the Holy Spirit!!!! She shared how her husband had been sick and died even after going to the witch doctor.  To survive she turned to the devil and his ways. I tried not to cry as we shared with her how Jesus is more powerful than the devil, that she can find true freedom and peace in Jesus and not be chained or shamed by the devil anymore. More was said at the moment but I can’t remember now. She wanted to receive Jesus as her Savior and so Bud prayed over her, Perguens translated and she prayed to ask Him to be her Savior. I loved being able to say to her at the end...THE DEVIL HAS NO HOLD ON YOU ANYMORE...YOU ARE FREE IN JESUS NAME NOW!  [A] deacon was with us both times so he can connect them to the local church! GOD IS GOOD!  Ereka is her name.

Another lady was a present-day Rahab situation. Sweet, sweet momma named Enoute (A Noot is how you pronounce it) of 5 kids, all from different fathers. Men use her and the only way she can afford to take care of her kids is by continuing this. She seemed so broken. I feel very strongly to pray for her and see where God leads.  Please pray for these women and their families. Pray that they would grow in their faith, be encouraged and discipled by fellow believers and the church in Policard. Pray for the sweet momma with 5 kids and all alone, for her to feel His love so close and for God to help her find work for her family to where she can get out of her current situation.”

First, a Look Back

God is at Work
Sometimes the working of God is not evident in the way that we want or expect it to be.  We can’t measure it by our human criteria.  But we can always be assured that He is definitely at work. 

Despite having to cancel 22 teams due to Haiti’s political instability, our C3 partners continued to care for their Haitian partners.  Ministry took place even in the face of uncertainty.  God has held us in His hands, protected our staff and properties, and allowed ministry to take place.  We are grateful to know that God has definitely been at work in RMI.

Here is our Ministry Impact Report for 2019.

C3 Partnerships
121 salvations in our C3 Haitian Sister Churches
91 baptisms in our C3 Haitian Sister Churches
3 new C3 partnerships
8 Sister Church visits completed and 1 Vision Trip, 107 team members, and family members visited
1 new missionary family, Jim and April Starkey and their three boys arrived on the field
1 new teacher missionary joined the RMI staff, Tessa Andrews
1 single man, John Penfold, has been accepted as a missionary appointee and is currently raising his support
2 national staff were assigned leadership of RMI Haiti - Benjamin Altema as Field Director and Benson Joseph as Director of Operations
Unfortunately, a record 22 teams were canceled
this year due to the political situation in Haiti

Hope for Kidz & School Education
2,695 children sponsored
10,664 kids fed a hot lunch daily
9 food containers (11,340 boxes = 2,449,440 meals)
4 food storage depots and school kitchens built to facilitate the Hot Lunch Program
1 school building built
4 schools rebuilt
8 children helped through the HFKz Medical Assistance Program
17,000+ children dewormed
34 teacher’s desks and chairs, 10 school filing cabinets and 27 blackboards for schools
We have begun a pilot program for the P4H Teacher Training Program to provide a higher level of training to our HFKz school teachers.
RMI provided over $150,000 in construction and various other projects for Haitian C3 partners

Haiti Operations Team
2 churches rebuilt and 1 parsonage built
2 motorcycles for pastors purchased and delivered
177 school and church benches built
160 people sent to the hospital, provided all or part by RMI
260 Bible/songbooks distributed
3 cisterns built, 6,000 gallons each to provide water for church, school and community use
AC units were added in each of the 8 Zanglais Ministry Center rooms
19 farmer kits distributed
2 vehicles purchased for field use, 30 passenger bus and 12 passenger van
213 goats distributed
168 water filters distributed and families trained on regular maintenance

We are so thankful for the special men and women of God that work faithfully every day.  Some work behind the scenes, some of them are more visible, but they all work hard and with joy.  The RMI Haiti office is always a busy, buzzing hive of activity with people coming and going - there are always multiple kinds of ministry happening!  And you help make it possible with your financial and prayer support.  Thank you!  The Lord’s work is being done because of you.

Haiti Update

We are so thankful that things have calmed down in Haiti significantly.  Most roads are open and have been cleaned up, stores are open for business and schools are open.  Our faithful Hope for Kidz team have been going to as many schools as possible to get kids’ pictures and updates.  Everywhere they went they could see the excitement of the kids as they are in school.    Where else do you see kids so happy about school?  Food is being delivered for the Hot Lunch Program and to individual families and several construction projects have been resumed. 

In addition, a Spiritual Leadership Training is being given throughout December for the RMI staff.  It is being taught by Lee Nunemaker and Joslynn Stakes.

We are praying that this period of peace and quiet continues!  It is tenuous but we are cautiously optimistic.  In the meantime, the Lord’s ministry is happening.

In addition to this...Jim and April Starkey have been in Haiti for 3 months.  They were able to paint and get their household set up, making their house their own.  The boys started school at the missionary children’s school while Jim and April started their language lessons.  They are starting to integrate into the ministry even though the country’s political issues have caused RMI to close the office from time to time and they were a bit homebound until things calmed down. 

They experienced their first Thanksgiving in Haiti and enjoyed all the expatriates who gathered for real US turkeys and many dishes from home.  It’s great to have such a large community to share life with.

They’ve decorated and are looking forward to their first Christmas in their new home, too.  While they miss family quite a bit, they are adjusting well to their “new normal”, making new memories and establishing new traditions. 

Some of their family news is that Jim passed his RMI driving test (to drive RMI vehicles) and they’ve adopted a little puppy named Reesie.  April is using her music and worship talents with the mission body and is involved with helping in the Hope for Kidz Program.

An Update on Haiti's Current Situation

As the pickup truck with Benson and 3 others of the RMI staff pulled up to the roadblock a couple of hours from the RMI office it was evident that they were not going to get to the sister churches they had planned on visiting that day.  There was a large crowd at the front of the long line of vehicles and trucks that had been blocked from continuing on their way.  It was evident this roadblock had been started early that morning.  The rocks and tree trunks across the road were very effective.  After a while, Benson decided that it was time to turn around and head back home.  He knew he was not going any further today. 

That was 10 months ago.  That was the beginning of the political issues that have continued to plague Haiti since that time.  Ever since then the political situation has been getting, as they say in Haiti, “hotter and hotter”.  Roadblocks, political demonstrations, and more have become the norm for the country, even more so the last several months.  This has caused great turmoil, strife, and suffering all over Haiti.  No community has been unaffected.

The roadblocks and demonstrations have caused a shutdown in business as deliveries cannot be made especially out into the country areas.   Businesses are being shut down all over Haiti as employees cannot get to work, factories cannot get their contracts produced resulting in lost business, amid many other issues.  Fuel has become a major issue as delivery trucks cannot deliver fuel anywhere.  Gas stations are out of fuel or are simply not open due to the potential for violence.  The lack of fuel has become a huge issue all over Haiti at this time and is, ironically, causing even more demonstrations, which is making the shortages even worse.  Electricity is non-existent. 

Since February, these issues have caused most mission organizations in Haiti to have to cancel their teams.  This has meant that several hundred teams that would have been all over Haiti, including RMI’s teams, were not able to help, encourage, and engage with the Haitian people.  The hundreds of thousands of dollars of aid and funding that would have helped all those local economies were lost or delayed.  The Gospel that would have been preached by these teams hand in hand with our Haitian brothers and sisters was lost.  Many organizations are facing grave financial losses that could result in the layoff of hundreds of staff around the country.  All this has dramatically affected the Haitian churches and their communities in negative ways. 

The lack of travel, deliveries, and the shutdown of all basic services is producing a humanitarian crisis.  The UN last week stated that 38% of the entire population of Haiti is experiencing food scarcity.  This is official speak for “hunger or extreme hunger”.  So many all over Haiti have not been able to make money, get their goods to market, or just have run out of food with no idea as to when it will be available.  This is the same in South Haiti. Not only is the scarcity an issue, but the cost in many areas for the food available has risen by 500% or more.  So many of our Haitian churches are sharing that there is great hunger in their areas, especially in the far rural areas being the worst off.  

Not only are these issues impacting the Haitians in so many dreadful ways, but RMI has also suffered a huge impact as well.  The greatest impact has been the 22 canceled teams that have not been able to engage with their brothers and sisters in Christ, to encourage them, or participate in sharing the Gospel together into their community.  The loss of relationship is one of the great ministry losses of this year. 

RMI Haiti's office is open as much as possible as long as it is safe to do so.  They are taking a number of measures to keep our staff and properties safe as well.  Ministry is hampered but the safety of everyone is our top priority.  The missionary families are feeling good about continuing to stay where they are.  Occasionally they're able to get to town to replenish their food and household needs and they often work from home.

Hope for Kidz schools haven't been exempt from the impacts of the political unrest.  Schools have been forced to close on days when protesters are active in the area.  The safety and advancement of our students are critical to all of us.  Therefore, we continue to monitor the schools for attendance and lesson scheduling as often as possible and when it is safe for our staff to travel into the affected areas.

Churches, principals and parents are rising up to voice their desire to see schools remain open and affected students are doing their best to stay current with their studies.  Schools are working to make up lost days.  It's encouraging that so much of the population is pressing for peace so that schools can remain open. 

The general Haitian population is getting very tired of being kept at home, away from work and school.  As we said, parents want their kids back in school!  Many are venturing out to try to live some semblance of normal life.  There are glimpses of light as stores open, and fuel is able to make its way out to Cayes and to the mission center.  These are good signs, ones that we pray continues.   

Pray for the financial provision for RMI.  The loss of teams also means the loss of one of the main sources of income for our Haiti Operational Budget.  We rely on those funds for our staff salaries as well as many other things in the day-to-day operations of the ministry. 

RMI just happens to be in the middle of our annual food drive with our boxes of 216 prepared meals at the lowest cost of the year.  Pray that our US churches can use this to provide for the needy in their Haitian partner communities. 

Beyond praying for the financial provision for RMI, please pray for the political situation.  Without getting into a lot of detail, the opposition wants the President to resign, and the President so far is not interested in that option.  There is beginning to be more international pressure to get this resolved but so far there are no good options.   Our prayer is that this will get resolved by the middle of December so we can assure our Spring teams all is well and they will be able to get to embrace their brothers and sisters in their partner churches.  Also, pray for the “food scarcity” issues being suffered by so many in south Haiti.  Thank you for your love and care for your Haitian brothers and sisters as well as RMI’s staff and ministries. 

How Can We Give Thanks?

Thanksgiving is something that we as Christians are commanded to give to the Lord in all things.  As we introduce RMI’s annual Thanksgiving food promotional, the prominent phrase in the photo is striking.  “Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart”.  That is easy to say when things are great, life is easy, and our pantries are full of food.

However, the current situation in Haiti makes this very hard for Haitian believers to say right now.  The political situation has caused great suffering these past 10 months.  Protests, demonstrations, long-term fuel shortages, road blockages, and the constant upheaval of these past months have caused great suffering among the Haitian people.  But instead of finding resolution, things have actually intensified in the past month.

Benjamin Altema, our Field Director, has shared how inflation is rampant, resulting in very high food prices.  Due to roadblocks and severe fuel shortages, many areas are running out of food because trucks cannot travel to transport goods to and from the capital and out into the country.

These issues are now resulting in food scarcity and great hunger issues, particularly in rural areas.  Hunger and malnutrition are again a major issue for thousands in our Sister Church communities and throughout South Haiti.  Our annual food drive is especially timely to meet these needs.

* A gift of $20 will provide a box of food to one Haitian family (that’s 216 hot nutritious meals – enough for a family of 6 for a month!).
* A gift of $30 will provide a box of food and the necessary vegetable oil to cook the meals to one Haitian family.

Order online at www.RMIbridge.org.  You can also mail a check payable to RMI to 5475 Lee St., Suite 301, Lehigh Acres, FL 33971 or call the office to place your order at 877-764-5439.

The Gift of Clean Drinking Water

The village of Beaumont, Haiti now has access to clean drinking water.  No more going to the river, well or spring.  Beaumont is located high in the mountains in the middle of the southern peninsula.  It's a bustling village and since it is on the main Cayes to Jeremie road across the mountains, it is frequently where buses and other travelers stop for a meal, to get supplies or gas up before continuing on their way.  As with the majority of villages, getting clean drinking water has always been a challenge.

Hope Church of Springfield, Illinois is the C3 partner church to Beaumont Baptist Church.  Together they have been working to minister to the community.  The leadership of Beaumont Baptist felt that providing clean drinking water would make a significant difference.  Hope Church committed to financing the project.  It took two years for RMI to work out the many details, but the water system was dedicated this summer when Hope Church visited their C3 partner.

It is a business managed by a committee made up of some people from the church and as well as town leaders.  It is open to everyone and people come with their 5-gallon jugs or buckets or whatever they have to fill and pay a small price per gallon.  There is also a machine that fills small, single-serving bags with water which are then sold by street vendors. 

It comes from a spring which is pumped into large holding tanks.  It's then purified via reverse osmosis and, as a result, is clean to drink.  A water company from Port-au-Prince installed the system.  Part of the profit from the sales goes to support the church and the Hope for Kidz Program.  It has already been a huge blessing not only to the church and its neighbors but to many communities in the area who can now purchase locally sourced water. 

Having clean drinking water will greatly reduce the water-borne illnesses that they have had to deal with.  This project is indeed a life-changing gift.  

The Life of a Missionary

You will hear us use the phrase “packing a container” in context of sending a missionary family to the field.  So what exactly happens when we pack a container?  The family going has to pack their household belongings very securely, with most items in plastic bins that have been zip-tied shut and the furniture bubble wrapped and well protected.  Everything has to be numbered and inventoried because a complete manifest must be submitted to customs as it leaves the US and enters Haiti.  They have to send everything that they’ll need to set up house and for each person in the family for several years.  Besides clothes, furniture, appliances, tools, paint,  garden implements, there will be such things as laundry soap, toilet paper, non-perishable food items, etc.
 

They transport (UHaul!) everything to the RMI office in Ft. Myers, Florida where a 40 ft. sea container has been ordered and “dropped”, waiting to be loaded.  Needed equipment such as a pallet jack, forklift, packing blankets, rope, straps, pallets, etc. have been gathered.  Volunteers, RMI staff and the missionary family all work together to unload the UHaul and transfer everything to the container. 

The family’s items are loaded and packed tightly, often up to the ceiling, which takes up about half of the container.  Loaded next are supplies for RMI’s missionaries and many ministries.  For example, in the Starkey’s container, we were able to send 46 pillows and 8 sets of sheets, a freezer to keep food and make ice for teams, kitchen supplies, bulk toilet paper and paper towels, 3 types of fans, 2 large capacity coffee pots, and other supplies for the Zanglais Ministry Center. 

The men also loaded 36 tires, lumber for various projects, 3 motorcycles and 2 four-wheelers (one for the Starkeys) to provide additional transportation so vehicles don’t have to be used, 8 heavy-duty cots and 4 camp chairs for use in receiving teams, roof sealant for the Nunemaker’s concrete home, a microwave, and a 3 ton and 4 ton floor jack for the garage.  Several C3 Partner churches sent items to their Haitian partner churches, too.  As you can tell, it’s an unusual mix of things and each container is different, depending on the needs of the Haiti field at the time.

Loading the container usually takes 2-3 days.  Working in the container under the hot Florida sun is like laboring in a sauna, so we provide a lot of ice water and cooling breaks in the office air conditioning.  Packing it well is like putting together a giant, life-sized 1000 piece puzzle.  In addition, one has to keep in mind that the really heavy things have to be put on the bottom and lighter and fragile things on the top.  Each motorcycle has to be strapped down and you have to think of how to protect things if the load shifts (Remember, it will be trucked to Miami, lifted onto a container ship, travel overseas to the port of Port-au-Prince, off-loaded onto a cab then travel on pothole-filled roads and even some unpaved road sections to RMI’s facilities at Cayes!). 

It is a labor of love for the ministry and hopefully, in about 8 weeks, it’ll arrive in Cayes and the Starkeys and everyone else will have their items.

RMI President Honored

Romans 12:15 exhorts us to "rejoice with those who rejoice" and we want to rejoice with RMI President, Dan Shoemaker, who was honored as one of Southwest Florida's Power Influencer in June. 

The Cape Coral Community Foundation works to be the voice of nonprofit leaders in order to collaborate together to make a positive difference in the region through generosity and compassion.  At their annual Celebration of Nonprofit Power Influencers event that recognizes the CEO's of area nonprofits, Dan was among the 25 honorees. 

It was exciting to be recognized for his integrity and honesty and be able to network with other nonprofit CEO's who also work tirelessly to foster positive change in the Ft. Myers area.

Congratulations Dan!  Job well done!

The full newspaper article regarding the event can be found HERE.

Starkeys Are On The Move

Jim and April Starkey and their 3 kids, Isaac, Micaiah and Ezekiel are just 2 months away from leaving for the field.  They are continuing to work hard at raising the rest of their support.  While they still have 25% of their one-time funds to raise and $750 a month of their monthly needs, they are desperately needed on the field.  Thus, the RMI administration is stepping out in faith and are sending them to Haiti at the end of August, just 2 months away.  We are trusting God to supply the rest of their needs as they make their preparations.

One thing that is helping get their one-time financial needs down a bit is that RMI has bought the furniture, some household goods and a motorcycle from Rob Thompson, the outgoing Field Director.  Jim and April will be taking over the Thompson’s home on the mission center, so being able to buy these things will help the Starkeys get there sooner.

Currently, they are finishing many things...Jim’s job will be drawing to a close soon, the kids’ homeschool year is almost over, they are selling their home and some belongings,  sorting, packing and many other tasks.  It’s a flurry of activities as they make final doctor visits, come to the RMI office for pre-field training, transport their household belongings to the RMI office to pack into a sea container, say their last goodbyes - you get the idea!  There are quite a few details to take care of.

Jim and April’s first job description will be language acquisition.  Their language lessons will probably last for 3 months.  After that Jim will probably be working under Benson in the operations arena.  As she is able, April will be helping in the administration office, possibly with Hope for Kidz and church partnerships.  The details will be determined as they settle in and see where they fit the best.  The 2 older boys will start school soon after they arrive at the missionary kids school right there on the mission center.   They are excited about starting this new adventure.

How can you help them?

They need additional financial support!  Can you join their support team with a monthly commitment or a one-time donation?   You can donate online at www.rmibridge.org/financial-donations.

They need prayer support.  Their current requests are for the sale of their house, that the last of their funds will come in, that they will finish things up well (packing, etc) and for their transition to the next era of life as full-time missionaries.

You can find them on Facebook.  Look up “Jim Starkey”, “April Starkey” and “Praying the Starkeys to Haiti”  You can read more about them at their website,  www.rmibridge.org as well.

Passing the Hat

During VBS last week at Loomis Evangelical Free Church, Loomis, NE, the kids literally passed the hat as they collected funds to build school benches for their C3 Partner Church's school.  They raised enough funds to build 4 benches.  That is enough to seat 25 students.  Way to go guys!!

We are in the middle of Hope for Kidz' annual campaign to renew sponsorships and find new ones for unsponsored kids.  Last school year there were 2660 kids sponsored and we are praying that 2880 will be able to be sponsored this year.

If you haven't renewed your sponsorship, now is the time!  And if you don't yet sponsor a child, don't delay in getting started.  These kids need your help to give them real hope for a better future.  You can go online HERE to start your sponsorship.

New Haiti Field Director Appointed

RMI is excited to announce the appointment of Benjamin Altema as RMI's Haiti Field Director.  Benjamin will be replacing Rob Thompson who is transitioning back to the US this summer.  For many years now, RMI has been developing multi-cultural leaders.  This is another important step in that process.  Benjamin has proven his leadership capability as he has worked his way up these last 12 years from starting out working with teams, to being in charge of RMI’s Haitian staff, to the Director of Haiti Field Operations and now to lead the entire field, both US missionary and Haitian staff.

Benjamin grew up in Aux Cayes near the mission center.  He and his family have been friends of RMI for many, many years.  His mother worked for RMI co-founders, Herb and Shirley Shoemaker, for 10 years while they served in Haiti, and eventually, years later, worked for RMI and Dan and Debbie Shoemaker for 25 years.  In his university years, he occasionally worked for RMI in various capacities.  He graduated from the American University of Cayes in 2006 with a degree in the Science of Agriculture and Environment.  In January of 2007 Benjamin joined the staff of RMI full-time.  He married his wife, Lucette, in 2010 and they have 4 boys, ages 8 (twins), 7 and 4.

Benson Joseph will take on the directorship of the new Department of Operations for RMI which includes most of the ministries, projects, and programs of RMI, as well as facilities and vehicles, something he has already been doing informally.  He will also continue his supervision of the Hope for Kidz Department.  His leadership in these areas has been and will continue to be crucial to the ongoing success of RMI.

Lee Nunemaker has taken on a new role as Member Care Coordinator for all of our Haiti field staff, both US and Haitian.  This new role fits his pastoral heart and caring spirit.  He will be ministering into their lives through discipleship, mentoring, and spiritual care.  Lee will also continue in his role as Director of the C3 Partnerships.  His engagement with our C3 partners have been a big part of their ongoing success in their partnerships and the impact they are having together in their Haitian communities. 

Pray for these leaders as they continue to move RMI forward on the ground in Haiti.  The ministry of RMI is having a great impact all across south Haiti and just continues to grow.  Pray for wisdom, understanding, vision, and unity as they transition into this new leadership structure.

Meet Tessa Andrews, RMI's Newest Missionary

Tessa is a Florida native who grew up in the church with her mom and grandmother who are both Christians.  She has 2 stepsisters.  She had the opportunity to go on a mission trip with her church to Cite Lumiere in 2017.  Haiti and the ministries there really grabbed her heart and she found it very difficult to leave.  She heard of the need for teachers at the missionary kid school, located at Cite Lumiere and felt that God was calling her to teach at the school.  

Tessa shared, "...before I told anyone that I was praying about moving here, I had a moment where I was awestruck. My mama was cooking and came around to where I was sitting. She simply looked at me and said, 'if you ever wanted to move to Haiti I’d be okay with it.'  It was one of the times during my journey here that really just solidified that Haiti is where God wanted me."

She has lived in Haiti since August 2018. She is going into her second year of teaching early elementary students at Cite Lumiere Christian School.  Each year is different, based on the need...how many students there are in which grades.  When she is not teaching, she enjoys sharing her passion for ballet by teaching a class to missionary children. 

She'll officially be an RMI missionary at the end of May and shared, "I would love to participate in other RMI ministries when I am available to do so and as RMI needs me. I am very interested in the Hope for Kidz ministry in particular. I am very excited to be joining RMI, I love the missions focus on relationships with the Haitian church."

June, July and part of August will find her in her home area in north Florida working on raising her support.  If you would like to be a part of her very important ministry to missionary families, please go HERE to donate.  She would also appreciate your prayers as she prepares for the new school year.

Heart Connections Made and Funds Raised

Sometimes making an impact can start with the youngest ones around us. That’s exactly what happened with the elementary students at Southwest Florida Christian Academy (SFCA) a ministry of McGregor Baptist Church (MBC) in Ft. Myers, FL.  [McGregor Baptist is one of the newest C3 partner churches.]  Each year SFCA organizes a 5-day emphasis on Christian Missions around the world. 

In February 2019, SFCA selected the Christian school at Cote-de-Fer Baptist Church (CDF) (McGregor's C3 partner church) in Haiti for this year's missions partner. During the week-long daily missions chapel, the SFCA elementary students learned about the school and nearly 300 students at CDF and how they are part of the Sister Church partnership.

Daily missions chapel with a life-size replica of
 a Haitian school room.

The SFCA students recognized the physical and spiritual needs of the same age students in Haiti.  Students learned that the students at CDF have a Hot Lunch Program available through sponsorships.  While this is a great blessing, students are required to bring their own bowl and spoon for lunch.  Having a dedicated bowl and a spoon is more of a luxury item, as most use what they can, such as a lid to a container or part of a pencil box as a bowl.  In recognizing this and other physical needs, the SFCA students and their families collected funds to purchase stainless steel bowls and spoons for each student at CDF. 

SFCA student helps prepare a packet of food just like the
kids at the Cote de Fer school get for lunch every day.

The SFCA students had a special chance to connect with the students in a fun and interactive way.  Through the help of RMI and Feed My Starving Children, SFCA provided a package of the nutritious MannaPack™ meals that are part of the Hot Lunch  Program that RMI offers.  Students and their families were encouraged to prepare these yummy rice packets at home and include it as part of a family meal.  Families and students were able to continue the conversation about the students in Haiti during meals and family devotion times.  Parents posted on social media the excitement of the students to eat the same meal as the students in Haiti.  One mother commented that her son wanted to have some of the rice included in his lunch so he could have rice for lunch just like the other boys and girls when they have lunch.  This was a special and tangible way to make a heart connection.

In addition to the bowls and spoons, enough funds were raised to purchase chalkboards for each classroom, school supply kits, water filters, and some additional food boxes. In fact, the SFCA students raised over $6,000 to help the students at CDF with educational and physical needs. It was clear that God had provided the means to help meet these needs. At the same time, SFCA students were able to share and demonstrate the love of God for the students and staff at the CDF school. The students in Haiti know that God has not forgotten them.

The Gospel message is for everyone. This includes addressing both physical and spiritual needs to those around us. SFCA students were challenged to “dive in” and share the Gospel message of Jesus Christ and to be part of missions wherever they are. SFCA strives to equip its students' as godly leaders and engage cultures around the world. These students showed that no matter the age, sharing the hope of Jesus Christ can impact an impact for eternity.

The bowls and spoons arrive in Cote de Fer 

Providing Hope

Do you have one of these in your hands?  If not, you are missing a blessing!  This is a profile of a child in RMI’s Hope for Kidz Child Sponsorship Program.  “Providing Hope Today for Haiti’s Tomorrow” is not just a cute slogan for Hope for Kidz.  It is the very foundation for the program. Through sponsorship, needy children are able to get a quality education that will utterly transform their lives.  To grow into successful adulthood, they need to be able to read, write, do math, and understand the world around them.  To do this from a Christian context makes the potential for success even greater.

Our classrooms in Haiti are filled with students dreaming of their future—hopes of being a doctor, teacher, nurse, mechanic, chef, business leader, lawyer, and entrepreneurs.  They will be Haiti’s next leaders.  A quality education opens the doors to these kinds of opportunities - the kinds of opportunities that can transform a nation from the inside out.

By investing in a child’s education through Hope for Kidz, you’re helping provide a Christ-centered foundation and supporting their hopes and dreams to change their country.

Your sponsorship provides:

• Christian education
• Annual de-worming and prevention education
• School supplies, uniform and shoes
• Access to an emergency medical fund
• Hot Lunch Program (in some areas)
• Chance to write to their sponsor
• Chance to meet sponsor if the sponsor goes to Haiti on an RMI team

For only $32 a month (or $384 a year), you can sponsor a child.  To facilitate this, you can go to          www.RMIbridge.org or call RMI directly.  Monthly recurring donations can be set up or donations can be received over the phone. 

If you are already a sponsor, this is the time to renew your sponsorship.  Continue that relationship you have with your child!