RMI Needs New Missionaries

If you feel called by God to be in full-time ministry, then we need you!  RMI is open to couples, families, or singles.  Almost any profession can be used on the mission field.  One former missionary, Joel Sutton, used to work as an arborist, skillfully trimming or cutting trees down.  He took his equipment to Haiti even though it wasn’t in his job description, but he used those skills after Hurricane Matthew hit southern Haiti in 2016.  You never know how God will use you!  

Missionaries frequently wear many “hats”.  They have their job description “hats” and some “hats” develop out of necessity.  Take RMI’s missionaries, Andrew and Dawn Tlucek, for example.  Andrew is RMI’s Director of Adult Education. 

He is developing a school for young adults that would focus on developing their walk with the Lord as well as equipping them with marketable skills such as English, accounting, and computer.  Besides raising the funds, developing the curriculum, and recruiting professors, he is also working on setting up and equipping the physical location.  Another “hat” he wears is doing an efficacy study of Hope for Kidz’s Hot Lunch Program.  This is an in-depth academic study that several organizations hope to use.  Andrew is also a missionary host for RMI’s teams.  This means that he goes out with teams from time to time.

 

He’s a very willing and capable “gopher”...where he sees a need, he’s willing to fill it.  Community living on the mission center has given him responsibilities, too.  But the most important “hat” he is taking on this month is that of being a new, first-time father.  Layton Lee Tlucek is due June 20!

Dawn also wears many “hats”.  One “hat” is as the Director of Hospitality: taking care of and feeding teams, updating and overseeing the renovations of the Zanglais Ministry Center, and helping update the RMI Haiti office.  She works with every team to plan their trips.  She is a missionary host for RMI’s teams, going out with teams from time to time.  Once the adult school is up and running, she’ll be working (disciplining, teaching, etc.) in the women’s ministry there.  Community living on the mission center has given her responsibilities as well.  And, this month will give her the most important “hat” as she becomes a first-time mom to Layton Lee Tlucek.

Andrew and Dawn went to Haiti knowing some of the hats - or jobs - that they’d have.  Some of the other jobs have come about because they have a gift or training in those areas.  And, yes, some jobs have come about because “somebody has to do it”.  It’s a part of being a missionary...being available to be used by God in any way that He needs.  Andrew and Dawn are happy to wear these hats.  It keeps them busy, yes, but they know that being a missionary is a lifestyle, not a 9 - 5 job.

Not every missionary’s experience is like the Tlucek’s.  But, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few (Luke 10:2).”  RMI acutely feels “the workers are few” part of that verse.  We need new missionaries!  While the need is immediate, we know that applying, preparing, and raising funds to go to the mission field takes time.  If you feel called, don’t delay in exploring where God wants to use you.  Email RMI President, Dan Shoemaker, at dan.shoemaker@rmibridge.org or contact one of our missionaries to get the conversation started.

A Welcome, A Farewell and Notes from the Field

Hello World!

Amelia Rose Starkey was born April 12 at 9:21 a.m., weighing 6 lbs. 13 oz.  The delivery went fairly smoothly.  April had some issues with high blood pressure resulting in an additional hospital stay but it has been resolved.  

After several miscarriages and being told they couldn’t get pregnant again, little Amelia Rose defied the odds.  April had to spend quite a bit of time bedridden, but both she and Amelia made it to the end in good shape.  They are grateful for your prayers and for God’s protection.  The Starkey boys are thrilled with their new sister.

Well Done

April 1, Don Forrester (Creekside Community Church, Gainesville, FL) heard the words, “well done my faithful servant” as he entered into the presence of his Lord.  Don was one of RMI’s original board members in the late 1980’s where he helped form RMI’s procedures, practices, and policies.  He first went to Haiti in 1985 and was instrumental in getting his church to join RMI’s C3 Partnership Program in 1986.  His involvement in Haiti changed his life and it became one of his passions.  He led many teams to Haiti and became very proficient in Creole.  He, his wife, Gabe, and his disabled son, Mark, spent 3 months in Haiti helping receive teams in 1990.  He remained active in his church’s Haiti initiative throughout the years and was in the middle of helping prepare the upcoming Haiti team when he passed away.

He also had a passion for animals and was a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.  He was the author of several books and articles relating to the parasites and diseases of wild animals.

Don was a humble servant.  His quiet spirit, dedication, passion, and leadership will be missed.

Teams Have Returned

We are excited to have teams resume coming to visit their C3 partner churches.  So far this year we’ve had 4 teams with more on the books.  All 4 teams were great successes with quite a variety of life-transforming ministries being accomplished.  

Haiti has been in the news and, as usual, it hasn’t been positive.  When you hear about things like this please remember that...

1.  Those things are taking place in the capital, and usually in isolated places.  These places are more than 120 miles from RMI’s headquarters and the areas where we minister.

2.  Our teams’ safety is first and foremost in our minds.  We will NOT have a team come in if there are security issues.  RMI’s staff keep their fingers on the pulse of what is going on in the country.

3.  Use anything you hear of Haiti as a reminder of how you can pray for Haiti.  Pray that Satan’s work would be bound and God’s will would be accomplished.  Pray for RMI’s staff as they deal with the increasing difficulties of living, working, and ministering in Haiti.  Pray Isaiah 40:31 for them “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Food insecurity, rampant inflation, and fuel scarcity still grip the country.  Prices have increased on everything from flour to diesel to construction materials.  This means that your gifts of food are appreciated.  It also means that estimates and projects are costing more.  Please be patient as we do our best to provide accurate estimates.

Hope for Kidz has had a good start to its annual sponsorship campaign.  Many of the Hope for Kidz coordinators are hard at work contacting previous sponsors and recruiting new ones.  Don’t delay when your coordinator contacts you so your child’s education won’t be interrupted.

Bearing one another burdens:

A deacons meeting

Loving one another:

Meeting a brother in Christ

Working with joy:

The Hope for Kidz team at work

The fields are ripe to harvest:

Taking a tour of the town

Our Haiti Staff Have Servant’s Hearts

RMI’s Haiti staff work with servant's hearts.  They do their jobs with joy.  They go the extra mile as they work.   Staff jobs include receptionists, data entry, translators, partnership facilitators, administrators, cooks, cleaners, yard work, car, truck, and motorcycle mechanics, garage workers, guards, maintenance workers, and much more.  Much of the work they do is behind the scenes.  They feel called to work for RMI and view it as a ministry to their own people.  

Many of them extend that servant's heart into their home life and serve in various positions in their local church.

Benson Joseph, RMI’s Director of Operations, serves as a deacon and is the accountant for the Simon Baptist Church - MEBSH’s largest church.  This means he preaches, reads the scripture in the service, is a Sunday School teacher, is the First Choir president as well as his accounting duties for the church.

Frantz Desire, RMI’s Hope for Kidz Supervisor, serves by playing piano in his church’s worship band and is the youth group leader.  

Isaac Branched and Windy Forge both are Hope for Kidz Monitors...and they both serve as sound board operators with their church’s worship band.

New employee, Ephena Lafleur, RMI’s bookkeeper, serves her church by being a part of the committee that welcomes visitors and gathers their personal information for pastoral follow-up.

Perguens Hyppolite, RMI’s Senior Partnership Facilitator, serves his church by being a part of the Benevolence Committee, helping those in need in the congregation.

Benson shared that as he is involved in his church, it is a big help for his job in RMI.  We are grateful for the staff that God has brought together to serve Him through RMI.

In addition to those serving in their churches, we have a number of employees who have faithfully served RMI for many, many years.  Recently Rameau Ariste (pictured in the light blue shirt) was honored for working at RMI for 35 years!  There are several other employees that have worked with RMI for 20+ years!  We so appreciate their faithfulness and dedication.

Did You Know?

There are some things you may not know about RMI...

**Nine months ago the doctor for the Cayes prison, who is also a deacon at the Simon Baptist Church (the church that is the closest to the mission center where RMI’s headquarters are located), came to RMI to request help in feeding the population of the prison.  It is overpopulated and the prisoners’ are malnourished and suffer from many health conditions.  The police’s resources are very minimal, leaving little for providing meals and other amenities for prisoners.  Usually, prisoners rely on family and friends to bring them food from the outside.  Conditions are really rough.  

What an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus! Every month, RMI’s Food for Health Program has been delivering as much food as it can spare.  The 900+ prisoners are getting fed a hot, nutritious meal three times a week.  In fact, when supplies run low, the head of the prison will call RMI’s leadership to remind them to bring the food.  The police are very appreciative of the help and really see the difference it is making in the prisoners.

**Besides providing a uniform, books, and supplies and the opportunity to go to school, one of the things provided for a sponsored kid through RMI’s Hope for Kidz Child Sponsorship Program, is an emergency medical fund.  One use of that fund is the annual deworming of every child in every school.  This year 14,800 children were given deworming medication.  Worms are a significant issue in Haiti and this is one way we can help these kids.

In the last 12 months, 25 students have received emergency care.  There are broken arms and legs, but in many cases, this care is literally life-saving.  Here is a sample of some of the interventions that have taken place:

• a young boy swallowed a piece of a razor blade
• a girl had pneumonia and was struggling to breathe
• a boy had a very large growth on his neck, making his every breath a struggle
• a boy had a hernia, leaving him unable to stand and breathing difficult

In each case the treatments or surgeries were successful and the child is back in school.  We so appreciate our sponsors and thought you’d like to know how you’re transforming their lives!

**If you want to find RMI on YouTube, here is what to look for:  www.youtube.com/@RMIBridgeorg

**It’s good for the body of Christ to gather together.  After 4 years and several canceled trips, the team from McGregor Baptist Church (FL) made it to Cote de Fer earlier this month.  Among the team members was RMI’s own bookkeeper, Julie Fuller (giving her greeting in the Sunday morning service)!  

It was a special week of finally being able to worship and fellowship together as one body.  There was a deacon meeting, an afternoon of chaotic fun with school kids from the Cote de Fer school and the local public school, and two days of trips to two remote satellite churches to meet with the sponsored kids.  Their goal was to meet and take pictures of as many sponsored kids as possible.

Ministry Impact Report 2022

God is at Work

Last year was yet another very difficult year for Haiti.  Teams were canceled due to political insecurity in the country.  Despite times when the RMI Haiti office had to shut down, God enabled the ministry to continue.  Our staff is dedicated, hardworking, and committed to RMI.  They have kept working even in the midst of some tough times.  God has been faithful and supplied the funds to keep RMI running even though teams weren’t able to come.  A special thanks to those who donated to the Haiti Field.  We rejoice in that!

C3 Partnerships

170 salvations in our C3 Haitian Sister Churches

210 baptisms in our C3 Haitian Sister Churches

61 rededications

800 Bible/songbooks distributed

579 kid’s Bible distributed

1 church construction

4 churches repaired (earthquake damage)

600 Good News Bibles distributed

Hope for Kidz, School Education, and Hot Lunch Program

2,991 children sponsored

14,706 kids fed a hot lunch daily in school

10 containers - 10,600 cases - 2.7 million meals received

13 hot lunch food storage buildings and school kitchens built

3 schools constructed

80 doors and windows for schools and churches

12 teacher's desks and chairs

126 soccer balls for kids

7 blackboards

6 Hope for Kidz sponsored children given medical assistance

245 backpacks distributed

Haiti Operations Team

34 active partnerships

365 goats distributed

15 farmer kits

210 kids received seeds

147 water filters distributed and the families trained on how to use them

4 Homes for Haiti homes built

9 SunTech solar systems installed (2 large offices, 4 churches, and 3 homes)

15 small home generators distributed

3 motorcycles for pastors delivered

670 tarps distributed for roof protection

5,580 tin sheets (3’ x 6’) for roof repairs

45 personal, portable solar lamps distributed

Efforts are being made to repair the RMI Haiti office (earthquake damage) as well as the RMI garage and depot.  In addition, work is being done to clean those properties, repaint and bring everything up to a higher standard.

It has been amazing to look at these tangible numbers and realize that each one represents lives that have been touched and transformed.  We thank you for your involvement and partnership with RMI over this past year.

A New Year - What Are We Looking Forward To?

2023 is a new year...what are we looking forward to?  Last year was a doozy.  Not a technical term, but it sure describes what we’ve been through.  From civil unrest in Haiti to hurricanes in Ft. Myers and from canceled teams to the US and the Haiti staff being hit hard by illness.

But, yes, we do have quite a bit to look forward to.

~This is the year that RMI enhances its educational programs by starting a post-high school, young adult discipleship and leadership school.  The school is aimed at those young adults who have finished Haitian high school.  It will prepare young people for jobs by teaching basic management, administrative and leadership skills.  Being taught in English will help them hone their language skills.  Courses in Biblical ethics will be required as well as basic Biblical knowledge and discipleship.  We want to give young people, particularly those from C3 partner churches, the skills to get good jobs and be outstanding witnesses for our Lord in the workplace.

~In our Hope for Kidz Program, we are looking forward to over 3,000 kids being sponsored in school, getting a Christian education, and having their uniforms, shoes, and other essential school supplies provided.  We are looking forward to helping schools develop their administrative capabilities and well as help repair or build new facilities through our partnerships.

~In the Hot Lunch Program, over 12,000 kids will be fed a hot, nutritious meal each school day.  It may be their only meal during the day.  Being fed will enable the kids to think and study as well as retain information.  Teachers and administrators have seen the effects these meals have had on the kids and are excited to see them really learn.  Their overall health improves and the kids have fewer sick days.

~This year we will welcome two new RMI family members: baby Starkey (due in April) and baby Tlucek (due in July).  How exciting is that?!

~Jim Starkey has already sunk his teeth into his new position as C3 Partnerships Manager.  He is working hard to improve communications between Haitian and US partner churches and between RMI and the US partner churches.  He is also working with RMI president, Dan Shoemaker, in developing new C3 partnership churches.

~SunTech is growing by leaps and bounds as they are getting known around the Cayes area.  They look forward to installing a number of big projects in addition to projects for schools, churches, and parsonages.

~Food for Health continues to meet the need of many hungry families in our partner churches and communities through the sponsorship of cases of food.  The UN has said that Haiti is facing the worst food insecurity that they have ever seen.  We look forward to helping with this need through our partner churches and donors.

~We really look forward to the teams returning.  We love being able to facilitate the C3 relationships!  We love enabling ministry to flow between the churches and out into the communities.

~We look forward to increasing RMI’s ministry through water filters, goat projects, construction of homes, schools, and churches, evangelism, yard-to-yard ministry, pastor conferences, couples retreats, and in ways we don’t even know yet.  Each year brings new ways to minister to our brothers and sisters.  We are excited to see what God has in store for us!

RMI's National Staff

RMI’s national staff are in the same boat as everyone else around them.  How do they find and pay for the food they need to feed their families?  One donor has made a generous donation that has allowed us to give our staff a bonus that helps them deal with things in the immediate future.  The need to augment our staff’s salaries is the focus of our end-of-the-year funding drive.

Can you make a generous gift to RMI to make up for the shortfall that resulted from losing another year of teams? The team revenue makes up much of our Haiti field budget.  We need to make up this shortfall so we can meet our end-of-year budget to care for our staff.  Every gift that comes in for staff salaries will go directly toward them.

What Does "Food Insecurity" Mean?

What does "food insecurity" mean?

In a word, starvation.  That word has been used so much over the years, that people have become desensitized and immune to its meaning.  Groups like the UN, Catholic Relief Services, and many news outlets have gone to using the more descriptive term "food insecurity".  Food insecurity is the limited or unknown availability of nutritional and safe foods for everyone in a household to meet their basic needs.  It exists worldwide to varying degrees.  Haiti's food insecurity is acute, the worst in this hemisphere.

What are the consequences of food insecurity?

Without healthy and accessible food adults often become sick, and cannot work and care for their families.  Children are disproportionately affected by hunger; childhood malnutrition has devastating lifelong effects.  Growth can be stunted.  Anemia, causing dizziness, shortness of breath, and fatigue will impact their lives.  It will impact their ability to learn and retain knowledge.  It also makes them susceptible to many illnesses.

Who is mostly affected by food insecurity?

Usually, it is the poorest of the poor.  This is the majority of who RMI ministers to.  However, recently this extreme hunger has affected the average Haitian, even those who have jobs.  Haitians simply can't afford what food there is.  Gangs have blocked the roads in the capital, bringing the transportation of food, fuel, and supplies to a grinding halt.  Food is just not accessible.  Fuel can only be bought on the black market for $20+ a gallon.  

This makes RMI’s fall food drive especially timely.  The gift of a box of food can be a lifesaver for a family (Each of our food boxes contains 216 meals.  This is enough food to feed a family of 6 for an entire month.)!  This year we are able to offer the following:

1.  Order 10 cases of food ($35 each) and get one FREE.  We will automatically add 1 additional case of food to your gift.

2.  Order 10 cases of food with OIL ($45 each) and get one FREE.  We will automatically add one additional case of food with OIL to your gift.

To order, visit our website at www.RMIbridge.org or mail a check payable to RMI to 5475 Lee St. Suite 301, Lehigh Acres, 33971.  You may also call the office to place your order at 877-764-5439.  This offer is valid through 12/31/2022.

Help us minister to our brothers and sisters in Haiti with the gift of food for their families.

** News Alert! **

Haitian schools are to open on November 7!  Pray that peace reigns and this is allowed to happen.

RMI staff will begin to surreptitiously distribute the Hot Lunch Program food to the schools in small unmarked trucks this coming week.   Pray for the safety of the staff and vehicles.

Hurricane Ian's Impact on RMI

Wow! Hurricane Ian has come and gone, but the effects will be with us for a long time to come, not only in the area but for our staff as well. I am sure you have seen the news reports of how Ian destroyed much of Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres where our office is located. The real issue is how this has devastated so many families in our area, including our staff.

We are thankful that our staff in the US office are safe and unharmed. However, all have suffered damage in one way or another to their homes and properties.  Several had damage to the structure, including water damage. Herb and Shirly Shoemaker had their home flooded with four inches of flood water. Everyone lost power with most going days and some even now not having power. The costs that they have been encountering to prepare for and now just to try to keep generators going, find food and water, and be able to keep their families going have been extraordinary.

We have several that possibly won’t have power or water for several weeks. This makes life very difficult, with gas being a constant issue to find and purchase to keep their generators running, even seven days after the storm, not including any damage to the house they are having to deal with. Unfortunately, the required high hurricane deductibles for insurance make it even more difficult.

For our founders, Herb and Shirley Shoemaker, having a flooded home means that they must have two ft of sheetrock torn out of the whole first floor, loss of a lot of furniture and personal items that got wet with the toxic flood water, and long-term displacement until it all can get fixed. Their 15 yr. old vehicle was a complete loss as well as it sat in the flood waters. We have several other staff that has quite a bit of water damage due to leaking roofs and torn-off soffits, etc.  These damages are still being evaluated. All of this will amount to a lot of out-of-pocket expenses for our staff.

Unfortunately, our RMI vehicle was flooded as well and I just found out that it has been determined to be a total loss which will mean more expense to replace as insurance won’t completely replace it.

How can you help?  First, we covet your prayers.  Second, we humbly ask you to consider help for our RMI staff.  This is a time when our staff could really use some substantial help and encouragement.  RMI would be grateful for your contribution to our “where needed most” fund so we can minister to our staff as they continue ministering to others on your behalf.  This will help RMI enable our staff to get back on their feet, repair their homes, and cover some of the many expenses necessary to move forward.  Our highly qualified staff are dedicated to the RMI ministry even though they often could make a lot more elsewhere.  Would you or your church consider a gift to RMI designated “where needed most”?  You can send a check or go online at www.rmibridge.org/donate and pick the “where needed most” designation.  Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Daniel Shoemaker

President

Missionary Updates

Tessa Andrews is an integral part of RMI’s ministry in Haiti. She works primarily as a part of the Hope for Kidz team.  The HFKz team of 8 staff members is led by Hope for Kidz Supervisor, Frantz Desir. Within the Hope for Kidz team, she does a little bit of everything. She makes trips with the team when they go to the schools, takes photos of the kids, and gets their biographies. She edits those photos, translates letters, inputs information into their system, takes videos of kids, and translates those.  She also works on the HFKz Facebook page. 

She has already finished her home assignment and is now back in Haiti.  She was able to visit supporters and family.  She visited and spoke at several new churches this year.  God has provided her support needs, for which she is thankful.  Pray for her as she keeps up a hectic schedule.  This year there are approximately 2900 students sponsored that are spread across 130 schools.  That is a LOT of travel, a LOT of data input, and a LOT of details to keep straight!

Her good grasp of the Creole language helps her quite a bit in her ministry with these kids!  She is an essential part of Hope for Kidz and RMI.

Jim and April Starkey are like the Swiss army knife of ministry couples.  Jim oversees the internet system on the mission center (which includes the RMI facilities and missionary homes), helps out with RMI’s SunTech solar system installations, and works with the video/drone/virtual mission team. He also helps out when teams visit.  April is a part of the video team that goes out and captures, with camera and videography, all that RMI is doing in Haiti. She travels to different schools and churches to get video updates as well. She then takes the video footage, edits them together, and creates videos for RMI to share. In addition, she homeschools her 3 children.  Their cheerful and “can do” attitudes make them a pleasure to work with.

Currently, they are on home assignment in the US.  They are under-supported significantly and are trying to raise additional support so they can return to the field.  Please pray with us that God will supply those funds over the next few weeks as they speak in churches and visit supporters.  We need them back in Haiti in the fall!!  

If you can give a gift to the Starkeys or would like to start supporting them, you can do that at www.rmibridge.org/financial-donations.

Andrew and Dawn Tlucek are also an integral part of RMI’s ministry in Haiti.  Andrew is the newest member of the RMI team.  Even though they have been married just over a year ago, his history of living in Port-au-Prince with his missionary parents during his high school years and being involved in their ministry for several years afterward means that he is already familiar with Haiti and the missionary life.  He is the principal driver and developer of RMI’s new adult education initiative, a discipleship and leadership school.  It’s a new concept that is meant to prepare adults to be godly leaders in their communities.  Dawn, in her 4th year of ministry, has a number of job descriptions.  She is one of the C3 Partnership Coordinators, helping teams organize their trips to Haiti, and answering their questions and emails.  She is also on the Virtual Missions Team, going out to churches and schools to get pictures and video segments which will be edited (by April Starkey) and sent to their US C3 partners.  When teams are in-country, Dawn is one of the missionaries that accompanies them.

They are on home assignment for 3 months, visiting supporters and speaking in churches, giving updates on their ministry.  They are under-supported and are praying that God will supply the funds they need to bring them up to full support.  Please join them in this prayer.  They are essential to RMI’s ministry!

If you would like to give a gift to the Tluceks or would like to start supporting them you can do that at www.rmibridge.org/financial-donations.

We are sorry to inform you of the resignation of Lee and Tina Nunemaker from RMI. They will be missed as they have been an integral part of RMI now for more than 7 years. Our teams, staff, and leadership have appreciated them and their ministry into the lives of so many, both US and Haitian. They and their family have helped RMI see the ministry expand over these years. This makes their departure all the more regrettable. They have decided to pursue another ministry opportunity, with their plan to be able to continue ministering in Haiti. 

Even though their presence will be missed on our teams, we are continuing to plan for teams to come and visit their Sister Churches. Benjamin is excited about taking over the leadership of the C3 Partnership Program. Benson, Perguens, Dawn, and the rest of our team are looking forward to continuing to coordinate our partnerships and teams.  Please continue to use partnerships.haiti@rmibrige.org email for any questions concerning your C3 partnership, teams, or travel.

New Depot/Kitchens Built for Hot Lunch Program

School starts in a matter of weeks in Haiti.  Sponsors are giving regularly meaning that kids are getting their uniforms made, and books and other supplies are being purchased.  The one-year anniversary of the 2021 earthquake is this month (August 14), meaning that many schools that were damaged or destroyed are meeting in very temporary, make-shift classrooms.  Besides destroying the classrooms, the earthquake also damaged or destroyed the schools’ storage depot rooms, where the food was being stored. 

Schools that participate in RMI’s Hot Lunch Program are required to store the food that they receive in a closed, secure store room that will keep the food dry and free from 4-footed rodents.  After the earthquake, RMI’s Haiti leadership visited each church and school and made a comprehensive list of everything that was damaged or destroyed.  They saw first-hand the extent of the devastation.  They noted that the majority of the depots were destroyed.  As they visited the schools, they saw that the conditions for preparing the food were not adequate.  Most of the kitchens were simple lean-tos, covered with tin.  They were open to chickens, dogs, and cats wandering through.  This was not appropriate either.

For the past several months RMI has been addressing these issues by constructing small buildings that will house the food depot and a kitchen that will be secure and dedicated to the Hot Lunch Program.  The RMI construction staff designed a building that can be replicated in all the locations (that’s why all the pictures look like they are the same building while, in fact, they are in different locations).  Several have been finished and approximately 11 are in process.  Earthquake funds were used to build these buildings, but as Benson Joseph, RMI’s Director of Haiti Field Operations said “we ‘elasticized’ the money and made it go further so we could add the kitchens to the buildings”. 

When school resumes, these schools will have excellent facilities to securely store their food as well as prepare it for the kids.  We want to thank all the donors that have given to the earthquake fund.  This is just an example of the many rebuilding projects that are taking place as a direct result of your gifts.

A Week in the Life of a C3P Team

 As the team from Kimball Evangelical Free Church, (Nebraska) arrived at the church, they saw construction was going on at the church’s school.  This was their first official visit as a Sister Church for the Dagout Baptist Church and their purpose on this visit was to get to know their church on a deeper level (they’d visited before, but not as an official Sister Church).  The community was participating in any way possible.  They saw women carrying water to the barrel that would be used to make cement.  But what really moved their hearts was one young woman who was wearing a t-shirt and skirt with leggings under it and a hard hat.  One of the team members sprung into action and helped her with her job.  Other team members picked up shovels to help stir up some cement.  It was a spontaneous time of working shoulder to shoulder (Zephaniah 3:9) with the community.

On Sunday they were able to worship with the Dagout church.  Their sanctuary was heavily damaged in the August 2021 earthquake so they’ve built a temporary wood and tin structure to meet under.  Kimball presented the church with 2 banners.  One was filled with the outlines of hands and signatures.  This was their gift to the church.  It was hands and signatures of Kimball church members.  The other banner was empty.  Later in the week, Dagout church members were able to outline their hands and sign their names.  This banner is now hanging in the Kimball church to remind them to pray for their brothers and sisters in the Dagout church.

The team also met with the pastor and deacons of the church.  It was a sweet time together.  Meeting in the temporary structure just brought home some of what the church has been through and what their future looks like as they try to rebuild.

The Dagout church has land on which they are trying to establish a fruit orchard for the benefit of the church and the community.  The team was able to plant coconut, mango, and other fruit trees alongside the church members who are in charge of that project.  It will take time to reap the benefits from this endeavor, but the results will be sweet (pun intended)!

Handing out boxes of food and praying for some of the church’s shut-ins extended the team outside of their comfort zones.  This pastor was overjoyed with the gift of several boxes of food to distribute to some of the neediest of the needy in his congregation.  The team was able to experience carrying the boxes the old-fashioned way to get to some really out-of-the-way homes.  One home was the parents of one of the deacons.  They are elderly and not in good health.  While being dedicated Christians, they cannot get to services.  After visiting with the team, they were given a box of food, and Anderson, an RMI staff member, prayed for them.  What an encouragement it was!  Even though it rained and they got back soaking wet, they loved every moment of being out there, visiting with the Haitian people in their homes and being the hands and feet of Jesus.

Last but not least was the open-air service.  This was held in an open market area in the village, located at a crossroad.  Another “out of their comfort zone” experience.  But the angels are rejoicing from new believers that made decisions after the service.  The whole team was able to pray with this gentleman as he asked the Lord to be the Lord of his life.

All in all, it was a great trip.  We are so happy that most teams are able to return to Haiti!  Don’t delay getting your church on the team calendar!

Faith and Commitment Rewarded

Antioch Baptist Church, Gainesville, FL is a new C3 partner and were the first team of the year.  Due to issues in Haiti, their visit had to be put off some, but they remained committed to the relationship and God rewarded that.  Their Haitian partner church is Tet Source, situated in a valley in the middle of the southern peninsula.  The team of 8 arrived ready to minister, interact with their brothers and sisters and help repair the back wall of the church which was damaged in the 2021 earthquake.  They found that the Tet Source believers had the same goals.  

The team felt that the Tet Source church ministered to them and encouraged them in their walk with the Lord.  They enjoyed playing with the kids and working together as one on the repair project.  

They stated that they returned home changed people.  Welcome to the family Antioch!

RMI President Meets with New MEBSH Leadership

At the beginning of this month, RMI President, Dan Shoemaker, flew to Haiti to meet with the newly elected MEBSH President and the MEBSH Executive Committee.  They were all elected in December.  The president’s term is 5 years.  These pastors are men of God and will be leading MEBSH.  It’s a very large denomination with approximately 450 churches.  They have their work cut out for them!

We’ve appreciated their partnership with us over the last 40+ years.  It’s been a blessing to RMI to have their leadership, wisdom, and participation.  

Dan with MEBSH President Pastor Lusson Napoleon

Dan with the new MEBSH Executive Committee

Dan was also able to participate in a number of other meetings.  He spoke at the RMI staff morning devotions and at the Wednesday night missionary Bible study.  He met with Andrew, reviewing plans for a project that he is working on.  He met with the virtual team.  This is the team that is taking videos and pictures, then putting videos together to send to churches.  

He spent time with his daughter and new son-in-law, Andrew and Dawn Tlucek.  It was special to stay in their home and have some time with them.