Learning Haitian Creole for FREE…

Haitian Creole Software BYKI Express now includes all the Deluxe version content! Since the earthquake, BYKI has included all the deluxe content to further the relief effort. Here is the announcement…

Nashua, N.H., January 14, 2010 - In support of the ongoing Haiti relief effort, Transparent Language Inc. is now making its Byki® Haitian Creole language learning software available for free download.
The entire Byki collection of over 2,000 critical Haitian Creole words and phrases, normally available only in the paid Byki Deluxe product, has now been added to the Byki Express software product, which is available at no charge in Windows and Macintosh versions. Byki Express now includes the 10 Quick Start lists of the 100 most useful words and phrases as well as a set of Medical Emergency terminology developed by Voxtec International.
To download the free enhanced Byki Express software for Haitian Creole, visit Byki.com, choose Haitian Creole from the list of available languages and follow the onscreen instructions. In addition Transparent Language has posted all of the Haitian Creole Byki Flash Card lists to Byki.com/List Central for free use online or download.
"The Byki experience has been developed to maximize the amount of material learned for the time spent," says Michael Quinlan, CEO of Transparent Language. "Experience has shown us that relief workers and others will find that they can actually learn a usable amount of Haitian language in transit."

Rob

Rain in Port-au-Prince

“We need to have those sites in order to build something ... better.”

That was the comment of U.N. humanitarian chief John Holmes on March 19, 2010. What precipitated that comment was the deluge that over ran a ramshackle tent city on what used to be Port Au Prince’s most exclusive golf course. It had become the refuge for thousands of Haitians who were displaced after the January 11^th earthquake that took an estimated 250,000 lives.

The little village, home to 45,000 people, was engulfed by torrential rains on March 19^th putting the flimsy shelters in peril. Several were swept away by the rushing water. One woman, fearing for her seven children, stayed on one side of the tarp that acted as a wall, trying to keep the water out. "I'm not used to this," she said through her tears. After the sun rose Friday, people used sticks and their bare hands to dig drainage ditches around their tarps and shanties. Marie Elba Sylvie, 50, could not decide whether it was worth repairing damage to her lean-to of scrap wood and plastic.

"It could be fixed but when it rains again it will be the same problem," said the 50-year-old mother of four.

Officials know they must move many of the 1.3 million people displaced by the earthquake before the rainy season starts in earnest in April. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters at the golf course camp Sunday that the people living there were in particular danger.

As the United Nations surveyed the scene, Holmes felt that it was frustrating because they needed the housing sites to construct better housing. Most observers agree that during the rainy season, the greatest need is better housing for those who have found themselves homeless and without resources.

RMI President Dan Shoemaker had recognized the potential problem early on. “Having lived in Haiti for so many years, I knew the rainy season was coming. I could see that the next great crisis would be the tremendous need for transitional housing for these poor folks in the tent cities.

Transitional Homes will be the next great need that RMI will be addressing. As you can see above, the refugees are desperate for something far better than their flimsy lean-to’s. RMI is determined to address this crisis head on. For the last month, the RMI leadership team has been diligently working to come up with answers to that pressing need. They have found several possibilities that would provide durable, cost efficient, but culturally relevant transitional housing for the struggling Haitians. A decision should be made within the next few days. RMI’s desire is to provide “Homes Today for Haiti’s Tomorrow”!

Pray with us as we put together our final plans. We will keep you informed and updated as to how you may impact the lives of our overwhelmed Haitian brothers and sisters in Christ through providing a home for hurting families.

Lost in the Ruins: Haiti’s Best and Brightest

An eye-opening article by Jonathan Katz, found here, tells of yet another challenge that faces Haiti: the loss of a generation of Haiti’s young professionals. It makes you sit back, take a deep breath and say yet another prayer for the future of Haiti. May God provide Christian young people to replace those that have been lost.

Thank you for the encouragement!

"Thank you for helping our congregation at CrossRoad understand that we are called not just to give to the people of Haiti, but to be in relationship with them. Casual giving to soothe our consciences is being replaced by vital action, where our lives are intertwined with our sister church in Tiburon & we now see we have lessons to learn that only they can teach us."

Dennis Owen of CrossRoad UMC, Jacksonville, FL sent us this great word of encouragement. It is affirming to see the essence of RMI’s ministry being grasped and lived out. This is what RMI is all about! Thank you, Dennis.

Sister Church Earthquake Report

Each Sister Church is included in this report which is listed alphabetically.

Abricots Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Yves Renous Mathurin had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Mathurin has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- There was no damage at the church and the parsonage in Abricot.

4- Several members in the church and in the district lost their kids and family in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are a lot of refugees in Abricot now.

6- Most of the refugees are without clothes.

Anse-a-Veau Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Dieuseul Malbranche had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Malbranche has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- There was no damage at the church and the parsonage but the old little house below is damaged.

4- Several members in the church lost their kids in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are a lot of refugees in Anse-a-Veau now. Most of them are being fed by the church.

Astruc Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Louinel Guillame had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Louisnel has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church has some cracks on the walls but the parsonage is ok.

4- There are many members in the church that lost their relatives and houses in Port-au-Prince.

Aux Coteaux Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Jean Tatho Romelus had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Tatho has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- No damage at the church and the parsonage but the roof of the school is damaged.

4- A few members in the church lost their relatives in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are some refugees in Coteaux now.

Baraderes Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Leon Bonhomme had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Bonhomme has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- There was no damage at the church and the parsonage in Baraderes

4- Several members in the church lost their kids and family in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are a lot of refugees in Baraderes now. Most of them are being fed by the church.

Beaumont Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Jean Emmanuel Visene had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Emmanuel has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- There was no damage at the church but the parsonage is got some cracks.

4- There are a few members in the church that lost their relatives in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are some refugees in Beaumont.

Boyer Baptist Church

1- Pastor Louis Sony Nairjuste’s daughter died. Her name was Sonithe. She was 32 years old. She was a business woman and a very strong Christian her father reported.

2- Pastor Sony has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- There was no damage at the church and the parsonage in Boyer.

4- Some members in the church lost their kids in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are a lot of refugees in Boyer now. Very few of them are being fed by the church.

6- Most of the refugees are homeless.

Camp Perrin Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Borgelin had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Borgelin has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church and the parsonage are ok.

4- There are a few members in the church that lost their relatives in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are a lot of refugees, and most of them are being fed by the church.

Cance Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Maxilorme Moise had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Moise has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church and the parsonage are ok.

4- There are a few members in the church that lost their relatives in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are a lot of refugees.

Chambellan Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Jean Benoit had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Benoit has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- There was no damage to the church and the parsonage in Chambellan.

4- Several members in the church lost their kids in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are a lot of refugees in Chambellan now. Most of them are being fed by the church

6- Most of the refugees are without clothes.

Cherette Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Bientot Salomon had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Bientot has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- There was no damage at the church and the parsonage but the kindergarten school is damaged

4- There are a few members in the church that lost their kids and relatives in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are some refugees in Cherette.

Corail Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Jean Predelma Dor had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Jean has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church is damaged but the parsonage is ok.

4- There are a few members in the church that lost their relatives in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are some refugees Corail.

Dame Marie Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Saint Julien Hyppollite had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Saint Julien has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church and the parsonage have many cracks.

4- There are many members in the church that lost their kids and relatives in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are some refugees in Dame Marie.

Ducis Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Jacques Anthony Moise had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Moise has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- There was no damage at the church and the parsonage.

4- There are members in the church that lost their kids in Port-au-Prince.

La Colline Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Jacques Destin Dorval had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Dorval has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church and the parsonage are ok but the outhouse and a small house in the yard have big problems.

4- There are members in the church that lost their relatives in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are some refugees in La Colline.

Les Anglais Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Marc Dieuseul Jean-Pierre had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Marc has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church and the parsonage are ok.

4- There are members in the church that lost their relatives in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are some refugees in Les Anglais.

Les Irois Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Jean Sainprival had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Jean has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church, parsonage and school are ok.

4- There are members in the church that lost their kids and relatives in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are a lot of refugees in Les Irois now. Most of them are being fed by the church.

6- Most of the refugees are without clothes.

Maniche Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Jean Enock Jean had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Jean has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church and the parsonage are ok.

4- There are a few members in the church that lost their relatives in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are a lot of refugees.

Morency Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord Pastor Robert Brunache had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Robert has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church and the parsonage are ok.

4- There are a few members in the church that lost their relatives in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are a lot of refugees, most are being fed by the church.

Pestel Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord Pastor Sildreric Arisma had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Sildreric has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church is ok but the parsonage has a big problem.

4- There are members in the church that lost their relatives in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are some refugees in Pestel.

Picot Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Calixte Dorval had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Calixte has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church and the parsonage are ok.

4- There 4 families in the church that lost their kids and relatives and their lost houses in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are some refugees in Picot.

Port-A-Piment Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Yvon Vertu had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Yvon has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church and the parsonage are ok.

4- There are 8 families in the church that lost their kids and relatives in Port-au-Prince.

Port Salut Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Jean Edert Pierre had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Jean has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church and the parsonage are ok.

4- There are a few members in the church that lost their relatives in Port-au-Prince.

Tiburon Baptist Church

1- Praise the Lord, Pastor Oland Lundy had no children die in the earthquake.

2- Pastor Lundy has no house damage in Port-au-Prince.

3- The church and the parsonage are ok.

4- There are a few members in the church that lost their kids and relatives in Port-au-Prince.

5- There are a lot of refugees in Tiburon now. Most of them are being fed by the church.

Notes for the week

#1 – The power is back on at the RMI office in Ft. Myers! We are so thankful for it taking less than a week!!

#2 – Dan and Kim are in Haiti this week. They are researching the next phase of RMI’s relief efforts, transitional housing. They will be meeting with several key people and committees for rebuilding. This is Kim’s first trip to Haiti, so he will have a great opportunity to not only assist in this but be able to meet RMI’s Haiti staff, get to know RMI’s field and see our facilities. It’ll help give him a much better understanding of how things work there.

Pray that they will be able to get appointments with the right people, that RMI would find favor in the sight of these people and committees and that God will give them clear direction.

More details will follow once plans for this effort are finalized! Stay tuned!!

Flooding in Cayes…

RMI Missionary Amy Long wrote…

“From RMI Missionary Amy Long...Please pray for us here in Haiti- Don't know about in other parts of the country but its been pouring here in Cayes since about 9am- the river is overflowing its banks, there's substantial flooding down in the valley below the mission center and houses with water in them. And my heart is breaking for the people living in the Tent City downtown...its in a soccer field and its a very low lying area.”

Keep Praying…

Rob

RMI office hit by power cable thieves again

The RMI building was hit by thieves again last night. They did not get into the building, but they stole the power cables from the transformer to the building. This time we were able to diagnose the problem immediately…if there’s no power cable, there’s no power! The police have been called and things are in process to get it repaired but it will take days. It’s hard to imagine why they are targeting this particular building (other than Satan wanting to derail our operations), this is a huge buried cable that goes under a paved road. They have to pull it through a conduit which has several curves and corners. It is no easy task and takes special equipment. It was a tough repair last time, too. Pray for the landlord – the last time cost him thousands and this repeat event is a hard blow to handle.

This greatly hampers RMI’s operations! Relief efforts are still ongoing, planning for the next major stage is being done but we all need to be working there at the office to facilitate things. In the meantime, all calls are being routed to my cell phone and we will be working from home. We'll do our best to stay on top of things, but if there's a delay in our service or response to you, please be patient and keep trying!

Pray that this time out of the office will be less than last time (which was more than a week).

We (Rob and Becky Thompson) just posted our latest e-newsletter “theSlice”…

To view it online, click here.

If you did not receive a copy in your inbox, but would like to, you can subscribe here.

Rob and Becky Thompson

Drew Singing in Creole…

This is Drew Thompson, son of Rob and Becky Thompson. They will be moving to Haiti with RMI in March. For more information about Rob and Becky, visit http://bit.ly/bT86jQ.

Days of Mourning, Prayer & Fasting

Today marks 1 month since the earthquake hit Port-au-Prince. Amidst the tragedy, God is at work. One church leader said that a wind of revival is sweeping the country. For the first time, carnival (Mardi Gras) has been cancelled – it was to start on Tuesday. Today, tomorrow, and Sunday have been declared a time of prayer and fasting. Church leaders called for these days to be set aside and the government was in agreement…did we say that God is at work?!

There was a moment of silence observed at the time the earthquake struck, 4: 53 p.m. Today most people were not on the roads, but in churches (if they are still standing), on street corners or at home in prayer.

Today was a day of repentance, asking God to forgive, Saturday will be a day to pray for the country and the government, and Sunday will be a day of thanking God for His mercy and grace and love.

Churches are having special services throughout the weekend. Radio stations and TV stations are airing some of these services live. It seems that God has inspired this national three day fast. Pray that God will answer His people with a miraculous outpouring of His love. Please join with the Haitians in seeking God's mercy Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The only way to start the healing of Haiti is by spiritual revival.

What can 13 first graders do?

This is what they can do!

Thirteen first graders at Southwest Florida Christian Academy, Ft. Myers, FL worked extra chores and collected money to give to Haiti earthquake relief. They raised $65! An anonymous donor added $100 to honor their efforts, bringing their total gift to $165. I was able to go their class to share with them about Haiti and the earthquake. Here they are presenting me with the check and with some pictures that I left with them to show the earthquake effects, a young survivor and relief aid being delivered.

Their teacher, Debbie Fulwider, shared that as they visited their church’s mission booths 2 days later, one of the missionaries asked the class if any of them would be interested in being a missionary. She said, “Almost the whole class threw up their arms and said that they wanted to go to Haiti to help.

I pray that we are growing up a generation to help spread the gospel around the world while serving others.

Your organization and the people of Haiti will be in our prayers! Thank you for all you do to help others.”

It is so cool to see how their young hearts were touched. They gave generously and God used them. With their gift, RMI was able to give food to a handicap school in Cayes that has 12 in-resident students. What a ministry for this new generation to have.

“I didn’t know how I was going to feed all these people. It’s a miracle!”

Missions Conference Rob & Becky Thompson and Dan and I were invited to be a part of our church’s annual missions conference this past week. It’s a large church….and the conference is large and 5 days long. Kim Rose, Kent Commons and I scurried intensely for a couple of days getting the display and other things ready (the earthquake has kind of taken precedence over everything else). Then I had to attend events by myself until Dan arrived, mid-way through the conference.

Dan returned from Haiti late Thursday night, Feb. 4. I was happy to have my hubby home again, but there has been no rest for the weary. He had to jump right into the conference as well as answer phone call after phone call.

We had breakfast yesterday, Tuesday, with the folks who brought down the additional supplies to be flown in Friday (they drove all the way from Arkansas and were on their way back home). What fun to hear their stories of God’s provision of these supplies to them so they could give them to Haiti through RMI!

Dan is to be the chapel speaker next week at Trinity College of Florida, Dawn’s college. We were there for their missions conference in the fall. They want a first-hand report on how things are going in Haiti. [I guess I’ll go along – I do have a daughter that’s needs visiting :) ]

Dan’s time in Haiti went well. He was able to go to Port and make several significant contacts for food aid. He was actually given 600 bags of rice, 150 lbs. of beans and 5 gallons of oil to take back with him. On way back to Cayes, he stopped at the Zanglais church (Zanglais is where RMI’s Retreat Center is) to give the pastor this food to help feed his people. The pastor had tears in his eyes as he said, “It’s a miracle. This morning I got up and wondered how I was going to feed all these people. And then you show up with food! I have over 1,000 people (refugees) in this area that need food. It’s a miracle!”

Through one of those contacts, RMI is now making weekly trips into Port to get a truck load of food relief to distribute in the Cayes area. This is a significant development and will be a great help to the refugees!

CIU Alumni Responding to Haiti Earthquake

Our alma mater, Columbia International University, has a great synopsis of various alumni who are helping in Haiti. You should recognize the first alumni featured. Click here to find the article. We couldn’t ask for better publicity!

While Dan was in Haiti this last trip, I had fun attending an alumni gathering at the home of a CIU Board member (and personal friend) who lives in Ft. Myers. After the dinner, CIU Chancellor, George Murray, wanted to have a special prayer for Dan & Haiti. He turned to me & asked "How can we pray for Haiti?" A million things ran through my head but nothing came out of my mouth. How can you narrow down all the needs (physical, spiritual, emotional, educational, governmental) ...of the Haitian people to 1 thing?

That God would use this disaster in Haiti to bring people to Him was all I could come up with. I felt a bit silly being speechless after sharing so much about Haiti earlier in the evening!

Fluid & Flux

The state of things in Haiti and RMI are very fluid these days. It is much like a large river. It rushes in flood stage and we feel like we are drowning. It ebbs and flows. As time goes by needs change and new opportunities appear. All that said, I am doing my best to keep you informed on what is happening.

Some of the 9,000 lbs of medical supplies has gotten into Haiti, but there is still some left at the airport. Another load of orthopedic equipment and supplies was delivered this week. The leftover supplies and the new shipment (together now total 7,000 lbs.) will hopefully be flown in on Friday, Feb. 12. Pray that that is able to take place. So many options and plans have been made for these things and most of it has fallen through. It’s been a daily volley of phone calls all over the country to keep it going. Herb and Shirley have been the point people on this effort and have done a superb job.

Medical personnel are still helping in the Les Cayes area, working at either the General Hospital, the Cite Lumiere Hospital or the mountain MEBSH hospital, Bonne Fin.

Medical supplies and other relief aid is coming in through the Methodist Habitat of the Bahamas straight to Cayes. We had hoped they would be able to help us get the 7,000 lbs. of stuff down to Cayes, but it proved too great a task since they only fly 6 seater planes.

The RMI missionaries and staff in Haiti continue to work in relief aid 24/7. They’ve done a superb job and we are proud of them! RMI vehicles and trucks continue to transport relief aid of all sorts from the airport to distribution points on the mission center and then on to it’s needed destination. They have also helped with 3 trips to transport refugees from Port to a MEBSH youth camp in the Cayes area that has become a refugee center for the next 3 months.

The RMI guesthouse is in constant use these days for medical personnel, mission executives doing assessment tours and even a stray reporter or two! Often RMI provides a translator and transportation to their various destinations if possible.

Calls have come in from all over the US. A public school in Pennsylvania wants to collect funds and put together hygiene kits for refugees. Doctors and nurses continue to call in to offer their services. Men have called to let us know their availability for construction when the rebuilding takes place. Rotary clubs are asking how they can help [Dan is speaking to some members of the Southwest Florida Rotary Club today, sharing what the Cayes Rotary Club is doing and fielding questions as to how they can be involved!]. Local reporters have interviewed both Dan and I, not once, but 2 and 3 times. Thirteen first graders at a local Christian school did extra chores and collected $65 for Haiti. They asked me to come and talk to them. They were very proud to present me a check for Haiti relief.

Keep tuned to this blog and RMI's website for the latest ebbs and flows!

Jules Update

Gary and Marilyn McLaughlin were able to visit Jules in December.

He underwent heavy duty chemo treatments 3 times a week in preparation for his bone marrow transplant. Two days before his bone marrow transplant, a lump was discovered on his neck. After a lot of tests, they found that it was an infection. He was given heavy antibiotics and seems to be better.

He met with his doctor last week and the decision was that now that the infection is gone, he must undergo another 4 weeks of chemo before any transplant.

Pray for him….

* He must go to these chemo treatments by public transportation. This means going from their apartment to the bus stop, waiting for the bus, then after the bus ride from that stop to the hospital. After the treatment, then they have to reverse the process. And all of this in heavy snow [remember these are Haitians who do not like the cold!] and not feeling well. Occasionally friends give them a ride, which is a welcome relief.

* He and Martha are “hanging in there”, but they still struggle with boredom and feel isolated and homebound.

Their phone number is 321-217-4165. Phone calls are a very real encouragement to them.

Please be assured that if anything new develops, we will keep you up to date.

Conference Call Audio Available…

Our conference call seemed to be a great success. If you joined us, thank you for your involvement!

Dan gave a great presentation of the current issues, future planning, and spiritual insight into what God is doing through the church in Haiti!

If you missed it, you can listen by visiting our website at www.rminet.org.

Rob

Dan is in Haiti Again

Dan returned to Haiti today. He flew in with a volunteer pilot via the Bahamas. He will assist our RMI missionaries in delivering food aid as well as go to Port to see what he can do to find more medical and food aid from the myriad of agencies that already have supplies on the ground there. He wants to let the “powers that be” know that supplies and aid are needed in the south.

The Ft. Myers NewsPress has a follow up article on RMI! You can read it here. We’re grateful for the continued coverage of RMI and it’s ministry.

Things have been crazy around the office. God has brought many, many new contacts and people who want to help. Some have medical supplies they want to give, some have planes they are making available for our use, some have funds they want to send, some have doctors & medical people they want to connect us to. Some great things are in the works to get 9,000 lbs. of medical supplies to Cayes! It’s truly amazing to feel the heart of Americans all across the country. Even in the midst of personal hardships, they are giving funds and are willing to help the Haitian people in any way possible.

A big thank you to RMI missionary, Amy Long, for designing this image.

Help raise awareness and support for RMI's Relief Fund by making this image your profile picture. Get the word out about what RMI's doing in Haiti!

Don’t forget the conference call tonight! See the previous blog post for details.

New Tool for English to Creole Translation…

Microsoft Translator has recently added Creole to their list of languages. Check it out here.

Rob

Conference Call/Earthquake Relief Update for the Entire RMI Family

Dan Shoemaker, RMI President, will be hosting a conference call on Saturday night, January 30th, at 8pm EST. Dan will be calling from Cayes, Haiti. He will be giving an update on RMI's Earthquake Relief Effort (Progress so far, Current Issues, Observations, Short and Long Term Plans).

Everyone is invited to listen in! Spread the word!

Instructions and notes...

• How to access the call... On Saturday night, at 8 pm EST, dial (712) 432-0111. You will be asked to enter an access code. Please enter: 1007501#
• Normal long distance fees apply.
• Due to the large number of expected participants, all callers will be muted by default to avoid us talking over each other.
• If you have a question that you would like Dan to consider addressing on the conference call, please email them to both Dan and Rob.

In addition, you can always visit RMI's website to donate to our relief effort or for access to constant updates via our Blog, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.

I am Haitian

An unexpected “side effect” if you will of the earthquake in Port-au-Prince and all the media attention there, is that all of a sudden everyone worldwide suddenly is aware of Haiti’s existence and of their poverty and need for help. We have been ministering there for over 20 years and found that most people we encountered in the US didn’t even know where Haiti was, much less any details about it. Haiti has never been the “hot topic” or trendy subject in missions. Haiti was blamed for spreading AIDS in the 80’s. The US government even refused to recognize Haiti as an independent country in 1804. It was very far from people’s minds. Haitians that are in the US, in general, haven’t wanted to admit that they were Haitians. When we encountered them, in a store for instance, they’d say they were from the Caribbean or “the islands”. They’d almost never say Haiti unless they heard us speak Creole to them.

Now, it seems, the earthquake has given them an identity, it has validated them as a people. Haitians worldwide are proudly saying, “I’m a Haitian”. From NFL football players, recording artists, authors and artists, to the grocery store clerk or lawn care man, Haitians are coming forward and publically holding up the Haitian flag. Never in the history of man has a mass effort been made to help Haiti. The telethon that was recently held for Haiti was on 85 stations and was televised worldwide. It was surreal to switch from channel to channel and see Haiti cared for. Wow!

These photos were posted by a friend on Facebook. They show that Haiti is on the minds of people as far away as Thailand and Asia.

It’s just so cool to see this. But its heartwrenching that it took a major disaster to do it.

You have seen Haiti on the news as it is now. Here is a link to the side of Haiti that is never shown. Most of the photos are of Port-au-Prince as it was, but is now gone. They are beautiful. I’ve never seen a collection like it. It is well worth your time to check them out.

Dan is back

Saturday was another jam-packed day for Dan. He spent the day with a journalist from the Panhandle of Florida, a doctor and a pilot. He took them on a tour of the general hospital, a tent city and the mission hospital. Dan was interviewed on camera by the journalist and was able to share the needs of Haiti.

Dr. Bill, Medical Director of the mission hospital, and a 15 year old amputee patient.

Visiting the mission hospital. The patient has one leg in a cast and one that is pinned. The hospital has no orthopedic pins, so the missionary doctor, Dr. Bill, improvised and made what he needed with rebar (construction rebar!).

A young patient at the mission hospital.

Visiting the general hospital in Cayes. It is so crowded that they are using a catholic eyes, ears, nose, throat clinic to house additional patients.

Dan and Dr. Leger (in the red shirt) explaining things to a visiting doctor who is also a pilot and had flown himself in to work for a week.

He was also on the phone a lot! Plans for the team from Southwest Florida didn’t come together as needed for Monday, today, but things are still being worked on for them to get to Cayes soon.

Communications are so difficult in Haiti. Calls were going back and forth here in the US as arrangements were discussed. When Dan or Dr. Bill, were needed, we would contact Amy, Gary or Marilyn by Instant Messenger (they have satellite internet). One of them would then send someone after Dan and/or Dr. Bill who would go to Gary’s house to use their Vonage phone. Sometimes the phone would work, sometimes it wouldn’t. Just communicating with the states can be a full time job!

Sunday Dan flew to Nassau and then on to Ft. Lauderdale. He was, in his words, “one tired puppy”!

Today he met with an international aid organization in Ft. Lauderdale to explore partnering with them.

Then he came home! Wow, what a trip – and there’s so much more to do in Haiti. Keep up those prayers.

Haiti Update

Today has been another busy day as we have fielded calls from many different corners of the US. Here are some things that we are working on:

* A Orthopedic and Trauma team from a Ft. Myers hospital is ready to leave for Cayes on Monday. We are joining our efforts with a local church, the local hospital and a couple of other ministries to make this happen. They sent a plane and Doctor team to Port last week and another one left today. This is yet another one, but it will be going to Cayes.

* US Sister Church, CrossRoads United Methodist of Jacksonville, FL is putting a team of doctors together as well as gathering medical supplies to send in.

* A longtime friend of RMI and her father drove a huge U-Haul truck to Ft. Lauderdale packed with medical supplies. Herb and Shirley Shoemaker met them there where they had to unload it, weigh everything, repack it onto pallets and prepare it for shipping to Cayes. 9,000 lbs. of supplies will be flown in via Methodist Habitat of Bahamas, the same planes that Dan went into Cayes with on Wednesday.

* A company in Pennsylvania who manufactures trauma equipment has already flown into Port with doctors and supplies and is now working on putting together supplies for Cayes.

* A number of churches have taken up special offerings for Haiti relief and those monies are starting to come in.

Wow! The list could go on and on. We are excited to see God supplying Haiti’s needs through so many different avenues.

Dan has been busy in Haiti as well. Through the relief funds, RMI has :

* given food to a AIDS patient feeding program

* sent food to the MEBSH churches in Port-au-Prince

* given food to local Cayes MEBSH churches who are feeding refugees who are now living in their buildings.

* given food to the local Rotary Club who are feeding patients at the local government hospital (2 meals a day!)

* given food to 30 local families who have taken in extended family & friends who are refugees.

Here are some pictures from this morning:

Dan with the hospital director and some of the hospital staff at the government hospital in Cayes.

At the general hospital. The lady in the foreground grimaces as her incision is cleaned. She lost a leg as a result of the earthquake.

Gary McLaughlin takes time to comfort another lady who lost a leg in the earthquake.

A makeshift stretcher – talk about uncomfortable!!

Dan helps a Rotarian unload a bag of rice. Beans and oil were also a part of the food aid.

Oil, rice, beans and sugar was also delivered to an MEBSH old folks home.

Keep praying – the need has only begun. We appreciate all of you!

Another newspaper interview!

This so cool! I just got a call from a local spanish newspaper. They are coming tomorrow for a face to face interview, take pictures and everything. They want to know all about RMI and what we are doing there. [I sure wish Dan were here to do it! He’s so good at this kind of thing!]

Medical supplies delivered and a TV interview

Dan's days have been full. After his arrival he took some of the medical supplies into Cayes to a private practice doctor. A Haitian TV station was there to record the delivery and they interviewed Dan as well as the doctor. How cool is that?

He also delivered the supplies that he brought in personally and they were put to immediate use.

He has been by one of the tent cities and he's met with our missionaries & staff, MEBSH leadership and all the Cite Lumiere missionaries.

Communications are very difficult and spotty. The main method of communicating is via satellite internet. We’re thankful that is functioning very well. The RMI staff is working to get information on all the Sister Churches and pastors of those churches. I know everyone is anxiously waiting to hear how their churches fared, but be patient, it will take time. It’s hard for us here in the US to imagine a world without cell phones, texting, or the internet. Haiti was just getting into the 20th century (not even the 21st!) and this has knocked them back into the stone age in many respects. Thus, an extra measure of patience is needed.

We should be able to get some pictures from Dan for you tomorrow!

Another earthquake, Dan makes it to Haiti and RMI in the local newspaper

This is a day of updates!

Haiti was awakened with another earthquake this morning at 6. The 6.1 quake toppled many structures that had been severely damaged a week ago. This one was centered about half way between Cayes and Port...closer to Cayes than last week's quake. It would have been felt at several sister churches. Pray that the earth would quit moving & shifting!

Dan has arrived in Cayes! He was able to go in via the Bahamas and Bahamas Methodist Habitat who are flying small 4 & 6 seater planes into Cayes with medical relief supplies. He is there to assess the situation, meet with our missionaries & Haitian staff and help them organize for the massive relief aid that will be coming in.

The reports are that there is a crush of refugees flooding the southern peninsula. Since fuel is gone, they are piling 4 on motorcycle taxis or walking. Many are people that are going back to their hometowns, but there are also many that just had to get away from the capital. School has been cancelled in the country. Many churches are using their school buildings to house refugees. Soccer fields and many empty flat pieces of land are becoming tent cities. Food is already scarce in the Cayes area. The sick and injured have overwhelmed the one government hospital, 2 mission hospitals and the one Haitian doctor (in private practice) in Cayes. The medical supplies that are being flown in from the Bahamas are going to these 4 places and being used up in just 2 days.

MEBSH is reporting that none of it’s pastors were killed, however, a number of them have lost children who were studying in Port-au-Prince. It is safe to say that every person in the country has lost a family member or friend in this disaster.

We are excited to see the response of God’s people. One US Sister Church has given over $30,000! We’ve had calls from all over the country, from Canada and Jamaica expressing care and concern for RMI, their Sister Churches and Haiti. We’ve already been given 100 lbs. of medical and surgical supplies and Dan took that with him to Haiti today. Another huge load of medical supplies is on its way here in a U-Haul truck from Arkansas! Wow, we are overwhelmed at what has been happening.

We have gotten some medical volunteers, but not enough to form a team yet. Do you know of anyone who would be interested? Spread the word!!!

Also, check out the latest article from the Ft. Myers NewsPress that was just posted! It's great to get RMI's name some public exposure locally. Pray that God will use it to bring in more funds. You can read it here.

Former President Bush said it best the other day, “Just give money, that’s the best thing, that’s what is needed.” I’m glad he just came out and said it. He’s right. Relief aid can’t happen without money. Please pray that God will continue to work in people’s hearts and the funds will come in so we can meet these enormous needs.

Earthquake Pictures taken by RMI Staff

Here are some pictures that our RMI Staff took from Haiti on Friday, Jan 15.

South Carolina team is on their way home!

We have just received word that our team of 9 was able to get out on several relief aid planes that came to Cayes from the Bahamas. They should arrive in Nassau tonight and be able to get home to South Carolina tomorrow. This is great news!

News Article on RMI

RMI is one of the feature articles in the Ft. Myers News-Press today! Here is the link to the article online. Already today Dan has talked with someone from NBC Nightly News looking for missionaries to talk to. It's great to get this coverage. Hopefully it'll bring awareness to what we are doing and thus bring more help!

RMI’s Haiti Relief Response. Please HELP!

Our hearts just ache and break as we watch the images of a country that is so dear to us. The magnitude of the devastation of the capital, Port-au-Prince, is unimaginable. It is hard to wrap our minds around what has happened.

There is a 2^nd wave of tragedy that is currently unfolding – and it has not been mentioned in the news yet. Hundreds of thousands of Haitian refugees are flooding the countryside as they flee the devastation and lack of the most basic of needs in Port-au-Prince. They are leaving with just the clothes on their back and maybe a few personal items in a bundle on their head, some carrying their injured or even dead family members. Many communities will find themselves doubling or tripling their population almost overnight. They are descending on family, friends, and churches with nothing but what they could carry out with them.

Les Cayes, where RMI is headquartered, is already beginning to feel this crush. The few hospitals that are there, including the 2 mission hospitals in the area, are already overwhelmed by wounded with more pouring in by the hour. Our Sister Church medical team that is on the ground right now has been helping as much as they can with the overwhelming need at our mission hospital. The MEBSH (the Haitian church association that we have partnered with for over 30 years) churches in the area are beginning to feel the rush from Port as refugees are flooding the area beginning to seek aid and help since they have NOTHING. Since many of these folks have been a part of the MEBSH church association, they will flock to the MEBSH churches as they have nowhere else to go or turn to.

GREAT NEEDS are rapidly developing in the Cayes area. Hospitals are already out of medicine and supplies to treat the wounded who keep pouring in. RMI already has lists of medical needs from our mission hospitals and others in the area.

Since the earthquake we have wondered how we could help - our headquarters is in Les Cayes, 120 miles from Port. We don’t have a presence in Port. But this wave of refugees brings the needy right to our door step! It seems that we didn’t need to go to Port, Port is coming to us!

RMI is UNIQUELY positioned to help these refugees. With our extensive base of operations, our staff on site, our network of contacts in the communities around the south of Haiti, and you, our Sister Churches, and many friends, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!!!

Our strategy is to concentrate on the masses of refugees pouring into southern Haiti:

• Provide desperately needed medical supplies
• Provide short term medical teams to help in the hospitals
• Provide food and basic necessities for the refugees
• Provide short term housing as possible
• Provide spiritual encouragement and witness

We cannot do any of this without your help!

How can you as a church or individual help?

1. Pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ so impacted by this tragedy. Everyone in Haiti has been impacted by the earthquake, even if they weren’t in Port-au-Prince.
2. DONATE FUNDS – THIS IS THE GREATEST WAY TO HELP INITIALLY. RMI has already provided $20,000 Haitian dollars to the national church leadership to help their churches in Port as well as we have purchased basic food for distribution. One US Sister Church has committed $10,000 US right away with more to come.
3. Put together a medical team or volunteer for a team. Email rob.thompson@rminet.org if you are a medical person that could volunteer for a team or you can put a team together to minister in Haiti for a week. Time frames and transportation are being worked out.

GOD has placed RMI in this situation for this time! Help us make the most of the opportunities that God is placing right at our feet. All of our resources, staff, and time will be focused on accomplishing these goals. We need $250,000 to accomplish these things. It is crucial to purchase and transport the URGENTLY needed supplies immediately. But it cannot happen without the money in hand. Please donate NOW with a goal of helping out monthly as we focus together on meeting these great needs. Thank you for your partnership with us, the MEBSH churches, and the Haitian people.

Sincerely,

Dan Shoemaker
RMI President

Fund Raiser held for Hope foir Kidz and Relief…

One of our Sister Churches, Village Church of Bartlett, in Barlett, Illinios, did a fund raiser last night to sponsor kidz with RMI's Hope for Kidz program. Because of the earthquake, they also raised funds for relief. It was highlighted on the news. Take a look. Great job VCOB!

Our Team in Haiti helping…

We have a team from Mainstreet UMC and Erskine College in South Carolina in Haiti. This medical team came to do a medical clinic at their Sister Church in Port Salut. They didn’t realize they came for more!

They are “stranded” for the moment (we are working to find a route back home for them). In the meantime, they are serving in the midst of the earthquake aftermath.

Yesterday, our team, joined forces with other short term teams with other missionary organizations, to do a medical clinic in downtown Cayes. Quake victims are making their way out of PAP down to the Cayes area. Today they will be serving right at the medical clinic on the mission center where are missionaries live.

Here are some pictures…

Enews Update

As you are aware, the unimaginable happened on January 12 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. A 7.0 earthquake hit the capital shortly before 5 p.m. There have been more than 30 aftershocks. What little infrastructure that was there has been destroyed: many government buildings, hospitals, businesses, hotels, homes, schools and churches have been turned to dust. Roads have cracked, fallen away or are blocked with rubble from fallen buildings. CNN has reported that the human toll could be up to 100,000 people! We are deeply saddened and heavy hearted as we watch the news and see the scenes of places that we once knew, but are rubble today.

We wanted you to know that all of RMI’s missionaries & Haitian staff are fine. We have a team in-country (Main St. United Methodist, Abbeyville, SC) right now; they are at RMI’s Guesthouse at the mission center in Cayes and are fine as well. RMI’s ministries, missionaries and Sister Churches are in the southern peninsula, 120 miles from the capital, in the city of Les Cayes. They felt the earthquake and a number of aftershocks. It shook buildings and rocked parked vehicles, but there was very little damage, and only a few people were injured when they fell running out of buildings.

A big challenge that we face is getting the team out of Haiti and back home. Port-au-Prince’s airport is operational, but only relief aid is being allowed to take off and land. There is only one runway and no place to put planes. There is no aviation fuel. As I write this there are 10 planes circling Port waiting to land. The FAA has grounded all flights to Haiti because of the bottleneck, at least until tomorrow.

We are working hard, through as many avenues as possible, to make arrangements for the team to leave. In the meantime, they are safe and sound at the mission center. Today they joined another short term team that is also stranded at the mission center. They are both medical teams, so they ministered together, holding a medical clinic in a nearby community.

How can YOU help this desperate situation? As in any disaster, giving financially is the best way to help right now. We are partnering with MEBSH (the Haitian church association with whom we’ve partnered with for over 25 years) to determine how we can best help their churches that were devastated in Port-a-Prince. You can contribute online here (choose the “relief” category) or send a check to RMI at the address below. We anticipate sending a team in to help in the rebuilding efforts, but are not sure when that will be.

We’ve received many, many phone calls from all over the US, all wanting to know how they can help make a difference, as well as if the team, RMI’s missionaries and their Sister Churches are ok. We have appreciated the outpouring of concern, thoughts and prayers on behalf of the Haitian people and RMI.

Regular updates are being posted to RMI’s Facebook page as well as this blog. Again, thank you for your prayers for Haiti.

Dan Shoemaker
Reciprocal Ministries International
5475 Lee St. Suite 301
Lehigh Acres, FL 33971
239-368-8390

Haiti Update

As a result of the earthquake, Dan & Kim have cancelled their trip to Haiti. Rob Thompson, his dad & uncle were going in to work on Rob's house as well, but they've cancelled their trip also. The team from Main St. United Methodist (Due West, SC) is now at the mission center and are fine. They've felt the aftershocks, but there is no damage in the southern area. Port's airport is operational and we are working to get the team home.

Pray for Haiti – people who have so little now have even less. It is amazing to see the devastation. Our hearts are breaking at what we hear and see on CNN and via phone calls and internet contact.

At this time, we are working with the MEBSH leadership (MEBSH is the Haitian church association that we work with. All of our Sister Churches are members of MEBSH.) who have quite a few large congregations in the affected areas. Money sent to RMI for relief will go toward helping MEBSH help their people in Port. At this point we are not sure just what the help will look like but know that they will have many needs in many areas.

The relief efforts will be focused on the Port-au-Prince area.

As with all disasters, the best way to help is financially. Also, sending money to Haiti is a simple matter of transferring funds and gives our in-country missionaries tremendous ability to help. Those who would like to help can contribute electronically by going here. Choose “relief” as the category to give to for earthquake relief.

Besides this blog, you’ll also find updates on RMI’s Facebook page here.

Ladies Retreat is cancelled

We have officially cancelled the Missionary Ladies’ Retreat. This means that the speaker and the gals who were coming with her as well as I (Debbie) will not be going. There are reports that the Haitian White House and Ministry of Commerce building is damaged. Parts of the mountains around the Carrefour area have slid down. The Haitian president is safe. There is concern about the airport’s runway being damage. It is a catastrophic event.

Dan and Kim may still try to go in on Thursday to access the situation to see how RMI can help. Hopefully the team that is there will be able to get out as planned on Friday. We will be working on that tomorrow once daylight reveals what has really happened. We’ll keep posting updates!

7.0 earthquake hits Port-au-Prince, Haiti

A 7.0 earthquake has struck Port-au-Prince Haiti. Reportedly a hospital has collapsed, the city is in a panic, many, many houses has collapsed. We have talked with our missionary, Marilyn McLaughlin, in Cayes. They felt the earthquake, but no damage. We have a team in-country, further down the peninsula. They felt it too, but no damage & ...everyone is fine. Dan & Debbie Shoemaker and Kim were to go down to Haiti Thursday for 5 days. This puts those plans up in the air. We'll let you know as we get details. Keep checking this blog – we’ll post updates as soon as we hear something.

RMI’s 2009 Christmas Party

Kim and Barb Rose were gracious hosts for RMI’s 2009 Christmas Party. Thanks, Kim & Barb, for the use of your home, the good food and the even better fellowship.

Rob & Becky Thompson, Dan & Debbie Shoemaker, Charlotte & Mel Zegers (Charlotte is one of RMI’s faithful volunteers!).

Herb & Shirley Shoemaker, Mary Anne Cosper (Deb’s mom who is living with us for several months) and Barb & Kim Rose.

Barb & Kim Rose and their son, Mason.

Dan & Debbie Shoemaker

Dawn Shoemaker (a freshman at Trinity College of Florida) and her PopPop, Herb Shoemaker.

Goodbye Rob & Becky! Their container is packed and gone. They left for New Jersey (and 2 feet of snow) the next day. Their time in the RMI office is finished and their departure for Haiti is fast approaching!

The end of an era! Bittersweet but exciting at the time time.

Merry Christmas from RMI!

Food for the Widows

Recently RMI was able to obtain 600 cases of pre-mixed food from Food for the Poor. Five Sister Churches participated in covering the cost. Pastor Jim Bry, the pastor of one of those churches, Second Cape May Baptist Church, Marmora, NJ asked Dan to go with him to help hand out the 150 cases of food aid that his church covered.

He and Dan were in Haiti last week Dec. 16-18 (yes, it was a very quick trip!) to do this.

Pastor Jim, Dan and all the guys unloading were all smiles.

Each widow & widower received enough for 108 well-balanced, nutritional meals.

Pastor Jim was excited to be there in person to show his church’s love and care for these widows and widowers.

Going home happy!

Pastors Jim Bry and Yvon, Dan Shoemaker, 3 RMI Haiti staff men and 3 district pastors in the church yard after the Port-a-Piment distribution. The rest of the cases of food (130 cases) will be distributed in the district with some of their most needy families.

If you want to see more pictures, click here.

The other 4 churches’ food was delivered this week. These Haitian Sister churches felt God’s love to them in a very real, tangible way through this food!

Dan is in Haiti

Pray for Dan as he is in Haiti for 3 days. He went in with Pastor Jim Bry of 2nd Cape May Baptist Church, Marmora, NJ. They went to hand out food aid that Pastor Jim's church bought for their Sister Church. It should be an exciting day! Photos will be forthcoming once they get back. It’s special to be a part of helping our Haitian brothers and sisters where they hurt.

Jules & a bone marrow transplant

Dan talked with Jules today and learned that he has started the process for his bone marrow transplant. The first phase is for him to receive some heavy chemo therapy. This past Thursday (Dec 3) he underwent a procedure that placed a valve in a vein in his neck that will be there for 2 months. He stayed overnight in the hospital for observation and went home on Friday the 4^th. They are now giving him heavy doses, much heavier than before evidently, of chemo that is causing him much more side effect issues.

He goes to the hospital now 3 days a week for a couple of hours a day for his chemo treatment and then goes back to their efficiency apartment. This will go on until his transplant. They have not given him a date yet but we are guessing they will probably do it in January sometime.

He takes 42 pills a day. Dan joked with him that he doesn’t need meat now that he gets to eat all these pills! (Jules really loves meat!) With the stronger chemo now he is finding it more difficult to eat regular food as he has a tougher time with nausea, etc.

He sounded encouraged though. Please pray for God’s intervention and healing for him. What a great testimony this would be. Thank you for your participation with him in this.

Excellent Board Meetings!

Thank you for your prayers for RMI’s semi-annual board meetings last week. Thursday and Friday RMI’s Board came together here in Ft. Myers. Our board members are encouraged to include their spouses in the meetings and we were happy that all but one were able to attend. They add a great dimension to the meetings, asking insightful questions and participating in the discussions. We welcomed a new Board member, Tim (and Trish) Osborne (Trinity Bible Church, Lafayette, LA). They have been friends of RMI for about 20 years (ever since their kids and our kids were very small), so they have the perspective of many years of history of being on teams and involvement through their local church. Tim is Trinity’s missions pastor, so he comes with a worldwide perspective. They jumped right in with a real desire to understand RMI further and be an active member of the board. They are a great addition!

Another new item was Kim Rose’s participation. He was there with Rob, learning the ropes of presenting the financial reports, answering questions, discussing budgets, etc, as our new VP of Ops. Again, another excellent addition to RMI’s administration.

And it was Rob’s last board meeting as VP of Ops. I’m not sure, but I think I heard a big sigh of relief from him when the final closing prayer was said Friday afternoon! We will miss him and his valuable input. Yet at the same time we look forward to having he and his family on the field in Haiti.

We really feel that with these additional personnel and new initiatives that were introduced and approved at the meetings, we are poised to surge forward into the New Year. The one thing lacking is finances! Yes, it’s a big “thing”, one that was the subject of much discussion at the meetings since giving is down significantly. We really need you to partner with us in asking the Lord to bring the funds in in the next 3 weeks, before the year’s end, to reach the matching grant challenge. It is so important to enable RMI to not only finish the year in the black, but with some reserve to jumpstart things in the New Year.

Can you do something now toward this need? RMI's Ways to Give will help you do this right here!