We've Moved into the New RMI Haiti Office!

We have MOVED IN to the NEW RMI Haiti Office!

As we have previously written, the providence of our new office location was a miracle, a gift directly from God that we didn't expect.  It's awesome when God steps in and makes something happen completely outside of our plans.  I honestly tried, but I couldn't manufacture a plan that was good, or that was feasible.  Yet, here we are.  We are grateful to God.  We are grateful to the donors who have made this a reality.  We are grateful to our staff and contract workers who have worked tirelessly to get it ready.

As you may remember, our new office, at first look, was not pretty (it had barely been used for 10 years).  But, with a lot of work, it is looking great.  We are ecstatic with our progress.  We have officially moved in, but we still have some work to do...

Projects in process right now...

• Kitchen Installation (New Cabinets and Counter-tops being installed)
• Bathroom Installation (Hot water, Toilets and tile being installed)
• Meeting and Training Center Installation (Large Meeting area under trusses and metal roof)
• Decorating (We have a LOT of blank white walls)

Here are a few pictures now that we have moved in (more pictures here)...

Front View of the New Office

New Fans and Lights Donated

Some of our Staff at Work

Benjamin and Benson at Work

An answer to prayer from south Jersey

Back in April RMI missionary Becky Thompson mentioned to her mom that Cite Lumiere Christian School didn’t have a 1st grade teacher for the coming school year.  Her youngest son, Braden, would be going into 1st grade and Becky would likely have to homeschool him due to the lack of a teacher.

Cite Lumiere Christian School (CLCS) is the English speaking K-12 school on Cite Lumiere, the mission center where the Thompsons, the Harvies, and many other missionary families live.  RMI’s Haiti headquarters is also located there.  The school has been in existence since the 1940’s.  RMI’s president, Dan Shoemaker, who grew up there as a missionary kid, attended the school in the 1960’s and while he was a missionary there both of his kids attended CLCS.  Becky is the CLCS Board Chairman.

Becky’s mom asked, “What about Courtney?”  Courtney Westcott had pet sat for Becky’s mom and she knew that she was a certified teacher and had been teaching for a number of years as a substitute and long-term sub as well as working with an after school program.  Courtney had been on 2 mission trips to Panama with her church.  She really enjoyed Panama and after the trips she felt really open to missions but she didn’t see God open doors for her there.

Becky told her mom that if Courtney was interested to contact her.  Within a month she was approved by the CLCS Board and 6 weeks later approved as an RMI short term missionary.  Her funds came in quickly and she flew into Haiti with Becky and her family when they returned to Haiti last week.

School starts Sept. 1 and she’ll be teaching 1st grade.  There is also a 3rd grade classroom, a combined 4th/6th grade classroom and a 7-12th grade classroom this year.  So far there are 24 students – school hasn’t started yet so that number is a bit in flux.

Becky shared, “It's been such an answer to prayer, for me especially as I was going to have to stop my RMI responsibilities to homeschool.  And the last minute timing can only point to how God worked in this situation.” 

Courtney will be teaching at CLCS for this 2014-2015 school year.  Pray for her as she adjusts to life in Haiti and teaches in a new situation.  We are grateful that God knows about and cares for the “little” details in our lives.  He has provided a teacher for Braden…and most likely several other 1st graders.  This in turn allows Becky to continue on with her responsibilities as Haiti Hospitality Coordinator and Bookkeeper – both of which are essential to the smooth running of RMI’s Haiti operations.

Meanwhile at the RMI Office…

To say that summer in Southwest Florida is hot, humid, steamy and rainy is an understatement.  Imagine loading a 40 ft. sea container (i.e. a giant metal box that absorbs and magnifies that heat and humidity) in that kind of weather.  This is exactly what Dan Shoemaker, Kim Rose, Joel Sutton and 2 volunteers from a local church did all in one day last week.  (They sweated their hearts out and did a great job of getting everything in it!) Joel and Laura Sutton drove their belongings down from their home in Gainesville, FL in a U Haul and those items were loaded first. 

The Suttons will spend the next couple of months raising the last portion of their support (pray with them about this!!) before they go to Haiti in September.  The goal is for them to arrive about the time the container clears customs and arrives in Cayes.

The last half of the container included much needed supplies for the new RMI Haiti office (cabinets, counter tops, toilets, fencing) and other supplies for the ministry such as tires for the vehicles, wood, towels for the Retreat Center…and everything imaginable including the proverbial kitchen sink. 

Folks from St. Petersburg Baptist Church, one of our newest C3 Partners, drove down from St. Petersburg, FL with several boxes of wedding dresses and men’s suits for their Sister Church.  And after a final delivery or two, it was finished! 

This morning, July 16, the rig came to pick it up.  The seal was put on and off it went to the Port of Miami.  The next destination is Port-au-Prince then Cayes.
 

Pray for…

1.  The funds to cover a number of items for the ministry that were bought on faith,

2.  Smooth seas (remember it’s hurricane season!) and smooth transition through the port and customs,

3.  The Sutton’s funds to reach 100% so they can leave at the appointed time in September.

The rest of the pics of the loading can be seen HERE.

The Thompson Family are on furlough

Furlough, home assignment…whatever you call it, it means many things to RMI’s missionaries.  Part vacation, part visiting supporters, family and friends, part making new contacts, part fund raising for your ministry, part taking care of doctor visits, part attending conferences where you are representing RMI and your ministry, part attending conferences for personal rejuvenation and professional continuing education, and part travel.  I’m sure I missed something in there – however, it is NOT a 2 month vacation!  But it is a multi-faceted time away from the field. 

The Thompson family are in the US June 13 – August 20.  You can see their schedule HERE.  They are making the most of their time so far.

Every Sunday they are speaking at a different church with many meetings in the days in between…breakfasts, lunches and suppers with friends and supporters.  This furlough they are staying in one general area, but have a very busy schedule planned.

Pray for them as they try to accomplish many things (see the list above) in a short amount of time.  They are valuable co-workers and deserve a break from the challenges of life in Haiti!

God has already given them some quality time as a family as well as some successes in fund raising.  We wish them the best during this furlough time.

Announcing a MIRACLE, the NEW RMI OFFICE in Haiti!

Tessa at work at the NEW OFFICE!
You can see more pictures here.

We believe we have experienced a miracle.  We aren't joking or exaggerating.

Background:  For the last several years, we have known that we have an issue of limited office space and not enough missionary housing.  The needs for housing and office space were coming at us like a freight train, and we had no viable options. We have been actively looking for opportunities.  But, every opportunity that WE came up was going to cost way more money than we could dream of, and that God seemed to be providing.  We looked at buying land.  We put a lot of thought into building an office on MEBSH land, but an adequate office to facilitate all that we do was going to cost way more than you would realize.  Although it was WAY WAY outside of reality, we even looked at a facility that was on the market for a million $!  Well, our plans didn't happen, because it wasn't God's plan!

"The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.  The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward." Exodus 14:14-15

The Miracle:  God's Plan.  About 1 month ago, a home that is actually within the boundaries of the MEBSH Mission Center where we live here in Cayes, which has LONG been totally unavailable to MEBSH or it's ministries and missionaries, seemed to become slightly more available.  I say slightly, because when I first heard about it, I thought there was NO WAY it would actually happen and NO WAY we could afford to rent that place. To be honest, I actually drug my feet a little, stewing over things.  But, God placed within me vision and a desire to aggressively pursue.  Well, after many conversations, a little help from some other local missionaries, understanding on behalf of all the other missionaries here on our mission center, and a little careful negotiating, it is official.  We were able to make it happen! Can you believe it is right next to our RMI Depot?  So now, we basically have 2 properties, right next to one another, creating one large facility, that will together house all of our offices, 2 guest rooms, warehouse, mechanic's garage, container storage, truck parking, etc.  I can't go into the details of the contract, but it's a GREAT DEAL that only God could have made happen.

This now means we have rented 3 privately owned facilities,

1. This one is within the Mission Center boundaries (the new Office)
2. This one is right next to the Mission Center (our current office but future missionary housing), 
3. This one is a 5 minute walk (missionary housing for 2 families).  

These 3 homes will provide us complete homes for 3 families, plus additional housing for short-termers and interns, a small guest facility for visitors, and office space for up to 20 desks (we have space for 15 in our current office, but only using 12 currently).

One of our highest values is GOOD STEWARDSHIP, otherwise known as extremely careful and efficient spending and use of resources.  We truly stretch each and every donated dollar way beyond what you would imagine.  I believe God is honored by this fierce commitment and has blessed us accordingly.

These homes and office are going to cost some money to equip, but FAR FAR FAR less than our other plans would have cost.  God is Good.  VERY GOOD.  We are praising Him.

Below is the floor plan of the new office as we currently see it, after a few minor changes that we have made to increase it's function.  It needs a LOT of clean up as it has sat basically unused for 5 years.  It has no furniture.  It has no kitchen.  It needs new doors and windows, it has no fans, few lights, and it needs A LOT of paint.  But, God provided the home, and we believe he will provide a way to equip it for the ministry.

Rob

2014 Missionary Ladies Retreat

This is the 4th year I’ve been involved in planning and organizing a ladies retreat for the missionary ladies in southern Haiti.  It’s held each year at RMI’s Retreat Center in Zanglais.  It’s a great time of fellowship, relaxation, worship and teaching.  There is always something so special about being able to sit under strong Biblical teaching that is in my heart language—English!  Just that alone is relaxing and refreshing.

This year, we were thrilled to welcome back Gale Kernitz and Sheila Clark, as our speakers for the weekend.  They were here two years ago and the ladies responded so well to what God had put on their hearts to teach us from His Word.  This year was no different.  Before they came, they asked if they could bring their daughters with them and we were so glad they did!  Gale’s daughter, Elle Tyler, is an accomplished pianist.  Before the retreat, she performed a classical piano concert for the missionary community; a real treat for us here.  She also took a lot of pressure off me by planning and leading our worship sessions during the retreat.  Sheila’s daughter, Meaghan, came as well.  She really helped with the decorations and craft.  It was fun to get to know them all better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our theme for the weekend was “Sharpening the Tools in Your Toolbox.”  We dug into God’s Word and sharpened our relationship tools, gospel tools, discipleship tools and prayer tools.  They gave us some good visual tools to help us think through these areas, so our weekend was filled with shapes: circle, square, figure eight, triangle and hexagon.  For example, my favorite tool was the Lord’s Prayer Hexagon.  Looking at Matthew 6:9-13, we talked about the 6 areas that Christ modeled to us when he taught his disciples to pray:  The Father’s Character, His Kingdom, His Provision, His Forgiveness, His Protection and His Deliverance.  After spending some time talking about the different tools, they gave us time to put them into practice.  My prayer life has been revitalized using this tool.

The weekend also has some down time, which is always a highlight.  Some went to the beach, some went hiking, some took naps, some played games, some kept crafting…  Of course, a huge and very competitive game of catch phrase has become a tradition every year.  That is especially fun playing with some of the ladies whose native language is German!

I’m always thankful for this time away with other sisters in Christ.

~Becky

The Ladies Win With a 100% Perfect A+!

Way to go Becky and Star.  The Ladies win!  They got 100% on their "Vision Test".

RMI has developed our Mission, our Motivations, our Model, and our Measures (See it here).  It keeps us pointed in ONE direction.  As a staff we want to live and breath these foundations.  So, I gave a test!

Today, the Leadership Team (Benjamin, Benson, Greg, Star, Becky and Myself) took some time, to test ourselves in completing a totally blank sheet with all of this information from memory.  We have been studying for weeks, and let's just say that a few of us missed a few words.  But, Becky and Star both got a 100% perfect A+!  Well done.

We will test again, until the rest of us "slower" team members can match Becky and Star...
Rob

Divine Appointment

Sometimes life is about Divine appointments, not about current circumstances. Recently, RMI president, Dan Shoemaker, was with a team in the mountains of Haiti where they found the road blocked by a landslide. In the long line of vehicles waiting with them for the road crew to rebuild the road was a UN truck and several UN peacekeepers. They struck up a conversation with one of the men who turned out to be from Africa. At the end of the conversation they gave him a Bible. A short time later his superior, a man from the Middle East, sought us out to ask, “Do you have another Bible? I want one too.” Dan dug his Bible out of the luggage and presented it to him, explaining the different features it had as a leadership study Bible. He said, “I’m going to read this! I have a friend who is a Christian and I’m going to ask him to explain it to me.” 

They were stuck on the road for 8 hours. They had things to do, places to go and people to meet. However, God used a landslide to stop them in their tracks so they could be in the right place at the right time, to be where He wanted them for a Divine appointment.

Who knows where it will lead. But the seed was planted in the most unlikely of places to the most unlikely of people.

How do you buy a truck for Haiti?

RMI’s ministry in Haiti needed a truck.  And not just any truck…a box truck, diesel, stick shift, good to excellent condition, as low as possible mileage and within a moderate price range.  …and it was needed ASAP.  So RMI missionary, Greg Harvie flew to Miami and stayed with RMI Board members John and Linda Garner.  South Florida is a very large area, so it was reasoned that in all of those dozens of cities there could conceivably be THE truck that was needed.  The week trip turned into 10 days and it went something like this:

Several days of checking out truck after truck and finding that if the truck was in the right price range it wasn’t diesel, and/or stick, and/or low mileage, and was usually much the worse for wear.

He learned that demand for the kind of truck he was looking for is unusually high because of the close proximity to the Port of Miami.  That Port is the gateway to the Caribbean, South and Central America.  And they all want those kinds of trucks. 

To get what RMI needed, he would have had to put down almost twice the amount he had budgeted…which wasn’t possible.

RMI’s VP of Ops, Kim Rose, joined Greg for a couple of days.

After the discouraging Miami/Ft. Lauderdale hunt, they expanded their search on the internet to the entire state of Florida and found 1.  Just 1.  In Jacksonville.  5 hours away.

They headed north and were there when the dealer opened the next morning.  And they found that God is a God of details.

The truck was a newer model than what they’d been looking at.  It was diesel.  It was stick shift.  It was in immaculate condition.  It had 40,000 less miles on it than anything they’d seen in Miami.  And the dealer was willing to lower the price a bit which kept it in the allotted budget. 

So – they found THE truck.  Just not in South Florida.

They drove it to Miami where Greg looked for a new seat (the driver’s seat was the only place that showed some wear).  The prices were prohibitive but at one store the manager said, “well, why don’t you just get it recovered?”  He led him to a place where the owner said, “If you’re willing to wait, I can do it now.”  So he waited.  Then he bought 2 new tires that it needed.  And it was ready to send to Haiti.  Just like that. 

He took it to the Port where it will be shipped next week.  And begin it’s new life in service of the God of details.

[The “dots” on the front of the truck are lovebugs from the trip down from Jacksonville.  It’s lovebug season here.]

1st ARP Church/ Source Baptiste Medical Team

Every once in a while, a US church will decide to send a medical team out to their Haitian sister church.  This is a wonderful opportunity for a US church to care for the members of their sister church community in a physical and tangible way.  Many of these people have very little access to health care and lack of means to pay.
The First Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church in Gastonia, NC had a number of clinicians  interested in coming to Haiti to serve their sister church community in Source Baptiste.  After a year of planning, and a little input on my part, they arrived in Haiti on March 28th.  Their purpose was to visit with and minister together with their sister church.  They planned two days of medical clinics during their time in the village. They also planned a program for the school kids, an open air evangelistic service, met with the Pastor and Deacons, and visited and prayed for many of the church shut-ins. It was a very full week.  I was privileged to join them for this trip!
Here is the team before church Sunday morning.  Monday and Tuesday the church was turned into the medical clinic.

The team consisted of a doctor, a PA, a pharmacist, 3 nurses, 2 dentists, a pastor and a prayer warrior.  I don’t want to diminish the role of the pastor and Annabelle, the team’s prayer warrior!  After each person was seen in the clinic, they were prayed for and loved on by these two.  Their care and love for each person who came thru the clinic was evident.

The team saw about 270 patients over those two days of clinics.  I had so much fun in the pharmacy, where we filled over 300 Rx’s each day (we lost count!).  It was refreshing to get back to my educational “roots.” It was really enjoyable to work with the team’s Pharmacist, Sabrina, and watch her joyfully using her training in this environment.  For me personally, it was a stretching and growing week as I served in the pharmacy mostly by counseling all the patients that came through the clinic on their prescriptions.  What a confidence booster to see that my Creole was understood!  I even had a few old people sitting around the pharmacy waiting area after they were done, just giggling, getting a kick out of listening to the blan explain everyone’s Rx’s in Creole.  I still have a long way to go in my language development, but time out with the team always gives me the opportunity to learn more and improve.
Sabrina and I in the “pharmacy”:

Seeing patients in the clinic:

 
We finished off our time in Source Baptiste by splitting into two teams and visiting and praying with the needy and shut-ins of the church.  This is always a humbling experience; a time I look forward to with every sister church visit.  Each home we visited, each person we prayed for, will be in my heart and mind for a long time to come. 

Giving up my Pharmacy career to come serve the Lord in Haiti was a very difficult decision in 2009.  Yet I’ll never doubt it was the right decision.  I am so thankful that God called us here to serve in Haiti with RMI.  It makes me extra appreciative of the moments like these where I get to do both. 
~Becky

Ministry happens in small ways too

Ministry takes many forms in RMI.  Open air services are held; houses are built; goats are delivered; retreats and conferences are hosted; a motorcycle is given to a pastor; kids’ education is sponsored.  Frequently the tendency is to take up one’s time with events and projects that are “big” in our way of thinking. 

But ministry can happen in the small things as well.  Visiting the widows (and widowers) and shut-ins of the church has become a meaningful, touching time that teams have been doing recently.  These folk are definitely a hidden part of society…hidden away in small rooms, laying on makeshift beds, they are unable to get to church to participate in services.  Yet they may be long-time, praying saints in the latter years of life.

What an immeasurable encouragement and joy it is for them to receive a visit from a team.  Folks from the US chat with them, hear some of their story, sing together, pray for them and usually are able to give them a case of food aid.  They arrive at the little homes with a bit of trepidation (let’s face it, it’s pretty much “out of the box” for most Americans!) but leave deeply moved and humbled and with huge smiles on their faces.

 

It is exciting and fulfilling to be involved in ministry, both “big” and “small” ways.  --but who is to say which ministry is the “bigger” one.  Either way, God has called us to be faithful in both.

We Need You!

Urgent Need for Construction Teams to Complete Missionary Housing

As RMI grows, so does our need for additional missionary staff to come along side our current field missionaries, the Thompsons and the Harvies.  God has called 2 families to join RMI in Haiti - and they are badly needed!  Joel and Laura Sutton are currently raising their support and plan to be in Haiti by August, 2014.  Lee and Tina Nunemaker (and their 4 boys) expect to finish their support raising and be in Haiti by December, 2014.

Missionary housing on the mission center is full; however, God has provided a beautiful two story duplex in the village of Simon, almost adjacent to the mission center.  The structure is finished, but the inside is not.  It needs windows, kitchen cabinets, flooring (tile), plumbing and electrical work including light fixtures.

Construction work teams are urgently needed.  Work teams can be scheduled beginning April 4 through August 1, 2014.  Teams are scheduled from Friday to Friday.

Help us get the word out!  RMI needs your skills.  To schedule a work team, please call RMI at 877-764-5439 (toll free).  For more details on the projects and opportunities, ask for Kim Rose.

Simon Missionary Duplex
           
Completion Goal:  July 31, 2014                       
           
Work Team Costs           
Cost per team member for 7 day trip costs          $495            

Plus the cost of the selected project below:

Window Installation                                 $9,750       
Kitchen cabinets – downstairs                 $5,495       
Kitchen cabinets – upstairs                     $4,990       
Flooring – downstairs                              $2,600       
Flooring – upstairs                                 $2,600       
Electrical, fans, lights, AC - both units      $2,750       
           
Where applicable, estimated costs include shipping to Haiti.

Don’t delay - The duplex needs to be finished in time to receive these 2 families!  Send a work team today.

God Answered!!!

2 years ago, I visited a family in Astruc, so desperately poor, my heart was broken.  Truly. Broken.  I walked away in tears, wanting to do something significant to help.  I did a little, but I had no ability to do more.  Last year, again, I visited the same family and I was still broken.  I prayed, "Lord, please let me do something."  I did a little, but I had no ability to do more.  In January, I visited the family again.  Same. Exact. Prayer.  I did a little, but I had no ability to do more.

Then, my brother, a pastor in Nebraska, called me and said he was bringing a team and they wanted to help the Haitian people.   He asked "What can we do?" I had an idea!  My multi-year prayer was about to be answered.

Our Homes for Haiti program is for all intents and purpose on a break.  The metal homes have gotten so expensive, that it is very difficult to find donors to come along and help out.  So, we are looking into other options.  We have been considering trying to build a block home.  The time was right to do a Pilot house build, block instead of metal, to see if it might be an option for us.   (We learned a lot of great lessons this past week, but that discussion is for another time)

Once my brother's team was on board, we started making plans.  Much of the work was to be done on a volunteer basis by the local Haitian church.  We would supply the plans, materials, and bring a team to help out.  Last week, we did just that.

Here is a before picture of a team praying for this family at the home we just replaced.

Here is a current picture after the back breaking work of this last week.

I will be posting another picture once the home is complete.

Many, many, many more pictures of this house build are available here.

RMI Curb Appeal...

Sometimes teams come to Haiti and do exciting things.  Sometimes, they come and do the seemingly mundane.  I appreciate both!  Sometimes it's the mundane that most excites me.  A team of high school students came recently and wanted to come alongside of RMI itself and do a project.  They painted the wall to our depot giving it a little curb appeal.  It looks beautiful, doesn't it?

Before...

After...

64 Salvations in One Week!

I am always saying it.  I love what we get to do.  We recently had a team come from McGregor Baptist Church in Fort Myers, FL.  I can't say I have met another church that is more ready, prepared, and unashamed of sharing the Gospel.  They came fired up and ready.  God showed up.

This team did several open air services.  To be honest, these didn't seem to be all that successful, although I am looking at it from an earthly perspective.  They shared clearly and firmly with the masses at these events and only God knows truly what was eternally accomplished.

Sharing the Gospel "Yard2Yard"

The harvesting almost exclusively came as they broke up into small teams and did what I like to call Yard2Yard Evangelism.  In the US, it's typically called Door to Door, but in Haiti, pretty much no one stays indoors, so we visit yards.  The team of 21 split into 3-4 teams through the week in 4-5 communities in conjunction with the local MEBSH church, each with a translator and each with a deacon representative with the local church.  (EVERYTHING we do is done with the local church).  Each yard was chosen by the local pastors and deacons, people who they deemed "needing to hear".  In these face to face Yard2Yard encounters, one by one people professed faith.  64 all together.  Wow.  Again, only God knows what was going on in the hearts of those 64 people, but I can tell you confidently that they each took a step, and now the local church has their names, knows that a profession was made, and they will follow up.

Praying before going out to share.  Church Plant in the
background.

Did I mention that I love what we get to do?

Manna from Heaven...

2 Weeks ago, the RMI team in Haiti realized that we were desperately short of food for Relief and our Hope for Kidz Hot Lunch Program.  We have been working with our supplier over the last several months to get the containers that we need, but the food just hasn't arrived (logistics are all backed up), and to be honest, it looked like we wouldn't have a container arrive in Haiti for up to 2 months.  What could we do?

I sent a desperate email to the RMI FL office to ask them to pray, and they shared, "oh, now would be a good time to tell you that we have a special container from a special source arriving in Port au Prince TOMORROW!"  I couldn't believe my ears.  After I picked up my jaw from the floor, I shared with my team that God answered our payers.

Within 2 weeks, it was here in Cayes.  Below are some pictures of us unloading the container.  TODAY, we start delivering this food out to our Hope for Kidz schools for the Hot Lunch Program.  Pray for safety, open roads, stamina, and good logistics.  A lot of effort is required to make all this happen.  God is good...

Equipping the Church in Haiti

Equipping the church in Haiti looks different than if we were to equip a US church.

For instance, tools to help a Haitian church in evangelism consists of some unusual items.  First on the list is a generator.  It will be able to power lights, fans, sound systems, and musical instruments.  A church with a generator will be able to draw in many more people.  These days people bring their cell phones to church just to have access to power and outlets to charge the phone.

Having a good sound system, mixer, speakers with stands, microphones and their stands all play a key role in bringing people into the church.

Haitians love music yet have few instruments.  Having drums, guitars, keyboards, trumpets and other instruments is another key tool to getting people, especially young people to come in the door of the church.

 

 Equipping schools also looks a bit different.

A typical Haitian classroom consists of benches, a small teacher’s desk and a large chalkboard.  However many classrooms lack even those bare bones basic things.

 During a recent visit to their Sister Church, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church (Lake Oswego, OR) worked with their brothers and sisters to build 5 large chalkboards for the classrooms at several satellite churches.

Walloon Lake Community Church  (Walloon Lake, MI) built 10 benches for their school.  They will be used for years and will facilitate several hundred student’s education.

 Equipping children for a future also is very basic.

Equipping children with an education is one of the best ways to give them a hand up.  It gives them the tools to better themselves.

It is time to prepare for the 2014-15 Hope for Kidz school year.  A one time donation of $336 or monthly donations of $28 will provide a child with a basic education.  This transforming sponsorship provides a quality education, supplies, uniform and participation in the de-worming program, among other things.

Pictures have been taken and child profiles are ready for sponsors. 

Act now to begin sponsoring a child or to renew your sponsorship!  For your convenience you can donate online at www.rmibridge.org/donate.

 

 

 

Would you be ONE? We truly need you...

We need a bunch of "ONES".  Would you be ONE to be known as ONE who believes in and supports our RMI National Missionaries?  Seriously, we need you, yes you, to be ONE.

We are investing heavily in our Haitian Missionaries, but we can't do it alone.  We want to dig in even deeper, but just are not able due to a lack of resources.

Have you met them?  Appreciated them?  Trusted them?  Believed in them?  Do you love them?  Show it to them by joining a select team of people who stand with them and support them.

Be the ONE.  Please, donate here and choose Haitian Staff!

NEW Water Filters Now Available!

NEW Water Filters available as part of our "Water for Health" initiative.  These filters are made from a mixture of clay, a combustible material (sawdust or rice husks), and colloidal silver.  Produced in Haiti by Haitians with Haitian materials!

What: You can provide safe drinking water to a Haitian family. The technology of these filters is simple, effective and sustainable. The filters use a round-bottom ceramic pot made of clay, charcoal, and colloidal silver that filters out 99.99% of turbidity, bacteria and protozoa. It is designed with a rim and is placed on a five gallon plastic storage bucket with a spigot at the bottom for dispensing. The filter supplies much needed clean water and lasts at least 5 years.

Why: The water situation in Haiti is among the most dire in the western hemisphere. The lack of clean water prevents many young women and children from attending school and engaging in productive tasks, as they are forced to walk many miles every day to find water. Dirty water also contributes to the impact of waterborne diseases and poor health. In a country that is in need of safe water, these filters allow families to improve their standard of health and their quality of life.

Cost: $75 per filter. This includes the filter, training and delivery.

Team Idea: These can be delivered by your team. There is about five minutes of instruction that each family receives. Team members can actually do this training if they desire. This is a great chance to meet some of the families of the church or community, respond to a physical need they have, and spend a few minutes praying for them and sharing the gospel with them.

Resource: If you would like to share this with others, you can share or download our "Water for Health FAQ" sheet here.