Hispaniola - A New Era for RMI

 

Haiti Update

Haiti’s capital has been mired in gang-fueled violence, kidnappings, and instability for several months.  Right now, there is cautious optimism for the country as they have actually been able to install a presidential commission to begin to try to bring order back to this chaotic situation. The task ahead of this 9-person commission is huge. They have to somehow curb the power of the gangs in the capital, help usher in an international security force to bring back long-term law and order so that they can organize elections to elect a new government which then would take over as the official government of Haiti.  They need our prayers.

RMI, in the midst of these things, continues to function normally for which we are very thankful. The south continues to enjoy overall peace and security. Our team is out every day going all over the peninsula as they carry out their responsibilities for Hope For Kidz, the Hot Lunch Program, construction projects, solar installations, church visits, and more. Our biggest challenge is acquiring the supplies we need for all the projects since it is quite a challenge for businesses to bring supplies into the country and get them to the south. The prices of these items continue to skyrocket due to the economics of supply and demand. 

At the beginning of the month, our biggest challenge was that we were running out of food for our Hot Lunch Program.  We had 5 containers of food stuck at the wharf in Port-au-Prince, the capital.  One of them was looted by gangs, which left us 4. Food for the Poor, a partner ministry that helps with the containers, was, by a miracle, able to get two of the containers on a barge, take it around Port-au-Prince to a port in the south and we were able to get them from there. This was a great PTL for us as it enabled us to finish out this school year’s feeding program. However, we need prayer that we will be able to get the other two quickly as there are many needs for food aid.  We thank the Lord that, after being stuck abroad for many weeks, Benjamin and Benson were finally able to make it back to their families through several different convoluted paths. Continue to pray for our staff as they minister to their people.  

Tessa Andrews continues to help oversee the Hope For Kidz Program along with Frantz.   It is that time of year to renew your sponsorship or if you are planning to start sponsoring a child, this is the time to do it.  Don’t delay.  Contact your church’s Hope for Kidz coordinator to get the process started.

Dominican Republic Update

Not only are we partnering with the Baptist Convention of the Dominican, (BCD) but we have been working with a Dominican mission called “Casa Misionera Mission House”, founded by Nelson Paulino. His ministry is to develop and mentor college students into biblically oriented leaders. He has been a friend of Dan Shoemaker, RMI’s president, for many years and has been the one who has helped RMI begin the process of establishing ministry in the DR. He is excited to see RMI moving in this direction as he is very aware of the many needs within the Haitian and Dominican communities and churches. He and his students have been an invaluable help by planning our exploratory trips, setting up interviews with Haitian and Dominican pastors, helping translate for our team, and introducing us to the BCD.  

 

The city of Santiago, in the north of the country, was determined to best fit us. It will be within a couple of hours from many potential ministry sites. It’s international airport has several flights to Miami daily.  Agape Flights also services ministries in that area. The cost of living is lower than in other cities.  As well as several good English-speaking schools meet the Starkey’s needs. Many other agencies are in the area, providing a good support base on many levels. 

 

Jim and April Starkey and their 4 kids are excited about moving to Santiago, hopefully in August.  April will homeschool a couple of the boys, with the third attending a local English-speaking school.  

 

The Starkeys face a higher cost of living. This, along with moving expenses, means that they need to raise more funds to be able to function well there. RMI has determined they need to raise $1800 more in monthly support and $14,500 in one-time expenses. This will include travel to the country, purchase and shipping of major items to set up a home, housing deposits, and more. This is an urgent need as it will not be possible for them to go without this funding. Would you please consider helping to support them with a monthly gift and/or a gift toward their moving expenses?  You can give to their ministry here: www.rmibridge.org/donate.

Would you and your church want to be a part of helping to pioneer this new ministry with RMI?  We are looking for several churches to send a team to help us begin our work with several Haitian churches in the fall of this year as well as the spring of 2025. Please contact Jim Starkey if you would like to consider this great opportunity.  His email is Jim.starkey@rmibridge.org.

RMI's Ministry is Expanding

RMI is pleased to announce that we are opening the Dominican Republic as our new field!  For a few years, the Lord has laid the Dominican Republic (DR) on our hearts.  Not only is ministry available to the Dominican people but also to the over one million Haitians that live there.  

Last year we began the process of inquiry as to the opportunities there for our C3 Partnership Program as well as our style of ministry. We found that working in the DR would be a natural extension of our ministry in Haiti due to the many Haitians living in the DR. We met with Haitian church leaders to see what the real needs were and whether RMI would be able to have a part in helping meet those needs. The needs shared were heartbreaking and varied. We came away knowing that RMI has great potential to bring hope and help to many there. We also met with Dominican church leaders and found that there is much need amongst their people as well, especially in the area of Biblical training, discipleship, and evangelism.

We also were looking for a church association as a ministry partner. The Lord brought us into contact with the Convención Bautista Dominicana (CBD), or the Baptist Convention of the Dominican Republic. They originally were founded by the International Mission Board efforts of the Southern Baptist Convention. They are now their own independent church association directed and led by Dominican nationals. They have 140 churches in their association. Forty of those are Haitian congregations. The CBD will be a great fit for RMI and provide RMI with a great diversity of ministry opportunities within both the Haitian and Dominican churches and communities in addition to providing recognition from the Dominican government. Recognizing the great needs within the Haitian community, the CBD Executive Committee was very desirous of RMI starting a ministry with their Haitian churches, due to our extensive ministry experience in Haiti.  They will also be invaluable in helping us navigate the Dominican culture.

Haiti will continue to be our main field of ministry. The need for our various ministries and programs is greater than ever and our goal of expanding our current 40+ partnerships to 100 partnerships in Haiti is still a huge priority for RMI. Haiti is a vital part of RMI’s DNA and will always be a major part of who we are. You will continue to interact with the Haiti staff and your Sister Church as you have been doing. Nothing will change for you and your partnership there.

Jim and April Starkey and their family plan to transfer from the Haiti field to the DR to help RMI start our ministry there. This could happen as early as this summer. The DR will match some health and family needs that they have much better than Haiti did, and they are very excited about taking their experience and training in Haiti to help RMI establish C3 partnerships in the DR, especially with the Haitians as they are dear to their heart.  They will need to raise additional monthly support funds as well as one-time funds before they can go.  They are already studying Spanish as a family and God is preparing their hearts to minister there.

Santiago (see the map above) is the city where they will be living and where RMI will be establishing their headquarters.  It meets the criteria needed by both RMI and the Starkey family.  Pray as they look for housing and begin to consider the many logistics of setting up a new ministry.

Much of our ministry in the DR will mirror what we do in Haiti as many of the expressed needs are much the same as in Haiti. Education will continue to be a great need, especially in Haitian communities. There is a great need for pastoral and church leadership training, in addition to opportunities for medical, relief, construction, and help with sustainable endeavors. Of course, there will be differences and new opportunities due to the different cultures and circumstances. Due to the modern society and well-developed infrastructure, it will be much easier to handle teams and develop the ministry there than in Haiti. We look forward to our Haiti leadership team being a part of helping with establishing the ministry in the DR. This will be in the areas of helping to provide training to Haitian leaders, helping receive teams that are working with Haitian churches, and helping to provide guidance and input on the types and how of ministry with the Haitian communities in the DR.

RMI is ready to promote the DR field, not only for C3 Partnerships but also for one-time work teams for the fall of this year. What does this mean for you or your church?  If you have a Haiti partnership but haven’t been able to visit Haiti for the past 4 years, how about considering sending a one-time work or ministry team to help us open this work in the DR? You would be ministering to a Haitian church to help them in various ways.  What a great way to keep a Haitian emphasis going in your church. We would love to see several teams starting in the fall of this year, especially if Haiti continues to be closed to teams.

Maybe your church would desire to add a partnership in the DR to your mission opportunities. We would love to see this happen as long as it doesn’t take away from your Haiti partnership. Plan to send a team to see if this would be of interest. This partnership could be with a Dominican or Haitian church.

For any questions, please feel free to email Dan Shoemaker at dan.shoemaker@rmibridge.org or Jim Starkey at jim.starkey@rmibridge.org. 

What Does "Reciprocal" Mean?

On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian hit just north of the barrier island of Sanibel, off the coast of Fort Myers, Florida.  One of the worst storms in Florida’s history, it packed winds of 155 miles per hour, just shy of Category 5 speeds, and propelled an

8–15-foot storm surge that “overwashed” Sanibel – that is, submerged it in seawater. Many homes and businesses were washed away while many others were heavily damaged.  The road to the island was even washed out.

Nothing escaped unscathed, not even Sanibel Community Church.  The church campus was heavily damaged.  Even though their homes were destroyed or heavily damaged too, the congregation came together to rip out the flooring, take out damaged pews and equipment, and sheetrock all over the campus.  Their property was used as a staging area for relief efforts on the island.  

They didn’t feel their pain alone, though.  Their Haitian Sister Church of 5 years, Formond Baptist Church, heard about Sanibel Church’s destruction.  Being near the ocean, they have been through many hurricanes.  They were also affected by the 2021 earthquake.  They are no strangers to disaster.

Their Sister Church’s plight touched their hearts deeply.  Out of their extreme poverty, they collected money for months, and in the fall of 2023, they sent a check of $1,000 US dollars to RMI for the Sanibel Church to help with their rebuilding efforts.  

A short time later RMI President, Dan Shoemaker, visited Sanibel Church during a Sunday morning service and presented Pastor Jeramie Rinne and the congregation with a $1,000 check.  As he announced the generous gift, there were audible gasps from the congregation.  They couldn’t believe that their Haitian Sister Church cared so much and had given so much. 

There wasn’t a dry eye as they clapped with appreciation.  It was very touching.  To experience this kind of reciprocal ministry was humbling.  He also presented Pastor Jeramie with a certificate of appreciation from the Formond church for all that Sanibel Community Church had done for them.

This is what RMI, Reciprocal Ministries International, is all about. This is the Body of Christ in action, ministering one to another. When one part of the Body is in need, the others come alongside and provide for the need as God enables.  Sanibel Community Church has ministered to the needs of their Haitian sister church at various times and now it was their turn to minister. God doesn’t look at the size of the gift but at the heart and capacity of the giver. What a great example of how a C3 partnership impacts both churches. This is how the Lord transforms lives by breaking down those things that divide us and make us one by His Spirit. 

Important Hope for Kidz News from the RMI President

Hope for Kidz is a program that has had a dramatic impact on the lives of not just kids by providing them hope through education but also their families, their churches, their communities, and their schools. It is a huge help in this time of unprecedented inflation and runaway costs in Haiti. However, because of the extreme situation RMI is facing, we must raise the cost of sponsorship by $5, from $35 to $40 a month. This decision was made after much deliberation, discussion, and prayer, and with the blessing of the RMI Board. 

Here is why.  Since the beginning of last year, RMI has recognized that we were facing an issue that needed a solution or we would have a serious financial deficit in the Haiti operations budget. RMI has been having to draw out of our very limited reserves thousands of dollars every month to subsidize their budget for several years now and our funds were drying up. We understood that the shortfall was because we lost the income teams provide when they visit. Due to having to cancel just about all teams for the past six years, this has caused a major shortage of income for the field as well as for RMI in general.

Teams bring in a significant amount of funding that helps pay for salaries and many administrative costs as well as provide significant cash flow for the field, enabling them to efficiently manage their finances and along with other sources of income cover their operating costs. Canceling teams since 2019 has caused the field to lose over $600,000 of administrative income. 

Another huge issue for the field has been the rate of inflation over the past several years. Currently, items that used to cost $10 are now $30 to $50+.  Food costs have absolutely skyrocketed. We have had to provide raises and multiple bonuses over the last several years to try to help our staff feed and care for their families. We have not wanted to lay anyone off as they are all needed, and they simply don’t have other choices for income for their families. Fuel costs, material costs, etc. have risen to exorbitant levels. 

After much cost-cutting and analysis of the situation by both our staff and the RMI Board, we determined that we needed a two-fold solution. At the end of this past year, 2023, we initiated the Stand in the Gap fundraising program led by Rob Thompson to help cover the costs for the field for this present year, 2024, and to help make up some of the deficit from years past. God raised up 160 donors who helped us meet this need. The second part of the solution has been to raise the Hope For Kidz sponsorship cost by $5.00 a month. As the Hope For Kidz program plays a major role in field administrative costs, this will be a great help in helping to cover the added costs on the field for 2025 and following. This will plug the deficit that they have been having every month, enable us to provide a modest raise to the staff, and not have to subsidize the field every month. This will provide much-needed relief for the field and their needs.

Thank you for your understanding, support for our staff on the ground in Haiti, and particularly your participation in sponsoring a child.  You are needed now more than ever!  

Dan Shoemaker, President of RMI

2023 Ministry Impact Report

There have been a lot of things that have hindered or postponed growth and ministry in Haiti.  Once again gang activity in the capital resulted in the need to cancel teams.  We are thankful that our headquarters and most of the areas where we minister in southern Haiti are located remain quiet and safe.  The local police have taken a very tough stance against any gang influence.  A domestic airline flies between the capital and the airport in Cayes, allowing safe travel in and out of the country.  Having dedicated staff has also helped ministry continue to take place.  Here is how 2023 went.

C3 Partnerships

• 185 salvations in our C3 Haitian Sister Churches
• 115 baptisms in our C3 Haitian Sister Churches
• 48 rededications
• 235 Bible/songbooks distributed
• 2 church constructions
• 325 Good News Bibles distributed

Hope for Kidz, School Education, and Hot Lunch Program

• 2,322 children sponsored in the first trimester of the 2023 school year
• 14,585 kids fed a hot lunch daily in school
• 6 containers - 8,540 cases - 1.8 million meals received and distributed
• 13 hot lunch food storage buildings and school kitchens built
• 68 soccer balls for kids
• 10 Hope for Kidz sponsored children given medical assistance
• 145 backpacks distributed

Haiti Operations

• 38 national staff
• 1 missionary family and 1 single woman
• 34 active partnerships
• 312 goats distributed
• 25 farmer kits
• 120 water filters were distributed and the families were trained on how to use them
• 10 water truck deliveries
• 2 wells drilled
• 7 Homes for Haiti homes built
• 15 SunTech solar systems installed (these are large systems for schools, churches, and offices)
• 6 SunTech home solar systems installed (small, basic 1 battery systems)
• 8 SunTech portable solar lamps distributed
• 3 motorcycles for pastors delivered
• 270 tin sheets (3’ x 6’) for roof repairs
• 2 vehicles purchased to replace decommissioned ones

Stand in the Gap Campaign - God Did It!

In only 5 weeks, 156+ donors stood up and generously gave $207,902!  We are beyond thankful for EACH and every one of you who stood up with us to donate and bring in the funds needed for our Haiti team! To God be the glory, great things He has done!!! 

As you know, RMI asked Rob Thompson, our former Haiti Field Director to champion our $200,000 “Stand in the Gap” fundraising campaign.  This campaign was to help RMI augment the Haiti field budget for the next year. Since 2019, churches have been unable to send teams to visit their Sister Churches in Haiti because of the political upheaval within the country. This has caused a major decrease in our income for the Haiti field needs. On top of this, the costs for goods and services have skyrocketed in Haiti, often 3 - 5 times what we used to pay a couple of years ago. This shortage has compelled RMI to subsidize the Haiti budget by thousands of dollars a month over these last 5 years from our very limited reserves. These reserves are just about exhausted now.  We had hoped that Haiti would have opened up to free-flowing teams by now, but that has not happened.  Thus this specific campaign where we asked you to “stand in the gap” with us to help us cover these needs. 

Thank you for your prayers and gifts toward this specific need.  We are awed to see how God used His people to meet this need.

Have You Seen This?

Hello. This is Rob Thompson emailing you. This is clearly not about me, but yes, it’s me! Hello! You haven’t heard from me in 5+ years. I’m not officially serving with RMI, but RMI has given their blessing to this effort. I’m currently a pastor in NJ. Yet, I love my brothers and sisters in Haiti. I can’t stand by any longer. I have to do something. Something tangible. Something that moves the needle. I believe in a bright future for Haiti. I love what the team is doing. What I’m seeing from a distance burdens me deeply. I’m sure it does the same to you. This is my chance to make a difference. It’s our chance. Let’s do this together.

Problem: Our friends in Haiti are struggling financially. You’ve seen the news. Gangs control the country because they control Port au Prince. Inflation is out of control. The exchange rate is terrible. Security concerns and fuel shortages are commonplace. The cost of goods have skyrocketed. The RMI Office facilities are in disrepair from an earthquake. People, our people, my people are hurting. You may know them... Benjamin, Benson, Perguens, Frantz, Merry, Naga, and the list goes on and on. Basically no teams for more than 4 years! Yes, it’s beyond difficult. Benjamin shared with me that the financial crisis they are facing is like nothing they’ve ever experienced.

Solution: We’ve set the audacious goal of raising $200,000 to directly support the Haiti Team. Yes, that’s a lot of money. Why? We’re calling up an army of generous churches and people like you and me to come alongside our brothers and sisters in Haiti, standing in the gap between what currently exists, and what can be. These funds will go directly to staff (payroll adjustments and benefits) and infrastructure (buildings and equipment) in Cayes, Haiti.  Together, we can help continue the work in Haiti. Can you help?

Rob Thompson, Associate Pastor, Beacon Church

RMI has asked Rob Thompson, our former Haiti Field Director, who continues to have a great heart for RMI and the Haiti field to champion RMI’s “Stand in the Gap” fundraising campaign.  This campaign is to help RMI augment the Haiti field budget for this next year. Since 2019, churches have been unable to send teams to visit their Sister Churches in Haiti because of the political upheaval within the country. This has caused a major decrease in our income for the Haiti field needs because revenue from church teams normally covers about 50% of Haiti's operational expenses. On top of this, the costs for goods and services have skyrocketed in Haiti, elevating our costs often by 3 to 5 times what we used to pay a couple of years ago. This shortage has compelled RMI to subsidize the Haiti budget by thousands of dollars a month over these last 5 years from our very limited reserves. These reserves are just about exhausted now.  We had hoped that Haiti would have opened up to free-flowing teams by now, but that has not happened.  Thus we are asking you to “stand in the gap” with us to help us cover these needs. 

Up to this moment, the Haiti field has been able, through our subsidies and being as conservative as they can in terms of expenses, to continue to fully meet their ministry goals. Hope For Kidz is fully staffed and continues to have a major impact on the schools and families of sponsored children. Our partnership facilitators continue to manage our C3 partnerships, enabling projects and ministries to continue to be completed. We are feeding just under 16,000 kids a day in our Hot Lunch Program. Thus far we have not had to lay off any employees. In reality, much of our cost increases are over and above our salaries, however, due to tremendously high inflation, we are having to augment salaries as well to properly care for our employees and their families.  Hence, the need for this campaign.

We have noted that a number of folks have questioned the text messages they received from Rob concerning this campaign. Yes, they are legit! We have upgraded some of our software which now permits us to text you. Many of you have indicated that you would prefer to receive texts, and we are now able to do this.  This gives you a quick, easy way to give.  No, we aren’t going to inundate you with messages, but you will receive texts informing you of what is happening in RMI from time to time as well as urgent requests for prayer or urgent needs (like this) that RMI might have. Thanks for your understanding and prayers.  Especially thanks to those of you who are standing in the gap with us.

By the way, since this campaign started 3 weeks ago, over $55,000 has been raised!!  Praise God.

MinistryWatch Gives RMI a Grade "A"

With Giving Tuesday coming up on Nov. 28, we thought it was important to share with you about MinistryWatch.  When you want to verify the funds you donate to an organization are being used responsibly, it is important to research them on an independent website such as MinistryWatch.   “MinistryWatch is an advocate for TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, and the renewed CREDIBILITY of Christian ministries.” according to their website.  Recently MinistryWatch featured RMI in their June 19 edition of Ministries That Make a Difference.

“Through its Hope for Kidz program, Reciprocal Ministries International (RMI) gained sponsorships for 2,991 Haitian children, fed hot lunch to 14,706 students, built 13 hot food storage buildings and school kitchens, and constructed three schools. They also provided other resources for schools, including windows/doors, blackboards, soccer balls, desks/chairs, and backpacks. RMI works to facilitate cross-cultural church-to-church partnerships by connecting U.S. churches with international churches. RMI has five stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 96.”

We strive hard to be transparent, accountable, and credible and are grateful for our “A” grade and donor confidence score of 96.  They can be found at www.ministrywatch.com.  RMI has also been a member in good standing with ECFA since 1991.

Make Your Christmas Gift Count

RMI is excited to announce our holiday food campaign.  The Lord’s provision has allowed us to safely and securely receive our latest shipments of food.  This gift of food is especially needed now.  With the gangs in the capital blocking off the roads and inflation at more than 300%, food scarcity is at an all-time high.  People just can’t find food or can’t afford it.  Real hunger is something that everyone is facing.  Don’t miss this opportunity to help our brothers and sisters in Haiti who are hurting and hungry.

Our regular food boxes are $35.00 each.

Our food boxes with cooking oil are $45.00 each.

If you are able to give 9 food boxes, with oil, a total of $405.00, we will add a 10th box FREE!

Go to www.rmibridge.org, scan the QR code, or mail your check to RMI at 

5475 Lee St. Suite 301

Lehigh Acres, FL  33971

Feel free to call RMI at 239-368-8390 if you have any questions.

RMI Needs New Missionaries

If you feel called by God to be in full-time ministry, then we need you!  RMI is open to couples, families, or singles.  Almost any profession can be used on the mission field.  You never know how God will use you!  

Jim and April Starkey have been in Haiti 4 years, going on 5 in the fall.  They have their hands full with their responsibilities as well as 4 kids!  

Jim wears many “hats”.  He works closely with the SunTech team, going out to help with solar panel installations on churches, schools, parsonages, and offices.  Another “hat” is as a missionary host when teams come, which means he goes out with the team while they are visiting their C3 partner church.

Jim’s newest “hat” is as the C3 Partnerships Manager.  He is the point man between the C3 coordinators in the states and the Partnership Facilitators in Haiti. He receives church updates, project estimates, and the like and communicates these back and forth between Haitian and US Sister Churches. He has worked hard since being assigned this role to have a video chat with every single C3 coordinator in the states. One of his goals is to establish better communications between Haitian and US C3 partners.  Judging by the positive feedback we are receiving, he is already doing a great job at this!  

Jim also travels to Haitian C3 partner churches with his drone and camera, getting footage to put together video updates to send to the US partner churches.  In addition, he and Steving, an RMI employee, set up the Starlink system at the RMI office for RMI and the entire mission center.  They maintain and troubleshoot it as it provides reliable, fast internet for RMI and other organizations to conduct their ministries.

Community living on a mission center has given him responsibilities as well.  He is the Chair of the Housing Committee and works hard with that whether he is in Haiti or the states. There is plenty of work in that position. 

April cares for and homeschools their children, some with special needs (ages from 4 months to 13 years old).  When possible she goes out from time to time to take pictures and get video footage to help capture all that RMI is doing.  She has also produced several videos for C3 partners or special projects that RMI has done.

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

The Tale of Dubois

High in the mountains in southern Haiti sits the village of Dubois.  The thriving church there has an active school (which is a part of RMI’s Hope for Kidz and Hot Lunch Program).  On August 15, 2021, a 7.2 earthquake hit southern Haiti, heavily damaging many homes, businesses, schools, and churches.  The Dubois school (built by RMI) was the only school in the area that stood firm.  However, the church was very damaged.  The village’s only source of water was an old 3,500-gallon cistern but it relies on rainwater to fill it, and there hasn’t been enough rain.  RMI helped fill the cistern using our water truck in April.  But it hasn’t been enough for the church, school, AND community.  

Recently, the group of donors that are sponsoring the Hot Lunch Program at the school visited and became burdened by this community’s need for water as well as a new church building.  They have undertaken an ambitious project - a first for RMI.  Their goal is to build a 30,000-gallon cistern in the footprint of the old church, then rebuild the church ON TOP of the cistern.  The water would be accessed by a solar pump.  RMI’s construction team is there now carefully dismantling the rafters and tin roof (which were relatively new and in good condition) and any other parts of the building that can be salvaged to re-use in the new building (there is a dire shortage of building materials due to the gangs shutting down the capital and the roads south).

RMI Food Sales Temporarily Suspended

 Unfortunately, RMI is forced to temporarily suspend the sale of food boxes for individuals, families, and churches.  Two containers of food that were expected to be delivered weeks ago have still not arrived for various reasons: either gang and road blockage issues in Port-au-Prince or customs issues.  Consequently, we are unable to deliver food boxes that have been donated over the past six to eight weeks.  Our team does not want to fall any further behind on deliveries without knowing when we’ll receive our next container so they feel it’s better to suspend food box sales at this time.  Food box deliveries will resume as soon as we receive our next container and then we should be able to be caught up within a couple of weeks.  We are sorry for the inconvenience.  We’ll advise you as soon as we can resume donations.

It’s important to note that all food for the entire upcoming year for the Hot Lunch Program has been delivered.  That program is not in jeopardy.  However, we do not have any food in reserve for food aid or to respond to a natural disaster.  There are 3 containers en route, so we are concerned about their arrival and delivery.  We are researching alternative ports and methods of getting the food in.  

RMI Needs New Missionaries

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

A Welcome, A Farewell and Notes from the Field

Hello World!

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

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

Well Done

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

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

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

Teams Have Returned

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bearing one another burdens:

A deacons meeting

Loving one another:

Meeting a brother in Christ

Working with joy:

The Hope for Kidz team at work

The fields are ripe to harvest:

Taking a tour of the town

Our Haiti Staff Have Servant’s Hearts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Did You Know?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ministry Impact Report 2022

God is at Work

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

C3 Partnerships

170 salvations in our C3 Haitian Sister Churches

210 baptisms in our C3 Haitian Sister Churches

61 rededications

800 Bible/songbooks distributed

579 kid’s Bible distributed

1 church construction

4 churches repaired (earthquake damage)

600 Good News Bibles distributed

Hope for Kidz, School Education, and Hot Lunch Program

2,991 children sponsored

14,706 kids fed a hot lunch daily in school

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

13 hot lunch food storage buildings and school kitchens built

3 schools constructed

80 doors and windows for schools and churches

12 teacher's desks and chairs

126 soccer balls for kids

7 blackboards

6 Hope for Kidz sponsored children given medical assistance

245 backpacks distributed

Haiti Operations Team

34 active partnerships

365 goats distributed

15 farmer kits

210 kids received seeds

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

4 Homes for Haiti homes built

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

15 small home generators distributed

3 motorcycles for pastors delivered

670 tarps distributed for roof protection

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

45 personal, portable solar lamps distributed

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

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

A New Year - What Are We Looking Forward To?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RMI's National Staff

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

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

What Does "Food Insecurity" Mean?

What does "food insecurity" mean?

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

What are the consequences of food insecurity?

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

Who is mostly affected by food insecurity?

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

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

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

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

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

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

** News Alert! **

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

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

Hurricane Ian's Impact on RMI

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

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

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

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

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

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

Daniel Shoemaker

President