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The Ezra Institute is pleased to share that the initial steps for providing meaningful learning and education in Christian living and growth, Biblical leadership, and professional development have begun in the Dominican Republic! Our prayer, this fall, is to provide 2 to 3-day conferences to the church body in meaningful ways to pastors, laypeople, and young adults that elevate their ability to be impact makers for Christ. The Ezra Institute will teach on many different topics, including sermon preparation, developing leaders within the church, and financial responsibility. If you, or someone in your church, is passionate about teaching, encouraging, or mentoring, please reach out to Dr. Tlucek (andrew.tlucek@rmibridge.org). He would love to partner with you to elevate the body of Christ for greater impact in the Dominican Republic.

An annual event you may not realize is part of the Hope for Kidz Program is the deworming that takes place in every school.  Kids receive a Christian education, shoes, books, and uniforms as part of the program, but deworming is aimed not just at the kids in the program but at everyone in the school (teachers, principal, and the kitchen crew).  Worms are very common in the general population and cause considerable illness, resulting in missed days of school and work.  One pill is all it takes to get rid of the worms.  Such a simple solution! Usually, an RMI staff member uses a color aid to teach everyone about worms, what they are, what they do to their body, how a person can be infected, and how to prevent the infection.  After this teaching, they administer the medication. Caring for the body by providing annual deworming makes a

They came from faraway Nebraska to reconnect with their C3 partner church in Policard, Haiti.  The children of the Policard school and members of the congregation greeted them outside town and formed a parade as they walked them into town and into the church.  It was a fine homecoming!  Here is a video of the welcome. An open-air service, a visit to a satellite church, home visits, and a fun get-together for the kids were just a few things that filled their days.  Here is a video featuring their home visits. IBC Airways brought them safely to Cayes in Southern Haiti.  Their planes are smaller (holding 30 passengers), and they only fly several times a week — which is why they are booked months in advance.  As you plan your trip to reconnect with your C3 partner church, you’ll need to plan quite a bit in advance. The team from

A missionary’s life is not a 9-to-5 job.  It’s a lifestyle.  Their ministry includes raising their kids to follow Jesus.  It includes being active in their employees’ lives.  There are homeschool moms’ outings and family outings to explore their country (beaches, waterfalls, caves, botanical gardens, etc.).  The Starkeys in the DR have recently gone with their homeschool group to a camp near the Dominican Republic’s highest mountain for a day of fun activities.  They also recently visited the DR’s oldest tree (a kapok tree), which is just 12 minutes from their home.  The kids got to climb on the huge roots, estimated to be 1,000 years old. And making your home available for church activities, such as baptisms.  The Tluceks’ (also in the DR) home comes with an outdoor pool.  The church they are attending asked to use their pool for a baptism.  What a blessing to host their church

We’ve shared about VISION | NEXT.  Here’s an update! Right now we see extraordinary new opportunities for Gospel impact.  To accomplish all that God has placed before us, we’ve developed our VISION | NEXT campaign to fully fund… Haiti Staff Support, New Ministry Initiatives, and Office repairs due to the earthquake Zanglais Ministry Center Rebuild that was destroyed in the earthquake Dominican Republic Ministry Launch to establish new C3 Partners with Gospel Impact. Ezra Institute to train young biblically oriented leaders and professionals We know can do far more together than we could ever do apart, therefore we’ve created THE PLEDGE COLLECTIVE. We aren’t looking for just a few people to carry the entire burden. Instead, we are looking for an army of people to join together, pledging to each fill a manageable role for the next three years. We have a goal of raising $1.3 million by the end of this year. We

We are excited to announce the launch of our new “My Partnership” pages. Every Church/School Partnership now has a dedicated home online—your go-to place for all information directly related to your specific partnership. View Your Church/School Partnership Page Antioch – Tete Source Beacon – Morency Calvary Bible – Vieux Bourg Christ Baptist – Dame Marie Community of Faith – Les Anglais Creekside – Baradere CrossRoad UMC – Tiburon Crossroads – Chardonette Dry Creek – LaColline Fellowship – Fond Deron First ARP – Source Baptiste Grace Bible – Abricot Great Valley – Cance Harper – Les Irois Holcomb – Policard Hollywood – Corail Kimball – Dagout LifeChurch – Chambellan Lifehouse – Aux Coteaux Linwood – Anse a Veau Loomis EFC – Policard McGregor – Cote de Fer Nebraska EFC – Policard Northcliffe – Apocolipsis Our Saviors – Les Anglais Oxford EFC – Policard Petersburg Bible – Lievre Sanibel – Formond Schuylkill

Come to Haiti to reconnect! Using IBC Airways, you can now fly direct from Miami to Cayes, thus bypassing Port-au-Prince completely.   We have shorter Vision Trip dates available, as well as full-week C3 trip dates.  We want to enable you to re-engage with your Haitian C3 partner. Come to the DR on a Vision Trip or as a C3 Partnership team.  Ministry opportunities abound! Pick a date and let us know you’re interested!

As we look toward the future, we recognize that the road ahead is filled with what seem to be insurmountable challenges. We’ve launched our VISION | NEXT campaign to meet these challenges, yet the campaign itself may appear out of reach with a goal of $1,387,500. To tackle this challenge, we have launched “The Pledge Collective”. There are two proverbs, or phrases, that perfectly capture the heart of “The Pledge Collective”… Haitians say… “Men anpil, chay pa lou” – With many hands, the burden is light. Dominicans say… “La unión hace la fuerza” – There is strength in numbers. We can do far more together than we could ever do apart. We aren’t looking for just a few people to carry the entire burden. Instead, we are looking for an army of individuals to join together, pledging to each fill a manageable role for the next three years. The math

Our HFKz staff continues to travel this month.  They are visiting each school to retake pictures, help with thank-you letters, give gifts, meet with parents, and gather new information on each child.  Just under 3,000 kids are sponsored.  What a difference this sponsorship makes in each and every student’s life.  Without that help, that child would not be able to get a Christ-centered education… an education that will lift them up, enable them, and empower them to break the cycle of poverty.  We are grateful to each sponsor for their support.  We know it’s a sacrifice for you to sponsor your child.  Our kids are very grateful for the help they receive.  To them, it is life-changing.

February fifth was a tough day for Agape Flights (the mail and cargo carrier RMI uses) as one of their planes crashed in the mountains of Haiti.  In our February 10 post, we shared that the 2 pilots lost their lives, Agape lost a key tool in their ministry (the plane), and RMI missionaries lost quite a bit of cargo.  We set up a “Lost Cargo” fund to help the missionaries replace some of what was lost. Within 5 days, more than the $13,500 (the estimated amount needed) had been raised.  God’s people responded and met that need!  It was such an encouragement to those missionaries and has helped ease the pain of losing so much. Thank you to those who responded to that immediate need. Andrew and Dawn Tlucek shared: “On one of the most shocking days of losing friends and fellow workmen on the mission field, the last

Wellspring Church (southern New Jersey) team members were all smiles when they landed in Cayes, Haiti.  The flight and arrival in Cayes went very smoothly, and the team had nothing but good things to say about it.   The team came to reconnect with their C3 partner church in Boyer. They were received in Boyer with a parade and great rejoicing.  On Sunday, they worshiped together as one body, and the pastor on the team shared a message from Psalm 133.  Their time there was very busy.  They had a fun time of games with the kids, a time with the youth, an open-air service, a meeting with the men, and then a gathering with the deacons.  They visited a satellite church and put a roof on the Boyer school.  They were busy, yes, but it was a good busy, and the smiles never left their faces.  It was good to

This past week, the missionary community in Haiti and the DR suffered a tragedy that has impacted us all. Agape Flights, which provides essential cargo, mail, and aid to hundreds of missionaries and communities across the Caribbean, has been used by RMI and its missionaries for many years.  Our missionaries have gotten to know the staff, especially the pilots, as they met the weekly plane.  Our hearts were so heavy to hear of the loss of one of Agape’s planes last week in the mountains of southern Haiti. The Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante, registered N316AF, was reported missing on Thursday, February 5, after delivering mail and cargo to missionaries in Jeremie. The aircraft departed from Jeremie, flying over the mountains on its way to Les Cayes, when it lost contact shortly after takeoff in the mountainous area near Beaumont, about halfway to Les Cayes. So far, the cause of the crash

If a picture says a thousand words, then this picture says a WHOLE lot! Sixty-five bicycles were delivered recently, most of which were part of the Christmas bundles you purchased for families.  The bundles consisted of a bicycle, a solar fan, and a family water filter.  Can you imagine the smiles on the kids’ faces?  What a wonderful gift these bikes are! In addition, 36 solar fans were delivered.  Operated by Haiti’s ever-present sun, these fans will provide relief from the ever-present tropical heat, especially at night. Thank you to all of you who gave at Christmas time.  Your sacrifice is greatly appreciated.