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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

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

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

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

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

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 

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

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

 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

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

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

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

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