This year will be remembered as one of milestones, disasters, and being there for family. But where to start?
Milestones: Both Dan and I turned 65 this year. Yes, it’s just a number. We feel like we’re 45, but someone forgot to tell our bodies. Our doctors went from primary, dentist, and eyes to a complex collection that covers the parts of your body...heart, feet, intestines, shoulders, and hands as well as by conditions...arthritis, neuropathy, restless leg syndrome, diverticulitis, etc. You get the idea. We didn’t feel so old until the day we got our AARP (and supplemental) card. We are now in the very confusing world of Medicare, “donut holes” and much more. We’re thankful for a knowledgeable advisor who has helped us navigate everything.
Another significant milestone was Dan receiving his Masters in Organizational Leadership from Columbia International University. We went to his graduation and he walked across the same stage where he received his bachelor’s degree 42 years ago. The coursework was bundled into an intense year-long study. It was difficult on everyone since he had to keep up with his assignments no matter what else was going on (illness, Dawn’s wedding last year, vacation, responsibilities at RMI, trips to Haiti, etc.). He persevered though and graduated with high honors. Several professors even suggested he should go on to get his doctorate.
Trips, conferences, and meetings: Dan did most of the traveling this year. He was able to go to Haiti twice. It’s always good to physically be there to keep in touch with the staff and see and experience what is going on in the ministry. It’s an encouragement to him as well as the staff to have him there in person.
In the US, he was able to be a part of several mission conferences where he represented RMI. The most exciting conference was in Virginia at the National African American Missions Council (NAAMC). Their website states, “NAAMC is recognized globally as a trailblazer in the world of missions and sets the standard for excellence in mobilizing African Americans and People of Color”. Dan was able to have some significant input in one particular session that he attended. It’s exciting to be a part of recruiting African-American missionaries.
Life is always full of meetings, sometimes held in person and sometimes via Zoom. RMI Board meetings, RMI administration meetings, weekly Zoom calls with Benjamin and Benson, our leaders in Haiti, Zoom calls with RMI’s missionaries, and many more. Dan keeps busy with them all!
Being there for family: The adage “You marry one, you marry them all” really came to life for us this year.
We started the year by being called to South Carolina to help Deb’s family deal with an emergency. We were happy to be there for them. Then in May, after Dan’s graduation, we stayed in South Carolina to spend some time with Deb’s family for her mom’s birthday and Mother’s Day.
In the summer we took Dan’s parents with us to Miami where we attended Dan’s nephew’s wedding. It was a nice time to spend with family (Devon was able to be there too) and to see them happily married.
At the end of the summer, Andrew and Dawn finished their home assignment and returned to our house to pack and get ready to return to Haiti. However, that was the time that civil unrest in the country increased, preventing them from going. We enjoyed having them live with us for a while.
Disasters: This is where our lives got really complicated. It is also intertwined with being there for family.
On September 18 Deb flew to South Carolina to be with her sisters for their annual get-together. The youngest sister, Carrie, was having a milestone birthday and they went to Chattanooga for a week to celebrate...had a great time. They were able to have time to shop as well as laid-back visiting time in their Airbnb cabin on Lookout Mountain.
Dan was in Greenville, South Carolina taking care of Deb’s mom so the sisters could be gone. [Andrew and Dawn were taking care of the animals at home.] However, when he saw that a major hurricane was heading toward Ft. Myers,
he left a couple of days early, rushed home to board up our home, and helped his parents shutter their home. Andrew and Dawn were a huge help at both houses and Devon came over from Ft. Lauderdale to help at his grandparents’ house. Getting ready for that kind of hurricane is an enormous job and we were very grateful for their help!
Sept. 28 Hurricane Ian blasted ashore as a high Cat 4, on Sanibel and Ft. Myers Beach, essentially wiping them out. It continued through our county and all the way through Florida. It was a devastating hurricane. It’ll be years before things are back to some semblance of normal. Our home is about 20 miles inland and only experienced 100-110 mph winds. We had tree and foliage damage, but the roof and boarded windows held. We didn’t experience any damage to the house. However, Dan’s parents’ home had storm surge inside their home. The river at the end of their street was pushed by the winds right up the street and into the house. It was “only” 4-6 inches, but everything was soaked and the damage was done. Dan, Andrew, Dawn, and Devon from Ft. Lauderdale, went to their house the next day to start the process of pulling ruined furniture, rugs, etc. out and tearing the sheetrock out of the house, 2 ft. and under. Devon was able to get a disaster recovery and mold remediation company from Ft. Lauderdale to come over to “work their magic” on the house. In that process, they found old black mold, meaning more tear-out had to be done.
Devon was an indispensable help in spearheading the rebuilding (construction is his business). Dan has worked tirelessly with the insurance companies. Andrew and Dawn also worked very hard at the house, salvaging what they could and itemizing the contents of the house for insurance. Dan found a contractor that could take the job right away. Electricians, plumbers, painters, and others have been contracted for the rebuild. Recovery will be a long road. Dan’s parents have been living with us since then. Our house has never seen so many people living there at one time.
In the meantime, a disaster of a different kind... Debbie was initially stuck in Greenville due to the hurricane and the closure of the airport. However, at the same time, a burst blister on her left foot became infected with a rare, antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It migrated to her big toe and infected the bones of the toe. She was hospitalized twice in Greenville. God directed her to a fantastic surgical podiatrist who worked very hard on her case. Unfortunately, it became clear that to prevent the infection from going into her blood and to cure it, the toe had to be amputated.
Debbie decided to stay in Greenville and follow things through with the doctor there since hospitals in Ft. Myers were closed down. She stayed with her sister, Carrie, and brother-in-law, Randy, in their home. [A huge thanks to them for being there for us and extending extraordinary hospitality during this time!] It was a good workable situation where she could stay on the main floor. Knowing that Deb was in good hands allowed Dan to focus on the issues facing him in Ft. Myers and at his parents’ house in Naples.
In October, Dan took a few days and flew up to surprise Deb. He was there for her surgery and for when she was released from the hospital. Andrew and Dawn came for a brief visit, too. We had a nice birthday dinner for Dawn and introduced Andrew to Deb’s side of the family. They all agreed that he was a great fit with the family and was a man their dad would have really liked.
Deb still has an open wound on the ball of her foot and her doctor was reluctant to allow her to return until it is closed up. Thankfully, though, she found a doctor in Ft. Myers to transfer Deb’s case to, opening the door for her to go home. It turns out that it’s the same doctor who did both of her Achilles operations a couple of years ago. Already being an established patient has sped up the transfer process. She has her first Ft. Myers doctor appointment on Dec. 13. The home health care that she had been receiving in SC has an office in Ft. Myers, so transferring her care won’t be difficult either. There have been so many God-orchestrated details about all of this! We are grateful for His grace and loving care. Thank you to those who prayed for her!!
More being there for family:
Andrew, Dawn, and ?!...They had a fruitful home assignment. They spent time in the Pacific Northwest visiting supporters and speaking in several churches; their Idaho stop was spent visiting supporters and Andrew’s family as well as some vacation and good fishing; their time in Chicago was spent renewing friendships, visiting supporters and speaking at Village Church; and finally, they’ve been able to spend time with supporters in Florida.
Unfortunately, their time in Florida was interrupted by 2 hurricanes! The unrest in Haiti has meant that they haven’t been able to return home yet, but they’ve put the extra time to good use. They’ve had several day-long meetings with RMI leadership to plan their future assignments on the field. Those talks were very profitable and encouraging.
Devon, Kristen, Riley, and Everly... Devon is doing quite well in his job as project supervisor for the construction company he works for. He is increasingly being entrusted with larger jobs. Kristen is now teaching at the same Christian school where the girls attend. A room of 20-30 first graders (mostly boys) is a challenge, but she is handling it well. Riley, 7 in January, is still an award-winning gymnast and loving it. She is a little dynamo! Everly, 4, is now taking ballet and tap dance. She concentrates very hard as she imitates the teacher and learns the steps. We try to get to Ft. Lauderdale as often as possible to see them - but it is never enough!
We do appreciate your prayers for our family and our ministry!!
With love,
Dan and Debbie Shoemaker
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