Each year we wish we could say “Nothing happened this year, so we’ll just say Merry Christmas”.  But this is not the year! It’s a good thing we only have to re-cap 1 year at a time because life has handed us quite a bit this year.

We ended last year with Debbie finally able to get home from South Carolina. (Remember she had to have her left big toe amputated while she was there visiting family.) A few days after Christmas we noticed that the incision on her toe was not looking good. After 18 hours in the ER waiting room, she was hospitalized. Testing showed a staff infection in her first metatarsal, the bone under the toe that was amputated. This meant that most of the bone had to be amputated and she had to have 6 weeks of IV antibiotics. This was 3 times a day for 6 weeks, no days off!  Her incisions healed around March. Shortly after this, she experienced significant pain in her abdomen. A CAT scan showed diverticulosis.  This meant more follow-up and medication. A few weeks later her knees swelled up so bad that she couldn’t bend them nor bear weight on them. Another hospitalization, with fluid being drained, but no answers as to the cause. She is still dealing with pain in her knees, but she hopes she is done with hospitals and her growing list of specialists for a while.

Dan had his work cut out as a caregiver. His parents lived with us through mid-January (due to the ongoing repairs at their house after Hurricane Ian). They were relieved when they were able to move back home, even if issues with the repairs continued for several months. At the same time, Debbie’s two hospitalizations and other health issues meant she needed care as well. After all this, in the spring, he developed shingles and the doctor asked him if he was under any stress. (Ha Ha!) After he heard all that had been going on, he smiled sympathetically, patted him on the back, and handed him prescriptions for medication and a cream. We are praising God the meds took care of most of the symptoms.

Andrew and Dawn came back up from Haiti when she reached 6 months to wait for the birth of the baby.  Andrew’s parents came for the birth too - it was a crowded house again, but for a happier reason. When Dawn’s blood pressure went up, the doctors decided to induce her...but it turned out that the baby was very happy where he was.

 No amount of coaxing enticed the baby to come. She spent 4 days in the hospital until the baby finally made his appearance on June 15, complete with the cord wrapped around his neck. The midwife quickly unwrapped it and no damage was done. He’s a good healthy baby.

His name? Layton Lee Tlucek...the middle name is a family name. Both grandfathers’ middle name is Lee and 2 of his great-uncles also have Lee as their middle name. They stayed until Layton got his birth certificate, passport, and first and second set of shots before they went home to Haiti in October. They are enjoying being home, finding the rhythm of their new “normal” and diving back into ministry.

Devon and his family still live in the Ft. Lauderdale area and he continues in his construction project supervisor job. Kristen is now teaching 20 5th graders at the Christian school where the girls attend. 

Riley is still excelling at gymnastics. In fact, in the winter she took first place in all 4 events for her age group at the state championships. Everly is 5 and excels at being sweet and smiling. She has started gymnastics too.

As president of RMI, Dan spends a lot of time on Zoom calls, which has become an accepted way of communicating and doing business these days. He has also traveled to several churches and meetings within Florida. Both Dan and Debbie spent a week in Chicago with a supporting church during their missions conference. The RMI Board met twice this year. He has also been active in the local Haitian American Chamber of Commerce, our local Home Owners’ Association, and the Southwest Florida Community Foundation (a local group of foundations and non-profits) and is on their non-profit advisory board. 

After Thanksgiving Dan spent a week in Haiti (thanks to a domestic airline, he can fly over the problems in the capital and fly straight to Cayes) to visit with the staff and missionaries. He met with the Haiti administration, various staff members, and missionaries as well as had informal fun times with them. The staff needed that encouragement and needed to know that the US administration had not forgotten them. Life is just getting tougher and tougher in Haiti, yet the staff carry on the best they can without complaint. We are blessed to have them!

Well...that’s been our year! We appreciate you all for your love, prayers, support, and involvement in our lives!

With love,  

Dan and Debbie Shoemaker