About

Motivated by the love of Jesus, EMI is a registered charity dedicated to reducing poverty through the provision of medical, dental care; health related education; and construction support, to children and families who are unable to obtain primary care due to their poverty and/or their being unable to access health related services in areas where they live. EMI provides primary health care and health related education through through volunteer medical and dental professionals. Construction support for medical and educational facilities is provided through volunteer teams.

The Heart Behind What We Do

In Matthew 25 Jesus says, “When I was sick you took care of me….Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.” (verses 36,40 CEV)  Jesus was speaking of the most needy and the most uncared for.  It his love for these people, the “unimportant” that motivates us to help where we can and where it is needed the most.  Who are these unimportant people?  They are those that by no fault of their own have been born into a society of have nots.  As those you have been born into the haves, it is our goal to be the examples of Jesus’ love for all of us, that one day we may hear the words, “Wonderful, you are a good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25: 21 CEV)

How to do short-term missions effectively.


A picture of a child is all it takes for me to want to go, how about you?

What does it take to make you want to go and help? What does it take to make you want to open your wallet and make a donation? What motivates you to want to change someone else’s circumstances?

Often it makes us feel better. There is that good feeling you get when you help, when someone says “thank you”, when someone says “way to go, good job”. We are only human and there is nothing wrong with doing something because it just feels like the right thing to do.

An important question to ask though is “how effective was my help?”, “how much did it really change things?”. A huge part of short-term missions is seeking to see lasting change. Sometimes it’s the medical professional who was there at just the right time with just the right knowledge and experience and equipment to save someone’s life. We have many amazing stories of life-changing things that have happened when our teams were there just when someone needed them. I have seen it many times in my years of working in medical missions and it never gets old. It never ceases to be humbling or to produce awe-filled tears of thankfulness and blessing.

I think what I have learned the most over the years about how short-term missions can have a lasting effect is in the relationships. It’s in that South American village where the people know your organization’s name because you come back every year. It is in the story from our contact on the ground who tells of how our team being there and our organization providing the funds has made a difference in someone’s life and in the life of their family. It’s when you go back to the clinic in Haiti and see people from the community show up to help clean and carry and fix to make things ready for clinic day.

Whether we are there to provide medical care, construct a building, share knowledge and educate…what matters most and what provides the most effective change is the relationships.

If you choose to help, I promise it will only hurt at the beginning and at the end. The beginning because it’s awkward and difficult, the end because you will be leaving something valuable behind: a friend.

Sandy Rumford, Board Treasurer

 

Meet our Board

 

John Finkbiner. MBA; P.Eng. – Chief Operating Officer
With a degree in Systems Design Engineering and an MBA from the University of Windsor, and having worked in the energy industry for over 30 years, John brings a wealth of knowledge to the organization, especially in developing projects and organizing EMI’s future plans.  In addition, he brings program hands-on experience from working with Habitat for Humanity, camping board of directors and overseas projects.

Sandy Rumford – Treasurer
After many years of managing a family and raising children, Sandy used her bookkeeping skills to find employment as Office Manager and accountant for a Canadian charity, and has been available to assist other charities in performing bookkeeping and administrative services as a consultant. While living In Haiti as a missionary with a relief and development mission, she was involved in rescue and medical support activities during the devastating earthquake in January 2010.  She has also participated in overseas medical missions.

Laurens van der Mark – Director
Having spent 18 years in law enforcement specializing in criminal interdiction and dignitary protection, Laurens continues to be employed in that field.  He brings to EMI several year of mission experience in Haiti where he served in giving leadership to Site Logistics and as Operation Manage for an international NGO.  He, along with his family experienced the 2010 Haiti earthquake and were greatly involved in the rescue efforts.

Diane Miller – Director

Diane has had several years working with several Canadian social agencies which are focused on assisting those in need of both spiritual and temporal needs at home and abroad.  She brings to EMI formal training in volunteer management, marketing and political science.  We value her experience in managing overseas relief and development programs and the coordination of overseas group travel, which included personal travel to projects overseas.  In addition, Diane has trained and been active within the financial planning field.

Francine McCourt, BSc., M.D., CCFP – Director of Medical Programs

Since completing her medical training at McMaster and Queen’s University Dr. Francine McCourt has practiced in a variety of settings including Northern Ontario, Youth Health Centres, Family Practice and currently works as a Hospitalist at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital.  She is a wife and a mother of two children.

Since her first trip to Haiti in the fall of 2017, Francine is keen to explore serving that community further.  Her first experience rekindled her passion to help others with love, compassion and without judgment to the best of her abilities.

Greg Jeffries, Hon. B.Sc., M.D., CCFP, FHM – Director

Dr. Greg Jeffries graduated from the University of Toronto and completed his residency in Family Medicine at McMaster University. He is currently a Staff Hospitalist and Surgical Assistant in the Department of Family Medicine at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. He serves as a member of many committees in the Halton Healthcare system.

He did his first medical mission to Guatemala in 2016 providing medical assessment and treatment to children, adults and seniors in rural communities.   The experience left him with a sense of gratitude for his life in Canada and a motivation to become more involved in the work of EMI.

Stories

Share the amazing experiences of our team members as you read their stories. 

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Contact Us:

By Email:   info@everydaymiraclesinternational.ca

By Postal Mail:

  • Everyday Miracles International
  • 608 Deerhurst Drive
  • Burlington, ON L7L 5W7