Thankfulness
This has been one heck of a year. Thankful doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel about all of us being together - alive and healthy - after multiple crazy traumas.

Over the course of a few months it felt like everything that could go wrong did: Adam’s foot had gotten worse so he wasn’t able to fly back to the DR, I continued to hold things together in the DR along with having a newborn, Emily broke her arm, our water pump kept breaking and flooding the yard (which meant we had no running water inside either), and ultimately the worst - one of our children became very, very sick almost didn’t make it - twice she faced emergency surgeries, and the doctors prepared me for the worst both times.

When it rains, it pours… right?

​This fall I spent a month with Camila admitted to various hospital (first in San Juan and later in Santo Domingo). She had a severe bowel obstruction that should have caused a fatal sepsis. God was merciful. Our sweet and spunky little girl had the odds stacked against her but she made it.

As Camila continues to recover we have settled into a good routine for taking care of her colostomy. At first it was challenging due to the tropical climate here. Not only were flies attracted to her but she would also sweat which caused the base of the bag to not stick the right way and then more flies would be attracted to her - a vicious cycle to say the least! However, we’ve jumped those hurdles and she has completely adapted to life with a colostomy bag. She is back to jumping, running and bossing all of us around - the sassy Cami we all love! Her next and final surgery will be March 8, 2023 at Mott Children’s Hospital in Michigan. This should be the final surgery, they will remove the colostomy and reconnect her colon. Afterwards, she needs to stay in the States for 6 weeks for recovery. So, as a family we are going to take advantage of that time to come home. By then it will be close to 2 full years since we’ve all been in Michigan. We are embracing that gift of time - even though it comes at the cost of a 3rd surgery.

Though it’s been a doozy of a year personally, it’s also been a very fruitful year for BBOH. We hosted two teams (one from St Mary in Pinckney and one from University of St Francis). We’ve started a new Youth Outreach program with Olivia Kumke, our new long term volunteer. Olivia is doing Christian ballet classes and helping with youth programming for the parish in our small town. She has been such a blessing! Later this month we have an Advent Family Night where her classes will perform and we’ll do family centered reflections in preparation for Christmas - a first event of its kind for the area!

​We also have a short term volunteer, Rob, who came to work for 3 weeks. His program fee allowed us to get back to remote communities (other than Rosa la Piedra) and provide medical consultations (something we haven’t had the funds to do since before COVID). The medical team visited Manyaya, Dos Bocas and Juan Cano, among other communities. Another huge blessing!

Looking into 2023 we have a few more teams scheduled than last year, but we would still love to have more! If you know of anyone interested in serving - individual people, parishes, youth groups or anything in between - please get them in contact with us!

Our home parish, St Mary in Pinckney, will be doing a spaghetti dinner hosted by the Knights of Columbus to raise money for our family. As a missionary family finances are typically very tight, but with all of the medical bills plus upcoming travel to the States, they have become overwhelming. We are VERY grateful to the Knights for hosting this event and to the parish for their help. We literally can only keep serving with your help - and we take your many sacrifices seriously. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! ❤️❤️

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THANK YOU to everyone that made this possible!!!!  It took many hands to load the container, lots of storage locations and sacrifices of time, talent and treasure.  We are forever grateful to each of you! ​

One of the first ways that we will put this vehicle to good use is by going on a trip with Bishop Tomas of the Diocese of San Juan.  He invited us to go with him on a visit to a Diocesan Medical Center in the Cibao region of the country.  Bishop Tomas previously worked closely with the center (perhaps even started it? I don't know all of the history yet) and he has dreams of opening similar centers in the south (where we live).  We are just getting to know this new bishop, but so far one of my favorite things about him is his true appreciation for children and families. After joking that we would need a small bus to travel all together, I was quick to say that we would find a way for the kids to stay home.  But Bishop Tomas insisted that we bring our kids with us on this trip and encouraged us to involve our kids in the mission as much as we can.  He  emphasized several times that children are not a burden but a blessing and by bringing them along we are living witnesses and testimony of family life.  It is refreshing to feel supported as a lay missionary family striving to both serve and be open to life simultaneously.... we'll see if he feels differently after 6+ hours of cheerios flying and siblings arguing in the car.  Haha! ​

The Public Health office in the DR continues to have the mobile clinic sector closed.  We are praying for a re-opening soon so that we can send a medical team to see our many patients that have gone without care for 9+ months. ​

As the summer continues I am happy to report that we are all safe and healthy.  We are currently staying at a family cabin near Edenville, MI (where the dams broke earlier this year).  We will be here until September 1st.  We are so grateful for this space.   It is truly beautiful up here with beautiful scenery and peaceful atmosphere.

While we are here in the States we have been enjoying as much family time as possible.  We've been visiting grandparents, enjoying the outdoors and soaking in all of this time together.  Toward the end of last school year we changed up our homeschool curriculum and the kids have loved it so much that we've continued some of those studies.  I find that it keeps all of us occupied and feeling accomplished in our day to day routine.  We had a virtual BBOH Board Meeting recently and enjoyed time catching up with each of the members.  It is a gift to be supported by them. 

​Adam's foot continues to heal extremely well.  Previously there was some talk about a possible surgery but because his foot is healing that isn't necessary anymore.  Praise God!!  Adam's passport was sent in to be renewed in June but due to COVID there is a long turn around time.  

We recieved news that the kids (everyone but Camila, we haven't applied for her yet) are approved for their Dominican visas!  This is a joyful step toward residency in the DR.  We've sent their passports into the Dominican Consulate and we are awaiting their return.  Adam also renewed his passport in June because it was set to expire within 6 months (we cannot travel on a passport that will expire within that timeframe so we had no choice but to send it in for renewal).  So as it sits today, 4 out of the 6 people in our family don't have their passports!  Both of these tasks have been complicated by covid19 and we are praying for quick turn around times. 

Come September we will be at yet another fork in the road.  We will either be traveling back to the Dominican Republic or transitioning into a missionary housing opportunity in Ada, MI.  To be honest, I am torn about what is the right thing to do.  COVID numbers continue to rise in the Dominican and our teams are most likely canceled through the end of the year.  My heart aches to be home, to be in our house and resume some level of normalcy (I am especially missing our dog).  But going home to sit primarily in seclusion as social distancing and curfews are in full swing isn't ideal either.  Please cover us in prayers for wisdom as we continue to discern where it is that the Lord wants us to be during this in-between time.   

One thing is certain:  He wants this clinic in Rosa la Piedra to be built.  A few  weeks ago we started planning a small scale online fundraiser specifically for the cost of the interior items like windows and doors. We have been BLOWN AWAY by the response from our community!!!  Less than 24 hours after announcing it  online ALL of the rooms were sponsored, less than 24 hours after that and ALL of the 'plan B' rooms were also sponsored.  Here we are a week later with only tiles, the lower price item, left to be purchased.  
The only explanation is that His plans are greater than our own.   

Thank you for joining us on this mysterious, never know what will happen next adventure.  Thank you for supporting us financially, spiritually and for walking this journey together.  
Be assured of our prayers for you and your families.

Love,  Adam and Jessica Carlile 

Our apologies for the overdue blog post.  I sat down and tried to write this blog many times this spring, eventually becoming frustrated with myself for not having the proper words to sum up all that has been going on.  This time of COVID19, quarantine/social distancing and travel restrictions has brought more anxiety to the surface than any other period of my life thus far (maybe you can relate?).  We are so appreciative of those who have reached out to us and asked how we are doing. Like the rest of the world the Dominican Republic has been practicing social distancing and other precautions since mid March. They also have implemented a curfew. At first it was from 5 pm to 6 am but has now relaxed a bit to 7 pm to 5 am.  When all of this began to go down it was unsettling to hear the ramifications of big changes: international borders closing, groups canceling left and right, fear sinking in about if/when should we leave the DR and head home.  Would there even be flights to take?  If we go, how long until we can come back?  How will this impact a delicate economy like the tourism dependent one where we work and serve?  How will the children in our campos be impacted?  

All at once I remembered a conversation I had in 2008 with my dear friend Mai and Dr. Angel.  We were driving down a mountain side with multiple children on our laps, dust filling the air as we tried to beat the clock and get to the Sisters of Charity in time (they have a specific closing hour and we try to respect that as best we can).  Mai and I were on the brink of tears as we held tighly to children, supporting necks and trying our best to soothe scared little faces.  We knew these kids.  We recognized their faces.  These weren't the outlier or stranger or even desperate families who came from miles away.  These were local kids who had been relatively healthy in the months prior.  Why was this happening now?  Though not a scientific statistic backed by data, I can tell you without a doubt the clinic that day and in the weeks following had some of the highest numbers of severely malnourished children that I've seen yet.  In an attempt to understand what was going on, we asked Dr. Angel, "What just happened? Why so many people? Why so many sick children?".  He shared several possible reasons but the one he believed to be the root cause was the difficult economy due to the economical state of the United States and other developed nations.  He began to explain complex international economics and how they may be applied to the situations of the children we were holding through a snowball like effect.  I must admit, at some point my eyes glazed over as my brain and heart just couldn't process anymore.  The anxiety I felt during that conversation 12 years ago came rushing back to me as I watched President Danilo of the Dominican Republic announce that all borders would be closed by land, air and sea due to the COVID19 pandemic.  Will these beneficial but drastic measures cause similar (or worse) outcomes for our area?    

And just like that - our ministry was put on hold.  Schools were closed for the remainder of the year, mobile medical clinics are not allowed to resume and airports have not yet opened. For months now I have flip flopped between praying  and dwelling on the possibilities.  With all of these unknowns, nothing is certain.  The effects remain yet to be seen.  But too much dwelling or discussion about all of the potential outcomes just ramps up the anxieties and tears.  Instead I have had to actively choose hope.  Our good, good Father will be there with us no matter what the outcomes may be.  He was there in 2008 and He is here in 2020.     

Initially, Adam and I made the decision to stay in the DR and hunker down, self quarantining and doing our best to "flatten the curve" from where we were.  We spent April enjoying family time.  We planted a small garden and built a very humble fire pit (turns out construction isn't my gifting, haha).  Somehow isolated life with 4 little ones seemed busier than our regular schedules!

In the beginning of May things changed abruptly.  Adam's foot developed another ulcer due to some pesky bone formation (opposite foot this time).  It appeared to be getting worse and we decided it was best to return to the States sooner rather than later, especially given the uncertainty of international relations. We had to make a quick decision about returning to the States as the only available flight for 3 weeks was set to depart in 48 hours (leaving from a city 6 hours away!).   We packed up the essentials and prepared to say goodbye to people we love dearly not knowing when we would be allowed to come back home again.  We have been in Michigan for about a month now, currently awaiting results of an MRI to determine next steps for the foot ulcer.  There is a possibility of minor surgery to remove the problematic portion of bone.  Please pray for this special intention!  Pray for health, wisdom and a resolution to this ongoing concern. 

Please also keep our kids in your prayers.  Thus far they are champions and doing well, but I think often about their little hearts.  Emily asks for San Juan the most, wanting to see her friends and go home to "her house".   Ben earned his yellow belt before COVID hit, lost two teeth and learned how to ride a bike.  Nico still loves baseball more than anything else in the world and has a heart of gold.  Cami is a very happy baby, a complete joy to be around... at least when she's not hungry.  And we all miss our dog (we adopted a small terrier -- that we thought was a mini doodle -- which is a story for another day!).  

Thank you for your love, support and prayers!  We have been so blessed by your commitment to our family and in turn to the villages that are along the Haiti - Dominican border.   <3