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We are home! It feels so good to be reunited with family and friends. We arrived in Detroit late last Sunday and we'll be here until Aug. 16th. We have two big events while we are home. Mission Sponsor Pot Luck Wednesday Aug. 2 7:00 PM St. Mary Pinckney We would like to invite all of our mission partners, supporters and friends to a Pot Luck while we are home in Michigan! This will be our opportunity to visit and spend quality time with everyone before we return to the DR. We will provide the main dish, please bring a salad or side to pass while we enjoy fellowship and plenty of laughter! Raise the Roof -- Live & Silent Charity Auction Saturday Aug. 12 5:30 PM Corsi's Restaurant and Banquet Hall Join us for an evening of food, fun, and fellowship as we raise funds to support BBOH activities, including the startup of construction for a Mission House. .
Tickets can be purchased online here! Many of you have been praying for and following Nelson's story. I want to say THANK YOU to everyone that has kept him in your thoughts and prayers! Dr. Angel and Kailey hiked to his family's home and presented the idea of living in Port au Prince and going to one of Sister Lluvia's schools.... the family happily accepted the offer! The mother figure of the household even went so far as to say that she would rather know he is living in another city than to watch him die in their home. Amen! In order to take Nelson to Port au Prince we had to get the paperwork for FUMSIL's truck in order. This was a process of bouncing from one government office to another, verifying that the vehicle isn't stolen and that we have the proper insurance and legal permission to cross the border. Thanks to several long days in Santo Domingo (shoutout to Angel & Kailey!!) the paperwork is in order. We will be setting up the date in the coming days. Since Adam and I are here in the States, it will be Dr. Angel, Kailey, Francois and Nelson's father that accompany him on the trip to Port au Price. As always, please pray that the Lord's will be done. If it is His will for Nelson to go to school in PAP, that nothing may prevent that opportunity from happening (and if it isn't His will, that it doesn't happen and a different solution is found for Nelson).
I'd like to add another little one to your prayer lists, if I may.... Her name is Maria. She is 5 years old and very, very small. She weighs approx. 23 lbs. Maria has epilepsy and other undiagnosed complications. Despite the best of efforts to find her the proper balance of medications, her symptoms are not controlled and she is at a desperate point. One of the Sisters explained it to me like this: she is at a fork in the road.... either she gets specialist attention, various forms of therapy and the consistent care she needs... or her quality of life will continue to deteriorate and she'll be in the Lord's arms within the year. Please pray for Maria, her family and all those that have cared for her over the last several years. She is a sweet little angel and we desire to help as best we can. We are starting by reaching out to specialists in the States that are willing to review her file and consult from afar. Realistically, it would be nearly impossible for her to travel to the States for treatment but we are hopeful that a specialist from the States could provide other treatment ideas, medications or the like which would improve her overall prognosis and quality of life. Thank you for your prayers!!!!! **As always, names and detailed have been changed and/or omitted to protect the privacy of children and their families.
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I am so excited to share with you all about our short journey into Haiti earlier this week. It truly was a God ordained trip. Although we got off to a rough start with Dominican border/customs offices giving us a hassle about paperwork, we eventually crossed the border at 1:30 pm, arriving in Port au Prince around 5:00 pm.
Since it took us so long to cross the border, we had no choice but to stay the night in Port au Prince (border closes at 6:00 PM). When we got into Port au Prince we met up with Kailey Stutzky (our long time friend) and a group from Grand Rapids, MI area (specifically the Catholic parishes in Grandville and Pewamo). Despite our late arrival the group of fellow travelers embraced our presence and made us feel very welcome at their "home" for the week. Several of them even rearranged their bedrooms (slept on floor cushions or doubled up in twin beds) so that we would have rooms for the night. Their sincerity and hospitality was astounding and a true testimony of what it means to "welcome the stranger". Two of the members of this group are particularly important to me. The first is Michelle. She is Kailey's mom and one of my most honest sounding boards. She has sat with me as I've cried and laughed about all of the crazy things that have happened over the years. And she is one of our greatest prayer warriors. To share some time, however short, with her in Haiti was a true treat. The second person that I was excited to see was Jean Paul. I first met Jean Paul in college when I was involved with the Haiti projects run by Aquinas College and the International Haiti Conferences that were hosted by the college. As a Haitian - Dominican he brings a unique perspective to the table. Over the years I have gleaned a lot from his stories, experiences and advice. I surely wouldn't be the same missionary I am today without his insights during my formative college years. As a resident of Grand Rapids, he often serves as a guide and translator for missionary groups going to Haiti.
Before we arrived in Haiti, Kailey had the opportunity to speak with Sr. Luevia about Nelson, a very special boy in one of our communities. If you didn't get a chance to read the last post, please scroll down to the recent blog titled "An aching heart" to learn about his situation and relationship to BBOH. After explaining Nelson's story Sister responded very humbly saying, "You can bring him to me. I will find a place. This is my job." Those three small sentences instantly relieved a great amount of pressure and worry. This is an opportunity for Nelson to continue to live within his own culture, speaking his native language, surrounded by a faithful Catholic community. He will receive an education. A good education. And yet, as he gets older will have the ability to decide for himself if he will visit family during holiday breaks or summer vacation. Quite literally, this is a combination of the best outcomes. Of course, there are several steps before Sister actually begins caring for him. Please, please join us in prayer with the specific intention that if this is the Lord's plan for Nelson, may nothing prevent or delay his transition into a healthy and loving environment. We will be sure to update as things unfold. Our next steps include several hikes into his home community to speak with the biological family about this new option. Prayers for safety and ease of conversation are greatly appreciated. As you read through this and other blog posts, we want to remind you of the great role that our sponsors play in this mission. We truly wouldn't be here working on behalf of Nelson or anyone else without your financial support and prayers. We are profoundly grateful for your presence in our mission. Thank you to each and every sponsor! If you want to learn more about sponsorship please click here. REMINDER: Our charity auction, Raise the Roof, will be held on Sat, August 12, 2017 from
5:30 PM – 11:00 PM at Corsi's Restaurant and Banquet Hall (27910 W. Seven Mile Rd. Livonia, MI 48152) Tickets are available for purchase at our Eventbrite website. We can't wait to share food and fellowship with you! |
AuthorWe are Catholic lay missionaries serving along the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Join the Support Team today!
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