Our busiest month yet!

We have officially closed our Summer International Volunteer season!  Over the last month we hosted 3 more teams (all BBOH Ambassador groups!) and a second intern.  It was a great month spent in medical clinics and doing vitamin distributions in campos both large and small. 

Ambassador Erin's Group

Ambassador Rachel's Group

Ambassador Jordan's Group

Since our preschool in El Chivo is closed for summer vacation, we organized our Monday's and Friday's with the volunteers a bit differently.  Instead of going to the preschool we took them to various communities where we did a vitamin distribution (not a full clinic).  These were typically in smaller rural areas.  We weighed the kids, checked for indicators of malnourishment and gave each family multivitamins, vitamin A (thank you to Vitamin Angels in CA!!!) and anti-parasite medications.  Vitamin deficiencies and parasites are the primary causes of malnourishment in this area.  Therefore, by providing vitamins and anti-parasite meds, we aim to clean out the gut and restore vitamin balances.  In the long run, this motivates children to WANT to eat vs. combating parasite symptoms daily and remaining undernourished.  (This is the reader's digest version of Dr. Angel's explanation to families, if you want more info send me a message!)  We also used this new-found time in the schedule to do home visits with the elderly.  Groups took their blood pressure, blood sugar and in many instances also took urine samples.  This is a HUGE service to elderly community that we otherwise can't get to without the man power of volunteer groups.  

THANK YOU to everyone who came to serve this month!!!!  Below are some photos of these programs in action. 

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Clinic of Hope Construction

Construction site

Kailey Stutzky, our Medical Coordinator, went back to the States for a few weeks of rest in July.  During this time she spoke at two parishes in the Diocese of Grand Rapids as part of the 2019 Missionary Cooperation Plan.  We are AMAZED and THRILLED to announce that an incredible $30,000 was raised to help us complete the construction of the new medical clinic!!  This is a HUGE blessing and once again proof that the Lord will provide as long as we continue to follow the path He has laid before us.  This donation will allow us to finish walls and the roof, bringing the clinic into a very basic but functional phase. We are meeting with the engineering team to carefully plan the use of this precious donation and expect construction to resume in the next two weeks.  Please keep this project and all of it's beneficiaries in your prayers! 

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New Addition to the Carlile Family!

We are also excited to announce the blessing of baby #4 to our family!  We are due with a little GIRL on Oct. 29, 2019.  I had Pinterest-like hopes of taking an adorable picture of the kids to announce this new little one but alas, real life happened and no such picture was taken.  While we are all thrilled with this addition, it is especially exciting for Emily who has been actively praying for a baby sister for a long time now.  Both her and Ben are already wonderful big siblings, we know that they will embrace this new little one with lots of love.  Nico on the other hand might take some convincing as he gets kicked out of the youngest position in the family.... haha!  We will be returning to the States on Sep. 16th to spend the last 6 weeks of pregnancy close to Jessica's OB and family.  Please pray for a continued healthy pregnancy and for a safe delivery.

With this new addition comes some new challenges.  Most notably that our whole family will no longer fit in a standard 5-passenger vehicle.  We are need of a mini-van or something similar to borrow while we are in the States.  We will need this vehicle from Oct - Dec 2019 as our planned return to the DR is just after Christmas 2019.  If you or someone you know would be willing to help us with this special need, please reach out and contact us!

Thank you for all of your continued prayers and support!  We remain very humbled by all of your support, kind words of encouragement and prayers!  THANK YOU!    

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Prayer Intentions: 
-For balance and stability for the Carlile kiddos as we prepare to be in the States for 3 months.  That they will  embrace life in Michigan and transition from one culture and language into the next with ease and grace.  
-For a safe, reliable mode of transportation both in the Dominican Republic and in the States as we become a family of 6. 
-For unity as a team during this time of transition from the end of summer volunteer season into a fall of Medical Clinic construction and fundraising (Gala Auction Nov. 9!)
-For the El Chivo preschool that is preparing to open for a new school year with 40+ students.  For patience, patience and more patience as we continue to work toward a Montessori approach to education. 
-In thanksgiving for interns and  friends (shoutout to Cassie and Olivia!!!!) who have supported the mission and our family in countless ways by serving unconditionally with groups and by taking care of our kids.  We are so appreciative of their hearts and that they followed the Lord's call to serve with us this summer!