Spring is a time of renewal and growth. Here in the DR we have been experiencing both at rapid paces! We are so excited to share some of these updates with you! We have hosted five teams since our last update. These teams came from different parts of Michigan and even a medical/dental team from California! We are so grateful for this hearts of service, providing healthcare to thousands of people along the Haiti - Dominican border. Each of these teams were a special opportunity for us to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. One of our teams even brought the return of Char Curtis, a founding member of Building Bridges of Hope, one of the special people that first introduced Jessica to Dr. Angel and Sr. Roselyn in 2006. In short, serving alongside these teams brings a renewed perspective and inspiration to continue pushing forward! ![]() For the last two months we have also had an intern here in the DR serving alongside us. Sophia first came down with her high school in 2024 and we are happy to have her back! She is a hard worker with a heart of gold. We are so happy to have her here! Our next team is from the University of St. Francis in Indiana. They will be sending both medical and veterinary students - it will be a busy week seeing human and animal patients! Please keep us in your prayers. ![]() At the end of January Adam's mom, Billie Jean Carlile, passed away peacefully. She was a beautiful soul that supported our work from the very beginning. You can see her obituary here. Thankfully, our community here in the DR stepped in and helped take care of our children so that Adam and Jessica could both go to Michigan and be with the family for a few days. Adam's dad had a pending back surgery so we decided that Adam would stay in Michigan for a few weeks to see him through that. Thankfully he is post surgery now and doing well. Adam is back home in the Dominican. Catechism and Faith FormationOlivia and Jessica continue to teach catechism in the mountain. They have 40-50 students that come weekly for faith formation classes for ages 3 - 16. During lent Jessica taught the Easter Story using the resurrection eggs concept. They also did the Way of the Cross through the community. Please keep praying for our students! Later this spring we will be doing baptisms and confirmations of the students that are prepared. God is good!!! Olivia is also teaching an adult faith formation class so that two friends of BBOH were able to join the Church at the Easter Vigil this year. It was a beautiful celebration! ![]() Just before the holidays our foster daughter decided to move back to her biological family's neighborhood. While it didn't come as a surprise to us, it did break our hearts. We love her very much and were eager to help her get an education, but she has to want those same things too. Just like all 17 year olds across the world, she is yearning for independence and in our unique situation she actually has the choice to return to her old living arrangement. Please keep her in your prayers! We pray that she makes good, moral choices and that she stays safe. Please also pray for our children's hearts as they continue to navigate life without her in our home. Housing SituationWe are SO thrilled to report that our housing situation is also resolved!! We found a home to rent, just outside of the neighborhood where Dr. Angel's family lives. It is on the outskirts of town with a large field in front and a small water canal that runs closeby. It truly is an answer to prayer -- we have more open space, the neighborhood kids play baseball right out front and our kids enjoy catching tarantulas and crabs in the canal. This home has provided a refuge for our family that I am grateful for everyday. Thank you to the special people have joined our support team, allowing us to afford this new rental home and the rising cost of living. |
Our two daughters, Emily and Rosi, both made their first communion this month (and 3 of our Godchildren too!). Rosi was also confirmed. Here in the DR, the Catholic Church practices the restored order of the sacraments which means that kids typically receive Confirmation before First Communion. In our case, Rosi received both sacraments and Emily was given permission to receive just First Communion. Next year both Emily and Ben will make their Confirmation. Needless to say this was a beautiful day of celebration with our community here in the DR. |
This month we also continued to facilitate healthcare for some special cases. We have been walking alongside these special cases by consulting with specialists and facilitating care. A couple of weeks ago, one sweet little patient was diagnosed with an eye tumor and several others continue to recover from surgeries.
-For the sale of our current vehicles and for the Vehicle Fundraiser, that we will have the new car in our possession soon, alleviating stress in our day to day life.
-For our special patients, a little one with eye cancer and several others facing recoveries for varied issues.
-For the ache in our hearts when a patient doesn't make it, that we can see the Lord's hand in all things - even the unimaginable.
-For safe travels as our staff is going to be traveling throughout the summer - Olivia, Kailey and Adam will all be in the States for different lengths of time.
May has been a month of surgeries. We had several patients with surgical or specialty needs that we have walked alongside. I accompanied one little girl and her mom to a surgical consultation. This case was especially close to my heart as the little girl has a colostomy (exactly what our daughter had). Though it has been almost 2 years since our Cami first got sick, the circumstances surrounding this new patient are eerily similar. There I was standing in the same hospital complex, in the same consultation room, with the same surgeon that had actively saved our sweet girl’s life. Somehow I kept my composure as I silently thanked God for His endless mercy and prayed for the momma who is still in the middle of such a long journey. Lord, have mercy. Please pray for this family as well as three other pediatric patients that had surgery this month (for a cleft palate and severe burns).
As the school year draws to a close, the Youth Outreach Ballet classes and the El Chivo Preschool are also wrapping up. Olivia’s ballet school will have their end of the year recital on June 2. The very next day we launch into dance camps that will run for two weeks. We have four interns coming down to help with the recital and day camps (think VBS meets dance camp!). These interns are all close with Olivia, three of them are her sisters! Please keep us in your prayers as we host the interns and work with the campers.
The clinic in Rosa La Piedra was painted this month. We went with an eye-catching blue shade that is often used by medical clinics here in the DR. We are also working with private donors to do a water filtration project for Rosa La Piedra. The clean water source comes out of the ground at the top of a hill, not far from our clinic. This water project will provide new tubing from the water source down the mountainside. As the new tubing delivers water down the mountain, there will be four community spouts where people can access fresh, clean water. It is an exciting project that will break ground this summer and be completed by the end of 2024. More updates to come!
By far our most significant challenge since coming back to the DR has been our ability to efficiently travel about the country. Our vehicles are what one might affectionately call “clunkers” and can only transport 7 people at a time. They are older (2008 and 2012) with their own sets of quirks that often seem to flare up when we are relying on them the most. The St. Mary Pinckney Mission Team experienced this first hand recently. The 2008 Mitsubishi Montero wouldn’t start after picking them up from the airport. Thankfully, the team was very gracious and simply grabbed some food from inside the airport while they waited. However, our mission drivers and staff were left sweating bullets while they tried to resolve it quickly and safely without a mechanic or full set of diagnostic tools nearby. This is one of many examples demonstrating how our current vehicles are impacting our ability to work effectively. Adam made a trip to the capital (Santo Domingo) to investigate all of our options. After selling both vehicles, plus our savings, we will have USD $20,000 to put toward a new vehicle. Our best option is a recently imported Hyundai Grand Starex model years 2019/2020. We are launching a fundraising campaign to raise USD $10,000 to purchase this new vehicle that will serve a dual purpose: providing reliable transportation for our family in-country and supporting the varied needs of the mission. Please consider coming alongside us and investing in the mission through this unique opportunity. Online donations can be made via PayPal here. Donations can also be sent to 54 Coyote Court, Pinckney MI 48169 (checks made out to BBOH Missionary Support Fund). We are forever grateful for the partnership and support that each one of you have shown us.
-For health and safety of our family and staff (we recently were plagued by another round of amoebas/parasites, so emphasis on the health part please!)
-For peace and guidance through ongoing transitions
-For a successful fundraising campaign for a larger, reliable vehicle

Returning to our home in the DR was bittersweet. It was exciting to see friends who are part of our Dominican family and to feel so embraced and missed by our church family. But it was also hard to say goodbye to our loved ones in Michigan, not knowing when we will be able to come home and see them again. Our departure from Pinckney was a bit stressful as we were trying to return before a team of 12 from St. Catherine of Siena Academy was scheduled to come work with BBOH and FUMSIL. We had to balance moving out of a house with packing up all of our possessions and preparing for a long day of travel with little ones. We didn’t get to see nearly any of the people that we would have wanted to hug tight before leaving. So please know that we deeply desired to have a longer drawn out goodbye with ample time to see people, but it was literally impossible with the tight timeline we were managing. Thankfully Adam’s orthopedic office was able to fashion a temporary shoe for him to use until his specialty shoes arrive in early April. Thus far, we have no problems with the temporary shoes! And no issues with his feet at all. It feels as though this is the end of a 7+ year battle with ulcers and infections. Praise Jesus.
The St. Catherine team was a HUGE blessing. It felt good to get “back in the saddle” so to speak and work with teams again. They spent time at our preschool in El Chivo, participated in 3 medical clinics and visited with community members through our youth dance program and home visits. It was a beautiful exchange to witness – these American youth who came to embrace and learn about Dominican culture while serving along the way.
Now that the dust has settled from our transition home, we are tackling two big obstacles. The first is renewing our Dominican residency. While we were gone our residency cards had expired. To renew them it is a couple weeks worth of running around collecting paperwork and paying fees. This culminates with a residency appointment at the National Migration office in Santo Domingo. Please pray for us as this process unfolds and we renew our papers.
A stock photo of a Grand Starex, the vehicle we plan to buy new-to-us This vehicle is a people mover! It looks like a minivan but has a third row of seats. Fortunately, there are many Grand Starexs on the island because they are often used by resorts for airport transfers of tourists. However, unfortunately, our cars have further depreciated in value over the last year and the costs of newer vehicles have risen. After we sell our vehicles we will likely be almost USD $10,000 short. Please be praying for this process as well, that we can find a new-to-us vehicle and that God would point us in the direction of where to sell our current vehicles. The used car industry here is well known to be a scammer’s paradise so it can feel overwhelming. But we are confident that it will be worth it to have a vehicle where each person will have a seatbelt, both for the safety of our kids and for the safety of our mission teams who will use the vehicle during their time serving with us. If you would like to donate for this specific expense you can donate via PayPal here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=SNJM7AHADVZGJ&source=url&ssrt=1711808673795
As always, thank you for your love and support. Please continue to pray over our family as we head back into ministry and life in the Dominican.
Prayer intentions:
- Good health and safety for our whole family
- For smooth renewal of our residency status
- That God would provide for our vehicle needs
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! ❤️❤️
Since November Adam has continued to endure open ulcers on his feet. There WAS an infection in this foot, but thanks be to God the infection is completely gone. He is focusing on staying off of the foot so that the wound can continue to heal. As you can imagine, that is a tough thing to do in our family with small kids and many responsibilities. Please pray that his wounds close up and he is able to start moving around more. We found an incredible doctor in the capital who speaks English and most importantly whom we trust. It has been an immense blessing to be able to have his feet continually trimmed and seen here locally.
This fall we focused on showering our foster teen with love. It was a season of sweet "firsts" and some hard conversations. She is doing extremely well with homeschooling and tutoring. We are planning to transition to a local night school later this spring where she can continue to catch up on her studies. An older couple from our parish offered to help with her schooling and have been tutoring her twice a week - a true gift of their time and talent. She also got some long-awaited health tests and was also evaluated by an optometrist. Armed with new glasses, her reading pace and comprehension have taken off! We are very proud of all of her hard work, both in her studies and in embracing so much transition. Spending time with her and pouring into her has opened our eyes even further to some heartbreaking local realities. Please continue to pray for her as we manage emotions, expectations and past traumas.
December came and went quicker than we could have imagined. We celebrated Dominican Nochebuena (Christmas Eve dinner, a uniquely special meal that has the sentiments of American Thanksgiving mixed with Christmas) with Dr. Angel's family. Unfortunately, in December we also battled head lice and COVID19. Thankfully we are on the recovering side of both of those issues. Please continue to pray for health and protection for our whole family as we continue to live and serve abroad.
The BBOH-FUMSIL Medical Team (Dr. Angel, Kailey and a crew of helpers) continue to do medical clinics once a week at the new medical center. Once we have finished the security wall and the electrical system, we can start planning to offer more regular services Monday through Friday.
Though time has passed quickly, please be assured of our gratefulness for your love and support. We are only able to be here serving full time because of YOUR sacrifices and gifts that make this mission possible. Thank you for supporting our family, for supporting the mission and for covering us in prayer!
We are praying for each of you as we enter 2022 with hearts full of hope for the future!
The last couple of months have been a whirlwind. I apologize we missed last month's blog. In our last post we asked for prayers for a sibling set that has had extremely difficult family dynamics. Due to even more complicating factors (including human trafficking allegations) we started September by adding a teen foster daughter to our home. After working closely with a Diocesan priest from her neighborhood, it was determined that the best solution for her complicated situation was to be in a home that would oversee her education and prevent the trafficking situation by providing a safe, stable environment. We initially planned for this new home environment to be in a Dominican household. We knew this would be ideal (and we still believe this would have been ideal) but we were unable to find a willing household. With the impending situation becoming more urgent, and with the blessing from the Diocesan priest, we opened our hearts and our homes to this sweet girl. Though the last month hasn't been without challenges, God has confirmed over and over again that this was the right decision for her and for our family. She has joined our homeschool and is slowing learning to read. Our goal is to be reading and writing with enough proficiency to go to the local Catholic school in January 2022. Please cover her in prayer! Pray that she continues to study hard, that she remains open with us, that her heart would be receptive of God's love while also struggling with big life questions.
In lieu of our annual auction fundraiser, we are planning to do an online fundraiser (similar to the one that we organized in August 2020). More details to come! We are also looking at doing a small Christmas shop so people can buy BBOH merchandise for gifts this year. All items will be available for a short period of time only, so keep your eyes open for that launch soon!
The sea container arrived here in the DR in mid September but we haven't yet received it. After a long customs-clearing process and inspections from various government departments, we are hopeful to get it released this week. Here are some photos of the container loading in Michigan
Prayer requests:
-For our foster teen as she continues to adjust to life in a house with many littles and new expectations. For her studies but most especially for her heart - that she may comforted as she processes all of her life experiences.
-For our residency status, that we will be officially approved as soon as possible.
-For the health of our whole family and for complete healing in Adam's feet.
-For all of our projects: the new medical clinic, the preschool, the nutrition program, etc. For all that goes into keeping these programs afloat - both behind the scenes and in person with our community members.
This last month has been a doozy! After our last blog post Adam and Cami went to the States for 5 days to get her residency visa from the DR Consulate in Chicago and so that Adam could have follow up care for his foot. I am overjoyed to report that BOTH of those things went exceedingly well. Cami now has her visa and will be joining us at our residency appointment in September at the Migration Office. Adam's foot was able to be trimmed by a podiatrist, confirming that there is no infection or problem - praise Jesus! This brief visit home also allowed them to have some good quality time with both sides of our family. As the youngest of four kids, Camila was soaking in all of the one on one time with grandparents! |
So many people have come together to make this shipment happen.
We are forever grateful for each of your sacrifices!
Toward the end of July we were contacted by a good friend and supporter who had some hotel points that needed to be used. She offered to book a place for Kailey and our family to enjoy for a few days. To say that we were excited was an understatement!! This opportunity was our first real overnight trip to the beach. We had a great time!! We enjoyed the free time just spent together and enjoying the beauty of the ocean. It was a true gift - thanks again to this special person - you know who you are! :) |
-For the sibling set and their family, that as a community we can wrap them in love and protection.
-For our pending residency status and the appointments in September
-For our family, that we remain healthy (we had a short bout with amoebas recently) and safe while we serve here in the DR.
Bad news: After having the Montero for only 4 days we began to see signs of motor problems so we took it to the Diocese mechanic here in San Juan. It quickly became clear that something was seriously wrong. After speaking with the seller, the Montero was towed back to Santo Domingo. Many tests later, it was deemed that the vehicle needs a new motor. We are so grateful for the seller who has assumed the lions share of this cost and the time it takes to find skilled labor and new parts. Though this is a very frustrating issue and the timing feels particularly sour, in the end it will be a good thing that we have a newer motor, bringing it even more up to date.
I am grateful for the mobility that this vehicle provides but also for the example of God's divine province over the mission, always providing for what we need. This mission has always been sustained by you, our mission team, and there is no better example of that than this new-to-us vehicle. Thank you from the deepest part of our hearts.

The littlest member of our family, Camila, was not yet born when we first began this process. We applied for her visa earlier this year but it wasn't approved yet when we returned to the DR in May. Last Friday I got a call from the Dominican Consulate in Chicago. Our contact there explained that the visa was approved and advised that we should come asap to get it put into Camila's passport. Most of the consulate positions are by political appointment and now is the season of turnover. Once the office is full of new staff we will be at their mercy if they honor her approved visa, require more documents or ask us to re-apply for her visa altogether. Adam's foot needs to be seen by his podiatrist in the States anyway, so we quickly prepared for a short (4-5 day) trip to the States for Adam and Camila. They fly out this afternoon. Please keep them in your prayers as Adam travels solo with Cami and for me while I hold down the fort here in the DR.
We also had our first tropical storm/hurricane for this year. This one was named Elsa... **cue all of the "Let it goooooo" singing and dad jokes ;)** With the storm came colder weather and lots of rain. Though I was excited about the cooler weather, it was also a little unnerving to prep for a big storm. We haven't experienced a big storm for awhile now, so it was interesting preparing for it. Luckily we didn't get much rain here in San Juan, just rain on and off for about 24 hours. The kids spent the day cuddled up on the couch under piles of blankets. |
-Safe travel for Adam & Camila, that all that needs to be done is accomplished (doc appointments, visa appt, prescripton refills)
-For continued healing in Adam's foot!!
-For safety and health of the whole family.
Since our rental house had been empty throughout the last year, we had lots of critters that had taken up residence. We also had a fair amount of mold to contend with. Most of the plants in the backyard had died, leaving behind a big ant hill that was thriving in our absence. During our first couple of weeks (when we tried to stay home and away from people, just in case we had come in contact with COVID), we set to work on fixing up these aspects of the house. We also had to get the fridge fixed twice! Always an adventure! But now that we are settled, it feels so good to be back.
During the last year Monsignor Grullon, the Bishop of San Juan, retired and a new Bishop was appointed. One of our first tasks was to meet with him, share who we are and what the ministry of BBOH entails. Though I was very nervous, especially because we had to bring all of our kids to the meeting (we don't have childcare here). But, the meeting was fantastic. Bishop Tomas Alejo is very supportive, even promising to come visit our new clinic. He shared his hope of starting large medical centers in the three provinces that comprise his diocese. Needless to say, our hearts are very much aligned on our focus to provide access to healthcare for the poor. Bishop Alejo is also extremely supportive of families, young children and getting them involved with the mission. He made us promise to bring all of our kids along for the visit to new clinic -- I agreed as long as they ride with him!! haha.
Our residency status continues to take baby steps forward. It has been a slow process that was complicated by COVID lockdowns. The first visas that Adam and I had expired while we were in the States, so we had unexpected costs and steps to re-apply and update all of the paperwork. Working with the government of a developing nation has proven to be as challenging as it sounds haha. Our residency applications are complete and through the first step of approvals. The next part of the process is a medical evaluation and a series of appointments in the capital (I spit coffee across the table when the Office of Migration explained the post-COVID process and cost!!). Please pray for this process! The kids visas will expire in August and we are trying our best to get residency approval before then (once we have residency we no longer need the visas, so if it's approved before August we can avoid the cost and delay of reapplying for children's visas). Though the whole process is frustrating, it will be worth it to be considered residents and avoid all taxes/fees/legal issues in the future.

Love,
Jessica, Adam & kids
-For the repose of the soul of Sr. Roselyn Nichols and for our hearts as we continue to mourn this loss and walk alongside the community who is also mourning this loss
-For a reliable ministry and family vehicle
-For God's favor and blessing for the remainder of the residency process, that He will provide both in patience and in finances.
-For continued wisdom and direction as we step back into ministry amid COVID precautions and closures
Adam's foot has completely healed, praise God. The surgery was successful and the recovery was speedy (compared to the 6+ months he battled with the open wound). Mid December he was discharged from the podiatry follow up appointments with a completely healed foot! This was joyful news! Though his shoulder is still in pain, things feel much lighter without having to bandage and care meticulously for an open ulcer. Adam continues going to PT for the shoulder pain. Imaging on the area doesn't show any damage or problems which is confusing for the physicians (and us!) given the amount of pain and the loud clicking anytime he moves the shoulder joint. After the holidays they are going to look more into the collar bone/sternum areas to see if the problem originates further down the line, so to speak. Despite these setbacks, Adam has been picking up hours as a contractor for a company that he worked with previously. This extra support has been helpful with our prolonged stay in Michigan...the difference in the cost of living from the Dominican to the USA is a form of cultural shock all its own.
Despite all of the inconveniences construction continues to move forward on the Clinic of Hope in Rosa La Piedra. Just before Christmas the roof went up on the house side of the project - a true Christmas miracle!
We are planning to do an online fundraiser in January or February of 2021 in lieu of our annual auction that would have been in November 2020. There may also be some smaller scale fundraisers coming out too - stay tuned for more info! All of the doors, windows and tiles are purchased thanks to the generosity of our supporters in our last online fundraiser in July/August 2020. I am so anxious to see them installed! These are big steps we have been looking forward to! |
The kids are doing well and have completely adjusted to being in Michigan. Snow began falling here a long time ago and they have enjoyed playing outside, building snow men and snow angels. Ben especially enjoys looking for animal prints in the snow and looking up which animals have been in the area. We continue to homeschool and soak in all of this family time together. Some days we soak it all up by playing games, doing activities and baking... other days we all sink into our own corners of the house and beg for personal space. I think many of us can relate to the ups and downs of living through a time such as 2020. We try our best to take the good with the bad and focus on our many blessings.
As the year comes to a close, we want to thank you for all of your prayers and support during this time. The community that God has provided for our family and for the mission continues to blow us away with spiritual support and generous giving. Thank you for being part of our team! We wouldn't be able to do this without you. <3
-For complete healing in Adam's shoulder, avoiding surgery if possible
-That the Public Health Dept in the Dominican Republic would allow us to resume mobile medical clinics and care for the hundreds of patients that have not had access to healthcare.
-For a successful fundraiser in 2021 to finish the clinic timely
Adam's health has improved in some ways but taken hard turns in other ways. The hole in his foot took a turn for the worse after we moved from the cabin on [empty] Wixom Lake into the AirBnB we are in now. After consulting with his doctors it was determined that in the interest of his long-term foot health they should remove the knuckle of the toe (opposite foot from his other foot surgery a couple of years ago). Yesterday he had the surgery and it was a success! The surgeon gave a great report - including that the bone looked perfectly healthy! So we have every reason to be hopeful that his healing process will be quick and relatively painless. He is still battling shoulder pain and may have surgery on that at some point.
The mission in the Dominican continues to move forward. Construction of the clinic is in motion. The online fundraiser we did at the end of the summer raised over $24,000 for all of the interior pieces of the clinic (windows, doors, tiles, etc.). We are honored to put a plaque in each room with a dedication from the person who sponsored the space. It truly was amazing to see our community come together and sponsor these costs! Thank you to all those who donated, allowing us to open the clinic timely! We are planning another online fundraiser for later in November in lieu of our annual auction. More details to come.
As of right now, the Ministry of Public Health has not fully re-opened all of the sectors that fall under their jurisdiction. This means that our mobile medical clinic program is not yet allowed to see patients. Please pray with us that they re-open timely. Many of our patients are suffering from this decision - patients that rely on blood pressure medication, severely malnourished children, women who need pre-natal care and many other needs that are left unmet. We have already received word that several children and adults have died directly related to the lack of access to healthcare. Please pray for this special intention!
Over the last couple of months there have been storms that came through Elias Pina. One of the storms took off the roof of the Mission House in Palo Seco! Completely gone! Thankfully the owner of the home was very quick to respond and it has now been repaired. For those anticipating coming down to work in 2021 - you will see a brand new roof in Palo Seco!
2020 has been a crazy year that no one anticipated. We want to thank you for all of your prayers and support during this time. The community that God has provided for our family and for the mission continues to blow us away with spiritual support and generous giving. Thank you for being part of our team!
-For the health of our whole family, especially for Adam's foot and shoulder, that he may heal and be ready for return to the mission in mind and body.
-For the re-opening of mobile medical clinics in the province of Elias Pina
-For the continued health and safety of Kailey, who is currently in the Dominican Repulic, along with Dr. Angel, his family and all of our Dominican staff and local friends
-That the construction of the clinic would continue to push forward, even in the face of obstacles related to COVID-19, so that we can open and serve those who need it the most
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
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
Matthew 5:43-44
Love. It’s the first and simplest commandment in terms of rules. However, it’s also one of the more difficult to follow. Not for reasons people often assume. It’s easy to love your children, your spouse, your parents and relatives. Sometimes it’s not though. Sometimes, it’s the most difficult to love the most obvious. Ourselves. Even more so, going a bit further, our enemies. With social media being the modern propaganda arm for any would be radical group or government ideologist, groups in control often seek to divide the masses. Perhaps because united as one, we are unstoppable. Divided we fall.
You see the social media posts, “so and so is a nazi” “so and so is a racist” etc. Most of us roll our eyes and know a shill when we see it. Don’t fall into the trap. I see life in memes now since we have kids under the age of 7. I can no longer look at an article and give it proper attention since my life is filled with bathroom breaks, snack breaks then lunch, then dinner, dishes, trash etc. I can’t forget to mention all the wonderfully amazing snotty kisses and spaghetti sauce-laden hugs. Thank the Lord Jess handles most poopy diapers that are horrific. (thanks Jess, you’re a lifesaver). I assume most people are entirely too busy to give any real research into any given subject that may be an important topic of the day. They look at memes. I look at memes. For those who may not know, a meme is typically a photo that sums up an idea with a text based message scrolled across it. Or a gif with text. I. E. “My life right now...” and it’s a picture of a raccoon in an attic with 9 babies. Which is funny because the author had 4 kids in less than 7 years. .
The meme is and will continue to be a powerhouse of attracting and spreading misinformation, ideas, truths and also, unfortunately, lies. What the point of all of this? Well time. Attention to things is less and less as our lives become more filled with technology. It almost seems like part of a grand plan to overload us, then easily distract us making us forget our purpose here. It’s to love! If anything we’re doing is anything but loving one another, it’s not of God.
As most of you know, we were slated to return December 28th to the DR. Our newborn daughter (Oct 5th) was diagnosed with bronchiolitis making it impossible to travel that day. We decided to put off travel and change our tickets for Jan 2. This fall and winter while we were home we sent out a mailer detailing what we’re doing, what we’ve done and what we need to keep doing the things. We are humbled and honored by the huge response. We’re much closer to our goal for a utility vehicle for our family/mission in the mountains. We have a ways to go still, but it got me thinking about how we can communicate more effectively as a mission. If you know me personally, then you know I LOVE memes. So I put this out there as a pseudo poll. Would anyone want to see a monthly meme from BBOH? It would be via Facebook because that’s what we use mostly. I know all the cool kids don’t anymore, but we’re older now so we aren’t as hip as we once thought we were. This would be a meme that’s pertinent to the topic for the month in order to draw conversation or ideas from. They would be uplifting, funny, or a tear jerker. I would love to hear your thoughts. These memes would either revolve around our family as a missionary family, our organization etc. One thing we never do, nor will ever do, is political memes or memes that hurt people in any way. That’s our rule. So send us your thoughts!
!
Also, remember to love your neighbor, enemy and yourself!!
Keep us in your prayers! Have a great 2020!!
PS. In typical Carlile fashion, this blog was written before the New Year but we got tied up caring for a sick baby Camila (she's better now, praise God!), traveling to the DR and receiving an awesome team from Rockhurst University that it is just now being posted. We have settled into life back in the DR somewhat chaotically but we are thrilled to be back! Please check out our social media for photos from last week's team and to be updated on the teams coming down soon!
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 says it perfectly. The Clinic of Hope Gala was a huge success! We raised just over $20,000!! We cannot thank you all enough for your giving spirit, your faith in us and your incredible love for others. Giving to others in need, to the point of where it hurts is a hard concept. I can’t say I’m proud of the fact that it took me, well into my mid twenties, to figure out what, so many of our collegiate volunteers have already figured out. At the ripe old age of 20 something to boot!
We know that it’s in God's nature to give. When I learned that if I had my palms open all the time, not just when I need something put in it, the amount of things that flowed through those palms, always open, astounded me. I let the Lord put in my palm, then take out joyfully for someone else's needs. And while still open, usually more is put back. The idea applies to much more than just monetary purposes. Sharing feelings, joy and love with others can also work this way. When we close ourselves emotionally to others, we lose out on a rich experience that is what it means to be human. People cannot connect joyfully with someone who has their emotional palms closed shut like a safe. Holding all their shame. It takes time to allow yourself to be that vulnerable. I’m definitely not perfect at it either. I am always work in progress though. As are all of you!
Residency
We had a visit to Chicago last week for a meeting with the consulate of the Dominican Republic. Jess has made a friend there through asking all the things one would need for a residency process. Which, in case you were wondering, is a total paperwork nightmare. I don’t have enough time to explain the seven visits to various Secretary of State offices to find someone to apostille documents... that was just one step that took several days. However, all the steps were completed and we submitted them with our passports for everyone except new baby Camila. She didn’t get her passport until yesterday. The Missionary Visas that will allow us to be residents of the Dominican Republic should be approved this week! The kids' will take a little longer as they need to be sent to the Dominican Republic for processing rather than done in-house at the Chicago consulate. Please pray for them to be expedient with them so it is all handled this month!
Life things
Everyone got a stomach bug that tore through our house. Emmy had it worst. It was just a 24 hr deal, but how difficult. It makes me appreciate the fact that by and large we’re healthy. Being here in the States allows me to participate with the Pinckney Police Dept. One of the events we did was the Cram the Cruiser Food Drive of Livingston County. The donations went to local food pantries just before Thanksgiving. Another I have coming up is Shop with a Cop. Kids with special circumstances are selected every year to partake. It’s an incredible event with some heartbreaking stories. I’ve done it the last 4 years and I cannot say enough about its impact on the community. Jessica is doing amazing. She’s the glue that binds us together. She singlehanded organized our residency, homeschooling for two of 4 kids, preparing catechesis training for when we return and so many other things. I often wonder if I was like that 7 years ago. So full of energy and drive. Camilla is doing really well! She’s gaining weight! She eats like she’s a part of the family and sleeps a bit better and more consistent at night. We are gearing up here for Christmas and to leave for the DR on the 28th of December. We were blessed by my parents allowing us to borrow their 8 passenger Ford Flex to acomódate our growing family when Camila was born. We now need to figure out a solution for a vehicle in the DR. Our Jeep Patriot, on it’s last leg, will no longer hold all of us. This is scary, but we have faith that the Lord will provide!! Jessica did some online training in fundraising via good old fashioned mailings. If you aren't on our mailing list please send us your address and we'll be sure to send you the forthcoming letter.
Please keep us in your prayers this month!! We need them! As you all will be in ours!! We would love to catch up with anyone who would like to. We love hearing about how you all are doing and updating us on how to can continue to pray for you all. Many blessings on each of you!
Love
Adam, Jess, Ben, Emmy, Nico and of course, Camila
In August I lost my childhood best friend of 32 years. He had some imbalances that were unsustainable. Jessica and I came home earlier than expected due to this loss and ended up setting us on a path that I actually am quite thankful for now. Not long after we got home Jess started having a lot of itchy symptoms on her feet and hands. This is a symptom of Cholestatis, which is a condition that can cause infant demise if taken full term. Cami was not due until Oct 24th, so being that we were home almost 3 weeks early, we decided to take the advice and get induced at 37 weeks to avoid any risk to Cami. The month of September was very stressful in regards to the pregnancy. We had multiple trips to the ER and doctor appointments to monitor Camila’s heart rate. It had dropped to dangerous levels a couple times which is scary. By the end of September week 37 couldn’t come fast enough. We wanted to wait to make sure her lungs were developed enough to survive without the NICU.
On Saturday, October 5th at 8:45 exactly 24.5 hours after being induced, Camila Jean Carlile was born at 5lb 6oz and 17” long. The amazing thing was, she was born with a true knot in the umbilical cord. It was white in color suggesting it was being pulled tighter as she grew. This also, if baby goes full term is likely to end in infant demise. We had all the cards stacked against us. However, in John 14:6 Jesus said “Jesus said to him: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
Life is of God. JESUS is life. Even, in the worst case scenario, had Cami not made it, as many children do not make it every day, Jesus is still life. We must have faith and trust that this little life is what the Lord wants in this moment in time. If He chose to take her home before she was born, however heartbreaking this may be for us, ultimately, it’s His child. We’ve dedicated, and will continue to dedicate all of our children to the kingdom of God. I do have faith that the Lord almighty has our families interest at heart. No matter how bleak or devastating life can be, we always have to remember that. We may never understand, but that is the essence of faith.
My heart sings with joy that we were blessed with the outcome we were given. Now, being a family of 6, we start our journey of into the balancing act of ministry and family. At the top of our to-do list is raise money for a new vehicle. Our 2010 Jeep Patriot is on it's last leg -- a dying transmission and leaking oil -- a dangerous combo on mountain terrain. We've been talking with MATS international, a nonprofit that helps missionaries find good vehicles for significantly reduced prices, about the type of vehicle needed for all of our responsibilities: the volunteer program, medical clinics and our family. More to come soon about what we find out! Here in the States we are blessed by my parents allowing us access to their second vehicle. Knowing that our family no longer fits in a traditional 5 passenger vehicle, they traded in theirs for a 7 seater - talk about blessings!
Please continue to pray for our family as we settle into our new normal with baby Cami and prepare for our return to the Dominican Republic.
--Adam
THANK YOU to everyone who came to serve this month!!!! Below are some photos of these programs in action.
Clinic of Hope Construction

New Addition to the Carlile Family!
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!
-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!
Grandma Coffelt, Jessica's mom, came to visit in June, helping us with the kids while we had a team here and doing "Grandma Camp" with the kids. It was a true blessing for us all to be able to spend time together. The kids especially benefitted from some one-on-one time with Grandma having tea parties, baking, doing crafts, etc. We are so grateful that she took the time to come and visit us!

Please pray for those little ones, their families and for our staff as we navigate the emotional stress of these situations. There is third little one from the same area who is also very sick and in the hospital, please pray for his full recovery, in Jesus' name.
Please keep a look out on the new website and BBOH Facebook page for continued updates as the month goes on. We remain grateful for each of you and for your heart to support missions through supporting our family.
In Christ's Peace,
Adam & Jess
It’s that time again! We get to do the will of God! What a time to be alive! There is something about following (or attempting to) the will of our Lord and Savior. Knowing that you’re on a mission from the most high. Of course, it’s not easy. It’s not without its hardships, difficulties and problems. However, it is full of incredible grace that allows us to push through those barriers. When we jump out of the boat like Peter in Matthew 14:29 (“And he said, "Come." And Peter, descending from the boat, walked over the water, so as to go to Jesus.”), we get to ask to come to Jesus. No matter the physical realm. No matter what state the world is in. No matter what the laws of physics say are possible. When we do this, we’re stepping out in faith. That’s why we’re here.
With that said, amazing things that defy physical reality have happened in the last month. We have been presented the opportunity to film a short documentary for the Knights of Columbus “Everyday Heros” campaign. As a knighted 4th degree SK of Assembly 2050 in Howell, Michigan, we have had an incredible base of support from my fellow Knights. Both at Assembly 2050 and Counsel 11791 (3rd Degree at St. Mary’s in Pinckney, MI). The Knights of Columbus hired the production company Spirit Juice to spend a week with us here in the Dominican Republic. It was an incredible experience and very humbling. They filmed myself as well as bits of our life over the course of the week. I was able to speak to why we do what we do here in the DR, what drives us to keep going, and what we need to continue moving forward.
One of the topics discussed was our vehicle situation. Vehicles are the way that we reach people so far outside of our area. They’re an essential part of moving our volunteers up the mountain and moving our family around. We currently have a 2012 Jeep Patriot. We shipped it in 2016 and received it in Jan of 2017. Due to import laws, we aren’t able to sell or transfer the vehicle for 5 years after the receive date (which would be 2022). The problem is, we have put so many miles on this vehicle and put it through so much, that we are now encroaching upon repairs that cannot be done in the Dominican Republic (CVT transmission, 'Continually Variable Transmission', that cannot be replaced and the repercussions of an electrical fire that occurred behind the radio - luckily I put out the fire and the entire vehicle wasn't set ablaze). So we find ourselves again in the spot of needing a vehicle for the mission. Without it we can't get to work, easily transport volunteers or accomplish the mission at hand. We’re currently using it sparingly to preserve the life it has left in it. Please keep us in your prayers on this major point. Dominican law dictates that a vehicle cannot be imported if it’s over 5 years old by the time it’s received. This means if we were to start the process tomorrow, we wouldn’t be able to import a vehicle that’s more than 4 years old due to the shipping process timeline. This is a tall order we know. Not too big for God though!!
It was encouraging to share these types of mission needs through the filmed interviews. The rest of filming the K of C documentary went amazing! We were able to do a sit down interview with Alè, one of the children who lived with us. He came to us at 2.5 years old, unable to walk weighing just 10 lbs. Although he was nervous, he did great! His family was also enthusiastic about being interviewed.
On May 23rd we will be receiving a new group from the University of Saint Francis consisting of 14 people! This is a group that planned a trip to Haiti, but had to back out due to political disruptions and protests. They were referred to us and we planned a 5 day trip with them! They’re going to offer many exciting things for our programs with the inclusion of a livestock veterinarian. I, however will be in Michigan from May 23rd to June 4th. The entire duration of their trip! So please keep Kailey and Jessica in your prayers during that time! So far May has brought us many opportunities to step out of the boat....and it's only May 13th! Though it is uncomfortable, we ultimately desire for God's will to be done regardless of our comfort. We know He won’t let us sink into the raging sea.
God bless all of you for your unwavering support!
--Adam
-For our vehicle, that the Jeep is able to hang in there while we pray through what the next move/opportunity may be for transportation needs.
-For Adam as he prepares to go to the States for 10 days and for Jess and Kailey who will be holding down the fort both at home with the kids and in the field with a new group of volunteers.
-In Thanksgiving for our health!! All three kids got a nasty fever virus with high temps, but they've pulled through, thanks be to God.
-For continued construction of the new Medical Clinic in Rosa la Piedra. Kailey is diligently applying for grants to help cover the next phases of construction.
-For all of the students and staff at the school in El Chivo as we begin to prepare for the end of the school year and graduation for the 5 year old students.
-Last but not least, for our family, that we may continue to be united in mission with our hearts turned toward the Lord as we live out what has been asked of us.
<3
First up: International Volunteer Program
We hosted two college teams this March. The first was from the St. Mary Student Parish at the University of Michigan. And the second team was from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, MI. Both groups were wonderful to work with, ready to serve and embrace life along the Haiti border. We were able to accomplish 6 medical clinics in total, serving hundreds of medical patients and children in the nutrition program. These groups also brought down important donations for medical clinics and for the preschool in El Chivo. For example, the preschool now has all the folders we need to make a portfolio for each child (folders are hard to come by here) AND we have new workbooks in Spanish for each student as well. These are immense gifts to the school that will help us do our job well and finish the school year strong. Some very kind and generous friends also sent down special items to make our Mission House more comfortable, small gifts for the kids and I even got new nail polish (#winning). All in all it was a busy March hosting teams, but a month well spent. Our next volunteer team doesn't come until June, allowing us to focus on the next big project...
Thanks to donations from the K of C council at Kailey's home parish and other donations, we have another $5,000 ready to be invested into the construction of the new medical clinic. Construction began last week and we are all SO EXCITED to see the walls of the clinic go up! To give you an idea of construction costs, $3,000 USD purchased truck loads of cement, sand, rebar and cement blocks (4,000 cement blocks to be exact!).
Dr. Angel reached out to a local avocado farm operated by Dominican business the Macapi Group. They have owned and operated the avocado farms in the region where our clinic will be for generations now. After several conversations and a site visit to the new clinic, they agreed to help us with the transportation of our building materials. This will save the project thousands of dollars in the end as each individual truck charged close to $400 USD for delivery to the work site. So instead of paying for transportation, Macapi has agreed to assist with the transportation of the building materials with their own vehicles which are capable of climbing the mountain. If you have a moment, please check out Macapi on Facebook/Instagram/and in the grocery store... they are an international company with a big heart, genuinely caring about the communities where they grow their produce.
1. Building Bridges of Hope was selected as a partner organization for the 2019 Mission Appeals in the Diocese of Grand Rapids!!! Kailey will be speaking at 3 parishes in the Diocese of GR about our new medical clinic and taking up a secondary collection at each location. This is a DREAM of ours to participate as an official partner in the Mission Appeal. Please keep this intention in your prayers, that the appeals will be successful and provide for the next phase of construction.
2. We have had an AMAZING turnout with an online t-shirt sale! We've already raised nearly $3,000 by selling t-shirts online. THANK YOU to everyone who has purchased or donated!! We are blown away by your support and encouragement! To check out the shirts, click here. The sale runs until April 9, so there is still time to order if you'd like.
Prayer intentions:
-For someone trustworthy to help us with our kids during the day. It's becoming stressful to balance work needs and family needs. Please pray that someone comes into our life to love on our kiddos while we are at work.
-For peace and patience while teaching in El Chivo. Things are going well overall, but progress is slow and steady which can become tedious.
-For true rest during the coming month, Time to rest, recharge and refocus on Him.
This semester Jessica has been teaching in El Chivo as we transition into a Montessori school. It has been a challenge to say the least but the children have adapted very well. We start the day off with more traditional oral teaching and book work, followed by the Montessori work trays focusing on fine/gross motor skills, pre-writing skills and hand-eye coordination. Please keep the school in your prayers! We have 42 kids who come from challenging backgrounds.... which can make the school day challenging as well. This program is 100% funded privately by BBOH donors - thank you to those who have donated to this school year!
The construction of our new medical clinic in Rosa la Piedra is underway! We broke ground in December and have continued steadily. Our initial funds (roughly $20,000) have been spent on the land study, excavation of the land, rebar and pouring of the cement footings. Construction is currently at a stop while we raise the next chunk of funds. We have reached out to Cross Catholic International (the same org that partnered with us for a vehicle for El Chivo Preschool) and with the Knights of Columbus at Kailey's home parish (St. Pius X in Grandville). We will be reaching out to more K of C groups soon and asking for matching funds to further multiply the work of the KofC group from St. Pius X. If you or someone you know is a Knight and would like more info, please let us know!
All in all, we are doing well -- thanks be to God! The next month will be spent with our spring break program (St. Mary Student Parish at the Univ. of MI and Aquinas College), followed by preparations for summer internships and work teams. Never a dull moment around here! Thank you to everyone who has donated to our family, to the mission and to the many projects that we have running. We wouldn't be able to do with without you! Please keep the steady stream of prayers coming as well.... they sustain us! And please be assured of our prayers for you as well.
Prayer Intentions:
--For our children as they continue to adjust to life in the DR. Emy loves spending time with her friends here but it has been harder for Ben to make solid friendships. He is participating in a karate class, hoping to make some friends. Please pray that the Lord sends him a kind friend and eases his loneliness.
--Please pray for balance within our household as we continue to navigate homeschooling, family time, teaching in El Chivo, administrative duties, the new clinic, etc.
--For someone we can trust to help with the care of our children during the work day. We were blessed for 6 weeks with two different people (shoutout to you Olivia and Katelyn!!) who came to help us with our children. But we don't have anyone here right now and still don't have a long term plan in place.
--That as a team the leadership of FUMSIL and BBOH can remain focused on the tasks the Lord has assigned us.
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We are Catholic lay missionaries serving along the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
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