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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Blessings and peace to everyone! I pray that this post reaches each of you doing well and enjoying the beginning of 2022. The end of 2021 was a roller coaster of health concerns and balancing the many moving parts of family life and ministry. 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. We were finally able to get the sea container pulled through customs and all of the furniture was brought up the mountain to the clinic site. It is such a beautiful thing to see! THANK YOU to everyone who donated, organized and moved donations so that these items could reach their final destination in Rosa la Piedra. We are so grateful for your sacrifices! 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. Our preschool and child development center opened during December 2021 for a trial season of classes. We are working toward opening full time this month. Please continue to keep these littlest ones close in prayer and that we are able to continue instilling hope and the love of Christ through hands-on learning. We are also preparing to host our first group of volunteers since the pandemic began. St. Mary Parish in Pinckney MI is sending a small team in February. We are so excited to return to our regularly scheduled mission teams! Please pray for continued good health as we prepare for the team by getting the Mission House up to par and planning all the details of their trip.
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! Happy fall everyone! I hope that each of you are enjoying the cooler weather. Though it's not at all cold here in the Dominican, the weather has shifted to cooler breezes and dare I say it - chilly nights! 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. Early in September we were able to go to the Department of Migration for our residency appointments. It was a long day, beginning with our 9 am appointment and not ending until 6 pm with our medical evals. But I am thrilled to report that everything was accepted and we are moving forward to the next phase! Now we wait 2-3 months for our final appointments. Please keep this intention covered in prayer as well. Construction on the clinic continues to move forward. In all transparency, we are extremely frustrated with the foreman of the project. His responses to our questions and concerns are less than receptive and his attendance at the worksite has been extremely minimal. Things are still steadily moving forward, even if not at the pace that we would prefer haha. Pastor Ryan and his mission group with Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in California raised $30,000 for the solar panel system for the clinic!!! This is a HUGE blessing as the cost of the solar system has been a priority for awhile now. God has been exceedingly generous through His people and their heart for the people on the DR - Haiti border. 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 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! A couple of weeks ago we had to make the very difficult decision to put down our guard dog, Thor. He was a German shepherd from a litter that was born to our friend's dog. He was just barely 1 year old. After a horrible accident (he tried to jump a high gate and got stuck on the iron spikes on the top) he was suffering from paralysis in the back part of his body, leaving two legs unusable. Fortunately, our good friend Jenn is a vet in the capital of the DR, Santo Domingo. She was an immense help after the accident and in the following weeks as we waited for signs of movement in his legs. We wouldn't have been able to give him the care he needed without her and her generosity of time and talent. Thor will be forever missed. <3 As I currently write this, Adam is in Michigan for more maintenance on his feet. He still has one pesky callus that needs to be trimmed regularly and a problem area on the other foot. Please continue to pray for this intention - it is always in the back of our minds and requires monitoring. Adam returns on Saturday. Though his trip was short and to the point, we have missed him terribly and look forward to having him back! 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.
While Adam was in the States, our new-to-us vehicle had major repairs done. The engine (which was supposed to be new) had failed and we needed a new one. Luckily, the seller of the vehicle was responsive and agreed to help us fix the situation. Though it was a large unexpected expense, we were able to get a new motor with the seller paying for half of the cost. Used car sales can be tricky in the US, but especially so in a developing country. God surely was watching over us as the seller went above and beyond to help with the situation instead of simply not returning our calls. Everything was fixed by the time Adam was back in the DR! As many of you know, years ago there was a season of life when we took care of malnourished children in the Mission House in Palo Seco. Though that was a very tough season for many reasons (many kids, lots of sicknesses, stress, etc.), it was also a period of time that I will forever cherish. It was a season that taught me so much about local culture, parenting and family dynamics. There was a set of siblings that came into our care during that time. For their privacy, I'm not going to name them or share photos. However, I want to ask for your prayers for these siblings. All these years later, the kids have grown and so has the severity of their family dynamics. We are working with the parish closest to them in an effort to "build bridges" (see what I did there? hahaha) and meet their needs as best we can. But please, please, please pray for them. Pray that their physical needs will be met and their hearts will be protected - and that ultimately they see God's hand in caring for them. And also pray for us as we have meeting after meeting, attempting to fill the gaps and aide as some sort of hybrid CPS/social services/education intervention. During July I was able to join Dr. Angel and Kailey for consultations in Rosa la Piedra on two occasions. It was surreal to be serving the community from inside the walls of the Clinic of Hope. A dream come true! Y'all know that I teared up (surprise, surprise!) multiple times during those visits. It was so refreshing to see familiar faces, even from behind masks. Being in the actual building brought such a sense of hope and accomplishment... I found myself visualizing all of the ways that we can lift up those villages with long term change and eternal hope. I am looking forward to the completion of the clinic and serving Rosa la Piedra through education and catechesis alongside the medical clinic. Pastor Ryan and Good Shepherd Luthern Church in California contacted us about raising money for the clinic through their annual missions fundraiser. We were so honored to be chosen as a receipt of their efforts. Through their one day event they were able to raise $30,000 for the electrical system, polar panels and batteries for the clinic! AMAZING! I had been worried about the cost of a good solar system. But just like many times before, God provided what was needed for HIS clinic. Preparations for the sea container continue to push forward. So many people have come together to make this shipment happen. We are forever grateful for each of your sacrifices! We have two major moving dates - Aug 13 & Aug 25. On Aug 13 all of the donations will be moved from the Stutzky's house to Grand Rapids Transport (Jenison, MI). Then on Aug 25, the sea container will arrive at Grand Rapids Transport and all donations will be moved from storage onto the container. We need as many strong people as possible to help with all of this moving! If you or someone you know are able to help, please reach out to us. The only items we still need are appliances: refrigerators, generator, stove and washing machines. If you have any of those items, please contact us right away to arrange for transport to the sea container.
Prayer intentions:
-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. Good news!! After weeks of searching and debating the pros and cons of various vehicle makes and models, we finally settled on a new-to-us vehicle both for our family and for work in the mountains. Thanks to the generosity of our support team, we were able to purchase a 2008 Montero, 7 seater with 4x4. Though the Montero is on the older side, it is a workhorse that is easily serviced locally in San Juan. Parts are fairly easy to find and the cost of repairs is relatively low. 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. 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! Planning of the sea container shipment is coming along well. Thank you to everyone who has donated items, medical furniture, their time and resources to make it possible!!! We've been reaching out to companies of all kinds and sizes in search of donations, everything from solar panels to bed sheets. I am BLOWN AWAY by the support that has come out of the woodwork - people buying items on auctions, organizing pickups and drop-offs, finding exam beds, dentist chairs, etc. This is only possible thanks to our amazing volunteers -- you are the best of the best!!! The container is set for pickup on August 27 and will take less than 20 days to make it to the Dominican port. Please continue to pray for the success of the container, that it may be filled with the vitally needed supplies and will arrive without problem to our location near the Haiti border. After lots of back and forth with the Office of Migration, I am so thrilled to say that our residency applications have been approved!!! We can now move onto the next step which is a set of in person appointments and medical evaluations for everyone. Thank you for praying for this intention and please continue to pray us through the rest of the process. Our first in person appointment is on September 20, 2021. Once that goes well, we will wait another 2-3 months for final evaluations. Once everything is approved we will be temporary residents (temporary for 5 years, then granted permanent residency). 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.
Prayer intentions:
-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. Adam had shoulder surgery at the end of January. It was a slightly longer recovery than anticipated including several months of PT. But, thanks be to God, he is good as new! After such a long season of being displaced and moving from home to home, we are finally back in the Dominican Republic! Thank you for your constant prayers! We returned to the DR on May 5, 2021. It some ways it feels like we never left and in other ways it's remarkable how much has changed here over the last year. 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. Almost two weeks ago we got word that Sr. Roselyn Nichols, the co-founder of FUMSIL, wasn't doing well and Dr. Angel got a call that she had asked to speak with him. He tried his best to get to Wisconsin to say goodbye in person, but she passed the night before he got there. (Thank you to the sweet angels that helped with his travel costs, you know who you are!!!) Sr. Roselyn passed on May 31 and was laid to rest in Osh Kosh, WI on June 4, 2021. It's difficult to put into words how much Sister meant to us, to the community in El Llano, to Dr. Angel and to so many people around the world. She was a true servant, spending her life to improve the lives of others. She will never be forgotten. Her passing provided an opportunity for us to catch up with former volunteers who knew her from mission trips (2006-2011) before she retired. Talking about our memories with these people allowed me to process and reflect in a unique way. There were so many moments where Sister showed us grace and love, despite our inexperience with the world. As early 20-something kids, we didn't appreciate her wisdom or her advice as much as we could have. What I wouldn't give to be able to have conversations with her now! Her grace and grit continue to inspire me. Our greatest challenge will be living up to her example and carrying her legacy. It is also our greatest honor. As the clinic construction is more than halfway complete, we are preparing to send a sea container full of furniture and supplies for both the clinic and our mission house. To review the list of items needed you can click here. Grand Rapids Transport is donating storage space in an empty container, which will then be moved to be side-by-side with the international shipping container on a dock. On shipping day, we will move all donations from the storage container to the shipping container. We are SO GRATEFUL for this space. Storage has been our biggest obstacle to sending a shipment. With the help of Grand Rapids Transport, we are finally able to begin the process! Learn more about Grand Rapids Transport here. Recently, Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Brighton, MI did a collection of over the counter medications for our pharmacy and for supplies for mobile clinics. Over the last year, we have had few donations come down in suitcases and these vital supplies are so appreciated. They were able to collect three large boxes of medications and monetary donations we well. We are so grateful for their support!!! A special thank you to Char Curtis, Joanie Jones and Kate Braciszewski for organizing and executing this collection! Our search for a reliable family vehicle continues. We have funds saved from before the pandemic that are designated for a new vehicle, but finding a reliable one here on the island is proving to be tricky. The lawyer for the Diocese is extremely helpful in doing searches for all potential vehicles, checking on past accidents, assessed value and bad tickets tied to a vehicle. Please pray for that we are able to find a good, reliable vehicle that fits our family and is 4x4 for work in the mountains. As always, we are grateful for the sacrifice that each of you have made to allow our family to serve here in the Dominican Republic. We know that your gifts to our family are true sacrifices and we do not take them lightly. Thank you for supporting and praying us through these many seasons of change and ministry. Be assured of our prayers for each of you as well. Please let us know if there is a specific way we can be praying for you. Love, Jessica, Adam & kids Prayer intentions:
-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 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our supporters and friends! I pray that this update finds each of you healthy and doing well. As fall turned into winter, not much has changed for our family. We are still staying at the cabin up north (no cell service is starting to get to me! If you've called it is likely that we never even got a missed call, my apologies for lags in responding). 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!
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. We have continued to work for the mission as best we can remotely. BBOH Board Meetings have moved to zoom allowing us to keep up with the admin side of running the organization. 2021 will be the start of new things behind the scenes: a new board member and updating our quickbooks skills. If anyone with experience in quickbooks is able to help us wrap our minds around a few things, please do let me know! 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 Prayer intentions:
-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 As the weather in Michigan continues to get colder we are embracing the fall colors, sights and smells. There's nothing like apple cider and doughnuts to cure a little homesickness for the DR. :) Everyday it's becoming clearer and clearer that we will be in the States through Christmas. We are currently renting an AirBnB in Alger, MI (near West Branch). We found this place online and after talking to the owner he agreed to rent to us on a month to month basis while we are living out this strange time of displacement due to COVID-19 and health concerns. This has been a huge blessing! Though we are anxious to get back home to the DR, it is comforting to have a place to land for the moment. Our days pass quickly with homeschooling, doctor appointments and working remotely to support the mission from here. We were able to get our dog, Zelie, from the Dominican with the help of a generous American who was traveling back to the midwest. Our family pup has brought a lot of comfort to all of us during such a transitional time. 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! Looking ahead, we are thoughtfully and thoroughly planning for the return of our mission teams. We look forward to having people return to work with us in 2021 with revised protocols and procedures that keep them and the people they serve as safe as possible. If you are interested in coming, please reach out to us for availability. 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! Ways you can pray for us:
-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 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 “You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and you shall have hatred for your enemy.' But I say to you: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who persecute and slander you.”
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! 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
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 Life is so delicate, the balance must be perfect for it to work. Think about it. Perfect ratios of water, air, minerals and amino acids among many other things. If even one component is out of balance you get at the very least genetically flawed specimens. Or, just lack of life.
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 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. 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. Clinic of Hope ConstructionKailey 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! 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! 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! As the temps steadily rise into the mid 90s we've been busy with visitors, teams and interns this summer. Our Volunteer Coordinator Intern, Cassie Herrington, has been here for over a month now helping the mission teams by living in the house with them and leading all evening activities/reflections. The truth is that she is much more than a Volunteer Coordinator. She has also re-vamped our website with a fresh look (check it out here!) and supported our family by loving our kids well. We are grateful for her presence 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! In June we had a team come down with BBOH Ambassador Lindsay Nelson. It was was an awesome blend of people and personalities! We really enjoyed getting to know this group and being able to see old friends like Lindsay and Mo. We had 3 medical clinics and 2 Nutrition Programs & Anti Parasite Distributions. It was a VERY busy week. At a recent clinic in Rosa la Piedra (where we are building the new clinic) we had an AMAZING turnout. Over 150 patients showed up and even more children were brought to be weighed. These patients walked from many different rural villages to make it to the clinic site. 6 severely malnourished children were brought to Las Matas for around the clock care and monitoring by a religious order there. Unfortunately two of the children have since passed away.... a very hard reality that we are once again faced with. The loss of a child to the complications of malnutrition is heartbreaking. I don't know that we will ever become accustomed to this aspect of medical missions. Please pray for our hearts and minds as we remain flexible to the will of the Lord. 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. This month we will be hosting 3 mission teams and a second intern. We have 9 medical clinics planned and 6 Vitamin and Anti-Parasite Distributions. Our good friend Olivia is also coming down closer to the end of the month to participate as a volunteer but then also to stay and help us with the kids for 3 weeks.... a HUGE blessing!
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 To our supports, friends and family: 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. The video will be available soon! We will be sure to share it when it is made public. 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 Prayer requests:
-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 Good afternoon everyone! I hope that this post finds all of you doing well. We have been busy here in the DR keeping up with our International Volunteer Programs, construction of the new clinic and slow (but steady) progress with Montessori curriculum in El Chivo. 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... Construction of the new medical clinic! 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. As we continue to push forward with fundraising, we have two exciting announcements! 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. Enough "thank you's" can't be said to communicate how much we truly appreciate the support of our team back at home in the States. We wouldn't be able to be here without you all. THANK YOU! <3
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. Hello everyone! We pray that this update finds you doing well. The last couple of months have been a whirlwind for us here in the DR. January was busy with two groups. First we hosted Rockhurst University who returned to our program after several years off. It was SO GOOD to see them again! The group was a wonderful blend of personalities and servant hearts. We appreciated their time and talent immensely. Up next was the St. Catherine of Sienna group of 27. With so many volunteers the week looked drastically different from our normal volunteer program. This large group stayed at a retreat center in Las Matas and we had a group of returning volunteers assist us as Work Site Leaders. The week was PHENOMENAL and we accomplished SO MUCH together! So far in February we have only hosted one group -- and they were from our hometown! The St. Mary Pinckney group is always a pleasure to have here. And as a special treat, my mom came as the group leader. It was a phenomenal experience and the kids also LOVED being able to see Grandma.
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. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We are so excited to be back in the Dominican Republic. We arrived back on Dec 9, 2018. Our first few days were spent getting re-acquainted with town and seeing old friends. The kids had a few teary moments as the reality of living here in the DR became tangible. Please continue to pray for their little hearts, that they can re-establish stability after the craziness of the last 12 months. Thankfully, after a few holiday parties with friends and visits to their favorite park, they have become more settled into life here in the Dominican Republic. Our medical coordinator, Kailey, arrived the next week and we hit the ground running with meetings and preparations for the new medical clinic in Rosa la Piedra/Calimete region. One of the most important meetings was with the Bishop of our Diocese, Monsignor Jose Grullon. He is a very kind man with a great sense of humor. I always go into meetings like this one super nervous but then I am put at ease by his gentleness and ability to make us smile. With Bishop Grullon's blessing we are moving forward with the new medical clinic! We are BLOWN AWAY by the support for this project. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to hear our hearts for this area, donated to the cause and encouraged us to push forward. The fundraising event in Grand Rapids in November was hugely successful. In the end, we've raised roughly $20,000 for the clinic so far! With this first installment of funds we are preparing the land, laying the foundation and raising some walls. We are reaching out to other organizations and researching grant opportunities to find a matching grant to cover the remaining funds needed. If anyone has any leads on grants or private donors who would be interested in this type of thing, please reach out to us! On December 20 we celebrated Christmas with our preschool in El Chivo. This was a joy and super fun occasion for our family. Ben and Emily loved being in the school and we enjoyed seeing everyone again. Starting next month (Jan 7), Jessica will be teaching in El Chivo and helping with the transition to a Montessori-style preschool curriculum. We are blessed to have Olivia who will be here for 2 weeks and Katelyn who will be here for 3 weeks to help us with the kids. This will be particularly helpful as Jessica will be at the preschool most days while Kailey and Adam will be at the construction site frequently. Eventually, our vision is for Ben to accompany Jess at the school several days a week so that he can practice Spanish. Our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were very different from years past. We obviously missed being with family but also tried to make the best of it. On Christmas Day we invited other missionaries in San Juan de la Maguana to come over to watch the Polar Express. It was special to feel so warmly received by the other missionaries here. Their presence in our lives has helped our family's transition tremendously. On January 5 we begin one of our busiest seasons with volunteers. Please keep us in your prayers! We have Rockhurst University in January, then the St. Catherine of Sienna Academy. In February and March we will host St. Mary in Pinckney, Aquinas College and St. Mary Student Parish of Univ. of MI. During this time of volunteer programs, construction and family transitions we invite you to follow our Facebook page (click here to see it!) so that you can see photos and updates in real time. We will continue to update the blog monthly as well. We are grateful for the support team that has joined us on this journey which allows our service in the Dominican Republic to be possible. You have stood by our side as we struggled in the States over the last 12 months and have been such a source of encouragement. Thank you so very much! We sincerely could not do this without you! Prayer intentions: -For our family as we re-establish stability for our children, for our new homeschooling journey, and for even more transition in January when Jessica begins helping in El Chivo preschool. -In thanksgiving for two friends who are coming in January to help us with the kids!! And that God would send the perfect person to continue helping us for the following months. -For favor and blessings on the new construction project, especially for the ability to complete the budget and therefore build the WHOLE clinic at the same time. -For greater patience and understanding of ourselves, our children and one another as we continue to walk this journey of mission. It has been whirlwind of a month. We DID make it to the Dominican Republic! Thank you for all of your prayers! We had a great day of travel with zero complications and all the travel blessings imaginable. The night before our flight we specifically prayed for our connecting flight to be close to our first flight's gate so that we would be able to get lunch during our tight layover. Boy did God ever deliver on that one! Our flight from Detroit to Atlanta came in at gate 32 and our next flight to Santo Domingo was leaving from gate 33. If you travel with connections often, you know how RARE this is! We were awestruck and thankful at this little sign of God's hand over our travels. It was also one of the first tangible answers to prayer for Ben, his eyes lit up when he realized that our prayer had been answered so directly!
Once we got into Santo Domingo we were greeted by Kailey, Dr. Angel and Robinson. SO many tears of happiness and tight "squeezer hugs", as the kids like to call them. It was a truely joyful moment! We packed up and made our way to San Juan where our family rents a home. Over the last year our housing has shifted a lot due to our prolonged time in the States. So when we finally arrived in San Juan it was the FIRST time that Adam and the kids had seen the new house. Kailey was gracious enough to move all of our belongings into the new place when we were still in the States (with help from Courtney, shoutout to you amiga!). But Kailey took it even a step further and UNPACKED the basics so that when we opened the door for the first time it truly felt like home. Our living room was all there, the kitchen was set up and our beds were ready for us to fall into them. This was a HUGE labor of love that still makes me tear up when I think about it. The new place is a second story apartment right in front of a park (for those of you who have been to the DR, it is 2 doors down from Dr. Angel's house, in front of the same park). Neighborhoods in the DR often have a very urban feel to them with homes very close to one another which restricts air flow (we still joke about a previous rental house where our living room window was the recipient of a local business' hot air exhaust, haha!). Having the open space of the park right in front of the house makes for nice breezes and a good view of the neighborhood. Like all Dominican houses, it isn't without it's quirks. A big section of tile in the living room had to be replaced and we will likely have to replace more in the future. Perhaps the best part of this house is that Ben and Emily are finally in their own room! They each have their own bed in the room next to ours. I'm not sure who was more excited about them having their own space, the kids or us (spoiler alert: Me. Definitely me. I was the most excited by far!). We brought a few things from the States like familiar bed sheets and blankets to make it feel like home. Within a few nights they were completely transitioned into their own room! Over the course of the following weeks we settled back into life in the Dominican. We re-connected with friends, colleagues and co-workers. We got caught up to speed on each of the projects that we are concurrently operating (preschool, med clinics, volunteer program, etc.) and prepared for the Aquinas College group to come work with us. We were surprised by a visit from Carl, the owner of the Mission House that we rent for our volunteers. He is a YWAM missionary who lived in the area for many years. It was a blessing to spend several days visiting with him. Once AQ arrived we were going nonstop. As a team we worked in the preschool and mobile medical clinics (over 150 patients and 300 children received care thanks to the group!). It was a pleasure to have them working with us! In the interest of transparency, we don't want to paint a completely rose-colored-lens picture either. There were also challenges to our visit. We saw firsthand how our time away had made it hard on our co-workers and how we had dropped the ball repeatedly by not being present over the last 11 months. We love the work of BBOH/FUMSIL and the people in the communities where we operate. So the idea that we've hindered or hurt the program(s) isn't an easy one to swallow. But, once we know better we can do better. And thanks be to God we are in a position to DO better, to roll up our sleeves and get to work. So, back to work we go, more dedicated and motivated than before to "stumble toward heaven" (shoutout to Padre Dan!) and bring as many people with us as we can. PRAYER INTENTIONS: --For the success of the upcoming Clinic of Hope Gala in Grand Rapids, MI. Funds raised will allow us to build a permanent clinic in a desperate region. A few prayers for our nervous jitters about public speaking would be great too! More info about the event here. --For BBOH and FUMSIL leadership, that we remain grounded by the call of God to work in this area of the world and are guided by the Holy Spirit as we plan the details. -- In thanksgiving for all that God has provided for our family: safe housing and the ability to serve thanks to our committed sponsorship team. Well folks.... we had a flight itinerary and a concrete plan for when we would be returning to the Dominican Republic. Our flight schedule had us departing Detroit last week at 6 am (waking up at 3:30 am!) and arriving in Santo Domingo at 1:17 pm. The day before our arrival Kailey and Dr. Angel had driven our vehicle to the capital to be at the airport to pick up our little family circus. Ya'll... I was EXCITED. Just hours away from landing on Dominican soil... the feelings were something comparable to the first day of school jitters mixed with the excitement of Christmas morning, topped off with a sprinkle of anxiety about traveling with 3 small kids. So many things all rolled into one.
And then 1:00 AM hit. Our sweet, sparkly eyed Emily woke up out of a deep sleep sicker than I have ever seen her. Everything she had eaten that day came back up and then some. Adam is still in one of the various stages of shock. The human body is amazing. That's all I can really say. So we called Delta Airlines in the middle of the night, explained the situation and they were more than accommodating, waiving some of the fees/restrictions. #deltaforthewin We will now be leaving for the Dominican Republic TOMORROW MORNING. As I type this, all three of the kids are tucked into bed sound asleep. All of our bags are packed and loaded into the vehicles. It almost feels too good to be true. Please continue to wrap our family in prayer over the coming weeks! We will be updating soon with how the adventure (and God's grace!) unfolds. Thank you for your support! Prayer intentions: -For our transition back to the DR, smooth travels, calm children and content hearts as we re-establish life in a place that we love dearly but haven't been to in almost a year. -That we may keep our eyes focused on Christ and on the mission that He has placed on our hearts. That we may accept the things that have changed while we were gone and for the grace to move forward as a unified team. -That God would provide a solution to our need for childcare in the Dominican, providing someone trustworthy who can love on our kids while we are at work. Happy Friday everyone! We hope that this update finds you doing well and enjoying this late summer/early fall weather. We are SO EXCITED to share that our health concerns on all fronts are MUCH BETTER! Adam is completely healed from surgery. His stitches are gone and the hole on the bottom of his foot is completely healed up. Jessica is also feeling much better after her surgery, back to being mobile and picking up the kids! We feel so encouraged by these major improvements We are hopeful that we will be able to return to the Dominican Republic the first week of October. This trip would only be 4 weeks or so because we have a wedding and our annual BBOH auction that will be held in November. We feel that starting off with a shorter trip is a smart move so that we can ensure our health problems are resolved for the long haul. We have 3 mission teams coming down to work in October (the busiest Oct we have ever had!), so if we are able to travel it will be a blessing to be there during that time. Since we have been Stateside, we have been brainstorming some new ways to expand the blog and create content that illustrates our mission well. One of the ways that we want to bring you "inside" the mission is by inviting former volunteers, local staff and friends to do a Guest Post. Our guests will share about their experience with a particular part or aspect of the BBOH/FUMSIL mission. Our first Guest Post is written by Rachel Hay. We hope you enjoy this glimpse into the experience of a BBOH volunteer and the ways that God can move through short term missions. Guest Post # 1 -- By Rachel Hay"My first international mission trip was an opportunity so intricately put together that it is almost impossible to not see God’s hand in it. He has been working on my heart and breaking down my walls for years in preparation for this experience. I used to be afraid to ever leave my small hometown. I lived a convenient life just within the tiny parameters of my comfort zone. If you would have told me three years ago that I would be doing missions in a third world country, I would have thought you were crazy! I could not have planned this on my own; God was in each step, guiding my heart and feet. He is able to do immeasurably more than anything we could ask or imagine if you will let Him. Through Building Bridges of Hope, we have the opportunity to serve remote villages that do not have any access to medical care. I knew that I would see people who were suffering, sick, neglected, and hungry. I knew that this would be difficult to see. However, what I didn’t know is the imprint that it would leave on my heart. Never again will I be able to casually walk by a situation of suffering without part of my heart breaking. But in exchange, I can step into the Father’s heart and be a vessel of His love for those around me. At one of our clinics, I stood off to the side watching the children get weighed. After one little girl stepped off the scale, her eyes locked with mine. The child walked up to me and held out her tiny arms. I knelt down to her and she instantly wrapped her arms around me. I held her there in my lap for an hour. I felt Jesus in that moment. This was not just a stranger; she was a daughter of the King. Not a word was said but at that moment, two of His daughters from completely different worlds connected. My heart was overflowing, and it changed me. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about that little girl. How is it possible to have such a connection with people in another country that you’ve never met and don’t even speak your language? We are connected because we are a part of the same creation. We connect on the one thing that every person was created to need – to be loved. Love speaks every language. I think that anyone can be kind to a stranger. But what about loving a stranger? That is something that cannot be done passively. We can choose to live in our comfort zone and only make efforts when it is convenient. We can just love people who are easy to love, such as our close friends and family. But God has called us to a much higher and greater purpose than loving only those that love you back. If Jesus fully emptied himself to you, what’s keeping us from fully emptying ourselves to others?" It has been about 10 months since I have stepped “foot” back home in the Dominican Republic.
Jessica spent about three weeks in June down to support our AMAZING Medical Staff Coordinator Kailey Stutzky, RN (read about her trip here). Jessica was also able to move our home into a cheaper accommodation from the house that we were renting since our lease was up. We’ve had more volunteer groups this year than ever before and I feel absolutely terrible I have not been able to do more to assist in the mission God has called us to do. Like a slug, I lay around for months hoping to have a hole heal in the left foot that developed my last trip home (November 2017). The wound became infected. The infection eventually reached the bone, then completely disintegrated the metatarsal joint rendering it useless with fractures throughout the metatarsal. After MONTHS of high powered antibiotics, we concluded that it needed to be removed to be able to heal fully. One of the hardest decisions one could ever make would be to amputate a body part. Albeit, and thankfully, “just” a toe that is not of major significance to balance and walking. Finally, August 10th, I went in for that outpatient surgery. It was successful and pretty painless. In the days after I had some swelling and discomfort, however, far less than I anticipated. I had an appointment 5 days after to have the dressing changed for the first time seeing it uncovered. I’m not going to lie, it was absolutely horrific. It was far worse looking than I had anticipated or imagined it to be. The good side of this is, I can still hobble on it because I don’t have stitches on the bottom (just the top). Now when I put a little pressure on it I notice an incredible difference. The joint no longer is swollen and protruding through the top part of my foot with excruciating pain. Because, well, it’s not there anymore. The toe is no longer dislocated from the joint and fractured because it also is not there anymore. However, I am left with the reminder that some people have to have far worse amputations and difficult decisions to make in their lives. A lot of times in service to their country, a service member may lose a limb or worse in combat situations. I have a lot to be thankful for. I have had an incredible support network over the last 10 months. Countless people laying hands on me and praying for a healing. This was not Gods will. However, it IS Gods will for people to offer their prayers to be combined with mine. We don’t always know the reasons why God allows some things and heals other things. It’s not a reflection of our lack of faith, but a testament to what we’re willing to suffer for in our faith. We have the choice to offer our suffering up to God for what ever we choose. For me, it’s to all of our brave men and women who have been horrifically disfigured from war while protecting our freedoms we enjoy every day. My issues don’t even begin to compare, but I feel it was appropriate given how I feel about my situation. I encourage all if you in times of suffering to pray about and choose what to offer your suffering up for. I promise there is great benefits linked to that choice and action. Please continue to keep us in prayer this month as Jessica is getting her surgery done on August 23rd to have her gallbladder and appendix removed. Double whammy! We’re a #hotmess. We need prayers! I also want to send a special THANK YOU out to our support team that has continued to faithfully give to our family during these last 10 months. We are so grateful for your support in many forms: financial, emotional and spiritual. Thank you all and God bless!! --Adam Hello everyone! I am excited to share this update about our family and the mission! Adam's feet are still... yes, still.... recovering. At the end of May we had to make a hard decision and we opted for Jess to travel to the DR alone to receive the Ladywood High School Mission Team, the Aquinas College group and to do some training with our NEW long-term volunteers. While this was a hard decision to have to make, we are so thankful for the support of family and friends who helped with the kids and allowed our family to be temporarily separated so that we could keep a handle on all of our responsibilities in the DR. Most notably, Deb Coffelt deserves a huge gold star award for her daily help with the kids. THANK YOU!!! Some snapshots of Jessica's time in the Dominican Republic
In the midst of receiving nearly 50 volunteers in two weeks, Jess and Kailey also moved our family home from the house we had been renting for 2+ years into an apartment in the same neighborhood. The reasons for this move were many, but most notably to reduce costs while we are in the States. The MVP award here goes to Kailey who spent countless hours looking at houses with us AND on our behalf while we were away. It feels good to know that our personal items are at a secure apartment complex while we are so far away. This is about as close as we could get to the American storage unit concept!
Just a couple days before Jess was set to fly back to the States she started experiencing some severe pain. Long story short, she went to a Dominican emergency room, got a magic shot of something (no joke, we're still not 100% sure what it was!) and flew back to MI. We went straight to an American ER once she landed in Detroit and she was diagnosed with appendicitis. Though she hasn't had the appendix taken out yet, soon she will be scheduling surgery to remove her appendix and gall bladder at the same time. Prayers please! All in all, it's been a chaotic 6 weeks or so. With both Adam and Jess facing possible surgeries, it doesn't seem that the chaos will be letting up anytime soon. As the old saying goes... "when it rains, it pours".... so we're learning how to dance in the rain. <3 Prayer intentions: -For impending surgeries, quick recoveries and peaceful hearts about outcomes beyond our control. -In thanksgiving for our family, friends and supporters who have kept us laughing and feeling encouraged. -For our children who are very flexible with changing circumstances but also craving stability at the same time. -For guidance as we discern the best schooling option(s) for Benjamin. Last weekend we had the honor of speaking at St. Mary in Pinckney as the official Diocese of Lansing Mission Appeal for 2018. Before the first mass, emotions were running high. Anxiety. Fear. I'm not a fan of public speaking to begin with.... throw in the fact that I was going to mention Papito AND explain how being a self-supported missionary works. I was a nervous wreck. #hotmess It also happened to be Pentecost. AKA the perfect moment ever for us to talk. And the perfect day for me to be reminded that I'm not doing the speech, or anything else for that matter, by my merits alone. That in addition to the first two persons of the trinity I have the Holy Spirit to rely on if I would just remember to ask. This powerful person of the trinity that will assist with anything, big or small, by strengthening the gifts of the spirit and leading us. **Cue Taylor Swift's song "Jesus Take the Wheel"** I know that God is with us. I know that Jesus is walking alongside us, or better yet carrying us, through this season of health issues and stress. But why-oh-why do I forget that fact precisely in the moments when I need to remember it the most? Here's to making a conscious effort to live more in the spirit and less in the worries, stress and frustrations of the flesh. Today, three days AFTER the mission appeal, I am STILL blown away by the show of support for our family and for Building Bridges of Hope. The kind words, hugs and encouragement that followed each of the masses touched my heart in a way that, to be honest, I really needed. To know that people believe in us, recognize this calling, validate it and are praying that we continue to follow the Lord's leading.... WOW. It is precisely what this weary heart needed to hear. I feel more supported than ever before. And I feel empowered. In this season of what feel stagnant, God used each of your expressions of support as a confirmation that we are moving forward in right direction. That are worthy. That He will provide. I always knew in my heart that we aren't meant to go it alone. We are made for community. And I am so grateful that you are part of mine. Last week we also had the blessing of visiting Beulahland Retreats in Beulah, Michigan (near Sleeping Bear Dunes). It is a small housing unit available to pastors and missionaries for retreats. The faithful family who built the apartment are pastors at a local church and felt God tell him to minister to Christian leaders, regardless of denomination. What a beautiful ministry! We are so grateful that they responded to the call and accepted our family as visitors. We truly appreciated the opportunity to rest, pray and take in the beauty of Michigan. Adam and I went to the Sleeping Bear Dunes on our honeymoon so we knew that we wanted to take the kids there while we were so close by. It was just as beautiful as I remembered. During the retreat God spoke to me about roots. He clearly said, "Stay rooted in Me" while I was admiring the beauty of the immense trees surrounding the retreat house. While I reflected on that phrase it became clear that I hadn't been focused on my roots. Lately, I've been distracted by all of the wind tossing our branches and leaves. I've literally felt uprooted and out of place, weakened by the storms of stress and anxiety. But to weather a storm any tree must have deep roots which keep it upright and strong regardless of the powerful wind above ground. What a beautiful reminder. We are rooted in Jesus, come what may, nothing will change that. I also want to give a shoutout to Deb Read, a good friend of ours and a long-time supporter of the mission. She helped us design our family mission cards and recently gave them a facelift with our updated family photo. She also designed one for Kailey, our Medical Coordinator. THANK YOU DEB! We appreciate your time & talent!! While we've been focused on healing, participated in the retreat and did the mission appeal at St. Mary, life has gone on as normal in the Dominican. Kailey is there, continuing to be a rockstar. We hope that you enjoy these pictures of the BBOH Ambassador group that worked with us last week (Shoutout to you Rhonda, Kathie, Karen and others that visited and worked tirelessly!!) PRAYER INTENTIONS:
-Healing in Adam's feet, that we are all able to return to the DR on June 6. -For Divine inspiration and guidance as we continue to fundraise for the Calimete Medical Center -For our kiddos as we make a transition back to the DR, at this point they are very accustomed to life in MI and I anticipate some transition pains. -For peace, strength and good health. |
AuthorWe are Catholic lay missionaries serving along the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Join the Support Team today!
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January 2023
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Serving the Border | BLOG |