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Though our time in the States was short, it was also jam packed with events, opportunities to catch up with people that we love and many, many meetings. We want to send a BIG thank you to those that were able to come to our Sponsor Pot Luck earlier this month. It was a great opportunity to share what we have been up to and where we are moving as an organization in a more intimate setting. The second big event that occurred this month was our Charity Auction 'Raise the Roof', organized by the BBOH Ambassador team and several amazing volunteers (shoutout to you Anna and Deb!!!). The event was our first in the metro Detroit area which made some aspects more challenging. Yet, the turnout was amazing! We had 75 people attend the dinner and silent/live auctions!!! And the event raised over $12,000... AMAZING! Thank you to everyone that worked on this project, attended the event and donated to support our mission. It was a humbling experience to be surrounded by so many people that believe in what we are doing... THANK YOU! For part of the time that we were home Dr. Angel Valdez was in Michigan with us, bouncing from meeting to meeting. We want to thank everyone that had us over for a meal, took the time to see us and speak words of encouragement into our hearts. We hope you know how much those opportunities mean to our family. Now that we are back in the DR, we are getting settled into the swing of things. Ben started school this week and so far is enjoying it (no tears this year.... knock on wood). With Dr. Angel still in the States (he's in Boston visiting family) things are a bit slow which is a huge blessing allowing for some rest and a slow transition back. As always, thank you to those who sponsor our family monthly, allowing us to pursue this life of service. We [literally] wouldn't be able to do it without you! We are still in need of sponsors to reach our monthly goal so if you feel the tug on your heart please consider becoming a sponsor and joining the mission in this special way. We are always willing to answer questions or help in any way. Please click here for more information.
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By: Kailey Stutzky, BSN RN
BBOH Colleague and Supporter Dr. Angel, Francois, and myself made our way to Port au Prince with our dear Nelson and his father a little over a week ago. The drive with Nelson and his dad was an adventure to say the least. The drive itself feels like you are on a rollercoaster… for three hours…. The best way I can explain it is if you have ever been on the ride at Michigan adventures.. Mouse trap?!?! The one that makes you feel like you are going over the edge but then you make a quick sharp turn and continue along the track… well that is what this road is like. We finally made it to Sister Lluvia's house where Nelson was welcomed with open arms by both her and the seminarians. He will be living in downtown Port au Prince and will be given the opportunity to go to school for the first time in his life. Our time spent with Sister that day was brief because we needed to make it back to the border before it closed. I have been very torn about this whole decision to take Nelson out of his home once again and bring him to another place to live. There would be days where I would be so ready to get him out of the situation that he was living in but then other days I would feel so sad that Nelson would be taken away from his family. I had been praying a lot, really trying to make sure that what we were doing is God’s will and not just us. After seeing him with Sister I felt the biggest sense of peace. It was exactly what I needed to know -- that we were doing the right thing. Nelson felt right at home as soon as we got there. Within 10 minutes he started acting exactly like I remembered him in Palo saco. We were playing a hide-n-seek type game and he would look at me with this shy smirk. If anyone knows Nelson, this is his signature look!! While happy to receive Nelson, Sister Lluvia was also very honest and direct about our responsibility to help provide for him. Since she does not have an orphanage for boys there is no program that he directly falls into. Therefore, we are tasked with the responsibility of covering his school supplies, uniforms, and pay tuition. He will also need clothes, shoes, hygiene products, etc. That day we dropped Nelson off he only had two outfits. And one pair of shoes that were incredibly small. While in the States Adam and Jess got approval for BBOH to set up a specific savings account deemed "Children's Advocacy Fund" which will collect donations for Nelson (and eventually other children as well). Please consider donating to this fund and helping us cover Nelson's school fees and basic necessities. You can reach us at bbohdr@gmail.com for specifics on how to donate. UPDATE: I had the opportunity to Skype with Nelson a few days ago and he is doing SO GOOD. He thanked me for taking him to Sister's and said that he is very happy there....a beautiful confirmation that we did the right thing given the circumstances and resources available. Thank you all of your prayers over the last couple of months as this story unfolded! We are home! It feels so good to be reunited with family and friends. We arrived in Detroit late last Sunday and we'll be here until Aug. 16th. We have two big events while we are home. Mission Sponsor Pot Luck Wednesday Aug. 2 7:00 PM St. Mary Pinckney We would like to invite all of our mission partners, supporters and friends to a Pot Luck while we are home in Michigan! This will be our opportunity to visit and spend quality time with everyone before we return to the DR. We will provide the main dish, please bring a salad or side to pass while we enjoy fellowship and plenty of laughter! Raise the Roof -- Live & Silent Charity Auction Saturday Aug. 12 5:30 PM Corsi's Restaurant and Banquet Hall Join us for an evening of food, fun, and fellowship as we raise funds to support BBOH activities, including the startup of construction for a Mission House. .
Tickets can be purchased online here! Many of you have been praying for and following Nelson's story. I want to say THANK YOU to everyone that has kept him in your thoughts and prayers! Dr. Angel and Kailey hiked to his family's home and presented the idea of living in Port au Prince and going to one of Sister Lluvia's schools.... the family happily accepted the offer! The mother figure of the household even went so far as to say that she would rather know he is living in another city than to watch him die in their home. Amen! In order to take Nelson to Port au Prince we had to get the paperwork for FUMSIL's truck in order. This was a process of bouncing from one government office to another, verifying that the vehicle isn't stolen and that we have the proper insurance and legal permission to cross the border. Thanks to several long days in Santo Domingo (shoutout to Angel & Kailey!!) the paperwork is in order. We will be setting up the date in the coming days. Since Adam and I are here in the States, it will be Dr. Angel, Kailey, Francois and Nelson's father that accompany him on the trip to Port au Price. As always, please pray that the Lord's will be done. If it is His will for Nelson to go to school in PAP, that nothing may prevent that opportunity from happening (and if it isn't His will, that it doesn't happen and a different solution is found for Nelson).
I'd like to add another little one to your prayer lists, if I may.... Her name is Maria. She is 5 years old and very, very small. She weighs approx. 23 lbs. Maria has epilepsy and other undiagnosed complications. Despite the best of efforts to find her the proper balance of medications, her symptoms are not controlled and she is at a desperate point. One of the Sisters explained it to me like this: she is at a fork in the road.... either she gets specialist attention, various forms of therapy and the consistent care she needs... or her quality of life will continue to deteriorate and she'll be in the Lord's arms within the year. Please pray for Maria, her family and all those that have cared for her over the last several years. She is a sweet little angel and we desire to help as best we can. We are starting by reaching out to specialists in the States that are willing to review her file and consult from afar. Realistically, it would be nearly impossible for her to travel to the States for treatment but we are hopeful that a specialist from the States could provide other treatment ideas, medications or the like which would improve her overall prognosis and quality of life. Thank you for your prayers!!!!! **As always, names and detailed have been changed and/or omitted to protect the privacy of children and their families. I am so excited to share with you all about our short journey into Haiti earlier this week. It truly was a God ordained trip. Although we got off to a rough start with Dominican border/customs offices giving us a hassle about paperwork, we eventually crossed the border at 1:30 pm, arriving in Port au Prince around 5:00 pm.
Since it took us so long to cross the border, we had no choice but to stay the night in Port au Prince (border closes at 6:00 PM). When we got into Port au Prince we met up with Kailey Stutzky (our long time friend) and a group from Grand Rapids, MI area (specifically the Catholic parishes in Grandville and Pewamo). Despite our late arrival the group of fellow travelers embraced our presence and made us feel very welcome at their "home" for the week. Several of them even rearranged their bedrooms (slept on floor cushions or doubled up in twin beds) so that we would have rooms for the night. Their sincerity and hospitality was astounding and a true testimony of what it means to "welcome the stranger". Two of the members of this group are particularly important to me. The first is Michelle. She is Kailey's mom and one of my most honest sounding boards. She has sat with me as I've cried and laughed about all of the crazy things that have happened over the years. And she is one of our greatest prayer warriors. To share some time, however short, with her in Haiti was a true treat. The second person that I was excited to see was Jean Paul. I first met Jean Paul in college when I was involved with the Haiti projects run by Aquinas College and the International Haiti Conferences that were hosted by the college. As a Haitian - Dominican he brings a unique perspective to the table. Over the years I have gleaned a lot from his stories, experiences and advice. I surely wouldn't be the same missionary I am today without his insights during my formative college years. As a resident of Grand Rapids, he often serves as a guide and translator for missionary groups going to Haiti.
Before we arrived in Haiti, Kailey had the opportunity to speak with Sr. Luevia about Nelson, a very special boy in one of our communities. If you didn't get a chance to read the last post, please scroll down to the recent blog titled "An aching heart" to learn about his situation and relationship to BBOH. After explaining Nelson's story Sister responded very humbly saying, "You can bring him to me. I will find a place. This is my job." Those three small sentences instantly relieved a great amount of pressure and worry. This is an opportunity for Nelson to continue to live within his own culture, speaking his native language, surrounded by a faithful Catholic community. He will receive an education. A good education. And yet, as he gets older will have the ability to decide for himself if he will visit family during holiday breaks or summer vacation. Quite literally, this is a combination of the best outcomes. Of course, there are several steps before Sister actually begins caring for him. Please, please join us in prayer with the specific intention that if this is the Lord's plan for Nelson, may nothing prevent or delay his transition into a healthy and loving environment. We will be sure to update as things unfold. Our next steps include several hikes into his home community to speak with the biological family about this new option. Prayers for safety and ease of conversation are greatly appreciated. As you read through this and other blog posts, we want to remind you of the great role that our sponsors play in this mission. We truly wouldn't be here working on behalf of Nelson or anyone else without your financial support and prayers. We are profoundly grateful for your presence in our mission. Thank you to each and every sponsor! If you want to learn more about sponsorship please click here. REMINDER: Our charity auction, Raise the Roof, will be held on Sat, August 12, 2017 from
5:30 PM – 11:00 PM at Corsi's Restaurant and Banquet Hall (27910 W. Seven Mile Rd. Livonia, MI 48152) Tickets are available for purchase at our Eventbrite website. We can't wait to share food and fellowship with you! There has been a burden heavy on my heart for the last month or so. I've been thinking about it everyday.
His name is Nelson. He lived with us in 2012 when we took care of severely malnourished children at the Mission House in Palo Seco. Back then we referred to him as 'Big Nelson' because he was almost 4 years old and we also had a younger Nelson who was close to 1 year old. Big Nelson was known for his infectious smile, hypochondriac tendencies (you should have seen it when he had a hangnail...end of the world haha), and his fierce independence. To this day he is the only child who came into the house so very sick but insisted on washing dishes at the sink and putting his own shoes on. Needless to say, he is a special little boy who has earned a very guarded place in all of our hearts. He was returned back to his biological family about 8 months after we first met him. In subsequent years we began sending interns into the mountainous region where he lives to do community health assessments as this region of Haiti - DR is in desperate need. I'm devastated to report that since returning home in 2013, Nelson has become severely malnourished several more times, bouncing in and out of the Nutrition Center in Las Matas. Most recently (May 2017) he was brought to our medical clinic in Rosa la Piedra in a very severe state. You see.... all of this is particularly worrisome because the human body can only overcome the trauma of malnutrition a finite number of times. Brain and organ damage are very real and very serious consequences of repeated severe starvation and hunger. Our greatest fear is that Nelson will pass away from malnutrition complications similarly to Papito (a young boy who died at the age of 9 in 2014). And while the poverty that leads to such cases is a real - devastating - tragic reality of our world, there is a poverty that is far greater. "We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty." --St. Mother Teresa On top of material poverty, Nelson is also living in a home that is spiritually and emotionally poor. Nelson's biological mom left him with his father 'when he only had 2 teeth' (the only indication of age that we were given, information we received and verified through the community and family members). His dad and step mother haven't had a particular interest in him, and many accuse/suspect this is why he has been fed very little. There are multiple types of abuse taking place between members of the household. ....and so many more examples of being unwanted and unloved. And yet -- despite all of this information -- Nelson was returned to his biological home 10 days ago. He made major improvements over the last month (which I credit in part to your prayers! Thank you!). As a Haitian child with living parents, whose home is actually in Haiti (as opposed to on the Dominican side of the border) our hands are very much tied. There is no social safety net that his case would fall into, there is no social worker, case worker or foster home. The reality of life here is that we had to return him to his biological father, knowing full well the abusive environment. Talk about a bad day at work. So many tears, frustrations and feelings of failure. Yet -- our hope is in Him. The Lord of the universe loves Nelson in a way that my human mind can't even comprehend. God has been with Nelson every single day of his difficult life and will continue to be present. As a team, we have by no means given up on Nelson's case. We continue to pray for guidance for God to open to doors so that we can provide a better future for him and all of the other children like him living along the border. At this time we are learning more about how the Haitian version of social services operates with great hope. As two organizations (BBOH and FUMSIL) that operate in the DR, we must pursue the legal and moral route -- which often means lots of red tape, waiting and delays. Tomorrow we are going to Port au Prince to meet with a parish group from Michigan that supports a religious sister, Sr. Lluvia. We are filled with hope that Sister can help us navigate the murky waters of Haitian politics and social services. This is also a particularly special trip as we will be picking up one of our good friends, Kailey, and bringing her back to the DR with us for a visit. I hope that this post has served as a glimpse into the "child advocate" hat that we wear as missionaries here in the DR. Of all of our responsibilities, this is one that I hold particularly close to my heart. Special Intentions: For safety, perseverance and peace as we continue to discern exactly what can/should be done to help Nelson and all other children in similar situations. For travel mercies as we embark on a short trip to Port au Prince, Haiti tomorrow (6/26). For Nelson's mind, body and spirit - that he may feel the loving presence of Jesus in the most lonely and difficult moments. In Thanksgiving for Olivia, a supporter and friend who has come to the DR for 6 weeks just to help us with our children. Her presence is a true blessing, allowing us to accomplish so much! **All information mentioned about Nelson's family was received from aunts, uncles, siblings and bio parents themselves. All info was verified through our community connections. **Nelson's actual name is not Nelson. This was the name that we used for him when he lived in Palo Seco, but it is not the name that he is known by within his community. This and other identifying facts have been altered and/or left out for his personal privacy. **No photos of Nelson will be published nor will be taken in accordance with the Nutrition Center's photo policy and our desire to honor his human dignity. As I type this I am sitting in the spare bed room at my in laws house in Michigan. Ahh, how nice it truly is to be home surrounded by family, friends and the little things that just scream 'home' (like a cup of American coffee with flavored creamer, mass in English and friendly, familiar faces). At the start of our trip we were welcomed back by the good 'ole midwestern flu virus. Ben even had a stomach emptying episode on our last flight. #memorable But, now that we are all feeling better we've been scurrying around from meeting to meeting, trying to see as many people and get as much done as possible. If we haven't seen you yet -- please forgive us! This trip was particularly short and we will be doing a SPONSOR POT LUCK in August when we return home. We look forward to catching up face to face with more people then. One of the most exciting events we want to share with you all is our BBOH Charity Auction! We met with the BBOH Ambassadors and their dedicated Auction Planning group -- and we were BLOWN away! They have put so much time, energy and passion into this event....we are truly humbled by their love for Building Bridges of Hope and FUMSIL. Please join us for an evening of food, fun, and fellowship as we raise funds to support BBOH activities, including the startup of construction for a new mission house.
Please check out the Raise the Roof website here for more info and to purchase tickets online!
If anyone is interested in putting together a silent auction basket or donating a live auction item, please contact Lindsay Nelson (our Lead Ambassador and Chair of the Auction Committee) at nelsonlinds1@gmail.com We greatly appreciate all of the donations, allowing us to raise the needed funds to continue reaching out to people along the Haiti - Dominican border!  As April came to a close and May begins we want to catch everyone up to speed on another of our newest ventures: the LONG TERM VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. *insert all types of hooting, hollering and general good cheer* This is a program that has been a long time coming. The vision statement of the program reads: Long term volunteers commit to the work of both BBOH and FUMSIL for up to 2 years. Their leadership, expertise and old-fashioned hard work are an integral part of what makes BBOH a highly respected grassroots organization impacting communities along the Haiti-Dominican border. Volunteers will be accepted on a rolling basis with flexible starting dates. QUALIFICATIONS:
Ladies and gents: we are SO EXCITED about this program!!!! We are finally in a place both professionally and personally to welcome like-minded people into a life of service here in the DR! How awesome is that?! God is GOOD and FAITHFUL to this mission. After extensive conversations with BBOH and FUMSIL leadership we have come up with a list of the jobs/areas where we can best utilize extra hands. They include: volunteer and mission house management, school sponsorship program, home visit coordinator, English teacher, music teacher, medical professional(s) i.e. RN, PA, MD, etc. With a variety of skill sets needed and lots of room for flexible scheduling, we are hopeful that the Lord will send us the perfect people for these positions. BBOH will be providing a separate housing accommodation for the long term volunteers where they can grow in community together in the town of El Llano. We will also be providing a living stipend and wifi. I have to say it again -- how awesome is that?! It is humbling to see a long term vision come to fruition. We are more focused on the quality of the applicant than the quantity, therefore we have opted to leave the application process open indefinitely with rolling start dates throughout the year. Our first pair of volunteers are set to begin ministry in July 2017. Please share this information about our LONG TERM PROGRAM far and wide! We want as many applicants as possible and we have the work on the ground to keep them busy! Inquiries for more information can be sent to: bbohdr@gmail.com  Missionary Ladies Retreat in San Juan, April 2017 Onto our personal updates.... Last weekend I had the opportunity to go on a Ladies Retreat with other missionary women who live in San Juan. It was a great day of prayer and reflection through the Velvet Ashes website for women serving overseas (I highly recommend them!). The whole experience felt somewhat surreal as I reflected back to May 2016. One year ago we were identifying our need for community and fellowship. Those were some of the driving forces behind our decision to move to San Juan..... and there I was experiencing exactly what my heart had been longing for. My how much can change in one years time. Amazing. God is FAITHFUL. We have come to love this town and all that it has to offer. Ben is enjoying school. Emily is growing like a weed -- and just about walking everywhere. We celebrated our first Easter here in the DR. It was a quiet day with a delicious dinner and then mass and spending time with Angel and his family. We surely missed the Easter egg hunts and family dinners from Michigan, but we made the best of the day! **Honorable mention goes out to my mom, Debbie Coffelt, for making sure that the kids had small Easter baskets and little surprises from home on Easter morning. Thank you! MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
There are two important events coming up! The first is our short visit home from May 20 - June 8. We would love to see YOU! Please comment or send a message with info about when you are available. We hope to see everyone! The second is our annual auction fundraiser, RAISE THE ROOF! It will be held at Corsi's Restaurant & Banquet Hall in Livonia, MI on Saturday August 12 from 5:30 - 11:00 PM. Tickets will be available for purchase online SOON! This event is put on by our BBOH Ambassadors and a team of dedicated volunteers. It will surely be a fun evening with a live & silent auction, dinner and lots of laughter. Dr. Angel, Adam and I will all be present as well. #epic We look forward to celebrating the mission with you! <3 After a busy spring we are happy to take advantage of this lull in the volunteer program to dedicate time and resources to new projects. As some of you may know, we have been talking about building our own BBOH Mission House for quite some time. With so many balls that we have been juggling, it has been easy to let this project take a back burner. However, now that we live here FULL TIME we can take advantage of these weeks between volunteer groups to move the vision forward. Why a new Mission House?We have quickly outgrown our humble accommodations in Palo Seco. This three bedroom single family style home has been a big part of our story here in the DR. However, as our projects have expanded and our volunteer groups have grown, we simply need more functional space to accommodate visitors, to hold meetings and to embrace the local community in fellowship. Our visionWe desire for this new mission house to not only be available for our international volunteers but also for other missionary/humanitarian groups who come to Elias Pina. Our open arms to embrace other likeminded groups and provide them with a safe place to sleep while serving in their own projects is at the center of our heart. We desire to impact the local economy by providing steady jobs in meal preparation, care-taking, office administration and other fields. The presence of a retreat center style Mission House will also lift up the local Catholic community. For the first time there will be a place to gather for mens & women's retreats, catechism classes and trainings, extended stay youth activities, local medical missions, etc.
Preparation and PlanningOver the last two weeks we have been in contact with a local San Juan political figure (I think her role would most closely translate to Mayor) who is also an architect. Through a series of God-moments she has happily agreed to join us on this adventure. She cleared her schedule to visit the property that FUMSIL (and subsequently the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana) own in El Llano (shoutout to you Rose Marie!!). A topographer has already visited the land, taken measurements and will then provide a comprehensive map of the property. With this map, our architect will design the layout of the project, dividing it into phases of completion. We are beyond excited to have the blue prints, 3D images and computer renderings of a project has been on the horizon for so long. We have meetings set up after Easter with the Vicar to Bishop Grullon of the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana to present the project, gather feedback and move toward formal approval of the project. Please pray for the Lord's leading in this huge undertaking. We are looking at a season of construction, capital campaigns and grant writing to make this project a reality. And the best part -- WE ARE EXCITED!!! More information coming soon! Prayer requests: For this preparation phase of building a new Mission House. For the preschool in El Chivo as Dr. Angel moves toward Ministry of Education funding. For our family as we continue to embrace full time missions. (In particular, for our first Easter abroad) Thank you to all of our supporters. We couldn't be here doing this without you!Over the last 3 months the mobile medical clinic program |
 St. Catherine Academy January 2017 |  St. Mary Pinckney - February 2017 |
 University of Michigan, St. Mary Student Parish ASB Program Feb-March 2017 |  Aquinas College Service-Learning Group March 2017 |
We want to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who came down to work with us this spring. Thank you for your time, your talent and your hearts.
We hope to see each of you again soon!
The last month and a half has been quite the whirlwind! Let's start at the beginning...
Last month we had St. Catherine of Sienna Academy come down and work with us for one week. The group was 39 people total (much, MUCH larger than our regular groups). They stayed at a retreat center in Las Matas and worked in 4 different sites on rotation. Being such a large group, this was a big undertaking for our small organization (our groups are normally 10-12 people total). We had an AMAZING leadership team that helped us pull off the entire week. Without them the week would not have been possible.
Last month we had St. Catherine of Sienna Academy come down and work with us for one week. The group was 39 people total (much, MUCH larger than our regular groups). They stayed at a retreat center in Las Matas and worked in 4 different sites on rotation. Being such a large group, this was a big undertaking for our small organization (our groups are normally 10-12 people total). We had an AMAZING leadership team that helped us pull off the entire week. Without them the week would not have been possible.
 BBOH Leadership Team |  St. Catherine Academy January 2017 |
Perhaps one of the most ground breaking, earth shattering things to be come out of this trip were the changes to our mission house in Palo Seco. John Rodgers, master engineer, once again offered us his talents for the week. He was able to accomplish a NEW electrical system (we won't get zapped anymore!) and RUNNING WATER!!!!
#gamechanger
We want to extend a HUGE THANK YOU to all those who came to serve, those who came to lead and to the local staff who worked diligently on all of the behind the scenes details.
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