I honestly don’t know how it is April. Life seemed to zoom by since my last update in February, but with everything happening in the world right now I have a moment to sit down and catch you up on the last few months down here in the Dominican.
First of all I want to say a special thank you to the Knights of Columbus at St. Pius X
in Grandville. They recently had a fundraising event at Culver’s to raise money to help support me, and the work that I am doing here in the Dominican Republic. The event was a huge success!!! They raised over $2,500 dollars to help me with my everyday expenses; food, student loans, phone, etc. It was so cool to get photos from that night! Thank you again for being so supportive and to everyone that attended the event!
One of the most exciting things that happened since my last blog was for the first time we ran a medical clinic out of our new building!!! No it is not complete, but we have a roof, walls, and space to do consultations. Honestly, it felt a little bit like a dream. When we arrived up in the mountain our plan was not to use the clinic. It had rained so much the night before, and the ground was all muddy that we decided to give it a try. Each of our stations had a place; pharmacy, triage, children nutrition, and the doctor consultations had a back room with an exam table and everything. I was standing in front next to Dr. Angel while we said prayer with everyone. I remember glancing up and seeing all of the people in the room thinking, “Wow! It is actually happening!” It rained both days that we held the clinic, but we did not have to stop or cram into one tiny space. IT WAS AMAZING! I am so thankful to everyone who has donated and been praying for the construction of the clinic… so THANK YOU AGAIN! Check out the Clinic of Hope tab to see more pictures from that day :)
In mid February, we had a group from Saint Mary’s parish from Pinckney and they were an amazing, faith filled group. They spent the week helping at our preschool, assisting in medical clinics up in Rosa La Piedra, organizing our patient records, and they built the materials that we need for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd!! For those of you who do not know what this is, it uses Montessori teaching principles to present the Catholic faith. We now have a room at our Preschool designated for this!
During the first week of March, we had a group of college students from the University of Michigan. They also had a busy week at the preschool, with long medical clinic days, and organizing their donations that they brought down. HOLY SMOKES! These last two groups blew me away. It honestly felt like Christmas! We received many different meds, formula, peanut butter, materials for El Chivo, and SO much more. We are so blessed by the very generous donations! We are even more thankful because of the season that we are in with the COVID-19 virus all of our groups have canceled until June…. hopefully life by then becomes more normal so we are able to receive our groups at that time. The medications that we received from the past two groups should keep us running just fine until Summer :)
I just recently celebrated my 28th birthday!! Although it was during the quarantine, the Carlile family made me feel pretty special!! They made me dinner, the kids put on a show for me, and we ended with a dance party!! It was wonderful!
I AM OKAY! I have been asked by a lot of people how myself and the Dominican Republic is doing with COVID-19. Just like the rest of the world, I am also sitting here in quarantine. All stores are closed minus those essential places, and we have a curfew where we all need to be in our homes from 5pm to 6am.
Most of you probably know by now that I do not sit for long periods of time very well. I am going a little bit stir crazy but I am sure most of you are as well. I have cleaned my house, organized and cleaned my kitchen, done all of the laundry, managing to keep my plants alive, have spent more time with God than I have in a long time, and have been able to talk with a lot of friends and family. Everyday I find myself feeling more thankful for what God has blessed me with; a roof over my head, food in my fridge, my health, friends, family, my support team and my dog Luna. I am so happy that I have a dog during all of this. She keeps me entertained :)
I have received countless messages, phone calls, and emails from people over the last couple weeks and I feel very loved, Thank you! Please know that I am praying for all of you. Stay healthy, safe, and appreciate the extra time that we get to spend with loved ones. Please let me know if you have special prayer requests!
One of our dear friends, Sister Lluvia in Haiti, who I am convinced will be a Saint, reminded us that we need to hold on to faith, recite psalm 91 and pray a Rosary every day. I encourage you, if you have time to spare, to do the same.
Prayers and blessing to all of you!
Kailey Stutzky
Psalm 91:
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust
Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers.
and under his wings you will find refuge:
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart
You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plaque that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will life you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will reduce him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
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