Posted in Personal Stories

Christmas Eve Service…

Posted on by Castillo

We held our Christmas Eve service last night!  

 

All of my children performed special dances  – as well as several of the girls from our Children’s Home. After the performances, we sang Christmas songs together and my dad gave the message. 

 

After we ended the church service, we passed out hot chocolate & peanut butter sandwiches while showing The Star Movie. 

 

I can’t even begin to explain how thankful I am to spend this Christmas with my parents. Every visit we have together is a time I cherish  – especially as I watch my kids continue to make sweet & long lasting memories. 

Posted in Mission Stories

Candyland – Taste & See That The Lord is Good!

Posted on by Castillo

Our Theme This Year for Children’s Church is CANDYLAND! 

This has definitely been one of my favorite series! Each week I introduce a different type of candy – usually a tasty treat that the kids have never heard of!  They get to taste something totally unique to them – and I get the pleasure of tying it into the lesson!

This year we decided to hold our Children’s Church Services at night. Several of the schools in town require the kids to attend their church, even though they don’t offer anything for their age.

By doing it in the evenings, we are able to reach even more kids than usual and it doesn’t matter how loud we are! We love playing games out in the soccer field AND – they get the pleasure of being surrounded by our Christmas light displays!

Here are just a few examples of the candies/lessons we are speaking about each week:

Week One: Gum – Solomon was the wisest man on earth, and after trying to find pleasure in earthly things – he found everything to be meaningless. (Just like gum loses it’s flavor) Only Jesus can give us something that lasts.

Week 2: Sour Candy – When we follow our own plans – something that we thought would turn out sweet usually turns out sour. Following God often means letting go of our own plans and desires to follow His will.

Week 3: Mints – Sometimes when we sin, we try to cover it up. We can never hide our sins from God.

Week 7 Taffy: Sometimes life stretches us through hardship and pain. When that happens, God uses those things to shape us into the person He wants us to be.

Week 10 Red Hot Candy: All of us will face trials in our life. When we do, we can trust God to help us endure them. He will give us strength when things seem too hot for us to handle on our own!

** Needless to say…it’s been an absolutely blast meeting with the kids every week! It’s a 12-week series and we plan to end it with a HUGE SWEET PARTY!! 

Here are some pictures from the past several weeks!

Posted in Mission Stories

Lights Done Bright 2020

Posted on by Castillo

The President of Haiti flew into the Mole on a small plane that happened to be bringing supplies for our campus yesterday! Bena & Asher met him at the strip as they picked up our boxes of groceries and books. He is staying at the hotel across from the mission.  He was here last December on a visit as well.

In fact, when the President & his wife came last year –  they thought our campus was the hotel  – and that all of our lights were hung specifically for their arrival.  Their motorcade tried to pull into our gates and we had to kindly let them know that the hotel was across the street. They have always been super friendly with us during their frequent visits here.  Last year, his wife dropped off a HUGE pile of gifts for all of the kids on our campus too.

Yesterday,  he thanked our campus for continuing to decorate this dark corner of town & for spreading  joy – especially during  such a difficult year.  He told us that the community has shared with him that they feel encouraged every year by all of the holiday activities we provide.  He explained that the last time he was here – he spent several hours admiring our lights.

In Haiti – sometimes it’s the little things… (the things that seem so insignificant) – that make a difference.  Across the street from our property is the hotel AND the cemetery. It’s a very dark part of town. MANY people are afraid to walk through our area at night because of that cemetery.   In fact, for many years we had to make sure our employees did their “change of shift”  before nightfall – because everyone was afraid to walk past that cemetery.  But every Christmas, we literally get to be that “light in darkness” for all who pass by. 

Take a look at this year’s Christmas Spectacular! It’s always hard to get good pictures with so many moving lights…but we did our best! 

Posted in Mission Stories

Well Surprise! Surprise!

Posted on by Castillo

On November 17th, we received a very special and unexpected Holiday package! 🎁 🎄No, it wasn’t from Amazon!

It was on that Tuesday that a very sweet grandfather introduced us to his 2-month old, twin granddaughters. Sadly, his daughter died unexpectedly just 31 days after giving birth.

She was his only child… and these precious angels are his only grandchildren. His daughter never knew who their father was and he alone has been responsible for their care.

He wants to be involved in their lives – as all grandfathers should be. However, he’s not equipped to be their main caregiver.

He promised his daughter the night before she died, that he would dedicate his life to making sure her babies (his granddaughters) were fully loved and cared for.

After several conversations, we brought the babies into our home. Now this weary grandfather can find a little peace/rest – AND the twins can have their immediate needs met.

When he came to visit the babies that following Sunday, we made the commitment to care for them for the next 3 months.

Please pray along with us while we seek God’s guidance about their future and what role our family will play.

In the meantime… meet Amia & Aria.

 
 

After posting this update on Facebook, several people suggested I post a link for those who may feel led to help with any needs we may have for Aria and Amia.

Please note: WHETHER the babies remain with us or we find extended family – everything we buy for them will stay with them.

🟢🔴🟢

Living in Haiti with newborns can be a bit tricky because there’s not a Walmart nearby. Here’s how we are making things happen right now:

-Our Port-Au-Prince staff (who live 11 hours away from us) have been shopping for wipes, diapers, and other daily needs. There’s a bus that comes twice a week that brings us those supplies.

-We saved a few things back from when Fabi was a baby which we dug out of our depot the day they arrived. (Most of our baby things we gave away to staff who had their own babies).

-Jose happened to be in the states a week ago at the mission’s annual board meeting. He was able to bring in several things to make their First Christmas extra special.

-We also shipped a few things to MFI. ***They have a flight from Florida into Haiti once a week. It usually takes 10 days (after it arrives) before we get it. They charge $1.90/pound but it’s our most viable option

 🟢🔴🟢

Bigger items we purchased already & shipped to MFI:
-pack n play crib with 2 bassinets
-1 swing (we had one swing already)
-2 little chairs
-diaper changing station
-2 slings
-play mat

Smaller items we purchased locally or Jose brought in:
-Clothes
-diapers
-wipes
-bottles
-blankets
-toiletries
-pacifiers
-bibs

** I’ve included a pic of the things we’ve purchased for them so far. If you’d like to contribute towards ANY of these unexpected & unplanned purchases – we would sincerely appreciate it. Even a $10.00 donation helps us buy diapers, wipes, toiletries, and on-going daily needs.

An online donation can be made by clicking this link: https://www.nwhcm.org/donate_mole  ***Simply write “TWINS” in the notes section!

Or Checks can be sent to:
NWHCM
7301 N Georgetown Rd
Suite 190
Indianapolis, IN 46268

***Please include a note that it’s for the Castillo TWINS!

Posted in Personal Stories

Fall Facebook Updates

Posted on by Castillo

Here are some updates we’ve posted on Facebook since my last blog post…

October 12th: Lessons learned while strolling along…

For the past month, I’ve been carving out a few hours every evening to spend at the park. This is where I walk, journal, read, take online courses, and catch up on work.

When it’s nice outside, I like to bring Sophie and Chloe. Sophie is the white dog & is 9 years old. This summer she got really sick and we were afraid she might die. So we brought her out to see the vet where they did a few minor procedures to rid her of a massive infection.

Chloe is brown and 9-months old. When I take the dogs to the park – Chloe runs wild. AND yet if you put her on a leash – she will refuse to walk at all. Sophie will walk right beside me – but she tires easily and moves slowly. So in order for me to get my steps in each day – the simplest thing to do is put them in a stroller.

Chloe has to look at everything. If we are out for 3 hours – she won’t sit down for even a second. There’s too much going on around her. I think she’s nervous she’ll miss out on barking at a squirrel.

As soon as we get back to the car – she’s exhausted! If you try to stand her up – she tips right over – keeping her eyes closed!

🟢🔴🟢

My shoulder surgery is scheduled for tomorrow at 6:45am. The surgery is about 2 hours long.

I’m really not nervous about the surgery itself. I’m more concerned about being in a sling for a month and it taking several more months before I gain full mobility back.

We are entering into our biggest season of ministry! As soon as we arrive, we will be decorating the campus for Christmas and lining up our holiday events! It’s a non-stop pace for us.

So the timing of this surgery really stinks. The thought of not being able to use my right arm during these specific months is overwhelming!

🔴🟢🔴

I looked at my dogs today and laughed. When it comes to the Christmas Season- I’m just like Chloe! I’m consumed with everything going on and constantly worried that I might miss something/someone.

And just like Chloe – I’m finding myself completely exhausted as I over-think and over-engage with all the things surrounding me.

Here’s what I know….
Sophie and Chloe will arrive at the same destination – at the same time. However, Sophie actually enjoys the journey and still has love/energy left to give at the end of a very long day.

🔸Sometimes the best thing we can do is…🔸

  • Allow God to pick the park & decide which path we will stroll down today.
  • Be still long enough to enjoy the breeze & catch our breath.
  • Stop & stare at the art piece He painted just for us… the one we almost rushed right by.
  • Come to that peaceful conclusion that as long as God is pushing the stroller… we ARE going to arrive where we are needed – one way or another!

🔴🟢🟡

October 21st – 

It’s been 10 days since my shoulder surgery. I still can’t use my right arm but I’m determined to find joy & peace regardless!

I can’t text/write/dress/shower/stand-up/buckle-up/pick something up… etc. on my own! (Thanks Jose for typing this). 🙄😘

BUT…
-if you dress me,
-put my shoes on,
-pull my hair back,
-drive me to the park,
-open the stroller,
-put the dogs in the stroller,
-put my ear phones in my ear,
-open up my Coke Zero,
And point the stroller in the right direction…

WELL – I can still walk 7 miles a day all by myself!!! (4 days straight so far) 🎊🎈🎉

#puppypeerpressure #GirlsJustWanttoHaveFun

🔴🟢🟡

November 1st – HAITI BOUND

3 adults
6 kids
2 dogs
18 suitcases
9 carry-ons
9 backpacks
2 pet slings

**And Rosie/me can’t lift anything more than 3lbs 💪

**And I only have 1 good arm 🩹

**And we are sleeping at the airport gate tonight ✈️😴

**And we only have an hour layover in Chicago and we are already delayed 20 minutes!! 😧 😱

**And Sophie looks how I feel! 🐶 😂

LET THE ADVENTURES BEGIN!

#neveradullmoment

READY OR NOT… here we come!! 🎈🎉🎊

🔴🟢🟡

November 12th- Overworked

The boat with all of our crates arrived last week! WAHOO!!!

Don’t worry… I made sure to protect my right shoulder while sorting and organizing all of our supplies!

In fact, I was SO careful with my right side… that I totally forgot how much work my left shoulder had to do in order to compensate.

So…
I may or may not have lifted too much with my left arm.

I may or may not have called my surgeon who believes I just tore a ligament in my LEFT rotator cuff!

My surgeon may or may not have told me that I have to start icing the left shoulder every 4-6 hours AND put it in a sling for the next 10 days!

I may or may not look like I’m wearing a janky straight jacket!! 😂

All that to be said… the depot looks amazing, the supplies are being distributed where needed, most of our outdoor decorations are up, and the campus is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas! 🎄🎁

It only cost me an arm and a leg… I mean an arm and another arm! 😉

#neveradullmoment #adayinthelife

🔴🟢🟡

November 26th- HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!🍁🦃 

Happy Thanksgiving!🍁

There’s a roof up above me,
I have a good place to sleep.

There’s food on my table,
And shoes on my feet.

You gave me your love Lord,
And a fine family.

Thank You Lord – for your blessings on me!

Thanksgiving Blessings
Gobble til you Wobble

🔴🟢🟡

November 27th- Children’s Church Kick-off

Tomorrow night we will be kicking off our 3-month Children’s Church Series with a special movie night!

Abbey, Malaya, Jose, and I have been working in the cafeteria since 11am…and we’re still not done!

Here’s a sneak peak of our version of Candyland!

Psalm 34:8 – Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Posted in Mission Stories

O is for October…and Apparently Operations too!

Posted on by Castillo

It’s been a few months since I’ve given an update on our family.

Rosie had a seamless recovery from her scoliosis surgery. Jose, Malaya, & Asher flew back into Haiti the first week of July after the airports re-opened.

I stayed out with Rosie until the first week of August just to make sure she didn’t have any complications. The doctor didn’t want Rosie to fly back to Haiti before September.

Tom & Sharon Snivley generously offered to keep Rosie for the month of August! I am SO thankful for their love and support because it allowed me to fly home to the Mole after spending 5 months apart from the rest of my kids. **I’ll be blogging more about her adventures soon!

***

At the end of August, we received news that my dad needed heart surgery. Due to his age & Parkinson’s Disease – he was considered very high risk. Without the surgery, they said his heart would give out within a few months.

My dad told me that I didn’t need to fly out since I had just returned home. But if I’ve learned anything over the past 2 years… tomorrow is never guaranteed for any of us. I may not “need” to fly out… but I’d never forgive myself if something happened and I didn’t get to say goodbye. 

Several of my kids hadn’t seen their papaw since Thanksgiving. So we made a decision as a family to come out and spend time with my dad before his surgery. 

It was an emotional few weeks while we waited for his operation.  It was the first time we had ever experienced something serious like this without my sister. She has a way of making us laugh even during the most overwhelming & terrifying moments. My mom brought her ashes with us in the car… so she could “be there” with the rest of us while we awaited news.

My dad had his surgery October 1st and it went perfectly. Phew! 

With the news of dad’s successful operation – we made plans to return back home to Haiti October 15th. But as we all know… nothing this year has gone as planned for ANYONE!

***

Since March – I’ve been having trouble with my shoulder. I’ve done physical therapy, steroid shots, deep tissue massages, and had my back realigned by a chiropractor. Nothing has helped.

Since we were in the states waiting for dad’s operation – I decided to see an orthopedist. I had an MRI last week and found out on Monday that I have 3 major tears in my right shoulder/rotary cuff… tears that will not correct on their own. 

SO – on Sunday I’m scheduled to have a Covid-19 test and Tuesday (Oct 13th) I’ll be having shoulder surgery.

I’ll be in a sling for a month and need physical therapy for 4 months. I’ll be working with a therapist over the next 2 weeks so that I’ll know what to do once I fly back home.

Assuming there are no complications… we are now “planning” to fly back to Haiti on November 1st. I’m SO ready to be home for more than a few weeks at a time.

***

While I was meeting with the orthopedic surgeon on Monday… Jose was with Mikela meeting with an oral surgeon. We found out that Mikela needs her wisdom teeth out.

We all know Mikela’s got a “big mouth”!!🤣🤣 However – in reality – it’s actually too small for those teeth to grow in.

My Haitian children do not have insurance. We were just informed that the surgery will be $2800.00 and it can’t wait another year. UGH…

Mikela’s surgery is scheduled tomorrow! 😔

***

This year has been FULL of non-stop – never ending – unexpected expenses. 

🔴 Due to Covid – several of our supporters have had to cut back their support because they were laid off. 

🔴 Since most churches were unable to hold services – their offerings were down in general. Unfortunately, we lost 2 supporting churches this summer because they simply didn’t have the funds to give to missions. 

🔴 We do our annual boat shipment in August/September. This is where we buy a year’s worth of supplies for the ministry. This time of year is the most difficult & leanest time for our ministry account.

Our family motto is: Never A Dull Moment … we’ve lived that out ALL year long! BUT we’ve also lived a year where God showed up in unexpected ways – when hope seemed fleeting – when loneliness & anxiety consumed us.

I HATE fundraising for our family. I’d much rather share about our ministries and how God is allowing us to passionately pursue our calling. I feel guilty asking for help with our needs when I know EVERYONE is struggling. 

All we can do is let the need be known and believe God has some sort of plan to see us through… ESPECIALLY since none of our plans seem to be working out this year.

First and foremost we appreciate your prayers for our family.
-Not everyone is called to go…
-Not everyone is called to give…
-BUT everyone is called to pray.
So please keep our family, our ministry, our community, and our needs in your prayers.

🟡 IF YOU FEEL CALLED TO GIVE 🔴

You can make a donation online by clicking this link: GIVE
**Pick the “Castillo Family” from the drop down menu.

OR

You can send a check to:
Northwest Haiti Christian Mission
7301 N Georgetown Rd Suite 190
Indianapolis, IN 46268
**Please include a note that says: Castillo Family

As always we thank you for your prayers, love, encouragement, and support! We couldn’t do what we do without it.

❤️ With Our Deepest Appreciation & Love, ❤️
Jose, Jody, Gigi, Mikela, Rosie, Malaya, Gabe, Levi, Asher, Izzy, & Fabi

Posted in Personal Stories

Rosie’s Road To Recovery – Days 2-4

Posted on by Castillo

I can’t believe we are already on Day 4 Post-Op. I have sat down multiple times to write an update… and have fallen asleep at the keys every time. We are EXHAUSTED!

I spent the first 24 hours with Rosie. Since then, Jose and I started rotating our time in the hospital. He covers 9am to 6pm and I do the 6pm-9am shift!

The hospital has been REALLY GREAT about letting us spend some time together with Rosie. We usually get to hang out with her an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening before we switch out. She’s still in the PICU right now but should be moving to a regular room today.

Rosie has done SUPER WELL! I am SO proud and impressed with how she’s handled everything. Rosie is a very strong-willed little girl…it’s why she’s still alive. It’s that determination and mindset that’s allowed her to survive Tetanus, Cerebral Malaria, Typhoid, Dengue Fever, etc.

MENTALLY:

Rosie is 16 years old, but has developmental delay and sensory integration disorder. She’s developmentally more like a 9-year old.

HOWEVER – after surgery – she became more like a 3-year old! With all of the pain meds & anesthesia – she became a giddy little girl! Rosie calls me “mama” and Jose “dada”. She says “HI” about 200 times a day. (Not an exaggeration).

She doesn’t really speak in full sentences but more like short sayings: I drink water, I cold, I roll over, I go potty, I hurt, etc.

“All Done” is her favorite saying. Whether it’s taking her meds, eating, using the bathroom, rolling over, etc. When she’s ready to move on – that’s what she says.

We have laughed SO much! Definitely there’s been a lot of tears and A LOT of pain… but she’s handled it all like a champ.

A few of our favorite moments:

  • Rosie LOVES her balloons! She talks to them and hugs them! If Jose hits them – she laughs and laughs.
  • Sometimes she hits the call light just so she can say HI to the nurses. At one point I fell asleep holding her hand beside her bed and the next thing I know she and the nurse are eating a popsicle. She pushed the button and told the nurse she was lonely and wanted someone to talk to!
  • Rosie has 3 stuffed animals on her bed – a koala, a panda bear, and a prayer bear. Apparently, the panda and koala have been SUPER whiny. She had the nurse put the panda in time-out. She said she just can’t keep holding them because they are being super annoying. (The kola bear is flatter and she likes to sleep on it. The panda bear has been super jealous.)
  • At one point – all 3 stuffed animals were at the bottom of the bed facing away from Rosie. She said prayer bear was praying over them because of all of the fighting!
  • When we first started feeding her – she insisted Jose makes the chew-chew train sound before putting the spoon in her mouth.
  • She likes for Jose to kiss/blow on her hand. She dies laughing. The first two days she stuck her hand out almost non-stop and craved being touched.
  • She likes to pat Jose’s head and say that it’s Chloe.
  • She likes to repeat sounds that people make. So, if the nurse drops something and says Ought Oh…she repeats it.
  • She constantly wants to look at the x-ray pictures… she cries every time we show her. She keeps thinking that it’s not really her back but someone else’s. We have to convince her every time that it really is fixed.

PHYSICALLY:

Day 2 & 3 were really difficult for Rosie. She just couldn’t get comfortable in bed. She hated laying on her back, it’s impossible to lay on her stomach, and her hips really hurt when she goes from side to side.

She’s got a cooling vest on her almost 24-7. It really helps with the pain but it’s also SUPER COLD. She’s constantly shivering and has a minimum of 4 blankets on her at all times. Her hands are so cold that the O2 monitor has a difficult time reading her finger. So that machine is constantly beeping.

She doesn’t really sleep more than 45 minutes at a time before she’s moaning and in pain. I know she’s exhausted and miserable. Besides her back hurting – her bowels are backed up causing her stomach to constantly ache as well. She doesn’t want to eat anything because her stomach is so hard…which makes it difficult for her to build up her strength.

The first two days she was unable to do ANYTHING unassisted. It took 2 people to help her go from side to side. BUT yesterday afternoon we noticed a huge change. She is starting to roll over on her own. We have to place the pillows all around her – but she can grab the bedrails and slowly turn on her own.

Once we help her sit-up – she can push herself off the bed. With the help of her walker – she’s able to walk down the hall and go to the bathroom. She’s been doing therapy every day and there’s a noticeable difference now.

She may get to come home sooner than later! I was talking to the doctor today about taking over her care at home… similar to how I did my sister’s home health care. I can do her therapy, get labs drawn, and do everything else that she needs.

She’s now on oral pain meds and all the IV’s are out. We already have her room fixed at my brother’s house. The doctor and I both think she will do much better if she’s home with us in her own surroundings. She only sleeps a few hours total each day but maybe if she were home she could rest more. The noises & atmosphere are an overload for her. She keeps asking to go home.

Here’s a few pictures from the past few days:

Posted in Personal Stories

Rosie’s Road To Recovery: Day 1

Posted on by Castillo

We want to extend our sincerest appreciation for your words of encouragement, your prayers, your love, and your support! It has felt like the day that would never come….and the day that would never end!

Rosie’s surgery was Tuesday, June 16th. 

***

PRE-OP:

We arrived at the hospital at 4:45am. The surgery was to start at 7am and would last roughly 6 hours. Rosie was shaking so bad that it was difficult to get her IV started. The nurse and anesthesiologist weren’t aware of Rosie’s Developmental Delay/Sensory Integration Disorder. They couldn’t understand why a 16 year-old was struggling so much to sit still and was unable to follow simple commands.

As soon as I explained that she’s developmentally more like an 8 year-old… they began to approach her differently and things went much smoother.

FUNNY MOMENT 1:

The anesthesiologist wanted Rosie to feel more comfortable so he took off his mask and hat. He was an elderly bald man. He said he has grandkids too and he will take good care of her. I said, “See Rosie – he’s just like papaw!”

Rosie frantically: Oh no! Papaw can’t keep his hands still. I don’t want him poking me with needles if he can’t keep his hands still. We need to find someone younger! (LOL)

***

SURGERY:

Rosie had a few minor setbacks as her bones were more rigid than expected. The first update we received was a bit discouraging. They weren’t sure they would be able to fix the curve more than 10%….and perhaps the best they can do is simply keep it from getting worse. Rosie had such high hopes that the surgery would help her look “normal”.

We always remind Rosie how special she is and how God has a great plan for her life. She’s a miracle. When I give her health history – starting with tetanus at 8 days old – everyone is shocked she survived. But her response is always the same: I don’t want to be special. I want to be like everyone else.

The great news is that her surgery was actually VERY successful! In fact – they were able to correct her curve more than 80%!

**You can see in the photos the drastic difference of her “before/after” x-rays. (FYI – the “after” x-rays were taken while she was still open on the table. They removed those scissors before they closed her up! LOL!)

***

RECOVERY:

Rosie was taken from surgery directly to the ICU. To our PLEASANT surprise, Jose & I both were able to spend the whole afternoon with her. The first few hours were really difficult. She was in SO MUCH pain and couldn’t find the words to really express how she was feeling. We used “Feeling Pictures“ with different emotions to help her express how she was doing.

***

Our First Conversations Post-Surgery:

As Rosie woke up in the ICU these were her very first words:

Is it over? I didn’t die? Give me a hug. Are you sure I didn’t die? What time is it? When will they start the surgery?

**

FUNNY MOMENTS ROUND #2

Me: You already had your surgery. It’s over. You did it.
Rosie: No. No I didn’t. (Shaking her head)
Me: Yes baby. It’s over.
Rosie: I didn’t die?
Me: No Rosie. This is definitely not heaven.
Rosie: oh no. I didn’t make it to heaven?
Me: Rosie we are in Indiana in the hospital.
Rosie: Yeah. You are right. Indiana is not heaven. (She said it not me!LOL)
**
Rosie: What time is it?
Me: It’s 2pm.
Rosie: Oh no. I missed my surgery. It was at 7.
Me: Rosie it’s over. You already had it.
Rosie: No. I don’t think so.
Me: Yes you did it! I can’t wait for you to see what they did to your back. You are going to be taller now.
Rosie while trying to turn her head to look at her back: Oh no. I can’t even see my back anymore. Did they remove the whole thing?
**
Rosie: Where’s daddy.
Jose: I’m right here.
Rosie: No. I want to see Jose.
Jose: It’s me Rosie.
Rosie: oh. Yeah. You are right.
**
Rosie: I need to use the bathroom.
Me: You have a tube hooked up. It’s okay to pee. You don’t need to get up. You can go in the bed.
Rosie: No. I’m not a baby. That’s gross. I’m not going to make a mess.
Nurse: Rosie it’s okay. You won’t make a mess because it’s going to go into this bag.
Rosie: Well that’s nasty. You really shouldn’t be proud of that. I’m not a puppy.
**

The nursing staff LOVE Rosie! They are so gentle and caring with her.

Rosie got to pick out a stuffed animal from the ICU floor. She picked out a koala bear. Rosie asks every person to hug her as they come into the room AND to hug her koala when they leave the room.

They did a change of shift this afternoon and the nurse said goodbye to Rosie.

Rosie started to cry: Why are you leaving? I wanted us to be good friends! What I am supposed to tell my bear? She will be so sad.

***

END OF DAY 1

Jose left around 6:30pm and I’m here for the night.

Being in the ICU – the nurses, the smells, the beeping machines, the constant vital signs/pain checks… feeding her ice chips, helping her get comfortable in bed, reminding her what day it is, where she is, that everything’s going to be okay .. it felt ALL TOO familiar. I had to stop giving regular updates…because quite frankly – I couldn’t see the keys for the tears. My post from “a year ago today” was about officially taking over all of Lori’s home health care.

I’ll have more updates tomorrow! Please continue to lift my sweet baby girl in your prayers! I’m SO proud of how well she’s handling everything.

They said day 2 & 3 are usually the worst days of the recovery process and she’s going to have to find a new way to do her daily activities. She can’t bend/twist her back or lift anything more than 5 pounds for at least 6 months! So we’ve got quite a rough road ahead….but we know we aren’t traveling on it all alone.

CAN WE SEND HER SOMETHING?

There was a comment earlier today about whether something could be sent to Rosie during her hospital stay. She can’t have any live flowers… but anything else is fine. We really don’t know how long she’ll be here in the hospital. We’ve heard anywhere from 5-10 days. She will be staying in Garrett, IN (just 15 minutes away) over the next several months while she does her therapy/recovery. If you would like my brother’s home address – I can message that separately.
Currently: She’s in Parkview Regional Medical Center.
Name: Rosie Castillo
Room: PICU 2nd Floor
Hospital: 260-266-1000
www.parkview.com
Posted in Personal Stories

Castillo Family April-June Family Updates…

Posted on by Castillo

I just realized that I haven’t been posting any updates on our family. The following is a list of Facebook Updates from the past 2 months!

RECENT POSTS

  1. Jody Owen Castillo March 26

Malaya and I have been competing each day to see who has the most steps. Our goal is 10k/day which is hard to do without leaving my parents’ house.

She just did 2 intense hours of an online dance class… and I simply cleaned out two of mom’s closets. Guess who had more steps? 🤗

Malaya was mad … but I just think it just speaks to how long it’s been since Diana Owen has done any spring cleaning! 😳😉

***

2. Jody Owen Castillo is with Jose Alexander Castillo March 29Versailles, KY

Asher and Rosie kept begging me to go bike riding. So yesterday we rode in an empty flat parking lot near Kohl’s in Frankfort!

Today we went to my old high school where apparently they added speed bumps.

I may or may not have crashed my bike 3 times!!! 🚲⛑😱

The kids may or may not have laughed so hard that one of them peed their pants! 😳😂

I may or may not need stitches😬

***

3. Jody Owen Castillo April 12

Happy Easter from the half of our family that’s still in Haiti! Missing them SO much today.

Last Easter, Malaya and I went to church with Lori. Today is her first Easter in Heaven.

It’s STILL so difficult to process but I have peace that she is leading worship (as she did every Easter) and that brings me great joy.

***

4. Jody Owen Castillo April 13

We are humbled and honored by the thoughts, prayers, and efforts of those who have continued to surround our family!

We just wanted to extend another – Thank You – for those who’ve written notes, sent cards, drawn pictures, and mailed gifts to Rosie and our family! What a HUGE blessing! Seriously…you have NO IDEA how much it has meant to us.

So far, we received one envelope of drawings for our Campus Kids! Thank you for thinking of them! We hope to receive more…so keep them coming! (You can see a previous post with more information about the 34 children who live on our campus).

Rosie continues to be CONSUMED with fear as her surgery is delayed. We are working through an Anxiety/Fear Workbook as so many things continue to remain out of our hands. Honestly, it’s just as much of a blessing for me as it is for her! Our family is also spending countless hours every week with our therapist. That has definitely been the best part of being out.

**
A VERY sweet family from the Louisville area COMPLETELY surprised us last week with an Easter Basket unlike anything we’ve ever seen before!

Though we don’t personally know them, they had seen Rosie’s post and felt a nudging from the Spirit to drop off this special gift… in hopes of calming her nerves.

So it’s with great shock & awe that we present the newest Castillo: Chloe! 😱🤗

She’s a 1.5 pound, 4-month old schnauzer… who isn’t expected to weigh more than 3 pounds when fully grown! She is SO TINY!

Though I was uncertain at first – she has truly brought great JOY & LAUGHTER for the kids (and my parents) during this quarantine.

For the first time in weeks – Rosie is smiling from ear to ear and rarely puts her down. Asher has new found purpose in trying to teach her tricks; and Malaya keeps her alive by constantly reminding us that we are about to step on her.

Yesterday, we face-timed with the rest of our kids still in Haiti. Their Easter Baskets were supposed to come in with the team but they had to cancel due to the virus. So unfortunately, they didn’t have anything to open. BUT we did introduce them to Chloe and they seemed pretty content with that! 🙂

***

5.Jody Owen Castillo April 15

That awkward moment when you are talked into joining a LIVE video chat on Forward Facing Trauma with 30 other therapists…

AND YOU CLICK “HIDE YOUR PICTURE” SO YOU CAN…
-Sit on your bed wearing your favorite Christmas nightgown… that doesn’t quite button right and has a big stain on it
-Adjust your screen 20+ times – not worried about WHAT PART OF YOUR BODY or area of your room the camera is facing
-Put your hair in a bun and go through your daily skin care routine
-Eat cheese dip… that falls on said gown – AND since no one is looking – you just lick it off instead of grabbing a napkin

Jose may or may not have told me 25 MINUTES LATER: You know they can still see you right? All you did was black out your own square… so you (personally) don’t have to stare at yourself.

I may or may not have immediately ended the session!

I may or may not “show my face” in that group EVER again! LOL! 😳😂🤣

***

6. Jody Owen Castillo is with Diana Owen. April 27

For my dad’s 75th birthday (his first without Lori) – we wanted to do something special. Everyone knows how much our family loves Christmas! I remember when I was little, we would cut down 10+ trees and plant them in our yard so we could create a Winter Wonderland! We would spend a full week decorating… and even won competitions for having the best Christmas Displays!

So in honor of my sister and his birthday – we planted a blue spruce which looks like a Christmas Tree. It’s planted in our front yard where he can look at it from the porch – and we can look at it from our bedroom window.

We spread some of her ashes with the roots of the tree and decorated it as we typically do. She loves Disney – so we have a Mickey Mouse Flood Light facing it. We have a timer on the lights so it will automatically come on for 2 hours every night.

Last night after my dad opened his presents and cards… we brought him outside to see the special tree. Though it was a tear-filled evening… it brought a lot of joy to our family.

We wanted to say a special Thank You to everyone who made his birthday a day to remember!

***

For the past 10 days I’ve been walking 9-10 miles a day in random neighborhoods… rain or shine. I’m usually gone 3 hours a day as part of my therapy/mental health regimen. Sometimes the kids come but usually I’m by myself.

Asher: So what do you think about when you walk everyday? Do you think about auntie Lolo and Haiti?

Me: Sometimes I do. But honestly… I usually think about how I would decorate each house during Christmas. Whether their yard is big enough for my imagination and if there’s enough foot traffic to make it worth the effort!

Asher: Oh I see. That would definitely require deep thoughts because it takes us forever to decorate the Mole.

Me: Exactly. Sometimes I’m completely worn out mentally with all my ideas on how to make each yard look as Merry as possible.

Asher: yeah I bet that’s really difficult. Next time I’ll walk with you and we can discuss it together.

Me: thanks Asher! That would be a HUGE help if I knew the best yard/house to buy If we were rich and had an unlimited decoration budget.

Asher: no worries. I got your back. You don’t have to think through this all alone!

🥰🤣😂

Other Comments I made:  The first week of April – Malaya and I started a competition on who had the most steps every day. We couldn’t show each other our count until 10pm. Then we had 2 hours to battle it out on Just Dance… giving the loser a chance to catch up if desired.

You know how competitive Malaya is. I’ve exercised right up until midnight just to beat her for that day. We went from averaging 10k steps/day to 13k then 15k.

My therapist gave me some seminars/audio books to listen to while I walked… and the next thing I knew I was averaging 21k steps!!

I can’t shut off the “Christmas” that lives so deeply inside of me. So even in deep thought – I’m thinking about all the ways to decorate wherever I am. 😉

Another Comment I made: Jose & the kids have joined me the past 3 days. 

Asher: None of these yards are big enough. The houses just get in the way.

Me: So true.

Asher: Plus we live in Haiti so we don’t need a house. We should just rent a yard for Christmas. I really like the yard by the Rosa School.

Me: hmm… Maybe we could ask them to let us use it at Christmas so all the kids there can see it. Then the community will love the school even more.

Asher: AND we can put out a donation box to cover the power it needs.

Me: That’s brilliant. But how do we afford the decorations?

Asher: Remember when the boat sank? And I talked to customer service at Home Depot? Remember I told them about how we need help and they gave us a discount? Even the people in line gave us money too.

Me: Yes. You are a really good fundraiser.

Asher: What if I talk to them and tell them what we are doing for “those little kids”? We could have them give us the “examples” they put on the floor. We can leave the price tags on them. When people see them – we can say they came from Home Depot and give them their phone number so they can order them.

Me: WOW Asher! You are really smart. I definitely think you should talk to customer service instead of me…cuz you make friends really easily.

Asher: Yeah.. it’s cuz I’m so cute! So when should we go to Home Depot?
🤗😂

#DeepThoughtsWithAsher
#FutureLeader

***

It’s our first “family outing” since we flew out in March.

We brought a few friends with us tonight. We pulled into the theater at 6:30pm to reserve our spots… and the first movie started about 45 minutes ago!

I love going to the drive-in with the kids… it’s WAY LESS stressful than going into an actual theater.

We were with Lori the last time we went to a drive-in … 2 summers ago.

In fact, she also took me to my very first one when I was in middle school. We used to go twice a month when she lived in New Albany, IN.

**
Rosie asked me, “Why does the Trolls Movie make you cry?”

I told her it’s not the movie… just the flood of incredible/hilarious memories that I didn’t anticipate feeling. Missing my sister SO MUCH tonight.

I’m thankful that so many of my best experiences were with her … though reliving them now often feels bittersweet.

 

 

 

We just heard from the hospital that Rosie needs to be there tomorrow at 5am and her surgery will be at 7am.

Because of the Corona Virus – the nurse is unsure whether both of us parents can be with her during recovery. We hope that’s not the case. It will be hard for Rosie if only one of us gets to see her after surgery.

Rosie has been SHAKING and crying “knowing” she will die tomorrow. This weekend she started sending messages to her friends in Haiti saying her final goodbyes. 😢

Please pray for her surgery tomorrow and that everything goes even better than expected!

With Rosie’s sensory disorder and developmental delay… we are all a bit anxious of how she’ll handle the pain. Please pray that God will give Rosie peace and comfort.

Posted in Personal Stories

Castillo Family Update – March 2020…

Posted on by Castillo

When teams come to Haiti…I always tell them that A LOT can happen in just one week! Lives can be impacted, relationships can be deepened, and faith can be tested.

Well… that’s definitely been the case this past week as we all come to grips with the guidelines/restrictions due to the Corona Virus.  My family is currently separated due to this – some in Haiti and some in the states.

There’s a lot of anxiety and fear right now…. but we know that God doesn’t give us a spirit of fear. We know that our anxiety can’t change what is or isn’t to come…. yet still we lay awake all night.

I know that the weeks to come feel so uncertain. As you experience the struggle to care for your family during this pandemic- we know that trickles down to tithing as well. After Haiti experienced such a difficult year with Travel 4 Warnings in 2019 – we are impacted yet again. It’s easy to become anxious about what this could mean for our ministries & personal support. So though we don’t personally know your struggle….we know the struggle is real.

As our faith is tested….. I pray it is also restored.  We  must all come together and do our part to help those who are hurting…. whether it’s in Haiti or simply reaching out to your next door neighbor.

We say God is Good All the Time – All the Time God is Good. I hope others can see & feel that from us right now – even though it doesn’t feel good right now….even when we can’t see the good right now…. even when there’s doubt that good can be found.

Because if we can’t say that God is Good when things are bad….then the statement is void all together.

 

 

Here are some posts from the past few days…

I’ve been listening to audio books as I walk around the campus each night… many books on how to overcome anxiety, how to push through the pain, why suffering happens, how to be a resilient leader, how to find authentic joy again…

I know each emotion provides a testimony… I just never wanted every aspect of my life to be a living testament.

I can’t change what I can’t change… but I can learn to adapt and move forward.

That’s what I’m desperately trying to do now. Little by little… I’m remembering who God says I am – and what He called me to do.

**

Rosie is scheduled to have her scoliosis surgery April 21st. With the uncertainty of travel bans and the probability of it escalating before it gets better… we decided to bring Rosie out early. We can’t take a chance that they block non-US citizens from entry and she misses her surgery.

Malaya’s still covered in those spider-like marks so she is coming out for treatment too. And since leaving 3 boys behind for an unknown period of time isn’t fair for anyone…. Asher will also tag along. 😂

As I watch the stateside news – I can’t help but notice the irony.

As stateside churches began closing their doors this week… we could hear the voices of our congregation coming together in worship.

We still had our usual weekly cookout with the missionaries and Americk. Staff meetings, schools, dance classes, sports, and community activities are still in full force.

Most people are afraid to travel to Haiti. Even on Haiti’s worst days – we’ve always had peace.

In the past 40 years – we’ve never left during coos, cholera, unrest, or natural disasters. When missionaries are called home, my family stays. It’s difficult to tell others to trust God and then flee when trouble comes.

So while we have never questioned being where we are…. we are a bit anxious about where we are headed. Traveling to the states is usually fun! We eat what we want and buy supplies to bring home.

I told the kids we will have to fast when we arrive… because apparently all the grocery store shelves are empty. We love to order from the amazon food pantry and yet they too are lacking.

On the positive side…. fasting is probably the best thing to do right now anyways since there’s a toilet paper shortage! 😉😳

Perspective…. what a difference it makes.

Please pray for our travels tomorrow and for God to give us wisdom and peace… as our well-made plans seem to continually be out of our hands! I’m sure you know EXACTLY what we mean!

Haiti always comes together during a crisis…. I hope I get to experience that in the states as well!

He’s got the anxious & the fear-filled in His hands
He’s got the vulnerable & the elderly in His hands
He’s got the leaders & the hospitals in His hands
He’s got the WHOLE world in His hands

Please pray for our family as we were separated a month sooner than planned. We know it’s difficult for our children who stayed behind…. for the uncertainty of when we can come back if the borders stay closed. Miss Beth & Momma Gigi are holding down the fort for us…and I know they would appreciate your prayers for wisdom, patience, health, & peace.
**

As many of you know – Malaya, Asher, Rosie, Jose, & I arrived in Kentucky around 2am yesterday.

Rosie has her Scoliosis Surgery scheduled for April 21st. Our original plan was to fly out just before her surgery. However, with the increase in travel restrictions – we couldn’t chance her being blocked from entry. Malaya came out to receive treatments for the spider-like marks on her arms & legs….and we brought Asher out because leaving 3 boys behind is absolute madness! Lol!

Rosie wept this weekend as she said good-bye to her friends, Miss Beth, & the rest of her siblings. For the past several months, she has been convinced that she will die during surgery. In fact, little Fabi asked me if I was going to die too…because she “knew” Rosie would.

Rosie has developmental delay & sensory integration disorder. Though she’s 15 years old, her developmental age is really closer to an 8 year-old. She will be in the hospital roughly 10 days after surgery and will need to stay out of Haiti for at least 4-6 months.

Jose, Malaya, & Asher will head back to Haiti after her surgery. I will stay out until June – then I have family/friends lined-up to care for her until the whole family can be reunited in July.

It would be wonderful for Rosie to “feel the love” while she anxiously awaits her surgery. When we were in Haiti, she could occupy her mind with her friends & dance. But when you’re stuck in the house all day without anything to do….there’s plenty of time to let the lies of the enemy consume you.

If you would like to send her a card or a special treat – you can mail it to my parent’s post office box.

Rosie Castillo
PO BOX 516
Versailles, KY 40383

If you need a physical address – please message me and I’ll send you my parent’s home address.

**Also, I know that many children are stuck at home right now. If you want a little project to keep your kids busy…. our campus kids LOVE to receive cards & drawings. They tape them to their walls. We’ve got 19 boys and 15 girls! So feel free to send mail for them too and Jose will take it back in next month.