Carlitos' Journey

A Living Testament to Love, Healing, and Hope:

Carlitos became part of the SPM Family in 2017, when his teachers, having heard about our Medical Mission, travelled with him to us from his small rural school. They were concerned about his inability to stay awake in class. Our Pediatrician, Laura Beverly, diagnosed him with sleep apnea due to a severe jaw malformation. Sr. Eva and Sr. Ines, of Futuro Vivo School, quickly became involved and worked endlessly to obtain a passport and medical visa for him, which was finally granted in January, 2020. He travelled with his mother to Jacksonville with the Medical Mission team in January of 2020 as very frail 13 year old, malnourished and frightened, but hopeful. Dr. Barry Steinberg performed a 12 hour surgery to release and rebuild his fused jaw, allowing him to open his mouth and chew food for the first time in 11 years. The process was grueling, involving two complicated surgeries, two hospitalizations totaling a one month at Wolfson Children’s Hospital, much of it in the PICU, a tracheotomy for 4 months and multiple delays due to Covid impacts. Wolfson Children’s Hospital and University of Florida –Jacksonville, Nemours Children’s Clinic and Dr. Fishman provided all of his medical and dental care free of charge. After 8 months, he returned home to the Dominican Republic, twenty pounds heavier and using that newfound ability to open his mouth to speak some newly learned English.

His journey has included:

Involvement in every SPM Medical mission since 2017, both as a patient and now as a volunteer.
SPM , OLSS members and local friends provided housing, meals, medical care, playdates, transportation, field trips and tutoring, sharing their love with each gesture. He even learned to swim and ride a bike! It was the first time he had felt secure, truly loved and adequately fed.
SPM built a home for his parents and 4 siblings. For the first time in is life he had a true bed and secure roof over his head. He was sleeping on a dirt floor prior to his surgery.
Education at Futuro Vivo School. The nuns at his school made an exception and accepted him as a new student, despite many obstacles. The transition was tough. He was academically very far behind and struggling emotionally from years of harsh treatment and bullying due to his facial deformity. However, with the loving and stern guidance of his teachers, nuns, psychologists, and surrogate parenting by Daniel Jose, our valued worker in Guerra, and others from afar in Ponte Vedra, he has worked hard and will be the first in his family to graduate from high school in 2026! He gets himself up and off to school by 6:30 every morning, travelling 3 miles down a very rutted dirt road to catch the school bus, which has extended its route just to pick him up. He has the same journey home each evening. He washes his school clothes each Sunday and prepares all of his own meals. Education and maturing into a good man has become his priority.
Carlitos asked to be baptized into the Catholic Church. He was prepared for the sacrament by Jesus De La Cruz, a Seminarian and a long term volunteer with SPM, soon to be ordained as a priest. Jesus worked with him and Carlitos was Baptized and is now taking Catechism classes, hoping to receive further sacraments within the year. His Godparents are Laura Beverly and Rolf Engmann, with whom he formed close bonds through SPM. They continue to encourage his religious growth. The highlight of his 2025 summer is Tuesday afternoon counseling followed by Catechism class…rather impressive for an 18 year old!
Carlitos was born in the Dominican Republic, as the child of Haitians, meaning he is officially a Haitian, as the Dominican Republic does not grant birth right citizenship. He is now 18 years old and struggles with the same plight as many of our Sister Parish Friends. As a Haitian, he must have a Residency Card to officially live and work in the Dom Rep, further his education at university, etc. He has just received word that after over one year of multiple applications, he has been approved for such a card. Again, it was only with the great collaboration of SPM that this was accomplished. Without this he is at great risk of deportation to Haiti. With this card, he will hopefully be able to obtain a passport and Visa and return to Jacksonville for further surgery. Most importantly, he can live without fear and will be able to get an after school and part time job and continue to further his education or pursue a trade.
Carlitos is from an extremely poor family, which provides him minimal to no support. He relies on SPM friends for emotional, physical and financial support. He finds inspiration and hope from the fact that he there are adults that truly care for him, something we all need!

Carlitos’s journey truly embodies SPM’s goals and mission: With great collaboration provided by SPM he has received medical care, emotional love and support, nutrition, education, conversion to Catholicism, hope that he will not be deported to Haiti, a family home and great friendships. His burdens are still great and he has daily struggles that are beyond the scope of our imagination, but he has developed a true love of Christ and desire to give back, exemplified by volunteering with the July 2025 Family Mission and on medical missions.

He will continue to receive our support as he continues to grow and navigate his challenges. He is surrounded by violence and needs our continued guidance and love to focus on the love of Christ. So many of our Dominican friends face similar challenges and we hope that you are moved to help us continue to help as many of them as possible. If you would like more information on serving with SPM, whether at home or on a Mission trip, please contact …… If you are able to financially help us sustain the many projects that help Carlitos and so many others, please donate by ***