Carmen and Carlton Jones welcomed their son, Marcus, on July 11, 2001. While Carmen had been followed extensively during her pregnancy by a high-risk doctor, because of her age and disability, they never anticipated any issues of concern for their son.

Marcus was born with a rare syndrome called Opitz GBB, which is a midline anomaly that affects organs in the center of the body. In Marcus' case, it caused a cleft lip/palate, very small trachea, a valve not closing in the heart, malrotated stomach and some other developmental issues. However, Marcus’ primary issue of concern was his narrow trachea. At just a few days old, Marcus underwent a surgical procedure to place a tracheotomy tube to aid in breathing. He’s had over 20 surgeries since then, ranging from re-construction surgery to repeated procedures to keep Marcus' airway open.

The reality of caring for a child with disabilities is one that Carmen and Carlton never fathomed; nothing prepared the couple for the months and years that lie ahead. As a paraplegic, due to an automobile accident, Carmen wrestled with God because she now had a disabled child. She felt she had punched the 'adversity ticket' and felt God was being unfair and unreasonable. The pain and grief that engulfed Carmen were so great that she came close to leaving her relationship with Christ altogether.

Through a few harrowing experiences, Carmen and Carlton are amazed that somehow their faith would be buoyed to hold on. With family and friends that kept their needs close in prayer, their faith remains strong in the Lord, their marriage is solid and they aren’t bankrupt. At every episode with Marcus, God continued to whisper to their hearts John 11:40, "Then Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?'" Those words have proven to be true even in the face of great uncertainty.

Today, Marcus is a very active boy. He is non-verbal, has gross/fine motor delay and intellectual disabilities. He is fed by a g-tube and requires assistance with almost all activities of daily living. In spite of it all, Marcus is a loving, sweet boy with a fun sense of humor.

Because of Marcus' needs, he requires nursing care at school. There are only two other people who watch Marcus when Carmen and Carlton go out of town. Jill’s House would provide this family with the peace of mind to leave town for work or to just getaway for a weekend. While Marcus' needs are many, it's a relief to have a place where he could be appreciated and valued as an individual; and engaged and cared for with God's love. Jill's House will provide a measure of 'normalcy' for this unique family’s unique needs.