a day to remember...

What a busy, drippy, happy, long, muddy, beautiful, memorable, exhausting, meaningful day! Several friends arrived at 6:30 am to assemble the tent, NO, MOVE the ceremony (and almost 100 benches) from the yard to the library. The dedication started at 10 am, NO, 11 am and finished around 2, and was just a beautiful and happy time of recalling His past faithfulness and pondering His upcoming desires.

Bud got these shots before the rains came. Presenting: Emmaus Biblical Seminary! Above, clockwise from the palm tree: the library, the men's dormitory, the administration/classroom building, the cafeteria/kitchen, and the chapel in the middle.
The front entrance to EBS and a bit of Sakenville

Far left is our home, next to us is Mary Lou Wunker, and the front house is currently being used for visiting professors.

Dr. Bill Cooper gave the message from Joshua 3...
the program...

The Hubele family spent A LOT of time these past two weeks transporting, dusting, and re-organizing the entire EBS Library...
Kent Eller, Art Durkeson, Ruth Cooper, Jerry Poff, Pam Simson, Angie Bundy....

Did I mention that it was a rather long service?

OMS Haiti Director Brett Bundy
OMS International Rep (and Dr. Rev. Harold Brown's daughter's husband :) Martin Mishler
Ti Louie Destine (4VEH and graduate) joked with the audience alongside of Past. Raymond (graduate)

I wish someone had gotten a final headcount!

Many testimonies, prayers, benedictions, songs, messages, Scripture readings and encouragements were a part of the service today.
Masters of Ceremonies Pastor Raymond Stevenson and Pastor/Proff. Alphonse Elizee, with Dave Graffenberger, Martin Mishler, Hudson Hess, Harold Brown

Despite the rain, many of the children from Sakenville came out to see what all the fuss was about :)
These guys just crack us up! While the rest of the guests were braving the elements, several of our current students found a happy dry place and camped out...They are VERY exciting about moving into the new campus tomorrow morning at 8:30 am, and we are VERY excited to be back in the classroom and with these men (and woman) each day!

past OMS missionaries Sharon Mishler and Mary Brown and Tony Paul, of the first graduating class
One of the two choirs...both were EXCELLENT
Dean of Men Lucner Pierre, with OMS Rep. Martin Mishler and previous directors Hudson Hess, Harold Brown
Gordon Wallace, project manager
Giselain Mathurin, Administrative Secretary, Madame Codoo, Cook
Ribbon Cutting, previous directors Dave Graffenberger, Harold Brown, Hudson Hess and Dr. Bill Cooper, Academic Dean Mary Lou Wunker and Ruth Cooper
Members of a choir
Preparing for the ribbon cutting
dreary, drippy day...Dr. Bill and Ruth Cooper
What the library looked like at 10 am...when the service was supposed to begin.
Jacques Saintelus and friends
Overcast, but still had a HUGE turnout
Prof. Matt Ayars, previous OMS Haiti treasurer Maury Graham and previous OMS missionaries Hudson (also past EBS director) and Lucy Hess

past director Eutrope Sampson

There were so many people present that we couldn't all fit in the library, so there were a LOT of people outside the doors listening in, too...

There was food for 500, but we had many more people than we had food!
Past director Hudson Hess giving the benediction

It was just wonderful to see-- despite riots and rock throwing in town over the terrible state of the roads and a cold steady drizzling rain-- SO many good friends and key players in what God has done and is doing in Haiti, from many different missions, denominations, nationalities, ages, passions and callings.

We were just blessed to be a part of it all, and thankful to have such a rich history to celebrate and such beautiful promises to stand on for the future.