joy comes in the morning

Good morning!  We are excited about and thankful for your prayers this morning!  We're hanging tight with John, Dorothy, the Coopers, and 16 students who are unable to get to their homes and some good friends from Saccanville.

To have 16 students on a four day vacation is rare indeed, but they are making the best of it, playing lots of soccer and we handed over our video collection...they're enjoying National Treasure, Fiddler on the Roof, Princess Bride, Home Alone, and School of Rock.  They have all spoken with their families, and everyone is doing well...just staying in.

That seems to be the key...The only issues of violence are happening where people are congregating and acting out.  EVERY single person we know who is staying in their homes is just fine.

We are thankful that the rest of our students got home safely.  While cars and trucks are still not allowed on the roads, motorcycles got the guys home (who are NOT from in town) yesterday by paying a small bribe at each roadblock.

While I have a VERY strict rule that we canNOT start into Christmas until after Thanksgiving, we are getting just a LITTLE bored around here with Lil, so have deemed it "get ready for Christmas" weekend....we have craft projects, cinnamon rolls, and the building of the Christmas tree on the docket for today, mixed with a Christmas movie or two and lots of good Christmas music.

While our joy level was down yesterday, we are praising the Lord for restoring unto us the joy of our salvation today.  Honestly, it has been the students, completely aware of the situation around us (better than we are) and unable to be with their families, and yet TRULY making the most of the situation that have inspired us.  They are constantly kicking around the soccer ball, helping each other study, practicing their English, cooking for each other, laughing and just living in healthy, godly, encouraging community despite their circumstances.

For the thousandth time, we are so blessed and thankful to be a part of such a Christ-centered community, who we can pour into and who pour into us.

Please keep praying for the 23 of us here, for Haiti, for peace, for truth and for His voice to be heard in EACH of our lives.

We'll keep posting every day until things calm on down...Thank you!

Pictures of family Christmas later today.