good training, prayers for James

Didn't write one word on our last post and we got a record number of comments and emails :)  I should just publish photos from now on!

We were really excited, too, until week 5 whenever I became really sick.  Please be praying for strength for Matt and I both as he is working overtime playing with Lily, doing all of his and Lily's own cooking and trying to keep the house up in the evenings, and for me as I am sick almost constantly and trying to keep up at Emmaus and Miss Lily during the day!

Meanwhile, nothing's slowing down for 24/7 morning sickness!  Dr. Rodney gave this training on Cholera to school children on Monday...

...followed by another successful training here in Saccanville yesterday.  Everyone was quite relieved to hear that we are not being poisoned, one student was actually a bit proud to hear that it was HIS country that put a vanished Cholera back on the map, and several others were quite disappointed that they forgot to ask Rodney if they could start eating fish yet, because they are missing it.  

English conversation on the subject in class today proved them to be quite well informed and very ready to share the same information with their congregations this weekend...immediate reproduction of good material, you gotta love it.  

However, it didn't take long for the epidemic to hit the Emmaus family.  On Wednesday, night watchman and good friend James received news that his mother died of the bacteria that morning.  James was raised by his single mom in Port-au-Prince.  She had eight children after him with 5 different fathers, and used her body to make enough money to feed her 9 children.  A few years ago, James left Port for Saccanville to be trained as a Voodoo priest so that he could make enough money to support her and his 8 siblings as the oldest male.

Not 10 days passed in Saccanville before Pastor Janiel led James to the Lord, dashing all hopes of being a profitable witch doctor, but transforming this young man forever.  He stayed in Saccanville with the only spiritual family he has ever known and has grown in the church and in the Lord tremendously, and for the past few years has been the night watchman for the Seminary 5 nights a week, working alongside of Shay.  

james, and 2 of his sisters

Losing his mother Wednesday doens't just mean that James lost his mother.  He is now solely responsible, not just for her funeral and those arrangements, but to provide completely for his 8 younger siblings, the youngest of which is a six year old girl.  We've spent a lot of broken time with him this week, and he simply has no idea what he is going to do.  He is well over the national average for income at the Seminary, but that still only totals $100 a month, not even enough to GET his 8 siblings here, much less turn his bachelor pad four walls into a home, feed 8 more mouths than usual....you get the picture.

Please pray with us for this special young man, for the burdens before him and that the Lord would give him wisdom, peace, and all he needs to face this situation.  

suspicion and fear: a new spin on Cholera

We heard the first of a new rumor from the students today in regards to Cholera.  While many of them were up to date with what is generally believed about the current situation, several strongly believe that Haiti is actually being poisoned by the Dominican Republic.

In their minds, in an effort to wipe Haitians off the island, the Dominican has been putting poison in the oceans that has now killed 250 people and is killing many more.  The students believe that this poison is now being spread through fish, water, food, and human feces.  

I didn't quite know what to say about that, but was quickly reminded what a very suspicious culture this dear one is.  If Satan, demonic practices, bribing, curses and hits were a built in as part of my culture and traditions, I would be suspicious and fearful, too...without the Lord.

Help us during this time to be in prayer, not only for families affected by Cholera, but also for the two things that can make a difference: good education, and a living, breathing walk with the Living Christ.  There is a LOT of voodoo built into Haitian life...there is even a saying that to become TRULY Christian in Haiti is to no longer be TRULY Haitian.  

Pray with us for many to continually forsake their allegiances to tradition, culture and homeland to bear the cross of Jesus...including US!

Meanwhile, we were excited to receive pamphlets today from Doctor Rodney sharing more information about Cholera in preparation for Thursday's meeting, in which I hope and pray he is able to address some of these new concerns.  

1 John 4:18

updates...

Class started back up today, and it was wonderful to have all the guys back and to hear about their breaks. It is good to be back in the classroom and back with the students and staff. I know I still owe you some fantastic stories from Port...I promise they're coming!

Lily is feeling a lot better, too, and we had a great meeting this afternoon with the Director of Bethesda Clinic, Dr. Rodney.  He is coming on Thursday to do some awareness and sanitation training at the Seminary and then at the community church.  The seminary guys will then be equipped to do the same training in their churches and communities this upcoming weekend...we're REALLY excited about how this practically and immediately addresses Haiti's recent battle with Cholera.

We were down three teachers today...Paul and Luke expect to return from the States tomorrow, and Guenson's wife, Claudia is very sick, perhaps with malaria. Hopefully we'll have all three back tomorrow...I'm excited to hear about Paul and Lucner's trip!

Charlie's team arrived safely home after we had a great day with them on Friday, and we just received the fantastic news that my dad's coming on Saturday!  The Cooper's will also be arriving on Saturday for the next month to teach at Emmaus, and we're just hanging on for the ride!




 

cholera update

A week ago we started here from local friends not to eat any fish, shellfish or to touch any ocean water, because it was killing people.  A few days after, the embassy notified us that many people were dying of diarrhea by an unknown source.  Finally, "cholera" was announced yesterday, though in Haiti is is just being called the all-inclusive "epidemic."

While it is probably entirely coincidental, Lily started having cholera's main symptom of diarrhea yesterday, so just to be safe we have started boiling all of our normally drinkable tap water and have her on homemade Oral Rehydration Solutions.    I know several of you are concerned, so we will be sure to keep you updated.

Meanwhile, please be praying for Haiti's most recent emergency, and for all of the people, especially down south, that don't even have ACCESS to clean water.

While "prevention of the disease is simple and straightforward if proper sanitation practices are followed," proper sanitation practices are not present, and in many cases, not even POSSIBLE in many areas of our little country.  It breaks my heart that an easily prevented disease has killed so many.  Please pray for each suffering family...Thank you!

Charlie's beautiful permission and one last blog on power!

Last night, I had a 700 word article due to headquarters by midnight that I hadn't started (no one tell Susan, Greenwood!), two loads of dripping laundry on the line in the rain, and I was tired and ready for bed.  However, I also had a full, freshly worked on heart!


Charlie is in, our friend from NorthRidge Church in Sabetha.  The day young Matt and I moved to Haiti, Charlie and Martin were on the same plane, coming in for a four day visit.  Since then, we always love when anyone from the NorthRidge clan comes, first, because they are ridiculously encouraging, good listeners, praying and loving people, and two, because they have all been dubbed by Sharon with the gift of missionary-gift-giving.

Lily's outfit of the day: the swim vest Sharon sent her and her socks.  For hours.

Charlie is the famous one who brought me the ice cream cake on dry ice a few years ago, and didn't fail to delight us again with three baby pools, a bushel of gorgeous assorted apples, chocolates, ginger snaps, candy corn and other fall goodness.  

However, I'm getting sidetracked.  This is not about Charlie's snacks.  Charlie has a way of sharing that always seems like God JUST told him what he should tell you.  


We didn't dread leaving the beach Tuesday because of the Seminary.  We love what God has called us here to do.  Love the people we work and live with.  Love it.  But I dreaded leaving because of the mountain of things to do.  A hundred loads of laundry.  A mountain of papers to grade.  A living room to paint.  Lily and the million beautiful spill/break/boo-boo accidents each day.  Cat and dog.  Cooking. 

Yesterday afternoon, Matt came home to in-a-panic Stacey, who was in the middle of laundry loads and unpacking and bathing Lily and had just realized that the five guys outside working with Matt on the generator (a beautiful praise below!)  and Gertha, and Matt, and Lily, would be needing fed.  In an hour.  


I was feeling overwhelmed when Matt popped in for a second, and he sensed it.  "Stace, you don't have to DO all this.  So there's no lunch!  So there's dirty laundry!  You don't have to take care of everything!"


"I DO!" I wailed to him, truly feeling the weight of the world.  "It has to all be done, and I've got to do it!  There is no choice about some things, you know?"  


He left shaking his head at his stubborn wife, and I set out (it seems ridiculous now) making iced tea, biscuits and chicken, and baking a pineapple upside-down cake, etc.  By the time the guys finally came in for lunch, I had laid down with Lily to get her napping, and was out cold.  Missed the whole lunch.  


While I woke up feeling less exhausted, the "weight of the world" hadn't alleviated.  Where was my "yoke is easy, burden is light?"  After making a huge salad, salad dressing, getting Lily dressed and a bag packed, we were out the door for our weekly missionary prayer meeting, which Matt had asked Charlie to share for.  


Charlie started in talking about the "basic truths" that are ever powerful but can grow dim in our lives...salvation, grace.  He added "destiny" to the list, quoting from Romans 8:28-30.


And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.


God destined for us to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus.  No laundry list here.  Just to be the likeness of Jesus.


He continued to talk about the way they try to do church at NorthRidge, not worrying about how to get more people or how to get people back or about a mountain list of things to do.  


"What we worry about," he said, "Is how we can be in the likeness of Jesus.  Loving.  Patient. Kind. Gentle. Self-Controlled.  Full of Mercy.  Gentle.  We work on that stuff, and we trust that if we do, God will take care of the other stuff."


Charlie continued, "If the people who go to NorthRidge are full of the fruits of the Spirit and reflecting the image of Jesus, people ARE going to be coming to Christ.  I don't have to worry about what they are doing, etc.  If their whole focus each day is NOT on what they do, but on WHO they are...to BE Jesus, then all the rest is going to follow after."


"It's so easy to forget about the peace and patience thing, the love and kindness and get caught up with all the goals and tasks and to do's.  But when we DO that, the things of earth become SO important, and it is HIM who grows strangely dim.  


"It's easy to have all of this potential in your ministries and in your lives and in your families, and to completely lose track of it in the day-to-day frantic task accomplishing. The potential you have for ANYTHING life changing, anything lasting, anything truly GOOD, will come only from your radiance of Christ."


I don't remember everything else that he said, but THIS is what Charlie gave me yesterday: 
Permission.


NOT permission to do what I want, or to put myself first, or to be rude when I'm tired or to complain about others when they are crazy :)


He, and the Holy Spirit through him, gave me permission to make it about CHRIST again and not about my accomplishments.  Gave me permission to walk out the door each morning dwelling on Christ and who He has asked me to be, and NOT on what I and others have asked me to do.  


I found tears of relief running down my face as he spoke, feeling total relief from MY burdens and feeling instead HIS burden...and it IS light!  


Today, I have to be like Jesus.  That means love God and love you.  My goals are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control.  That's what I have to do today.  Whew!  I have some thinking to do on that, and some priorities to rearrange!  Praise the Lord for His truth, and the way that it truly and continually sets us free!


Sharon says I can't keep posting with "ugly Stacey" labels, or this would be another one of those :) 

PRAISE:  Two visitors from NorthRidge, Gailin and John, teamed up with Bud, Edrice and Ti-Blanc, grabbed the two new John Deere Generator engines (free!) that came in Tuesday and by this evening, had the old engines out, the new ones in, and we have beautiful, beautiful power.  NOT "until such-and-such" power.  But permanent power (Lord willing!)  This generator/electricity thing has been a long, bumpy and truly beautiful road, but I am THANKFUL we are off it and ready to get on with life without working daily on just having water!  

THANK YOU, Gailin, John, Bud, Edrice, Ti-Blanc, Radio4VEH, Dad, Joe, Don, Dave, NorthRidge, and everyone else who has played parts in keeping us on our feet!  Thank you for your prayers!

in His hands

It only took TWO seconds.  And she was gone.

Lily had finished eating her lunch before us, and was playing with the leaves of a bush right behind me while we ate.  A few seconds later, I said to Matt, "Can you see her?"

"No, but she was JUST right there," he said, and went back to eating while I jumped up to herd her back.

She wasn't by the bushes.  She wasn't in the yard.

"MAATTTT!"  He came to help me, and what was a quick grab quickly turned into a complete nightmare.  I started running down to the water, didn't see her.  through the patio restaurant, around the yard.  Lily was gone.

Almost immediately a French family previously mis-stereotyped as snooty jumped up and started running in other directions, calling for Lily.  The staff jumped into action, running into the kitchen and other doorways near our table, and we continued to search further and further from the bushes.

Several of the staff got on their cell phones, and vocalized the pounding fear in my stomach, "KIDNAPPED.  Little foreign girl.  Yellow hair.  About 2."

"KIDNAPPED." I hear another tell who-knows-who on the other end.  Several recent kidnappings were on everyone's mind.

"KIDNAPPED." The guys at the front gate, contacts in the community, local leaders were all being contacted.

It had been several minutes now, and while Matt's heart was telling him, "She is fine.  You just have to find her" my heart was telling me "kidnapped.  drowned.  hit by a car.  gone" all at the same time.

"Oh God!" I cried out, clutching my chest and just terrified like I have never been in my life.  "HELP me."

She was nowhere, and out of desperation, we left the beach/eating area and started raiding the hotel area.  I ran into the first building and charged up the stairs, only to turn onto the second story and see Lily, standing on the landing of the third story, staring at me.  Staring at me, like, "Well, it's about time.  Where have you been?"

Gosh, I'm crying again just telling you about it.

I hate that I fled from my trust in the Lord so quickly.

I know lots of people have this story.  My own mom used to tell us about the day she lost my big brother at the mall, and about how terrified she was.  She finally ran to the department store security in tears, chocking out a description of my curly haired chunky brother, only to have the police question if the missing child looked exactly like the little boy she had hanging on her hip.

Like my brother, Lily was never not fine.  She was fine.  Not so much as an additional mosquito bite.  She darted into the hotel.  She shimmied up the stairs.  She was trying to find out where they went.

What was a five minute adventure for Lily literally cut me to the quick.  I've never experienced anything like it.  One moment, things were good.  Three minutes later, I felt that my life was over.  Gone.  Kidnapped.  And two minutes after that, by His grace and under His care, He restored it.

Lily quickly forgot the moment.  I feel like I never will.  The whole rest of the otherwise BEAUTIFUL 24 hours at the beach, I clutched her to my side.  Even when she was with Matt, if they were gone for more than five or six minutes, I went to find them.  I fought to sleep last night, constantly playing over all of the "could have's" and "what if's" in my mind, ending always with the unanswerable, "What would we do without Lily?"

I remember once, a few years ago, when curious 3 year-old Gideon drank a cup of Kool-Aid colored Anti-Freeze.  I hardly knew his mom Cammie at all back then, but I remember talking to her about the scare the next day.  As a nurse, she was more aware than anyone the very potential outcome of the situation, but she said to me, "You know?  I never didn't have that peace.  I took action, I did what I could.  And I don't mean that I had peace that he was going to be ok.  I just TRULY knew that even if the Lord took Gideon, that it would be ok somehow, because of Him in my life."

Only just pregnant at the time, I didn't know what to say to that.  Remembering it now, I still don't know what to say to that.  I wish that the staff and families at the beach yesterday had seen a very urgent, but fully relied upon the Lord mother yesterday.  I wish that I had found it easier to TRUST Him with her NOT just when she was also conveniently happy, healthy in MY arms.  I wish I wasn't STILL catching myself overcome with panic of what could have happened.

While I thought I was dying on the beach, His eye was on her each fleeing step, He heard each little grunt up each stair, watched her little pony tail droop over her forehead while she waited for me to find her.

As dear as this precious gift He has given me is, I forgot quickly yesterday that she is just that: HIS.  His gift to me, as mine to give back to Him.  I know that ANY mother would have been shaken by the same situation.  But I have to keep remembering that Lily is HIS, not mine.  His child, not my LIFE.  His gift, not my god.

If she is truly His, and not mine, then He is the one ultimately taking care of her.  I'm going to mess up.  I'm going to look away for a moment, speak out of anger one time, make a poor decision.  BUT HE'S NOT.  Not ever.  Not ever going to mess up with Lily.  Not ever going to look away.  So do I trust Him with His own creation?  Or not?

Aside from that awful five minutes, those 24 beach hours were a complete blessing, full of good food, great family time, good rest, good weather, good conversation, good time with the Lord and happy happy memories.  After a busy start to the school year and Matt's days in Port, it was fantastic to have a few hours away from internet, phones, laundry, dishes and to-do lists and just focus on the Lord and the family He has given us in each other!

Thank you for your ever-prayers for protection, strength and wisdom.  Thank you for your prayers for dear Lil. Please continue to pray that we would grow in our relationships with Him to be ALL that He desires them to be.

home safely!

The glowing, singing, laughing EBS group is safely back from Diquini, with tons of stories, praises, joys and prayers to share!  This sounds like EBS's best trip yet in many ways...and we have a lot to share with you!  Soon...

Lily and I need some Matt time and some break time, so we are heading to the beach for the day...We'll have stories posted soon!

 

Diquini trip!

I won't have any photos until they return, but the team is having a fantastic experience  in Port!  They arrived safely after only about 9 hours on the road and jumped right into an evening service.  Over a hundred people came, and 15 stayed afterwards to accept the Lord as their Savior.  Friday and Saturday, the morning began with Emmaus prayer time, followed by walking the children through the basic's of the Bible.  Then, from 9-12 the group went from tent-to-tent throughout Diquini, praying with people, talking to them, encouraging them, inviting them to Bible study and services, and inviting them to follow Christ. 

From noon-1 they are resting and eating, then meet with new believers from 2-3, lead and participate in Bible studies from 3-5, prepare for the evening service, and then lead the evening service from 6 until finish. 

Reports have all been positive, and Matt has been really thrilled to see the group bond and behave as "true Christian community."  The zone has been grateful for the encouragement and further feeding, and the group has also been thrilled to see that the leaders Junior trained and left in place have been doing really good work and seem to be truly after the Lord's own heart.

This morning, Sunday morning, they plan to have a large service from 6-9 am, and then get back on the road, hopefully returning before dark!  Thank you for your prayers!  I'll have photos and more specific testimonies in these coming days!

Praise the Lord!

settling for bed sheet security

When we were little, my sister had a theory that no amount of common sense could steer her away from.  As long as she had a sheet covering her, there was no bad man, no monster, no scary dream that could touch her.

No matter how hot it was, she had that sheet tucked up under her chin to keep her safe, and made it  a habit to never let her toe peek out or her arm dangle dangerously outside.  As she got older, we would laugh about that almighty sheet, which somehow gave her peace of mind though it had no power to protect her.

Yesterday evening, with John and Dorothy gone with the truck, Matt nine hours away, and no electricity, I felt like my little sister without a sheet.  Somehow, I had gotten comfortable with the idea that lights equal security.  Having Matt in the other room.  Having students living next door.  Having a vehicle to flee in, if necessary.

And being on the compound entirely alone with Lily last night in the pitch dark had me wrestling with fear.  If we had had lights, I wouldn't have thought twice.  But feeling my way through the house for a match and a candle had me checking all the locks, checking all the rooms for lurking strangers, thinking about all the things that could possibly go wrong.   Somehow along the way, I have put my security in light bulbs, a tiny little inanimate object that couldn't possibly keep me safe from a mosquito, much less a break in or emergency.

Lily couldn't sleep due to the intense heat and swarming mosquitos, and as I laid on the floor next to her bed, singing her songs, I realized how my situation came dangerously close to the travesty spoken about in Romans 1, that I have been teaching my second year class.

"For even though they KNEW God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator!"  

Far be it from me to exchange the protection of an all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful Creator for the foolish speculation that a lightbulb, or my husband, or a vehicle, or a baseball bat...a thin sheet...could protect me!

As I thought through this with my mind, God absolutely brought a verse that I haven't thought about in years to my heart: "The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?"  Psalm 27:1.

My LIGHT.  That was all I wanted last night:  Light, and Salvation from not just harm, but fear.  And in the same moment He gave me the verse that I had mindlessly memorized as a child, He gave me that, too.  I truly believed, with my whole heart, that HE was my Light and my salvation, the stronghold of my life, and immediately, the fear was gone.  I scooped up tossing, itching Lily and walked out into the night, no longer cowering in the false security of four block walls.

The night air was twenty times cooler than the still air inside, and the quarter moon shown so brightly that His light illuminated our path.  She fell asleep as we walked, pointing her chubby finger at the "MOON!" and "Twinkle Twinkles!" (stars).

You might think that I credit far too much as being miracles.  I tell you about miracles every week, and maybe that doesn't seem possible to you.  But what God did last night for me was a miracle.

I had a heart and a spirit of fear.  I sat in the dark afraid and alone, and in a mater of minutes, where NOTHING changed, He spoke to my heart and changed EVERYTHING.  Even if He had come down in the form of an angel and fixed the generator last night, I would not have had the same joy, peace, and protection that I had last night basking in the Light of His Salvation.

What are your bedsheets today?  Maybe, like me, you don't even know that they are there!

I am so thankful that He allowed all my comforts to be stripped away last night so that I could realize where I had been relying on creation, when I COULD be relying on the Almighty Creator!

Matt and the group arrived safely yesterday after only 9 hours on the road, and just in time for a bit of rest and then a large service last night.  Over 100 people came, and the staff and students did an awesome job leading and ministering to those dear ones.  Matt had the opportunity to preach, and fifteen people stayed afterwards to talk to the Emmaus community about receiving the God of Matt's sermon in their lives.

When I spoke to Matt last night, he was overflowing with Hallelujah's, grateful for the direct and beautiful way that God had brought them to the right place at the right time for the right reason, and brimming with pride at how the Emmaus community had displayed passion, humility, and servant leadership to the homeless and still devastated group of His creation in Diquini.  These next days promise to be exciting!

Thank you for your continued prayers!  Today, Gertha, Micheline, Lily and I are going out for our bi-annual, "when Matt goes on a missions trip the girls go out to lunch" luncheon at La Kay.  God has blessed me so constantly through these two beautiful woman, and I always come away from time with them grateful for the family God has gifted me.

and they're off!

After much back-and-forth, Lily and I decided to stick it out on the home-front.  With so many responsibilities and things and people to care for these next days, Matt didn't need to be worrying about Lily, too.  SO, after a short time of worship and prayer and a group photo, they were off at 6:30 this morning, tired but excited about the coming days.

I find myself once again fiercely proud of this group of men and women, voluntarily giving up their rare vacation days to spend 11 hours in the sun on a  dirt road, followed by three days of pouring themselves out to a people they have never met.  Giving them the one thing that cannot be taken away, the one thing they have to give: more Jesus.  There won't be any comforts these next days, no expectations for power or glory or praise, just a job to do, to unceasingly preach the whole Gospel.

I am also so proud to see so many staff members going.  We know how busy their lives are here at the Seminary, and some of them leading churches, raising children, teaching Sunday school, etc.  And yet Elizay, Giselaine, FanFan, and Belony all went along today, too, truly modeling for the students servant leadership and the importance of ministry, and creating a great opportunity to build relationships alongside of the students as they all minister together.  Ok, I'm getting jealous again!

Please be praying for them these next days, and for Junior, as they travel, work and preach.  Pray that He would be glorified in every element, and please pray especially for Matt as he drives and works to keep them all fed, rested and spiritually nourished so that they can minister well.

Another small item for prayer, the generator :(  Last night when Matt started it up, it did not sound good AT ALL.  He shut it down, prayed, and then got it going again more smoothly.  However, after an hour, it started pulsing and making terrible noises again, and finally died completely.  The generator, I fear, is just plain DONE.  We are still waiting on new engines, and for Bud to come in next Monday to replace them once they come.

God has taken care of us too many times for me to worry now, and I keep remembering that if we hadn't been without power for days before, we never would have had the beautiful experience of Saccanville's water.  SO, I'm not even praying for power, just that He would continue to care for us.  Only John, Dorothy, Lily and I will be living on the compound the next days, so even if have no power or water, we'll just be able to joyfully give up the same things our brothers and sisters above are giving up these next days!  Matt, however, didn't like leaving us with the adventure :)

Thank you for your prayers, your support and the encouragement of all your comments and emails.  I will keep you posted on the trip as Matt and I are able to be in communication!

gettin' ready!

Whew!  These last days have been busy with preparing for Thursday's trip!  Buying casava and peanut butter, "tarping" the bed of the truck, finalizing who is going, working with Junior to arrange for food and services...

 I keep going back and forth about Lily and I going.  I HATE missing out on this, and know that Lily would have a blast with the students and being a part of the children's ministry.  I would LOVE to be there, and to have a chance to see the stories and capture the photos first hand.  However, the 12 hour-one-way ride in the back of a long-bed truck and very "flexible" living and eating arrangements have me wary.  Ah, normally "Stacey" and "mother" go along together quite well, but I am struggling with this one!

The group has grown a bit larger, too, with several members of the local church joining us, and a few other missionaries with OMS.  Junior has been excited to find the church doing well in Diquini, and very ready for a few days of good feeding.

Please be praying for traveling safety, that the Lord would be softening and preparing hearts, that the students and staff would be Spirit led, that the first-year students and others would have life-changing experience, and that many would grown in Him, or come to know Him!  These are exciting days!

Today's Top 8 Praises!

couldn't do one without the other...

1) Praise the Lord for next weeks missions trip!  

In just a few days, Matt, with what has turned into just under 20 others in tow, will be heading the bumpy 11-hour road back to Port, and everyone has spent lots of time planning, programing and preparing.  Junior headed down there yesterday to check on the church plants and to prepare better for the EBS team.  

Double praise, we have almost all the money we need for the trip!  THANK YOU to those of you who have emailed prayers and/or support!  We are still a few hundred dollars down, but I have a birthday on the way, and yes, I still get "birthday money!"  (you should never be too old for this.  hopefully :)  I couldn't have dreamed up a better gift, so whatever we don't get covered is covered!  Praise, praise!  They are going!

2)  We praise the Lord for the way His Word comes ALIVE whenever we study it, work through it and teach it.

I'm working through Romans with my Biblical English class (2nd year), and the language alone in the first chapter is so powerful that I can't teach through it sitting down. The guys can't help but "Amen!" and "Oh, Jesus, You are Good" throughout the study. 

 Matt's Psalms class continues to be one of the major highlights of the week, not because the students are fantastic (though they are) or that he has been able to teach in English (one of the first classes that has reached this capacity), but because the subject matter is SO powerful.  

I taught the birth of John the Baptist this morning for my Saturday class.  Each time I just "share" the story, it is good.  But when I come to a part that must be exact, and I say, "The Bible says that...", the message is SO much more powerful.  

Tomorrow Matt will preach Romans in the Saccanville church, and we know that if all he did was read the Word, that it will be a powerful service!

There is a lot of "good" stuff out there for people to learn, a lot of things that the Haitian people don't know.  

But we LOVE that our job isn't to teach them mathematics, space travel, world geography or computers, but the Word of God.  There just isn't anything better, because while a lot of other subject matter improves knowledge or improves living, His Word is the only thing I've ever read that CHANGES my heart.  Deeply indwells His peace.  Addresses everything that I am and that He is....

Praise the Lord for His Word and the chance to share it!

3) We truly praise the Lord for The Office.  I know.  A lot of you probably hate it.  But this is the ONLY television show that Matt and I have EVER followed, and season 7 finally started again! Ever since introduced to it by Mia and Elisa in 2006 we have been hooked, always able to forget the realities and burdens of life and find 25 blissful minutes of side-splitting hilarity.  It is just OUR sense of humor.

  

When we moved to Haiti, we thought we were finished, till someone taught us how we could download each new episode from here for $2.99.  Every Thursday, you have a chance to watch it if you're stateside, and every Friday morning, we start the download, pumped for our weekly $3 Friday night date night and a new 25 minutes with Jim, Pam, Andy and Michael.  

Then last week my dad sent us three new movies!  We've only watched the new Robin Hood so far, but we really do praise the Lord for giving us little luxuries like comedies and movies, popcorn, icy Cokes, fans, a couch, decaf coffee, etc. to step out of everyday life in Haiti and into our own culture for a few minutes!

4) Praise the Lord that the generator has been temporarily fixed again.

New engines are on the way, but for now, we are running way better than we were a few days ago.  Also, the students headed off to break today, so we went from 70+ using the generator to 4...it will be much easier to live off little power with just the four of us!  He carried us through...

5) Thank the Lord for His provision.  

Due to the massive amounts of people asking for help each year during this time for schooling, we always commit as a family in advance to be "crazy" generous, as He has been with us.  

Each year, we have had the great joy of seeing the Lord provide for someone through His money that was in our hands.  We commit to saying YES to each person that God really lays on our heart.  No matter what.  And each year, whether that meant our 10% tithe, 30%...50%, EVERY time, the Lord has cared for us in ways that we didn't even miss it AND got to overjoyedly be a part of seeing kiddos off to school, parents brimming with the joy of being able to provide that luxury for their child. 

This year, I couldn't even get through the day without giving His money to Micheline for her four children.  Micheline is incredibly timid, sweet and quite of spirit. Insanely proper.  It is a rare day that she is bold enough to call me Stacey, instead of Madame.  But she was so overwhelmed with joy that she dropped her umbrella and gave me a HUGE hug, something she never does.  It was better than...just about ANYTHING.  HE DID THAT for me.  

James, at 28, headed back to grade school on Monday, determined to finish what his mom couldn't help him do when he was a child.  I mean, how many people get to be a part of sending a 28-year-old to third grade?  

Kesner's daughter died last year, leaving he and his wife in their 70's  to raise a five-year-old, who headed to the Saccanville Church school on Monday.  

One night two years ago, it was SO incredibly hot and our inverter broke in August.  We tried to sleep for hours, but were so tormented by the heat and mosquitos, that finally a very angry and frustrated Matt headed out at 2 am to fight with the inverter.  

One of the night watchmen, who had never had fans a night in his life, spent TWO HOURS with Matt that night, patiently soothing Matt's less-than-saintly attitude and finally helping him fix it.  He has never once asked us for anything, but came to Saccanville last week, just broken over his four sitting school out.  They went to school this week, too.  Such a joy!

There are hundreds of children in Saccanville alone who are hanging out in their mud yards this week, just like always.  I'm trusting God to provide for them.  But we are SO incredibly thankful this week that God gave us gifts that we were able to middle-man for Him to some precious precious people.  What a joy!

6) Praise the Lord for the internet, which has worked beautifully ever since I complained about it :)  We downloaded last night's Office episode in  a record 55 minutes!

7) Praise the Lord for EBS's new sound system!  

As far as I can tell, EBS has never had a sound system, and ever since we moved to Saccanville, it has been hard to hear in chapel.  Also, every time we do crusades, we were putting out big money to rent a sound system.  

However, two visiting professors (whom I'd love to brag upon but will keep them nameless) last year noticed the need, and last month, ordered every piece of equipment we could have wanted.  

Last week, speakers, mics, stands, cables and things-I-don't-know-what-they're-called arrived, right in time for a  great week in chapel AND to head off to Port for the crusade next week.  

Everything is working so well, the students and staff are thrilled, a friend in Port is loaning us a free generator, and for 5 days, hundreds upon hundreds of people will hear the gospel preached because of this insanely generous gift.  We praise the Lord for how He answers prayer in His way and time!

8) Finally, we praise the Lord for Miss Lily, who is a girl in every sense of the word.

She is talking so much, putting together phrases such as "Poppy be back here soon?" and "Mommy, please? Doggie movie?"and best, "Mommy, hold you! Please!  Mesi!"  

She changes clothes 10 times a day and will play dress up or "No more monkey bed", which means that she jumps from our bed to a mattress on the floor over. and over. and over.  

She is healthy, she is happy, and we are overjoyed to watch her become a part of the Emmaus community in her own right.  I LOVE walking with her in the afternoons and watch her wave furiously at a group of student, "HI GUYS!"  I love that she knows all the cooks' names, and "helps" them in the kitchen each morning.  I love that every time she hears the truck pull up, she yells, "Hi, Abel!" and that when she hears the lawnmower, she looks up, grins, and says, "MAXI!"  I love when we pray together at night and she runs through all of her friends, "Gertha, Micheline, Shayla, Junior, Doggie..."

We are so grateful for the sheer gift of Lily.

....and that we have a two week break to catch up on work and family!  

...and that my dear sister got a job this week!  

...and that Matt's mom got out of a job she hated this week!  

...and that He continues to protect us in the midst of so much here-and-there and electrical work, etc! 


 ...and that He has given us such a faithful team of supports and prayer warriors and friends!  

...and that He is gracious when we aren't, patient when we aren't, faithful when we aren't, generous when weren't not, and loving when we aren't!  

...and that Charlie is coming soon!

...and that Fall, otherwise known as "the rainy season" is here!  Though we're not nuts about all the rain and mosquitos, it means that it is FINALLY cooling down a bit!

I have more praises than prayer requests, that is for sure...

Go. Pray. Send.

Awesome opportunity alert!  Matt and the team leave one week from today!  Check it out!

Today's Top 8 Prayer Needs

1)  Please pray for our internet, which again is not working properly.  With very unreliable and very expensive cell phone service to the states, having internet is VITAL for us to work with the outside world, communicate with family, communicate with Bryan as our director, post our blogs, for the guys to work on their master's, to make purchases for the Seminary, etc.   Some days it seems that smoke signals might be the most reliable form of communication!

2)  Please pray for our generator, which again is not working properly.  New engines are on the way, but until then, we can only run the generator for very short periods of time, meaning that we are doing without consistent power and water again.  Good things are on the way...trusting God to keep carrying us!

3)  Please pray for Matt.  While trying to teach and administer the Seminary, he is fixing inverters in between in his tie and dress clothes, working into the night on the internet, trying to secure the arrival of the generator engines, etc.  Matt's feeling really overwhelmed by all of these ongoing operational issues, all of which he is not trained or qualified to fix, nor does he have the time.  However, because EVERYONE on our compound is a pastor or Bible teacher, NO one knows how to do this stuff, and all of the manuals are in English....so, Matt.   Please pray that God would give him strength and wisdom for each day, encouragement in the midst of seemingly endless breakdowns, and joy unceasing.

4)  Please pray for the Administration as they work through a very difficult and discouraging issue with a student this week.  This specific morality issue is proving to be quite complicated, mulit-faceted and comes with a plethora of perspectives.  Please pray for wisdom, grace,  and righteousness to dominate their process and final decision regarding this young man.

5)  Please pray for Haiti this week as all schools began October 4th.  Every year, this is such a difficult time.  Haiti has so very little to offer it's children, and education is such an important thing to parents.  It is very expensive, and finding the money for school, or accepting that your children won't be going to school this year are both VERY difficult realities.

I caught our dear friend Micheline crying over the dishes yesterday, and was reminded all over again what a truly heartbreaking time of year this is for SO MANY parents...who love their children every bit as much as we love Lily, who want the very best for them just as we do for Lil, who who are simply INCAPABLE of finding the $52 dollars US per child to put them in school.  AND feed them.  AND clothe them.  AND buy uniforms.  AND buy textbooks.  AND take them to the doctor.

6)  Please pray for me.  An additional job assignment that I am covering this year is that of keeping track of the day to day finances at Emmaus.  While this has been a job I enjoy doing, I am beginning to really battle with worry.  Working with money makes you worry about money, doesn't it :)  While we all work daily to spend only in ways that bring Him glory and that comply with a much-prayed over budget, feeding 70 men and women every day is expensive.  Paying our staff a wage that we can feel good about is expensive.   Working on the generator.  Running it.  Internet (whether it works or not).

This is NOT a sneaky way of asking for money for the Seminary!  I strongly believe that there is no room in the life of a redeemed, Spirit-filled child of God for true worry.  Do I trust Him or don't I?  Is this HIS ministry or MINE?  Am I taking care of things, or is HE?

Pray that He would help me to trust Him fully, to constantly give Him my cares and our needs, and to not just SAY that I trust Him, but to live in my mind and heart and speech and walk as one DEFINED by the fact.

7)  Please pray for Civil and Matt, De Mange and Saccanville.  This Sunday, Matt will be preaching at Saccanville church and Civil will be preaching the first services (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) at De Manges.  Please be praying for these exciting opportunities, for everyone that will be there, and for the Lord to keep showing up in a powerful way!

8)  Please pray for Fall Break.  Due to Lucner and Paul needing to be in the States the next two weeks for their residency program, EBS's fall break has been scheduled at the same time!  As you know by now, "Break" for EBS means "Ministry".

Matt, FanFan and Junior will be leading an evangelism trip to Port-au-Prince, Nicole, Jean-Marie and Leandre are kick-starting a huge children's ministry on Saturday, and many of our students who have been too far from home to return will be traveling back to work in their churches.  Please pray for everyone's safe travel, for GOOD ministry, and for continued transformation in Haiti and glory to God to result.

We are so grateful for Who He Is in the midst of Haiti, Emmaus, our lives, the day-to-day, in our family.
Despite any burdens and struggles of the day, the song that's resounding with my soul today Kari Jobe's.

Here before Your altar,
I am letting go of all I've held...
of every motive, 
every burden, 
everything that's of myself.


And I just want to wait on You, my God.
I just want to dwell on who You are.


Beautiful, beautiful.
Oh, I am lost for more to say.
Beautiful, beautiful, O Lord.
You're beautiful to me.


Here in Your presence, 
I am not afraid of brokenness.
To wash Your feet with humble tears,
I would be poured out till nothing's left.


Holy, holy, holy.  You are.  You are. 


Counting on and rejoicing in your prayers, knowing that the God we serve is One who actively listens...and moves.

all in a weekend's work

GREAT Weekend.

Friday, I got some rare girl-time as some of our friends and I went to see the home Gertha (Lily's nanny and my best friend here in Haiti) is building.  We had a blast...

Why isn't Lily wearing her dress in the picture?  I don't know what to say.  We have a Haitian baby, folks :)

Then, last night we had the weekend students over (guys who live too far away to go home on the weekends) for supper and a movie.  They picked "Castaway", which they found totally enthralling.  It was fun for Matt and I to watch with them, too, and listen to the guys promise NEVER to fly in a plane, yell to Tom Hanks 13 better ways to start fire, and heartily commend Tom's ex-fiance for her moral decision to stay with her new husband.  It was really fun...

Then this morning...The Saccanville church has been really struggling these last few months after their pastor, a truly godly man in love with them and the Lord, took a job with OMS's church planting arm.  While the church plant he has been working with has been going really well, and we are thrilled to see Janiel be better able to support his family while doing ministry at the same time, the Saccanville church has obviously declined in many ways in his absence.

Without a strong leader and a consistent pastor, some morality issues have crept in, and the preaching has been spotty, inconsistent and sometimes one week's preacher will completely contradict the next, and frequently both will completely contradict the Bible...Matt's been struggling to stay in his seat a few times.

We've been praying about this heavily, and also praying that the Lord would show us and other EBS leaders and students clear ways to help in a healthy, glorifying way.  Just like I don't think it is any mistake that there is a seminary smack in the middle of a famously Voodoo area, I also don't think that the Lord "coincidentally" brought 60 Haitian Bible scholars, teachers, pastors, evangelists and missionaries next door to the Saccanville church during a difficult time.

So, just as EBS is working hard to plant the Of the Mangoes church alongside of the Saccanville church, the church has asked EBS to work hard to help them in this time of need, while they continue to wait on a new pastoral assignment.  This morning, Pastor Janiel came for a special service, and 4 of the seminary guys led the service and worship.  It went really well, and I could see that the congregation was excited to have people excited about the Lord.  Two of the EBS community afterwards said they feel very led to get involved however they can...teaching, preaching, committing to going each Sunday, whatever.

Tomorrow, the church leadership will meet again with the Seminary leadership and work on temporarily filling some of their biggest gaps...someone to teach the youth, Biblically-based preaching, and even just the presence of more young godly men.  (Like many churches in Haiti (and elsewhere?) there are a lot of women, elderly people and children in the church, but almost NO men in their 20's-40's.)

Next Sunday Matt will be preaching with an Emmaus team leading the service, and next Sunday afternoon, Saccanville church is walking to Of the Mangoes for a special kick-off service there.

All that to say that it was GREAT to be in church this morning, and to see another clear calling seem to open for the Emmaus community.  I am always so proud to watch the students obey when they hear the Lord's voice, even in situations that will give them no money, no power, no fame...

Afterwards, we took Lil to the pool for her life-favorite activity, swimming.  The weeks are so very busy here, and it is such a blessing on Sunday's to spend time as a family NOT working and doing something that we do for HER, simply because she loves to.

God broke the mold when He made this one!  Please continue to pray for her and for wisdom as we seek to raise this beautiful, hilarious, ornery and stubborn flower into a woman after God's own heart.  (Thank you, Gladys, for her dress!  She picked it this morning for church and for some reason has chosen it to be her "dancing" dress :)

Final praise, the McCluskey's!  After almost a full year (next month) of trying to work at the Seminary, in the community, be a family AND be fully responsible for the transportation, cooking, cleaning, entertainment, etc. involved for all EBS visitors (some for months at a time), we finally told Bryan last Spring that we would be unable to continue at such a pace this school year.  While we love each element, all of it together was just too much (even for someone who HATES to admit that!), and we weren't giving our family the priority that we strongly desired.

I bumped into John and Dorothy on the beach once last year, (they have been in and out of Haiti for years for short and longer term trips) and said, "We miss having you guys!"

"Well, what could we do if we came back?" Dorothy said.

We drove home from the beach that day excited that maybe help was on the way!  And so this Friday, they arrived!  John and Dorothy came for this school year with tons of stuff to make the empty house next door a home, and they began yesterday turning it into a kind of Bed and Breakfast for all the visitors EBS has throughout the year.

They'll be keeping visitors, cooking for them, transporting them, caring for them, laundry, weekends, etc....making our Visiting Professors' experiences so much better, helping out the EBS community, and MOST (is that selfish?) will be providing Matt and Lily and I with some down/family time once the day is done and during the weekends!  You have no idea what a huge answer to prayer this is, just to have some help!

Lily is also loving having someone next door, and loves to venture over to Do-Do and Bubba's house and be pleasantly surprised to find friends there...over and over :)

So, news flash:
 The God of the Universe is in control of it, and the God who answers prayers answers prayers!  Always blessed to always find Him faithful...

What prayers, however long-standing, is He clearly answering in your life?  As ALWAYS, we would LOVE to hear from you!

Saved for Salvation

At 1:30, Matt drove to Vaudreil and picked up a visiting team that wanted to go the service.  Then, he came back to Emmaus and packed in the students and a few staff members (all in our little truck :).  Then, they all "off-roaded" it to De Mangue (Of the Mangoes)..."The ride of my life," one of the visiting nurses said.

They arrived at the well right at 3:00, fully expected only two or three people ready for the service.  Instead, they pulled up to a screaming crowd of people, one man clutching a wheezing little girl, about Lily's age.  One group was shouting at the other, then back again, fingers pointing, emotions high, drama gathering more and more men, women and children.  Finally,  the man and little girl pulled away from the group and rapidly approached Matt and the Emmaus crowd.

"My daughter just drank a glass of gasoline!" he panted, angrily, fearfully.  And indeed she had, as each breath emitted pungent fumes of fuel.  "THAT child gave it to her!  What am I supposed to do?  NO one has a motorcycle.  NO one has a truck.  The nearest hospital is 6 miles from here.  HELP ME!"

Matt started translating, and immediately one of the visiting team members, a doctor, examined the child, and confirmed that she had to have her stomach pumped as soon as possible.

Quickly, Matt grabbed the tiny miserable child, the mom, dad and an aunt, and plowed through muddy back roads to the hospital, leaving the students a large group of anxious community members and a great opportunity.  As we have learned, EBS students don't let a lot of opportunities go by :)

They jumped into the service, the crowd growing as they sang, prayed and preached.   Belony preached from John 3:1-15,  the story of Nicodemus being born again.  Everyone hung onto every word, hearing the story for the first time.

While the students were really disappointed that no one converted Tuesday, we kept reminding them what a long-standing Voodoo village Of the Mangoes is, and about how it might take a long time for people's "veils" to truly be lifted so that they can understand the Bible.  It might take a LOT of persistent watering to make these seeds fall on ready soil.

However, the students were really excited by further leading of the Lord.  One student felt strongly that day, while looking around at all the children, that there needed to be a children's ministry put in place alongside of the Bible study.  We have about 10 students who specialize in children' ministry, and they are passionately putting together plans for this now.

Also, after the service, the staff and students confirmed Civil's calling to the the "church", noting that he has clearly been given a special "God-Heart" for the community.

Most, the students were excited about the way that God had gone before them.  Two weeks ago, God used them to grant the parched village water.

Now, God gathered the crowd for them, last-second brought a doctor with them, and used them to save a little girl's life, who honestly would have most certainly died if they had not arrived with transportation and money for the hospital in the very moment that they did.  Her death could have led to such great disunity, anger and blame among the community, and instead, it led many to hear what the mysterious pastors had to say.

Why did the students sacrifice their little money to get this community a well?
 Why are they sacrificing their time to come and preach the word?
Why would they be willing to put up the money, fuel and time to save a little girl they didn't know?
What is it that the Emmaus community believes that makes them SO different from from the Of the Mangoes community?
So different from the witchdoctor?
Hadn't they already heard all the stories of the witchdoctor?
Why had no one ever told them these new stories that were so different?

Matt and I are excited to KNOW the answers to all these questions De Mangue is asking, and even more excitied to know that the Answer is not just baffling, but also satisfying, life-giving, transforming, salvation!

The questions are being asked...We're praying that God will use Emmaus and Saccanville and us to provide the answers, just as He has so miraculously and powerfully provided the way.

We pray that the salvation of this little child will lead Of the Mangoes to true salvation.   That the experience of this little child shall lead them to Living Water.

Please keep praying for the zone, for the Saccanville church and Emmaus community as they pour themselves out, and that the Lord would continue to be powerfully working at the front!

Is there ever a dull day in His service?