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I don't think there are many places in the world that do Christmas like Emmaus Biblical Seminary.  Let me just try to condense for you the 4 hour Christmas party this afternoon!

It started and ended with a praise service and prayer time, a really beautiful way to open.  I don't think I'd ever been to a Christmas party that started with a worship service before coming to Haiti.

Then came the speeches, which are always a very important part of gatherings culturally.  Matt shared a short devotional, Pastor Elizay (almost fully recovered from his surgery) shared a few words, and Belo thanked everyone for a great week of Christmas festivities.  

Then, of course, the very important soccer championship win was announced, which included speeches by several team members, bestowing of the trophy, slo-mo re-enactments of key moves, etc.  Third year took the title, in case you were wondering.

Then started the talent competition, in which three different competitors would share their talents, and everyone would vote for a winner, then move onto the next three.  (Lots of prizes like this :)

This year, Freny busted out some sweet break dance moves, winning for his group.

A lot of what qualifies as "talent" at EBS is whatever makes people laugh the hardest, even if there is no real talent involved :)  There was a LOT of that today!  Everyone had SUCH a good time.

Voting

 giving out prizes

 And the reigning champion of the day for the talent contest: Brave.  With a pillow in his shirt.  With music playing.  Dancing like an old man.  

From the moment he walked out of the bathroom with the pillow until he sat down at the end, everyone just LOST it.

We dunno.  

Then there were several very serious rounds of musical chairs (TRY this at your office Christmas party and see if it's better as a grown up :)

 Then, the "button shirt" game, which involved four students putting button-up shirts, with the exact same amount of buttons, on over their shirts, and having to button all the buttons faster than the other three.  LOVED it.  Five rounds of that.    

Confession: all I could think the whole party was, "WOW,  imagine if there was drinking involved?!"

Even Sofie and Lily had a blast (for the first 1.5 hours).  

Tomorrow is our big Christmas feast, with goat (which we sadly greeted this morning right before...yeah, right before.), fish, rice and beans, Cokes, and vacation good-byes (while staff members will be frantically grading final exams before leaving).  

Yesterday, we were blessed to attend the Christmas program at Cowman School down the road.  It was as cute, crazy and creative as it looks!  It was a really great time, and Lily loved seeing all the kids!  Sometimes I think she forgets that she's a kid and not a seminary student!

What a great day following a GREAT week!