lots in life and parallel living

Bryan, Leslie and the kids head out tomorrow, so these last few days have been filled with lots of meetings, last second questions, decisions, changes and discussions.

Lily, and Jacob and Josephine, are really going to miss the 4 youngest Easleys!  Life has been so much more enjoyable for each of them because of having each other.  Leslie's camera was stolen yesterday off of her wrist while taking a picture...and yet they are still sad to go!

We have a visiting professor coming in Saturday, Dodo has been down sick with some kind of Haitian contamination, and suddenly tons of "year end" stuff is on our plates:  Spring EBS newsletter (want one? email me your address), creating a DVD for presentations this summer, personal spring newsletter (want one? email me your address), preparing for registration in April for classes in the fall, preparing for graduation, creating wedding invites and programs for 2 students (why do I always say 'yes' to everything???), pushing to get through as much material as possible before final exams, working through some issues EBS's financial system is having...you get the picture.

Also, today is my dear friend Elisa's birthday (Happy B-day, EJ!) and if you are not following my room-mate's blog of her life and His ministry in a closed country, you are missing out on some unbelievably touching and heartbreaking photojournalism...If I had no Lily, no husband, wasn't pregnant, and had a visa, I would be on a plane right now to join her.


After meeting with Junior some yesterday, he shared that the women of Konpech have been "firmly asked" by the men of Konpech to stop meeting with the Christians.  For their own welfare, they have requested that we stop coming.    

"Junior, I'm sorry," I said deeply and earnestly.  "What a discouraging day."

"What?" he said, with a grin.  "I'm not discouraged!  This isn't MY thing!  They're His, preaching the Gospel is His, leading me to Konpech was His...He knew this would happen and He's still taking care of it.  I'll continue to be in prayer, and when it is time to return again, I will go!  Not discouraged!"

Ah, so many days I wish I was more like Junior...which is really just saying that I wish I was more like Jesus, like Junior is.  I am so easily discouraged and so quick to forget that none of this is mine.  I'm always trying to hold His gifts in clenched fists instead of in palms of outstretched hands.

If it's all His and I trust Him, then I have no right to be discouraged by the ways of man.  Junior is outwardly living parallel with his inward faith in who He is.  

As my loving and straightforward friend Sharon would tell me after receiving a discouraged, doubting email: "Go read your own blog!"

busy, beach, burden

This past weekend was a busy one and the week has started much the same! The internet drama continues, so hopefully this blog will make it up sometime.

We enjoyed Friday night with Don, making plans for his team coming down in April, and then saw him off early Saturday morning.  No one was happy to see him go, but Lily had huge tears streaming down her cheeks and broke my heart.  I'm so thankful that despite His faraway calling on our lives, He still gives us precious times with family.  We are thankful for family in Lily's Haiti life!  She loves her Uncle Don, and is already talking about how he will "be back soon!"

Don and Maxi

 the guys scheming early Saturday morning

Saturday, we headed out with the Easley's and Hubeles for the beach.   Traffic (see below)  meant that it took 2 hours to get there, but once there, it's always worth the trip.  We had a fun day, supper together at our house that night and at least Matt, Lily and I went promptly to bed.

Lizzie and Lily both look so tired!

from left to right: Leslie Easley, Sarah E., Jacob E., Brian and Lizzie, Josephine H., Matt & Lil, John and Rachelle Hubele, Jacob H., and Ben E.  

Yesterday, Matt and Bryan headed to Vilmer's church in town while Leslie, Bubba and Dodo and the kids and I walked to Saccanville's Maranatha Church.  After all this talk of how much cooler it has been this spring, yesterday ended all that.   "Haiti" hit...it was hot and humid and is again today!

Heavy on my heart today is Konpech.  Upon Junior's arrival there yesterday afternoon, he was asked not to return again.  I'll sit down with Junior tomorrow to learn more about how things transpired and to spend some time in prayer with him over this people group, but I can't seem to put them out of my mind...Neither can He.

Please keep praying for this zone and for this precious and fragile opportunity to share Christ.

a day in the life for Stacey and Lily

Since Matt wrote about his daily life, we've had lots of requests about what Lily and I are up to...

Not many families get to live and work and minister together as closely as ours does.  My office is three doors down from Matt’s, we teach in classrooms next to each other, I get to watch Lily play outside my office window, he gets to come home for a few minutes on his lunch break, we work with all of the same people and with all of the same students, Lily (and Sofie!) go evangelizing with me, and all of the ministry we do outside of the classroom is done as a family.

Obviously, living where you work has its definite stresses and downsides, especially in a foreign culture, but I feel incredibly blessed  to be a part of Matt’s life that he shared with you a few days ago, and that he gets to be an intimate part of my life, and that Lily gets to be involved at such a young age in His daily calling for our family.

Because Matt and I both start teaching at 7:30, mornings are a bit rushed!  After Lily comes to see me and gives me my morning kiss, she is off for Daddy time while I have my devotional time.  As you’re always reading, I love using Oswald Chambers “My Utmost for His Highest” or “Devotions for a Deeper Life” to supplement my Bible reading.  I often let these devotions direct where I’m reading, too.  For example, if the passage the study is based on is Matthew 19: 16-22, I’ll spend the majority of my time working through Matthew 18,19,20 and time in prayer.

Yep, that means I have about 20 minutes to shower, get dressed and eat breakfast!  (Our life is no beauty pageant!)  Gertha usually arrives around 7, and Matt and Lily have already eaten, so it’s doable. 

At 7:15-7:20 we kiss Lily while she is busily working with Gertha to feed the cat, color or work on her room (some of her favorite chores.) 

At 7:30, I’m either teaching 20 first and second year students English grammar and basics, or 20 second and third  year students English conversation and English in a Biblical/Theological context.  Teaching, though I fought it hard before moving to Haiti, is truly one of the best times I have each day.  Having the same students every day means that by now, we’ve developed some good relationships, and teaching and learning with friends is so much fun.

A few weeks ago, we were discussing various professions in my ESL1 class.  “What do you call someone who cleans?” Napoleon asked. 

“A cleaner, I guess” I told him.

“Well,” Brave said, “then what to you call someone who only cleans toilets?”

“Ummm,” I thought, “I guess still just a cleaner, or a janitor.”

“OK,” Samson chimed in.  “So what do you call someone who only washes your back?”   

what????  These are obviously Creole words I have yet to learn.

I was cracking up at this point, as was everyone…Or today, for example, when Samson reads his entire conversation as character, Sarah, in a hilarious falsetto voice.  

From joking to discussing politics to working through Biblical and cultural issues, these hours with these 40 men and women are precious times.

Everyone pictured here, minus staff and 5 students, are in one of my English classes

After class, and before I go back home to Lily, I crunch!  I have from 8:50 – 11:00 to do everything else:  prepare lessons, grade paper, create tests and worksheets, translate student testimonies, meet with students/staff, create promotional materials (seminary blog, seminary newsletters, thank-you letters), and manage the EBS finances.  This financial part has been a new responsibility for me.

 The "office" that Belony, Fan Fan, Elizay and I share.

In September, EBS took a major step towards being more financially independent and responsible by naming a Business Manager (me J), having a member of the EBS board set up our own financial system, and training me to keep track of every penny budgeted, spent and coming in through QuickBooks. 

This means that each week, I spend a few hours on billing, tracking receipts, keeping track of each student account and creating their invoices, creating reports for the OMS Haiti field, headquarters and the EBS board, and “translating” everything through three varying currency conversions (Haiti uses two financial methods of counting money, and then we usually use the US dollar for reporting.)

At 11, finished or not, I head home to Lily, the best part of my day.  No matter HOW much fun she is having in the seminary kitchen sorting beans with the cooks, playing in the hose with Gertha, or riding on the food carts in the cafeteria, she is always thrilled that I am done with work. 

From 11-12:30, she and I play, and “work” on things like her alphabet, colors, learning children’s Sunday School songs, dancing, reading books, painting, etc.  At 12:30, she is ready to start winding down for her nap, and we have lunch, get in bed, read books (her favorite’s right now are anything with Winnie “the Pooh-Pooh", and Are You My Mother?), and she is asleep everyday at 1:15.

1:15-3:15 again, is crunch time, but this time, in the house.  As soon as she nods off, I hang out laundry, clean up the house, and most often, work on dinner.  Two days a week, our dear friend Micheline joins me from 11-3, helping with dishes, laundry, sweeping and mopping. 

As you know, we have nothing that you would actually consider a "grocery store."  We buy most of our food from women in the street with stacks of mangoes or piles of potatoes, and cannot buy many of the food items we could in the States.  This means that if we want bagels, I get out the flour and start boiling water.  Since coming to Haiti, I have learned to make my own bread, rolls, tortillas, English muffins, bagels, cinnamon rolls, muffins, noodles, pizza dough, spaghetti sauce, cake, cookies, enchilada sauce, taco seasoning, salad dressing…everything, from scratch. 

While it’s all GOOD stuff, it takes F-O-R-E-V-E-R.  So I spend this time while Lily sleeps baking, (usually in bulk and freezing), kneading, and preparing the evenings casserole, stew, soup, or at least doing all of the prep work (bleaching and chopping all the vegetables, making the salad or preparing the fruit, cutting up the meat, making the broth or the milk) so that once Lily wakes up, I don’t have to spend the whole afternoon pushing her off while I cook.

She wakes up every day around 3:15, and our afternoons are varied.  Sometimes, we spend time with Bubba and Dodo, or Rachelle, Jacob and Josephine.  Sometimes, we’ll make cookies together or put away laundry.  At least 2 days a week, we go “out.”  These are both of our favorite afternoons, giving Lily a chance to play hard with the neighbor kids, chase goats and chickens, and giving me a chance to maintain relationships with a lot of the women and families in the community. 

These afternoons, sitting with families, watching the kids, talking about daily life and sharing Jesus are precious.  There are a lot of days lately when the heat, distance and carrying/helping Lily and my fatigue make me want to stay home, but EVERY time we go out, I am greatly blessed.  Blessed to share Him, blessed to be reminded of His love for those around us, blessed to be welcomed into anyone’s home (and we are ALWAYS welcomed) and blessed to be a part of His kingdom in Haiti.

Wednesday afternoon’s we all load up and drive to Vaudreil for missionary prayer meeting.  One other night each week we pack up again and drive to Vaudreil to eat with and share the Seminary ministry with teams staying on OMS’s main compound. 

The other nights, we have dinner together as a family in our home at 5:30, frequently joined by visitors, visiting professors, other foreign friends or Haitian friends.  This is usually Matt’s and my first chance to catch up with each other, and we can talk about work and ministry, and then try to move away from that for the rest of our evening.

We’ve had some great friend time and great family time around our table, "solving" and pondering the problems of the world, telling stories, remembering, dreaming, counseling and receiving counsel,  and laughing.

When we don’t have any guests, Matt, Lily and I talk a walk each evening after dinner.  We talk with the guys, chase frogs, follow Shay, look at the stars and sing songs together, and let Lily use up her last energy.

At 7, it’s bath time and jammie time and at 7:30 we read Lily a few books, say prayers and sing her a few songs before she conks out. 

As Matt shared with you, we then have about an hour together.  Some nights, that’s an hour grading papers, Matt working on his masters or me working on the blog or emailing.  Other nights involve coffee, The Office or part of a movie (we can NEVER make it through a whole movie anymore J) or just talking.  I am so blessed to be working and living alongside of my best friend.  ANY time that we have just the two of us or together with Lily is very precious to me.

We continue to rely on His faithfulness and the faithfulness of your prayers!  

trusting Him to do what He does

Things that are making today a beautiful day: 

1- After 5 days without, the internet is finally up and running again!

2- I received a bag of Valentine's Day conversation heart candy yesterday from my aunt.  Oh yeah.

3- "Duncle Don" is a Machine.  He knocked out my "Hunnie Do" list within 2 hours of arrival, he's now knocking out tons of unfinished projects in the men's dorm, and he's preparing supplies and work for a team from Sharptown Church coming in April!  And chasing Lily around the house.

4- Everyone is enjoying the Easely's being here, especially Lily who is blissfully loving having 6 children to play with each day.  

5- Dodo and Bubba definitely make the list, while they do laundry, clean and cook for the Easley family, all tasks which in their absence, fall on Matt and I...A BIG job for such a busy time!  I retract all previous indirect blog statements that may or may NOT have been about them being old.  

6- Clear reminders of His faithfulness.  

It's that 6th blessing that truly changes life.  Everytime someone or a situation encourages me to "step out on faith" I think of that scene in Indiana Jones where he stands before a bottomless canyon.  About 15 feet away, he can see the doorway and the passage where he needs to go, but there is NOTHING between him and that doorway.  

However, his guide book tells him he must take a leap of faith.  His father's life is at stake (and his father happens to be heart-throb Sean Connery, so...yeah, this is important!) so closing his eyes, he steps off the cliff.  Two feet below him, he lands on a stone bridge so perfectly camouflaged that you couldn't see it until you were standing on it.  

Two weeks ago, something truly devastating hit our little family.  Trust was destroyed, an intimate relationship deeply bruised, and a lot of pain and uncertainty involved.  This, time and time again and every time, whether apparent or not, is what sin does.  It ruins all basis for relationship, causes separation, and hurts everyone involved, not just the person who choose the sin.

For these past two weeks, we have stewed, talked, prayed and pondered what our response to the situation needed to be, and how in the world we were going to live with whatever that response was.  On Friday afternoon, the Lord planted Lucner in my mind, and all weekend when I thought about the situation, I felt clearly that I needed to "talk to Lucner."  

So, Monday morning we shared the situation with him, and I knew based on our relationship, history and respect for Lucner as a Godly and wise man, and the clear way that I had been directed to him, that pretty much whatever he advised, we would probably follow. 

And he gave us good and Godly counsel.  And I knew it was good and Godly as I heard it.  But it was also heartbreaking counsel, and I was crying before he even finished, knowing that what we needed to do would be one of the hardest things I've done, and that it would leave us having some major needs with NO plans or even ideas on how to meet them.

So yesterday, for the sake of something worth it--His holiness, in a heap of tears--I stepped out of the doorway seeing no bridge below me.  It was so darn painful that I cried more yesterday than I have in months (I am also 29 weeks pregnant...might have something to do with it :).  And as soon as my foot left that ledge, I doubted.  

We had done the wrong thing.  What was I thinking?  How could something so painful for everyone be the right thing?  What in the WORLD were we going to do now?  How in the world were our needs going to be met?  

And you know what?  NOT because I had at all merited it, but just because He is Faithful, He was.  Almost immediately, He sent the perfect person at the right time with words of His perfect peace and assurance.  Almost immediately, He sent a solution, a GREAT solution, for our pressing needs.  And a few hours later, He sent an additional solution.

Though I was afraid and doubted, He helped us step out on faith nonetheless, and then blessed us immediately for it.  Met us, as promised.

When I say, "step out on faith", I'm talking not talking about faith that it would be ok.  ONLY talking about Faith in Him.  

I had faith (though my emotions didn't match it) that if He knows when every sparrow falls, He would take care of me, take care of my little ones.  If He clothes each flower, that He would care for the situation, and each person involved.  Though I saw no possible way that it could be ok.  

It has me wondering this morning...HOW MANY TIMES do I suffer the consequences of NOT having that faith?  How often have I, AM I, missing out on completely impossible to foresee-- yet PERFECT-- blessings, answers and parts of my life, because I was never willing to step out on HIS faithfulness?

Because I didn't TRULY trust Him?  Or because I only truly trust Him when I can clearly see in advance some possible things He could do about it?  

What a lesson I am learning (again/still) about He and I.  Do I trust Him with our lives or not?  Do I trust Him with Lily and Sofie, or not?  Do I trust Him with Emmaus?  With the students? With the staff?  With the future?  Is it all mine, or is it His?  And if it is His, do I trust Him to take care of it?

If trusting Him was comfortable, well, then it just wouldn't be following Christ.  It hasn't been comfortable yet, and I don't imagine it will be in the days ahead.  

Let me encourage you, and please keep encouraging me: whatever we are each facing, in our lives, in our jobs, or even just in our hearts -- trust Him with it completely taking whatever leap of faith in Him that we are avoiding...allowing Him to do what He does best, the impossible and the perfect.

We are having some major internet issues again and are on some borrowed internet for a few minutes for an update!  The election yesterday seems to have gone well in almost every zone around us, with just a few polls being shut down early due to violence.  We spent the morning at church and the afternoon napping, playing outside and having a big pizza dinner together with the Hubeles, McCluskey's, Easley's and Uncle Don.

As always, it was good to be back to class today, though no one is anxious to wait the predicted 4-8 weeks before finding out who Haiti's next political leader will be!

More as soon as we get some internet!  John thinks by Wednesday it will have improved...

so far, so good

Don arrived safely this morning, everything was good in town, things seem to be stable and prepared for the election tomorrow, and the trip to town this morning helped us stock up on enough food to last everyone a while, just in case!  All is good!   Thank you for your prayers!

Lily's as thrilled as the rest of us to have Don here...she proudly showed him her newest boo-boo's and then sat on his lap grinning at him most of lunch.  Matt just let him finish eating before heading out to throw the ball, and I got a whole suitcase of groceries from Brenda...Yay for good friends!

Check out the Seminary blog for a really interesting student testimony that I just heard for the first time the other day...Really good stuff.

political prayers

Tuesday, Director Bryan and his family of 6 flew in for 2 weeks.

Friday, Haiti's most recently exiled president plans to arrive after leaving South Africa today.

Saturday, our good friend and constant helper, Don, hopes to fly in for one week.

Sunday, Haiti will again be voting for a new president after our very exciting first election in November.

In Haiti, apparently, when it rains politically, it pours past exiled presidents.

There is a lot going on right now, we have lots of guests, and the potential for a lot to come about politically these next few days is, needless to say, GREAT.  We'd love your prayers, and will, as always, keep you posted!

a day in Matt's life

Last week, Matt suggested doing a blog on his day-to-day life to give you a better idea of what that looks like.  I thought that was a great idea, and started capturing some "normal" pictures to go with it.   So here is a very rare blog from Matt!

Each morning, I wake up at 5:00AM (with the Haitian roosters) and throw on a pot of strong coffee (sometimes a Haitian espresso) and head for my devotions.  For my Scripture reading, I’m currently working through 2 Samuel and Luke’s Gospel. For my devotional reading, I’m alternating and between Dallas Willard’s Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ and The Story of Christian Theology by Roger Olson.  

(our front yard)

For March, I sensed the Lord’s leading in exploring the Meta-narrative of salvation in order to have a Biblical and prayerfully considered frame of reference for understanding my own story and calling as it fits within the greater framework of salvation history.  It is this idea that led me to the historical books of the OT and the Gospels.  

(our back yard)

At 6AM, I know my devotional time is finished when I hear the pitter-patter of Lily’s feet on the cold tile as she runs down the hall from the bedroom to see me (one of the best moments of the day).  Lily and Papi (Haitian name for “daddy”) adventures go from 6AM-7AM while Stace does her devotions.  We color, go for walks around the EBS campus, dress up in princess clothes, dance, play hide and seek, you name it.  7:15AM - off to office/class.  

Every Tuesday and Thursday, I teach two courses totaling 3.5 hours in the classroom.  The first class on Tues/Thurs (7:30AM-8:50AM) is a Bible translation critique course in which we compare the original texts (Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament) with the French La Sainte Bible and the Creole Bib La.  The primary goals of this course are to (1) strengthen advanced students’ Greek and Hebrew, (2) understand dynamics of Bible translation and (3) discover the strengths and weaknesses of both La Sainte Bible and the Bib La as it pertains to accurate Biblical interpretation.

After Translation Critique, I’m immediately off to the Isaiah course (9:00AM-11:00AM).  The beauty of studying the book of Isaiah in the Haitian context is Isaiah’s powerful emphasis on God’s Holiness, Power and Trustworthiness as critical to understanding, judgment, hope and redemption.  

The study of Isaiah presents an opportunity for theological/intellectual challenge among students.  Holiness, holiness, holiness is at the center of salvation.  A message for us all (see Called to be Holy: A BIblical Perspective by John Oswalt).  I owe a great deal of thanks to Dr. John Oswalt for his help in preparing the Isaiah course at EBS.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday's I also attend chapel services from 10-11, and preach in these services 2 or 3 times a month.  

After teaching, I’m off to my office for a cold drink (usually Toro - meaning “The Bull” - the Haitian equivalent of Red Bull, but at only $0.80 a piece instead of Red Bull’s $2.20 a piece).  To unwind from teaching a bit, I begin to tackle administrative tasks and project development.  

Some of the regular items I work on administratively for EBS are: (1) plan for future academic calendars with Lucner (Academic Dean of EBS), (2) authorize purchase requests and expense reports, (3) legal research, (4) follow-up on previous administrative projects still pending, (5) collaborative meetings with senior administrators on project visions, goals, strategies, budgets, etc..  

Some of the projects we’re currently working on are: curriculum review, the 2011-2012 academic calendar, student spiritual life development strategies, in-country marketing for EBS, solar energy/increased energy efficiency solutions, student-work study program, EBS garden, increased economic efficiency in the cafeteria and an EBS radio program.  

When finished with priority administrative tasks, I replace the administrator's hat with the academic’s.  In my academic life, there are a number of things happening.  First, I’m finishing up an MA in Biblical Literature online with Wesley Biblical Seminary (www.wbs.edu).  My course load this semester online is, (1) New Testament History and Interpretation, (2) Apologetics and Cultural Change and (3) Theology and Theory of Leadership.  I spend approximately 20-25 hours a week on my Master’s work.  My favorite course right now is Apologetics and the most helpful course is Theology and Theory of Leadership.  

(Matt also has the ONLY office with an air conditioner...something he gets VERY excited about)  

Secondly, I’m always preparing for EBS courses.  My preparation includes preparing for classes I’m currently teaching at EBS, as well as preparation for classes to be taught the following semester.  Third, I’m leading a study on Romans for our weekly, OMS missionary prayer meeting that requires weekly preparation.  Finally, I spend any extra academic time (which is very little) exploring linguistics and semiotics (study of symbols).  

Let me say here that I love teaching and the academy more than any dynamic of my professional life.  I believe teaching is my primary calling.  

I pause in my academic endeavors for lunch in the cafeteria with students (12:30PM-1:00PM).  Lunch consists of either rice, beans and fried chicken or yummy hot corn grits covered in a milky bean sauce and vegetables soaked in oil - sits like a cinder block in the stomach.  After lunch in the cafeteria (Creole - refèktwa), I head home (1PM-1:30PM) to spend the rest of the lunch hour with Stacey and Lily, reading books on the bed and putting Lily (and CS Lewis, the cat) down for her 1:15 nap.  Work being a 3 minute walk from home has its benefits :).

I spend the afternoon (from 1-4:30) back in the office, meeting with the staff, administration, various students, or continuing to work on lesson plans or my masters.  On Wednesday afternoons, I have the opportunity to teach during a weekly gathering with all OMS Haiti missionaries and visitors.  Currently, we are working through Romans, studying God's plan for salvation and new life in depth.

I call it quits in the office around 4:30PM and head home for more adventures with Lily and time with Stacey!  A few days a week I also join the students for their daily soccer match from 5-5:30.

Lily and Papi adventures in the afternoon are simply a more intense version of morning adventures. Everything we do is done louder and faster.  Lily has lots of energy :) Lots of days we walk around the compound and she visits her friends and the kitten that lives in the guard shack with Kesner.  Her two favorite things right now are (1) “Like a monster” in which I growl and chase her while she runs and hides in closets; (2) Princess time in which she puts on one of her princess dresses, “sparkle shoes” and tells me to “sing the princess song” (which is any made-up melody and lyrics that repeat the words “princess”, “Lily”, “beautiful”, and “pretty” and “wonderful”)

Dinner at 5:30PM (Stacey is the best cook in the world, no joke), a family walk each evening, Lily bath and bedtime stories and prayers from 6:30-7:30PM.  After Lily goes to bed, Stacey and I unwind by having some decaf while talking, reading, (Stacey blogging) watching a movie or The Office.  We have to admit, we rarely make it to 9PM before heading to bed...

Add in preaching and visiting student and community churches every weekend, a trip to town at least every 2 weeks for supplies or for airport runs, working in Konpech most Sunday afternoons with Junior, and all of the daily "unique" problems and situations that come up, life in Haiti continues to be very busy...and very happy.

trips to town