random post of the month.

-Anyone know anyone that can give us a good deal on Emmaus t-shirts for the staff?

-Yesterday we registered most of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students for the new school year.  It was GREAT to see everyone, and also GREAT to see them see everyone.  Everyone was so happy to be back together, and stories of incredibly busy and exciting summer God-work were flowing through the halls.  So good.  

-Yesterday, I wanted to start FEEDING most of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students.  I know I say this every August, but the difference in the physical state of the students after 9 months at Emmaus and then after 3 months out of Emmaus is astounding.  It's obvious that a lot of our students have truly been pouring themselves out.

-Anyone know anyone who is hiring elementary school teachers in Philly?

-Today, Petit Sauvelt, his wife and son came to hang out for a while, and were quickly asking about you, "Low-ree" and "John Smith"...Lori and June :)  Man, it was SO good to see them, to hear about all the ways God is using them, to pray with them...What a great encouragement right at the start of the year like this, to be reminded that there are many sold-out, faithful and joyful brothers and sisters working right along beside us for His kingdom in Haiti!  

-It was 10 Thousand degrees today.  Inside.  Really really hot.   (Ok, so 92 inside.  113 outside.  It FELT like 10,000.)

-Sofie is STILL sick...her nose is still pouring with thick gucky stuff and now she's waking up with her eyes crusted shut, too.  Man, this girl just cannot ever get better once she gets sick!  I've been working hard to get her weight up, smuggling lots of avocado, powdered milk and peanut butter in there, but...to no avail.  Just 2 weeks back in Haiti, and she's back down a pound.  One day, she will hit 20!

-Her dog-bite wound is looking WAY better, no problems, almost better.

-We're still waiting for Micheline to have her baby!  Meanwhile, Gertha and Noel are pitching in in a big way, making it possible for me to BE back at the office...and the girls (once Sofie gets past us leaving, that is) are having a GREAT time with them.

-A man named Ron who works for an organization who helps places like EBS stand on well-trained national leadership is staying with us for a few days, and has Matt brimming with ideas.  I really don't know what they are talking about most of the time :) When Matt's brain is with other brains...I cook for them.  (It's better when you're here, Don, and we can be morons together :)

-Good friends brought us a new Haitian dessert the other day that I've never seen or tasted, basically called "Coconut Tablets"...a huge mound of sugary coconut strips, cooked with cinnamon and some spice that made it taste faintly faintly of black licorice.  I don't know WHAT was in that stuff, but oh man.  The four of us had it gone in no time...and know I will never be able to replicate it.  SO good.

-I wish I had used more packing space for candy and candy bars and less for shampoo.  I'd rather have dirty hair than no mini-frozen-snickers or sour-patch kids.   (Lily strongly agrees.)

-Tomorrow, we're off to church with Ron, Sam and Cam, Carol and Rick and Bud and Cindy...we missed our fellow Americans (and Canadians :) while out and are anxious to have some time to catch up and enjoy being friends!  Very thankful for these brothers and sisters!

-I'm not sure why, but today I was hit with a lot of gratefulness for the possibly HUNDREDS of people that helped to build, paint, finish, tile, plumb and prepare our house here in Haiti!  (Were you one of them?)  So many people volunteered their time and their funds to make this house a beautiful, safe and restful home, and it has meant SO MUCH to my family!  How many homes have had so many people over so much time working together to complete them?  If you were one of the many...thank you!

Told ya!  Random!