school days

The new school year has started SO well...and SO busy!  

Both visiting professors have arrived, meaning Matt can get back to starting things off in the right direction: renewing employee contracts, staff meetings, working with the administration on supporting a few new policies, etc.  

Jerry and Leroy have both taught here before, so they are off!  Jerry's teaching the Synoptic Gospels to first year, and Leroy has 2nd and 4th year (due to another VP having to cancel last moment) for Wisdom Literature.  Third year has Saint-Martin and they're studying pedagogy together: the practice of teaching.

Also, a small team from NorthRidge Church in Sabetha arrived on the first day of school, so we threw a little extra cooking and touring into the mix...it's been a very busy week so far!

Praises made obvious so far...
     -There were a several repeating issues of complaining, rebellion and attitude in a few members of last year's fourth year class.  These attributes quickly permeated the sense of the year.  
     This year, there is a whole new spirit.  A spirit of hard-work, buckling down, taking responsibility, contentment, joy at being a part of EBS, urgency for the need of the Gospel in Haiti...  What a praise, and testimony of work in the heart that only He can do.  

     -Emmaus has always had great staff members, but we are just really feeling blessed and impressed lately by the attitudes, work-ethics, wisdom and carry-through of our staff.  Each year, we have witnessed members grow and mature, and it's been a joy for Matt, especially, to be able to say in several complicated situations, "What do YOU all think?" and to receive wise and godly feedback and results.  

     -As crazy as this time of the year is for a team, it's been great to have Charlie, Hannah, John, Emily and Jerry here, as well as Visiting Professors Jerry and Leroy.  Plus, NorthRidge always comes bearing gifts...we have olive oil and sidewalk chalk once more :)  It is great to be joined by these parts of our family!

Prayers made obvious so far...
      -As always, PAYING for education is very difficult in Haiti, and many of our students are--and have been--really working hard to find their tuition payments.  While we've split the payments up, and continue to offer a work/study program to help with costs, paying for anything extra is always a challenge for most people.  
      Our first year class especially is having a very difficult time finding the funds.  We know that He who calls is faithful, and we're praying together with the students and trusting Him to provide the funds for those He desires to study here at this time.  

      -Following the death of our night watchman in the spring has come many of the lies, fears and accusations that you might expect from a community still living largely in darkness and still asking Satan for direction and help.  Matt has been in a slew of meetings regarding this so far, and we're asking for your prayers for wisdom and courage as the administration works to make Him known in this situation and to take a stand against cultural-norms that are NOT Biblical-norms.


After a long hot summer of empty halls and dusty desks, it is a joy to have disciples around us once more, all of us working together to grow transformed, Bible-based, pouring-out disciples, by His grace!