speaking of CRAZY

It has been a GREAT, packed weekend.  Greatly packed.  Packed greatly.  Packed with great things.  

  

Friday night we spent with our Northern Irish friends, Julie, Bill, Michael and Leah.  Julie lived in Haiti with us for over a year a few years ago, and it was GREAT to have time with her, her sister, husband and friend!  

Then first thing Saturday morning, Matt dropped off Visiting Professor Leroy, and then came quickly back as we piled in the big truck, and picking up staff friends as we went, drove to the hotel in town for annual staff retreat (which was supposed to be 2 weeks ago, but Isaac...)

Cam graciously swam with Lily and the kids while Sof chilled with us in a dress I got at the Ohio State Fair long before we were even pregnant with Lily.  This girl (Sofie) is something else.

THEN, Matt and I had the great joy of giving the staff a gift McLaughlin International so GRACIOUSLY gave us...staff t-shirts!  We knew they'd be a big hit, but we didn't know how big.  Our dear professors, cooks, watchmen and administration friends started stripping off the shirts they came in immediately (oh yeah) and proudly pulled on these:

It wasn't just that everyone loved having something with the school logo on it, but Matt had just finished sharing with the whole team the vision that has brought us all together and the work that we are all equally a part of by His grace in Haiti.  

To then leave our individual clothing and pull on staff shirts was so unifying.  It was really a special moment as everyone from our gate guy, who is unable to even sign his name on each paycheck, to our Academic Dean, who is working on his doctorate, put on the same thing. It meant so much to everyone, and no one ever did take their new shirts back off.

McLaughlin International, and Kristin (who reads our blog and hooked us up!) THANK YOU so much!  I'm not sure 25 of your shirts have ever meant so much to a family.

  

Then, everyone was very anxious for a team picture, and Matt, Sam and I were able to witness another cross-cultural moment.  Mona noticed that MaCodo was holding her glass of coke, stopped me from taking the picture, and ran off the stairs.   Before I knew it, everyone had abandoned the stairs to go retrieve their own glasses, fill them, and return for the photo.  I'm not sure what that's all about.  But I'm pretty sure that's what Sam and Matt are cracking up about :).  

So, here you have it, the staff and faculty of EBS, with matching shirts, glasses of Coke and Sprite, and mostly very-serious photo poses.  

 It continues to be such a gift for Matt and I to live alongside and work with this very special group of men and women who feel led to DO what Jesus did...eat with, work with, protect, teach, mentor, help, disciple, serve, and care for other disciples of Christ.  

We also had some time for Matt to talk about the roles that each person has, how their departments work, who is accountable and responsible for who and what, and what expectations there are for each member of the body.  It was a small thing, but really seemed to mean a lot to everyone to have more clarity and more pride in the work each is doing.

After some time to swim, we all ate goat and fish together, and this time I made myself practice the very counter-cultural custom of NOT talking during an important and formal meal.

I hate that.  I'm always the one that has 10 extra topics in the back of my mind, just ready to fill a silent and potentially awkward moment.  But not today!  After being corrected many-a-time that formal events and meals should be eaten in almost complete silence until the food is finished so that no one is rudely expected to join in conversation when they are focusing on eating politely, I ate quietly, too (mostly :), and waited until the food was gone and the jokes and conversations started up again before I spoke to those around me.  

It was a great day.  We got home at 2, Matt left at 3, picked up Dr. Bill at 4, was home by 6, and then this morning, preached 2 services (one at 7 am and one at 10) in Limbe for a friend and adjunct faculty member, Milca.  

Great church, great man and family, wonderful service, the girls did quite well (it's not easy being on a bench in a hot church for 3 hours!) and even let me translate for Bill and Jerry, and we were all blessed by a very humbling and huge meal of rice and chicken and plantain afterwards...meaning we were home by 2:30.  What a day, what a weekend!

AND I finally got the rat that's been driving me CRAZY.  (Lily: "Now that you caught it, can it be my pet?")

We're tired.

But feeling very grateful, lately.  Very grateful.