abuzz

Well, there's no more denying it.  We're sick.

For days now we've been feeling scratchy, sniffy, achy and stuffy, and finally today it's hit us.  We're not getting sick.  We be ill.

Poor Sofie's got the worst of it with a leaky nose and continual coughing, but none of us are feeling good.

Today and tomorrow finish of the last days of Systematic Theology and Christian Marriage and Family, and we've been just so thankful again for great visiting professors and for great classes.

Meanwhile, Mardi Gras, or Carnival, is upon us in a big way.  Cap-Haitien is hosting (hostessing?) Mardi-Gras this year for the first time that I know of.  This means that for weeks, tractors, rollers and work crews have appeared out of nowhere, and starting this weekend, an estimated 1 MILLION people are supposed to be coming to Cap-Haitien from all over Haiti and the DR to "celebrate pleasure."

I mean, there are more people in Cap than Cap can hold, already.  I cannot even IMAGINE where an additional 1 Million people will be.

So, the plus is that the roads are better, by far, than I have EVER seen them and probably than we will EVER see them again.  (Kind of sad that when a huge party is coming up, suddenly Haiti DOES have the money and machinery and man power to improve it's situation...where has all that stuff BEEN all this time??)

The negative, as you can only imagine, is that Mardi-Gras in Haiti comes with a lot of things that are about as far from beautiful and redeemed living as you can imagine.  Just this morning, the staff was talking about the normal death toll that rises out of Mardi-Gras from murder and rape (a time of no rules, just "do whatever makes you happy"), and their concern for the increased number of expected deaths and crimes due to the crowds of people coming in.

Just three years ago, Mardi-Gras was entirely cancelled following the earthquake, Haiti noting that it was time to stop pursing darkness that leads to more darkness and to instead turn our hurting faces to the Light.  Now, only a few years later, Cap is celebrating carnality bigger than ever.

It's heartbreaking.

The encouragement and joy around me are these men and women of Emmaus.  They are heading tomorrow into a big five days, too.  Every church I have heard of is just plain refusing.

Not going to go there.  Not going to do that.  And to help encourage people in their walks with the Lord and their detachments from the world, churches are doing youth revivals, children's programs, Bible studies, nights of prayer, church potlucks, community gatherings, outdoor services, special worship concerts, missions trips, baptisms, etc.

That means that this is a REALLY busy time for our staff and students, and I've been thrilled these past few days to hear the students working together...setting up times for singing groups from their church to travel to other student's churches...agreeing to come and preach, come and teach, go and share.

Seven students are heading out to the remote village of Au Bois tomorrow to do a four day missions trip.  Everyone else it setting up programs and preparing studies and sermon series.

Tomorrow and Saturday Emmaus is hosting a large conference, which is including pastors and Christian workers from all over the North, past and present students, etc.  Our speaker is flying in today, and the subject is Biblical Preaching.

Haiti is abuzz.

Maybe, until He comes, there will always be a battle.

Please be in prayer for Haiti this weekend, for safety as VPs are traveling and as our students are traveling, and for this awesome opportunity we have at Emmaus to Be the Light, Share the Light, and to Live in It.