the ayars affairs: 10 things to share...

1) A conversation.

Stacey: "Matt, what if no one supports Bernard? I haven't heard from anyone! What if no one support ANYONE? What are we going to do? What about Emmaus?"

Matt: "Stacey? Let it sit. He hasn't brought us this far to leave us now. Let's trust Him and give it some time."

2) A very short email.

"YES. I must help Bernard. I can do $1000. Tell me how."

3) Another email. From missionaries in Haiti.

"Bernard sounds great! I know we can do $1000."

4) A conversation.

Stacey: "You're ok, aren't you. My worrying doesn't help you one bit, does it. Nor bless you. I'm sorry. Make a way for every student, as you have so miraculously and perfectly made a way for Bernard. Help me to trust you. You'd think I'd know. I'm sorry."

God: "I've got you. I've got Emmaus. Trust me."

Stacey: "I DO."

5) A Haitian Proverb.

Piti piti, wazo fe niche li.

Little by little, the bird makes his nest.

I'm so thankful for this committed help today, so humbled to be joined. So excited to tell Bernard.

I still need a lot of work, and we still need a lot of help! I can't wait to introduce you to Aldy on Testimony Tuesday...until then, if you feel led to help, we really need you!

6) A break.

Next week is Spring Break here at Emmaus, which is always a really exciting ministry time. Just as it should be, the week of Easter is the Haitian Churches biggest week of outreach, worship, fasting, prayer and praise. Emmaus is literally going DOZENS of different directions doing DOZENS of different ministries, and THAT'S exciting.

Please pray for each of them as they share the message of Easter this Easter, and we are praying for you as you work to do the same!

7) An answered prayer.

And we're going a different way, too, this time, finally, for some family ministry.

We're heading to Florida for a few days on Saturday to see my dad, finally meet his fiance (with the wedding in May!), to see Matt's brother and sister-in-law, and to finally meet their new daughter (who is 6 months old!), and to see my brother-in-law and sister, and to finally see that baby bump (she is also 6 months old...internally :)

You know one of the great cries of my heart this past semester as our family has been transitioning so much has been to love on them, and I am SO THANKFUL for this opportunity. The girls and I also haven't been off the island since July, so...yeah. I want to go to DQ and I can't WAIT to try to get my computer fixed. And all the girls want are waffles and family time!

Waffles, ice cream, family. So thankful. Thank you in advance for your prayers.

8) A good-bye.

On Tuesday, the Aberle family, who have been living and serving with us these past two years, finished their term and headed back to the Kansas/Colorado region of ministry. Lily and Sofie, especially, are already missing their kiddos so much, and we are just so thankful for the past two years that this special family freely gave the Lord right next door!

We had a pool party, lots of "lasts", final dinners, final play-times, final prayers, and can't believe they are gone (and not coming back after 4 weeks of furlough or something!)

Our entire missionary EBS team (minus Ryan who was teaching when the Aberle's left).

Praying for the Aberle's as they seek out the place of His heart for their family now, and THANKFUL to have so many sweet memories of living and sweating and working and loving on others together these past two years!

9) A praise.

I can't really share the story details, but long-one-short, I'm praising the Lord for the burden He has given our students for true, long, lasting, deliberate DISCIPLESHIP.

It had come to our attention that there was a major prayer need for a 13 year-old boy battling with a demon. Upon stealing, he shared that he couldn't help it...the demon told him to steal, and had already told him that he would NEVER be strong enough to fight back against the demon.

Knowing the only one Who IS, we sent a group from the seminary made up of staff and students, and after talking to and praying with the boy for a long time, were finally able to share with him Jesus, which the boy was so anxious for. Praise the Lord.

But we all know the story can't END there...and the road ahead is long. Discipleship, so badly needed!

One of our fourth year students realized that she lives quite near the boy and his family (none Christian) in town, and asked to disciple him. The boy and his grandmother were anxious for it, and when I talked to her this morning (all that happening on Tuesday) she has already talked to him on the phone each day, talked to his grandmother each day, gone to his house, prayed over it, prayed with him, and started him into Bible Study.

She is thrilled to be doing it, and passionately shared this morning that each time she shares the Gospel with the boy, the grandmother is in tears.

"Stace, our God wants his grandmother, too! I'm going to keep teaching and sharing with the boy and with her, and I pray that grandma will also become a Christian, and that we will all grow together! They have SO much to learn about Jesus, and Jesus is using me to share it with them! Isn't that great?"

I have goosebumps again just sharing it here. How exciting! How tedious, how patient, how long-suffering, how beautiful true discipleship is! How thankful I am for the freedom we have in Christ and for the hearts of our family to share it fully!

10) Ten Photos.

While I could write 10 more posts about the stories from just the last 2 weeks, here's some random photos that didn't fit in anything I've already written, but are too cool to keep from you...

Ezehiel's school at Baron, finally finished.

Over 150 students meet in this "building" each day.

found this beautiful garden at the mountain top of Baron...cabbage!

I had never seen this before...homemade trash cans all over the school and church yard!

Noel has now hiked to Baron with me 4 times, pretty much the only good length of time we have together now that she is a second year student in medical school!