Q&A

OK, so I've had lots of good questions lately about what all in the world is going on (and who all these people I'm talking about are), so I'm going to do a "here's where we're at" post!

YES, our EBS Haiti international team has been changing a lot lately.  Last week, Mark and Marybeth moved into the apartment above the men's dorm, where we used to and still will house teams and visitors.  They were mostly recently working as OMS missionaries at West Africa Theological Seminary in Nigeria, and are now serving for this academic year at EBS as the VP for Academics and the Librarian!

YES, the Heckman's are both in and out and about!  Phil and Emily and Haylie are here right now for six weeks, then will be in New Jersey where they are building a new home and helping Haylie and Ethan continue to adjust to college (!I wish everyone would stop growing up so fast!)  Phil and Emily will continue that pattern, coming during particularly crazy times and visiting team times for a few weeks at a time, Emily helping in a major way with hospitality and teams and Phil working like crazy on the new classroom building. 

YES, the Edlers are coming back again someday and yes, sweet Jacob is now a permanent part of their dear family!  They've been away since February, first finalizing the adoption and speaking in several churches in Canada, and now in Northern Ireland, more speaking and visiting of family and introducing everyone to their newest son, and in September they'll be moving back into the house across the driveway. The girls are incredibly excited to have other kiddos living on campus again, and suddenly the female dominated kid population at EBS will go to four boys, three girls.  We can't wait to have Bill and Julie back, Bill teaching at EBS and Julie working at Bethesda Clinic down the road in physical therapy. 

WHO are the McGhees? As of May, Rob and Lori ALSO moved in next door (yes, it's a little crowded next door these days :), Rob as the IT Director (taking a huge, huge load off of Matt and improving our systems greatly) and Lori as the Business Officer Manager (taking a huge load off of me!) I am finally getting OUT of finance, just helping she and Jodenel this semester as needed, and focusing more on EBS Marketing and story-telling, on the four kiddos at home, teaching English and continued hospitality. They are also helping in a major with hospitality, which as you know EBS does in a big way year round.  

Meanwhile, we still have lots of other help coming and going, from visiting professors, like Dr. Paul Gaverick (working on the secret victory handshake with Lily below) currently here with IWU, family like Rick and Carol, who got in yesterday and are helping with the new building and training of Lori and getting the new year started on the finance front, and teams like pictured below, giving us a day to get on top of back-to-school painting!

Meanwhile, new student interviews are finally wrapping up, faculty forum is today, and student orientation is Thursday and Friday.

Back at home, there is this sweet man, still getting lots of love and sleeping better and just all around a bright, sweet spot in our lives and days....

...and his ornery littlest big sister, who is in a very "I can do it all by myself" stage, but won't let ME do anything all by myself, like exercise :)

She is SO hilarious, and will talk your ear off all the day long.

The new classroom building is obviously NOT going to be done by the time school starts next week, but we are hoping and praying for next semester!  It will be SO so good to have two classrooms that are actual classrooms (not the cafeteria or the library, where big classes are currently held) and that are large enough for our larger cohorts.  It's going to be beautiful, and also provide a few more badly needed offices!  Pictured here in the new classroom building, the cafeteria (middle) and the administration building (right).  

And finally, YES, the new dog is working out well...Jaxson eats like a horse and is getting bigger by the day, loves the kids, barks but doesn't bite, and has become Sadie's constant companion since the Heckman's moved her BFF Pepper to NJ :)  

Anything I didn't answer? Send me an email or comment below, and I will!

We are grateful for how God has and is providing the help and the expertise and the experience we need, as we need it, and please continue praying with us for all these transitions!