2--> Our foreign missionary team has gotten kinda lean. After weeks of being unable to travel to meet together for our weekly Wednesday Bible studies, we finally got together on our porch with chocolate cake yesterday afternoon. Many couples and families left Haiti in the past two weeks due to all of the problems. The Emmaus members who left for a bit are back now, but OMS still has a lot of people out. It was so good to be back to praying together yesterday and to share all the ways that God's been at work through this heavy season. In the praising you can see how the past tumultuous month has really worn on everyone...pray for encouragement as we keep on keeping on, working to be faithful, each new day.
3--> Rick left with Matt, but stayed two weeks longer than planned! Having Rick and Carol here, working on the building and totally sorting the finances, was such a gift...and Rick realized right away that we could REALLY USE someone full-time dedicated to maintenance and construction! He hasn't agreed to come full-time :), but he DID stay an extra two weeks, working tirelessly and faithfully with Maxi, even when it felt like the country was being ripped apart. Every day he was tiling, putting in drop ceiling, painting, caulking, and then spent many days attending to all the little things that have been badly attended too...broken sinks and towel bars, fixing screens, caulking leaks, repairing busted underground water pipes...the list went on and on. His calm and steady and faithful presence in our lives was a GIFT and solid and practical encouragement...and now we all MISS him (but especially the kids...who love box-building/water ballooning/playing cards and "helping" Mr. Rick!)
4-->A few good friends and some trash is really all you need. We are so, so thankful to have a steady family next door and kiddos for our kiddos, especially when none of the kiddos can leave campus for weeks on end :)
5-->I have been doing Whole 30 for 25 days and I do not recommend it. Why? Because while eating NO grains, NO sugar and NO dairy for 30 days has me feeling better and energized and more disciplined and a lot more physically on track...NOTHING feels as good as chocolate tastes. I'm sorry. And those of you who know me well know that conversation hearts and chocolate are my FAVORITES, and I MISSED Valentine's Day!! Thankfully, I am far too stubborn to start something and not finish it, so I've got five days to go on carrots and chicken. But, if I can help it, I will never go through another political lockdown without chocolate cake.
6-->Retreat this year has been cancelled. Every year OMS takes a spiritual retreat in the Spring, and of course, it was to be this weekend. As you can see from the picture from last year vs. the photo of our prayer meeting yesterday above...we don't even have enough people for a retreat, even if travel was a good idea. Matt was to be the speaker, and we had four awesome women coming from NorthRidge for childcare, and as much as having a break and getting away right now feels ridiculous and impossible, we're sad to be missing this intimate time of spiritual growth and stepping away with our family. Due to all the government issues, Haiti has cancelled all official Mardi Gras celebrations, so Emmaus will be having class all week next week to make up for what we missed! So... letting that go. God knows.
7--> Family has NOT been cancelled. We were getting worried there for a bit, but next week, Aunt Sharon and Uncle Martin are coming, and we are so so thankful! They're also coming with their son Isaac and his fiancé Kate, and we're just looking forward to having family with us so much. What a practical encouragement friends are. Grateful for the gift of COMING. This picture was before Nora and Ben, but it's one of my favorites :)
8-->Ben and PrinceLou are adorable. The Prince stopped by yesterday to visit Granny, who is technically HIS granny as much as the kids granny :) We had given him a shirt double that Ben had, and so yesterday they were twinning. Ben is a month older, but he no longer has the size advantage. Love these dear ones...they bring so much joy to life.
***9--> My biggest update is our sweet Mayah girl. Bar any other major issues, she is coming home this weekend. Coming home. It's been over 100 days in the NICU, her sisters still haven't met her, and she may still be on oxygen. But. It's a miracle in any perspective, and I'm so so thankful and my heart is so there and I wish so much my body could be. You've been faithful pray-ers...please carry on, especially through this transition from having full-time NICU care to having parent and three little big-siblings care! He's just doing what only He can, and I'm trusting Him to continue. How could she be more precious?
(Update on the update. Never mind :(. A major episode has little MyMy set back another week or two. Just keep on praying...thank you!)
10--> Are you still reading? Things at Emmaus are just good. I get so excited hearing what's happening in our classrooms. I get excited seeing what's happening in our community. I'm so thankful for all the ways He is at work. And today I'm most thankful for what He's doing in and through our staff and students. One of our translators wive's just lost another baby, three in a row, all at five months. And as I sit with him and we talk and pray and my heart breaks, he tells me about how one of our staff members who also lost countless babies with his wife came to their home and sat with them for hours, sharing with them and praying and encouraging them, and my broken heart is full. Someone in our village is telling me how they've been hurting and the help they've been needing and my heart breaks for them, and right as I wait for them to ask me for help, they share with me how one of our deans visited them, prayed with them and gave them money from his own pocket, just last week...and my broken heart is full.
It's happening...the church, the transformative community we've been pouring into with so so many others, with so many dollars, with so many prayers, with so many years.
God's at work, that's an update, if we've forgotten. God's at work.
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