beauties.

Oh man, hello!

I'm working through my phone and a different network and staying away from pictures, but it's working!

It is crazy how dependent upon internet and phone service you become!

All the finances at Emmaus, Quickbooks Online.  All the grading, attendance, academic records, Populi Online. My recipe book? AllRecipes.com.  Even the large majority of communication we do here on campus is through email...down. Or phone...down.  We are all w-a-y behind and covered in sticky notes, trying to remember all the things that need done once we ARE online again.

Unfortunately, with it's own employees striking against one of the 2 main internet/cell phone companies in Haiti, it's proving a l-o-n-g-s-u-f-f-e-r-i-n-g event.  it's. always. something. :)

After a wonderful time with the Mishler's this weekend, Martin, Isaac and Kate headed back to frozen Kansas on Tuesday and Sharon headed back here.  She's to her elbows in reading books and sewing projects, washing dishes and hanging laundry, loving on Lily to Ben and Matt and I too, and it's just so, so good to have Sharon in our family.

My dear niece Mayah has been home a week and a half now and they are all blissfully happy to have her in their arms.  Her medical appointments this week have gone WELL, and we are just rejoicing from afar His mighty works.

Days at Emmaus are busy!  We're a few days into another Master's cohort, our undergrad classes are into midterms this week, we're enjoying Matt being home and in the office.  With so many students and precious staff, there is always someone rejoicing and someone grieving, someone hoping and someone discouraged, someone helping and someone needing help.  I value, value the precious community that ensues...sometimes the server, sometimes the giver, sometimes the pray-er, and sometimes, the recipient.

From grabbing something from my office late one night only to find Leme faithfully opening every door on campus and making sure every light was off and door was locked...to wondering where Sofie got to and finding her chatting Granny's ear off while she wildly braids her patient head...to worshiping together in chapel three days a week, lifting the burdens and the blessings and praising, all the same.

It is a bad-roads, far-from-home, unstable, dusty, no-internet, always-something kind of life...but digging deeper to find the beauty, to find His hand...it always results in MUCH.

As long as He's alive and well and at work--and He always has been and always will be--there is going to be beauty in the ashes, and I'm gonna be one of it.  One of the beauty in the ashes.

It blesses and encourages me when I see you, beauty in the ashes, too...for His glory.