does it mean anything NOW?

Anytime you think of us, please be praying for Haiti.  I found myself lying awake in bed much of the night last night, thinking about all this cholera...thinking through all the horrific rumors surrounding the "epidemic," thinking about how to better protect Matt and Lily, the staff and students...thinking about how easy it would be to get, and how hard it would be to get proper treatment for this "plague" that many doctors and nurses are refusing to treat because they are afraid for themselves...

Getting true facts is always a bit hard in this culture (or, in the WORLD, I guess :), and the fact that next week is Haitian presidential election week seems to be making the stories even more muddled and varied.  As ever, many are complaining in light of Cholera that the government is doing...well, nothing.  Moral is way down, and we have found the Haitian moral in regards to the election to already be quite low.

I have not yet spoken to a person who WILL be voting on the 19th, as that EVERY person I have asked about their plans has felt that the voting system is so corrupt that it is unworthy of their time and money (to get to the voting locations).  "The richest one will win," we have been continually told.  "Whichever of the nineteen candidates pays the most will be chosen by the government...and then will do whatever whoever pays HIM most wants done."

Add on top horrific rumors of the cholera plague, the reality that many across Haiti are still flooded out of their homes and living in deplorable conditions since the flooding that came with Tropical Storm Thomas...yeah.  It's kind of a depressing day in Haiti.

The more I find myself "thinking", the further I seem to carry myself from peace.  The more I rely on my own understanding, the more hopeless the situation seems to grow.  The more I worry, well, the more I worry.

It always pleasantly surprises me how the Bible doesn't just give us instruction so that we please God, but that the instructions it gives actually seem to make our lives a lot BETTER when we comply with them.  There is a reason, isn't there, that Matthew 6:34 urges us not to worry about tomorrow.  That Psalms 27:3 points out that our hearts have nothing to fear in light of His hand over us.  That 1 John 4:18 speaks of fear as being a symptom for one who does not have His perfect love?

Not to mention that countless number of times that God reminds us that it is HE who created the heavens and the earth and everything in it, that it is HE who directs the lightning and pulls in the waves, HE that watches over every sparrow and counts the hairs on our heads...Not just that we would remember his almighty power, but that we might have indwelling peace.  He, who calls ALL the shots and sees ALL the problems, pain and fears, IS.  And listens when I cry out.  And promises that He has a plan for good.

Laying up last night, I realized that this is what it comes down to:

"I trust Him."  Is that just my good Christian phrase that means something when the sun is shining?  Is all my Christian jargon about God being in control, my trust in Him, His power reigning, etc. just that? Jargon?  Good for the good days?

Or does it MEAN something when I am afraid for Lily? Depressed about the Haitian situation? Concerned about the students and their families?  Feel like vomiting all the time? Dreading the election?  Greatly disturbed by the horrific cholera nightmares?

Does the fact that THE God is MY God mean ANYTHING to me NOW?

As I poured through my life and His marvelous presence and grace and works, it only took me a moment to realize that I have no grain of doubt.  His promises to provide, guide and stay with me are enough for me...though I am fully aware that He has not promised me that everything will turn out as I hope and wish and will.

As the students pointed out to me this morning after a debate about whether bread, which cannot be washed in bleach water or brought to the boiling point, can be considered safe to eat..."If He was God before, Madame Matt, He is God now, and we know that no bacteria, president, flood, earthquake or fire  changes anything before Him.  And He is OUR God."

If only they spoke for all of Haiti.  Please pray that these current crisis and fears will do the same thing that the earthquake did...bring many in search of The Only Thing Bigger and more powerful than the ugly things that rock our lives. And THAT is why we are here...Emmaus Biblical Seminary, the staff and students and Matt and I...for such a time as this!  THANK YOU for your prayers.

Meanwhile, there IS happy news!  Matt is putting the finishing touches on his sermon for chapel today, a powerful message on His plan, which includes "do not be afraid!" (Eph. 3).

And...

Lucner Pierre is finally getting married!  Since we started working and living with him in 2007, we've been teasing him towards this day, and tomorrow is it!  After my dad explained to him last week what "cold feet" were, he bent over with laughter and said, "OH YES.  THAT IS WHAT I HAVE!"  He and his bride to be, Luna, are so excited, and we are thrilled to be able to be a part of this joyous event tomorrow.  We'll have some fun pictures to post, I'm sure.

Shyler's funeral is also tomorrow, so I would ask for your prayers for both services and families.

Though you may not be facing Cholera or hurricanes or political upheaval today, you may very well be coming through your own storms.  Praying for you each as you pray for us, that He would replace all fear, doubt and worry with Himself.

lots of beautiful feet

How will they call on Him in whom they have not believed?

How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? 

And how will they hear without a preacher?

How will they preach unless they are sent?

It is just as it is written,

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News!"

Romans 10:14

Whew...there has been so much going on that I've been hard-pressed to not leave anything out. Most exciting thing about this week happens today: 

It was a 3rd year evangelistic outing to "Of the Mangoes"

Then, it was a huge burden for a pastor to plant a church in the area.

Then, it was Civil's vision for water, and Living Water.

Then, it was a collection plate, $90 raised.

Then, a community recognition that poor Christian men sacrificially did what a wealthy witch doctor never thought to.

TODAY completes the exciting whirlwind, and marks the beginning of a long journey:

Eight students and Civil will lead the first Bible study around that dripping well, unceasingly preaching the whole gospel to men and women who have never heard.  

The first service: today.  SO EXCITING.  

Please be praying!  While everything has happened quite rapidly these last days, today marks the beginning of a long and difficult journey of bringing transformation and redemption and new life to an entire community that has been dead, and celebrated it, for a LONG TIME.  "Of the Mangoes" is deeply rooted in Satan and lostness, and planting the Gospel in this dry and thirsty land will be hard work.   His work.  We covet your prayers.

Matt and I have fought so much about who gets to go and who has to stay home with Lily that I think we might just make it a family event :)

WE NEED YOUR HELP.  Two of our own, Lucner and Paul, have been teaching these students, ministering alongside of them.  They have been able to guide these men and women to a deeper walk with the Lord much in part to their continued education.  As they've worked through their Master's degree with Matt, they have been able to bring alive so much more of the Gospel, able to teach the Scriptures in a more accurate and relevant way.

And now it's time for them to go to Jackson, Mississippi for their mandatory 2 weeks residency...and Emmaus, who is working to keep food on the table (literally :) and pay the staff and run the generator, currently has NO money in their continued education account.  

Met Luke?  Know Paul?  Pray for a student?  Believe in what Emmaus is doing?  Wished you could do something more?  We need you help here....Jump over to the Emmaus Biblical Seminary site here and check it out...

They need SENT, and we need help sending them.  Thank you for  being a family we can always come to.  If you don't feel led to help in this way or can't right now, please be praying for these two and for this need.  Lucner's wedding is the second week in November, and Paul's 5th child is due the same time, just two weeks after their return!  Whew!

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News!

Brothers and more to come...

The goal of our instruction is LOVE

from a pure heart and a

good conscience and a

sincere faith.

1 Timothy 1:5

And THAT would be these three! These are three of our fellow professors at Emmaus Biblical Seminary, and they are also working to receive their Master's Degree from Wesley Biblical Seminary using the same online program Matt is using. More than all of that, they continue to be three Godly men that we can count on--for good advice, for cultural explanations, for strong leadership, Biblical sermons, holy conversations, laughter and to be faithful and bold in the Lord.

Luke, Bright and Paul have pure hearts, good consciences and sincere faiths, and we continue to be honored that the Lord has us working alongside of men such as these. They are the men that we had prayed for in coming to Haiti: Godly leaders, clearly chosen by God, who are committed and capable to train Haitian men and women in Christ! When we leave Haiti, and I mean this in the best way possible, it will be because of these three men and those like them.

October 4th, they leave with Matt for their 2nd residency session at Wesley in Jackson, Mississippi. Together, these four are learning more about the Bible and simultaneously teaching more of the Bible, preaching more of the Bible and (praise the Lord!) looking more and more like Christ each week that passes. THANK YOU, Wesley Biblical Seminary, and SO many of you, for making it possible for Matt, Paul, Bright and Luke to do this!

Meanwhile, first session is already over at Emmaus and we jump into session 2 tomorrow. My first year guys are finally beginning to warm up, laughing uncontrollably today (and thus NOT saving face) when one mustached associate pastor-student answered, "Yes, yes I AM a woman!" with much conviction.

I have a beautiful testimony to share with you regarding a third year student (Petit, Lori!), an awesome report on Matt's "Monday's In Town" class from this week, and reports of some new ministries up and coming! Stay tuned...

With ALL our hope fixed firmly on the living God...