happenings

Happy Birthday Nico!  Today is our nephew's 2nd birthday, and we're all wishing we could be there!  We love you, handsome!

(Nico and Lily at his 1 year b-day party)

We also welcomed a new member of the Emmaus Biblical Seminary team today, a Doberman named "Ti-Boone" whom Lily is trying to rename Jacuques-O (Jzok-O).  

Hopefully, his presence and size will give the Seminary the security we are in need of (because his playful and submissive attitude probably won't! :)

Also, my lovely sister and her talented husband are just back from their two weeks in New Zealand and Australia (where it is winter!), and I just can't get over these pix...Feels about as far from Haiti as possible (and may well actually be :)

Today, the "Loves", Dr. Rodney, his wife and their three kiddos, are coming over for the afternoon and for supper...Lily can't wait to have some kids come and play with her!

Tomorrow, student Civil's church plant has it's inaugural service, so we'll be attending that in the morning/afternoon (promises to be a long service!) and hope to enjoy the rest of the sweltering afternoon at home!  

 Then, Uncle Don plans to arrive on Tuesday!  We are in desperate need of some help with a few complicated projects (and, Lily's playhouse needs some repairs) and as always, we can't wait to have our friend back, too. With the start of school just two weeks away, things are starting to get crazy!

a week of thanksgiving and elbow grease

It's about all we can do to hang on lately!  There is SO much going on!

Most exciting news: Junior spent the afternoon in Konpech this afternoon, sharing the Gospel, and today, the witchdoctor who owns the property/runs the community came over to listen.  For whatever reason, after Junior was finished the witchdoctor told him that he could see that what Junior is doing is a good thing, and to keep coming!  This could change everything for everyone, as that many people have been concerned that listening to Junior could cause the witchdoctor to kick them off the land...we'll see where this goes!

For now, it looks/feels a lot like a miracle...something only God can do!

Other very exciting news: tomorrow morning Matt is proctoring my first year English final exam and then teaching both of his courses while Lily and I go to the airport to get Aunt Lisa and Uncle Adam!  Adam's going to help out Don, and Matt where he can, and Lisa is going to help me...get everything done at the office (month end finances, year end finances, financially register all 45 students for next year, grade all 45 finals, create/print diplomas, create/print 150 programs, finish making our "year at Emmaus" DVD, etc.) by watching Lily, help me get the house ready for us to go, and help me go through all of Lily's old stuff, sort things for Sofie, rebuild Lily's crib, see what we'll be needing for Sofie, etc.

I am REALLY beginning to feel 35 weeks pregnant (swollen feet, sore everything, can NOT cool down, can't sleep...you know) and WOW, I would be COMPLETELY overwhelmed by this upcoming week if my little sister (who also happens to be incredibly organized and shockingly efficient) weren't coming to take care of me :)

Other fun news: This week, in lieu of a "normal" graduation ceremony due to the fact that there are only 3 students graduating from the fourth year program, we are doing a full week of activities followed by a large "Thanksgiving" service on Friday involving members of the community, local church and past-graduates.  That means that this week will also be full of soccer matches, musical chairs (this is a BIG and frequently VERY passionate party game here in Haiti :), Coke drinking competitions (last year, Borgella won by drinking 12 large glass bottles of Coke in less than 30 minutes), egg races, dramas, musical performances, a talent show, a Bible trivia competition and...I can't even remember what else.

Lily, Sofie and I head for Ohio a week from tomorrow, so we also have a lot of friends to visit/farwell this upcoming week!

Praise the Lord for the invaluable help of so many Americans/Haitians/Canadians during this time to finish the school year WELL, to help the students finish well, and to relationship-build, kingdom-build, and literally build-build with Emmaus at this time!

Don's sidewalk project complete and already decorated by Lily...

Prayer request: tomorrow Matt, Lucner and Paul have the very unpleasant and painful responsibility ahead of them to let a student go.  While everyone involved is increasingly confident that this must be done and is the right thing to do, it's looking as if this will not go well and Matt's been dreading it all weekend.  Please pray for everyone involved.

family fun

Lily LOVES the playground! Man, she had an AWESOME time today playing on the slides with Aunt Lisa!

Yesterday at Kennywood she was not quite as confident...Scared of all the kiddie rides, she spent the day watching the boats and riding the merry-go-round. Her favorite part, of course, was riding around in the wagon.

It was SO good spending more time with our future brother-in-law, and having some precious and rare time with Aunt Patty! THANK YOU Patty!!!

Meanwhile, Lily and Daddy are trying to get in some much needed napping, and Matt is working in between on his master's work.

Meanwhile, tomorrow we head for Mechanicsburg to hang out with some DEAR friends we met while studying French in Canada. They've been on the mission field of Burkina Faso for 3 years now, and we can't wait to catch up and spend time with their boys!

will you?

"YES!" she said (once she got over the initial shock of the question, anyway) and suddenly life feels so very fast: my baby sister is engaged!

Lisa and Adam got engaged a week ago today, and man, I am STILL crying! (happy tears, of course!)

My favorite person in the world is now planning a Christmas wedding in beautiful Colorado to a guy who is quickly climbing our "favorite people" list! We love you both and are already praying for a beautiful marriage blessed by the beautiful presence of the Lord!

ahhhh...if Aunt Lisa getting married has me this emotional, I am simply going to die when it's Lily's turn!

Lisa will be here Monday, Lord willing, to show us the ring and to help us out with graduation and end-of-the-year planning!

Meanwhile, Don's daughter Sami and good friend John from Sharptown Church arrived this morning to help with seminary construction and the major remodeling of Lucner's house.

Check out the seminary blog for some exciting news regarding Yolene, one of our fourth year students!