catch-up your Q&As

Are you one of those people who pray for us?

I want to tell you that we are running on His strength through your prayers...and a lot of coffee :)  And we are so blessed to be lifted up by you.  There is nothing stronger, nothing sweeter, nothing better that you can do for us than to pray for Matt and I, for our girls, for the Seminary, for the men and women we have aligned our lives with, and for His glory.  THANK YOU.

Here's a few answers to some of the questions coming through our email that I haven't gotten back to yet!

Hello?  Stacey?  You're not getting back to my emails!  Where are you?

Short answer: I am in the kitchen.

>insert Matt and/or Sam joke about that being every woman's office, why the fridge matches the wedding dress, blah, blah, blah<

>insert Stacey glare of un-appreciation<

With five visitors here right now, it's true :)  I'm spending a lot of time in the kitchen....baking bread, chop-chop-choping, bleaching veggies, defrosting meat, making salad dressing, icing cakes, pasteurizing milk, making soups and stews and pastas and...washing a lot of dishes.

The girls craft table has been moved into the kitchen, and they are "helping" me stir and wash and knead, and Micheline and Gertha in rotation are learning how to do things they've never done before-- I am SO THANKFUL for and dependent upon their help and friendship right now.  Thank you, Lord!

He's put a song in my heart about it all, reminding me over and over that every chop I chop and bed I make and nasty sock I wash unto Him with a grateful heart brings Him glory.  What an opportunity!

"Towels, dishes, sandals and all the other ordinary things in our lives
reveal what we are made of more quickly than anything else.
It takes God Almighty Incarnate in us to do the most menial duty as it ought to be done.
If we do not steadily minister in everyday opportunities, 
we will do nothing when the crisis arises."  O. Chambers, 9/11

What is Lily doing about school?

Lily has been asking to go back to school every day since we returned to Haiti.  Her experience at Pillatre Christian School down the road last year far exceeded our expectations...she learned Creole, she made friends, she loved her teachers, she has greatly grown out of her previously incredibly shy shell, and she even learned to write cursive :)  The only downside last year was the increased exposure for our family to so many of the germs, parasites and bacterias that four-year olds pick up when they start going to school.  (I'm sure many of you can relate!)

So, she was very disappointed when the national start to the school year was moved from September 2 to October 2.  Her uniform jumper was just finished this week...

and now just has to have mom sew her name on the bib.  Until October 2nd comes, I've been homeschooling Lily in the afternoons during Sofie's nap time.  

yes, that IS an old dart board turned bulletin board :)  Someone Pinterest that for me.

Once school starts in October, she'll go to Pillatre on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and continuing with homeschooling on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, making sure she's not only growing in her Creole, but in her English skills, too!

While homeschooling has proved to be a lot of work, I can honestly say that we are BOTH enjoying this undivided time together, and I am just continually impressed with what a sponge she is...soaking it up and growing in her writing, reading, time telling, counting, vocabulary, Bible verses, etc. every day.

Thank you for praying for our girls as they grow, and we're asking for your prayers for better immunities and health once school is underway!

What's happening at Emmaus?

We are three days into to Session 2 of Intensive courses.  We've got four visiting professors teaching, three from the States and one from Haiti.  Bill Moxen (not pictured) is living in Cap-Haitien and teaching our Inductive Bible Study course.  

Chris Geyer, with the help of Aly-Donnson (class of 2013) is teaching Systematic Theology to 2nd year...

Bryan Easley, with the help of Junior (class of 2013) is teaching Leadership to 3rd year...

and Bob Petruccio, with the help of Simeon (class of 2013) is teaching Pastoral Theology to 4th year!

Meanwhile, the rest of us are working hard to support the current classes, and to prepare for the residential term that starts on September 23rd, and for all of our classes that begin then.  

I'm preparing for English One, English Three and a new Advanced English course for upperclass students and staff members, Matt is prepping for Intro to the Old Testament and Old Testament Historical Books, Vilmer's prepping for Greek and Homiletics, Fanfan for Hebrew and Pentatuch, and Lucner is overseeing Senior Thesis-es (?) this year.

We feel incredibly blessed to have both the staff and the students that we have, representing so much of the island of Haiti and so many gifts of the Spirit and all growing and serving and working daily together.

Thank you for your prayers for this new school year and for all the parts of His Body here at EBS in Haiti!

How can we pray?

Giselaine's (Granny's) health continues to be very poor.  

Claudin buried a 4-year old boy from his church yesterday when he choked to death on a kinep, a very common fruit in season here right now with a large pit.  

Lucner's wife has had very poor health (malaria? sickle cell anemia?) since delivering their son almost 2 months ago, causing she and Lucner a lot of time, money and frustration.

The senior pastor at the Vaudreil church stepped down on Sunday, adding a huge burden to Lucner, who has told the church he simply cannot take the position (he is an associate pastor there.)  Please pray for the church and community and for Lucner as they work to find a new pastor...

The Heckman family continues to transition and adjust to their new life in Haiti, homeschooling the kids, learning the language, etc.  Please keep praying for this process for them!

Matt's brother and his wife are scheduled to deliver our new niece on MONDAY...we are very excited for them, and appreciate your prayers for her surgery and everybody's good health!  

Many families are scrounging and struggling and working to make ends meet right now to send their children to school on October 2nd.  We're helping as many people as we can in whatever ways He is prompting us too, but this is just a huge and overwhelming need for SO many.  September is a very stressful month for many, and we know of several families personally who are selling the food from their gardens to pay for uniforms and books...and going hungry.  Thank you for praying...

Many of our past and present students pastor churches that have schools inside their churches for their communities...and many of them are struggling to find ways to pay staff, get ready for the new year, etc...again, we're doing all we can, but would appreciate your prayers.  Ezechiel, Enick, Petit-Sauvelt, Belony...

What's been GOOD?

Matt has been having SUCH a good time with our VP's, with Phil and Sam...it's hard to remember the days that we lived alone with empty houses all around us and Lily's only friends were 35 year old students!  Sunday he got to jam with Phil, Emily and Bryan in the chapel...he and Ryan are hitting up the Heckman's bowflex and hitting the punching bag, Matt and all the VP's are engaging in all kinds of theological conversations that I have little to no understanding of, the evenings are filled with man movies and games, the girls are loving having so many "monsters" to chase them around the house and loving the new kids next door...yesterday evening we all chatted and played frisbee in the yard until it was too dark to see...working and living in community is good.

Bob brought his wife Launa with him, and they are setting up all three of our missionary couples for a date night Friday night...paying for us to go out to eat together AND watching all of our kids AND feeding the kids and all the visitors for us.  Needless to say, this does NOT happen often...what a gift!  We are all really excited!

Friends.  On Monday night, Emily fed the visitors (THAT has been good, too!), freeing the girls and my afternoon up to do something we wanted to do...visit Noel's huge family!  When we first arrived, the girls weren't sure what to "do"...Sofie asking incessantly to play with the kids toys (there WERE none) and Lily being shy.  

But within minutes, Nata and Mausha pulled out a big bucket with about an inch of water in it, and before I knew it, all 6 kiddos were elbow's deep in "making soup"...gathering sticks and leaves and rocks, chattering away in Creole, charging about the yard...freeing me up to sit with Noel, her parents, her brother and six sisters and visit, listen, laugh, encourage, pray and relationship.  

Afternoons like those bless and renew my mom/missionary/sister/friend heart in so many ways!

God is good...all the time.  Thank you for your prayers!

the day.

It was busy.  Add in packing, cooking, and preparing for the next three days, and here it was in pictures:

First, Lily took her final exams, then we picked her up early and headed for the hotel...I love when she and Sofie hold hands all by themselves :)

Picking up friends along the way, we took Mona, Edlin, Myolene, Granny and MaCodo to lunch to thank them for the thousands of lunches THEY served this semester.

Because we are totally out of time to pick a different day for Micheline, Gertha and Noel, they came too, and we added in our big "Thank you for all YOUR help this year" at the same time.  Multitasking.  

I don't know.  She's working on tree climbing :)

After I confronted them about not smiling (they know me!) in our family picture, I made Noel, Micheline and Gertha pose with me again :)

All the conversation, as always, was hilariously cross-cultural :)  Everyone is so ready for a break, that everyone was a bit giddy...really fun!

As soon as we got home, Lily's teacher came to visit...to say good-bye.  We had a great visit and I am just so thankful for both Madame Nata and Madame Rose and the patience, love and care they have shown Lily!

And here is our beautiful road I told you about!  Walking to visit neighbors...Saying Goodbye to people face-to-face is very important in this culture.  EVERY summer when we return there are a slew of people who come to tell us that we did NOT say goodbye, and how upsetting that was.  We're TRYING to get everyone this time :)

Roselore just delivered her fifth a week ago, and we needed to visit Lisline before leaving!

Sofie and her baby obsession continue...seriously, she goes NUTS over them.

I love this picture.  It's SO hot and stuffy, and so dark in the little mud hut that is their home, and there are so many children in that little room, including mine, and everyone was just happy.  Those moments are hard to capture...

 This little girl in the pink dress is Roselore's fourth, and the little girl in the back half-hiding is one of her twins.

Dr. Cooper comes in today, prayer meeting is at our house, Lily is finishing her final exams as we speak, we have a few more good-byes to do in the village, one last kid-movie night with our neighbors, and a lot of printing, folding, arranging and planning in the middle!  Praise the Lord!

I've got friends.

There are two things I detest about being sick:  One, feeling so awful that it's hard to think about anything else.  Two, needing help.


I'm a missionary, but I'm also from the White family.  


That means that I am here to help.  And that I don't need any myself.  


I have been sick since Friday.  When I woke up this morning still feeling unbearably terrible, I was in tears with disappointment and frustration.  I still have little voice, my head is pounding, my throat still aches, I have a major sinus migraine and my nose is raw from constant blowing.  (oh yeah.  I'm beautiful these days.)


And as you probably know, Sofie isn't content and sleepy all day because I feel like I'd like to be hit by a truck.  Lily doesn't want to sit quietly in her room, looking at books.  They want, and need, Mommy: friend, healer, cook, cleaner, playmate, feeder, snuggler, chaser, reader, teacher, entertainer Mommy.  I've still had a lot of classes to teach.  Today was still payday to prepare.  Everybody's still gotta eat!


I headed to class at 7:30 grouchy, and by 9:30 I did something we White's never do: quit.  I just couldn't grade papers, sort payroll, meet with students and process invoices anymore.  But I also couldn't go home and get jumped on and spilled on and fussied.  


My head hurt so badly that I had to squint walking home, but I snuck around to the back door, hoping to make it to the bedroom without the girls seeing me.  Gertha and Micheline were supposed to work until 11, so I could lay down for a good hour without encroaching on them.


"MOMMY!" screamed Lily and Sofie started to cry the moment she saw me..."Ma-Ma!"


And you know what?  Gertha and Micheline helped me.  I didn't even ask them to.  They saw how much I was struggling, swooped the girls up and happily took them to the cafeteria to eat fried chicken and to ride on the food cart "tap-tap".  


I woke up feeling even more congested when they returned at 11:15.  I fed the baby and put her down, only to realize that my women's Bible study was at the door, to begin NOW.  


"Oh, my goodness," I apologized, trying to figure out how I could possibly lead.  


"What are you doing up?" Granny asked immediately, pushing past me into the house and pointing down the hall.  "Go to bed!"


"But I want to study..." I said weakly.  


"What?  Go to bed!" Jezula demanded.  "We'll do it on our own!"  She came right in, grabbed Bibles and hymnals off our bookshelf and headed for the porch.  


"Lily!" Gertha asked.  "Wanna watch Dora?"


I fell asleep to the sweet sound of friends singing praise on the porch and Lily responding happily to all of Dora's questions, the first time I remembered today how Great and Beautiful He is.  


My seven friends met without me (hip-hip-hooray for having a Bible study that is not dependent on me!), and Noel came and sat on the bed with me before leaving, putting her cool long hand on my head and praying for me.    


Micheline and Gertha fed Lily lunch and stayed an extra two hours until Matt came home to help with Sofia.


My head in a painful, stuffy fog, I didn't learn much today.  But I did realize that I have friends...real ones.  


And I realized that by being so helpful, helpful, helpful all the time and refusing to be helped or ask for help might just be keeping friends from getting to love me the way I am always getting to love them.


I wish it hadn't taken 5 days of feeling terrible to realize it.  I commit to allow love once I get better...and until then, too.


Let someone love you today!

one of the crazies

WHEW.  What. A. Day.

At any given moment today, there was one screaming-bloody-murder or teary-whiny-fussy infant or toddler, someone at the door, a ringing phone, bread or a pot pie or a roast in the oven, a student that needed help...man...it was just a crazy, GO GO GO relentless day.  I am SO thankful Dad is here, or you would have found me in a corner crying by noon!  My brain was so numb just from working in two languages literally every moment today that I found myself talking to dad in Creole this evening and confused about why he was just staring at me.

However, now that it is over and I'm literally falling asleep at my desk, there were a LOT of GREAT things today...

Maxi, Dad and Abel, a dear relationship that has formed over the years.  Very thankful for these men, for the unity they have in Christ, and for an unexpected and powerful "break-through" conversation I was able to have with Abel this evening.

 Friends.  Shayla, Kerline and Max are three of my best friends, not "in Haiti," but in life right now.  I'm so thankful for these three, and this afternoon was particularly blessed by the way a very fussy, tired, dad-sick, stuffy Lily transformed into her joyful, gleeful self just a few minutes after their arrival.  I can be myself with these friends, they are real with me, they love our girls, and having them in our lives greatly improves our lives.

 Baby Gertha.  While she still hasn't been given a name, 'Baby Gertha' is just beautiful and wonderfully healthy and such a joy.  Gertha was just beaming that first-time-new-mom smile this morning, and I am so grateful to see this little miracle unfold.

 Lily had a blast with baby Gertha, too, though she was very discouraged that Sofia and baby Gertha didn't hit it off better, because apparently they are "suppose to be friends!"

 More friends.  Noel and Micheline went with us this morning to visit Gertha (and insisted that fussy Sofie was fussy Sofie because she was too hot, and therefore took off her clothes, all the while bundling Baby Gertha.)  These three women are a great joy and encouragement to me, and time with them is good time.  So grateful for these true and transparent relationships.  Plus, we could not have made the steep hike to Gertha's house with Lily, Sofie, and three boxes of baby clothes and diapers without their help :)

Also, praise the Lord, Dodo and Bubba (Dorothy and John McC.) arrived safely today and are sound asleep next door...YAY for friends next door!

End of the day...Matt is doing well in Jackson, we've had sweet time with dad/grandpa, we have help, I've been especially touched by the transforming power relationship has in our lives, and I am richly blessed this evening to realize that in the midst of a million tasks and people today, a handful of His children that I came to minister to minister instead to me...on the good days and on the crazies!