deba

There's nothing better, at least at Emmaus Biblical Seminary, than a good old-fashioned theological deba...debate.  Like, for hours :)

 and hours.  

Seriously.  Want find a ton of easy fans at Emmaus?  Ask a deliberately ambiguous, impossible to black-and-white-comprehend question about grace, salvation, predestination, sanctification...

The only thing the students love more than a good debate is singing...and musical chairs, actually, but none of that today :) 

It was another great doozey day, and it really is so good to have the students and staff back and to be working, once more, towards the same goal with so many giftings, talents, and hearts of Jesus represented!

Today was also our first go at Emmaus's theme song...

...yeah, it'll get better :)

Tomorrow, EBS Staff Retreat and visiting professor arrival day!  

staff retreat

We spent the day at a retreat center for annual staff retreat.  Everyone from the night watchmen to the director to our visitors were there, enjoying some good vision casting, a large Haitian meal, an hour in the pool and some good time together.  I always feel so blessed when everyone is together to be a part of such a special group.

The half of our team from the city stayed away from the water, unable to swim and afraid to.  The half of our team from Saccanville (a few blocks from the bay) ALL swam.  Lily was happy to be the go-between :)

Everyone had a good time, and was grinning the whole time...until of course, I took out the camera for our staff photo!

Everyone's been oriented...everyone's had retreat...it's time to get the school year going!

We made it down to the OMS compound today and frantically did all the things with their internet that we have been unable to do the past week! Here's some photos to catch you up on these fantastic past days...

Director Bryan and Dean Lucner (translating) sharing a welcome message to all the returning students.
Staff retreat on Saturday at the Christophe was a huge success, with everyone from the night watchman to the Rector hanging out over lunch and swimming. Dean Paul's fantastic bellyflop might go down in EBS history.
Bryan, this time with Matt translating, was the first chapel speaker of the 2010 school year, sharing a powerful message of servant leadership with the EBS community.
These first days have been full of a lot of, "Wait...what do we do about THIS?" moments, which Bryan has been helping everyone work through. It has been so good to have extra and wise help during this potentially stressful time.
The first days of class have started well, though a few of the visiting professors were too sick today to teach, with the same stomach bug that Matt, Lily, Bryan and I had this past weekend.
Pastor Jerry Poff and Belony, translating, are teaching Intro to the New Testament to the first year class....
...while Pastor/Comedian Doug and Joab, translating, are teaching Evangelism to the third year class. Bob Petruccio, Gueson, Matt, Paul, Luke, Fan Fan and I are also all teaching other Bible courses or language courses.

Tuesday was a special day in the life of Emmaus and the Saccanville community, as we began the year with a Convocation ceremony and the installation of Bryan as Director. Reverend Harold Brown, long time missionary with OMS and chairman of the Seminary Board, and his wife Mary (whom I have grown to love this past week) came to spend a few days with us and to help instate Bryan as "Rector." (Rector is the Haitian term for a president in a theological setting).

Pastor Elizay, who will be serving as a type of assistant Bryan, Matt and Lucner this year, Matt Ayars and Pastor Paul Vilmer
One of the most intimate portions of the service allowed the faculty and administration to come around Bryan and pray for his life and service at Emmaus.
Two different choirs joined us, as well as many members from various churches, and lots of friends from the Saccanville community...maybe future students at EBS???
Bryan's convocation address focused on the road to Emmaus experience shared in Luke 24 and Emmaus' calling to be an atmosphere where students can meet face-to-face with Jesus, be therefore transformed, and go into the all the world bearing the truth of the Gospel.

The first year class then committed to leading lives of holiness and service, and the congregation committed to lifting them up in prayer and helping them as they serve the Lord in Haiti.

These young men share a special Wesley Biblical Seminary connection. This group of professors and senior administration have all earned, or will soon earn, their Master's degree from Wesley Biblical Seminary, the place where Paul, Guenson, Matt and Luke met Bryan as a professor and Coordinator of Online Education. This is a special group of young men, all of whom feel deeply called and committed to making Christ known in Haiti and around the world! (and yeah, Bryan IS really tall :)

pull back...push forward

We had a lovely time at retreat, with good time together as a family and as an OMS Haiti family! If it hadn't been for Josephine (or Zo-zo-phine, as Lily calls her) Lil NEVER would have made it through all the sessions without mom and dad. But as long as Jose was nearby, Lil was happy as a clam.

The weather was spectacular, and we enjoyed one afternoon at the beach, some time at the pool, eating out, taking a few naps, and spending extra time with the Lord. Tuesday and Wednesday concludes the "set apart" time with departmental vision casting, and Tuesday is also our last day of class before our one week "Spring Break."
(all the MK's but one)
(our fantastic meeting room)


(Lily JUST wants to be one of the big kids)


(Ba-boosh-ka Lily :)
As nice as it was to get away a bit, it is always good to be home, have the sand washed out of everything, catch up with what is going on here and get back in the swing of things. What a beautiful gift He continually gives us each : the opportunity to draw close to Him and lay down ourselves for our brothers and sisters unto Him each day...

We have something HUGE we just beg for your prayers for: This Thursday, Emmaus Biblical Seminary is setting out on it's first "Spring Break Missions Trip." A whopping 25 students, staff members and missionaries leave April 1st for Diquini, the mountain top area of Port-au-Prince where God brought over 650 people to a saving knowledge of Himself through EBS right after the earthquake. One of our own, Junior, continues to live in a tent on this mountaintop and work to disciple and plant the Church there.

After talking to him a few weeks ago, and detecting loneliness and discouragement in his voice (though he shared with me this beautiful promise: "God have given me the precious gift of joy. Things have been very difficult, but Stacey, I have not ONCE for one moment been sad. He gives me miraculous joy."), Matt and I began "dreaming" about sending a group over spring break to help him in discipleship, in evangelism, and in brotherhood.

As we prayed about this vision, we began praying that He would open the doors if it was what HE wanted, and in amazement we have seen 25 men, women and children step-up to plan an Easter crusade, house-to-house evangelism, a large children's ministry, and times of encouragement for Junior. SIXTEEN students are willingly giving up their Spring Breaks, the only days of class off until JULY, to voluntarily live in tents on a mountaintop in Port-au-Prince to be poured out. NINE missionaries have volunteered to help them do it.

SO EXCITING.


We have had a trip to Florida planned since Christmas, BE (Before the Earthquake), to see my dad, my sister, her boyfriend, Matt's mom and Matt's dad, and as excited about this as we are, it is KILLING us that we are missing out on this fantastic opportunity to be a part of what God is doing in Port and at EBS.

I will post pictures of those going this week so that you can be praying visually, too, but until then, PLEASE be surrounding the many preparations for this trip, and the many that are going, in prayer. This is as life-on-life, down-in-the-dirt, front-line ministry as it comes.

Another breathtaking vision I secretly and carefully hold: 25 men and women...3 full days...the Word of God and the message of salvation physically brought to EVERY SINGLE HOME on the mountain of Diquini. Not just through hearing the crusade services each evening, but speaking the Beautiful Truth in EVERY home....EVERY EAR on this Port-au-Prince mountain having heard directly of His love and plan of salvation for them by April 5th. It is a huge vision...please be praying. Thank you, family!