Today we had a staff meeting right after lunch to continue preparing for (major prayer request alert!) the final visitation and examination of Emmaus Biblical Seminary for CETA Accreditation (Caribbean Evangelical Theological Association), which would make us the first accredited Seminary in Haiti. Emmaus has been working on this since 2000. Two thousand. They come in two weeks, and that is a huge thing to finalize getting ready for! Thank you for praying!
Anyway, we had a staff meeting after lunch, and I had run home from work, fed the girls and turned right around for staff meeting. As I came around the corner, Guenson laughed and said, "You know that everybody talks about you, right?" Only imagining what all that could mean, I asked him what they say. "Everyone says that there is something wrong with you or unnatural about you that makes you NEVER tired. Because you teach, you do your own cooking, you have three kids, you feed other people, you write stories, you take pictures, you work in the finance office, you read to your kids in the yard every afternoon, and You. Are. Never. Tired. We all want to know HOW you are never tired!?"
Everyone laughed and I joked about whether any of them had ever seen me sit down, because that is the key.
But after finishing off the year (first grade for Sofie and 3rd grade for Lily, homeschool) this morning, baking an Italian Cream Cake for Taco Tuesday's Italiano night tonight, going to work for a few hours, lunch, staff meeting, putting away laundry, saying goodbye to friends, trying to catch up on emails, playing with the girlies, cleaning up, dinner, and having a little graduation party for the girls, getting everyone to bed...It's not a joke. I am tired. I am tired. I'm also sitting down, so...
We have some amazing churches behind us, but three of them in particular seem to lay awake at night thinking about missionary care. It's like their profession, caring and praying for and loving their missionaries around the globe WELL.
And one of them is Crosspoint Church in Niceville, FL.
And this week they are doing something I've just never even heard of anyone doing. They're kind of crazy like that.
They are bringing everybody in...all their Latin American/Caribbean missionaries...for a few days of intentional retreat with a big old team of pastors and counselors and families from the church. Marriage time, family time, therapy/counseling/teaching sessions, girl time, man time, kids programs, family activities, prayer time, worship, help.
Two months ago, it felt like there was no way we could get away for five days. One month ago, it felt like the least responsible thing on the planet to consider doing. But it starts Friday, and the church has made a way, and we're gonna be there. Mostly because my counselor BF has been telling us to do this for 10 years and I can't put her bossy self off much longer. And it is five days. And I trust Him to take care of things here and there. And because I AM tired. And because they are DOING it for us, and I'm going to LET them!
So Thursday night we leave for St. Simons Island, Georgia, and we'll be there until Wednesday morning, enjoying all of that intentional "soul care" and set apart time sitting down with Jesus, and the girls are going to get to go to a pumpkin patch for the first time in their little lives. This is their first fall season trip out of Haiti in their entire lives, and they cannot WAIT to get their mitts on a "real-live pumpkin."
Wednesday the girls and I all fly back to Haiti alone, and Matt flies on to somewhere in Florida (I should really know where) to speak at OMS's Presidential Gathering before returning to Haiti on the 16th, with CETA coming on the 17th!
So if you will, pray for us, for safe travel and restoring time, for final prep for the CETA evaluation, for Matt's time at the Presidential Gathering, for God to meet us each, in His strength, with His courage, for His glory.
A few pix from the day...
We love our Hari's down the road, and this past week their kiddos and grandkiddos were here, and it was such a sweetness to get to know them a bit...sorry to see them off today, and yes, Lily is trying to sneak into their family here.
And graduation! After we get back we'll start into Fourth and Second grade, but for now...summer vacation!
This image just really perfectly sums it up. Lily is homeschooling for the fun, Mommy IS tired, and Sofie is a crazy person. If Nora was climbing up my leg in this picture, you'd get the perfect picture of everyday homeschooling.
I said to Nora, "Honey, do you want to smile?" Nora: "NOPE."
okay then.
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