Blogging is one of those things for me...
Now that things have slowed down... a bit... I am actively trying to get back to the things that I have missed!
The last two months I have been taking classes for my masters, teaching here at the seminary, and homeschooling the kids. Phil has been busy with project after project after project. We have had visiting professors in our homes, family and friends come to visit, our missionary retreat in the DR, teams here to serve alongside of us, a conference to prepare for, events to plan, and even a special, exciting new addition to the Heckman family as we have welcomed Rosa (my best friend Kristine's daughter!) to join us in ministry here! (... and amidst all of that, we even took a hike to Coup A David!)
Its amazing how much can happen in just two months!!
... despite the whirlwind of activity and the HOURS in front of a computer screen typing papers and preparing for class, it has been such a blessed time. If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE, and THRIVE on, community. And we have had more community the last two months than ever before!
We are thankful. We are energized and excited about what God is doing here at EBS. We are blessed beyond words to live and work alongside of the Ayars family and are SO grateful for their friendship.
Life is good and God is working.
Thanks for being on this journey with us. Here is just a taste of our last 8 weeks here...
Here is Phil and his mom Carolyn and Romual, the student she sponsors here at EBS...
And my mom and her student sponsor, Aldy!
We took mom to Kids Alive to visit the children there and had a blast with the kids there (as always!)
Our good friends Erika and Sasha came for a visit. Erika is doing some promotional video work for us. It was awesome having them come and do life with us!
Missionary retreat in the DR is always a great time of relaxing and fun...
And the kids have SUCH a good time together. So thankful for Nathan and Hannah who worked with the kids this year!
Whenever I see pictures of our family I can hardly believe how big our kids are getting! I am beginning to feel short :)
I am loving being in the classroom with our 3rd year students...
teaching Pauline Epistles has been a great experience and I am enjoying more interaction with the students and hearing their hearts for ministry and love for learning!
The West Park team of five close friends, along with three more good friends from Sharptown, came down a few weeks ago to serve with us...
We held a conversational English night that is always such a hit with the students...
They love to practice their English and our teams always love to hear their stories...
It is always a good time of fellowship and conversation...
Thankful for opportunities to bring our teams and students together!
The big project, along with painting the chapel (which looks FANTASTIC), was the mens dorm bathroom...
Converting the group shower into individual stalls was quite the big project...
It was almost completed when the team left... SO much was accomplished that week, it seems unbelievable when we look back!
Each morning we enjoyed a time of devotions together that was the highlight of the team time for me. It is always so sweet to come together and read God's Word and pray to begin each day.
SO thankful for Kevin, John, Kristina, Scott, Rosa, Cindy, Stu and Don!
And here is the completed bathroom project!!!
It is awesome! (And a huge blessing to our students and incoming teams this summer!)
We are excited to have the Sleasman family with us for two weeks too! Their daughter Zoe was baptized last Saturday and we enjoyed a wonderful, beautiful day at the beach together too!
Our hike to Coup A David on Sunday was an adventure, as always. We could not have had more perfect weather for the hike...
There were a few slippery spots, and a few feet ended up in the river (pretty much all of our feet!), but it makes for a fun and memorable day for sure!
Church is always so good. I love to worship with Enick and the people of Coup A David. They sing with such power and pray with such conviction and heart. I always feel "full" when I leave that place...
And Rosa made a few cute little friends on our trip too!
Enick always spoils his guests with a special treat for our hike back down the mountain! Even with so little, the people of Coup A David LOVE to bless others. It is humbling and an awesome example of Christ-like serving and sacrifice.
Rosa has officially moved in and is living with Haylie in her room! We are SO excited to have her join us for a YEAR of ministry!
Rosa is spending this year engaging in Haitian culture, building relationships with our staff and students, sharing her gifts and talents, helping with daily tasks here (for which I am SO incredibly grateful!), and seeking what God has for her next. In a few weeks she is planning to begin Spanish tutoring for students who desperately want to learn. She is also assisting Haylie with English tutoring each Monday afternoon, which has been a great way to build relationships and to learn some Creole too (which she is also learning with Simeon two days a week!).
She will be sharing her testimony in chapel the end of this month too, and I already know that God will use her story to touch the lives of our students here.
We can clearly see how God is using Rosa here already and I just know that He has great plans for her time in Haiti! Please be praying for Rosa... that God would use this year to grow her and stretch her in ways she could never imagine! Pray that this time would bless her and strengthen her!
As you can see, it has been a FULL but amazing two months!
Each day I thank God for sending us
2Haiti4Him!
I have so missed this blog. Great job as always and a busy team. God is good!!! All the time!!! Love you guys!!
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