First Week at EBS

SO much has happened in the first week of being at EBS! I don't even know where to begin.. but I do know that my previous worry (prior to arriving) of not having enough to do has already been wiped out of my mind. There is always plenty of things to do around here! :)

I really should learn to do shorter, more frequent posts so that I don't have to try to upload 9 million photos on one post! And also so that I can write a post without feeling like it is just a catch up! But here is the beautiful, glowing view outside our current living quarters:

I really don't know where to begin! Ryan was able to jump right into teaching classes with Matt the day after we arrived. Friday I started shadowing Stacey in the finance department and I have already learned that there is a LOT going on in that office! Stacey has a lot going on, for that matter! So I can't wait to continue to learn and be able to take many of those burdens off of her shoulders since she is already way busy with other things! I've also been recruited to take care of a library cataloging project so I am definitely not lacking things to do. :)

Between everything else, our plan is to sit in on as many classes as we can to soak up the language. And starting tomorrow we will begin creole lessons. I'm excited for that!

Thursday we spent the entire day in town with Matt and got living room furniture, a table and chairs, a stove AND paint for our apartment. That was very exciting and very shocking that we were able to get everything in ONE trip! Below is a quick picture of the apartment-in-progress, taken from a corner of the living room and looking into the kitchen/dining area (by the glass doors). The guys here have been working SO hard and have completely transformed on end of a men's dorm building into a beautiful two bedroom apartment. There have been several challenges along the way, but they are quite inventive and have done a fantastic job. We are all *hoping* it will be liveable within a week, with running water and working appliances. Again, we are hoping. Until then, all of our new furniture (minus the stove) is sitting in the Ayars' sunroom. Not a pretty sight for them, but at least it kind of seems like a jungle gym for the girls, right? (Just trying to make it seem a little more pleasant, even though I feel bad they have to stare at a big pile of furniture for another week, lol! Thank you, Matt and Stacey!) 

These pictures were taken at the beginning of last week and it has already come a long ways since then! Including new BRIGHT colors in the bedrooms and bathroom.

Below is our big pile of STUFF that arrived last week!

These photos are in no specific order except in the way that my computer uploaded them, so they are not exactly chronological... But below is a blurry picture of Ryan speaking in chapel on Friday. Luckily, chapel services are in English on Fridays so it wasn't too far of a stretch for him in his first week.. even if he did only find out he was preaching two days prior. ;) [Chapel is MWF, Mondays are in Creole, Wednesdays are in French and Fridays are in English.]

Does the photo below take you back in time? The first time around, hanging clothes to dry was kind of enjoyable. However, I'm sure it will get much less enjoyable each time. :P

This morning we went to Giseline's church because Matt was invited to preach. I haven't had the chance to really get to know Giseline yet, but she is referred to as "Granny" and everyone here adores her. She is such a sweet lady! She works in/runs the kitchen here at Emmaus. I would say that the message was great, but considering that I didn't follow all of it, I'll take everyone elses' word for it that it was great! Even though I didn't fully grasp everything Matt was preaching, worship is one thing that a barrier cannot be fully built up, even with a language difference! I just love the atmosphere of a small room full of spirit-filled Christians who are praising the Lord through their loud voices. Even in a foreign tongue, it doesn't get much better than that..

The Ayars ladies on the way to church this morning :)

Blurry photo of Matt preaching this morning at Granny's church

The photo below was taken right after the church service.

I can't get over how cute this photo is! That's Lily Ayars in the middle, and Giseline on the right:

And Giseline (I'm sure that I'm spelling her name incorrectly) invited us over to her place right after church for some fellowship and coconut juice straight out of a coconut! That was a first for me :)

And here is one of the beautiful views of mountains from the front door of the apartment:

And here are some more beautiful mountain views just outside of the campus:

This evening we ended the week with a bonfire! Everyone munched on hot dogs (which seems to be a big deal around here:) and I (the lucky duck that I am!) munched on leftover crab and lobster from last night. The others found out about my love for seafod and were sweet enough to leave me some since Ryan and I ate in Vaudreil last night. Hotdogs and seafood around the campfire... that goes together well, right?

Pretty little blue eyed, curly blonde-haired beauty, Biga! 

Lily and Ryan 

Cammie Aberle 

The Heckmans!

We have been SO blessed our first week here. The other missionary families here at EBS and also on the Vaudreil campus down the road have been so welcoming and loving. Even though I can't wait to get into the apartment, I am so thankful that we have gotten some downtime with the other families around here. It has been a real blessing to sit down and have meals full of delicious food and blooming friendships. I feel so at home here and these people that I've known for one week I feel like I've known for a lifetime. 

Between running around like chickens with our heads cut off (in a good way.. if that is possible:), eating meals with other families every night and painting away in the apartment this past week I haven't been able to catch everyone up. I hope to get some time this week to write a bit and not feel like I have so much to throw at you all. :)

It's been such a great week and God is so good.