unexpected FUN at Emmaus!

So... I don't normally go into the chapel on Thursdays because I'm never really sure what's going on during those services/seminars. Today I randomly decided to join since it is the last week of school, and wow! I'm so glad that I did. :)

It turns out that the students and staff were doing some sort of commencement for the 4th year graduating students. They had a lineup of students (on the lefthand side of the above picture) to pray, sing special songs and preach an inspirational message to the graduates. 

Evens

After the message, Thelo and Emanie (students at EBS) took part in the ceremony by pinning flowers  and giving gifts to the graduates after each came up and spoke for a couple of minutes.

Peniel

There was a lot of thanking the students and staff for all of the encouragement that has been given to them throughout the past four years of school.

Excellant

There was also LOTS of praise to God for everything He's done in the lives of each person here at Emmaus.

Marie

It's easy to see that these 10 graduates are excited to see what God has in store for them after school, but it's also clear that they will be missing their Emmaus family!

[Sidenote] The service was excellent and since it was very formal and official, the entire program was in French. This made me realize that an entire year has passed since Ryan and I went to Canada for a whole summer! I was reminiscing all of the adventures we had in Quebec and smiling to myself when I decided that my experience here in Haiti has had some same aspects.

I remember feeling like we had prepared ourselves well for French before we left, yet when we arrived in QC we were dumbfounded and shocked at how little French we actually knew! That kind of sums up our kreyol experience here in Haiti, although I think that at almost our 3 month mark here (woo hoo!) we are doing much better at speaking the native language than we did in Canada. ;) Thankfully, getting those three months of French immersion sure helped me understand everything that was going on today! Because even if I did know as much kreyol as I know now, that wouldn't have helped at a formal ceremony like today. So... Yippee!

Moving on -- After the little ceremony, it was time to eat!

graduates

 Boy was I surprised at the festivities about to happen in the cafeteria! The 3rd year students put on a big celebratory meal for the graduates. It was quite fancy! They had a big table in the center of the room for the graduates and they even had a special table for the administration. I was hesitant to sit there, but after a little pushiness from some students we finally obliged. And it was fun. :)

They had a very special meal that they have been planning for weeks in advance (which included killing a couple of campus goats earlier this week --> killing goats = very special occasion). We ate spicy spicy salad, fried plantains, rice, goat innards, croissants, cake!, and they even served fruit smoothies and special sodas.

 

They went all out! It was delicious.

Walnique and Jorgia

Then, after all that, they had a few special "speakers" --- or um... improv stand up comedians and poets and singers? Whatever you call it, it was funny and entertaining!

Evens, Simèon and Matt

Lastly, or at least the last thing to happen before I left, they gave Matt the "honor" of handing out a gift to every single student, years 1-4. You could say he took the job very seriously... just kidding! He had fun and they had fun. :)

Gecel

Not sure what all was received, but I could definitely tell that each student felt appreciated and all were glad to be a part of this special day of recognition. Gotta love Gecel (above) and Rony (below)! These two students have been such a blessing to me since we arrived.

Rony

Seriously, though! If I am allowed to pick favorites, Gecel and Rony have to be them! These goofy guys pop in the office every morning to say say hello and ask me how I'm doing, and if I ever go in to the cafeteria to eat lunch by myself, I can be sure one of those guys will sit next to me and keep me company. They are such great testimonies of the kind of amazing, God-loving students we have here at Emmaus. (And I'll also add that I am thankful they aren't in the graduating class this year! I'm glad they get to stick around at EBS for a while longer. :)

Giselaine

And then the very final thing that happened while I was there was the honoring of the kitchen staff. This was such a special recognition to the women (and man!) who work their tails off every day to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner at the seminary. These staff members are such a blessing to everyone, and it was so sweet that they were recognized and each given a gift, too!

Overall, today included a very unexpected, fun and downright funny afternoon! I'm so happy that I was able to join in on the festivities to celebrate the students who have worked hard throughout the past four years in order to graduate and be sent out to continue to do God's work.

Emmaus Family, 2014

Feeling very blessed and content with where we are at. Thank you, Lord Jesus!