Haiti: Day 3

It was a quiet day here on the campus as students began to return to begin classes tomorrow.  Many things in Haiti, such as classes here, were on pause in remembrance of the devastating earthquake that took place five years ago today.  Therefore, though we were originally scheduled to begin today, it was an extra day of preparation.  I was happy to take some time in the afternoon to rest.  I rarely sleep well away from home, and this new location is no exception to what seems to be a normal pattern for me.  

The entire morning and some of the afternoon and evening were spent catching up on work and preparing for classes to begin tomorrow.  I sat through the morning in an empty classroom, talking to the Lord and praying for the students who will come while I worked.  Tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM local time, that room will be bursting with approximately 25 first year students here at Emmaus Biblical Seminary --- men and women who feel a call to ministry.  I feel a special privilege and blessing in getting to work with the first year students.  It is an opportunity to invest in their lives, and I pray for the Holy Spirit to kindle a fire in their hearts for Jesus and the Word.  

I will never forget my first semester of class as a college freshman ministerial student with Dr. Elwanger.  I loved this older professor who had been a pastor, who just loved us and invested in our lives.  Now I get to be the "old guy," just like the Apostle Paul who ran alongside those younger ministers like Timothy.  It is an opportunity to pass the baton and make the investment in a next generation.  I would not rather be doing anything else in the world (though it is hard to be away from home!). Jesus, please move in our hearts and give us a passion for you and your Word, so that you can overflow through us to our world.  Thank you for praying with me.  

In Christ,

John