A Whole Lota New....

I (Meredith) was hoping that I would be able to blog every day on this thing but the past few months have been busy with moving, TI stuff and not having internet at our new home. Thankfully, we do now!

Veronica Home

The first big exciting news is that we opened up our Veronica Home on April 30^th of this year. The Veronica Home was named after our sweet little Veronica Bahati that passed away on July 14^th, 2009 from HIV/AIDS. The Veronica Home is mainly for children that are HIV+. We currently have eight children in the home; some are not HIV+ but have been moved there from another home. We do have three children that are positive; they are: our sweet little Martin, whom you all (or at least those who have read past blogs) know about, our newest girl, Lillian and Lina.

The children have wonderful house parents that TI has been working alongside with for almost two years; we have a new aunt who the kids have immediately loved and new watchmen that are taking good care of watching over our kids.

It’s a wonderful place; the area is beautiful and it has a gorgeous view of Mount Elgon.

Stewart Home

Sean and I moved in to our new house on May 2^nd. We decided that we needed to have our home, being newly married (almost a year and a half now!). It is such the perfect place for us. It’s a four bedroom, three bathroom home that sits on a cute little compound with flowers and banana trees everywhere. We have this huge cabana made of a grass roof and straw and bamboo sides. We have a cool carport....that is empty. We hope to at least put a motorcycle in it in the future.

There is a bedroom and bathroom off to one side of the house that has its own entrance. That is where James sleeps. James used to live at Kaibeiyo Children’s Home (through Symbios), the home that Daniel and I used to work at in Eldoret a few years ago. We’ve hired him on to be our daytime watchman/gardener; it’s a job that will help him to save money for his schooling of agriculture in the next year or so.

The other side of the house has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. One room we’ve made into an office; the second room is a guest room for our friends like Nicole Jeffs (who’s coming in July) and the Stawskis...who I know will be back again soon. The third bedroom is Sean’s and mine. It has an ensuite bathroom with a nice bathtub. Yes, I love it!

It’s a new chapter in our life, having a home of our own now. It’s expensive but it’s quiet, clean and ours to come to every night.

Busy Summer

We have a crazy busy summer this year. There are four teams of people from New York State who will be housing and eating at TI. They are building a children’s home for a friend of ours over the next eight weeks. Danel, Daniel’s mom, is here to help the TI Staff with the teams.

The first team of 13 arrives this coming Saturday (26^th), then as they leave on the 10^th of July, the next group of 10 will be arriving. Then two weeks after that, team two will be leaving and team three of 17 people will be arriving. And then as team three leaves, team four of 9 people will be arriving. This team rotation all ends on August 21^st. Also during the second week of July, we have a team of 9 coming, who are with TI, for 10 days. It’s going to be a crazy few weeks during that time.

Internship Program for 2010

After the teams leave on August 21^st, we have about two weeks to relax and prepare for our 2010 Fall Interns. We have seven interns, all female, who will be a part of the three-month internship program. We have three from Ontario, Canada and the other four are from various parts of the US. We’re really excited to have these young ladies here in the fall, especially Danel and I as we get to spend time with them, grow with them, learn with them, etc. I’m really excited about it.

Ladies Bible Study

I, Meredith, am part of a weekly bible study with other missionary ladies in the Kitale area. It’s been such a wonderful time for all of us ladies. We get together each week and it’s become one of my favourite days of the week, to be around other women, sharing in our passions, our struggles, and our praises. We’ve already done two bible studies, both by Beth Moore (whom we all thoroughly enjoy) and will be starting our third Beth Moore study soon.

Man’s Nights

Sean and a group of other men in our community, get together every few weeks and a have a night together. They usually cook up some meat (and that’s all!) on the BBQ, sit back and enjoy each other’s company. It’s really been a great time for him too; it’s so important to have those times together.

Rachael

On Friday, June 18^th, I (Meredith) went to the hospital to check up on a seven year old girl, Rachael that TI has been assisting for the past few months. Rachael was visiting the section of the hospital for HIV+ people. Rachael got HIV from her parents, whom have both since died and she was being raised by her grandmother.

Rachael was a sickly girl; the “typical” girl that you would see as the poster child for starving African children on the infomercials. I’ve never seen her smile; until Friday. I was getting ready to leave and I walked over to her and told her in Swahili that she was such a beautiful girl and she did good work today here at the hospital and that I was very happy. And as she was strapped to her grandmother’s back, I leaned over and gave her a big kiss and told her that I loved her. It was then that a little smile appeared, on the corner of her mouth. I couldn’t help but beam back; Rachael had smiled.

We had made arrangements for Rachael to move in to the Veronica Home this past week. I was so excited to get her there, for her to have a swarm of brothers and sisters around her who would share things with her, make her laugh. For her to have a mother and father who would take care of her and love her instantly. For her to have a full happy belly and a warm bed to sleep in.

This is what I wanted for Rachael. But it wasn’t what God wanted....

Rachael went to be with Jesus on June 22^nd, in the afternoon.

So she now has a swarm of people, like Veronica, who are making her laugh; she has a Father who loves her more than any mother or father on earth could love her. And she is healthy, whole and loving every minute of it.

I guess this is what I wanted for Rachael....it just came in a different form.

We are saddened by her death but live in the comfort that she is not in pain anymore and that she is with our Father. Death has been such a close to home thing lately, for us, for some of you back home....but I trust in God’s peace; His love and His absolute comfort. His ways are far beyond our understanding at times but I choose to seek more of Him, to desire Him and to have faith in Him.

And so it continues....

I am hoping to become more disciplined on writing updates. Life is never boring, especially after the runaway tuk-tuk story.....which I’ll save for another blog.

Until next time,

Meredith

Songs That Touch...

Have you ever heard a song or two that just touches you in such a deep way; that just opens the flood gates of tears; that you feel were written and sung just for you?

Here's mine as of lately....

Times - Tenth Avenue North

I know I need You
I need to love You
I love to see You, but it's been so long
I long to feel You
I feel this need for You
And I need to hear You, is that so wrong?

Now You pull me near You
When we're close, I fear You
Still I'm afraid to tell You, all that I've done
Are You done forgiving?
Oh can You look past my pretending?
Lord, I'm so tired of defending, what I've become
What have I become?

I hear You say,
"My love is over. It's underneath.
It's inside. It's in between.
The times you doubt Me, when you can't feel.
The times that you question, 'Is this for real? '
The times you're broken.
The times that you mend.
The times that you hate Me, and the times that you bend.
Well, My love is over, it's underneath.
It's inside, it's in between.
These times you're healing, and when your heart breaks.
The times that you feel like you're falling from grace.
The times you're hurting.
The times that you heal.
The times you go hungry, and are tempted to steal.
The times of confusion, in chaos and pain.
I'm there in your sorrow, under the weight of your shame.
I'm there through your heartache.
I'm there in the storm.
My love I will keep you, by My pow'r alone.
I don't care where you fall, where you have been.
I'll never forsake you, My love never ends.

It never ends."

and....

By Your Side - Tenth Avenue North

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

(Chorus 2x)

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go

------------

I break; He mends me

I fall; He picks me up

I cry; He wipes the tears away

I laugh; He laughs along with me

I draw closer; He holds on tighter

I love Him; He loves me

Our Video

Attached is the video that Sean and I did for speaking engagements. This is a little look at our 2009 year in Kenya. The song is called Change by Carrie Underwood (on her new cd "Play On".)

Enjoy!

Kenya 2009 - Part 11

A Mini Update

Sorry, it’s been awhile since you got an update from me.

The past month and a half has been crazy…some in good, some not so good. It’s been an emotional year for me, ranging from amazing highs to horrible lows. I’ve had moments and time when I could sit down and just write but the words that are in my head, just can’t seem to get on the computer.

If you follow the TI webpage, you will see that September was a really busy month for us. We had Sandy’s team of five women,Hope 2 Kenya (www.hope2kenya.org), here with us for about two and a half weeks. The TI staff and interns got to be a part of three medical clinics and 2 food distributions. It was incredible to be able to be a part of it and see everyone come together and work and serve for the better of the beautiful Kenyan people. The team also did a medical clinic and food distribution in the Kibera slums; the most famous slum in the world, located in Nairobi, Kenya.

During the time that the Hope 2 Kenya team was here, we had 21 people living on the compound. It was pretty insane at times and the adventure of running out of water on the compound for showers, cooking and cleaning was on the horizon at times but thankfully God provided the water (either through rain or the city finally pumping it) when we were down to a few litres left.

I’m so thankful for the Hope 2 Kenya team coming here and for all the amazing work they did and for including us in it. What a wonderful group of ladies they were.

We are now back to 16 people in the compound. At times I miss the quiet, the freedom to do things or not do things around the house but I really enjoy the community; I enjoy the friendship/relationship building. I enjoy the morning devotions of deep discussions, I enjoy the laughing and I enjoy cooking for 16 people (and also because there are16 people in the house, I don’t have to do most of the cooking anymore!).  This year’s group of people is wonderful and I honestly adore each and every one of them. I too am thankful for them; what a gift they have been to me and my life right now.

On a different note, Sean and I are coming to Canada a little earlier than expected now. We had originally thought we would be back around the end of January 2010 but we’ve decided that we want to come back earlier. So we’re in the process of having our tickets changed for the beginning of December. The exact date isn’t known yet; we’re waiting to hear back from the travel agent but we’ll definitely keep people posted.

We’ve decided to come back to Canada for three months, to rest and relax and spend time with family and friends over a lengthened period of time, rather than rushing all the visits into a short span as that can be extremely exhausting for us. And for those inquiring minds, no, we’re not pregnant and that’s not why we’re coming back to Canada early.

So hopefully at some point during our stay in Canada, we’ll get to see some of you.

Love you all!
Meredith

Thoughts From Meredith

Being Content in the Present

I’m an organizer, not an obsessive one, but an organizer nonetheless. If I could, I would have my life planned out to the tee. I did try that once, planning my life. I said I would be married by such and such age; have my 2.4 kids by this age; live in this city and have this kind of house…and so on and so on.

And guess what?

It didn’t happen. And what happened with me?

I was pissed; I was hurt; I was frustrated and I was devastated.

Why? Why would I put myself through that?

Was I not happy with where I was at that time so I figured it was better to fantasize about the future? If I couldn’t have control over the present time, perhaps I could have control over the future.

But in reality, I don’t have any more control over the future as I do the present. I don’t know what the future holds so why spend so much time and effort on it when I can be where I’m at today.

It’s difficult to be content in the present when there is so much that I desire that I still don’t have. But then I look at where I’ve come from, the man I married, the place I live, the work I am doing and I realize I couldn’t have planned it all to happen this way, even if I wanted to.

It’s far less stressful to be in the present, loving where I’m at now, who I am now, what I’m doing now and who I’m with now. I choose to enjoy the moments of today and look forward to the moments of tomorrow. But not soak in tomorrow or over organize tomorrow.

I like what God is doing today and I will trust what He will do tomorrow. Why should I figure it all out when He already has?

Enjoy your today everyone!

Kenya 2009 - Part 10

Martin And A Football

Martin, our five year old (or even six), who has the body of a three year old, in one day had HIV, pneumonia, chicken pox, meningitis and tuberculosis running through him. And he is still alive. This in itself is a complete gift from God.

Today, after six days in the hospital, Martin was discharged. He still has a ways to go but he looks 110% better than what he did when he was going in to the hospital.

He is staying with us for a few days. Since we are only a few minutes from the hospital, if there are any emergencies that come up in the next day or two, we are only a short ride away back to the hospital. And of course, we felt that it would be best for him to stay with us to get some complete spoiling of love and attention. :-)

This afternoon, Daniel was standing by the veranda door, looking outside. He called my name and told me to come and look. [Uncle] Sean had taken Martin outside to play. There was Martin, whom was on way to death, kicking around a football with Sean…a huge smile on his face the whole time. And as Daniel said, “This is why we are here!”

Thank you everyone for your prayers, for your encouraging words and your support. It has truly meant a lot to us.

Much love!!

xoxoxo

Martin....hanging out in the grass.

Martin and his football...

Getting the well deserved and needed rest...

Kenya 2009 - Part 9

Our Little Strong Martin

Wow!!! What a past few days this has been.

As you all know due to the prayer request and blog update that our little weak Martin was admitted in to the hospital on Thursday. At the time of this news, I was with the women from the PA team at our Neema girl’s house. We came together and prayed for Martin.

On Thursday evening, Nicole and I went to the hospital for a few hours, laying our hands on Martin, praying for healing. While Nicole and I were at the hospital, the rest of the team stayed back and prayed for him.

On Friday afternoon, we heard that his condition had not changed. Most of the team was outside in the yard, getting ready to play football (aka soccer for you North Americans) and before the game started, they got down in the grass, on their knees and prayed for Martin. I put in the Hillsong CD, This Is Our God, and played the song “Healer” a few times, praying and claiming the words the song said for Martin.

Over the past few days, our friends and family back in North America have stepped up in prayer over Martin as well.

And this is the text message we got from Anne, just an hour ago…

“Praise the Lord! He can talk and walk and he has gained appetite. I am excited.”

Yes! Praise be to the Lord! For He has heard our prayers and has answered them. He is our Healer, our Comforter and that has been so incredibly evident this past week.

We continue to pray for Martin; for complete health.

We also want to thank EVERYONE for your support and prayers. For when two or more are gathered in His name, there He is.

We love you all!

Meredith

Healer – Hillsong

You hold my every moment

You calm my raging seas

You walk with me through fire

And HEAL ALL MY DISEASE

I trust in You

I trust in You

I believe that You’re my Healer

I believe that You are all I need

I believe that You’re my Portion

I believe that You’re more than enough for me

Jesus, You’re ALL I NEED

Nothing is impossible for You

Nothing is impossible for You

Nothing is impossible for You

You hold my world in Your hands