Homeward Bound, Kenya Believe It?

One year ago, Anna and I were in Washington, D.C. at the headquarters of International Justice Mission, being trained and commissioned to serve in Kenya. I knew then that IJM was a top-notch organization with a unique and powerful mission: to fight for justice for the poor in nations in which the public justice system simply does not work for the poor and powerless. I knew then that IJM did this by, in the name of Jesus, offering excellent pro bono legal representation, investigation, and aftercare to those who suffered unthinkable injustices, in order to level the playing field so that these powerless could have a fighting chance for justice. As of June 2009, I knew all of this intellectually, and I was elated that I would get the chance to give what I had to offer to the fight, and so thankful that you all were a part of it.

Here we are, one year later, with less than two weeks left in Kenya with IJM, and my depth of knowledge and understanding of IJM’s work has been deepened by experience. This experience has often been painful (daily hearing awful stories of abuse), disheartening (having a man go free when we know that he abused a young girl), and maddening (when corruption rules over a just process). Yet, the experience has also been invigorating (knowing that every day I am being used to fight for something that is God’s heart—justice for the poor and oppressed), joyful (helping an innocent man go free, seeing an abused girl gradually heal of emotional pain, and seeing a client commit her life to Jesus), and just plain fun (serving with passionate, intelligent, and fun Kenyan colleagues who I now call friends). Thank you so much for making it possible for me to do this—I (and the rest of my family) will never be the same.

As for the work of IJM in the Kenya office, it has been an eventful last few weeks here. You may recall a girl I referred to as *Laura in a previous update. Laura’s is a very sad case in which three men abused her over a period of time, including her father. In March, we got a conviction for one of the men who abused her. Just two weeks ago, the case against a second abuser (not her father) came for judgment, and the judge convicted him and sentenced him to life in prison. We are so happy that Laura is getting justice for what happened to her. The case against her father comes up for judgment next month. Please pray for Laura as she continues to undergo counseling towards emotional healing. On the heels of this elation, however, we got some sad, if not expected, news in the case of a girl (who I mentioned in an urgent prayer request last month) who had been abused by her grandfather, and we suspected that the judge had a bias in favor of the dude (possibly because he had bribed the judge). Well, just last week the judge acquitted (found innocent) the grandfather. Needless to say, we were a bit disheartened. Yet, just a few days after that, in another case one of our investigators tracked down and arrested a man who had violently abused an 8-year-old girl and then fled. Again, we were elated that this man will have to face the music for his despicable deeds.

That’s the way this work is: high highs followed by low lows, and back again. Through the continual emotional rollercoaster, God has been teaching me to rely on Him and to trust Him and His character, even when it appears that the powerful are getting a free pass for their abuse of power and the victims are left with nothing. God sees the big picture, the entire span of events, the whole film; yet all I see is what is immediately before me, the moment, a single frame. I have seen Him move in powerful ways to bring hope where there was none; victory where defeat was expected; and healing where there was only pain and hopelessness. He is powerful, good, and loving, and He uses you and me to bring that justice to individuals. I have to trust that even when we do not see justice in the present, He is doing something I do not see. I believe.

As for news from the home front by Anna:  Today, I took the kids on a field trip to see the sewing ministry of Amani Ya Juu. We walked into the sewing shop for the "full tour" and when the ladies began singing to us a gospel song in Kiswahili I cried. Yes, right there holding my video camera taping these women singing to us. I cried because I realized that I was really going to miss this place. These women, along with so many women I have met, are fighting against tough odds, standing firm in their faith, working hard to earn a living, and truly making a difference in the world they live in. Amazing! If you are ever in Nairobi, I highly recommend visiting Amani and don't forget to ask for the "full tour with singing."

Caleb “graduated” from first grade from Rosslyn Academy last week and we are so thankful for all of the great teachers, especially Mrs. Gradin his first grade teacher. Caleb has made many new friends this year from many different countries. One of his favorite days at school was when he got to try some Korean food made by one of the moms in his class. Recently, he mentioned to me that Kenyans call him "Ka-leb Mee-ahs."  I think that it is interesting that a seven year old recognizes how different cultures say the same words differently.

Abigail has made huge steps in several areas over the year.  At first when we arrived here in Kenya she was very shy about saying hello to Kenyans. But, as the year has progressed, so has she. She now joyfully waves and says "Habari" (hello) to Kenyans we know and will introduce herself and how old she is to others. I am so proud of this big step for her. Last weekend, we were out of town and had the opportunity to help feed about 200 Kenyan kids who live in the tribal area of the Laikipia region of Kenya. Abigail jumped right in and helped pass out food to the little kids.

Luke is repeating so many words now! Some of his verbal repertoire includes: ball, boat, bus, no more, book, eat, truck, and juice (for all drinkable liquids). Now, in the car he points and yells out "bus." So fun! Today, he got his first official haircut that was not by mommy. (My hair clippers popped and started smoking the other day. Oops, that happens even with converters sometimes I discovered!) He did great and sat up so proud in the chair as Faith clipped away.

Anna has been adding entries to our family blog lately! Check out some of our adventures getting new visas, or a video clip of 500 Kenyan women singing at Bible Study, or a short weather report on the rainy season in Africa by Caleb, or trying something new such as eating raw sugar cane bought on the side of the road.  I am also in the middle now of the BIG SORT, as I call it. Everything in our home must be sorted into one of 4 piles - home to Texas, sell, donate, or pass on to the others. We arrived with 10 boxes and in about 10 days we will leave with those same 10 boxes. However, the stuff inside of them has changed and I know that each of us have changed too!

So, what’s next for us? The big news is that on June 29th I will interview with IJM for a future field office director position. There are not any such positions available now, but we are hopeful that the interview will go well and an IJM position will open up in the near future for which I would be qualified. In the meantime, we will head back to Austin (after spending time with our families in Dallas and Houston) and I will go back to practicing law. If you know of anyone looking to add a lawyer on a full-time (perhaps temporary) basis, please let me know. This is a big prayer request for us: that I would be able to jump back into practicing law in Austin without too much delay.

Prayer requests:

• For us to “finish well” here, with Lane’s work and work colleagues and with our friends
• For safe, timely travel back to Texas on June 19–20
• For Lane’s interview at IJM headquarters in DC on June 29
• For Lane to secure law work back in Austin as of mid-July

As we close out our near-year with IJM Kenya, we are feeling the pain of leaving friends we have made while here, leaving a work I have come to love, and leaving a country which has changed us and awed us in many ways. I am not sure we will realize how much we’ve been changed this year and how much we will miss Kenya until we get back to Texas. But, we are looking forward to seeing all of you and thanking you in person for your part in the battle for justice.  See you on the flip-side.

p.s. To those of our new and wonderful friends from Kenya that are now a part of our life, I am so thankful for technology and the really small world that we live in. Africa and Kenya now have a special place in our hearts and always will.  Who knows when our paths will cross again. I look forward to it!

Peace,
Lane for the Kenya Mearskats

Eating Raw Sugar Cane

I have heard about this but never actually tried it myself. Then the other day I was driving back with my friend Jackie from visiting our friend Maureen who just had a new baby, and saw this guy selling raw sugar cane on the side of the road.

So, I stopped to try some. Before, I could say anything, Jackie hopped out of the car to get some for me.  I didn't even have a chance to give her any money to buy them.  That is Jackie on the left of the picture with her hand on her hip. I tried to secretly take this photo but the guy saw me. ack! He told Jackie if he knew I was going to take a picture he would have turned the other way so I could get a better picture of what he was doing.


From what I could tell the guy took a tall stalk of the sugar cane and would strip off the green bark with his knife, as you can see in the picture.


Then he would chop the white stick into smaller 2 inch pieces that would drop into a small bucket. He poured the contents of the bucket, about 12 pieces into a bag for each customer.

Jackie said that all you do is bite off a piece, chew, taste all of the sweet goodness from the sugar cane, and then spit out the pieces when there is no more flavor.

I brought the treats home to share with the kids so they could try!

At first, they had a hard time biting the big pieces (evidently, with practice this is easy!). I think you are actually supposed to bite off some of it, not put the whole thing in your mouth like Caleb is trying to do here.

So, we cut them up into smaller kid sizes pieces for the kids to fit into their mouth. Whew, that was much better for the kids. They popped the piece into their mouth and chewed and sucked on the sugar. They loved it! It was sweet and fun to try something new.


You should try this if you get a chance. Enjoy!

Here is a pic of the raw sugar cane BEFORE and the pieces of stalk left over AFTER chewing all of the sweet sugar out.

p.s. Actually, I have heard, not sure if it is true, but I have heard that chewing sugar cane is really good for your teeth. I think the chewing on the stalk fibers acts like a toothbrush. And how fun to brush and get to taste the sweetness of RAW SUGAR.

Cheers,
Anna

Weather Report by Caleb

It is RAINY SEASON here in Kenya in mid- March through mid-May. Caleb decided one morning to make a report on the weather outside from our front porch. It is a quick video, but it made me smile. Hope you enjoy too! 

Kenyan Bible Study Ladies Singing

There are lots of things that I love about Bible Study Fellowship, and the worship time is one of them. There is something about 500 women all singing praises to God. We sing songs that are usually connected to the lesson we are studying each week making the meaning of every word sung ring loud and clear in our hearts. Often , I glance around and see tears being wiped from the ladies knowing that the words they are singing have significant meaning to them after studying this lesson all week prior to coming today. Most of the time the words are in English, but sometimes we sing in the local Kenyan language of Kiswahili. Those times are a treat for me.



Below are two of the ladies, Jackie and Carol, that are in my small group of 15 women. When you look around the room in this church where we meet, there are huddles of women filling every corner of the room. When we finish worship time, you hear the bustle of plastic chairs moving as each woman finds her group and gets settled. It has been really neat to walk this year with these women. My only regret has been not spending more time outside of class with these amazing ladies. I am spurred on by the ones new in their faith and feel the excitement of their new faith rubbing off on others. I laugh with the ones who tell funny stories of their faith in such a way that the who group is giggling with laughter. I have cried with the ones sharing stories of hard times and struggles.  Next week will be another time of fellowship and sharing with just our small group and the last week will be a time of testimonies and sharing for the entire Bible Study.  I am so encouraged that OVER 150 new women showed up to the introduction class yesterday. I pray for lots of new leaders and space for these new women wanting to study and learn God's Word.


For me personally, almost each week I feel like there was a lesson I learned that was just for me. I know God works through things like this and it is never a coincidence. When Jesus was struggling with the cross, was the same time I was struggling about our future decision. I felt encouraged that Jesus continued to walk even when it was hard. I saw that he knew his purpose in life and knew what the Father had called him to do. I was facing a hard decision, but still felt like it was what God was calling me to do. That was just what I learned one week, and it seems that every week there is a something I walk away learning. I know God has been using this study to show me things and teach me more about Him. I am thankful in so many ways.

New Visas

Wednesday, April 28 - Another Twist in our Overseas Adventure
Are you ready for another twist in our adventure overseas? Well, we just found out this morning that we have to get a new visa. We have been getting visitor stamps in our passport every three months, but we just found out that isn't enough, we should have gotten a new visa as well. So, this means that we have to leave the country and come back before Monday. And it is not recommended to just go to a border country, so we have to go at least one country out from Kenya. Crazy!! We are scouring for last minute travel deals in hopes to find something cheap and quick travel. We are hoping to do this in one day, probably Friday. And so it will end up that we literally go have lunch in another country and come back. Thankfully, only Lane and I need to go, so the kids can be in school and I'll have someone watch Luke and Abigail for the day while we go do this.  Please pray for us to find the right travel deal. Pray for safe travels and covering over us with immigration as we go and come back.

Friday, April 30 - Leaving in a Few Hours
We got tickets yesterday and are leaving in a few hours for Dubai, UAE. Yes, of all the travel deals this was the cheapest on short notice and that met our list of requirements to renew our visas here. I've never been to Dubai and have no idea what we will do in such a short time, but here we go! Honestly, I am looking forward to the plane ride to watch movies and time to talk with my husband. I think we'll call it a date then! (And for those thinking "rough life to fly off for a day and come back", this isn't exactly what we had planned months ago. We had other things planned for the weekend that had to get canceled. Other things this money could have been used for. But, I trust that God has a bigger plan.) As for the kids, they are staying at home while the wonderful interns from the IJM office are coming over for a "party at the Mears' house".  Abigail helped me make brownies for the party and I wrote out schedules for the kids for Saturday (movie, do a puppet show, recess time, lunch, rest, reading time, movie, costumes & dress-up time, etc!) The kids like it when I do an hourly schedule like this. I think it helps them know what to expect that day and have things to look forward to, especially now that Caleb can read and so when I post it on the wall, he can read it for the group.

Saturday, May 1 - Hello and Goodbye Dubai
We're home and mission accomplished! We arrived in Dubai late Friday night. We slept in on Saturday morning until 10 am with dark curtains - glorious treat to parents of toddlers! And then had only 2 hours in the city to grab Taco Bell and a few treats for the kids until it was time to head back to the airport. I must say what I did see of Dubai was pretty amazing! The engineering alone makes me want to go back and visit places like the man-made islands in the shape of sea creatures, the tallest building in the world - Burj Dubai, the indoor ski slope while it is 122 degree Fahrenheit weather outside in the summer, camel racing, the world's only 7-star hotel- Burj Al Arab (only costs $2000 per night for a room, wowzers), and more. We saw some of these things from the airplane, but maybe someday I will see them from the ground. Thank you Lord for safe travel the whole time for us and for the kids at home. I am forever grateful to the interns - Betsy, Juliet, Ian, Bekah, Jen, and Nicole who took turns at the house watching the kids.

Weird Things I Noticed
A few things caught my attention during this quick day trip to Dubai. I was in the bathroom at the hotel and paused for a moment to listen to some weird noise I heard. Then I laughed at myself when I realized what it was...the air-conditioner! Ha, it was then that I realized I hadn't heard the sound of an air conditioner in over 9 months. The temperature in Nairobi is so ideal 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit, that you don't need air conditioners.

The other thing that I did that caught my attention was to brush my teeth then lean over and rinse with the tap water from the sink. Novel idea, you are thinking...but not really. Lots of places in the world, including my home in Kenya, recommend that you don't drink water from the tap, but instead drink, rinse, spit, cook, etc. with water from a bottle purchased at the store and carried home.

Thanks for reading and praying for us in this twist to our adventure overseas!
Anna

Justice! and Planning for the Future...our April update

The crowd started to gather around 8:30am for the scheduled 9:00am court session. Friends and family of victims and those accused avoided the front row and settled into the benches in the small, cramped, largely open-air courtroom. Attorneys wandered about, meandering from the advocates’ tables to the front bench to the hallway outside, and chatting with other attorneys. Their nonchalance is a marked contrast to the anxious faces of the others. It is Wednesday, March 3rd, and this court in Nairobi, Kenya will start late, as is customary. At around 10:00am, the bailiff announces that all should rise. All do, and the magistrate judge walks importantly to his seat at the front of the courtroom.

The first cases called deal with traffic violations, and they are quickly disposed of with various fines. Next are the criminal cases. First to come before the judge are the “mentions,” in which someone who has been accused of a crime must appear before the court simply for the court to make sure that they have not fled the court’s jurisdiction. Finally, the reason for which most of the audience has gathered comes — hearings for those who have been accused of committing a crime. Sadly, the great bulk of these cases will be put on hold for another 2-3 months, through an “adjournment,” for various reasons (the prosecutor forgot or lost the case file, the defense attorney is not ready to proceed, a witness failed to show, etc.). Justice is not swift here.

However, justice will come to this small Kenyan courtroom today. The reason IJM staff are in the courtroom today is to hear the judge’s final ruling on a case of sexual assault in which  Laura*, a girl of 12, was abused by her soccer coach. My coworkers were on their seats awaiting the ruling, as this case had had a common, but significant, challenge in our work — conflicting medical reports (a hospital had diagnosed that the girl had been abused, but the police surgeon, as is all too common, had found no injuries). Nevertheless, we had hope of achieving a conviction, as the police prosecutor had pressed on with the case without even entering into evidence the police surgeon’s suspect report in spite of the judge’s clear desire to see the report.

As the case was called, it was as if time slowed. The judge looked over at the accused man, paused, and began to read his judgment. After laying out the facts, he gets to the meat of the verdict: Despite the prosecution’s failure to introduce evidence from the police prosecutor, the accused was guilty of abusing Laura and is sentenced to life in prison. Today, there is justice in Kenya.
* Laura is a pseudonym.

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

It is now mid-April, and we apologize for the delay in this update. Life seems to be flying by here so quickly. As for other IJM news, a huge praise is that one of our clients decided to commit his life to Jesus a couple weeks ago (through Ann, a driver and administrator for IJM Kenya)! Here is a picture of some of the IJM Kenya staff after a morning devotional time.

If any of you have read the excellent business book “Good to Great,” you know how important it is for a team to be on the same page, pulling together toward individual and collective organization goals. On that note, for two weeks this past December IJM Kenya staffers gathered in our conference room to talk about two things: (1) developing “best practices” for our entire office, investigators, attorneys, social workers, and administration, so that we can all work efficiently and together as we pursue the second topic; (2) IJM Kenya’s 2010 goals and how to attain them. Each person, whether an attorney, investigator, or social worker brought into this discussion their education and experience fighting for justice for victims of sexual assault and illegal detention. We are excited about these organizational best practices and goals for 2010 and are striving daily to accomplish them. With regard to our child sexual assault cases, our office has goals for the number of arrests and convictions, and Laura’s case is the first of our convictions for 2010. We hope, pray, and believe there will be many more.

While we succeeded in gaining a conviction of Laura’s abuser, Laura’s case highlighted for me that God would not have us focus on just the end game of attaining convictions — Laura herself is not doing as well as we would have hoped. To this day, more than a year after the abuse, she talks about it as if it happened to someone else (one of our lawyers mentioned that she talks about the abuse she suffered as if she was describing a coke bottle she was holding). While it is not our aftercare staff’s goal for her to re-experience the trauma, it is their goal to have her heal, and it does not seem to them as if this has happened yet. Please pray for Laura, and for all of our clients who have had similar traumatic experiences.

Otherwise, the family is doing well. We really enjoyed time with some of Lane's family when his mom and sister visited a while ago. Here is a picture of Lane, his mom Betty, and Luke. 

Anna continues to enjoy and grow from her Bible Study Fellowship and relationships with friends we have here. Check out her recent post on the family blog titled "Why Did a Family of 5 Move from Texas to Kenya?" which has a great video about what we are doing with IJM and why justice is so close to God's heart. 

On April 12th, Caleb celebrated his 7th birthday with a ninja party. With my years of training in the martial arts and “ninja-ing,” I was able to pass on the deep knowledge of how one becomes a ninja. His friends’ lives were forever changed. Caleb also had his first Cub Scout Pinewood Derby recently and his car came in second place in his den! His buddy Ethan got first place. (Caleb is pictured below with a Maasai tribesman.) 

Abigail is learning to swim, doing preschool at home, and playing often with her best friend, David (the two of them, both 4, announced a few weeks ago that they were going to marry each other when they get old enough). Luke is slowly learning to express himself with a handful of words, instead of just grunts and screams — thank goodness! (Abigail and Luke are pictured below).

As we’ve alluded to here and in other updates, Anna and I are in the midst of serious prayer and discussions about our next step after Kenya. The crux of the decision is whether we stay overseas longer in some capacity or return to Texas this summer and settle back into life there. We daily feel the weight of this decision, and ask for your prayers for us: for wisdom, unity, peace, and faith that God is with us no matter where we end up. We should have more specifics in our next update.

Finally, please also pray for Kenya and its leaders, including the current Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki. The citizens of Kenya will vote on a new Constitution this July, and its approval could be a huge step for the country and the welfare of its people.

We love and miss you all and look forward to seeing you soon!

Lane, for the Kenya Mearskats

Why did a family of 5 move from Texas to Kenya?

My friends,
Do you wonder exactly what International Justice Mission does?
    What are the injustices happening in foreign countries? And what can we do about it?
          Why did a family of 5 pick up and move from Texas to Kenya?
Here is a video with music from Sara Groves that answers some of those questions....
         It is worth the few minutes to watch it!

http://vimeo.com/7733602



IJM Advocacy Video from Sara Groves Music on Vimeo.

Kitengela Glass Factory

Kitengela is a neat place way out in the middle of nowhere. It is a community of artist, a place to be creative and I imagine learn lots of new skills. Abigail and I took a preschool field trip with her Nana (Lane's mom) and some other mommies to see these beautiful art creations first hand. Anyone can go to the store in town, but it is something else to make the hour drive through fields and rivers to the actual factory, where you can  see the artist AT WORK in their element. Here are some pictures from our field trip...

 This is the restroom or the "Loo" as the British have influenced the culture. Yes, the circle  in the middle of the floor is it.

Beautiful glasses, each one hand crafted and unique.

They incorporate a lot of recycling in the factory. Here each bin is for a different color glass.

This is a picture of inside a glass bead kiln. The Kenyan lady is using these long sticks to dip into a bowl inside the fire and lift out a glob of glass melted to a consistency of honey. Then she takes the glowing red hot glob of glass out of the kiln and rolls it on a flat table. A few taps on the stick and then she slides the glass bead off to cool. Each bead is made by hand like this.

Here is one of the other ladies is soldering little legs onto these cute glass insects.

We all  enjoyed our field trip to see the glass artists of Kitengela!

Finally, as a civil engineer, I can't forget to include a picture of the broken bridge to the glass factory. Thankfully, we were in a friend's car that could take us through the low river safely. Maybe I could trade a new bridge design for some new Kitengela glasses. :-) Oh, wait, but I am not licensed in Kenya. Oh, well, fun idea! Hopefully, they can get it fixed soon. During rainy season I imagine, the river crossing would be impassable.

By the way, one of the other gals from our outing, Naoma, wrote about Kitengela on her blog called "Lees On the Go". Click here to read her story and see her pictures of Kitengela. She has lots more to tell about the history and background of Kitengela. You'll enjoy her writing and photos.

Maasai Mara...amazing animals, land, people

Kenya is home to some absolutely amazing animals! Here are just a few...and yes, we took all of these pictures and didn't have a big zoom lens, we were that close to these animals. crazy.

Halftime - Our February Update

It is 8:15 a.m. on a Friday morning. The staff of IJM Kenya (investigators, attorneys, social workers, and administrators) are gathered for our daily devotion time. This week, the topic is worship, and one of my co-workers, a social worker, has us spend some time reflecting on the ways God, his Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit love us daily. In my time of meditation on this, I think about a study I had led the night before with some people from our church on how we can worship God by simply trusting Him with the circumstances of our lives. It’s something Paul talked about in Romans 12:1: living our lives in such a way that it amounts to worship of God. As I continued to reflect on this, I was struck by how something that sounds so simple (trusting God with our circumstances) can be so hard to live out. In this work, every day we hear stories of incredible abuse (and I mean “incredible” in the way it was originally intended: to mean “unbelievable”): children preyed upon by those who should be protecting them, and innocent people held in prison for months or even years for something they did not do. In hearing these stories, I find it hard to believe someone in these situations can trust God with their circumstances. More close to home, Anna and I are wrestling with what the next step is for us come August, when we leave Kenya. Although our decision pales in comparison to the problems being faced by our clients at IJM, even in this I find it difficult at times to trust God with my circumstances. But, as a good friend wisely said to me long ago (thank you, Mr. Nelson), “It all comes down to what you believe about God’s character. Do you believe He is good and has your best interest in mind? Or, do you not?” I believe God is good, and that He loves me, and Anna, and you, and each one of our IJM clients. Based on this belief, I have to believe that I can trust Him with my circumstances, even when I wish they were different. And, even while we at IJM Kenya wrestle with the justice system here in getting justice for our clients, I must trust Him with the circumstances of our clients’ lives; I must trust that He is with them in their suffering and that even when we are not victorious, He can bring victories in ways we do not expect or understand. I have to believe this. If not, what is the purpose of saying I believe in God?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On February 5, 2010, we officially crossed the mid-point of our time in Kenya with IJM. Time is flying by. It is the middle of summer here now, and while Kenyans complain about how hot things are, generally the highs are in the low-80s and the lows around 60. Pole sana (“I’m sorry”) for those of our friends in the States getting buried with cold and snow. We have an extra bedroom if you want to escape!

Since I last wrote you about Daisy, we have had some not-so-good events in the case. If you’ll recall, in our last update I mentioned that Daisy’s clothing had molded, making it impossible to extract enough evidence to tie it to the police officer who abused her. After weeks of praying, brainstorming, and strategizing on what to do now, we have settled on a strategy that could get the officer or officers responsible to be administratively punished within the police force, but very likely will not lead to any officer serving time for abusing Daisy. While this is a disappointment, the silver lining is that over the last several months of our office’s contact with Daisy, she has experienced tangible emotional healing, and appears to be a joyful, innocent girl of 9 years. And, after months of Daisy wanting it to happen, she was finally free to head back to her home village and be reunited with her family. Some of our staff went to deliver Daisy to her family, and she was radiant with happiness to be home and out of a rescue center. Thank you all for your prayers for Daisy. While what I was hoping for (a conviction for her abuser) did not come to pass, God used IJM to help bring healing to Daisy and to reunite her with her family. He is trustworthy with the circumstances of our lives.

Beyond this, it’s been an eventful month, especially for Anna. I will turn over the reins of this update to her, and then we’ll close with more answers to the questions many of you have posed about our life here.

Anna’s corner

One of the things that I (Anna) have really enjoyed while living here in Kenya has been the women’s Bible study I attend each week. There are about 500 Kenyan women in this particular Bible study (called “Bible Study Fellowship”). Yes, wow, that is a lot! I walk in this room full of Kenyan women, and let’s just say, it is easy to find me in the crowd. I am different, I am one of the few non-Kenyans in the crowd, but that is what I love about it. It is great to have close ex-pat friends, but this has been my connection into the lives of Kenyan women. We have a time of worship when the gathering starts each week. We sing some hymns I recognize from back in the States and some I don’t. And often there is a song or two in Kiswahili, the national language of the Kenyan people. (The official language is English.)

Once a month we gather in someone’s home for a small meal and then a time of sharing. What a highlight for me! I get to be in a different Kenyan home each month. I enjoy trying the new food (yum!), hearing stories about their culture, and “taking tea” with women all while in a Kenyan home. In just a few weeks, on March 10th, it will be my turn to have the 15 women from my small group in my house. How exciting! I am already thinking about whether to cook Kenyan or American food. The pressure is on! As for our group, each woman has a story. Many of the women come from different tribes, or “cultures” as they say here. They are all bilingual, speaking English and Kiswahili. We greet each other with kisses on the cheeks and the women speak softly during our small group discussions so I often have to lean in to hear. Sometimes I don’t get the cultural jokes. But, that is ok. I am learning and feeling more a part of the group each week. I look forward to going. And when I walk in now, it feels comfortable and familiar.

I realized in the beginning that not everyone in the group was a Christian. Our group is a mix of people in many different places on their journey with God. One woman in particular has been a joy to watch as she asks questions each week about the Christian faith. Each time it opens the door for more questions and conversation in our group. For a few weeks she even asked for prayer about her decision whether to become a Christian or not. Something was clearly happening in her life. Then one day before coming to Bible study she woke up crying and went into her mom’s room (she is a single mom and lives with her mom, which is common here). Her mom asked “What is wrong? Are you ok? Is the baby ok? Do you need money?” She replied no and said that something else felt heavy to her but didn’t know what was wrong. I was amazed at what her mom said next. “God wants your heart. Get dressed, go to Bible study, and you will find Him there.” That day in Bible study she told the group that she had thought about it long enough and now, finally, her questions had been answered and nothing was holding her back. She wanted to become a Christian. Right there in our time together that morning she prayed to God and became a Christian! I was ecstatic. It was such a thrill to see this happening in front me. God is moving in people’s hearts all around the world!

In January, I had the joy of having my two sisters, Clara and Kelley, visit from the States. All three sisters were together for 10 days (still working on getting my brother to come for a visit!). They were our first visitors and it was so nice to show them the daily things about our life here. We took them to Caleb’s school, they walked to work with Lane one day, went to the grocery store with me, met our friends here, and much more. Of course, we had to show them some of the fun touristy things to do in the city of Nairobi and out in the country at the Maasai Mara for a safari to see the animals. I stayed up late talking with my sisters many nights and the kids especially enjoyed the gifts Clara and Kelley brought from the grandparents. It was a great to have them here!

I have also added a few entries to our blog lately. Specifically, I shared about my first experience going to a children’s orphanage in one of the slums of the city. It was really impacting to see over 200 kids in such a small place. The little ones Luke’s age didn’t have pants or diapers on. One of the rooms was packed with bunk beds inches from each other where about 60 kids slept, often 2-4 per bed depending on the age of the kid. Mama Mercy is the woman who has run the home for over 15 years and is such an inspiration. I am praying about how to get involved with the home and I am hoping to go back soon. For more about this and other daily happenings, head on over to our blog at http://mearsfamilylife.blogspot.com/

Now, some answers to YOUR questions…
 
• Are you ever in any danger?

First off, let me say that we have not been the victim of any kind of violence or theft in our six months here. Our house is secure, we drive only during the day, and we are alert when out walking, etc. Having said all that, we do hear reports of car-jackings and petty theft around town. No place is completely safe and Nairobi is no different. But, we remain vigilant and trust God in all of our circumstances.

• What is your favorite Kenyan food?

So far, our favorite Kenyan foods have been chapatti (“cha-POT-tee”) (a flat bread that is similar to a tortilla)—Abigail’s favorite; samosas (“sah-MO-sahs”) (a triangular breaded food that contains beef or vegetables with great spices, somewhat like Spanish tapas)—Caleb’s favorite; mukimo (“moo-KEE-mo”) (very much like mashed potatoes, but green and containing peas)—Lane’s favorite; chicken choma (“CHO-ma”) (chicken grilled with excellent seasoning and sometimes served with soup); Anna’s favorite is a Kenyan beef and vegetable stew, served with rice and chapatti (served in Kenyan friends’ homes a couple times).

• Is it a challenge to find “normal” food?

By normal, I think this person meant U.S. food. There are places where we can get decent pizza and salads, although I still haven’t found a good burger in Kenya. And there ain’t no real Tex-Mex, as you can imagine (O, for some Chuy’s or Trudy’s!). Overall, though, there is excellent Indian food (numerous places), as well as Italian and Chinese. As for the “abnormal” food, the best-looking thing I’ve seen is grilled intestines (I’m pretty sure I want to keep all intestines on the other end of my body than my mouth).

• Is there a grocery store like they have here or is it more of an outdoor/street market?

There are both, although we shop a lot more at the grocery store. The one we use most is called “Uchumi” (“oo-CHOO-mee”), followed by Nakumatt (“NAH-koo-maht”) (more expensive but larger selection of Western goods). We do buy eggs and other items at a nearby kiosk run by a guy named Dickson. They don’t put preservatives in the food here like they do at home, so we can only buy milk that expires about two days after we buy it. And nobody refrigerates eggs here.

• What food do you miss the most?

I (Lane) miss most Tex-Mex, a good burger, and Texadelphia. I also miss not being able to drink the tap water — it’s a bit of a pain to keep having to buy the water we drink. And, with baseball season rapidly approaching, I will desperately miss watching the Texas Rangers.

• How much does gas cost over there?

86 Kenyan shillings per liter. To translate, there are 3.785 liters in a gallon. So, it is roughly 325 shillings per gallon. 75 shillings makes one dollar. So, the math works out to be $4.34 USD/gallon. Be thankful for what you are paying for gas there.

Thanks for reading our update!  We are so thankful for your friendship and prayers.  Please keep those prayers coming! Specifically, please pray for the Lord's guidance in our decision about the future after this year is over, safety and health for each of us, Lane's mom, sister, and boyfriend as they travel back home from Kenya to the states in a few days, Lane and the others at the IJM office as they deal with so many horrible cases each day, and finally, freedom and victory for those each person IJM is fighting for. 

We'd love to hear from you! Send us updates on your life and how we can be praying for you as well.

Blessings,
Lane, Anna, Caleb, Abigail, and Luke

Kenyan Drive-Thru

The kids and I were driving home from somewhere and noticed something fun about Kenya. You see there are no such thing as Drive-Thru's that are in the states, where you drive you car around the side of McDonalds or Starbucks or Speedy Dry-Cleaners, talk into a microphone to make your order, drive a few more feet and talk to someone in a window with a headset on and purchase your food, coffee, dry cleaning, whatever. Nope, here it is different. I have yet to see one of those drive-thru's I just described here in Kenya. Some days, I really miss those drive-thrus. But, then I realized Kenya does have them. They just look a little different. It is very common here in places where the traffic is slow to have people walking up and down the street, in between the cars selling items to all of the cars waiting in the traffic jam. It is crazy all of the things you can buy on the street. On the way home from Bible study each week there are 5-6 guys selling bananas to the 500 women coming out of the Parklands Baptist Church on Wednesdays. I buy bananas from these guys often. The price is 10 bob per banana. ("bob" is the local word for schilling, about 10 cents). Then, on the way home from somewhere else, I remembered that Abigail is outgrowing some of her clothes and she particularly needed some shorts. So, I waved to the lady carrying kids clothes, rolled down my window and asked if she had any shorts for girls. She picked out a few things and then as the traffic started to move, she just ran along side the car. I found the pair I thought would fit and paid her the 200 schillings (about $2.50). Everything happened through the window of my car while I was driving, so I consider that a drive thru. :-)

Here is a list of things you can by at a Kenyan Drive-Thru:

• puppies - Abigail often asks for me to buy a puppy!
• kittens
• love birds - Caleb asks for birds!
• kids clothes
• bandanas
• desk flags
• world & Kenya maps
• hats
• sunglasses
• windshield visors
• car first aid kits and safety triangles
• magazines
• newspapers
• trinket kid toys
• knife sets
• women's skirts
• new release movies
• and more...

I will have to do another posting on "Side of the Road" shopping. I'll give you a hint. I bought Luke's crib from a guy who sells and makes furniture everyday on the side of the road. I'll work on getting a picture to describe this!

Do You Know The Muffin Girl, the Muffin Girl...?

Well, I did today what I had only heard stories of other ex-pat women doing! For those that are new to the term "ex-pat", that isn't a reference to a SNL skit, but rather short for ex-patriate. A label for those living not in their home or native country. So, here in Kenya, all Americans or westerners are call themselves ex-pats. When at the grocery store, it is natural to look for the labels and items you used to buy going to the store in your home country. For example, you love Cheerios, so you just instinctively look for Cheerios. Even if they never have it, you still keep looking in the hopes that one day it may appear. Well, I am noticing around here that a shipment may come in from the states of American food items and they hit the shelves in several stores on the same week. One item in particular that is not found in Kenyan grocery stores are muffin, cookie, and cake mixes. I never realized how much I depended on these mixes. Someone would say "Did you make those muffins?" And the answer would be "Why, yes!" But, really that means that I opened the box and baked them in my own oven and not bought ready-made from the bakery section, that is it the new modern definition of baking. True baking muffins from scratch is nearly unheard of among my friends back in Austin (Am I right girls?).

So, to get to my story of today...I saw muffin mixes back in August when we arrived and nothing since then. And then today, on a speedy trip to the store with my daughter I saw them. I saw on the tip-top shelf a box of Betty Crocker muffins, even better, they were blueberry muffins with the little can of blueberries inside. (You know the ones I am talking about!). So, I quickly grabbed a box and tossed it into my cart. Then, grabbed another, and another, and another. I did it! I bought all 4 of the only blueberry muffin mixes on the shelf at the Chandarana Supermarket. Whew, I said it for all to hear! I cleared the shelf of muffin mixes. The simple reason why is that I may not see any muffin mixes until June. So, I figured that is about 1 box per month for our family. What a treat! 

Now, here is my fear. I fear that when I am back in the states, will I hoard the muffin mix section when I go to the grocery store? I have heard of ex-pat women seeing something in the states that would be rare in her overseas home and feeling the urge to buy several of them. Then some little voice speaks up in her head "Anna, there are always muffin mixes here, you only have to buy one, there will be more here when you come back next week."

Mama Mercy and her Children's Home in the Slums

Yesterday, I went for my first visit to a children's home in one of the slums of town. It was amazing! Well, heartbreaking and encouraging all at the same time. There are about 200 kids living in this sort of house. One room I went into, about the size of my living and dining room area had wall to wall bunk beds and slept 60 girls. Mostly 3-4 per bed, depending on the size of the kid.  Mama Mercy has been running the place for 18 years. She has a huge heart and an open door policy for any child that needs a place to go.  I saw her room with a bed for her, 2 bunk beds, and a baby crib all packed in very tight with barely any room to walk. She sleeps with the babies in her room as well as several of the other girls. The boy's room was similar, just a sea of bunk beds and off to the side an opening to the sky where I am sure the rain leaked in. The space is small and there are lots of kids. But, it is the place they all call home.

It seems that the kids are helping out somehow.  I saw some of the older ones cooking two big pots of food on a huge firepit.  Some kids gather wood for the fire to cook the massive amount of food needed to feed all of these kids, and others were carrying around some of the infants.  The kids are anywhere from 6 months old to 20 years old.  One of the older boys who I met, grew up there, went to school, learned a trade to be a hairdresser and now comes back to help the home. Amazing! One little girl, Faith (pictured left), was found in a dumpster as an infant and is now running around playing like all of the other little kids. Some of the kids who have gone off to school come back to the home on holidays because this is the only thing they know as home.

The home has cows, goats and pigs behind a wall of metal sheeting across the dirt street. The cows produce enough milk for the kids in the home. They use the goat's milk for the babies since the goat's milk is richer. And I think she raises the pigs to sell for money. The little toddlers running around didn't have diapers on. I am guessing they can't afford them. The older boys collect and sort trash from the neighborhood and make money from any recycling items they collect. When I heard that the kids can make money this way, I started saving my recycling at home and give Shiro a trash bag full each week to take when she goes.

When I was there the meal of the day was served. Oogali (like mashed potatoes but made from corn meal) and beans. Shiro said she thought that was their only meal of the day and she had noticed before that several of the kids would eat their food really slow and would still be munching on it a few hours later, of course with no utensils, just hands, to make it last longer.

Mama Mercy feels that education is very important for the kids. If you don't educate them she said, then they just repeat the cycle of poverty. If you can get them to school then they can get out of the slums and make a better life for themselves. One problem though is paying the school fees, getting uniforms, black shoes, socks, and school supplies required for the kids that can go to school. The kids are not allowed into school unless they are wearing a uniform. I was super impressed with Mama Mercy's dependence on the Lord. She does with what they have and prays for God to provide the rest. Someone donated uniforms, but she doesn't have shoes to send the kids to school. She is depending on God to provide.

There are a handful of the kids who have HIV and need to take the anti-viral medicines each day. But, evidently you have to take the medicines with food, so they have to wait until a meal before taking them.  Shiro also mentioned that the community around the home is supportive of what they are doing. Evidently, several neighbors come to help wash clothes by hand. And I met Pastor Joseph, a man helping with the home, while I was there as well.

Someone donated desks, but there is no room to put the desks, so they are piled up in a corner. Another group came and built the bottom floor of a building foundation, but the roof didn't get finished. It is Mama Mercy's (pictured right) prayer that the roof can be completed and another level built on top of that so they can have space for more bunk rooms, a kitchen, and a school room. The foundation is strong, like the one you can see of a neighboring building that goes up 4-5 stories. There is potential to add several levels and expand the home. I pray this can happen sooner than later. For now, the open concrete slab is the place where the kids eat all of their meals on the ground and play during the day.

I forgot to mention this, but I went with a group of students from a local private high school. We met at the school and piled into a mini-bus and made the 20 minute drive into the Mathere slum area in Nairobi. Working at the home was part of their "community service" hours needed for a school requirement. But, it has obviously made a deeper impact on the students because they are getting others involved as well. For example, one of the student's father is a doctor at Nairobi Hospital and he brought a team to the home to conduct a medical clinic. Praise God!

Anyways...I could go on for a while...but, I did find a website about the home if you want to learn more. http://www.gsamaritanchildren.or.ke/  I am going to start praying for these kids and all of the adults, including Mama Mercy and Pastor Joseph.  I would like to go back and help in some way.

Anna

Kenya IJM office in the spotlight

Friends,
In our last update we mentioned a huge VICTORY in one of the cases the Kenya IJM office has been working on. That good news has spread!  Peter's (or, Palmer as we referred to him in our update) story of freedom is now being told around the world via the IJM website. The website article goes into more detail than what we shared and also has a video clip. Thank you Lord for freedom for this man. We are encouraged by this story and pray that more people receive freedom & hear the good news of Christ. Click on the link below!

On another note, some crazy family is now pictured on the IJM website in the fellowship section! See below for the link...

Blessings,
Anna

 

Peter’s story

http://www.ijm.org/articles/caseworkbulletin

 

 

Lane and his family!

http://www.ijm.org/getinvolved/9-12monthfieldofficefellowships

 

Freedom for a Captive...our January update!

“He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives 
and release from darkness for the prisoners.” Isaiah 61:1

Palmer* is a mentally disabled Kenyan man in his late-20s or early-30s. He finds things strewn along the road and picks them up as if they were treasures. One day, he found a suit coat lying on the ground and he picked it up and put it on — his newest treasure. However, a few days later, in August 2008, the police grabbed him and took him to jail. Palmer believed that the police arrested and charged him for the offense of picking up a coat off the ground (as if it were a crime). Palmer remained in prison from August 2008 until October 2009, awaiting his trial and thinking he had committed a crime for picking up the coat. In reality, he was charged with robbery with violence, a crime for which there is no bail and which carries a penalty of life in prison if convicted. It turns out the coat had been stolen (along with around $275 in cash) in a violent robbery a few weeks before the police arrested him. The person whose cash and coat were stolen knew Palmer was not involved with the robbery, and pled with the police and the prosecutor to have the charges dropped, to no avail. IJM Kenya heard about Palmer’s case in October 2009, and it did not take us long to discover that Palmer was innocent of the charges. Since then, we have made it our mission to see that justice is done and that Palmer goes free.

After two months of dealing with various levels of authorities in the justice system, his case finally came up for trial on New Year’s Eve, despite the efforts of the investigating officer to have the case adjourned once again. Once the magistrate judge heard the evidence and learned that the police lost the one piece of evidence that even remotely tied Palmer to the crime (the coat), the judge accepted the plea of the complainant (the guy whose money and coat were stolen) to have the charges against Palmer dropped. Thus, 16 months after he was jailed for a crime he did not commit, Palmer was free! Praise God that He allowed us to be His representatives in fulfilling Isaiah 61:1 in Palmer’s life. (Picture: Palmer eating his first meal as a free man with Benson, Director of Aftercare and Joe, Kenya Field Office Director)

Alongside this incredible high, we have also experienced a very tough low in our work here recently. Since I last wrote you, there have been some developments in Daisy’s* case. After much wrangling, four of the five police officers who were on duty the night she was abused have submitted DNA samples to the private lab. However, Daisy’s clothing that contains her abuser’s DNA has begun to mold as a result of poor storage. Unfortunately, the mold has made it difficult to extract sufficient DNA to match the samples given by the police officers. Bottom line, our great hope for a DNA match between Daisy’s clothes and the officer that abused her appears over. As you can imagine, this is a crushing blow for Daisy, for us as we pursue justice in her case, and for me, as the thought of the officer that abused her going free makes me angry. Please continue to pray for wisdom as we pursue alternative avenues to seeking a conviction in this case and for Daisy — she is a sweet girl.

Happy New Year from Nairobi! Obviously, this holiday season has been different from any other for us but we have enjoyed all the new experiences and the building of some new family traditions. Some of these new experiences include: shopping for gifts at the Maasai market (an open air market which entails some hard bargaining), video skyping with parents as we open presents, Anna making cinnamon rolls from scratch for Christmas morning (preparation time: 2+ hours!), having our Muslim neighbors cheerfully wish us a “merry Christmas,” explaining to our kids the true reason we celebrate, and lastly deeply missing our family and friends for our first Christmas away. But, we are so thankful to be here and do what we are doing. So, again, thank you for allowing us to do this.

We have recently begun attending a church here called Karen Vineyard Church and have loved getting to know people through a home group that meets each week and a men’s group that meets once a month. The congregation is a mix of Kenyans, Kenyan Cowboys (Brits who have lived here for decades), and Westerners from all over. As part of the advent season preparing for the birth of Christ, the church held an evening of outdoor Christmas caroling. Upon arriving at the caroling event, we saw  a sprawling green field right next to the Karen Blixen Museum and house in which parts of the movie “Out of Africa” were filmed. As we walked up to the festivities, I (Lane) glanced at the front porch of the house and recalled the scene in which Robert Redford (playing Denys Finch Hatton) is asleep on the same front porch as Meryl Streep (playing Karen Blixen) arrives home. We found a spot on the grass and enjoyed our picnic dinner. As the sun set, the candles that were dispersed to the crowd were lit. For the next hour, a group of two hundred or so sang Christmas carols in English and Kiswahili while holding the small, lit candles. Pretty stinkin’ cool.

In other news, we have our first visitors coming in less than a week, as Anna’s two sisters will spend 10 days with us. Anna, the kids, and I are all very excited as my sisters-in-law are awesome and it will give us a chance to show to people dear to us the life we are living. I feel that this visit will help pull us out of some of the culture shock doldrums as we will get to experience anew life here as seen through the eyes of those who have not yet experienced it. Please pray for safe travel for Anna’s sisters. (Picture: Our three kids Abigail, Caleb and Luke in the middle with friends David at the top and Ethan at the bottom of the slide)

Finally, many of you responded to my handsome plea to send us your questions about our life here. Over the next few updates, we will venture to answer some of those questions. The first installment is below. Enjoy.

Have you learned any Swahili?
I have not learned as much Kiswahili as I had hoped, but I’ve learned a little bit:

• “Habari yako” (“ha-BAR-ee YAH-ko”) essentially means “How are you?”
• “Mzuri sana” (“Missouri SAH-na”) means “I am very fine.”
• “Asante” (“ah-SAHN-tay”) means “thank you.”
• “Karibu” (“kah-REE-boo”) can mean “welcome” in the sense of “welcome to the party” or it can mean “you’re welcome” in response to asante.
• For you “Lion King” fans, “Simba” (“SEEM-bah”) actually means lion, and “Rafiki” (“rah-FEE-kee”) means friend.

Is there any cultural racism?

Very interesting question. While there is not very much cultural racism here in the sense of how it might be in the U.S., there is an exceptional amount of tribalism here. What I mean is that (as I am told by Kenyans) for Kenyans, your tribe largely defines your identity. Whether you are Kikuyu, Kalenjin, Luo, Luhya, etc., that tribal foundation has largely resulted in a “we” versus “them” mindset (certainly among the older generation here). In fact, there are not political parties in the sense that we have them in the U.S.; the political “parties” are based almost exclusively on tribal affiliation. This tribalism bore its ugly head on the heels of the 2007 Kenyan Presidential election. The election was very close between two men of different tribes, and because both sides distrusted each other and felt cheated in the process, there was extensive rioting. From what I can gather in reading the papers and talking to people, it seems that the tribal dissensions have not eased any since the 2007 election. The next election will be in 2012, and many fear even greater chaos and violence.

Which way does the water swirl in the potty (and bathtub)?
Counter-clockwise. We are 60 kilometers (about 38 miles) south of the equator.

Do you see anything that looks familiar?

As we drive around the city and live life here, about 90% of things look unfamiliar and about 10% of things look familiar. We live in the city, so there are lots of cars and people walking everywhere. When I (Anna) am in the grocery store, most of the labels are in English (which is nice), but most of them I didn’t recognize before I got here. Some of the familiar labels are Heinz Ketchup (but it tastes different), Hershey’s chocolate syrup, Betty Crocker cake mixes (only for about a month, now they are gone — ack!). Some of these things may be in the store one day and gone the next, so I try to grab 2-3 when I see them. There are lots of Westerners here, so you can find several familiar things around town such as a few modern coffee shops like Java House, a few movie theaters, and some shopping malls. Depending on your perspective and where you go, things can look reasonably familiar to home (Westgate, an upscale shopping mall) or radically foreign (Kibera, the largest slum in the world). (Picture: One of the main roads on Lane's walk to work each day.)

What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen over there?

Wow, let’s see. Here are a few… we’ve seen lots of skinny cows grazing on grass right next to busy roads in the middle of Nairobi and often wandering into the road (there are no fences), men peeing in the bushes in residential neighborhoods and on the side of busy streets, a homeless woman following me like Glenn Close and asking me to be her husband, a baby elephant head-butting Caleb, baboons on the side of the road near the Nairobi National Park, incredibly frustrating roundabouts with traffic lights no one pays attention to, trucks ridiculously over-packed with goods (we should get a picture for you to see!), watching a matatu (public bus) slowing down, but not stopping, so a passenger can jump out, watching the trash collector guys climbing around in the trash and ripping open bags of trash with their bare hands while they are riding in the back of the truck in between stops. (Picture: Skinny cows grazing a few feet from our car in the middle of the city . I took this picture from the left window from the same spot while waiting in traffic as the picture above from the right window, ha!)

Thanks for asking these questions! We’ll answer more next time. Thank you again for your support and friendship. We are honored to be here serving God in Kenya. Thanks for walking with us in this journey.

Lane and Anna, for the Kenya Mears-kats

* Palmer and Daisy are pseudonyms