Packing for Africa

Today, November 2nd is my birthday and what better way to spend it than with movers in my house packing up 1975 lbs of our stuff to take with us to Africa. We are so blessed and thankful to be allowed a shipment of household goods to be send from our home in Texas to our new home in Rwanda.

There is only one catch, it will take 2-3 months to arrive. To help in deciding when to send this shipment someone asked me "Where will you miss the stuff the most, Texas or Rwanda?" That was a quick answer - Rwanda. So, since we are planning to arrive in Rwanda on Dec 28, I decided our shipment needed to go out on/about November 1st so that it will arrive in country shortly after we arrive. Lane and I made this decision in late-September. So, I had about 6-weeks to prepare for my November 1st "Packing Day".

The ball began rolling to start setting aside all of the items we would like to take with us in this shipment. I started making list, lots of lists. Actually, I started an Excel spreadsheet. That is just the way my brain thinks - lists and spreadsheets :-)!! I knew we wanted to pack things like kid bikes, rugs to cover the tile floors overseas, curtains, framed pictures, etc, etc, etc. It also meant for me to start buying supplies that we would need until our next furlough a year from now - things like medicines, vitamins, next size clothes for the kids, etc. But...the big trick was staying within our allotted 1,975 lbs.  Now, raise your hand if you can tell me how much space 1,975 lbs takes up? I had no clue.

So, the moving company so graciously sent out a "Moving Estimator" to help walk through our house and help us estimate the weight of the items we want to bring. This meeting was really helpful as I opened every cabinet of the house and pointed out what items we wanted to bring. Actually, after this first visit from the "Estimator" we were way over on our allotment amount. So, I started trimming the list. I also, began contacting people we had met during our scouting trip to Rwanda back in March about what things were important for me to bring and what items I can get there and not need to bring. I also searched the web and found a few blogs of ex-pats living in Rwanda and contacted them randomly to ask the same questions. (I am post-writing this entry - and can say that I have now met two of those blogging families in person!).

After 6-weeks of preparation the big day finally arrived.  Thankfully, packers came and did all of the packing for me (if it is not packed by the movers they will not insure it - ok by me!!). Did I forget to mention that Lane left the week before to begin his new job with International Justice Mission in Rwanda, so I was doing this solo. Well, not really. A BIG thanks to Corey and Shannon for coming over the night before until very late to help me inventory every single items that was going on the shipment.  A BIG thanks to Emily and Lori who brought me food and helped by taking the kids all day for playdates so I could be with the movers at the house and be able to focus on all the details.

**The latest update we have is that our shipment split into 3 crated boxes is on a boat in the ocean somewhere and expected to land on the Tanzania coast on January 9th. Then it will travel by land to Rwanda. Not sure how ling that takes, but I am looking forward to seeing these items soon!

Enjoy the pics from the "Packing Day." :-)
Anna

Back in the Saddle Again

I was inspired by my friend Jessica who recently posted on God's faithfulness in her family. Yes, I too, am so thankful for God's faithfulness in our family! By the end of the day yesterday, I just kept thanking God, over, and over. Yesterday felt different. It felt like something clicked. It took me a few minutes to figure out what it was, but I realized that we had finally settled in and felt like we were in the routine of school and life in Austin. The kids knew what to do and what to expect from the day and school. They knew what clothes to wear and who was taking them to school. I got things done during the day and even saw two friends. Homework happened cheerfully and then some playtime around the house. Dinner was ready on time. Lane played with the kids. But most of all, it was peaceful in our home. No big melt downs or arguments. Life flowed and there was peace. I completely know that this won't happen everyday from this point forward but it was sure nice to see that it is possible. We even laughed at the dinner table after each sharing our "Rose and Thorn" from the day. Ahhh...Thank you Lord! Yes, I won't focus on the fact that it has been 5 weeks since school started. ha! I will focus on how that day felt and how thankful I am that peace can be in our home and in our hearts. We are back in the saddle again. wohoo!

I also want to give God some more praise on something else that happened yesterday. Lane has been getting up early to read his Bible and pray. Way to go honey! Yesterday, Caleb came out of his room earlier than usual and asked Lane what he was doing. Lane told him and then Caleb decided he wanted to do the same. You see, we just got Caleb his first Bible this week (Adventure Bible for Early Readers). He has been so excited about it and all of the fun kid articles and tid bits inside between the real Bible chapters. The Bible he had before was a children's story Bible with just key stories from the Bible and not verses and chapters.  We realized that it was time for the real thing because he can read and they are learning scripture in school. 

Thank you Lord for putting your Word on paper so we can read it now so many years after Christ's life on earth. 

Thank you Lord for my husband spending time with you and setting an example to our son and entire family. 

Thank you Lord for putting that interest for your Word in Caleb's heart. I pray that seed in Caleb grows more and more and the pages of that book sink into his heart and overflow in his life. 

Thank you Lord for so many things!

-Anna

Boomerang...Going Back to Africa

As my tee shot on the 7th hole drifted a little right of my target and off of the fairway, my cell phone rang. The caller was the International Justice Mission (IJM) Africa regional director. I had been eagerly awaiting this phone call since I interviewed with IJM in late-June for a salaried, leadership position with IJM in East Africa. After exchanging greetings, the regional director offered me the position of Field Office Director for IJM’s Rwanda office.

Kigali, Rwanda - A capitol city in the mountains

Dear friends, as you have gathered from the past several months’ reports, I loved my year in Kenya with IJM, so much so that I had a hard time picturing myself doing anything different with my life. Praise God that I will have the opportunity to continue doing so, with IJM Rwanda. Anna and I want to again thank you for making this possible and for standing for justice for victims of sexual violence. We would not be in this position to lead IJM’s Rwanda office if you had not stood with us. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

The decision to accept the Rwanda position was a very difficult one for Anna and me, however. First, it involves a three-year commitment, which means three years away from all of you. While we will have a month in the U.S. every year, we still feel the loss of missing out on time with our families and friends. Second, we will be heading to a new, unfamiliar place, Kigali, Rwanda. Anna and I were able to visit Kigali for a couple days in March, check out some neighborhoods and schools, and get a little feel for the city. We liked it. Nevertheless, it is not Nairobi, as Kigali has fewer Western amenities, a smaller, less-established school, etc. (We will talk more about Rwanda’s history and present in our next report). In sum, we felt the weight of this decision but felt that God was calling us to go. So, we go, trusting Him. In that, we are very excited what He has in store.

So, when will we leave? The schedule is not ideal, but it is what it is. Lane will make a trip to Kigali, Rwanda in late-October and spend six weeks there getting to know the staff, securing a house and a car, and preparing to hit the ground running toward the office’s goals for 2011. Meanwhile, Anna and the kids will stay in Austin while the big kids attend school for the fall semester. I (Lane) will return to Austin in early-December where we will have three weeks to wrap up things and spend the Christmas holidays with family. We will all then board a plane for Rwanda sometime between Christmas and New Year’s.

Meanwhile, since we’ve been back in Texas, we have gone to a family reunion (on Anna’s side), attended a week-long conference with our church’s missionaries, attended a Texas Rangers game (Caleb and Lane), and eaten way too much Tex-Mex, Texas barbecue, and the delicacies of other treasured Texas restaurants. Overall, we’ve done well transitioning back into life in Texas, although the heat has been brutal. 

Abigail at the Fourth of July Parade

Luke at the Blue Bell Factory

Caleb's air guitar jump off the diving board

Abigail will attend school for the first time starting this week, as she will begin Pre-Kindergarten at City School in Austin, Texas. She is very excited about playing with the other girls in her class. Caleb will be a 2nd grader at the same school. He is anxious to see many of his old friends from his Kindergarten and Pre-K days at City School.

As you can imagine, we could sure use your prayers over the next few months:

Unpacking and settling back into
our old home for the fall semester

• Transition. We landed two months ago and have only 4 months before we move back to Africa. Please pray for me and Anna as we sort through boxes, furniture, etc. and decide what to keep, what to sell, and what to take to Rwanda. This can feel entirely overwhelming.

• Lane’s Austin work. I will receive a salary for my role with IJM in Rwanda. However, I will not begin to earn that salary until late-October. In the meantime, I need to secure some law jobs so that I can support my family. Please pray that I would be able to secure sufficient work to support the family until I begin working with IJM.

• Relationships. As you can imagine, our decision to go to Rwanda has the hardest impact on our families. Please pray that we would be able to have significant, heart-to-heart conversations with our families and that we would be able to clearly communicate our love for them. Also, Anna and I will be attending a “Marriage Intensive” course in October, during which we hope to acquire additional skills in loving each other as God has called us to do.

• Spiritual Attack. As we prepare to go and stand against the evil injustices in Rwanda, we recognize that we have an enemy who is not pleased with this. I have already felt attacks which I can only attribute to the enemy’s attempts at intimidation. Please pray that Anna, our kids, and I would see these attacks for what they are and respond in the power God has given us.

We love you all and, again, we thank you SO much for walking with us in this journey.

Lane, for the Mearskats

Kenya Story and Dessert Night in Austin - Sunday Aug 15th!

Dear Friends, 

The Mears are back from our year in Kenya with International Justice Mission and we want to thank all of you who supported and encouraged us in getting there. Come hear stories and see pictures of IJM's work in Kenya and our family's time there, all while enjoying some coffee and sweet treats.

This Sunday, August 15^th from 6:30-8:00pm 

Grace Covenant Church in North Austin  

(9431 Jollyville Road, Austin, 78759)  

near the intersection of Hwy 183 and Hwy 360.

We created a new Evite invitation for this North Austin event, so just click this link to go directly to the Evite invitation and RSVP:
http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/ZQONEQWWSLQSZWFBRGYC/NorthAustinMearsKenya
 

Unfortunately, childcare will not be provided. We are so sorry! Families are welcome to attend the event, but please know that some of the IJM casework discussed may not be appropriate for younger ears.

Directions to Grace Covenant Church:
http://www.grace360.org/WhenWhere/DirectionsToGrace.php

Hope to see you there!
Lane & Anna Mears

 

p.s. To those of you living outside of Austin, Texas - we will miss you dearly!  Keep an eye out for our next monthly update coming very soon!

Texas

As we stepped off the plane and onto the jetway, the hot breeze jarred us alive with the knowledge that we were once again back in Texas, after spending the previous 30+ hours traveling and the last year in Africa. It was an amazing time in Kenya and I trust that God used me and the people at IJM Kenya to secure justice for those that would not have been able to otherwise. And all of us Mearskats thank you for making it possible for us to do this. Know that your support made a tangible difference in the lives of Kenyans.

We’ve been back a week now, and we apologize for not getting an update out sooner. We’ve been spending time with family in the Dallas-area and it has flown by. Here is a pic of all of the little cousins having fun at the Norton Reunion this past weekend. (Caleb and Luke in white shirts and blonde hair, Abigail in pink dress). We will continue visiting with family until we return to Austin in mid-July.

In the meantime, please pray for us in the following ways:

• On Tuesday, June 29, I have an interview with IJM in Washington, D.C. for a longer-term position within the organization. Please pray that it would go well and that we would have wisdom on this possible next step.
• Please pray for Anna, the kids, and me as we are feeling very transient during this time in Dallas, living out of suitcases. Please pray for peace in this time of reconnecting with family.
• Please pray for a job for me for when we return to Austin. Even if I get another IJM position, we are looking at several months in Austin during which I will need to work to support the family.
• Please pray for our kids as they adjust to life back in the Texas (actually, this one is for all of us).

Thank you all again, and we will get a longer update out soon.

IJM Kenya Kwaherini (Farewell) Party to Lane and Jenn

The IJM office threw a great party for Lane and Jenn who were both interns finishing their year in the Kenya office. At the end of the party George got out his guitar and they all sang a praise song in Kiswahili. "Asante" means "thank you". It was a song saying thank you God. We thank God for this wonderful office and all of the hard work they are doing to fight for people who can't fight for themselves. They spend their days investigating awful crimes against women & children, researching, writing and defending those in the courts of law, and counseling and mentoring the many clients that come through their office.

As a gift to Lane and Jenn, the office gave them traditional Kenyan Maasai tribal outfits. A Maasai blanket, sword, and shield for Lane and a full dress, beaded necklace, and beaded headdress for Jenn. They looked stunning! What an honor to receive these gifts.


To the folks in the office...We will miss you all! Keep fighting the fight!
Lane and Anna

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.

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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.