Perseverance in Trusting God

“Dad, read us the story of Job.” This morning at breakfast, Caleb asked this of me (pronouncing the name “Job” like the 9-5 “job”). “It’s really long. How about I tell you the story?” I replied. He said “OK.”

So, I told Caleb of Job’s wealth and abundant family. I told him of Satan asking God’s permission to take away Job’s blessings on the bet that Job would turn from God. I told him of Job losing his family, his wealth, and his possessions. I told him of Job’s friends’ misguided advice and input to Job that the reason he had suffered such loss was because he must have done something wrong.

I told Caleb that, despite devastating loss and grief, Job did not turn from God (even though he was a bit insolent in his profession of innocence). I told him of Job’s words about God: “God may kill me, but I will still trust in Him.” And I told Caleb of God’s response: that He was God; that people, as God’s creation, could not always understand God’s ways; but that God was proud of Job for not denying Him in the midst of his suffering. I told Caleb that in the end, God restored a great family and great wealth to Job. Finally, I told Caleb that the theme of Job is to persevere in difficult times and to trust in God no matter what; that He has promised to never leave us or forsake us; and that He has promised that our great reward for perseverance in trusting God in all of life’s circumstances is great treasure in heaven. Let it be.

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from Rwanda! We apologize for not writing in so long. Much has happened since our last update; much to force us to confront a faint glimmer of what Job faced: the difficultly in trusting in God in difficult circumstances.

First, as you may recall, in March IJM Rwanda had two trials in cases of men who had sexually assaulted two very young girls. Alas, both men were found not guilty, each judgment resting on questionable grounds. My staff and I were sad, angry, and frustrated. But, after meditating on these things, I wrote the following to our staff and some folks at IJM HQ:

“Yes, the judgments in Renee* and Fabienne*’s cases were disappointing, frustrating, and angering. But, as we have processed these as a team, we have come to see that the very real silver lining is that we now have clear vision into where the breakdowns are in the public justice system. We now see very clearly that this is going to be a hard road but that we can move forward with clarity, purpose, and determination, with firm hope that God’s way will prevail. We remain sad for these two girls and their families, but the Easter season has brought into light for this team that Jesus knows this road. He walked a difficult, dangerous, agonizing path in obedience to the Father, because he had the firm belief that millions would benefit from his ultimate sacrifice. We have talked as a team this week that our path, while a faint shadow of Jesus’s, is similar in that we are walking a path of difficulty, disappointment, and pain but we do so out of obedience and with the promise that hundreds will benefit down the road from our efforts now. I am so thankful for God’s grace in the midst of this battle. We truly are not alone.

We remain hopeful, and now can focus with greater precision on the areas of this justice system that are not functional. Please do continue to pray for me and the staff that we would always keep this in mind and press on with all zeal, faith, and hope.”

So there it is. Like Job and Jesus, we will persevere in the midst of difficult circumstances, believing that this is the road God has us on and that He will bring fruit for many from our faithful walking out of the path. Let it be. (*Names have been changed.)

Preaching at a Local Church
One of the things IJM does is build relationships with local churches. And in doing so, Archdeacon Japeth of the Morabe Anglican Church near Kigali invited Lane to speak at his church service on Sunday, March 13, 2011.

We decided to go as a family and join the several other IJM staff that were attending as well.  The church is on a dirt road and everyone who attends arrives by foot.  The one roomed church, no bigger than our house was packed wall to wall with all ages of local Rwandans.

When all 12 of us visitors arrived we were escorted to the benches in the front of the room, the seat of honor.  The worship time which was a mixture of drums, singing, dancing, and an electronic keyboard all very loud and passionate literally inches in front of us, was great!

The kids were a bit overwhelmed though and I tried to let them hide in my skirt as they covered their ears. But, gradually the kids loosened up and things quieted down in front of us. I tried to tell the kids that even though we don't understand a word of what they are saying in their local Kinyarwandan language, just think about your favorite worship song and that is probably close to the same things they are singing in their language. Here is a really fun video of some of the worship that morning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiJwhBR1OgM


Then after several folks spoke, it was Lane's turn to preach. I am so proud of Lane! He did a great job preaching and doing it with a translator, which if you have ever tried is very difficult. He shared God's heart for justice and the room listened to every word.

He shared how God loves justice and hates injustice, that God has compassion on those who suffer injustices, that God judges and condemns those who practice injustice upon others, and that God seeks active rescue for victims of injustice. "And how" Lane asked "does God seek justice? In the same way He advances the Gospel, through his people: you and me." It was a great message and here is a quick video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMPDvD3lLFk


Afterwards we were invited to a room in the back of the church for a soda. All in all it was a 3-hour church service and the kids did famously in the much-longer-than-they're-accustomed-to service. Lane was so thankful for IJM to have the opportunity to partner with this local church and build a friendship with them.

Family Life
A few big highlights of the last few months:

• Caleb turned 8 years old and had a small Star Wars and Lego party with friends from school. Here is a quick video of the boys: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OodvQta1hOM
• Lane went to DC for 2 weeks for the IJM Global Prayer Gathering and Team Week.
• The kids got a cute little baby Easter bunny as a pet and named her "Gloria." Here is a little video of the kids and the bunny: http://youtu.be/pYBJWICWIfU
• We found out we are expecting Mears baby #4 in mid-November!

Prayer Requests:

• Pray for Lane and the IJM Rwanda staff that they would remain hopeful and press on with all zeal, faith, and hope for every person and case they are helping.
• Pray for Anna and the kids that will travel back to Texas for her brother's wedding in June.
• For Lane's health, there continues to be something bothering his system time and time again.
• For Anna's morning sickness and the health of the growing new baby.
• Connection and time with the Lord each day for both of us, to keep us focused on Him. 

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

IJM Global Prayer Gathering - Lane's Online Interview

The Global Prayer Gathering is a weekend devoted to prayer and worship for the work of justice around the world with the global IJM family.

Dear Friends and Family,

International Justice Mission is hosting their annual Global Prayer Gathering this weekend in DC. The first sessions were last night and Lane says they were outstanding! There will be many more the rest of the weekend. Lane is there with all of the other Field Office Directors from the 14 offices around the world.

Good news for those of us not in DC, the video sessions are being posted LIVE online!!!!
http://gpgonline.ijm.org/

This morning Lane was interviewed live online about IJM and the work in Rwanda. They are posting the completed sessions on the website throughout the day so you can go check it out! Lane's session is called "4/9/11 Saturday AM Pre-Plenary Show."

Check out the weekend schedule online and tune in to as many of the sessions, interviews, and worship times as you want!!

Blessings,
Anna

Happy Valentine's Day from Rwanda

Greetings, friends and family! It's now been 7 weeks since we arrived in Kigali, Rwanda. We have seen and experienced God's provision in amazing ways so far.  From the moment we landed we have been surrounded by people helping us get settled. Thank you Lord! Some of that is because of the people Lane met during his 6 weeks here in October and November.  More importantly it is because God has clearly gone ahead of us (again!) in providing community for us in this place he has called us to live and work.

  

Anna with the Rwandan dancers at the goat roast party

Thank you for praying for our move to this new city and new country.  Everything is so new to us. So, it was especially nice when the staff at the IJM office welcomed us the night we arrived. When the guys in the Bible study that Lane joined while here in the fall invited our family to a goat roast party only a few days after being here. When another family Lane had met in the fall (with kids the same ages as ours!) invited us over for dinner the day after we arrived, knowing what it feels like to land in a new place and need some good food and playmates for the kids.

Pig Roast

I (Lane) love my job immensely, although it is emotionally and intellectually draining. Not in a bad way, just in that I feel stretched continually in decisions, conversation, setting policies and goals, etc. I can't imagine doing anything else. I drive around the city sometimes on my way to or from work and I get overwhelmed with thankfulness that God is allowing me and my family to be here doing this. Awesome.

Anna is really thankful for several ex-pat women who have taken her around town showing her where to buy food and supplies for a home. Anna also recently joined a weekly women's Bible study and has really enjoyed it. Mimi, the woman leading the study also wrote the book they are studying called "Trusting in His Goodness".  Anna says she is one of those people dripping with Biblical wisdom. 

Abigail, who was in pre-K in Austin, was accepted to kindergarten at Kigali International Community School (KICS). The first several days she was really shy about her new school wanting mommy to come and stay in her class, but she now has gotten to know a few of the kids and runs in on her own each morning.  I am so proud of her! In just these three weeks in class, she is learning to put letters together and read! She was clearly ready for the challenge. She is also taking a ballet class once a week and loving it.

Abigail, Caleb, Luke doing a show for us!

Caleb is in 2nd grade at the same school and loving it! When we arrived in Kigali, we had two weeks before school started and I think that helped Caleb because he met and had some play time with two kids from his class. So, on the first day of class he already had two friends. After school, he is taking a hip-hop class once a week and really digs it. It helps that two of his guy friends are in the class, and that his dad has some slick moves, too.  He lost his second tooth tonight and is looking forward to the tooth fairy depositing Rwandan Francs under his pillow tonight. 

Luke loves to run around wearing his super hero cape, a play sword and shield, and battle the "bad guys", usually his big brother and sister. When we have been around other families, he likes to run up and play tackle the big kids who are 7, 8, or 10 years old. The next Zach Thomas? Maybe. All three kids are loving the house and yard we have and meeting new people.

Rainbow on the road to our house!

Otherwise, we are still waiting for our sea shipment to arrive (maybe within a couple weeks?) and the car we ordered from Dubai (maybe in a week? -- very nerve-wracking process). Please pray for us on these; particularly that our car would get through Kenyan customs, Ugandan customs, and Rwandan customs and that the car that arrives is actually the one I bought online. Anna and I want to thank those of you who have sent us Christmas cards and letters! It is so nice to get stuff from home. We've surmised it takes 3-4 weeks for mail to get here from Texas.

As for IJM Rwanda's case work, we are expecting there to be two trials on March 15 for men who sexually assaulted two of our minor clients. Please pray that these trials would take place on the scheduled date (NO ADJOURNMENTS!!), and that the prosecutor would have the courage to follow the law and convict these men. In a different case, please pray for a girl who was raped by her boss's brother and then had the baby stolen from her. IJM rescued this girl, found and rescued the baby, provided emergency shelter for the mother and baby, and had the rapist and his sister arrested. The rapist will be detained through trial, which we expect to take place sometime in May or June 2011.

What's upcoming? From April 5-15, I will be in Washington, DC for IJM's Global Prayer Gathering. I'd love it if any of you could drop by and attend the prayer weekend: http://www.ijm.org/gpg. Then, Anna (and maybe the kids) will be in Texas for a couple weeks in June for her brother's wedding.

Our new city - Kigali, Rwanda

As I close, we want to thank all of you again for standing with us in this fight for little girls and boys who have been preyed upon by awful people. It is IJM Rwanda's singleminded purpose to rescue these kids, hold the abusers accountable, provide restorative counseling to the kids, and to, in time, bring structural change such that the justice system here works for the poor. You are having a hand in that fight, and I am proud to stand with you.

Peace, my friends.

Lane and Anna

for the Rwanda Mearskats

We Arrived Safely in Rwanda

Dear Friends and Family, Happy New Year! Since our last update many things have happened: we have moved out of our house, packed up a storage unit, and spent 8 days in Dallas with both of our families for Christmas. Then on Monday, Dec 27 we boarded a plane headed for Africa. Almost 24 hours later we arrived in Kigali, Rwanda on Tuesday Dec 28 and are now in our new home in Kigali, Rwanda!  We had two flights and they both went great. When we landed in Kigali four folks from the IJM Rwanda office were there to pick us up at the airport. We arrived on time and all our 11 pieces of luggage (except for Luke's car seat) arrived with us. That was a such a huge praise to have all of our luggage here with us on the first night. (The last two times we have flown with our crates (to/from Kenya) they arrived a few days later.)

We drove to our new house and the kids ran around to each room as we all scouted out our new place. We even did a lap around the outside of the house and Abigail came running back with a frog! Inside, we had a hot meal waiting for us by one of the folks at the office. Yummy, chapati, rice, and stew!! (made by a Kenyan living in Rwanda so it was familiar to us!) Because all of our luggage made it, we were able to make all of our beds with the sheets we had in our crates and even unpack some toys for the kids. Thank you Lord! Caleb showing off his first missing tooth! Oh, and last night on our first full day in country Caleb lost his first tooth! He was thrilled when the tooth fairy brought him Rwandan francs this morning. :-) Luke sitting in our new front yard after naptime Thank you for all of your prayers! We have felt them. Please continue to pray for us as we figure out how to get around and get the house set up as our own. We are praying for our shipment of stuff that, we are told, should arrive sometime around January 9th. Some of us have been having some tummy issues, please pray that these resolve quickly. Thanks! Many blessings on this Happy New Year!  Lane and Anna for the Mearskats .

Update from Lane in Rwanda

Dear Friends and Family,

A local Rwandan meal. First you pile rice,
then add"chips" (french fries),
then matoke (a cooked banana dish),
then usombe (spinach-like), then beans,
and finally beef in sauce. Tasty. All for $2.

Has it really been since August that we last sent out an update? So much has happened that we really need to fill you in on things. As a quick recap or for those of you new to our family updates, Anna, the kids, and I spent 10.5 months in Kenya as I (Lane) served as a volunteer Legal Fellow for International Justice Mission (IJM). The mission of IJM is to protect people from violent forces of injustice by securing rescue and restoration for victims and ensuring public justice systems work for the poor all in the name of Christ. You joined us in this fight, and for that I am very, very thankful. Shortly after we returned in June, I interviewed for a long-term, paid, leadership role with IJM and in August, I was offered the role of Field Office Director in Kigali, Rwanda.



As of October 26, I (Lane) came to Rwanda to begin this new job. After the six weeks apart, I will return to Texas on December 7, spend Christmas with our families, and then return to Rwanda with Anna and the kids on December 27. In my month in Kigali, I have settled into my new role with IJM, acclimated somewhat to life here (it is a safe, clean, and beautiful city), signed a lease on a house, and shopped for a car. Life has been full! But, I am absolutely loving it. The IJM Rwanda staff have had some amazing breakthroughs in our casework while I have been here and everyone is excited for what 2011 can bring for our clients. The Bible makes clear that God loves justice and we believe he wants to bring His justice to Rwanda through human hands. I am honored to serve alongside my Rwandese, American, and Austrian colleagues in being His hands in this fight. And, you are right there with us. Thank you.



View from our new house

 As you think of it, here are some things we would appreciate your prayers:

• for a wise and discerning heart for me (Lane) as I lead this team;
• for Anna and the kids in the remaining 2 weeks I am away;
• for our clients to experience God's healing from the trauma they have suffered; and
• for favor with the government authorities with whom we interact.



Thank you again, my friends and family, for standing alongside these girls and boys who have suffered so much. As James said in his epistle: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

Crowned crane or 'Umasambi'
in the yard of the guesthouse
where I am staying

 

p.s. Grab a pen...we have our new mailing address for Rwanda! It only takes 3 stamps to send a plain letter from the USA to Rwanda. We'd love to get your Christmas cards even if it takes 4-6 weeks to get there!

Lane and Anna Mears

Post Office Box 3354

Kigali, Rwanda

Peace,

Lane

A Glimpse into Our Life in Nairobi

http://brownfamily.blip.tv/file/4403317/

This is GREAT!! This was our life in Nairobi, at least the traffic and driving in the city part! I learned to drive these exact roads and did almost everyday, on the "wrong side of the road" I might add.  This guy goes by the turn to our house on Waiyaki Way and then takes you all the way to Caleb's old school, Rosslyn Academy. So, Caleb saw this everyday on his bus to school, actually you can see some Rosslyn buses in the video.  He goes by ABC Centre where I shopped for fresh veggies at Zucchini and meat at Gilani's every week, then Sarit Centre where we get water and groceries at Uchumi. He even took my shortcut behind Sarit Centre to Lower Kabete, love it! On the right is a furniture maker on the side of the road where I bought some bookshelves for our house. Then he goes by the hawkers road with the puppies for sale that Abigail loved and my friend Caroline who sells kids clothes everyday and bargained/bought some for our kids while stuck in traffic. Then West Gate Shopping center is on your right, where we might go for a date night to see a movie and eat at Art Cafe. Then up the hill, through the 4-way stop with chickens and fresh cut flowers for sale and where I often saw my friend Laurie coming from her house on the way to school.

Then Forest Lane, which we called Monkey Lane, because Abigail saw a monkey up in the trees one day and I passed a dead monkey with flourescent blood on the road. Up the hill, where the semi truck got stuck and started rolling backwards in front of me, but I quickly decided I didn't want to be there to see if he got unstuck and swerved around to pass him.  He passes the lady on the side of the road where I bought plants. I can even tell you where some of those big, doozy potholes are on these roads. You have to learn where they are or else you hit them and pray your car doesn't fall apart or flat a tire, which did happen to us, but not on this route he drove on this day.  He passes the UN compound where we would go to play ultimate frisbee sometimes and then the US Embassy which we never actually went into, but knew tons of folks that worked in there. Then he stops the video a few minutes short of Caleb's school which we LOVED!

The traffic is crazy in Nairobi and many times I got stuck in this traffic, and several times it took me an hour to get to his school, and once it took us 3 hours to get home from the airport returning from a 90 minute flight. Oh, I will miss many things about our life and friends in Nairobi, but I will not miss the traffic. I am glad to hear that Lane can already say that Kigali traffic is a sunny day compared to Nairobi. Whew, thank goodness! Secretly, I have to admit that many times I did enjoy, yes that's right, have fun driving these roads. Of course, not in the beginning, learning to drive in a right-side driver car but once I started learning my way around, finding the shortcuts to avoid big "jams", and driving like a local, I felt a wave of success! And, I did learn when to stay off the streets because I knew what traffic was out there if I decided to get in our car, like on rainy days or the first of the month when folks got paid, put "petrol" in their cars, and decided to drive. The end of the month believe it or not has less traffic for this reason.


Thanks Brown family for sharing this with us! What a fun walk or should I say crazy ride through memory lane.

Enjoy,
Anna

Plane Tickets Back to Africa

It's Official...we have plane tickets back to Africa!! Our time in Austin is now closing and wow, has it flown by fast.

Oct 25 - Lane flew to Rwanda to start the new job as Field Office Director for International Justice Mission's Rwanda office.
Nov 2 - Anna packed the shipment of our family household items that will travel to Africa by boat.
Nov 17 - Lane signed on a house for us to rent in Rwanda
Dec 1 - Lane moves into our new house in Rwanda
Dec 7 - Lane flies back to Austin
Dec 16 - movers will pack the items in our house for long-term storage in Austin
Dec 17 - last day of school for Caleb & Abigail
Dec 18 - pack up house in Austin & hopefully drive to Dallas
Dec 25 - Christmas with both families in Dallas
Dec 27 - fly from Dallas to Rwanda
Dec 28 - arrive in Kigali, Rwanda and sleep in our new home

Our house for rent and adopt a dog

Dear Friends,

In preparation for moving back overseas we are looking for someone to rent our home. It is a  3 bedroom/2 bathroom house in Westcreek neighborhood near Mopac, William Canon, and 290. The house has been well-maintained and offers a refrigerator, full-size washer & dryer, a back porch, well-landscaped backyard, and 2-car garage. Great for a family or a group of single folks. Move in as early as December 20th.  Please contact Anna at 512-665-3599 or lmearstx at yahoo.com if interested.

**UPDATE 11/21 - WE FOUND A HOME FOR LIZZY!!***Lane's mom & dad want her back after having her last year while we were in Kenya. We are so thankful!! ****

We are also looking for someone to adopt our sweet dog named Lizzy. We are hoping for a wonderful, loving home for her. She is about 12 years old, white lab mix and fantastic with kids. About 2 years ago she lost an eye so we joke that she is our Pirate dog. :-)

Thanks and please forward this on to anyone you know who might be interested in either renting our home or a great dog!

Anna and Lane

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