Photo Review of 2012: December

DECEMBER: After serving with Mission Adelante for seven years, the Meek family will be entering four months of rest, renewal, and further equipping.  We will spend our sabbatical in Costa Rica while I study Spanish at the Spanish Language Institute and Jarrett home schools the kids and enjoys a break from the normal routine.  We are so thankful for this opportunity to share life as a family in another country again.  We appreciate your prayers that this time would be a unique season of family bonding and rest for us and that we return ready and refueled for our next season of ministry with Mission Adelante.  

Photo Review of 2012: November

NOVEMBER:  What an exciting time we had at the annual Passion Awards when the National Christian Foundation recognized and celebrated Mission Adelante along with 11 other ministries.  The event was attended by our Latino and Bhutanese communities, and it was a beautiful time sharing in the celebration of what God in doing in Kansas City and around the world.

Photo Review of 2012: October

OCTOBER:  After a year and a half of a lot of visa paper work and dead ends, Yanelis, our friend and director of the RAICES ministry in Cuba, was finally able to come stay with us for three weeks for a training visit at Mission Adelante.  Our family fell in love with her and we had such a great time laughing together and sharing our life with her.  We loved having her here as a part of our family and ministry community and look forward to a return visit someday.

Photo Review of 2012: September

SEPTEMBER:  Adelante staff and volunteers hit the road for a training trip to the Christian Community Development Association’s (CCDA) annual conference in Minneapolis.  We had a great time bonding as a ministry family and getting a bigger picture of urban and cross-cultural ministry here in the United State and around the world.  Also this year Annie discovered she is a natural guitar player and has been growing in her abilities.  As a result, she now leads our house church worship time and occasionally has been a part of the worship team when all of the house churches come together for  our collective church service.

Photo Review of 2012: July

JULY:  We took a fun, family vacation to Chicago to celebrate the marriage of JJ Oslund and Michelle Morency.  Michelle was an Adelante intern two summers ago (and was subsequently adopted by our family).  Lucy was invited to be a part of their wedding as one of the flower girls.  It was a beautiful celebration, and we had a great time sight-seeing in Chicago while we were there.  

Photo Review of 2012: June

JUNE:  Jarrett and Kristen celebrated 18 years of marriage bliss on June 24, 2012.  :)  Though we all know that marriage is never easy, I am blessed to be walking alongside a man I respect and love up to the moon and back.  We were all excited to see the school year end so we could have fun going to summer kids' camps at Mission Adelante, soccer camp, blueberry picking and just get out and play in the summer sun!

Photo Review of 2012: May

MAY:  Charlie is a sports fanatic and started up his 2nd year playing baseball for the Phillies with the KCK RBI league.  We have been really impressed with this local league whose mission is to revitalize baseball in urban areas.  Charlie can't wait for the Spring 2013 season to start up!

Photo Review of 2012: April

APRIL:  This month we kicked off the tradition of hosting Open Grills at the Meek house with our missional community of staff and volunteers in the neighborhood.  Every other week in 2012, we have come together for a fun time grilling out, roasting marshmallows in the fire pit and celebrating the community God has brought together within the Bhutanese and Latino teams.  Caroline and Annie were also able to be a part of a choir group this winter and spring that culminated with a great musical performance.

Photo Review of 2012: March

MARCH:  Sweet Lucy, age 5, followed in the Meek family running tradition and competed in her first 2 mile run at the Manhattan St. Patrick’s Day race.  She was amazing and did fantastic!  Jarrett loves running with the kids and even took them on a run in the rain this year.  Crazy!  Needless to say, Lucy and I stayed home.  :)

Photo Review of 2012: February

FEBRUARY:  We celebrated our Cavapoo puppy’s first year.  It is such a joy to have a dog in the house again and Kipper couldn’t be more loved (or spoiled). 

Photo Review of 2012: January

JANUARY:  Charlie had a blast joining his first Wyandotte county basketball team here in the neighborhood.  At one point during practice, after a smooth-move shot beating out a teammate, his coach gave him the nickname White Chocolate. 

Entre Despedida y Bienvenida: Un poema para mis amigos Cubanos

Nota:
Ayy mis queridos Cubanos, cuanto los amo!!  Este poema es para todos mis amigos Cubanos y los que aman a Cuba y a veces experimentan esta maldita distancia y el dolor que se siente de no poder estar con gente a quien amas.   No es el mejor poema que he escrito en cuanto a estructura, pero puedo decirles que jamás ha nacido nada de un lugar mas profundo en mi corazón. Espero que lo reciban con todo el amor con cual lo escribí. Lo escribí en el avión de México a Chicago después mi viaje a Cuba la semana pasada. Describe emociones fuertes que he sentido anoche y hoy en esta pausa dolorosa entre despedirme de ustedes y ver a mi familia. Y entre despedirme de ustedes y verlos de nuevo.


Entre Despedida y Bienvenida


Lágrimas caen sobre el mar y nadie las ve.
Nubes se oscurecen y el viento levanta olas en el espacio entre amor y amor.


Una tormenta me azotea el corazón, viento, aguas profundas,
naturaleza, poder, ciclón.


Cierro los ojos y se que estoy vivo porque siento,
 y le doy gracias a Dios quien me dio esta preciosa batalla.


Emociones suben y bajan impulsadas por una fuerza invisible desde las profundidades. 
Olas marchan y lluvia cae sin cesar.


Gigantes del mar corren en silencio, atravesando una gran distancia,
desafiando que alguien o algo las impida.


Dolor, gozo, dolor, gozo, risa, lágrimas, marchan adelante, 
mezclando emoción con sentimiento y agua con agua, amor con amor.


Solo el sol los ve nacer y El solo sabe adonde van.  
Hacia Cuba mi preciosa Cuba.


¡Maldita distancia mi corazón te rechaza!


El silencio se rompe, los gigantes se caen, 
fuerza y impulso contra poder inmovible, 
gritos, llantos, el corazón se me parte contra las rocas,
La espuma se explota en erupciones,
y derrotada se desaparece en la arena.


La jornada en vano. Resignado. No se puede llegar hasta donde se quisiera,
emociones sin salida, gozo y dolor entre amor y amor, entre despedida y bienvenida.


Y se mandan de nuevo al lugar de donde salieron. 
Y lagrimas caen sobre el mar y nadie las ve, gozo y dolor entre amor y amor.


Las olas se levantan y el corazón se fija en algo nuevo. 
El sol brilla con rayos de una esperanza mas fuerte que el mar y mas inmovible que la tierra.
Lágrimas, gozo, esperanza, lagrimas fluyen como un río.


La profundidad llama a la profundidad. Se anuncia la eternidad!!
Juntos , juntos, juntos en su presencia viviremos!!  
Gloria, gozo, amor sin distancia, sin dolor. 
Se desvanecen despedidas y solo quedan bienvenidas.   

Y no hay ningún espacio entre amor y amor.


Con Gran Cariño,
Jaime

BUNCO NIGHT!!

What a wonderful time the missionary family ladies of KCK had when we got together again for another game night. We had fun laughing and playing bunco and and building new friendships. As I looked around the room last night, I was blessed by the team that God has called to serve people in the neighborhood and honored that I was able to work along side each of them. What a cool group of girls!