Piano Playing Girls

Caroline and Annie have been playing Suzuki piano for four years now, taught by the wonderful Charlotte Garwood. We are continually impressed with their progress and what they have gained from all of the practice and discipline required from learning a musical instrument.

Play Ball!

Charlie had his second summer of playing ball in a team league and boy, did he have a great time. This summer he joined the local KCK RBI league right here in our neighborhood. RBI is an organization committed to reviving baseball in urban areas while teaching boys and girls about teamwork, leadership and life skills. Charlie made some new friends as he gained more experience and training in a sport he loves. If you want to learn more about KCK RBI here is their home page link: kckrbi.org

Summer Fun!

What an incredible summer we had! Mission Adelante and our family was blessed to have six super fun interns working with us this summer and they were COOL! As a mom, it was an extra special treat to see these young godly men and women taking the time to invest in our own four kids. Our family soaked up their energy for Jesus and our community. It truly was a blessing to have them share life with us.

Catch Up Time!

Hi Friends,

If you haven't noticed, this blog has been pretty silent for some time. Since Jarrett spends much of his energy on the weekly Adelante Express, the girls and I have decided to post some of the daily moments that go on in the life of the Meek family. We'll try and catch you up on the fun we have had in 2011 for the next several posts. So we hope you will enjoy hearing from us and seeing some snapshots of our family life and ministry.

Caroline and Annie Playing with our Worship Team!

One of the most fulfilling dynamics of our ministry with Mission Adelante has been the opportunities it has produced for our whole family to engage in ministry together. From English classes and Bible studies in our homes, to the involvement of our children in Kids Adelante and LIT, Mission Adelante has been a family endeavor.  At times this mixture of work and personal has been difficult for us, but we recognize that genuine ministry is a lifestyle, not a profession that can be compartmentalized.  Moreover, we consider it a tremendous blessing to have so many of our family's arrows pointed in the same direction.

The latest in the list of satisfying ways our family has been able to participate together in ministry is the integration of Caroline and Annie onto our worship team as pianists.  Three years of piano-playing has given them the confidence and ability to improvise with chords and play along with familiar worship songs without a great deal of prior rehearsal.  So, over  the last month, Caroline and Annie have each had a turn playing on the worship team on at our Sunday evening worship services.  This has become one more reason we are thankful for this calling God has given us!

Nayeli’s Baptism:Three Generations of Hope

The ups and downs, the mundane, everyday routines, and the overwhelming challenges of urban ministry can cause a person forget why he began in the first place. But there are certain special divine moments in which God demonstrates his power in the lives of people and brings about the kind of fruit that causes us to rejoice and feel a renewed sense of conviction for the calling He has given us. The baptism of Nayeli, a participant in our Leaders in Training Program, was one of these moments.

I would not hesitate to declare our pilot year of the LIT program a resounding success. But it was not without its challenges and disappointments. We ended with nine of the 13 original participants, losing one to poor attendance, one to behavioral problems, and two because their parents had other plans for them. Each child who was not able to continue left a hole in the hearts of the volunteers as we all wrestled with feeling we had lost the time and love we had invested in them.

Along the way we made adjustments to our math and reading workshops and we will make even more before we start again in the Fall.

Despite the challenges we faced in this pilot year, there were a lot of things to celebrate. Fifteen amazing volunteers served throughout the program and made a real impact academically. One of our students applied to and was accepted in Sumner Academy, a magnet school in KCK for the brightest students in the district. And, for the nine students who completed the year and received their plaque at the Spring party, there was a tremendous sense of accomplishment and camaraderie that resulted from LIT.

Nayeli’s baptism, three weeks ago, was by far the highlight of the LIT year for me because we have been through so much with her. Two years of Kids Adelante, personal crises, a father in prison, and periods where it seemed like her behavior was turning for the worse. And there she was, affirming her faith in Jesus, a new creation in so many ways. And fittingly, her mom was baptized after her. And finally her grandmother. Three generations coming to Christ, beginning with the youngest. Praise God for his gracious work in the lives of lost and broken people like Nayeli and like me.

Reproducing Ministry

Last year our Board of Directors began working on a five year plan that includes reproducing our ministry two additional locations in the Kansas City area. Little did we know that we would have the opportunity to make an impact in Salt Lake City, UT and Hickory, NC before the first quarter of 2009 was complete.

Tony and Tanya Pruitt, long-time personal friends of the Meeks, are now living in the Salt Lake City area and attending a church that has been very successful at reaching Mormons. This church, called Alpine, also has a desire to launch a ministry to Hispanic immigrants in the heart of Ogden, a blighted city with a dense population of Latinos. At the end of February, Jarrett had the privilege of spending a long weekend on site with the Pruitts and other key leaders from Apline, dreaming and brainstorming ideas for this new ministry. While Alpine is still in the planning stages, the meeting was productive both strategically and relationally.

On the other side of the country in North Carolina, the Meeks’ former missionary colleague in Bolivia, Brandon Martin has just launched a ministry modeled largely after Mission Adelante. Their first ESL and Kids Adelante-like programs began in March with 18 adult English students, a small group of kids, and strong volunteer support. We are so excited to see Brandon and his wife Joy fulfilling their calling together and enjoying God’s grace in the beginning of their new ministry.

As far as our plans to reproduce Mission Adelante sites in Kansas City, we are still praying for the Lord’s direction and provision, as we look for the right places and people to start this work.