Mt. Kilimanjaro January 2010

It's funny how the most amazing things in life seem to fall in your lap when you're not even looking for them.  That is how this Kilimanjaro experience came to Cameron.  We were visiting our new friends Stephen and Tracey in Pretoria and Stephen shared his innovative and awe inspiring fundraising idea.  Cam was encouraged and got involved in his efforts, and next thing you know he's outfitted and ready to climb the largest freestanding mountain in the world!

It was fun to watch the team of men train together and go through the preparations on the physical, spiritual and organizational side.  This was our first venture into formalized fundraising, so we were on a huge learning curve.  The kids and I had a blast centering our schooling around all things Kilimanjaro.  We learned about mountain ecology, Tanzania, the human body in extremes, and how to not worry about Daddy while he was gone for a week!  We had a fun send off for him at home complete with posters and a big goodbye.

The plan was to be able to receive up to the minute reports from the mountain so we would know at all times where our men were.  I was the "marketing" coordinator at home and would post their progress along the way.  It was so amazing to be in touch with so many people around the world who were cheering the guys on their journey.  You realize just how large your prayer network is when you're involved in something like this.

The South African wives on summit eve with the Blewetts

The night and early morning of the summit was grueling for the women as we had no contact with the men.  We knew that Cam and Matt had experienced some mountain sickness, but did not know how the group was enduring.  The mountain was not our friend as we sat nervous, hoping no news was good news.  We decided to all go out to dinner and a movie (Julie and Julia) to take our minds off of it.

Our team of men made it through and 4 of them made the summit.  We had quite a fright when Mark was put in hospital the next week, but he recovered fully and all of the men had great experiences.  Mark put together a video presentation of their journey (hey maybe that's what he did with all of that hospital time!) and Zazz put together a beautiful coffee table photo book as a lasting memory.

Thanks to everyone for their support, encouragement, donations and prayers!  The funds are still coming in and we are so thankful for the opportunity to help the children of South Africa through this project.

Honoring my courageous friends

While we were visiting Arkansas, a very courageous friend of ours passed away after a long battle with neuropathy, pancreatitis, diabetes and in the end, cancer.  Mike was a man full of faith who endured an extreme amount of suffering over the last 10 years.  Yet through it all, he and his wife Kim, continued to praise God in spite of their trials and hardship.  It is through this hardship that they found the hope of the Kingdom of God and their lives are an example to so many of the attitudes we should keep even when we suffer.  


We were privileged to be able to attend his funeral during our visit and Cameron was honored to be one of his pallbearers.  It was such a blessing to be able to see his family and his newest grandson and to share in the remembrance of such a courageous man.   


As I was looking through some old correspondence, I came across this post that his wife Kim had written about him 5 years ago.  To me, it embodies their struggle that they continued to face, and how their first thoughts were always for their faith and hope in God.  


Saturday, August 20, 2005

"Home Health finally called late yesterday afternoon.  They are sending someone out on Monday to enroll Mike. We should find out at that time what services that Medicare will pay for him.  I am hoping that they will provide an aide.  That would help me a lot.

Mike is still having a lot of pain.  He did not sleep last night and finally asked me to help him up at two a.m.  About thirty minutes ago, He asked me to help him back to bed and he is sleeping now.

At the hospital, Mike did not have a private room and a man around his age was moved into the room on Monday morning.  There was a curtain between their beds.  The hospital was filled with people of all ages.  There were two teenagers that had been involved in car accidents.  One teen was left brain damaged and the other paralyzed.  Very sad..  Mike felt a lot of compassion towards the other people he met up there.  


The hospital encourages the patients to eat in the dining room.  They have aides that will come and wheel them to the dining room if a family member is not there to do that when it is meal time.  The doctor had left orders that Mike could eat in his room, because of how sick Mike was, but Mike would try to go to the dining room when he was able to go.  He met others and when I came to take him home, he had me wheel him around to tell them good bye.  It was heartbreaking seeing the condition of some of the patients.

When we got to the van, Mike and I began to talk of how God has blessed our lives.  God is so good to us!! And we have so much to be grateful for today.  I don't know how long Mike will live and I can see that he is not doing well.  However,I am grateful for the time I have with him now.  We were awake when the sun came up and began to shine so brightly this morning and I was thankful to see a new day and Mike was still here with me.

Mike has always made me feel that he cherishes me.  I hope that he can feel that I cherish him. We never dreamed 17 years ago when we were married that a day like today would happen. That Mike would be very ill and that I would be his caretaker.  We did make the vow to take care of one another,in sickness and in health.  But somehow, I did not see sickness for us until we were much older and even with that,I did not put much thought into it.  But here we are today...

We have learned through Mike's illness that life doesn't always take you on the path that you have made for yourself.  And how grateful we feel that our path in life did change.  Yes,we wish that Mike did not have to become so ill and suffer.  But it is through our suffering, for I suffer with him,that we found the truth of God's word.  We have hope today of life everlasting in the kingdom and we both want to share this with others.

Mike asked me before I helped him to bed if I would gather together some pamphlets and mail them to the man that he shared a room with in the rehab hospital.  I had already been thinking of doing that the next time I went into Ft Smith.  But Mike insisted that I gather them today and get them ready to mail to this man for Monday's mail.  So, I will do this in a moment."

The last time I visited Kim and Mike was before we left for South Africa.  It was a tough visit as  we were all sad to be saying goodbye.  As I looked into Mike's beautiful blue eyes that last time, it reminded me of the young and vibrant heart that was hidden inside under all of that pain.  I remember thinking how amazing it will be to see the rest of his body whole, healed and full of vigor when Christ returns to set up his kingdom.  As I wait patiently for that day that I may see him again, I pass on these words of encouragement to his family that remains.

Romans 8:17-39

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.   We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 


As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;  we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

My heart belongs in Texas

It truly is a strange feeling to be buying postcards from your home state to send back to your friends. After all, this is where you originated, where you put your roots and where the heart strings are attached.  I chose my favorite Texas images to send: "Don't mess with Texas," bull roping rodeo scene, and the beautiful Bluebonnets. 

Mom and dad hosted us and we all enjoyed the usual treats of cinnamon rolls in the morning with lots of fun cartoons, a visit to Chuck E. Cheese, a shopping trip with Dee Dee, breakfast at Waffle House,  a photo shoot at the studio, and visiting at Aunt Janis' house.

GJack is negotiating a splinter out of W's foot

Aunt Janis had arranged to have a birthday celebration for all of the birthdays we missed while we were away.  She rented a jump house and decorated with balloons, made a wonderful birthday cake and had gifts galore for the kids.  They also went on their traditional golf cart drive around the neighborhood.  We enjoyed seeing my Aunt Shirley, Uncle Walt, and cousin Jonathan. 

We were hosted several days by Cam's dad and stepmom, Don and Janis and enjoyed their good cooking!  It was so fun to meet up with some of Janis' family again.  They graciously loaned us Cam's old truck to use while we were in town and Don had fixed it up with new tires, repaired the interior and it was gleaming!  What a beautiful, thoughtful gift, especially for  Cameron since he has missed his old truck.  We are very thankful to them as they are housing most of our worldly possessions in their attic and shed.

cute little cousin

  

We treasured driving the truck through the wide open spaces of the Lone Star state.  Texas wouldn't be Texas without a great road trip and we enjoyed two of them.  One to the east through Texarkana on our way to Arkansas, and the other down south to meet up with our friend Samantha from San Antonio.  We met her sweet baby boy and enjoyed eating at one of our favorite spots - Chik-fil-a.

We were privileged to be in town during Grandmother Beeler's birthday and enjoyed meeting up with some of the Beeler family to celebrate.  The kids enjoyed seeing and meeting new cousins and we all enjoyed the fellowship of spending time together.  We went to our favorite bookstore, Barnes and Noble, where Grandmother Beeler bought the kids all a book.  She really knows what they like!

It was tough to say our goodbyes knowing that we wouldn't see our family for a long time.
I treasure this visit and hold it close to my heart.

Whirlwind trip through Northwest Arkansas Feb 2010

When you come back to the country for 5 weeks to visit 3 states, there's just no way you can see everyone that you want to see.  However in Northwest Arkansas, we came pretty darn close because of our amazing friends that were willing to cross hell or high water to meet up with us!  We had 2 days to pack in all of our priorities:  meeting up with dear friends, the last doctor visits on Wal-Mart insurance, touring our home with the realtor, visiting our favorite Montessori people, and shopping at the associate store for the last time. Thanks to everyone who came out to spend time with us.  It was like a shot in the arm of the wonderful fellowship that gets us through until next year's visit.

A's school friends

S catching up with his school buddies

we miss you Irene!

What a beautiful family!

Sweet friends

girlfriends

Lunch at school

We stayed with our dear friends the Fultz's.  They have always been an anchor for us and this trip was no exception.  How wonderful to be in their home again enjoying their wonderful hospitality!

This was the biggest surprise of the trip - our dog Buddy!  My friend Sam had found him a new home before we left and she surprised us by having him at her house when we came to visit.  He remembered us right off, which made me feel so happy.   He did his funny little sideways snuggle and greeted us with that familiar stinky breath! 

Sleepover with the girls and Buddy!

S and J together with all of their "flute" penguin collection

secretly betrothed

church friends

our sweet Jessica

Thanks to everyone for making our visit so special.  Our hearts remain with you always!

Filling up with Good Hope in Little Rock Feb 2010

After a few days in Texas, we headed out in our pick-em-up-truck on a road trip to Arkansas to visit our favorite home away from home - the Hamlin House.  We drove through Texarkana and stopped at Wal-Mart to get some warm clothes.  It was so fun running through the store finding all the low price goodies and shopping in a one stop for everything shop again.  (Yes I know I sound like a commercial!)  We also enjoyed our first Sonic cherry limeade slush!

Marria had been redecorating and the house was better than a B&B.  It was still the same old place we've come to love - full of warmth and good times.  We enjoyed hanging out with the church group and eating authentic Mexican food.  We gave a presentation of our mission projects and the last year in South Africa.   It was awesome to share our experiences with our dear friends.

Cam had a fun afternoon hanging out with Dyron, Randy and Kenney.  They scoped out the place for the upcoming annual Arkansas Man weekend so that Cam could have man envy. They also enjoyed cruising around in Dyron's new truck.  We sure miss the good times with all of our friends.  God be with you 'til we meet again!