Here are some photos from our little party...
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Ja'Marion's First Birthday!
It's hard to believe that one year ago today, I (Adria) stood in the delivery room as little Ja'Marion made his entrance! What a year this has been. There have been so many challenges and so many joys as we have walked with this family over the past year. We pray that God blesses Ja'Marion and directs him in a path that brings God glory. Keep praying for this family because God is working in their lives!!
Monday, February 2, 2009
February Update
February 1, 2009
Dear Team,
Greetings from St. Louis! If you go to your computer and do a quick internet search on America’s most dangerous cities, you will consistently find St. Louis in the top five. When I talk to people who are not from St. Louis I am constantly reminded of people’s opinions of the city. Most people see inner-city St. Louis filled with racial tension and danger and they want to stay as far away as possible.
I am sure that there are a number of reasons why we are always among the top five most dangerous cities. I have joked in the past that we are #1—everyone always wants to be the best at something. In 2008, there was an average of one murder every other day. Violence seems to be at an all time high. And, unfortunately, the church seems to be closing its doors at an all time high as well.
I do not generally speak about the dangerous side of the city in our monthly letters. By nature, I am an optimistic person and I want to keep you informed about the best things happening in our lives. The reason I am telling you this is that we need your prayers. Notice I did not say want. We need your prayers. There are so many different ways that Satan is trying to tear down the harvest that we are preparing for our Lord.
This is a new and exciting year that holds in store many great and amazing things. I am a firm believer that some of those things will only happen if prayer warriors are interceding for us. This year also holds many challenges for us and Adria and I are very grateful for your prayers and support. During these tough economic times, our support has not wavered and that is something that humbles both of us.
Adria and I are here until God calls us elsewhere and it is an honor to serve Christ in this ministry. Pray for our church planting efforts—that God would raise up indigenous leaders from our community and that through these churches lives will be redeemed. Pray for the youth and children we work with to have a clear understanding of His saving grace and that they would desire a relationship with Him. Pray for our staff to multiply and be unified. And last, but not least, pray for our safety—both spiritual and physical. Thank you for interceding for us and supporting us financially.
All for our King,
Andrew & Adria Medlen
Dear Team,
Greetings from St. Louis! If you go to your computer and do a quick internet search on America’s most dangerous cities, you will consistently find St. Louis in the top five. When I talk to people who are not from St. Louis I am constantly reminded of people’s opinions of the city. Most people see inner-city St. Louis filled with racial tension and danger and they want to stay as far away as possible.
I am sure that there are a number of reasons why we are always among the top five most dangerous cities. I have joked in the past that we are #1—everyone always wants to be the best at something. In 2008, there was an average of one murder every other day. Violence seems to be at an all time high. And, unfortunately, the church seems to be closing its doors at an all time high as well.
I do not generally speak about the dangerous side of the city in our monthly letters. By nature, I am an optimistic person and I want to keep you informed about the best things happening in our lives. The reason I am telling you this is that we need your prayers. Notice I did not say want. We need your prayers. There are so many different ways that Satan is trying to tear down the harvest that we are preparing for our Lord.
This is a new and exciting year that holds in store many great and amazing things. I am a firm believer that some of those things will only happen if prayer warriors are interceding for us. This year also holds many challenges for us and Adria and I are very grateful for your prayers and support. During these tough economic times, our support has not wavered and that is something that humbles both of us.
Adria and I are here until God calls us elsewhere and it is an honor to serve Christ in this ministry. Pray for our church planting efforts—that God would raise up indigenous leaders from our community and that through these churches lives will be redeemed. Pray for the youth and children we work with to have a clear understanding of His saving grace and that they would desire a relationship with Him. Pray for our staff to multiply and be unified. And last, but not least, pray for our safety—both spiritual and physical. Thank you for interceding for us and supporting us financially.
All for our King,
Andrew & Adria Medlen
Thursday, January 22, 2009
My Memere
This is a story that no more begins with a smitten king and queen in a high school play than ends with a closely-pressed family saying tearful goodbyes. This is a story within a story—a little vignette drawn out from the main thread of the narrative. It is full of tears and heartache, kisses and laughter, but most of all I'd like to see it as a continuing heritage of faith.
My grandmother, Dorothy Marie Jean (known to me, my sisters, and my cousins as Memere), passed away December 26th. It was a bitter-sweet day as the family stood, arms tight around each other, tears running down our cheeks, and watched her leave a worn hospice bed and binding oxygen tubes for the open arms of Jesus and the glories of heaven.
As I watched my family at Memere's bedside a few weeks ago, it came to me that my life is a result of my father and mother's lives and their lives are a result of their parents' lives and so on, and it was exactly as God had planned it. It was no accident that I was born the granddaughter of Dorothy Jean—God is too much a God of details. A great cosmic coincidence had nothing to do with my very particular heritage. So if this is my God-ordained heritage then what has been written into me as a result of my Memere's life? Surely there are too many things to note and it will take me a lifetime to realize them all. It has not been long that I have known my Memere as an adult. As a child you absorb actions and words, but it isn't until maturity that you begin to realize motivation and the subtle nuances that make people distinct. I may be only recently discovering a deeper understanding of my grandmother but there are so many precious memories that have impacted my life, some of which I have no doubt have shaped us as a family and as individuals.
My grandmother, Dorothy Marie Jean (known to me, my sisters, and my cousins as Memere), passed away December 26th. It was a bitter-sweet day as the family stood, arms tight around each other, tears running down our cheeks, and watched her leave a worn hospice bed and binding oxygen tubes for the open arms of Jesus and the glories of heaven.
As the story goes…Memere met my Pepere, Jean-Paul Jean, in a high school play. Naturally, performing as the king in the play he was at once smitten with the young woman cast as queen. What followed then was a life like so many others: marriage, five children, nine grandchildren, hard times, joyful times, and albums full of memories. Good health was often absent from Memere's life but she was so full of strength and mischief that she never struck anyone as unwell.
As I watched my family at Memere's bedside a few weeks ago, it came to me that my life is a result of my father and mother's lives and their lives are a result of their parents' lives and so on, and it was exactly as God had planned it. It was no accident that I was born the granddaughter of Dorothy Jean—God is too much a God of details. A great cosmic coincidence had nothing to do with my very particular heritage. So if this is my God-ordained heritage then what has been written into me as a result of my Memere's life? Surely there are too many things to note and it will take me a lifetime to realize them all. It has not been long that I have known my Memere as an adult. As a child you absorb actions and words, but it isn't until maturity that you begin to realize motivation and the subtle nuances that make people distinct. I may be only recently discovering a deeper understanding of my grandmother but there are so many precious memories that have impacted my life, some of which I have no doubt have shaped us as a family and as individuals. Memere was a champion of causes. There was no cause that was too small when it meant something to her. She was frequently writing about people and their struggles, often using her own personal battles with health as her driving force. She had a strength and determination that has extended into her children and her children's children.
Creativity was woven into Memere's life. She loved the expression of art and music as a way to express herself and to bless others. Memere sang and played the organ in church and she knitted afghans and scarves for everyone. She was creativity in action. She didn't just knit because she loved to knit; she always knitted on the go and with people in mind.
The written word was something valuable to Memere. I believe it was one of her most treasured voices. I believe this because all of us used to periodically 
receive manila envelopes in the mail holding photocopies of articles she thought would be important to our lives. As a child I didn't understand why she did this but as I got older I saw that it was a way to do two important things to her: care for the people she loved and validate the importance of the written word. She encouraged all of us in this passion—as I explored my own love of writing she supported me through gifts of writer's tools. I will always cherish the literary voice she has infused into this family.
receive manila envelopes in the mail holding photocopies of articles she thought would be important to our lives. As a child I didn't understand why she did this but as I got older I saw that it was a way to do two important things to her: care for the people she loved and validate the importance of the written word. She encouraged all of us in this passion—as I explored my own love of writing she supported me through gifts of writer's tools. I will always cherish the literary voice she has infused into this family. From these particular memories there is a connecting theme: Memere's investment in people. She loved to care for and invest in people. A trait much like the Savior she entrusted her life to.
When I think about the sadness I feel for missing her, I cannot help but also think of the joy in knowing she is in the presence of God, a full and complete and healthy reflection of His glory, and I will see her again. It has been through her passing that I have truly begun to understand what it is that we are offered through Jesus Christ. We are offered a heavenly heritage, something that has, until now, seemed a little abstract. It is as the disciple Peter says in I Peter 1:3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you."
I am doubly blessed. I am the heir of the life of Dorothy Jean. My family and I are entrusted with her gifts and passions, her creativity, her value of words, her strength in fighting for what she believed in, her investment in people, and the certainty of her faith. I pray that as we live our lives here on earth, we will be faithful with this God-given heritage until we have the joy of joining her in our heavenly inheritance.
Recent Notable Events...
Christmas in California...
Our 1yr Anniverary... we visited the Jewel Box...
Memere's Memorial was a wonderful time with family and a beautiful tribute to her life...
And Ja'Marion is growing up...
Our 1yr Anniverary... we visited the Jewel Box...
Memere's Memorial was a wonderful time with family and a beautiful tribute to her life...
...Aunt Cat created a Memere paperdoll offering everyone "Frrruit"...
And Ja'Marion is growing up...
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
January Update
January 1, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
One afternoon at World Impact the doorbell rang and Andrew and I saw two unexpected, smiling faces through the glass door. I was so excited to see Amanda and Tonya as I ran out to meet them. These two girls had regularly attended World Impact’s Children’s Program two years ago, then we were told that their family would soon be moving but they did not know when, and then one day they were just gone. No one had heard from them since they left—not an uncommon occurrence with the families we work with.
It can be a grueling aspect of the ministry—building relationships, emotionally investing, and then people are gone. Our neighborhood is filled with the memories of these people, and there are some days that the weight of their lives and the unknown breaks my heart. We pray that the words and love we shared with them will have a lasting impact, even if we do not get to see the results.
It was with these thoughts that I rushed out to meet Amanda and Tonya and hugged them tight. They were back in the neighborhood, and they had run up to the World Impact to see if we were still here. They were so excited to stay for our Jr. High Program that day and they have come regularly ever since.
Tuesdays they come with the other youth for games and a Bible Lesson. We recently finished a series on what it really means to follow Christ. Then on Thursdays, Amanda and Tonya come to join in our tutoring program, where I have created lessons for our youth that encourage learning and expose them to concepts and skills they do not receive in class. You would be shocked by the poor reading comprehension of our Jr. High youth and by their limited knowledge base.
Occasionally we host fun activities for the youth and on a recent Friday night we held a Movie Night. Despite the cold, wet night Amanda and six other youth came for the event (pictured to the right). Afterwards, Andrew and I drove the students home so they would not have to walk home in the dark.
Amanda gave directions to her home and when the van finally reached her house, we were shocked at how far this young girl had walked to participate in the program. Amanda and Tonya’s house stood eight blocks away from the ministry center, through a long stretch of the neighborhood that is mostly abandoned—certainly not a place for two young seventh grade girls to walk alone.
Andrew and I looked at each other as we pulled up to their rundown house feeling at once joy and heartache. They had been so affected by the love and commitment of our staff that they did not think twice about the distance, the rain, or the night. Instead, they come each week to be embraced by us and to hear the never-changing message of the love of Christ. We rejoice that God has given us this second opportunity to build relationships with these youth and we cherish it as a rare and special gift. Please pray for these youth. Jr. High is such a difficult period made even more difficult for our youth because of instability, broken families and inadequate education. We greatly appreciate each one of you and pray that God blesses you richly this year!
For His Kingdom, Andrew & Adria Medlen
Dear Family and Friends,
One afternoon at World Impact the doorbell rang and Andrew and I saw two unexpected, smiling faces through the glass door. I was so excited to see Amanda and Tonya as I ran out to meet them. These two girls had regularly attended World Impact’s Children’s Program two years ago, then we were told that their family would soon be moving but they did not know when, and then one day they were just gone. No one had heard from them since they left—not an uncommon occurrence with the families we work with.
It can be a grueling aspect of the ministry—building relationships, emotionally investing, and then people are gone. Our neighborhood is filled with the memories of these people, and there are some days that the weight of their lives and the unknown breaks my heart. We pray that the words and love we shared with them will have a lasting impact, even if we do not get to see the results.
It was with these thoughts that I rushed out to meet Amanda and Tonya and hugged them tight. They were back in the neighborhood, and they had run up to the World Impact to see if we were still here. They were so excited to stay for our Jr. High Program that day and they have come regularly ever since.
Tuesdays they come with the other youth for games and a Bible Lesson. We recently finished a series on what it really means to follow Christ. Then on Thursdays, Amanda and Tonya come to join in our tutoring program, where I have created lessons for our youth that encourage learning and expose them to concepts and skills they do not receive in class. You would be shocked by the poor reading comprehension of our Jr. High youth and by their limited knowledge base.
Occasionally we host fun activities for the youth and on a recent Friday night we held a Movie Night. Despite the cold, wet night Amanda and six other youth came for the event (pictured to the right). Afterwards, Andrew and I drove the students home so they would not have to walk home in the dark.
Amanda gave directions to her home and when the van finally reached her house, we were shocked at how far this young girl had walked to participate in the program. Amanda and Tonya’s house stood eight blocks away from the ministry center, through a long stretch of the neighborhood that is mostly abandoned—certainly not a place for two young seventh grade girls to walk alone.
Andrew and I looked at each other as we pulled up to their rundown house feeling at once joy and heartache. They had been so affected by the love and commitment of our staff that they did not think twice about the distance, the rain, or the night. Instead, they come each week to be embraced by us and to hear the never-changing message of the love of Christ. We rejoice that God has given us this second opportunity to build relationships with these youth and we cherish it as a rare and special gift. Please pray for these youth. Jr. High is such a difficult period made even more difficult for our youth because of instability, broken families and inadequate education. We greatly appreciate each one of you and pray that God blesses you richly this year!
For His Kingdom, Andrew & Adria Medlen
Monday, December 15, 2008
Christmas Fun
Andrew and Jason passed out over 300 flyers but on Saturday morning we were looking out at the cold gray sky and staring out the glass doors trying to will kids to show up. 10am...10:15...10:20...no one. Our Christmas Party was scheduled to start at 10am and we had 10 volunteers prepped and ready to send the next few hours with kids. The nature of programs here in the city is full of the unknown. We just never know if we'll have 1 or 50! We were biting our nails that it wouldn't be 1!
And then a mother and her 4 children rang the bell and then 4 more kids showed up. And then the bell started ringing for the next 3 hours! We had almost 40 kids attend and about 10 adults accompany them! It was our best attended Christmas party since I've (Adria) been here! They played games, decorated cookies, made Christmas cards, heard the Christmas story, and each opened a gift. It was a good day.
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