Keitt Update - January 2013

Cocaine. Steriods. Life.

“I know this might seem a bit strange, but have you ever or are you taking cocaine or steroids?”

About 7 years ago this was the question a doctor asked me after I had gotten my first ever and hopefully last mammogram.  The whole matter was a bit peculiar and odd especially when I had my right chest (because men have chest and women have breasts of course) pancaked between those two sterile and cold metal plates.  They should find a way to warm those pups up, hopefully they have.   

For a few months or so I kept feeling this lump and having pains and after holding out as long as I could, (I’m not the biggest fan of western medicine,) I called up the doc.  No worries, nothing was found and the lump and pain went away by the next month or so. 

Oh yeah, I forgot to give my answer to the first question.  No, never touched the stuff and never will. 

The doctor basically explained to me that they had found unnaturally high levels of testosterone in my blood.  I’m still neither exactly 100% sure, nor worried about why I have this or even if I still have this, maybe it’s just genetics or maybe eating unnatural amounts of delicious peanut butter and bananas can give you unnatural amounts of cocaine like substances in your blood.  Ok, ok, I’m talking out of my you know what with the second hypothesis, but it sounds logical to me :) 

I’ve always felt like I’ve got some sort of reality intensifying substance in my veins that gives me cascading highs with a Ben Harper “Morning Yearning” buzz of joy, accompanied by dark melancholic lows with a hint of Tom Waits “Drops of Poison.” 

Christine thinks he sounds like “Cookie Monster,” I hear unfiltered surreal reality.  To each his own, I guess, but my own is clearly better than her own.

Back to the point.  I don’t know how to do middle or regular or ok.  It’s sort of like I always knew my first move out of Charlotte couldn’t land in the northern hemisphere.  I love finding myself in situations where I’m over my head, finding a way out, and then putting myself back in mix after a short lull, i.e. mountain biking. 

Being in our present moment of life, this rhythm of mine has found even more ways to express itself.  When it’s good and it typically is, it’s sublime. 

Cherishing the conversations I’ve had with my parents and friends back home...

Relishing the moments with my Chilean family and community...

Making progress in the business and ministry, which as we always say are one in the same...

Heading out into our back yard, a.k.a Chile, to find another epic location or lunar landscape to set up our tent...

And yet I can’t deny the flip side as well.

Missing the embrace of my family, my moms infinitely wise eyes & my pops’ strong, callous and loving hands...

Feeling very much alone in a world where I don’t catch on to the inside jokes or what’s funny, because I grew up with Sanford & Son and they grew up with Chavo de 8...

Having to hit that little red Skype defect that ends the conversation and reminds you of the beauty and annoyance of time and space.   

Feeling the dull void of absence right below my rib cage and 1.25 inches inside of my torso as I follow the traffic flowing left and down from the airport, where as 8 days before I’m making that same motion but with butterflies of excitement filling that exact space as we venture off with amazing friends to experience life together for a bit...

I’m learning to embrace both sides and not deny either the space they deserve.

With that in mind I’d like to share a few pictures from some of those joyous highs (located in the photo gallery - click the lego camera on the right) because who wants to see or take pictures of the other side of the coin? :)

Cocaine.  Steroids.  Life. 

Wow.

If you didn't catch our December video, let me recap a little bit-

When I started working with House of Hope this year, I really had the mindset of "oh, all this will take is a little organization and networking and a key point person to fundraise..."  I totally thought I would just step in, raise all this money for the ministry with my administrative skills, and we would move forward.

After the first month of my "fab" admin. skills, we not only failed to gain any new donors, but we actually lost the support of someone who had been supporting the ministry for years.

Needless to say, it was a good reminder that it is not, nor will it ever be, my skills that make the difference.  From the start, way before I was around, this ministry has been miraculously sustained by ways only God can orchestrate.  And I could not feel more humbled to be a witness in His work here.

We have made it by, very literally, month by month this entire year - only enough to sustain one teacher with a horrible minimal salary and absolutely no extra money for the most basic classroom supplies or even someone to clean the building.  And it's not that God wasn't showing up in those meager months - In various "random" (eh hmm... not so random) ways, He provided each month so that we could at least get by.

So we started praying and dreaming big.  We created a "dream" budget that included a second teacher so that we can invite more kids, someone to not only clean the building, but do it on a regular basis, monthly funds for school supplies and soccer balls, and even dreamed about field trips we could plan and other events throughout the year.  

In December, we still didn't have the funds to hire another teacher, (let alone reach our minimal monthly needs,) but we felt like God was saying start looking anyway, because it's going to come in.

And then we received commitments for MONTHLY support from some of our Chilean churches here.

And we were invited to make our first presentation at a local business to ask for donations.

And we were told that our coffee fundraiser in the States is projected to raise $8,000 for House of Hope.

And then, as if all of that weren't enough, we received a $10,000 donation just before the New Year, given specifically so that we can hire a second teacher...

What all of that totals up to is approximately $20,000... divided by 10 months = $2,000 a month... which is exactly what our "dream" budget requests!

God shows up in both the dream months and the meager.
God is good, all the time.

But this is just unreal to me.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing us to work alongside of You in this ministry.  Thank you for helping us to dream big so that You can be even more glorified.  Thank you for sustaining this ministry by uniting people in ways we could never do on our own.  Thank you for your grace, your provision, and your great, great love for us.... 

  

Keitt Update - December 2012

Having Babies in a Foreign Land

This blog is dedicated to a young dental hygienist in Charlotte who, when asking a few years ago about our big move to the south, responded with "well surely you will come back to the States to deliver your babies."  I think she may have imagined us living in some remote hut with dirt floors and no running water, (which, I have actually heard there are people living in those very situations who have been successfully delivering babies for YEARS...) instead of a major metropolitan area larger than the size of Chicago.

Anyway, although we don't live with dirt floors, pregnancy has been an interesting cultural experience to say the least.  And since it's my first one, I don't know how much of it has been "Chilean" or just human.  Maybe you moms can tell me :)  But I thought it'd be entertaining to compile some of my most frequently asked questions concerning the matter.

Do you guys have good health care?

Yes, thankfully.  The whole system has not been nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be.  We are all set with Chilean insurance and are paying a LOT less than we would be in the States.

Have you found a good doctor?

Yes, again, thankfully.  The first one was a dud, and I really thought I had read more in books and/or the internet than what he was telling me.  BUT, the second attempt was a success :) 

Do you have a good hospital for the birth?

Yes!  They just built a clinic about 15 minutes away that we've only heard positive things about.

How have you been feeling?

Awesome.  I felt exhausted in my first trimester and a little nauseous, but overall I have had a really great pregnancy.

Can you get everything you need for the baby down there?

We can, however the common rule is that you can buy (almost) anything here for really cheap and it lasts a few weeks, but for good quality you'll pay 2-3 times more than you would for it in the States.  So big shout out to Joel pants and Claire who are bringing 2 full suitcases down with them next week, full of baby stuff! 

Do people touch your belly all the time?

YES.  

And to show both sides of the culture, here are the most commonly asked questions I receive from people here:

Well, you're DEFINITELY not riding your bike anymore are you?  (This is rarely a question as much as it is a command.)

Yep.  Sure am.

Have you thought of a name yet? 

Thought, yes.  But the poor kid is already going to have a heck of a time dealing with only one last name (everyone here has two) and a last name that is already impossible to correctly pronounce in its native language.  So we need to give the little man a solid first name that's not impossible to pronounce.  Buuut we also want something original.  So if anyone has a somewhat original name that works well in both English and Spanish, feel free to shoot us an email :)

Wow, you're so big!  Does your doctor think he'll be a big baby?

Um, yes.  Doctor thinks it and I know it.  Not only are we Gringos, we are big Gringos.  I weighed 9lbs, 5 oz. at birth and Tracey weighed 10lbs., 2 oz.  You may begin praying for this delivery experience now :)  

Are you going to have a normal birth or caesarean? 

Chile has the highest C-section rate, 40%, out of any country in the world.   So "normal" just refers to birth that is not a caesarean.  We are going for normal.

When are you going to "get better?"

This refers to your due date.  Unfortunately many people see pregnancy as more of an illness than an experience to enjoy!  Or maybe it's changing and they just use the same phrase they used back in the day.  (Hopefully??)

Are you going to keep working after you have the baby?

Typical maternity leave in Chile is at least 6 months, usually more like 8.  People here can't believe that the U.S. gives so little time to new moms.  But yes, I will keep teaching, probably 6-8 weeks after.  Thankfully we have enough flexibility with our teaching schedules and do a lot of work from home that I'll hopefully be able to continue teaching part time and stay involved with House of Hope.

Are you going to have your baby here or in the States?

Here.  We live here now.

Will your family be able to come visit?

Unfortunately, not everyone.  At least not for the birth.  But my mom IS coming in March!!

Keitt Update - November 2012

How To Know You're Alive

 As I was waiting to go up on stage at church this morning, I couldn’t help but think about 1) how happy I am going to be when all these presentations are over, and 2) just how GOOD I’ve been feeling, despite the nerves brought on by public speaking.  Good is a pretty lame adjective, so better stated, how alive I’ve been feeling lately. 

And it makes sense.  Because if you’re alive, you have to be growing.   
It’s our nature.  The only things not growing are dead. 

I’ve realized how alive I’ve been feeling lately because of all these things I’ve been doing that are NOT my strengths and are definitely not comfortable for me.  AKA, these “growing experiences.”  Public speaking, yes, but also the whole living in your second culture and in general, living less comfortably than we could be.  Which made me think, what does comfort do for us, anyway, besides hinder growth?

You can’t get any smarter without reading books that are beyond the knowledge you already have.

You can’t gain muscle or lose weight without the pain of a good workout.

And you can’t learn to truly rely on God without hardships or struggles. 

I am thankful for the challenges He has given me these last few months, because it has also led me to places that I know I wouldn’t be able to be without His strength.  And it is GOOD to feel this alive!!

So my question for you is: What are you doing in your life that is forcing you to grow?  Or maybe, what unwarranted circumstances are you allowing God to turn into growing experiences for your good?

It can be as simple as a thought-provoking book or a challenging workout routine, we just have to make sure we are actually living.  Because if we’re not growing in one way or another, what are we even doing? 

And speaking of growing…

there’s been a lot more of THAT goin' on around here lately!

Here we are at 24 weeks when the Irish completed their 12-0 regular season to be #1!!  







 
And if kids grow like puppies, or at least like Boss, then we're really in for it.  We've had Boss man for about a month now and as you can see he is a great eater.  We love having two dogs!  They play together well and are super entertaining for us.  Except for the time he ate my favorite pair of Chacos, which was the opposite of entertaining.  It's a good thing he's so cute...

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