25th Birthday!

On my birthday weekend me and most of the team took a 7+ hours bus trip down to Livingstone, Zambia. Home to Victoria Falls one of the 7wonders of the world! It's dry season right now so the falls weren't very powerful, but they were still so cool! I can imagine how majestic they would be during rainy season!

In this picture, i'm standing in Zambia, but those falls are in Zimbabwe. 

Normally all of those cliffs would actually be falls...

there were loads of baboon families, we actually got chased by a baboon daddy. Don't mess.

In the afternoon, one of the guides showed us how to get to the top of the falls. We got to go up and stand on the top of the cliffs, where there is normally torrents of rushing water. It was so awesome. This is a little natural jacuzzi according to the guide. It's basically just a trickle of water thats still flowing over the falls. So yes, that is the edge of the largest curtain of water in the world. 

The coolest part to me is that the day that we saw Victoria Falls was the same day that David Livingstone first saw the falls also, only 158years later =D He was a  medical missionary from Scotland that commited his life to Africa. Livingstone is named for him. Such a cool story. 

Well you would think that was enough fun fow one day... but no, it did not end there! We ended the day with a spectacular dinner cruise on the Zambezi river. We saw tons of Hippos, crocs, and even an elephant! All as we ate our delicous BBQ dinner.

Thank you so much Momma for raising money for me to be able to go. I had such an incredible time!

Much love, Meghann

Discouragement

Happy Sunday! This morning our team split up and went to a couple different churches. I found myself at a place called Miracle Life family Church, with 8 of my teammates. The pastor had a really good message, it was titled: Don't be discouraged. He said that God doesn't promise that our journey will be pain/trial free. Quite the contrary to be honest. He showed us some stories in the Bible where the person was doing what God said to do, walking in the center of His plan and yet there were challenges. Big ones. God warned Ezekiel that the Israelites were a rebellious people and that they might not listen, but that their response didn't matter. What mattered was Ezekiel's obedience, despite knowing that it would be hard. He challenged us that so many Christians try to choose the easiest path, and sometimes they even feel like God is obligated to give them comfort. This is not the case. The more leadership that God entrusts to you the harder it will be and the more you will need to rely on God's strength, not your own. The more responsibility you carry, the more you will be asked to lay down your rights. Rights to sleep, money, time, privacy, and comfort (to name a few). So when you're walking with God and something diffcult is happening, DON'T BE DISCOURAGED. God is with you.

So long, farewell...

Our 12 week lecture phase has come to a close, and on Sunday the 29th of September we embarked on a new adventure! After nearly 40 hours of traveling (complete with a surprise overnight stay in Thailand =D) we safely arrived in Zambia! It was actually quite chilly when we arrived (shocker). We've had a few days to settle into our new homes, and yesterday, Friday, we had our first work day in the hospital!  Yay! This is just the beginning of the 8 month outreach for the Birth Attendant School. I'll get to be with the students for the next 3 months, and then I'll return to Perth and a new set of teachers will come. So see ya later Perth! 

Welcome to YWAM Perth!

Here's a little window into my world here in Australia! I made this last week so the #'s at the end are about half what they were then! Please check out this video and give me feedback, I'm just experimenting with the whole video update idea =D If you would like to send a donation for my outreach, just click on the Donate button on the right side of the screen!

If you'd like to send me snail mail (which I love) here's the address as promised:

Meghann Mayhew
c/o Youth With A Mission
PO Box 8501
Perth Business Centre, WA
6849 Australia

where in the world?!

Awww, our midwives are growing up! Before we know it they'll be heading into the nations to get practical knowledge of what they have so diligently been learning here in Perth! We will be heading to: Zambia, Ethiopia, and Calcutta India!

I will traveling with them at the end of September to Zambia. I have never been to this country so I'm stoked. Then at the end of December I'll return to Australia for a couple months, and then join them again in Calcutta for a month! Never a dull moment with Jesus and the Birth Attendant School ( <-- that sounds like it could be the name of a band =D)  Can't wait! 

Practically, this means that I am trusting that God will provide the money for me to go. It will cost about $5000. Would you like to be apart of launching me into the nations (like a torpedo!) to tell the mamas of Zambia and India that Jesus loves them, and to help train midwives for developing nations??? Right over there-----------> click on the donate button, and make a donation today! 

Love love

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UPDATE

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Well, that fancy little donate button that I was talking about up there ^ is actually up. So.... You can just click on this link right here to send your contributions, until I can fanagle the button into working!
Here:
DONATE!
Just put that  it's for Meghann Mayhew's outreach. Thank you my friends, you're all world changers.

Introducing...

Did you know that every minute, at least one woman dies from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth? Now meet the ladies that are going to make a change to that statistic! The 2013 Birth Attendant School, this year we have 21 students from 7 different countries! They are a simply incredible group of girls! I am absolutely honored to work alongside them! Please be praying for the school as they're on their journey to becoming midwives!

Look at us!

God is going to do amazing things with these people.

A bit more personality this time!

Ready or not, here I come!

Several people have asked me if I am ready for this journey/change/new life. To which my answer has been,"If I waited till I was ready, I would never leave!" Not that I don't want to go, I really do =D  but I think that for every change that we make in life, it requires a step/leap/skydive of faith. So that's kinda where I'm at right now, mid plunge. I'm not where I was before (emotionally, spiritually, physically, yada yada) and I haven't landed where i'm supposed to be. On my way and super excited!

Guys, I had such a blast and felt so completely supported! You guys rock! The winner of the iPad was Kim Geiger! Which is actually very fitting, because they're the family that got me into YWAM in the first place!

Just so you know how amazing you all are, we made exactly $900 which does NOT include the % of purchases yet (give time to calculate!). Wow, my God is so grand, and always takes me by surprise! 

Love,
Meghann 

Fun-fun-fundraiser!

Yes you heard right! I'm having a fundraiser! With the most incredible froyo! Doesn't get much better than this, but you should still pray that its a smashing success, and you should come, and bring ALL of your friends! 

You don't how great it is till it's gone... but not for long =D

I've spent quite a bit of time this past week reminiscing and looking at photos of my Birth Attendant School. I guess I didn't properly realize how much I loved it till I came home. Just like how we so often don't know how much we love and appreciate a person, our family, or our job, until they're no longer around.

During the school, I would take for granted the opportunity we were given to work in hospitals. That they have let us into their Labor rooms to work with the mamas and babies, and even let us openly pray for them. Each and every woman that we had the privilege of working with was a gem, and sometimes I couldn't even see it. That God would trust me enough to work with some of His  most vulnerable children, it's a gift.

Today I'm thanking God for so many things, but here are a few.

• For the schools that went ahead of mine.
• The amazing staff and teachers, sharing so much wisdom (and working SO hard, even when no one sees)
• Little ones we get to witness entering our world
• All you amazing, lovely people who made our little baby hats (we call them Helmets of Salvation =D) thank you.

I miss midwifey-things, but not for long! Hopefully I'll be heading back to Perth mid-March, and then next school will start the beginning of July. This time will be different, because I will know how much I've missed it, and how grateful I am to be back staffing. Oh... I also miss giving immunizations =D hehe

Progress!

A couple of mornings ago I found out to my delight that I had recieved a $1000 donation from my wonderful boss Janet Mumme! Woohoo!  I am so completely blessed to have such supportive people in my life!

so I thought I might tell you what I'm gonna do with it! Just today I received an email from Perth saying that I will not be able to apple for my visa until I pay for my health insurance.... I guess I better do that! It'll be $2100, so this donation couldn't have arrived at a better time! Yay. Guys, I'm stoked.