Women Connect: Dreamin' the Good Dreams — Cindy Meier

ponder

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. >Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV

"… far more than we ask or think .." Those are BIG dreams! What are your dreams? Are you dreaming? I hope so.

I have a friend who was a single mom. With BIG dreams. And she serves a BIG God. Please take a little time to read this wonderful story.

meet

One outreach Wes and I love doing through YES! is our annual trek to GLEANINGS FOR THE HUNGRY in Dinuba, California.

Gleanings is a non-profit mercy ministry of Youth With A Mission. Their vision is "to feed the hungry of the world both physically and spiritually." They procure and produce shelf-stable food that is sent to ministry partners around the world who distribute along with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Through donations, staff, thousands of volunteers and God's provisions…Gleanings has helped with millions of meals to be served to the hungry. And shared God's love around our world.

For the past twelve years (and continuing). Fritz + Cindy Meier have served as the Directors at Gleanings. While Fritz is the out-front face (and Swiss accent 🙂) of the ministry…Cindy is the fun-loving, behind-the-scenes, mighty woman of faith.

You just have to meet her!

Cindy grew up in a strong Christian family in California's Central Valley. While attending a Discipleship Training School ('DTS', Youth With A Mission) in Hawaii, she met Fritz.

She shares, "Before enrolling, God had shown me through a dream that I was going to meet my husband there. While in Japan on our outreach, I became convinced my future husband was to be this kind, handsome man from Switzerland. I patiently waited nearly two years after we met before my dream became reality, but God's best is worth the wait."

Their detailed love story, too lengthy to share here, speaks of God's faithfulness through a journey of hearing from God, waiting, trusting, walking in obedience, and seeing God move in mighty ways.

Spoiler alert…Cindy and Fritz did marry and have a blended and international family.

"My first child, Cherise, was nine when we married and moved to beautiful Switzerland, where we lived the first eight years of our marriage. Our two children, Tiffany and Philip, were born in Switzerland, giving us all dual citizenship. Our family led worship together at chapel.

"I home schooled Tiffany and Philip through high school, providing incredible flexibility. They joined Fritz and me as we led six DTS teams on two-month outreaches into nine countries. We enjoyed traveling as a family to a total of twenty countries. All three children have attended their own DTS and are now happily married. We have two grandchildren, Sven, 12, and Ruby, 8."

Fritz and Cindy returned last month from South Africa, where they visited Gleanings' DTS team and participated in the Grace Family Church Mission's Conference, a large church helping with fifty separate ministries to the Zulu tribe.

They were humbled as many missionaries expressed their thankfulness and told stories of their work with the school children, orphans, widows, elderly, and marginalized Zulu people. Such joy to share in a ministry God is using to be a conduit of His love and care!

In January Cindy's husband Fritz and another Gleanings staff member visited Haiti to install solar for a new home, now occupied by a hundred girls from Mission of Grace, a ministry Gleanings helped birth over a decade ago. This growing ministry now includes a children's home, church, school, medical clinic, trade development center and elderly home.

Years ago Cindy met Esther there, her 'suitcase baby'.

A desperate Haitian mother brought her malnourished three-month old baby, the size a newborn, who had an infection. "My husband died and left me with five children. Please take care of my youngest two boys and my baby girl." Mission of Grace was new and at capacity caring for six children in a small home.

Gleanings' DTS team was there on outreach after the devastating 2010 earthquake. Cindy's heart hurt for this mother as she volunteered to care for Esther, who needed medication and nourishment. She converted her carry-on suitcase into a bassinet and fell in love with this beautiful baby over the next few weeks. Esther is now a healthy 12-year-old young lady, still living at Mission of Grace children's home in Haiti.

Back here in California, Cindy shares, "As our volunteers work to produce food and experience love in a Godly community, they are deeply impacted by stories of those in need on the receiving end. Many of these multi-generational volunteers are moved to change, to follow God, to become missionaries, or to volunteer in their communities."

This year's South Africa trip, which also included a brief visit to family and friends in Switzerland, held other special meaning for Cindy. It was a HUGE step forward in facing her fear of long travel. In the past, trips of this magnitude would put her in severe pain and require days of recovery. She thanks God that she completed the trip without debilitating pain.

For many recent years, Cindy suffered from severe fibromyalgia symptoms, which required her to scale way back on her activities and involvement in ministry. She expresses extreme gratitude to God "to have improved 85% in the past one-and-a-half years."

"Don't tell me life stops at 60!" Cindy joyfully proclaims.

How can our women connect community pray for Cindy?

"I'd appreciate prayer for God's dreams and wisdom to live them out in this new season of my life.

"Last year God challenged me to Dare to Dream Again, and this year it's time to start Living the Dream." She is healthier; all their children are married; and her dear mom (whom we know and love) is now in a nearby care facility.

"I lived out my first dream by traveling to South Africa with Fritz to visit the DTS team on outreach.

"Other dreams God has given me include writing a book and teaching. And just maybe these unfulfilled prophecies will still come to pass."

thankful

For hungry children (and grown ups!) all over our broken world - I am SO grateful for a ministry like Gleanings. Wes affectionately calls it our "Timeshare in Dinuba." 🙂

I know it's early…but we'd love for you to consider joining our YES! Gleanings team, Feb 23-28, 2025.

heart

Maybe it's time for you, too, to dare to dream again. Jesus wants us ALL IN. He can restore hope, bring healing and give birth to new God-sized dreams.

And I can't assume everyone reading this is already a Jesus follower. Please click below if you'd like to learn more about:

Committing Your LIfe to Christ

judy popineau wick