Time Apart...

    

Greetings...

...from Brisbane, Australia, and a not-quite-complete Claasen family.  We are separated for the second time this year as Noah, Tim and Elias (with mom!) await new permanent visas to Papua New Guinea.  Nate is working hard in Mesi-land in Papua New Guinea and the boys and I are working hard at home school and figuring out daily life in the big city of Brisbane, far from home.  We’ve all seen God meet us daily through this unwanted separation.

Long Hours

Nate’s days have been more than full as he disciples believers; answering their questions and continuing to teach several times a week keep him hopping.  Twenty to thirty men are coming weekly as well to learn to study God’s Word on their own, they are slowly working through the book of Mark and learning to interpret and apply what they are reading.  This is a huge step towards seeing mature leaders in the church raised up!  Praise God with us that so many men are reading, studying and enjoying this study time.

Before the boys and I flew out of the tribe 2 weeks ago, the women were meeting weekly to review and read through Romans and Bible lessons.  If you have more time to read, I’ve written a 'snapshot' from one of our meeting times (below).

Our local clinic is nearly out of medications and the government is struggling to keep it supplied, so we are stepping into the gap with treatment for illnesses like malaria, severe ear infections, and big leg gashes needing to be super-glued.  Neither of us *love* this work but we thank God for the opportunity to show love to the community and help care for needs.

Both the Hostetters and Fachners, our great co-workers, are on 'home assignment' in their home countries currently, so Nate is serving alone in the tribe…leaning on the believing men there to encourage him even as he encourages them.

Standing on His Promises

Over the last few days I’ve been meditating on Luke 1:74-75, where Zechariah praises God and says,

“…(He) enables us to serve Him without fear

In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.”

What an awesome promise to cling to in our neediness. 

Please pray with us:

-That the boys' visas would be granted this week so that we can return to Papua New Guinea.  We have this apartment until Sept. 26th, if the visas have not come by then, we will need to find other housing.

-For daily wisdom and strength for Nate as he teaches, disciples and helps meet medical needs in Pal.

-for safety on the trail as he hikes out to meet us before our yearly conference with other missionaries (he’ll start his journey Sept. 27^th and will arrive at our mission center around Oct. 1^st)

Thank God with us:

-for believers, processing truths taught from Romans and wanting to put them into practice.

-for a great apartment for the boys and I to stay in here in Brisbane.  We’ve been exploring the city on foot after school hours and have particularly enjoyed the free ferry system.

-for good help with a TMJ problem that I’ve had (and ignored) for years – I’ve been able to have multiple appointments with a great physical therapist and an immobilizing splint (for night-time use) is being constructed for me this week.

Thank you for standing with us in prayer!  We depend on you lifting us up to the Source of all strength, hope and peace. 

Elizabeth for the Claasens

(below: we love the beautiful, huge public garden in Brisbane!)

And if you have more time to read...

Laughter and tears on the porch

It had started to rain and I looked over the railing in dismay.  Over 30 teen girls and women (and more than a couple of babies) were packed onto our co-workers’ porch and we had just finished reading, in small groups, from Romans 3.  Each group had been led by a more confident reader, with others following along.  Nearly an hour had been spent reading perhaps 10 verses from the chapter and also reviewing the teaching points from the lesson…then discussing the questions asked at the end of the Scripture handout.  Some of these women had left their homes at 8 am that morning for the believers' worship and teaching time, it was now close to 1 pm.  I had brought out a huge pot of hot tea to share, but I surely hoped the rain wouldn’t continue long so that these women could head home to feed their hungry families.

After running down to check in with the boys (who had not only fed themselves lunch but had cleaned up after themselves) I returned with our thermometer, otoscope and medical binder and began to work through the line of folks who had come with complaints.  Malaria meds were given to the girl with the 102 degree fever, headache and chills; amoxicillin to the boy with the blown-out ear drum and ear running with pus.  The rain fell steadily and a wave of laughter shook the thickly clustered women.  I smiled and looked up from my notebook, writing down the treatment I had given the last ‘patient’, then threaded my way across the porch.  Itub looked up at me and grabbed my hand, saying “I’m crying I’m laughing so hard!  We were just talking about what would happen if this porch floor gave way and we all fell down into Axel’s office below us!” 

I plunked down next to a group of women and started to chat.  The social event of the month was coming up in a few days and soon we were deep into a conversation on how these events were linked to marriage customs.  We discussed what God has to say about marriage and I shared how God doesn’t say a lot about who we marry, only that believers in Jesus are not to marry unbelievers.  Suddenly Itub looked troubled.  Her daughter ran away 6 months ago to marry a young guy from a distant village, one that hasn’t yet heard the Gospel.  And tears filled her eyes again as she processed through her daughter’s choices and she reflected afresh that her son-in-law was still part of ‘Satan’s family’ – bound in darkness and sin.  Our small group took time to pray together for her son-in-law and the entire village he is part of and to ask that they will hear SOON and turn to the freedom and hope that is offered in Jesus.

The rain was slowly letting up.  Suddenly a woman from another cluster looked up from her paper, which she had been laboriously going over…again.  “I just understood what Jesus did!  He died...for me!”  She laughed and wept for joy…and so did I. 

Will you pray with us as well?  Pray for the village of Palusia and the souls of the men, women and kids who live there now!  Pray for believers to be solidly established in God’s Word and to hunger to KNOW Him!