Back in the U.S. of A.
Claasen Family in the USA!
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time…to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh…"
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4
Hey dear praying friends,
We are back in the United States for a brief 4-month stay to celebrate the wedding of my (Elizabeth's) sister and our parents' 40th anniversary. We know these weeks will fly by! In the 3 weeks that we've been in country, we've already:
· had eye and doctor appointments;
· enjoyed sweet family visit time (lots of games of Settlers of Cataan and bowls of ice cream with grandparents!);
· shared in 4 different churches/locations about what God is doing in the Mesi church;
· written several Bible lessons for Mesi believers (to help our co-workers on the ground keep up as they labor alone right now);
· worked on both our parents' properties (see pics of some really good-looking guys doing hard labor!)
Our last weeks in Papua New Guinea were a whirlwind of connecting with the Mesi believers and working ahead to have lessons ready for the weeks that these guys would be on the ground teaching God's Word themselves, without missionary oversight. We are so thankful for the good reports we heard from the church about that time and the growth that we see happening in their lives!
Elizabeth organized, cleaned and packed up the house while wrapping up the school year. Noah is celebrating being done with 9th grade, Tim completed 7th grade, and Elias is excited to now be able to refer to himself as a 6th grader. These boys have worked hard on homeschool with only a few week-long breaks for the last 2 years and are THOROUGHLY enjoying a long summer to ride bikes, work hard for grandparents, swim, and tackle some new projects and hobbies. (Driver's Ed class for Noah! Wow!)
Want to get in contact with us? You can:
Email us at nate_claasen@ethnos360.org or
Call us at (707) 702-2135
You're Invited! We'll be sharing about our last two years in Papua New Guinea at several other locations. Mark your calendars! More details will follow as time draws near.
Sunday evening, July 22nd: a Missions evening at Cornerstone Church of Yuba City
August 19th at Living Hope Church in Dixon, CA
How can we pray this week?
· Pray for Masik, a 2-yr. old little Mesi boy with very severe burns covering much of his torso and arms. Our co-workers on the ground are doing wound care for him daily but he really needs hospital care. Please pray for his parents and for Axel and Sandra as they care for him and make decisions.
· Pray for Nate and family as his grandmother is nearing her last hours of life. They are grieving, but not "…like the rest of mankind, who have no hope." (1 Thess. 4:13) Still - it is an exhausting time for many we love.
· Pray for the Mesi church and our co-workers Sandra and Axel as they labor to shepherd the believers. They daily feel their need for God's strength and wisdom! Pray for Chris and Maggie, too, as they make plans to return to the tribe in the next months.
· And our family is in need of His strength and wisdom too. Right now, every day has different needs and activities. We're enjoying the change from our routine of work with the believers and homeschool in the tribe, but change is always unsettling!
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