Hello all once more. We have been back in the states for two weeks now and I think we have finally adjusted to the time change and life in the U.S. again. We have had a very busy two weeks visiting family and waiting for Baby Claussen to be born!! Keira Grace was born 6 days after we got home and I have already been to Minneapolis to visit! We also spent a long week end at Lake Cochran celebrating my Dad's 60th birthday. He was pretty impressive water skiing--he even dropped one and slalomed for a little while!! Traig and I took a two day trip to Spearfish to look for a house and we were very excited to find one that should be a great fit for our family. Traig has taken a new job with a small I.T. firm in Spearfish and he has already put in a few days of work! We will be leaving in the morning as the kids start school on Tuesday. They are excited--Noah will be in Kindergarten so that is a bit unsettling for Mom!!
God has provided for us and we are once again reminded that God's plan is so much greater than what we could ever have planned for ourselves.
Grace and Peace,
Laura
Monday, August 25, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
Almost Home
It is with mixed emotions that I post what will be our last entry from Africa. We are leaving for Johannesburg on Wednesday, spending Thursday doing some last arts and crafts shopping and Friday we fly out. It has been an amazing six months. Traig completed seven installations. The last three, Partners in Health is holding of on until a later date--at which time Traig is hoping to return for 2 weeks to finish up. It has been a very successful trip in terms of what he has accomplished. It has given him great joy to speak with the doctors who are working out of these remote clinics and who are now able to provide such a higher level of care for the Basotho in the mountains.
On a personal level, the experience has changed us in a deep way. At one point Traig had said if all that our children take from this is that years from now we can tell them God called us and we answered, it was worth the trip. It didn't seem like rational or sane thing to do--moving 4 children around the world for 6 months. God doesn't always call us to be rational but he has called us to follow Him. He provided for us in ways that have been greater than we could have ever asked. And through this all, we can honestly say we have no regrets. I don't know that I have ever felt closer to God in all my life. I know that I have never spent so much time in prayer-it seems like the past six months my prayers have not ceased.
I came to Lesotho thinking I would change the world--in 6 months. I had no idea how deeply I would be changed. I have had to examine every belief that I have had and now deal with a guilt so deep knowing that I can leave here. This is not my life. I have the means to return home and enjoy all the food that I could ever want. I will never know what it feels like to go to sleep hungry wondering if I will be able to feed my children the next day. Our friend Daniel told Traig how he dreamed of someday being the one who had a chair to sit in and a table to eat at. He said he knows he should be happy with what he has (a mattress), but some times he just wants to be one of those other people. How often I have wanted to be one of those other people with a bigger house, nicer car, exotic vacations--never once have I wanted to be the one with a chair to sit in.
We leave so many new friends behind, and we are taking comfort in knowing that for those who know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, this is just see you later for someday soon we will be together in Heaven.
Thanks so much for all your prayers during this time. We know that we could not have done it without all your encouragement and prayer support. Please pray for us as we all transition back to "normal" life.
On a personal level, the experience has changed us in a deep way. At one point Traig had said if all that our children take from this is that years from now we can tell them God called us and we answered, it was worth the trip. It didn't seem like rational or sane thing to do--moving 4 children around the world for 6 months. God doesn't always call us to be rational but he has called us to follow Him. He provided for us in ways that have been greater than we could have ever asked. And through this all, we can honestly say we have no regrets. I don't know that I have ever felt closer to God in all my life. I know that I have never spent so much time in prayer-it seems like the past six months my prayers have not ceased.
I came to Lesotho thinking I would change the world--in 6 months. I had no idea how deeply I would be changed. I have had to examine every belief that I have had and now deal with a guilt so deep knowing that I can leave here. This is not my life. I have the means to return home and enjoy all the food that I could ever want. I will never know what it feels like to go to sleep hungry wondering if I will be able to feed my children the next day. Our friend Daniel told Traig how he dreamed of someday being the one who had a chair to sit in and a table to eat at. He said he knows he should be happy with what he has (a mattress), but some times he just wants to be one of those other people. How often I have wanted to be one of those other people with a bigger house, nicer car, exotic vacations--never once have I wanted to be the one with a chair to sit in.
We leave so many new friends behind, and we are taking comfort in knowing that for those who know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, this is just see you later for someday soon we will be together in Heaven.
Thanks so much for all your prayers during this time. We know that we could not have done it without all your encouragement and prayer support. Please pray for us as we all transition back to "normal" life.
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