How about eating out for 7 weeks for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Well, it’s not quite like that but there are some similarities as we (22 adults and 12 kids) share the Dining Hall and kitchen and cook for each other.
As you might have guessed, we are back in Oklahoma. Our students analyze the Cherokee Language here as a linguistics practicum.
▲ All the kids that came along are under 7 years of age and have lots of fun playing with each other. For us adults, it is a blessing to get to know each other better during our stay in Oklahoma.
After their time in Oklahoma, the students will all go in different directions and we might not see them again until maybe in a few years when they are back on furlough.
From Oklahoma to Pal
Not even 4 years ago Nate and Elisabeth Claasen were part of our student group in Oklahoma. Some of you might remember their names from Dennis’ PowerPoint about cross-cultural church planting. This couple and their 3 sons moved to Papua New Guinea, learned the National Culture and Language, taught one year at the Missionary Kid school and are now getting ready to move into the Pal tribe.
▲ The Claasens have to fly in the building supplies by helicopter.
Updates on our ministry
Recently Dennis met with the guys who are developing the new computer program to help with developing an alphabet for unwritten languages.
He also has a lot to grade these days since one of the teachers had major eye problems and is not able to finish grading his students’ homework. Grading is probably the hardest discipline for Dennis and you can pray for him to get it done soon.
We told you in our last update that Monika won’t be able to continue to help much in the linguistics department since Lukas and Niklas can’t attend childcare anymore. The reason for that is that there are not even enough childcare workers and childcare rooms for all the student kids. As hard as it seemed at first, we are thankful for the many blessings that we can find in this new situation. First, it is wonderful to see how the Lord provided 2 new Linguistics teachers who not only adjusted well to their new role but are also able to do many tasks that Monika used to do. Second, Monika really enjoys being a mom and looking for opportunities to serve the Lord from home. Third, Dennis’ parents moved to our area this year and they offered to watch the kids so Monika can still be involved some with the course. It is a blessing for the kids to have quality time with their grandparents once or twice a week and for Dennis’ parents to enjoy their grand-kids. And we are glad that Monika can still do some secretarial work for Dennis.
“My mouth shall tell of your righteousness and your salvation all the day long,
for I do not know their limits.” Psalm 71:8
The Claasen Family / Pal tribe Prayer:
Healthy relationships with the Pal people (and among the missionary team) from the start.
Oklahoma Prayer:
– That the students would learn much that will be helpful for them in their future ministry.
– For unity, good relationships and godly attitudes as we live and work very closely together and are very much affected by each other (there is not much privacy).
– That God would raise up a strong, faithful support team for our students so they can go overseas soon.
Other Prayer Requests:
– My dad has had health issues for the last few months for which he still doesn’t have a real diagnosis yet. Prayer: For wisdom for the doctors and for healing for my dad.
– That we would be faithful and diligent in training and teaching our kids the way the Lord would want us to and that they would get to know the Lord early in life.
– That we would juggle our responsibilities and the needs of our family well.
– For Vic Labutes, the Linguistics teacher who has major eye problems. For complete healing and that he will be able to resume full time teaching in January.
– That all the work for the Linguistics course would get done well and that we would know if this solution with the Linguistics teachers taking on a lot of Monika’s responsibilities and with Monika working some in the office will be sufficient.
– That the new Computer program will be a useful tool for Missionaries.
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Linguistics DYK
Did you know that…
… the Cherokee language has more than 50 different prefixes and suffixes that can attach to verbs? Not all of these can occur on the same verb at the same time, but it still can make for some very long words, like this one:
winitawtgeginaliskawlungtanawnelitisesti *
* By that time they will have almost done granting (favors) from a distance to them and to me