Merry Christmas to our Dear Family and Friends!

 

            As the years go by and we get older, life seems to get richer, fuller, and faster! We have had an especially eventful year in the Clouser family and want to bring you all up to date.  Many of you receive our regular updates and we want to thank you for your prayers and gifts over this past year.    We praise the Lord for His faithfulness during 2007. We see His promises fulfilled in our lives on a daily basis and we are blessed.

 

            Many years ago when we talked about our youngest child, Elizabeth’s, graduation from high school in 2007 it seemed like light years away.  Yet here we are - Elizabeth is a happy and well-adjusted college freshman and we are empty nesters for the first time!  As those of you who have been there know, this is a big life adjustment for us.  We will return to Burkina Faso in January with no children in tow.

 

            As our kids leave the nest one by one, God is blessing us with more children.  Our daughter Sarah has just become engaged to Jordan Hackenberg!  They are planning a June 14th wedding and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have Jordan as our son-in-law.  Because of the timing of the wedding, we are going to be able to attend Sarah’s Geneva College graduation in May so we are doubly blessed!

 

            Our son Daniel and his wife Jodi have recently experienced a major change in their lives.  Daniel has gotten a job working in food service management at Philadelphia Biblical University and this has meant a move from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia.  Daniel is enjoying his new job and both he and Jodi are enjoying their new surroundings.

 

            Our six months of home assignment have provided many wonderful opportunities to connect with churches, family, and friends.  The Pierces had a family reunion here in Georgia over Thanksgiving.  All of the Pierces being in the U.S. at one time is not to be taken for granted! We have enjoyed living in Toccoa, which has afforded us the blessing of being part of Elizabeth’s life as she has made her transition to college. 

 

            In the meantime, we are so blessed to have all of our kids with us for Christmas.  We treasure this brief time together.  After Christmas we will be making a final trip up north to say our good-byes to the Clouser family and return the van loaned to us by the Alliance Men of the Great Lakes district. Our departure for Ouagadougou is scheduled for Jan. 19th and we are looking forward to getting back “home” and jumping into all of the opportunities that await us there. 

 

            We want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in the Lord!  May Christ reveal Himself in new ways to each of you, and may you be abundantly blessed in 2008!

 

With love,

Steve and Debbi