A year and a half ago I traveled to Norway to give my daughter, Laken's hand in marriage. Then, in August of 2014 I went back to welcome their first child, Laila Elizabeth Sandrod.
This little girl (in the middle above) grew up to be this woman:
And now to be this mother:
God is good
Now it is March of 2015 and I am enrolled in a Disciple Training School of Missions at the YWAM center at Grimerud, Norway, just north of Oslo. It is a six month endeavor that is a bit out of my comfort zone, but it is all good....and what an adventure!
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Grimerud is a former boys school that some believers were able to obtain and begin a Youth With A Mission base. It is also a working farm and is located halfway between Stange and Hamar, Norway, just northeast of Oslo. It is totally staffed by supported missionaries who draw no pay-- that includes office, cafeteria, maintenance, farming, and every other aspect of life here. And it works well! I was so skeptical! We had hippie communes in my youth that seemed to work well for a bit, but always failed. This base is now 40 years old and is loved and cared for by everyone who lives and visits here. Pretty amazing! All it took was a Higher Power!
http://www.grimerud.no/events/40-ars-jubileum/
The dining hall is in the lower floor and upstairs there are dorm rooms and my class room. |
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Laila is now 9 months old and truly charms me! |
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This is my apartment (dorm) house. My room is upstairs with the light on, in the center of this picure. |
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Not long after my arrival there was a solar eclipse. We stopped class to come out and see. Sure enough! |
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I asked the class to look impressed as they looked at the eclipse...without protection. I am the only American in the class (I mean only Texan) and there are Dutch, Swedish,
Netherlands, Spanish, Colombian, Lebanese, and Australian members. No one has heard of the Alamo here! I said "What? Have you been living under a rock all your life? I'll bet you don't even know what barbecue and TexMex is!" But they seemed to know all about that! In class we were asked why God created the earth. After a little silence I spoke up and said "So He would have a place to put Texas" I don't know if my kind of humor will work over here.... |
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Class in progress! |