Walking 2018 with our Lord Jesus

Anjo kinya udi si (Happy New Year)!

We are not usually this fancy, but this was a gift photo shoot from new friends in OH

I am blessed to be able to greet you in the year of Our Lord, 2018! So many blessings, challenges, lessons, and experiences of God’s Grace and Faithfulness in this past year. Joyce and I are free to come and share about God’s past and present faithfulness, as well as the more that we are praying for in this new year. If you are locally in the New England area, please let us know if you want us to come to your church, bible study, or even a small group of interested people gathered at your home. As Joyce is experiencing winter cold for the first time, any opportunity to share in the deep south sometime this winter may be a welcome respite😊. 

To see a review of the blessings at Operation Nehemiah Missions, check out Williams update here: https://www.operationsnehemiah.org/single-post/2017/12/21/Highlights-of-2017-Merry-Christmas-and-prosperous-2108 .

              My family and I personally have seen God’s mighty hand work on our behalf in 2017 and much to thank God for: 

Arriving in the USA on June 6, 2017 with warm greetings

~A miraculous intervention in my wife’s visa process so that we were able to fly to the USA on June 6^th, the first day of Joyce’s 37^th week of pregnancy.

Our dear midwife, Shivani

~A Godsent Midwife who donated her time and selfless care to Joyce through the last month of the pregnancy and the birth. We love and miss you Shivani!

Patience at 3 weeks

Patience at 4 months (she now is 6 1/2 months, 16 lbs. and 26 inches)

~One of our greatest gifts, Patience Rozana Lueken, born 6 lbs. 13 oz. and 19 3/4 inches om July 8^th, 2017. She is a joy and also greatly being used by the Lord to teach us, her parents, the real meaning of her name. 😊 Patience is a precocious and verbal little girl who loves teething on carrots, making Razzberries, and has a fascination with her newfound ability to shake her head no (we are working on teaching her to nod yes).

~I (Jonathan) completed an intensive online course in International Public Health through INMED, August to September. I learned a lot about supporting general body and community health, as well as disease prevention. These are all things I hope to bring back to S. Sudan and teach there.

~God’s Grace in our transition from Maplewood B&B in Otis to staying with and renting from dear friends in Lee, MA, who also do ministry work in East Africa. We moved 2 months after Patience was born and God directed us to our new home within a week of finding out we had to relocate.

Our family in front of the Grand Canyon of the East

~Few weeks after being in our new home, The African Luekens trio (with my Dad and Mom) set out on a 3 week, 10 state, 4,200 mile trip to visit family and friends. We were greatly blessed and encouraged as we had opportunity to see my Dad’s family, share, meet new friends (through Candle in the Window Hospitality Network), and fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ. Stops included PA, IL, MN, MO, KY, and OH. Thanks to all who opened their homes and hearts to us!

First snow. "Somehow good, but scary!" -Joyce

As we enter another year we greatly appreciate your prayers. Some of the specific prayer needs that you can lift up:

-Pray for the Church of Christ in S. Sudan and for the S. Sudanese people scattered throughout Uganda, to truly grasp the Gospel and for it to transform their lives from the inside out.

-Joyce and I are continuing to seek the Lord in raising our monthly support in order to help us with the more expensive cost of living here in the USA and the constant need in South Sudan as well..

-Through the winter, my wife and I want to take an online course in wholistic nutrition (Any suggestions or recommendations are welcome) to better equip us to help our own family and the South Sudanese in preventing disease and strengthening the immune system.
We are looking at a medical missions equipping course this April in Kansas city, MO, (https://inmedevents.org/event/2018hhc/) that we hope to both attend, Please pray for the needed resources for us to go. 

-I have discovered an Intensive Wilderness EMT Course and Geo Medic (third world medicine) course taught by SOLO Schools in Conway, NH, which I hope to take in May and then August. Appreciate your prayers for the tuition cost (food, board, and certifications included in the tuition fee).

-God’s Guidance as we try to use our time wisely in sharing and building relationships with all of you, our dear brothers and sisters in Christ, here in the USA until we head back to Africa by the end of the year.

- Nile Beth Israel Congregation working among the refugees in Uganda, which is asking God to provide more seating for the congregation that is rapidly growing.

Nile Beth Israel Messianic Congregation, Bibia, Uganda

There is much to thank God for in this past year, especially the many trials and challenges that He was faithful to bring us through and the spiritual growth that came through it all. In the words of a worship song by Matt Redman:

 “Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did you leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, You are faithful”

Rubanga Kolu Anyito! (God be with you all)

Jonathan, Joyce, and Patience

New Phone #: 774-203-8308

Operation Nehemiah Missions www.operationsnehemiah.org Operation Nehemiah Rebuilding the Republic of South Sudan from Bottom up, One family,  and one village at a time, for Jesus

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