I hope you are well! I am thankful today that our Lord Jesus has promised to never leave or forsake His children.
For Joyce and I and my family, our life is resembling hiking a mountain in a dense fog. We can only see a few feet beyond our shoes and we do not know where the trail is going to lead. We have an experienced mountain guide who intimately knows the trail and we have to trust in His ability and not our own. In our lives there are so many question marks right now. We are just asking God for the next few steps and waiting on Him.
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| Mountains in Fog (photo taken in South Sudan) |
You may or may not have heard, that we (Joyce, Patience, and I, as well as my parents) are moving in a couple days on 9/15 and will be storing our belongings in order to travel for three to four weeks. We do not yet know where home will be when we come back, though all of us hope to stay within the Berkshires, close to our church family and all the connections we have made over the last year. Joyce and I are praying to stay locally here in Lee, as I will start volunteering at the Lee EMS and a local clinic Volunteers in Medicine VIM in October, though we are willing to go anywhere God wants us to be. We are asking God to direct us and you can be sure we will post the praise report here, when God comes through on our behalf!
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| Chopping and stacking... teamwork! |
Perhaps your asking, "where are those nomadic Luekens travelling to this time?" Good Question! As said in a previous update, Joyce and I are attending the Community Health Evangelism (CHE) course in Marion, NC from Sept. 23 - 28. God has already provided three/fourths of the tuition and very affordable lodging for my parents during the course, who will be watching Patience for us. We will be seeing friends and family on either side of the course and we may be travelling close to you! Our itinerary is not solidified and we may have flexibility to swing your way, so check out our tentative route. Lord willing, our trip will not be affected by the coming of Hurricane Florence, but we are praying for the areas that will be affected and I may have an opportunity to volunteer in the post-storm clean up for a couple days while we are down south.
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| Fall 2018 Possible Itinerary |
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| Visiting with a friend at a local farmers market |
Joyce and I had hoped to make a few month trip to S. Sudan in late November, but it seems that it may be postponed until next year. It really breaks our heart that we can't introduce Patience to the family in person or see Reggae soon. We have a lot of difficult decisions to make right now and need time to adjust to some of the transitions that God is bringing our way. Joyce's green card will need renewal by July 2019 and after that is finalized, there may be more freedom for us to travel "across the pond" as a family. We are asking for the Lord's timing for our return to Africa. As a good friend said, "God wears a different watch" and His time frame is always perfect.
Joyce's brother, Lodu (A.K.A. Reggae) is still in critical condition and his bedsores have increased. He is back in the refugee camp with Joyce's parents, who are caring for him and we just sent over gloves and wound dressing supplies to aid in his daily care. We are continuing to pray for his healing, whether that is God bringing him to his eternal home or a complete cure of his maladies. God knows. Both Joyce and I very much desire to see Lodu again, but we know it is in God's hands.
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| Hiking back from the playground with the Royal Maharincess Patience! |
~Please pray for:
-God ordained housing for Joyce, Patience, and I, as well as my parents, when we return from our trip in October.
-Provision and guidance for our travels (Sept. 15th thru the 1st or 2nd week of Oct.) and the remaining tuition cost for the CHE course (Sept. 23-28).
-God's specific direction for returning to Africa and wisdom for continued training and schooling while we are in the states.
-Very much needed increased monthly support for Joyce and I and my family, in order that we may cover daily living expenses here in the states.
-Continued prayer for Reggae and the rest of Joyce's family. We are asking God to make a way and provide so that they can all return to South Sudan and begin rebuilding their homes.
-Salvation and a true understanding of the Gospel for all South Sudanese, inside and outside of S. Sudan. Pray for the unreached people groups in South Sudan who haven't yet heard the gospel, that God may send workers into the harvest.
Rubanga kolu nyito (God be with you)!
~Jonathan and Joyce and Patience Lueken
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