Greetings from Equatorial South Sudan!
The early rains have started here and along with everything beginning to turn green, we are noticing cooler temperatures and an increase in the mosquito population.
 |
Uncle Josh & Patience talk about riding a crocodile at the airport |
 |
| A Visit to the Nile with the Cousins (but no crocodiles!) |
We've made a lot of relational connects with family and old friends and made new friends. We are very happy of to have Joyce's parents finally join us. They have come to stay with us from the refugee camps, a couple of weeks ago, here at our rental house. We've had opportunity to have visits from many of Joyce's family. Many of her Uncles came a couple weeks ago & her sister Grace stayed to help for 4 weeks! Another one of Joyce's sisters & an older nephew (who is alot of help) has come to stay with us for a short time. And a number of other nieces and nephews have come to visit and stay awhile. The current number of cousins at our house comes to 12 girls and 3 boys (Including Patience & Benaiah). They are constantly playing from sunrise to sunset so that by 8pm most have dropped off to sleep from sheer exhaustion.
 |
| Coloring! |
 |
| Patience helps build our "local stove". |
 |
| "1..2..3..Iri! I'm a teacher, Follow me!" |
It's such a blessing to be able to stay with Joyce's parents and many other family members, since I've never had the opportunity to spend extensive time with all of them before.
 |
| Visiting with the Uncles |
 |
| Da'da Africa (Joyce's mom) and Benaiah |
Benaiah is repeating in his own way every word he hears, both in Madi and English. Patience is starting to pick up words & phrases as well.
We've had a couple of bouts of sickness since we got here. A few weeks ago, Patience had cold symptoms & cough that was getting better, but then she spiked a high fever that caused us to carry her on foot to hospital at 3am. We stayed there for two days. The first day malaria test came back negative & the next day Covid was ruled out.
 |
| A welcome distraction in pediatric ward |
 |
| Benaiah plays while Baba gets some needed fluids and rest. |
Both Joyce, Benaiah & I had major stomach issues & I was especially laid pretty low. I spent an afternoon at the local clinic, they ruled out malaria and typhoid & other things, so we are pretty sure it was some type of food poisoning. This past week Patience has dealt with frequent diarrheas' and had a high fever. A doctor put her on malaria medication and she has completely improved since she began taking it. There is a lot of new bacteria and germs we are being exposed to as we adjust, but God has been helping us to fight these illnesses and recover.
Not too long ago, we were able to go & survey Joyce's family's compound (cluster of huts) in Loa (about 1/2 hour north of where we are in Nimule). We found that all the houses have to be rebuilt from the ground up and all the mango trees have been destroyed by elephants and fire. We will be working together to build a larger house that Joyce's parents can stay in along with one of her brothers and his family. My in-laws will have family close by and more coming as the rest of Joyce's siblings gradually return.
We have started transporting loads of sand, brick, and aggregate (large gravel) to the homesite in Ongorro village, a small community within the village of Loa. We are encouraged to see others begin to come back to Loa and start rebuilding. There are other villages in our area that are full of people and more returning all the time. It is exciting and a true answer to prayer.
 |
| Surveying the old houses in Joyce's home compound |
 |
| Cleaning up the compound in Loa |
 |
| In front of Joyce's parent tukkel(hut) (L to R: Jonathan, Agala(brother), Albert(Father) Grace(Sister), Patience, Moriku Rozana(Mother) Joyce, and Benaiah |
One disappointing realization we have come to is that are two month stay here is not going to be enough for Joyce to get the midwifery practical we had been hoping for. The personal connections Joyce made with local midwives were unsuccessful as the village midwives she contacted were all retired and some had lost their papers in the civil war, excluding them from being able to enter and work in the hospital if there was an emergency. Joyce has some connections in the maternity ward but the process to begin working there would take one to two months, so we would be gone by the time she was authorized to help in the ward. We are trusting God has a plan and Joyce will continue her independent midwifery studies when we return to the states. Our hope is that our next trip will be longer and give Joyce the time she needs to get hands-on practical here in South Sudan.
 |
| Morning Breakfast preparations are always a production |
 |
| Cousin's Taking Tea |
Sadly, our time here is coming to an end and we have one week in South Sudan until we enter Uganda to visit Family. We will be flying for the USA on the 15th of April.
 |
| Another big thanks to "Let's Dress the Girls"! |
 |
| Sisters cooking together. |
 |
| A big thank you to my friend who blessed many households with quality kitchen knives. |
Since we arrived here in the middle of February, my burden for the people of South Sudan to know the true Gospel has grown. On a daily basis, I am faced with utter poverty, broken families, and desperation as people struggle to survive. The physical needs are great, but the underlying spiritual sickness has me crying out to Jesus. My plea to the Lord is that in my own human brokenness, I can point to Christ's wholeness and ability to redeem any life.
Please Pray for:
-Our daily relational connections with Family, friends, and the community here, that Christ might live the Gospel through us.
-That God would direct and guide the process of rebuilding a home in Loa, South Sudan for Joyce's family.
-God's hand on our physical health and that we would be fully recovered and healthy as we prepare to fly to the US.
-As families begin to return from the camps, that their hearts would be changed by the Gospel so that instead of seeking prosperity, the people of South Sudan would desire to build the kingdom of God.
-God's direction as Joyce and I hope to apply to join Serge (https://serge.org/), A cross-denominational Grace based, mission sending organization this summer. We are asking God to lead us as we hope to come under the direction and accountability of experienced and mature servants of God. Joyce and I both hunger for a deep discipleship in the Gospel and are very thankful for the Sonship discipleship program that we are going through right now.
-Thank you for your continued prayers and willingness to follow us in the great adventure the Lord Jesus has set before us.
 |
| Benaiah saying: "The excitement never ends!" |
Rubanga Kolu Nyito (God be with you)
~Jonathan and Joyce Lueken Phone #: 774-203-8308
PayPal jonlueken@gmail.com
Mail checks PAYABLE to Jonathan Lueken PO Box 1611 Stockbridge, MA, 01262
Temporary GoFundMe link for those who don't have Paypal:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/jon-and-joyce-2021-trip-to-south-sudan?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1
