Hello There!
It has
been so long that you might have thought that we got on a boat, floated down
the Nile, and never returned. But the fact is that we are alive and kicking,
just very busy! Our three kids are growing leaps and bounds and so is their
energy level, so consequentially we are running to keep up. We also have
experienced some big changes within our family and some grand adventures on the
horizon, of which I will be sharing shortly. I have some incredible reports of
answered prayer and a big prayer request.
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| Lydia reading her favorite book. |
First
some exciting news from us Luekens here in the Berkshires. Over a year we had
been praying for a larger home where we could spread out. Sleeping all
five of us in one bedroom was getting squishy with presenting symptoms of insomnia. We loved where we were living in
Lenox Dale, but it was getting too small for us. We also wanted to have a place
large enough so that my parents could move in with us, as we work together as a
team and they are very involved with our children and their homeschooling.
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| Our new rental home! |
It was this summer that the opportunity to rent a beautiful 3 to 4-bedroom house in the beautiful
hill town of Windsor, MA presented itself. God made it possible and we moved on
September 1st! Joyce and I’s family, along with my parents, are
renting from dear Christian friends and the property has a large barn and an extensive
yard that is perfect for gardening, chickens, and for the kids to run around.
We are surrounded by wildlife areas and hiking trails and are fast becoming part
of a very close-knit community. I am so thankful for how God provided way
beyond our expectations! We also have a guest room, so if you ever want to come
for a visit, please let us know!
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| Abi (Grandpa) giving wheelbarrow rides. |
Many of you have been praying for
the continued work on the house we have been building for Joyce’s parents. Last
time I wrote, we were hoping to make it livable so Albert and Rozana Kenyi
could come out of the refugee camps and return to their home in Loa (South
Sudan).
I know I shouldn’t have been, but I
was utterly amazed how God came through. It was right around Christmas of 2022
that God provided through someone very close to us to restart the work in the
new year. Starting in January 2023, we were able to coordinate the work of
plastering the walls, installing doors and windows, and tiling the floors. With
the hard work of our team on the ground, we were able to get the house to a
livable and secure status. In addition, God provided so we were able to open
five acres of garden to plant needed crops for my in-laws when they came back.
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| Installing the door |
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| Outdoor kitchen under construction. |
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| Back of the house. |
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| Front door and porch. |
While we all are thankful for their return
home, it has not been without its challenges. The first night they stayed
there, a small plot of corn just outside the house was destroyed by a silent
herd of 30 elephants. This scare almost caused them to leave. Fast forward to
September, when we had two acres of corn almost ready to harvest, two acres of
sesame seed(sim sim), and an acre of onions, cabbages, tomatoes, and other
veggies. We had installed solar lights around the perimeter of the fields,
hoping to scare the elephants away and protect the crops that would be
essential for surviving through the dry season. Unfortunately, two weeks before
the corn was ready to harvest, the Elephants came and consumed all the corn and
various veggies, decimating three acres. This was discouraging, as corn
especially is a staple crop. We are thankful that Joyce’s family joined hands
and were able to harvest and store all two acres of the sesame fields. We are
praying for God’s provision to replace the food that was lost.
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| The corn that was destroyed by elephants.. |
A very recent praise report came
after the president of South Sudan paid a visit to Loa where his wife is buried.
Some of the officials and soldiers accompanying him respectfully asked to stay in
my in-law’s house. They enjoyed their stay so much that they decided to put a bore hole/well for the local community right next to the house! This is such an answer to prayer because the existing
bore hole had stopped working. Joyce’s parents and brother were relying on
rain water, which ends in January during the dry season . It will be a blessing for Joyce’s aging parents to have the water
so close and it will become a gathering spot for the local community with
opportunities to show Christ’s love to our neighbors.
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| Benaiah the fireman eating breakfast with his sisters. |
Finally, Joyce and I desperately
want to take a trip to visit Joyce’s family this coming January or February 2024. Our last
trip was in 2021 and the Grandparents over there have not met our youngest yet. We
would love to spend two to three months with family and friends, exploring
opportunities for Joyce to volunteer at the local clinic doing doula/midwifery work and for me to teach on
local radio stations and at churches. We also hope to get the farm fields ready for
the 2024 rainy season and bless any of the neighbors that have returned.
God has already provided the bulk of our
airfare cost, but there is still a mountain of logistics that we are praying
into. To be honest, Joyce and I are very discouraged as it seems so impossible
and beyond our resources to get a trip together. We are
asking God to trust that if He wants us to go, He will provide what we need and
orchestrate it in His timing. Please join us in prayer for:
~Some final house renovations in Loa, South Sudan,
including:
-Finishing
the Latrine
-Solar panels and electrical wiring
for the house
-Painting the house
~A reliable off-road vehicle for us to have while in South
Sudan and to help Joyce’s family. These run close to the price of a reliable
used vehicle here in the states.
~Various needed supplies for our family to travel over there
and stay in South Sudan for two plus months.
~Visa costs for entering Uganda and South Sudan.
~Protection for Joyce’s parents and brother from elephants,
sickness, and other dangers. Also, that God would provide for and bring the
rest of Joyce’s family out of the refugee camps and back to their home in Loa
all together.
~That God would prepare our hearts for opportunities to
share the Gospel with family and friends when He brings us there.
Thank
you so much for your prayers and God bless you!
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| Lydia saying Hi! |
Merry Christmas!
Jonathan, Joyce, Patience, Benaiah, and Lydia
Phone
#: 774-203-8308
PayPal jonlueken@gmail.com
Mail
checks PAYABLE to Jonathan Lueken
213
Bates Road, Windsor, MA, 01270
Jonathan, Joyce, Patience, Benaiah and Lydia Lueken
Roger
and Pattty Lueken
213
Bates Road, Windsor, MA, 01270
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