Homeward Perigrinations : Part 3 - A final pictorial update from the Lueken's

Perigrinations? Jon's favorite word which means to travel from one place to another, a course of travel.

The last week of our trip (Oct. 11 - 18) eastward was spent with dear friends with no speaking engagements planned ahead. But, God kindly rounded out our trip with several opportunities to casually share stories and pictures with handfuls of folks in our friend’s living rooms. We enjoyed sweet fellowship, catching up, and even did some sight seeing!

Tennessee Oct. 11- 15 - Thomson's Station > Nashville > Pikeville, TN

Sweet Reunion with YWAM friends, Buddy & Eileen Zegel

Reunion with YWAM friend, Carol Thomas  --  Precious time with Jonathan & Monique Einwechter & family

Virginia Oct. 15 - 17 - Charlottesville, VA

                                    

                                    

A lovely visit with the Dumaresq's who treated us to a visit to Monticello!!

Pennsylvania Oct. 17 - 18 - Ephrata > Lehighton, PA > HOME!!

 Met the whole Einwechter clan & Jackie Siegal Moeller (YWAM) stopped in & a lovely overnite with the Charters 

10/18 Groceries purchased and we're set for HOME!
WE TRAVELED OVER 5400 MILES!!

As we look back on this trip, we are so thankful for the grace of God poured out to make this month, long trip not only possible, but a joy!  There was so much that was not set in stone or planned out ahead, but, whenever we had a need, He provided at the perfect time. Daily we could see His hand guiding, providing, orchestrating, and knitting our hearts with others.  It’s what He does in our midst that is profoundly needed, felt and lasting.  So we praise Him & are overwhelmed by what we can see and thank Him for all that we cannot see!

  We look forward to reconnect with those that we met when we do another future trip & 

we want to continue to share in New England 

among friends and churches here. 

We will come to your living room.

 Just invite a few friends & we'll enjoy sweet fellowship! 

Have a homeschool co-op or know of a christian school that would want to see Jon's pictures & hear about God's work in South Sudan? Let us know!

Jon is available for the next month or so, 

before he returns to South Sudan in Dec. for about 6 months. Fortunately, we have memorized his presentation, so we can come anytime thru May to share in your home or church.

PRAISE GOD…

~ for the generosity of God's people who gave toward the medical clinic, Jon's travel expenses, our needs on the trip, and beyond!!!

~ that having left home with only enough funds to get us to MN, God saw us home!

~ for the $500 collected for the medical clinic 

~ for unexpected speaking engagements, last minute housing & new friends!.

~ for rekindling of old relationships & the making of new ones!

~ for gifts toward Jon's travel expenses 

~ that we have $450 monthly support & how He has creatively provided & cared for us! We cannot begin to tell all He has done… ask and we'll recall with thanks!!

PRAY... 

~ for the $4500 more needed for the medical clinic to be reopened 

~ for arrangements for the upcoming trip and all that has to be done on the ground to be ready for their arrival.
~ for God's just-in-time provision of supplies & additional airfare needed for Jon's trip
~ for the means to get thru cheaply all the material donations to the people of S. Sudan.

~ for peace in S. Sudan b/c the Prince of Peace has come to reign in people's hearts!!

Thank you for your precious time and for your prayers for all!!
~ Jon

Check out the new website www.operationsnehemiah.org (still being updated)

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Our zig zag through Missouri, Part 2: A pictorial update from the Lueken Family

Ingoni!(Hello!)

There's so much that we can't see in the days ahead, but what we have seen God do on this trip has been overwhelming and has far surpassed our expectations in many ways, especially in rekindling relationships and building new ones. We arrived home this past weekend and thank God for His grace that carried us. 

We did not have much internet the last week so this is one of two updates about the last few weeks of our travels.

Oct. 1 - We dropped from MN to Kansas City, MO.  Stayed with new friends, the Pentimone’s. What a blessings to get to know their family.  Thankful to stay so close to the Family Economics Conference where we had a vendor booth to share about Operation Nehemiah.  What a wonderful time connecting with others from all over the country over that 3 days. 

There we got our first donation toward the medical clinic from a young boy of about 8 years old!! 

Thank you to the Pentimone's, who welcomed us into their home, so we could have a table at a conference in Kansas City, MO

Oct. 4 - traveled east to St. Louis, MO where we were to stay with my niece Bekah Thomas's family in one of the vacant apartments they are working on.  But an inquiry through A CANDLE IN THE WINDOW Hospitality Network, we got to stay 3 1/2 miles away with a dear new friend in the Lord for all 4 days!  Thank you, Sandie!!!

Jon shared at the Church of the Word, and it happened to be the weekend all our dear Thomases AND Robert & Jill Andrews were in attendance.  What a great audience! Pastor Matt Sheffer’s message was full of light to our souls bringing welcome conviction and hope in our Savior alone.

Though this was not a sight seeing trip, we could not pass up a visit to the St. Louis Zoo when it was free and we got to be with Bekah & her boys!

Blessed reunions with our dear Thomases in St. Louis, MO

Oct. 8 - 11 travelled westward again toward Springfield, MO to meet our friends, Melissa & Jordan for dinner and to share at their church... We ended up with FOUR opportunities to share in 4 days and had wonderful times of fellowship. God used our visit to connect us with dear folks from their area & to give us wise & proven counsel concerning Roger's health issues. 

An added blessing is that the day after we left, little Marian broken out in a rash which proved she was contagious while we were there.  Since returning home we have not had contact with family on either side in order to prevent sharing this with other.  A blessing? you ask! Yes, we have so much ministry follow up to do in the days ahead, that having these focused days is a real gift. God knew.

Special times with the Niednagel clan, refreshed and encouraged!

Oct. 11 - We traveled east to TN ... (to be continued in part 3 of our updates)…

As we look ahead, we are still praying about raising monthly support… We are hoping and praying that as folks we know support us even $10 or $25 a month, that the majority of the money raised as we share at churches and in homes will go toward the needs in South Sudan,  so far we have about $450 per month. 

[FYI: recurring credit card or PayPal withdrawal options available online OPTION 2, so nothing added to your to do list each month!]

We raised $500 for the Medical Clinic, $4500 more is needed to order the rapid diagnostic tests and treatment so that it can be re-open to serve the people. A recent inquiry about the medical clinic from someone we met a few weeks ago, gives us hope that God can move on hearts, far better than we can to fund this need.

Jon also has part of his travel expenses for his next trip to South Sudan which is slated for the end of November or early December and he may stay for 6 months!! 

We are available to share in your home or church in New England, just as we had done on this trip… 

Why stop now? Jon will be here through November and after that we will continue to share pictures and the testimony of God's work in South Sudan!!

Rubanga kola nito (God be with you)!

~Jonathan Lueken with Operation Nehemiah  774-254-4336

Operation Nehemiah Missions website www.operationsnehemiah.org

To Donate on the website scroll to the bottom - Choose option #2 

Then choose PayPal (we get 97%) or Credit card (we get 100%)

Note: one time or recurring/monthly option.

PayPal onlighthouse@gmail.com (we get 97%)

Mail checks to Operation Nehemiah PO Box 2401, Plainville, MA 02762 (we get 100%)

If you do not need a tax receipt:

PayPal plueken55@gmail.com (we get 100%)

October 2nd, 2014 - Fall Trip Part 1: Two weeks on the road from PA to Kansas City, MO, a pictorial update from the Lueken family

Hey everybody!

     It’s not possible to sum up all the many ways we have seen the Lord direct our steps... It is truly overwhelming!! Every step of the way we have been blessed and cared for... Several times errors in directions were averted at the last minute; visits with friends & no plans of sharing where doors opened up; housing that fell through was so wonderfully replaced with unexpected treats; the overwhelming generosity of God’s people has wonderfully provided for our needs as we travel! Our hearts rejoice at His faithful provision of our daily bread!! 

Jon shares at God's Family Fellowship

After leaving PA, we had the pleasure of meeting a family in Indiana who took us in, fed us well and shared a love of missions and a secret room behind a small bookcase that you had to crawl to and slide into. That was a real treat for Emma! Thank you, Hennings!! 

 Arriving in Minnesota, Roger’s sister who works in Minneapolis, got permission that we stay in a newly renovated house while in the city... what a huge blessing!

 Another unexpected treat for Jon was a divine appointment with Uncle Kwasi, (born in Ghana, Africa) who has been a doctor here and has in the past given himself, much like William Levi, for his people in Togo. He has more energy than all of us, has a passion for people, and at 75 years old is volunteering to teach African Drum lessons to former inmates (we even got to participate in a lesson!!). He is always teaching about life as he shares and he also cares for metal health patients and is just an all around dear man. He has many connections to medical resources that could be a blessing to Operation Nehemiah. 

Our few days up north with Roger’s older siblings and his mom, was not long enough, but very sweet with gifts and giving flowing back and forth and sweet fellowship was enjoyed. Jon shared his photos with them all and the cousins had a grand time together with talks of returning sooner than later. 

ROGER & HIS MOM 

 The last three days in Minneapolis, MN included a wedding & 8 visits with friends and family: Drum lesson & lunch with Uncle Kwasi, a blessed time of sharing at a dear old friends bible study, a reunion with one of Jon’s ALERT buddies after 4 years; a wonderful overnight reunion with a dear old friend of 35 years originally from Plainville, and 3 more visits with more dear Lueken’s.

Uncle Paul and Aunt Jill,  Parents of the Bride

Mom and Mary

Meeting cousins for the First Time

 So much has been out of our control & could not be arranged before we left on this trip, so we had to trust the Lord to order our steps and provided, & He has so beautifully filled in the vacancies of housing, speaking and other provision. As an encouraging friend recently shared:

 "They who place everything in the Hand of God, 

will see the Hand of God in everything." 

 Our God is showing Himself to be more faithful than we have ever experienced before!! Overwhelmed by His amazing love and care!

Thanks for your prayers,

More updates from the trip forthcoming!

Rubanga kola nito (God be with you)!

~Jonathan Lueken with Operation Nehemiah  774-254-4336

Lueken's webpage:

www.operationsnehemiah.org/Nehemiah_Light_House.html

Operation Nehemiah, PO Box 2401, Plainville, MA 02762 

www.operationsnehemiah.org

Operation Nehemiah Missions - Headquarters: 413-770-4711

 PO Box 563 Lanesborough, MA, 01267