Amazed at what God has done that we can see in 2017!! Praise Him for all He is doing that we cannot see in 2018!!

What an eventful, prayer-filled year!!  So eventful that we couldn’t take the time to keep you informed. Our  updates were spotty at best. I can honestly say that April to November felt like the busiest 8 months of my life! A year of crying out to God for so much +seeing His hand, even in little things, that gave us the faith to believe for greater things than we could ask or imagine…

^“Now to HIM WHO IS ABLE to carry out HIS PURPOSES

superabundantly MORE than all that we dare ask or think

[infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams],

according to His power that is at work within us,

to Him be the glory in the church in Christ Jesus

throughout all generations forever +ever. Eph. 3:20-21

Looking back on 2017 with tremendous gratitude !!!

A quieter winter & spring of B&B guests about one week a month which freed  me (Patty) up to spend hours on the phone with Jon, constantly praying as we tried to maneuver the visa process. Joyce didn’t get the copy of her 3rd corrected passport until March 23^rd,  leaving us 2 ½ months before Joyce would be at the end of her 8th month + unable to fly. For the next 2 months, we spent more than 2200 minutes each month on the phone, talking, working on paperwork & praying for God to direct the next step.

^“A man’s mind plans his way,

but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.”

Proverbs 16:9

 First, Jon’s Petition to request approval for Joyce to even apply for a visa usually takes 5 months + each of the 3 embassies we contacted told us to go to the other + we did not know what to do. Then out of the blue on May 9^th, we got an email from an embassy worker who asked us to send our request to have the Petition expedited and she saw to it that our request made it to Nairobi, Kenya the next day!! It was expedited & approved in one week on May 17^th!

I cried! but it left me with a SURE HOPE that God was with us!

Less than 3 weeks remained... After filling out Joyce’s visa application, we spent days securing proof of everything, even a financial sponsor. Then on Tues May 23 we secured the ONLY VISA APPTMNT AVAILABLE, so Jon & Joyce packed THAT night + left Wed. morning to drive 10 hours to the airport to fly to Nairobi Kenya at 2 am Thurs. for a 7am, 2 day health assessment. They stayed in Nairobi (GOD PROVIDED FREE HOUSING!) until the day after her Tues. May 30 appoitment. + her VISA WAS APPROVED!

Wed. May 31, they flew back to Uganda via GOD’S MIRACULOUS PROVISION as they had run out of funds (a missionary friend from another country felt led to wire them money). Then they traveled 10 hours back up north to the So Sudan border on Thurs night.; packed & said goodbye to family & friends Fri & Sat + traveled back 10 hours south back to the airport on Sunday.  They flew to the US on Monday, the first day of her 37^th week.  AND even with her visa in hand they almost did not let her board the plane!!!!!!!!!!!

An entire year process was accomplished in one month! Every step of the way we witnessed God’s miraculous intervention overcoming obstacle after obstacle.

So amazing, but it kept us on our knees! 

They arrived in Boston June 6^th!

The high that day was 48 degrees!!

Longed for family reunion! 

Josh, Em, Mary, Rog, Patty, Joyce, Jon 

God connected us with a wonderful midwife & after countless doctors appointments & lots of testing through the month of June...  

PATIENCE ROZANA arrived on July 8th weighing 6 lbs. 13 oz & 19 3/4 in.

Then we found out the cloud was moving!! Just as the children of Israel, God was moving us on + we had no idea where. We were confident that HE HAD A PLAN, so after a busy summer at Maplewood, we moved in with friends who had planned to use their newly renovated space for AirB+B in order to have income for their ministry & travels to Kenya Africa. So our rent helps them as they have a ministry to children & families there.

Packing to move was difficult b/c we now had this cute little distraction + her first few months were colicky, so it was wonderful that Auntie Em was there to share the “burden” of jiggling the little munchin” she affectionately named Pookie, before Emma moved out to eastern MA in early October.

Auntie Em and Pookie 

Four weeks after moving, we had a planned ministry trip to the Midwest to introduce Joyce to family + supportive friends/churches.  I was so overwhelmed at the thought of a trip after moving (w/my compromised brain issues – see Health Update post) that I cried out to the Lord over & over one night, + woke with the thought, STOP UNPACKING. So I had Roger take all the boxes back to storage + they are still there! When we finally returned to our new home in early Nov, we just needed to have a season of rest since moving + traveling, especially for Jon + Joyce! Since they got married their life had been so intensely difficult in so many ways. When I think back, I almost can't believe it myself all that they went through. How soon we forget all the amazing things that God did to protect them + part the Red Sea to get them here! We are just like the children of Israel, we forget + yet, our wondrous Father + precious Saviour never give up on us.

Over the holidays it was so nice to just stay home; be a family in our new place; reflect on God's goodness + focus more fully on what the season is about.  Having Joyce here makes everything special (like homeschooling again)  We explain more about the Scriptures; the message of the carols; view more things that have to do with Christ's birth + the Gospel !!!

Our lives are never in a vacuum, as you well know, concerns for family & friends, circumstances + emotions swirl around + force us to trust that God is with them + us.  You have been a huge part of this adventure as you have prayed. So we rejoice together! His faithfulness through it all is wonderfully overwhelming! I can't thank Him enough!! So much is out of our control in this life, but God is so faithful to hear our cries + answer according to His great wisdom + power for our good + His glory!                                                                                           

  In 2018, we hope to visit many churches & friends, old & new.
We will go wherever invited, if at all possible, as the Lord provides. Just call us 774-254-4336 or email plueken55@gmail.com or jonlueken@gmail.com   

New address:

c/o Herring 23 TYRINGHAM RD, LEE MA

01238

Abi (grandpa) + Patience at 6 mos