"As cold waters to a
thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." Proverbs 25:25
2008 - News & Updates
October 6, 2008
Malawi: Due to the extensive rains a few months ago, many of
the saints' maize crops were destroyed. The price of maize is very
high and many are struggling to feed their families. The saints are
encouraged and are planning revival meetings for the rest of this
year.
Nigeria: There are three congregations in Nigeria which
are in need of a chapel building. They are looking to the Lord to
provide them the facilities necessary to conduct services and to be
a light to their surrounding communities.
Kenya: We continue to receive good reports of souls being
saved and of people responding to the call of the gospel message.
Below are pictures of the orphanage that is in the process of being
built by Bro. Peter and the saints and orphans of the congregation.
The congregation now schools and cares for over 100 orphans.
We thank the Lord for the safe return of Bro. Doug and Sis. Lenita
Wall, Bro. Matthew Gellenbeck and Bro. Michael Smith. They arrived
home Tuesday just before noon. The Lord especially gave Bro. Michael a
divine touch to his body to be able to make the trip home. We thank
the saints for their prayers and the Lord for His mercies. Please
continue to pray that the seeds sown will yield fruits in an eternal
harvest.
June 21, 2008
The ministers' meeting was concluded today. This afternoon
surrounding congregations began to gather in for the weekend. The
afternoon service was attended by around 350 people. Bro. Doug
conducted the service. More people are arriving throughout the day.
The congregations build grass shelters that resembles a row of
booths. There is one shelter for each congregation. That is where
they will spend the night tonight. In the morning, there will be a
final service before the group will leave to return to the city.
They will fly out of Africa on Monday and arrive in Oklahoma City on
Tuesday afternoon.
This will be the last update until after their
return as I will not have access to the computer for the next few
days. We thank each of you for your interest and the burden of
prayer you have carried for this trip. God has heard your prayers.
Please remember the travelers that the Lord will keep them well even
after their return. I am sure that there will be a more in-depth
report along with pictures added to the sight when possible.
June 20, 2008
The ministers' meetings have been attended by a nice group of about
35-45 ministers. They are holding 2 general sessions per day, often
covering more than one topic per session. Everyone is doing well,
but getting tired. Tomorrow there will be a ministers session in the
morning and a general service for everyone in the afternoon. People
will be gathering in for the weekend services. They will conclude
with a morning service on Sunday before returning to the city.
June 18, 2008
Today they traveled to five congregations in Malawi for services.
That was cut down from the seven services that had been scheduled.
They travel as much as they are able and cut it down when they have
to. The remaining days will be spent in the village having
ministers' meetings on Thursday and Friday and campmeeting services
on the weekend. We are so thankful that the Lord has preserved them
this far.
June 16, 2008
Today was a full day of travel and visiting. They crossed the border
from Malawi to Mozambique after some delay. Enthusiastic crowds
greet them at each stop. They have visited five locations. Sometimes
more than one congregation will gather at the agreed location. The
people are giving them gifts of chickens, eggs or other items. They
only have a short time for a service at each location.
June 15, 2008
Today's schedule was reduced to visiting 4 congregations. Bro.
Michael has been having problems with seizures and was unwell this
morning. He was thankful that most of his trouble had been at night
for the past few days. Please pray that the Lord will continue to
give strength to all of them. Tomorrow they are going into
Mozambique to visit congregations there for a couple of days.
June 14, 2008
I spoke with Michael today. They arrived in Mskita village
yesterday. They are staying in Bro. Failos' house. They have rented
a vehicle to use. Transportation costs have been even higher than
anticipated. Fuel is costing 5-6 dollars/gallon in Africa.
Today
they drove all day and visited 7 congregations for services. Bro.
Failos Namaozongo (the chief of Mskita village), his son, Liston, and the
translator, Master, are traveling with them. Tonight they were
returning to the village. Tomorrow they are to visit 8 more
congregations.
Matthew has been the acting chauffer. They are traveling in bush
country now, very much off the beaten path in the mountains of
Malawi. There have been lots of rough roads and at times Matthew has
to "make a road", but at least they didn't have to do a lot of
walking today.
June 11, 2008
The group arrived safely in Malawi. Bro. Michael said that he was
given the same hotel room that Bro. Bob Sallee and Sis. Karen stayed
in when she had malaria so that brought back memories of another
trip. Tomorrow the group will get some needed rest before resuming
travel. They also may visit an orphanage and purchase Bibles for
distribution.
The Lord has given them a successful and profitable trip to this
point. Thank you for your prayers in their behalf.
June 09, 2008
Sunday was the last day of services in Tanzania. Bro. Michael
preached the morning service, but due to physical difficulties was
unable to attend the afternoon service where Bro. Doug ministered.
The Lord has been faithful to help Bro. Michael on the trip, but he
is still not well in body. In addition, some of them are still
having some stomach problems.
They will return to Nairobi, Kenya
tomorrow and from there will fly to Malawi on Wednesday. That will
mark the half-way point of the trip and a changing of gears in the
mission.
The congregations in Malawi and Mozambique are the first ones
that Bro. Michael and Bro. Bob had contact with years ago. The group
will be traveling with Bro. Failos and Bro. Master to numerous
congregations in Mozambique and Malawi. This means a rigorous
schedule of travel to several congregations in a day having a short
service in each location. Some villages are so remote that there is
no road that a vehicle can travel. They must leave the
transportation and walk or bike for an additional distance.
These personal visits are very important to the congregations to
confirm to them that the same gospel they have been taught is what
we believe. On the last visit, it was impossible to visit all of the
congregations and Bro. Michael left with some of the people still
begging for a visit. Some men came from a long distance and pled
with him to please try to come. They said, "We will all go out and
make a road for you to reach us". However, it was the last day and
there was no more time. On this trip they are trying to visit some
of those congregations that have not been visited before.
At the end of the visit, they will return to Bro. Failos' village
and hold several days of minister's meeting ending with a
campmeeting.
June 07, 2008
Bro. Michael called this morning. They are doing well besides some
minor stomach upsets from eating unfamiliar food. They will finish
up their meetings in Tanzania tomorrow and return to Kenya sometime
Monday.
He called with a special prayer request for Bro. Peter's 3 year old
daughter. Some time back when the violence was taking place in
Kenya, Bro. Peter's family took refuge in the forest for awhile. His
daughter has been sickly since that time.
Bro. Peter received word that she has grown much worse. She is
unconscious and in the hospital. It is getting toward evening in
Tanzania and the roads are closed at night so Bro. Peter will be
leaving the group and returning home very early in the morning.
Please pray that the Lord will work a miracle for Bro. Peter's
family.
June 05, 2008
Bro Doug reports that they traveled the 6 hour trip and arrived at
Brother Paul's in Tanzania. Everyone is doing well. He said it has
been a successful trip. They have had services in Nairobi, at
Brother Peter's and Brother Joseph's. All of these were in Kenya.
They held a baptismal service after the meetings at Brother
Joseph's. They are to start services in Tanzania tomorrow.
June 04, 2008
The past two days have been spent holding services in Southwest
Kenya. Tomorrow the plan is to travel to Tanzania for several days of
meetings.
Sis. Tricia Bell expressed a burden that the saints make
a combined effort to fast and pray every day while the group is
gone. If there is a day of the week that you can commit to fast and
pray for the success of the trip, contact Sis. Tricia by phone at
918-247-4579 or email at
triciaskitchen@ecewb.com or
rene-smith@sbcglobal.net
.
Let us pray for the spiritual success of this effort. There is a
great dependency on the Lord for wisdom, discernment and an
outpouring of the Holy Spirit in witness to truth. Pray that the
workings of Satan will be exposed and defeated. Those traveling need
prayer for physical protection and stamina for the rigorous schedule
they are keeping. They are depending on our prayers to bear them up
while they are gone.
June 02, 2008
The mission group spent a couple of days in Nairobi and had services
with them on Sunday. Bro. Michael awoke this morning feeling very
unwell. After an agreement of prayer the Lord gave him a definite
touch to his body and he was able to travel all day. They traveled
from Nairobi to southwest Kenya, arriving at Bro. Peter's house this
afternoon. They plan to have two services a day for the next
two days, then they will go into Tanzania.
May 31, 2008
Bro. Michael Smith, Bro. Matthew Gellenbeck, Sis. Lenita and Bro.
Doug Wall (pictured below), departed from Oklahoma City on May 28
and arrived in
Kenya on May 30. We are so thankful the Lord helped Michael to sit
through over 20 hours of flights without having a seizure. He did
suffer a seizure the first evening they were in Nairobi, Kenya, but
is doing fair today.
The group will be traveling and ministering
intensively for the next 10 days in various parts of Kenya and
Tanzania. Their spirits are high and they are ready to do the
work God has for them to accomplish. We thank each of you for your
prayers for this missionary effort. We will post updates as we
receive them.
May 24, 2008
Lord willing, Bro.
Doug & Sis. Lenita Wall, Bro. Matthew Gellenbeck and I will be
leaving May 28 for Africa. We will be gone four weeks. We desire a
continued interest in your prayers that the Lord would protect us
and help us be a spiritual blessing to those with whom we have
contact. We have a very intense schedule and will be covering a lot
of territory on this trip. We need wisdom and discernment from the
Lord that we can minister effectually in every situation.
I praise the Lord for all he has done for me and especially for
answering our prayers for my healing from Malaria. Today I am well
by the grace of God. One week and a half before the date of my
flight back to Germany from Ghana/Africa I started to feel not well
but I tried to oppress my feelings. But one week later my strength
has started to leave me and my wife booked for me a flight three
days earlier than the original date. I was sure I had Malaria and my
first thoughts were about the heavenly Home and my heart was filled
with joy. The song No. 365 (Evening Light Songs) and the scripture 2
Tim. 4: 6 - 8 came to my mind. So I was ready to go, but my prayers
were always: "Thy Will Be Done". I am thankful God gave me strength
to travel a whole night by bus and to wait a whole day at the
airport. On the airplane the fever started to return and it was a
very hard trip but praise God I was able to reach home. At home each
day I got worse and worse so that I was not able to eat, drink or to
speak any more. But one evening we have prayed the prayer of Faith
and the sickness was gone. Thank the Lord. After this evening I
started to recover, so I am thankful God has given me more time to
pass with my family and to live and work more for him. I am thankful
for all your prayers and all who have suffered with me. I have felt
all the prayers of the Saints. I am so sorry that my family has
brought to you so much trouble with our sicknesses last time. We
appreciate all what you have done for us and we love you all.
Your Bro. in Christ
Alen Laukert
May 6, 2008
We give God thanks for healing Bro. Alen of malaria. He continues to
gain strength. He was able to be out of the house in the car the
other day. May the Lord bless each one who has carried a burden for
Bro. Alen. What a mighty God we serve.
April 26, 2008
We give praise and glory to God for what He has done. Bro. Alen has
gone two days without fever. He is eating three times a day and
sleeping at night. He is able to get up some during the day, though
he is still very weak. We praise God for breaking the cycle of the
malaria in his body. The Laukerts thank the saints for their prayers
and for joining in this burden. Continue to pray that the Lord would
completely restore Bro. Alen to health.
Here is an excerpt of
communication from Sis. Elina on April 25: Dear Rene and all
saints, today I must tell you from the miracle which Jesus the Lord
had made on us. From what shall I start??...
I can't write this in words, and my tongue can't tell the goodness
and love of our saviour. Dear brethren and sisters praise the Lord
with us who have touch my husband. God had hear our prayers and
cries and have saved us in a short time!!! O he is worthy to be
praised!!!
Alen have a good appetite, he said I have HUNGER!!! It wasn't
happened the days before!!! His eyes are more opened. He is active,
not in his body, but with his mind. I must think today: "The old
Alen is again here" Praise the Lord! ...He smile now, and enjoy the
children and wanted to play with them.
In the difficult situations is the Lord so near at us! He let
us never alone! I have made this experience again and again! And
when we don't see a way out HE is able and make us a wonderful
way!!!
He show now his emotion, what he couldn't do before. It was better
yesterday but today you can SEE it with your own eyes what the
kind-hearted Lord have done on him. It is to me as God was
personally here and was healed them!!!
Well, in this battle, I could learn and feel more the love, the
grace the kindness and the presence of our heavenly Father. He is
really a father!!! that his ways are the best way! We must only
trust and have faith in him. He hears our prayers and even our sigh
go up to his throne. Should we not love and serve him more faithful
than before??? O yes, I want to do this. HE is my all in all!!!
Many, many love and special thanks to you all!!! -ELina-
April 22, 2008
Bro. Alen is back in Germany with his wife and children. He is very
sick with malaria and is growing weaker. He continues to have cycles
of fever and chills. He is critically ill and needs a divine touch
from the Lord. Sis. Elina asked if some of the saints
would be willing to enter into a special day of fasting and prayer
with them tomorrow, Wednesday, April 23. Let us enter into this
burden and pray that the Lord would heal Bro. Alen's body.
April 22, 2008 Excerpt from a letter from Nigeria:
"....Here in Port
Harcourt we have planned to hold our quarterly revival meeting on
24th – 27 of April and Crusade at Ede, our new field, from 29th May
to 1st June, 2008. You can also put these plans in yours for God’s
blessings.
Thanks and God bless.
In Him,
Bro. F. Naths-Igbanibo"
April 11, 2008
Bro. Alen Laukert has been in Ghana for a number of
weeks helping complete some building projects that he had begun on a
previous trip. He is scheduled to come home on April 16. For the
last few days he has been getting worn down. He has started having
fever and has began to have chills. He still has some strength and
is trying to get back to Germany early. He has been unsuccessful
thus far to get a new ticket. Please join us in prayer that the Lord
will heal Bro. Alen and help him physically and emotionally in this
difficult time. Let us pray that the Lord will help Sis. Elina and
the children. They have been through many battles the last year and
need special strength and courage. --Michael Smith
Mission Report of Ghana
The report below was submitted by Bro. Ludwig Laukert who is a
brother to Bro. Alen. Bro. Ludwig and his father, Bro. Wilhelm had
been in Ghana with Bro. Alen helping support the work. The report is
a testimony of a God who is still working miracles in the lives of
His people. --Michael Smith
Praise the Lord, Bro. Smith,...
...for he is good. As you already know my father and I have been in
Ghana from March 10. through March 26. to visit the saints there.
Actually the trip was planned in the time when Bro. Alen with his
family were still in Ghana. Hence the purpose of this trip has been
to visit them and support them spiritually. Due to Sister Elina's
sickness they had to return to Germany and so we couldn't cancel our
flight tickets. In order to make the best out of this situation we
decided to visit the Ghanaian saints and help them with the
construction work of the chapel in Nkinkaso.
....One week after our return I got very sick. I had high fever, a
headache and all my organs hurt. So I got at once the suspicion of
having Malaria. The Holy Spirit reminded me of Peter's
mother-in-law. She has had high fever, too, but Jesus lay his hnd on
her brow and she could serve them at once. As a result I got a
desire to have laid hands on me. I have told my father about it and
we prayed while he treated me according to James chapter 5. I told
to Jesus that if he heals me, I will tell evrything what the Lord
has done for me during our trip to Ghana and about my healing as
well. And praise the Lord, Hallelujah!! He is more than a father to
me. He is caring for his children more than we could ever think. I
don't know what kind of sickness I had, but one thing I know: Jesus
has been faithful to his promises and the fever left after prayer
while the pains in my stomach have vanished gradually so that I
could attend school two days later. I can't express my gratitude
towards God. He has showed his goodness on our trip, too:
Most of our time we spent to work on the building site in Nkinkaso.
When my father descended the well in order to have a look on the
pump, a snake snapped at his bare foot. After killing the snake he
climbed out of the well and showed it to Bro. James and Bro.
Immanuel who were working on the building site, too. They were
shocked to hear that the snake has bite him because it has been a
poisonous snake. But once there is a promise in Mark that the snakes
can't harm God's children. Praise the Lord for such promises. The
bite had no effect on my father's health. Praise God. Proclaim his
goodness everywhere!
At an other time my father was welding while the native brothers
have gone to fetch food. While welding a spark fell down on the dry
ground and set fire to the grass. When we noticed the fire the
flames were already quite big. We tried to extinguish the fire with
a shovel because we had no water. But when the flames became bigger
the heat of the fire stopped us from getting close to it. So we
couldn't do anything except relying on God. In that moment I
couldn't imagine how God will handle the case. There was a cocoa
plantation on one site, and on the other the road. If the plantation
would catch fire, we had to pay all the cocoa trees. And since the
fire fighters in Ghana are not as qualified as in Germany we could
only wait upon God. I think you can imagine how fire spreads quickly
if there is dry grass!! But God has created fire. So he has more
power than the fire. He is greater! Praise God! He just has sent the
wind in direction to the road, where the fire had to stop. It is
just a miracle! The fire didn't go to the neighbors. God had mercy
with us. He showed to us that we are helpless without him. That we
are dependant on him and that we can do nothing without him. Praise
God for this lesson.
My report will grow to a book if I enumerate everything God has done
for us. We are just astonished how God worked everything out and how
his hand accompanied us in order to protect us. God is good!
We had the privilege to enjoy two Sundays in Ghana. On one Sunday we
attended the service in Akumadan while we have spent the other
Sunday in Tanaso for worshipping. It was a blessing to meet the
saints in different places. They were so kind and interested. I
thank God for the saints in Ghana. We need each other. I thank God
for the opportunity to get to know them and to talk to them about
many christian subjects. On the last evening we had the desire to
hold the Lord's supper and feet washing all together. The native
brothers told us that they have hold the Lord's supper and feet
washing only 2-3 times ever since. So they were glad to hold it once
again. It was a great blessing especially to me to experience the
equality and love for everyone Jesus has brought. I thank him for
this great plan of salvation.
...I'm not worthy of the love the saints in Ghana showed to us. So I
got a desire to visit them once more. So I'm waiting for the Lord's
call because I don't want to do anything without the approval of the
Lord. For I can't do anything without him as he has showed me during
this trip. So please pray for me.
Yours sincerely,
Ludwig and Wilhelm Laukert
March 11, 2008 Planned Africa Trip
Lord willing, Bro. Doug, Sis. Lenita Wall and I will be making a
trip to Africa this summer. I was planning a trip to Malawi and
Mozambique and Bro. Doug was planning to return to Kenya and
Tanzania. As we communicated, we both felt the Lord would be pleased
for us to travel together in mutual support of the work. Hence, we
will be leaving the States on May 28 and will return on June 24.
We
desire an interest in your prayers that the Lord would meet every
need of this trip. There will be a lot of hard traveling by vehicle
to visit different congregations and contacts. In addition to having
services in local congregations, we will be holding a ministers'
meeting in Malawi. Last time I did this, there were over 50
ministers/gospel workers present. We desire for the Lord to bless in
the teaching and preaching of the Word wherever we go. Lord willing,
we will also be working on purchasing and setting up a mill in
Malawi. In both Kenya and Malawi, we plan to visit orphanages to
understand better the needs and opportunities in reaching out to the
needy children of Africa. As we are able, we will also be purchasing
Bibles in the native language of the people.
Tickets this year were purchased for over $2100 each. While this
is a large sum of money, it was cheaper than making two separate
trips. This cost not only includes the flight to Africa, but the
flights between Kenya and Malawi. There will also be large expenses incurred in transportation
costs on the ground. It can be much more expensive to hire a vehicle
in parts of Africa than here in the United States - especially out
in rural, rough areas (A few years ago, it was $50-$75/day). We will
be helping to provide meals for the 100's of people that come out
for the central meetings. The needs in Africa are never-ending as it
is a very impoverished continent. The greatest burden of both the
Walls and myself are for the spiritual needs. We feel often as Peter
and John who said "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have
give I unto thee... " We are looking for the Lord to give us wisdom
and anointing as we minister to the unsaved and to the household of
faith in Africa.
Sis. Lenita desires and needs a special touch from the Lord to
enable her to go with strength on this trip. Please pray that the
Lord would honor her willingness and faithfulness and pour out a
divine healing on her body. On a personal note, the trip looms large
as I am still having a number of physical problems. It is difficult
enough at home at times, even without the rigors of Africa. While
God has helped me so much the last few months in that I am able to
walk well, I still have a lot of headaches and pain in my body. I
also continue to have seizures from time to time. Hence, I am also
looking for a divine touch from the Lord. The Walls and I ask an
interest in your prayers that the Kingdom would be furthered through
the endeavors and labors of this trip. We are trusting that the Lord
will give us safety and health that we may return to our families.
--Michael Smith
Malawi Report: Through provision of some of the saints, we
were able to send funds to purchase 100 bags of maize to be divided
among some of the families that lost their homes and crops due to
the extensive rains in Malawi and Mozambique.
Ghana Report: Bro. Igbanibo and two other ministers
traveled to Ghana from Nigeria as detailed Feb. 16. The Lord blessed
them with a spiritually profitable trip. Their efforts were rewarded
with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Bro. Igbanibo reported that
the Lord had helped in some of the situations. We appreciate so much
the faithfulness of the Lord and of our brethren in Christ. Let us
continue to remember the work in Ghana that the Lord will draw them
together in unity and love and help them to be a shinning light in
this world.
Bro. Alen Laukert is currently in Ghana. His father
and brother plan to spend some time there as well to help work
on a chapel building. Let us pray that God would bless them all both
spiritually and physically.
February 16, 2008
There have been some spiritual needs in Ghana for some time that we
have been praying the Lord would resolve. I was personally preparing
to make a trip and had received my visa. I then talked with Bro.
Igbanibo from Nigeria. He said he and two other established
ministers would be willing to go. Hence, this office sent funds to
pay for these three ministers from Nigeria to go to Ghana to give
some teaching and to try to minister to some needs at present. I
will not be going myself at this time. The brethren will arrive in
Ghana on Monday, February 18 and will be there about a week. Please
pray that the Lord would pour out a rich anointing and that the Word
and Spirit will accomplish much in this mission endeavor.
--Michael Smith
February 8, 2008 There has been extreme flooding and
rain in Eastern Africa. Thousands have fled their homes in
Mozambique. Around 120 families from the saint congregations in
Mozambique have gone to Malawi for refuge to escape the flood water.
Their homes and crops were damaged and some destroyed. Another 50
families in Malawi were affected. While they didn't lose their
homes, they lost their crops. Eleven chapels have collapsed due to
the rain and flooding. Let us remember the affected families and
congregations that God would bless them spiritually, emotionally,
and temporally. --mws.
February 5, 2008 Sis. Elina Laukert is gaining strength
and is doing much better. We again thank each one for their prayers
and support of the Laukert family.
January 31, 2008
The violence in Kenya is escalating and the saints are being
affected. Below is the report we received this morning from Bro.
Doug Wall:
"I just spoke with Bro. Peter (from Kenya) and he said the orphan's
school books and desks were burned, but the chapel is ok. In Bro.
Joseph's congregation he said two orphans were killed in the clashes
and the chapel was destroyed. Traveling is a problem, but Bro. Peter
and his family are ok. I believe getting food is a problem."
The Laukerts extend their sincere appreciation to the saints for all
the love, prayers and support to them in this time. The trip
expenses have been covered. Last night, Sis. Elina had severe,
burning stomach pains. She was unable to
sleep due to the pain, but the Lord came to their rescue and gave
her relief. She was able to sleep from 1-5 a.m. She awoke without
the pain, but was left feeling weak from it. Her color is improving
day by day. We thank the Lord for what He is doing.
January 25, 2008 Special thanks to all who have contributed
funds to help pay for the Laukerts' tickets. We are quickly
approaching the full amount and we appreciate each sacrifice. May
God bless you all. - M. W. Smith
Note: If anyone has
a desire to help relieve the Laukert's financial burden (Airline
Tickets: $5500), offerings may be sent to Church of God c/o Michael
Smith, 605 Bishops Court, Nixa, MO 65714. Please designate the funds
for the Laukert family. The Laukerts have not in any way asked for
funds. They are trusting God to supply for the present need.
January 23, 2008 We appreciate all the prayers for the
Laukert family. Sis. Elina is doing very well. She is not having the
cycles of fever any more and is getting up and around as she feels
able. We thank the Lord for her improvement.
January 21, 2008 We are thankful to report that the Laukerts
arrived safely at Bro. Alen's parents' home. Sis. Elina is very
tired and weak. Please continue to pray that God will completely
heal her body and restore her strength.
January 19, 2008 Sis. Elina was released from the hospital
today. She is back at the hotel. They will fly out of Accra tomorrow
night at 8:30 p.m. local time. There is a 6-7 hour flight and 4 hour
drive for them to reach home.
January 18, 2008 Sis. Elina is better today. The hospital has
given Bro. Alen the required paper and will release her tomorrow.
Sis. Elina will need to go to the hotel and rest for a day. Bro.
Alen is going in the morning to try to change their tickets to leave
Sunday for Germany.
January 17, 2008 3:30 p.m. EST. Sister Elina is
stronger today and her color is better. She was able to eat some and
get up a little bit. She is feeling more encouraged. They may be
able to leave after Monday.
Elina rested last night and is more
encouraged in her spirit today. The doctor had to give her stronger
medicine today as the infection in the blood was still high. Let us
continue to pray for the whole family that they would be safe and
that God would speedily allow them to return home.
January 16, 2008 We are announcing a special day of
prayer for the Laukerts today. Sis. Elina is very low in her
spirits. We have encouraged her to rest and let us carry the
battle for her. At this time we know that she is in a German
hospital in Accra suffering from a bad case of malaria and that she
is expecting a child and is 3-4 months along. The children have also
been tested and both have malaria in their bloodstreams, though it
is not yet coming out in other symptoms. They were treated at the
hospital and released into Bro. Alen's care. Bro. Alen expressed
that he did not feel there was a need for someone to come from
Germany to help. The hospital tells him they will probably allow
Sis. Elina to leave after 3 days. He also expressed regret to the
saints for the troubles they are having, though we assured him that
in God's family we are sharing in the battle.
Bro. Alen's father
has purchased the family's tickets back to Germany at the cost of
about $5,500. He has one month to pay the credit card bill. Since
they were unable to fly yesterday, the airline will reschedule their
flight when they have the proper form from the doctor.
January 15, 2008 8:00 p.m. When Bro. Alen left the
native brethren at the airport, he had given them most of his cash,
since he thought he was returning home to Germany. This meant that
they were left with no money when they had to get off the plane.
The German Embassy provided them with a hotel room to stay in and
sent a woman physician to examine her since the airline is requiring
a doctor's written permission for her to get on another flight. The
doctor determined that Sis. Elina is critically ill and has
hospitalized her until they can contain her fever and stabilize her
condition enough for travel. Bro. Alen is having to stay with the
children at the hotel. Pray for them as they are separated in this
trying time.
2:45 p.m. CST. Bro Alen called and said they were seated on board
the plane to depart when the captain told them he would not take the
responsibility of Sis. Elina flying with him in her condition. They
were required to deboard. Bro. Alen is alone with her and the
children. He doesn't know what they will do, beyond getting a hotel
room there in Accra.
11:30 a.m. CST. The Laukerts are at the airport awaiting their
flight. Sis. Elina is in a wheelchair. Her coloring is more
yellow/greenish today, another sign of Malaria. Pray that they will
allow her on the plane. The Lord has helped her to have no fever
today so far. She has very little strength. She can stand up on her
own, but can not walk more than a few steps.
6 a.m. CST. The Laukerts arrived safely in Accra. Sis.
Elina endured the drive better than expected and is resting at a
hotel awaiting the flight home.
January 14, 2008 Sis. Elina tried to get up several
times Sunday afternoon and was able to walk about ten steps before
returning to the bed. The fever that comes in the afternoon/evening
seems to break after midnight. However, last night she was unable to
sleep. Her face and eyes are becoming yellow. Today she has eaten a
little more than yesterday and her strength was a little better.
Update and Special Request: Lord willing, Bro. Alen will be
traveling back to Germany with his family. The first hurdle will be
a 6 hour drive tonight or in the morning to Accra, Ghana, where they
will stay in a hotel to await their flight. Sis. Elina's fever is
returning this evening. Let us pray that God will break the cycle of
this disease and allow her strength to travel.
Tomorrow they will fly from Accra to Frankfurt at 8:00 p.m. It is
a 6 or 7 hour flight and they will have a 4 hour drive from there to
Alen's parents' home. Note: Time in Ghana is 6 hours later than
CST. Frankfurt is 7 hours later.
January 12, 2008 Sis. Elina's condition continues to
cycle daily. The fever and extreme weakness come on in the afternoon
and evening going into the night. In the morning, the fever goes
down again. Today she has only been able to eat a little fruit and
is very weak.
Update: This afternoon Sis. Elina's fever is very high and
they desire special prayer.
January 10, 2008 Sis. Elina is still in need of our
prayers. She was able to sleep better last night without fever. This
morning she felt better until afternoon when the weakness and some
fever returned. Rahel, the youngest daughter shown in the picture
below with Sis. Elina, is also still somewhat weak from being ill a
week or so ago.
From Elina to the Saints: "I am God thankful for peace and joy in
this time of sickness, I have consecrated myself again to God and
God has fill my heart with joy and his glory that I would jump.
Please remember me in Prayers that I will be faithful to him until
the End. Than it is Power in the Prayer of the Saints. Your loving
Sister, Elina."
January 8, 2008 Urgent Prayer Request
I have been in contact with Bro. Alen Laukert who is currently
laboring, with his wife Sis. Elina, in the mission work in
Ghana. Sis.Elina has been sick since Saturday. She has had bouts of
high fever with much weakness of body. Let us rally around the
throne of God for divine healing for our sister.
January 4, 2008 Testimony from Bro. Alen Laukert (Ghana)
Dear Saints,
We are all very well here and I wanted to tell how the Lord was help
me of one situation who was happed some days before. For which I am
very thankful him and don't want forget to honor him.
One day in the morning I was not feeling good but I drive still to
Nkinkaso to work and help the brethren to work there, how almost
every day. You know that the roads here are not good and my body was
shaken through the road very strong. Because of my bad feeling I was
driving back home. I go home from the main road by feet and I
thought I don't rich that home, because of my bad feeling, I become
headache, I feel sick and my face was almost white (so say my wife
when she saw me). But I rich the home, I don't know how, and go
right way to bed. After lying a little bit I wanted to clean my
teeth as I normally do and couldn't do it alone, so my wife must
help me. Now I could feel a little bit with our daughter Rahel who
is sick the 5th day, almost she is lying and don't eat, only a
little little bit of cake and drink some water. And could feel with
Bro. Emmanuel Atobra who is sick too, maybe he became cold. After it
some bad feeling and not positive thoughts overcome me. I started to
listen and thinking about this bad feelings and about sickness,
because it was starting (my wife say) as the last time with malaria.
But in this thinking one song and Bible verses come to my mind:
"Silver and gold I don't have, but what I have that I give you - in
the name of Jesus Christ stand up and walk." It is a song talking
about the cripple man who was sitting before the temple doors and
asking for alms. And as Peter and John come to the temple he was
waiting for alms. Acts. 3: 1 - 8. I take this scripture and this
verses unto me and catch it in faith and stand up. My bad feelings
were away and I praise the Lord for this health. We went than with
the family to visit Bro. Emmanuel A. and encourage him. From this
point I was feeling almost with the full health. Praise the Lord!
Today our Rahel is feeling much stronger and better, my wife say she
is eating today very much cakes and one banana. So we praise the
Lord touching her too.
The brethren at Asankare were we have hold the open air meeting have
start there a congregation. The beginning is very hard for them so
they ask for help for a place to worship and benches and other
things for the beginning.
The Ministers at Akumadan (Br. Emmanuel Atobra, Br. Emmanuel Boeteng
and Br. James Badu) have make Tomato farms but they can not find the
buyers, they have invest money and now the tomatoes start to spoil
and they lose so much now.
We
desire an interest in your prayers that the Lord would meet every
need of this trip. There will be a lot of hard traveling by vehicle
to visit different congregations and contacts. In addition to having
services in local congregations, we will be holding a ministers'
meeting in Malawi. Last time I did this, there were over 50
ministers/gospel workers present. We desire for the Lord to bless in
the teaching and preaching of the Word wherever we go. Lord willing,
we will also be working on purchasing and setting up a mill in
Malawi. In both Kenya and Malawi, we plan to visit orphanages to
understand better the needs and opportunities in reaching out to the
needy children of Africa. As we are able, we will also be purchasing
Bibles in the native language of the people.