The Albert Connection - Prayer Alert June 2016

I want to share some history about Albert Luepnitz' participation in Latin America and serving alongside Russell Stendal. The Lord partnered Albert and Russell in these latter days for spiritual harvest just like Barnabas and Paul. I have witnessed the gospel being revealed to many government officials, soldiers and people not only by His word, but with His power working through Albert and Russell.  (1 Thessalonians 1:5) 

In the early 1980's the doctors told Albert that he would soon be in a wheelchair from an incurable degenerative back disease. The Lord miraculously healed Albert's back and heart when he was prayed for by a Christian worker. In 1981, the Lord called Albert to minister in Latin America. It was not until May of 2009 that Russell and Albert met in person. Russell was translating for Albert at a luncheon held for Colombian Officers. Sometime after this first meeting Albert prayed for Alethia, Russell's daughter, as she was having back pain from scoliosis. Alethia was immediately healed and many other family members have been healed since.

In 2010, Russell and Alethia began interpreting for Albert during his ministry visits to Colombia. They were able to witness hundreds of Colombians being healed of spiritual and physical needs in the name of Jesus. Russell expressed that Albert was very humble by giving all glory to God, never asking for money and would pay for his own way on the ministry trips. Albert understood that God is sovereign and he accepted that God sometimes heals and sometimes He does not.  God used Albert as a conduit of grace and truth in Jesus Christ. His main message proclaimed, God is the one who touches people and heals because of His great love for all mankind and that lost souls would be reconciled with their Heavenly Father.  

During 2012 the movie, La Montana, was released by Lisa Stendal-Hernandez and Alethia Stendal. It highlighted Russell's relationship with a FARC Guerrilla Commander, Noel. The movie portrays how Noel was once a soldier who guarded Russell during his five month captivity and now is a trusted friend by the power of forgiving your enemies. The Colombian Peace Accord negotiations held in Havana, Cuba between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrilla leadership began in 2013 and Noel was a part of the guerrilla delegation in Cuba. From Noel's recommendation, Russell received an invitation to meet with the guerrilla leadership and brought a copy of the film, La Montana. When the leaders viewed the film, it built credibility for Russell and Albert and showed that the power of God can make peace where there is no human hope for peace. 

In preparation for this first visit, Russell prayed about how to handle this historic invitation to finally meet with the top guerrilla leadership.  This invitation was a culmination of 35 years of ministry in Colombia; Russell had distributed millions of Christian books in guerrilla controlled areas including night flights dropping materials and radios via parachutes and had installed multiple radio stations and broadcasts. The cost to Russell was three attempts by the guerrillas to assassinate him and five separate times he was taken hostage and temporarily held.  The guerrilla leaders knew Russell's story and had heard gospel teachings. Now they needed a demonstration of the power of Christ. As Russell prayed about the first meeting with the guerrillas in January 2013 he was led to invite Albert. Albert joined Russell and they had a major breakthrough during that first encounter. Five of the guerrilla leaders were dramatically healed of physical needs which led them to open their minds and hearts to the teaching of the Word of God by Russell. They kept the meetings and conversions of faith with the guerrillas discreet for the first three years.

In April 2013, the Lord directed Albert to urgently return to Cuba with Russell and he told the delegates, "Thus says the Lord, peace has to be God's way, not man's way or it will fail."   Russell was told the FARC delegates were beginning to quit the peace process and were going home. However, when they heard the message from Albert, they decided this was from the Lord, which led them to stay the course of the peace process. After Albert returned home in Texas, he was feeling drained physically, spiritually and mentally. He had ministered for over thirty years in Colombia and was considering his travel and ministry season had come to a close. A pastor who met Albert for the first time and did not know of Albert's ministry to Latin America, encouraged him to “continue God's work in Cuba and Colombia.”  Albert continued to travel to Cuba with Russell many times and several FARC generals received healing and accepted Jesus as their Savior.