By Carol Lee

The view from the Gbari/Arapi Community Church. Photos below of the church building progress.
“You can make many plans,
but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.” (Proverbs 19: 21)
We have had an unusual year of ministry at RAU (last October to present). As we wrote about in previous newsletters, renovation of homes took priority in prepping for future families to join us. We had two couples join us for short term stints (Andre and Emily Solomos and Wayne and Nancy Reigel) and, most thankfully, the Langworthy’s joined us full-time! What a blessing! This season of ministry has been a combination of the necessarily mundane, the encouraging growth in family, and outreach.
Here are some happenings since the last newsletter:
- Continued distribution of Study Bibles (Africa Study Bible, Arabic Study Bibles (Van Dyke translation), ESV Global Study Bible, ESV Pew Outreach Bible, Arabic Bibles, and theological books to Pastors, Leaders and Congregants. Onette Zorah and Tiondi Patrick have been a tremendous help in overseeing that aspect of RAU’s ministry as there is a constant flow of these resources to leaders and students in Uganda, South Sudan and the Refugee Settlements within Uganda which is home to Sudanese from South Sudan and the Republic of (North) Sudan. We have also been sending them into South Sudan and the Republic of Sudan Nuba Mountain area. In addition to the resources that have been shipped here, we have the dual language booklets that we have had printed here in Uganda through Ekisinga Publishing in Jinja, Uganda–The Message of Hope–in English and Aringa.
- Most of the photos below are from RAU partner, Joshua Abraham Rawi, a MBB (Muslim Background Believer) from Darfur Sudan who has been displaced into Uganda due to persecution and civil unrest. He is a living example of walking out 2 Timothy 2:2 which is RAU’s theme verse. His story and the beginning of our relationship with him in ministry is highlighted in ABWE’s Message Magazine entitled “The Man Whom Dreamed of Jesus”













- The near completion of the Gbari/Arapi Community Church building–long awaited for 11 years!! All that is lacking is the paint and it will stand as (a building on a hill) a testament to God’s kind provision and the perseverance, prayer and kindness of donors. The plan is that this building will not only serve the local church, but also be a gathering place for teaching/discipleship for other churches in nearby villages. The church building is large and has the capacity to hold many. The tent in which the church was meeting (donated by RAU) is dilapidated and torn, no longer offering much relief from sun and rain so funding for the completion of the building came in a timely way.




- In the village of Ijujo a church was planted by Aya Baptist Church in 2006. For a long time, they met under a mango tree. Then, RAU was able to help them with a basic structure with metal roofing. Now, we would like to help them complete a much larger structure which was built by a community leader so that church members, who normally fill up their current building, will have a more spacious and protective place to meet–and GROW. Common statistics state that once a church reaches 80% of its seating capacity, growth is greatly slowed. Perhaps that is more apropos to western culture, but it’s also a practical fact–growth requires space!



- The Land Title for the property in Yumbe has been received, meaning that construction plans for a Yumbe RAU on the grand branch can now safely begin. This was not an easy process as, in that district, land titles are rarely granted to Christians, or the application process is typically met with much resistance and delay. We praise the Lord for his affirming hand in the granting of this document. It is our great desire to come alongside our dear brothers and sisters in Yumbe District to herald and display the kindness of God in Christ through His saving work and to foster strong and vibrant leadership in the Church. This is a high priority for us! Please pray and, if you able, help us establish this key ministry spot. We have some money already set aside for this ministry project. Read about the details here: https://reachingafricasunreached.org/new-proposed-rau-yumbe-on-the-ground-branch/

No doubt, most of you are aware of the Ebola epidemic which has been rampant in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) for some months now. ReliefWeb on July 10th reports the following: “The seventeenth Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to evolve, with 1,792 confirmed cases, including 625 deaths and 295 recoveries, reported across 37 health zones in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu as of 8 July. The Government has also reported two confirmed cases in Kisangani, Tshopo Province. The outbreak is unfolding in an area marked by persistent insecurity and displacement due to armed clashes, limiting humanitarian access and complicating Ebola prevention, surveillance and response. Ituri remains the epicentre, accounting for 91 per cent of confirmed cases and nearly 86 per cent of deaths….In Uganda, the outbreak remains relatively contained, with 20 confirmed cases as of 9 July, including two deaths, 17 recoveries and one patient currently admitted for care.”
An American doctor with Samaritans Purse has contracted Ebola. Not long ago a French doctor did as well. It has now become the fastest growing outbreak of Ebola in the continent of Africa. Please pray!
Thankfully, our Moyo/Yumbe (Map below #’s 9&10) area has had no reports of Ebola, though there are potential entry sites to our west (DRC) and north (South Sudan which is two kilometers from us). Sadly, it has affected our plans to travel as initially intended (July 3rd) due to KLM shutting down flights into and out of Entebbe, Uganda. There are other airlines still flying so exiting is not impossible. However, at this time, we are holding our travel plans loosely. Please continue to pray for the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan. Pray that the Sovereign Lord would prohibit this disease from killing, stealing and destroying more precious lives in these regions.

The Ebola outbreak also affected some of the ministry plans we had for the rest of this year, including receiving a team from Forest Hill Presbyterian church for leadership trainings in Moyo, Yumbe and the nearby Refugee Settlements. We were also looking forward to hosting Hope Smiles Dental Group with an even larger team of dentists and assistants in November. That has been pushed back until March of 2027. Due to travel restrictions and guidelines for quarantine in some cases, other ministry plans have been temporarily postponed to later: a financial literacy course with Todd Skipper and Vic Doucet from Canada and leadership training with Peter Nance. Benjamin Emery and teaching team of 7-8 with North Broadway Church are looking to push their coming. Lord willing, we hopefully will be able to move them all to later dates which work for them and us.
Recently, I read a proverb which states, “People ruin their lives by their own foolishness
and then are angry at the LORD.” (Proverbs 19:3) We are not ruled by fear, but we also do not want to be foolish. We take responsibility (as much as is in our power) for wise actions that protect us and others from suffering unnecessarily. Jacob often likes to say: “We hope and pray for the best and at the same time plan for the worst”.
Please continue in prayer for us and our RAU Team in the following ways:
- Safety for our team on the ground–here in Moyo and Kampala–during the Ebola outbreak; the halt of further spread of the disease and comfort for those who have suffered because of it
- Continued growth of the team (spiritually, relationally, and in number); 5 new positions have been added to the ABWE website as serving opportunities with RAU. Pray for the Lord of the harvest to thrust forth laborers into the harvest fields (Matthew 9:38).
- Growth of the Church in Uganda, South Sudan, and the Republic of Sudan in depth of knowledge and experience of the grace of the Lord; pray for strong leadership, grounded in and preaching the whole counsel of God.
- Continued wisdom and grace in distribution of Study Bibles into leaders hands, Outreach Bibles, local language Bibles and Christ centered books.
- Discipleship efforts in local churches.
- Monthly financial support and financial support for projects mentioned above
Thank you for all the ways in which you participate in the ministry of RAU! Prayer — Giving — Encouragement — On the ground participation! The Lord uses it all to build His Church!
RAU Opportunities to Serve
Take a moment to investigate the substantial long-term opportunities available to serve with RAU/ABWE presented on this page. Our thoughts and prayers are devoted to those who feel a calling to serve at RAU for the long term. The needs are considerable, and the number of willing hands to assist is limited… Matthew 9:38.
RAU long term Opportunities: https://abwe.org/serve/browse-opportunities/country-uganda/
With so much gratefulness for all of you who partner with us in their financial support, prayer, encouragement and physical presence,
Love, from Jacob and Carol Lee
Mission and Vision Statements: https://reachingafricasunreached.org/about/
Our Mission is to reach Africa’s unreached, once-reached, and mis-reached people groups with the glorious Gospel of Jesus by planting Christ exalting churches in their midst. Furthermore, we will endeavor to strengthen local churches and their leaders through careful exposition of the Scriptures in the in the primary (first tier) doctrines of the Christian faith that they may be strengthened to plant churches in nearby villages with no church and unreached peoples in their geographical regions.
Donation Information: https://reachingafricasunreached.org/donations/
PayPal Link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=WAR99DL4JFWXQ&ssrt=1769233689403
RAU YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@jacoblee2082/videos




























































































































































































































































