I Remember

(Updated April 20, 2024)

When one gets older ( I was born in 1955) there is not only more to think back upon, but it also seems, at least in my case, that one spends more time looking back and remembering God’s grace and mercy! I remember my childhood days, being raised on an Iowa farm by a loving, God-fearing family and relatives and learning the importance of a good work ethic. I remember  graduating from High School from M-F-L  in 1974. I remember at age 20 that dusty road outside St. Olaf, Iowa, after midnight, having to stop my ’69 Dodge Charger. I stepped out of the car and, under deep conviction, wept over my sin, placing my full trust in Jesus: His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. By God’s grace  I said, “I am yours Lord…I will do anything and go anywhere you want”. I remember  several weeks later as I was in one of our farm’s corn fields, sensing God’s call to missions and saying “Yes“.

I remember leaving NE Iowa for Seguin Texas–a big step for a farm boy who had never been far from home and almost turning around in Kansas City. I remember being taken in by several loving families in Seguin who loved Jesus deeply. I remember being under the fiery preaching/teaching of Leonard Ravenhill (L.R.). His love for Jesus was exemplified in his devotion to prayer and passion for missions. He  made an indelible mark upon me! I remember being in L.R.’s office when he pointed to a large world map behind him and after quoting Romans 15:20 said,  “Jacob, there are people who have never heard of Jesus! What are you going to do about it?“ I remember at that time receiving the conviction to go to those who have little to no opportunity to hear about Jesus life, death, resurrection, and ascension for people from ALL people, tribes, and languages. I remember going through the New Tribes Mission (Now called Ethnos) training program where I was taught by many missionaries who loved Jesus and His mission deeply, returning back to Seguin Texas and, shortly thereafter, going on a three-week mission trip throughout India. On that trip I saw first hand the work of the gospel to the unreached. After returning to Seguin, I remember when my heart was drawn to Carol Mayer, daughter and granddaughter of missionaries to India. I remember 6 months later, on July 10, 1981 when I was married to Carol, the love of my life. I remember, a six months after our marriage, selling everything and moving to Aurangabad, India,  to proclaim the gospel (Romans 1:16-17) and the birth of our firstborn, Joshua, in a small mission hospital in Kodaikanal, India. I remember having to leave India 6 months after our arrival with our new born baby because we could not renew our visa’s and learning  in India by experience the difference between “presumption” and “faith“, as well as the importance of being sent out by and being under the cover of a strong, gospel-centered, local church.

I remember , after returning to Seguin in 1982, becoming a part of Lifegate Church, a church  family which has taught my family and me what it means to be a disciple of Christ.   I remember becoming a teaching elder at Lifegate Church in 1984 and going back to India in 1985 to proclaim Jesus to the Koya tribe in the remote regions of the eastern Ghats.   I remember the births of Josiah and Anna, our second and third-born. I remember the precious times of our children growing up and how fast that went by. I remember them graduating from college and, afterwards, receiving beautiful new daughters in-law and a son-in-law. I remember our growing number of precious grandchildren.

I remember both Carol and I continuing our education–my Bible classes at Hill Country Bible School San Marcos TX, getting my Bachelors degree at Texas Lutheran and my Master’s degree at Covenant College and Carol becoming a Registered Nurse. I remember my many years of teaching at Lifegate Christian School and my times as a Principal there and then my teaching years at Nixon-Smiley CISD High  School. I remember the great joy of being in the classroom with so many wonderful students.

I remember traveling to Kanjansi Uganda with a group from Lifegate Church on a short term ministry trip August 2006, learning about Joseph Kony and his “Lord’s Resistance Army” in the North of Uganda. I remember returning to Uganda in March 2007 (after Joseph Kony  was pushed out of Uganda) to ministering in and around Moyo, North Uganda and into South Sudan and the seeds of Reaching Africa’s Unreached being planted in my heart then. I remember the many other short term trips to Uganda and South Sudan as well as to northeastern D.R. of Congo from 2007-2013.  I remember my D.A.R.T. training with SWI. I remember my two trips to Pakistan in ’09 and coming to the realization that there are no closed doors to the gospel, just more risky ones.

I remember the establishment of Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) in 2010 and later its receiving Ugandan NGO status. I remember January 2011 RAU’s purchase of 17  acres in Uganda north of Moyo, just a mile from the South Sudan border.  

I remember breaking ground in August 2011 for the RAU Guesthouse/Hall of Tyrannus . I remember God’s help through his people giving in other structures on the RAU land.  I remember later, the purchase of 8.6 acres to bring the RAU campus and demo farm to 25.6 acres.  I remember being Carol and I being sent out as full time missionaries by our local church Lifegate ,the selling  our belongs in Texas, and making our permanent move to the RAU in July 2013.

According to a report done by Failed States Uganda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo  do not rank well using its 12 indicators.

It is in the darkest places which Christ shines the brightest…let us be about our King’s work!

Please join me in prayer for these three countries which Reaching Africa’s Unreached will primarily be working: Democratic Republic of Congo ranked #2, South Sudan #4, and Uganda #22. Low numbers are not good!

The whole article, stats, and pictures can be found here: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/06/24/postcards_from_hell_2013?page=0,22:

Score: 111.9

Ten years after the conclusion of the Second Congo War — the deadliest conflict since the end of World War II — the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) resembles not so much a failed state as a state that doesn’t exist at all. Tied with Niger for dead last on the U.N. Human Development Index — and with a life expectancy at birth of only 48.7 years — the DRC offers a brutal life to the majority of those who live within its borders. Joseph Kabila, the current president, was democratically elected in 2011, but the elections were marred by allegations of corruption and the federal government exerts practically no authority over massive areas outside of major cities. Multiple armed groups use this lawless land as a hideout, and the country’s eastern region has been repeatedly referred to as the “rape capital of the world.” In a positive development, Bosco Ntaganda, believed to be the leader of the rebel group M23, turned himself in this past March to face charges at the International Criminal Court.

Score: 110.6

Barely two years old, South Sudan is the youngest country in the Failed States Index. While its per-capita GDP of $1,859 is fairly respectable for the fourth most-failed state in the world (compared to $115 in Failed State No. 1 Somalia), South Sudan has struggled to establish a functioning government since its 2011 declaration of independence. Hopes that this newfound independence would end decades of fighting between the Muslim north and Christian south proved premature, as sporadic border skirmishes with Sudan continued through much of 2012. The suspension of oil production (due to conflicts with Sudan) further damaged South Sudan’s economy, and rivalries and clashes with rebels threaten the fragile peace between the two neighbors.

Score: 96.6

Uganda celebrated the 50th anniversary of its independence from British colonial rule last October — but those celebrations were marred by protests and widespread arrests, as the government moved to stop opposition rallies and placed several prominent political figures, including the mayor of Kampala, Erias Lukwago, under house arrest. Uganda remains a very poor country, with a per capita income of just $506. It also suffers from the highest levels of bribery in East Africa.

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Brief histories of these countries may be found here:  https://reachingafricasunreached.org/brief-histories-of-north-uganda-south-sudan-and-d-r-congo/