The Year in Pictures

by Carol Lee

 

Has it already been eight and half months?  Has it only been eight and a half months?  Time has flown by and, yet, it seems like we have been here longer than that.  I thought it would be good, especially for those who do not access Facebook, to give you a pictorial view of our lives here at RAU.  I started out taking pictures with my i Pad, but during our last visit to the States I was given a wonderful camera as a gift.  I hope that I am and will be doing it justice!

Jacob and I had been preparing our hearts for this momentous move for many years, but preparing to say goodbye does not mean diminishing love or the object of one’s love so that it doesn’t hurt so much.

Our loves!

Is it possible to be happy and sad at the same time?  Well, we were!  There were tears and hugs and sad goodbyes, but there was an inner excitement in being on our way to this grand adventure to which the Lord had called us.  And an adventure it has been…from the start!

It wasn’t long after we reached our home in Afoji that we realized that our family was not replaced but expanded!

Cuisine D’Afrique

Adjusting to cultural differences was a challenge; however,  I have to say that having grown up in India as a missionary’s kid made the transition much easier.  In some ways, it was as if I were returning to my childhood home and to a landscape I knew and loved, including some foods.

Our taste buds had a new palate of foods to accommodate to, some of which were no trouble, but delight…like fresh fruit from the tree onto our table!  And the wonderful benefit of our new diet?—much needed weight loss!

OK! OK!   I have stirred up enough envy and covetousness!

Ministry

On to ministry!  Jacob immediately started circulating to all the local churches to encourage them and let them know about RAU’s  ministry plans.

This church is made of bamboo walls and a tin roof and is shaded by a large mango tree.

It was at the church in the above picture that I got this beautiful shot of Jacob and the pastor’s sons.  Jacob never stops being a grandpa!  And kids seem to love him, too.

An Unexpected Journey

I had the privilege of accompanying Gabbie to California for heart surgery, after which I had the joy of being reunited with our family in Texas (Sadly, minus Josiah; he could not leave work so suddenly) and of meeting our newest grand baby, Keira Danley.

I felt bad for Jacob missing out on this.  He was a trooper for letting me go.  It’s a good thing he was kept busy getting things ready for upcoming ministry.  I did my best to send videos and pictures to keep him in the loop as much as possible.

Ministry

It wasn’t too long before RAU was able to launch its envisioned task–Pastors’ retreats and training.  It was a blessing to have, as our first guest speaker, our dear friend, Ron Zeiner.  Soon after, we welcomed the “Tennessee Trio”, David Jones, Michael Lambert and Eric Williams.  Only a week and a half later we had the pleasure of meeting a good friend of Jacob, Kevin Turner (SWI) and his team member, Ron Day.

As you can see from this last photo, we were not always serious.  Each team that visited us brought with them the life of Christ displayed in a beautiful and peculiar way.  Without any doubt, each one that came gave us a view of the servant-heart of Christ, not only in word, but deed as well.  It was a joy to get to know them all!  We are blessed!

Some of our favorite memories are the “getting-to-know-them” moments.

Christmas Holidays

Unavoidably and Royally Detained

On our way back to Uganda after the holidays, we met with some delays, but it certainly turned out in our favor!  We missed our flight from Amsterdam to Entebbe and so Delta Airlines put us up in a very, very nice hotel and gave us a meal voucher for supper and breakfast.  That was a royal treat!

Back in the Saddle Again

Yumbe Pastors’ Retreat

Yumbe Outreach

Obongi Discipleship and Baptisms

Adjumani Pastors’ Retreat

Muzungu!

It was always a treat to see some other white faces who speak American English…

Incredible Edibles?!!!

And then there was fox!  Sorry, no picture.

Oh dear! Just thinking of eating any of these makes my stomach turn.

A Special Joy

As I mentioned earlier in the post, I received a very nice camera as a gift and it has been a very special joy to grow in my artistry with it.  The following are some of my favorite pictures: of faces and places and flora and fauna.  It is a very small representation of the vast quantities of photos taken and a very difficult task to pick only a few.  I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I did hunting them down or in being at the right place at the right time with the right equipment!  My favorites are of the beautiful faces and, especially the women, who work incredibly hard, not only in the field, but the home.

Creative Ventures

I have also enjoyed another avenue of creativity and am so grateful to have some time and the inspiration to do it.  I have done some painting in the past, but am doing it now with a little more regularity.  It has been recreational as well as a means to raise funds for a special project–that of helping a friend here through medical school.

Beginnings

Five small commissioned paintings for a friend for Christmas gifts.

Here are three paintings which have sold in fund-raising efforts.  There is also one in the works.

This artistry is by no means my primary purpose here, but it has been an enjoyable and anticipated hobby.  It is an opportunity to express the image of God in creating as well as a means of communicating to you in a special way our experiences.

Thanks for your interest, love, support and prayers!

Carol (and Jacob)

Web Site: www.ReachingAfricasUnreached.com
Blog: www.ReachingAfricasUnreached.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReachingAfricasUnreached

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For those who have asked, small packages and letters may safely be sent to:

Jacob & Carol Lee, PO. 55, Moyo Uganda, East Africa

Our “wish lists” may be found at Amazon (Click on the “Wish List” link and type in our names)

The greatest evil is having the gospel and not doing everything within our  power to get it to those who do not have it. May the Lord grant each of us His followers the wherewithal to be obedient disciples!  

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