A Worldwide Symphony of Grace

By Carol Lee

“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.” –

H.E. Luccock

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.“

1 Corinthians 12: 4-7

“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.“

Ephesians 1:11-14

The amazing thing about modern day technology is that  Jacob and I can jet from one side of the world to the other in a couple of days and, in those same days, we can TALK to someone on the side of the world that we just left behind!   There is a continuum of activity that technology allows us to see and experience (in a narrow way) which, in the past, would have been hidden by distance and lack of communication.  While Jacob and I are visiting family and friends, itinerating and making contact with Gospel partners (current and potential), Emma (RAU’s Principal Ag Extension Officer) is managing all the activities at RAU (as well as many other major life events and activities) and Pastor Ojji Tobious is busy overseeing the building process at Aya Baptist Church as well as the boring of 4 new wells in remote Metu Mountain villages. In these ways as well as so many others not mentioned, the good that God uses RAU to do is continuing.

More amazing than the technology that connects us is the omni–present Spirit who indwells us and mysteriously unites and orchestrates His work worldwide–a symphony of grace written in our hearts and played in real time, a masterpiece of somber notes and glorious swells telling the story of Fatherly love and of a Son who, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross so that He could bring many sons and daughters to glory!

What a mind-bending wonder that God is with us everywhere and everywhere at work! We experience limitations galore–the Holy Spirit has no limitations.  He, like an orchestra conductor, knows from beginning to end the complete score as well as each player in the symphony.  In fact, He is the composer!  Yes, we each have only a small part to play.  However, through the Spirit, the Body of Christ worldwide resounds to the praise of God’s glorious grace as each one plays his or her part!

“There is not one piece of cosmic dust that is outside the scope of God’s sovereign providence. “

R.C. Sproul

Jacob and I are happy to lean heavily upon such a God and be satisfied in being one small voice in the choir, one instrument in the orchestra, because what the Lord can accomplish with finesse is infinitely more beautiful than anything we, on our own, could imagine or create.  We also recognize and celebrate our counterparts for we all, together, sing the song of redeeming grace.

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Four new Wells in the Metu Mountains

We are thrilled to announce that while we have been traveling (and thanks to the partners who so generously contributed) 4 new boreholes have been sunk (Oyo, Duku, Pamulu and Meria), making that a total of 9 boreholes (the others being Aya, Ijujo, Alugodu, Cinyi and Arapi/Gbari) which have been placed in remote villages in the Metu Mountains, resulting in much jubilating by communities who never imagined they would have access to clean water.  Our gratitude goes to Pastor Ojji Tobious who has been a faithful overseer of the well drilling in addition to his duties as pastor of Aya Baptist Church.  He has worked tirelessly and has been a great help to those in need.  We are blessed by the men who are stepping up to serve young congregations in very remote villages in the mountains, walking many miles to reach and teach their brothers and sister the word of God.  We are grateful for partners who have taken a special interest in seeing Aya Baptist Church expand and be strengthened.

We are blessed by Pastor Patrick Bukenya who coordinates activities for RAU out of Kampala.  We are grateful for Onduga Charles, with whom we work closely, who shines as a light in Yumbe as he holds fast to the word of life in a difficult place.  We praise God for Pastor Godfrey, Aliga and John in Obongi who are tenacious to maintain the integrity of their examples and the word of God in the face of opposition.  How blessed we are to partner with Joshua Abraham in Bidi Bidi refugee settlement as he remains a “point man” for Bible and resource distribution to church leaders as well as RAU’s facilitator for our brothers and sisters in the camps, especially those from the Republic of (North) Sudan in whom we have a special interest, while opportunities remain,  to equip them  for returning to their tribes and families at some point in the near future.

Our family was mightily blessed to witness the covenant-making celebration of our son, Josiah, with beautiful Unyae Smith (now Unyae Lee)!!  It was a beautiful reunion of our whole family for the wedding and Christmas and we also were overjoyed to have a reunion at the wedding of some of our extended family (Jacob’s Dad, sister (Jackie), brother (Jens) and nieces (Kaitlyn and Megan) and and my brother and sister-in-love (David and Tanya), nephew (Luke), sister (Joan) and her daughters (Lily, Christina, Mary and Jenny).

As Jacob and I have traveled Stateside, we have marveled at the number of faithful churches, friends and family who have exuberantly and steadfastly been “on board” with RAU’s vision and mission, displaying their commitment in word and deed!  We simply could not continue without our wide base of support and encouragement.  Thanks to our home church, Lifegate Church (SGM), for their blessing and support. They and Amazing Grace Baptist Church (SBC) Seguin, TX, Gospel Life Church (Acts 29) New Braunfels, TX, Good Shepherd Evangelical Church (Independent) and Dayspring Fellowship (Reformed Baptist) in Austin have been with us since we first set off for Uganda in 2013.  It has been God’s amazing grace to add other churches over the years as well:  Rocky Point Baptist Church  (Independent) Stephenville,TX , High Pointe Baptist Church (SBC) Austin, TX, Forest Hill Presbyterian (PCA) Forrest Hill,Maryland, Faith Lutheran– (LCMC) Seguin,TX, Bread of Life  (Independent) Uvalde, TX, and Wiggins First Baptist Church (SBC) Wiggins,Mississippi. This year we have the blessing of adding a partnership with Valley Bible Church in Pleasanton, California.  They are planning to send a teaching team of men and women in early November, Lord willing! We look forward to a growing friendship in the Gospel with them.  It fulfills our desire to work with local churches in extending the loving work of Christ throughout the world.

In the churches we visited Jacob preached from Romans 15:20

 

Not only have we been encouraged by churches and individuals who link arms with us, but our jaws are dropping in amazement at the opportunities opening up to RAU for cooperative efforts with other churches and individuals. On our recent travels we met with the Head of the Islamic Studies at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Ayman Ibrahim, and were thrilled to see his enthusiasm for making it a priority to come and teach and even bring a team of seminary students to experience and help with RAU’s ministry among Muslims and Muslim-background believers (MBB) from the Republic of (North) Sudan. Dear friends and co-workers Edward and Jennifer Heinze graciously hosted us and organized all our six days at  Southern.

It was a joy to meet, in person, acting President of Reaching and Teaching International, Jon Deedrick, and to discuss future continued partnership with this remote theological studies extension program.  Through our connection with Scott Engels, who has been to RAU twice with the High Pointe team in conjunction with Reaching and Teaching for our first tier of local pastors and church leaders, we were introduced to the leadership for missions at Brainerd Baptist Church in Chattanooga and they are sending a team possibly as early as April to check out our ministry and to receive the benefit of Emma’s Ag expertise.

As our time abroad here in the USA comes to a close, we excitedly anticipate the plans and opportunities that await us in 2019!  The Lord continues to write His symphony of grace and skillfully harmonize the many instruments of His choosing to play their parts in the activities of Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU).  It is NOT about RAU, but RAU is privileged to do its part in proclaiming the Gospel that many may hear and believe and be sealed by the promised Holy Spirit, to the praise of God’s glory and grace.

Pray with us and consider how you may partner with RAU as we look ahead to this upcoming year:

• The completion of the Mission House (and our moving into one of the duplexes!) which we will name, “Ei Ozi Dri Rii” (“Home of Friends”)
• The start of growing season on the RAU demo plot
• The welcoming of  guests and groups who want to learn from Emma about Agriculture
• June and July:  training church leaders in partnership with Reaching and Teaching International in the 2nd tier of leaders from Republic of Sudan and South Sudan (Rocky Point Baptist Church and Forest Hill Presbyterian Church).  Each retreat will be an extended 2-week program covering 2 modules of the Reaching and Teaching Curriculum.  All training times will include a module of Agricultural training from Emma as well.
• August and September:  training church leaders in partnership with Reaching and Teaching International in the 1st tier of leaders from Uganda (Metu Mountains, Moyo, Yumbe,Koboko, and Obongi). High Pointe Baptist Church will send two teams for two, two-week trainings covering 2 modules each of the Reaching and Teaching Curriculum.
• October:  Dr. Bubba Stahl with Saltblock Ministries will provide teaching during a week-long retreat.
• November: Valley Bible Church from Pleasanton, California will bring a 9-member team of men and women for a teaching retreat.
• There will continue throughout the year  discipleship of local church leaders as well as evangelism and church planting in the Metu Mountains. On going evangelism outreaches in the Obongi and Yumbe areas are in the plans.
• Pray with us that dialogs would resume Yumbe District Imams and Sheikhs throughout the year.
• It remains a priority to get Bibles and Biblically sound Christian literature to leaders from South Sudan and the Republic of (North) Sudan (Darfur, Nuba Mountain region and Blue Nile region) who reside in the refugee settlements nearby as well as into the Republic of Sudan itself.

Thank you for your generous support and faithful intercession!

http://www.ReachingAfricasUnreached.org