Jacob and I are amazed and excited at the recent progress toward the goal of raising $200,000 for 20,000 ESV TruTone Global Study Bibles, a container, and shipping from America to the RAU campus near Moyo, Uganda.

The current status on the fundraiser is….DRUM ROLL PLEASE!…. $121,649! This is a little over 60% of our goal! Many people from all over the USA and the world have joined us in this effort. A very special “Thank you” to Greg and Kilby Helms who have “put it out there” wherever they go and wherever they speak. We thank every single one of you who has taken notice of our request and taken it to heart.

In addition to the Bibles, RAU has received a generous donation of books in both English and Arabic, from The Gospel Coalition-International Outreach (TGC-IO) which will be hitching a ride with a different container being sent by Christian Book (www.christianbook.com) to various ministries in Uganda. Here is a list of what will be included in the 15,363 (6.5 pallets) Christian resources that have been given:

• 2,072 COPIES PREACHING THE WHOLE BIBLE AS CHRISTIAN
• 780 COPIES ARABIC PASTOR SET and 675 COPIES ENGLISH PASTOR SET
• 1,692 COPIES DIG DEEPER 
• 1,632 COPIES NEW CITY CATECHISM DEVOTIONAL (ARABIC)
• 1,624 COPIES NEW CITY CATECHISM DEVOTIONAL (ENGLISH)
• 288 COPIES THE GOSPEL AS CENTER
• 420 COPIES THE MESSAGE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 
• 2,772 COPIES BIBLE STUDY 
• 2,496 COPIES WORD-FILLED WOMEN’S MINISTRY 
• 312 COPIES FILLING UP THE AFFLICTIONS 
• 600 COPIES TOUCH POINTS: HEAVEN

Also in the Christian Book container will be 350 slightly damaged ESV Study Bibles and almost 200 Arabic Study Bibles! The ESV Study Bibles have been donated by Christian Book and the Arabic Study Bibles were sold at a discount. Thank you, Christian Book and The Gospel Coalition. In the USA and many countries of the world, such resources are in rich supply. Most Christians trade their current Bible for the latest “model” as often as folks upgrade their vehicles! Can you imagine what even one single study Bible and other literature would mean to a young pastor where such resources are scarce or expensive?

Jacob wrote this in a FaceBook post recently: “My heart is overjoyed. This is a great answer to prayer. I mentioned this news to my dear brother from Darfur who has been one of our main contacts for getting bibles, books and Kindles to Khartoum, Darfur, Blue Nile, and Nuba Mountains. He was ecstatic, to say the least! With the door being swung open wider (it has always been open but difficult) there is a greater need, especially for trained leadership….and vital to sound training is a good study bible and written materials.“

Another joyful piece of news is that the LEAM Drilling company based in Moyo was able to “hit target” and find a solid source of clean, accessible water for the Ayaa community, setting in another borehole on the Ayaa Baptist Church property. Jacob also posted about this recently on Facebook:

“A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water.” (Proverbs 11:25 CSB)

“Through the blessings of the Lord and the love which is in His people’s hearts for one another, an 11th bore hole (well) is nearly finished (10 in the Metu Mountains and one in our local village of Fodia). This is the second one in Ayaa on the Ayaa Baptist compound. Ayaa is the largest village in the Metu Mountains . “

“The first well that Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) sponsored was back in 2014 and this new one is near the older one. Ayaa has 1400+/- people in it, according to Pastor Tobious. The 2014 well was just not adequate for this number of people, thus the need for this second one. The terrain in the Metu Mountains is rough with poor, sometimes impassible roads. A tractor had to be hired, like in times past, to help pull the equipment up the steep, rough roads. “

“RAU’s goal is to bring the gospel and training for church leaders, clean water and agricultural training and to assist local medical personnel to go to areas least reached. Metu Mountain bore holes are in Ayaa (2), Ijujo, Cinyi, Alugodu, Arapi/Gbari, Duku, and Oyo. Each of these villages also represents a newly planted church, except Ayaa and Ijujo which were in existence when RAU began a Gospel-centered partnership. By God’s grace and the support of His people, we will continue to walk out 2 Timothy 2:2 with all the strength God gives us in these endeavors! We want to follow Jesus’ example found in John 9:4: “We must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work.””

This year, flooding has devastated parts of Obongi. Jacob made an appeal for assistance via Facebook and then wrote this: “Many thanks to those who prayed and gave to help Obongi Town Church members as well as Pastor Amani Godfrey and wife Lily with food items, relocation, and replacement of personal things because of the rising waters of the Nile River. Obongi is located right on the Nile.”

“In December 2013 Reaching Africa’s Unreached planted the church in the town after evangelism outreaches with Godfrey leading as pastor.The beginning days were very difficult and the church had to relocate several times. Praise God for his grace that the church has grown, leaders are being trained, and gospel outreach is continuing in this primarily Muslim community.”

“Pastor Godfrey just sent these last photos with greetings from these Muslim leaders. They sent their appreciation. Pastor Godfrey included them in posho delivery (staple food of the area) several weeks back and now, again, they received support with the recent flooding. God has continued to give us favor with these leaders. I look forward to when I can see them again and continue discussions on the gospel and give them more Christian literature. Please continue to pray for Obongi Town Church, Pastor Godfrey and church leaders as well as the “opening of eyes and hearts” of the Obongi Town Muslims. Thank you!“

Photo Credits: Ivans Drale

Recently, after even more flooding, extra support was given for food items. However, the roads and bridges have been washed and so getting the food there has so far been impossible. RAU purchased staple food items hoping to deliver them but no vehicles are passing through to Obongi, so we have the food stored here in one of our containers until such a time as it can be delivered. Here is a link from Ugandan NTV news which shows the severity of the flooding.

In this most unusual year of 2020, we are grateful that technology, specifically the internet, has allowed us to remain connected and in touch with what is happening around the world and to be a part of Kingdom activities and answers to prayers. Please continue to pray that:

• Our Father’s Kingdom would come and His will be done on earth as it is being done in heaven
• BIBLES: hearts would be moved to give towards the Fundraising goal for ESV Global Study Bibles
• BOOKS: all the precious resources that are given and earmarked for resource-scarce areas would reach safely
• BOREHOLE: the borehole would serve many by providing clean, accessible water and that it would also lead them to the Living Water, Jesus
• OBONGI: the flood waters would recede and that the food set apart for those devastated by the flood would reach there soon.
• that Jacob and I and all our co-workers would remain healthy.
• that Jacob and I would rely, not on our own wisdom, but upon the Lord’s, that our hope and encouragement would come from the Lord, that we would not grow weary in well-doing, but press on joyfully–and all the more as we see THAT DAY approaching. Pray that Jacob and I would be able to understand and walk in the nuanced difference between wisdom/prudence and fear as it relates to ministry activity in the ongoing presence of COVID-19. It has not been easy. We are more than eager for ministry to happen, but we want to consider the interests of those around us and not only our own.

Tax deductible  charitable donations may  be made via PayPal or check.  PayPal also has a way to make recurring monthly gifts. Recurring monthly gifts are very helpful to the ministry. To do so, please click on the PayPal link below. PayPal deducts  a small amount from each gift as a processing fee. All gifts given through PayPal and by check are tax deductible as Reaching Africa’s Unreached has 501c3 tax exempt status as a charitable organization.  If you wish to write a check you may write it out to R.A.U. and mail it to Lifegate/RAU Bibles, 395 Lifegate Ln., Seguin Texas 78155.    

PayPal Link for donations: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=WAR99DL4JFWXQ    

Go to RAU’s Facebook page for up to date reports, pictures, musings, and exhortations: www.facebook.com/ReachingAfricasUnreached  

YouTube Videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRmHafoBSemE7jS8kEHCG6Q/videos  

The greatest evil is having the gospel and not doing everything within our power to get it to those who do not have it!

 When at least 35% of the world, “the unoccupied fields”, have no access to the gospel, we (believers) must all do all we can to reach them. We who are saved owe the gospel to every lost person, most especially the 2.4 billion who will not hear unless someone breaks into their “unoccupied field” with no thought of their own life!

Our goal in our gospel witness is to take our eyes off the “risk” and place them on the cause for the risk. When God compels us like this he often will not tell us the risks…after all there are no risks for the all-knowing, all-powerful God. So let us be AMBITIOUS (Romans 15:20) to see that ALL are reached with the gospel of grace (Romans 1:16) in ALL places…there are no closed doors to the gospel, just some which are more difficult to go through!