As UNUSUAL as 2020 has been, we never guessed it would rush by as quickly as it did! In fact, we thought it would drag on but, in just a seeming blink of an eye, December is almost over!

With 2020 winding down, something else is ramping up—RAU’s ESV Global Bible Study fundraiser. As of today, we are at around 77% ($147,537.60) of our goal of $200,000–and hoping that 2021 will be the year for reaching our objective of 20,000 Bibles in a container on their way to RAU northern Uganda. This is cause for great encouragement and hope—so many people from around the world have contributed with enthusiasm and we jubilate in the Lord for putting in people’s hearts a yearning for the fulfillment of this plan. Present and future generations of pastors and new believers in young churches and “un-churched” areas will, we are sure, be praising God as well at the joy of possessing in their hands “the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing.” (2 Peter 1:19, NET)

Before we reached this far, it was tempting to think, “This goal is way too big–it’s just plain crazy!” Here are some exhortations about that!

“Satan will do everything he can to confuse us — to suggest smaller dreams, lesser glories, and other gods to our hearts. And the glory he offers is real glory — real pleasure and real purpose. But all the glory he offers is small and short compared with the glory for which we were made (Isaiah 43:7).” (Marshall Segal, Desiring God). “Go ahead. Dream your big dream. Do your work, lots and lots of it. But never, never presume that you are doing it on your own. “What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it [as though it were not a gift]?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). Every dream is a gift. Every accomplishment of a dream is a gift.” (John Piper, Desiring God). 

As we see the accomplishment of our dream being realized, we rejoice in the many who joined us in dreaming. Thank you to everyone who has given!

It’s always good to hold our plans loosely. We ought to plan, but we are not God. He sees the end from the beginning and He has a means to His end. Many of our plans were wiped off the calendar, but the Lord laid out others for us. By God’s grace, we put our hand to the plow to be faithful in that which He gave us to do–which was, in great part, to prepare–spiritually, emotionally and physically–for future works “which He has prepared in advance for us to do.” There was much investment in the Demo Farm and the facilities which we pray will serve many people in the years/decades/centuries to come. The last big project was to put design stone on all the walkways on the campus.

Here is what Jacob wrote: “Along with making improvements on our 20 acre demonstration farm, we have been, slowly by slowly, making renovations (inside and outside) on our facilities to prepare us to better serve in our biblical and agriculture group trainings when we once again can safely receive groups. One of the projects is to place our local and inexpensive “design” stones on our walkways and where water drops off from the roof on the verandas.(See photos) The”design” stones are NOT slippery when wet !  I, as well as visitors, have slipped many a times on the previous walkways and I have fallen once. Also, since these stones are “God” made, they will last, if the Lord wills, until Jesus’ return!” 

Before we shifted our focus away for a short while to some special holiday plans, there was one more important thing to do. On the 19th, Jacob, Zorah and Pastor Henery travelled the “long, winding and rough” route to Aya to meet with all the pastors who oversee church plants in the Metu Mountains, and of whom Pastor Tobious serves as liaison and leader. Jacob was very encouraged as they discussed concerns and successes. Jacob stirred their hearts by way of reminder of the hand of the Lord in completing the good work He has started, including the work in the Metu Mountains and in each of their hearts (Philippians 1:6). Zorah shared his vision for training teachers in the church for children’s ministry (Sunday School). Please enjoy the following video which Jacob and Zorah made on that Metu Mountain journey.

Finally, as 2020 winds down, our Christmas plans are ramping up! In the 7 years that Jacob and I have lived in Uganda, we have never done anything “touristy”. This year, we have made plans to go to a Game Park in the Murchison Falls area to enjoy Christmas with some friends from Kampala. It is a long-anticipated treat, especially for me (Carol) and I very much hope it will result in some amazing photo ops!

Before I close out this newsletter, may I ask you, once again, to help us reach the goal of getting 20,000 ESV Global Study Bibles sent here to RAU campus? It is the longing of RAU to train and equip MANY for the completion of the beautiful task with which Jesus entrusted His followers.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Overview of ESV Global Study Bible may be found here: https://biblebuyingguide.com/crossway-esv-global-study…/ In this article by Tim Challies entitled What Makes a Really Good Study Bible?https://www.challies.com/articles/what-makes-a-really-good-study-bible/ , Challies highlights how a study Bible is a great tool for leaders in the church.

Please continue to pray for and consider giving towards the goal of bringing container with 20,000 ESV Global Study Bibles here to Reaching Africa’s Ureached! Your investment in the lives of these church leaders will echo throughout eternity! 

Tax deductible checks may be written out to Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) “Noting: For Bibles” and sent to our home church: Lifegate/RAU Missions; 395 Lifegate Lane; Seguin, TX; 78155. OR tax deductible donations may be made on our web page through PayPal with a notation of “For Bibles”.

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

“There is no success without sacrifice. If you succeed without sacrifice it is because someone has suffered before you. If you sacrifice without success it is because someone will succeed after you.” A. Judson (1788-1850) 

With love and godly affection,

Carol and Jacob Lee, RAU

Website: http://www.ReachingAfricasUnreached.org  

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!
Sowing seeds of love and kindness should not be separated from preaching the gospel of sovereign grace but completely intertwined with it! 

I am sure that none of us will say when in heaven that we prayed too much, we sacrificed too much, proclaimed the gospel too much, and were too passionate to get the gospel to those who have little to no access to this gospel of grace. Let us together press on to make it our  ambition to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named! 

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! 

Jacob Lee