We are standing on the edge of a new season—one for which we have longed and prayed fervently! Our first retreat after the COVID shutdown is about to begin. We were holding on to our expectations a bit loosely as a huge part of moving forward depended on the USA teaching team (Jason Van Bemmel and Bob Brown from Maryland) being able to make their flights without any hindrances. We are THRILLED to learn this morning that they landed safely in Entebbe and are now on their way to RAU via van! Our hope is that they may be able to catch up a bit on their sleep before they have to hit the ground running tomorrow morning when the first of 5 Module retreats for 2022 revs up!
Much like the experience of so many, the last two years of COVID disruption have challenged us and also grown us—personally and ministry-wise. Every bit of “normalcy” is all the more appreciated after the long period of restrictions and inconveniences. We praise the Lord for this! Looking forward, our calendar is filling up again with many wonderful events. As mentioned above, our plan A is to have 5 Modular Retreats for our Church leaders from the Moyo area, Yumbe, Obongi and the Sudanese Refugee settlements. The hope is that we can get the 45 leaders who will be in attendance through all 5 Modules this coming year and not to stretch it out over too long of a period. The Retreats will include Biblical teaching as well as Agriculture and Economics/Business.
E.D. Burns in his book The Missionary-Theologian: Sent into the World, Sanctified by the Word wisely states: “The implications of this story (“The Rich Man and Lazarus” Luke 16:19-31) are staggering. If people do not have eyes to see the glory of God and ears to hear the truth of God in the Bible, they will not be convinced of the gospel no matter how many amazing and awe-inspiring works they might witness, even the raising of a known villager from the dead. Feeding them, rescuing them, providing jobs for them, ‘loving on’ them, and any other methodology emphasized over and against the sufficiency of the Word of God, will not finally deliver them from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of light. Now, some will object that this is callously calling for neglecting the legitimate holistic needs of suffering people. However, supplying the Word of God as the forefront emphasis of our ministries does not rule out other ministries of compassion and mercy; it just prioritizes and puts ministries of works and ministries of the Word in their proper place.”
Additionally, RAU is working very diligently toward the goal of clean, accessible water for surrounding villages in the Moyo District, as well as a special project for the hospital where there is still no reliable running water, especially in the surgical theater and the maternity ward. As per now, patients/family members have to daily bring a jerry can of water with them for their own needs and the water needs for the hospital. This is a heavy burden and RAU would love to help lift that burden. Included in our goals/plans for 2022 is discipleship and evangelism in the Metu Mountains, and in Yumbe and Obongi Districts. There is a great need for consistent encouragement and teaching/equipping in these areas. COVID really disorganized many churches and the effects of not meeting together seriously undermined their progress. We are praying fervently (with tears) that the Lord of the harvest would thrust forth laborers into the harvest fields. There is more work than can effectively be done by those on the ground here. Jacob also prays and longs for the recommencing of the Christian-Muslim dialogs in Yumbe District. At least, he has been able to have some heartening interactions via email with one Sheikh/Imam and we are hoping to receive him here for a visit after the retreat. Jacob and I are keenly aware that many groups are asking for that “year-end” gift.We also ask for your consideration in partnering with us in the ministry needs for this coming year. Just this morning, we were praising the Lord for the many donors who have been faithful and generous up to this very day. That is a huge encouragement to us and our way of seeing that “where God guides, He provides.” Thank you so very much for your love, and prayers and gifts. Our commitment to our donors is that we will be faithful to use the money wisely, effectively and with an understanding that so many of you are giving sacrificially. In our last newsletter, “Settling Back In”, specific prayer and financial help needs were laid out. Please take a few minutes to look over them and pray. While we dearly missed our beloved family during another Christmas season, Jacob and I are blessed and thankful that we had wonderful slots of time with each one of our children and their spouses and all the grandchildren in 2021. Though we cannot always be near them, we have the privilege of lifting them up in prayer each day, interceding for their good in God. We love them all so much and are proud of each one!
Your partners in walking out 2 Timothy 2:2 with our Ugandan and Sudanese brothers and sisters in Christ,
The greatest evil is having the gospel and not doing everything within our power to get it to those who do not have it!
Sowing seeds of love and kindness should not be separated from preaching the gospel of sovereign grace but completely intertwined with 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!
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!
Pastoral training soon to resume in the Hall of Tyrannus! PTL!
Carol and I are long overdue with an update on our return to Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU). We have now been in Uganda a little over a month. Thank you for all your prayers! It has been a grand blessing to have Paul George with us. His love for Jesus, compassion and work ethic are evident to all!
Paul George teaching at the Youth Conference in Yumbe town, with Charles interpreting
During our first week in Uganda, we stayed in Entebbe at Carpe Diem, our all time favorite Guest House, which overlooks Lake Victoria. It was necessary to extend our stay there beyond our usual in order to take care of business items in Kampala, which included getting our renewed Ugandan three-year work visas in our passports. We looked for and found a tractor, a 45hp Kubota 4-wheel L4508 Diesel Tractor, a 2 disc plow, a front loader, and a specially crafted man-lift attachment for the bucket to allow access to all points on RAU’s 640 grafted mangoes. Our faithful 1976 Ford 360,which came in our first container in 2013, was a great blessing in clearing the land and the progress made on it but it was time for its retirement. We are grateful for those who contributed to make this purchase of the Kubota possible. This tractor will be a blessing for RAU’s 20-acre demonstration farm. We are grateful for those who contributed to make this purchase possible. Fortunately, we finished the most important activities the day before several bombs went off in Kampala. On that fateful day, when we heard the news of the bombs, all plans for the day were quickly cancelled. Such bombings have been more frequent. Please pray for our beloved Uganda!
RAU’s new 45hp Kubota 4-wheel L4508 Diesel Tractor, a 2 disc plow, a front loader, and a specially crafted man-lift attachment for the bucket to allow access to all points on RAU’s 640 grafted mangoes. Thank you Jesus! Thank you donors!
The three of us (Carol, Paul, and myself) made it from Austin Texas (Nov.10) to Entebbe airport with 25 tubs full of supplies/resources ,one box, 4 suitcases and 6 carry-on bags. At about 1:30 a.m. (Nov.11), all three of us were able to get to bed at Carpe Diem. We are grateful for our Lifegate Church friends who helped get all the tubs to the Austin airport and also helped unload them and carry them to the check-in line for us! We have been shown so much love!!!! The story at Austin airport was wild…we almost did not make our flight because our COVID test was not correct…it was a PCR but did not have those 3 letters on the document. STILL!! GOD made a way for us through a COVID testing station near the airport. The results arrived on our phones just in the nick of time!! In Entebbe airport, after our repeat COVID tests, we picked ALL our luggage…none were missing. At Ugandan customs, from my interactions with the officials, I found out that they were Christians. I shared with them what we are doing and prayed for them. A few days later we sent all our boxes and bags up to RAU via bus and they arrived safely before we did. When you look at the process of traveling with all that luggage and then see everything turn out well, you KNOW that many miracles have happened!! We are grateful for those who prayed for our journey. Thank you!
Moyo Airstrip! How grateful we are for MAF flying us directly to Moyo!
All the tubs and cases/boxes arrived safely to our home! What a miracle!
Soon after our return, we sent on their way to various locations a total of 30 “large Proclaimers”. These are native language audio Bibles put out by “Faith Comes by Hearing” and were donated to RAU by Faith Lutheran Church in Seguin, Texas. The ones in Arabic are on their way to the Republic of (North) Sudan. The Ma’di ones are in the hands of Moyo church leaders, primarily the Metu Mountain pastors and the other third are in Yumbe Districts in village churches. These are ideal in these locations as many do not have Bibles and/or cannot read. We have encouraged them to gather together throughout the week to listen to the Word of God. Here is a YouTube video demonstration I did with Pastor Tobious in Ayaa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrZcB4UiUCw&t=1s In addition, twenty Kindle Fires with mobile solar chargers, via “Study to Be Approved“, loaded with Arabic resources, two Arabic Bibles, “Jesus” film in Arabic along ESV Study Bibles, Christian Books in Arabic, and gospel tracts have been placed into the hands of (North) Sudanese church leaders.
Proclaimer Audio Bible in heart language
Church leader in (North) Sudan praising God!
Close to 100 on their way to Chad and Republic of Sudan (North) as well as local pastors
On Saturday, December 4th, Carol, Paul, Henry, and I were in Yumbe for a Youth Seminar which Reaching Africa’s Unreached Yumbe coordinator, Onduga Charles, organized for us at Pilgrim Church. The Aringa Christian youth who attended are on fire for Jesus in this largely Muslim populated town and district. Our goal was to encourage them and connect their passion in evangelism with a full orbed view of the gospel message. We also wanted to equip them with an ESV Global Study Bible, dual language Aringa-English gospel tracts especially written for Muslims, a New City Devotional Catechism, and “The Message of Hope“ put out by ABWE Good Soil. “The Message of Hope“ is an excellent chronological study of the scriptures. Our dear brother, Onduga Charles, has translated the tracts and the “Message of Hope” into Aringa. I ran out of tracts and “Message of Hope”. Ten thousand each of the 600,000 six dual language tracts printed (the rest will come in another container) are on their way and 1,000 of the “Message of Hope” in Aringa have been printed in Kampala through World Gospel Mission’s “Print Shop” and soon will be at Reaching Africa’s Unreached! The “Print Shop” has also printed 100 copies of Helping Without Hurting In Africa participant’s manual which we will be using in our pastoral modules in the Hall of Tyrannus. My heart was bubbling with joy to be back in Yumbe. Jesus is building his church in Yumbe among the Aringa!
Carol with two of the young ladies attending the meeting
Jacob introducing “The Message of Hope”
Great news! The 20,841 ESV TruTone Global Study Bibles are in their container, somewhere between the USA and the port of Mombasa, Kenya. In Christian Book Distributor’s container, which is also on it’s way, are our dual language gospel tracts and books for pastoral modules. Once in Mombasa Kenya they will make their way via land transport to Kampala and then to RAU. Lord willing, sometime in February, the container with the Bibles will be resting on the slab ready made for the container. We just purchased an empty container in country and it was set in place on December 11th. This container will be used for the 600,000 dual language gospel tracts and many other books for use in pastoral training. Check out our new page on the website to read RAU’s new “Dual Language Tracts” here. I am very grateful for Doug Salser and Literature Ministries International for the printing of these tracts. In our area they are effective tools in sharing the gospel. Gospel tracts beautifully done, such as these, are read by multiple people. The local photos and color draw people’s eyes to read. With many wanting to learn English more proficiently these dual language tracts are like honey.
Please continue in prayer for the ESV TruTone Global Study Bibles and the other resources on their way to RAU. Thank you!
Offloading the empty container and positioning it so that one more container (with the Bibles) will fit right next to it.
I am excited to announce that church leadership retreats will be beginning soon, The fist module is scheduled for December 31–January 8th. Pastor Jason Van Bemmel and Bob Brown have dedicated these two week out of their busy lives to join us in our primary ministry of RAU which is Pastoral Leadership training. Our goal is to have 5 Modules (10 days each) in 5 Retreats which can be completed in one year. We have found that spreading it over too long a period of time causes us to lose students due to life circumstances. The Biblical Curriculum courses are the basics of the Christian faith which leaders need to understand and to be able to effectively teach (AKA 2 Timothy 2:2). Each of the five retreats will include Agricultural training “in the field“. Basics in Economics and Business will also be taught using Helping Without Hurting In Africa and Richest Man in Babylon. The 10-day retreats are long and intense, but I believe it will accomplish our desired goal more effectively.
The two texts we will be using in RAU’s Business/Economics Module
Pastoral Trainings to resume in RAU’s Hall of Tyrannus
RAU’s 20-acre Demo Farm continues to operate, although COVID prevented any large groups from benefitting in 2020 & 2021. RAU is grateful for the continuing support of Missionary Agricultural Resource Services: M.A.R.S. in these efforts. As pandemic restrictions lift and schools start up again, we look forward to offering hands-on training to community farmers and school groups in addition to the pastors and leaders who will attend the retreats. Our emphasis will be on box gardens/Kitchen gardens (of which we have 18) and grafted mangoes (and other fruit trees). The goal is to inspire entrepreneurial thinking and a “Farming as a Business” mindset in addition to improving farming skills in general. There are several juicing plants starting up nearby, so if we can encourage the community members to grow grafted mangoes, it can become a source of income for them and our local community. Paul George has enjoyed being a part of the “Garden Gang” headed up by Zakeo, RAU’s Agricultural Production Officer. You can see him in the mornings and evenings helping to nurse the young seedlings along. He has been a tremendous encouragement to Zakeo and to all of us as well. (Paul has also been “sowing the seed” of the Word of God next in our neighboring church, teaching at a Youth conference).
Some of RAU’s 18 Box Gardens for Demo
Along with our Biblical/Agriculture training ,evangelism and discipleship in 2022 we at Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) are trusting the Lord to put in more boreholes (water wells) in Moyo District. The District and RAU are looking at 20 of the most needy villages in Moyo Sub-County and Metu Sub-County. Yes…twenty! RAU, by God’s grace, through our loving partners and a “boots on the ground” approach, has put in 22 boreholes since our move here 2013. We are confident of being able to translate your love gifts into clean and accessible water for many more in Moyo district! This is one of the best ways to physically show the love of Jesus. As the old saying goes, people do not care about how much you know until they know how much you care. Our first push, in concert with Moyo District Water Board, would be a borehole near our Moyo Regional Hospital which would help meet the hygiene needs in the Maternity Ward and Surgical theater. The water would be pumped to a tank which would serve just these two sections of the hospital. The Apostle Paul states that we (Christ’s disciples) are redeemed and purified to BE ZEALOUS for good works! (Titus 2:14). Praying that your zeal would be real!! If we believe that God is who we say He is, our plans are not too big but too small! If you or anyone you know can help, please email me.
A desperate need for clean, accessible water in our area! The need for clean water in our Moyo District is great…will you help?
Since August of 2020, RAU has established a relationship with ABWE which has continued to develop towards a working partnership. We share with this Missionary Sending Agency a firm belief in the primacy of the local church in missions and in the discipleship of church leaders. We both envision coming alongside what God is already doing in sub-Saharan Africa–the region of the fastest growing church in the world.
Carol and I, as well as the whole RAU team, gratefully appreciate our regular donors. You have been God’s means for us in walking out 2 Timothy 2:2 in our Sub-Saharan, East Africa region. We ask that you please continue in your support. If you are not a regular supporter (and no gift is too small) we ask that you become a monthly donor. RAU is grateful for all financial gifts! RAU commits to faithfully using these gifts to extend Christ’s work primarily in Moyo, Yumbe, and Obongi Districts of northwestern Uganda (also called the “West Nile”), and, as we are able, other parts of Uganda, in South Sudan, in Northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, in The Republic of (North) Sudan, and in other regions to the North. Because we believe in the primacy of the local church it is our desire that any charitable gifts given to RAU would not compromise what you are ALREADY giving to your local church and/or to other cross cultural foreign missionaries. Getting the gospel to the unreached will take sacrificial giving on the part of all God’s people. May we walk faithfully in the spirit of 2 Corinthians 8 & 9 so that our Lord God is worshiped by men and women from every tongue , tribe, people, and nation! Truly, now is the time for radical generosity! Information on giving may be found here at our donation page: https://reachingafricasunreached.org/donations/
As we approach the end of the year I ask that you prayerfully consider year end gifts in these areas:
Pastoral and agricultural training…walking out 2 Timothy 2:2 in RAU’s Hall of Tyrannus and 20-acre demonstration farm; hosting pastors/leaders with room and board during the 10 day retreats and other resources
Evangelism and church planting in cooperation with local churches in geographically unreached areas, in the Metu Mountains, and unreached people groups. We have one “unreached” tribe nearby and many represented in the nearby refugee settlements from both South Sudan and the Republic of (North) Sudan.
Walking hand in hand with local churches in the discipleship of their members through Bibles (both audio “Proclaimers” and printed Bibles) distribution (local languages), Christian literature, Kindle Fires, and teaching.
Distribution of Study Bibles, Kindle Fires, Christian literature, and tracts to pastors working in both South Sudan and The Republic of Sudan as well as to pastors in the nearby refugee settlements
20 Boreholes in 2022, with the first one being for the Moyo Regional Hospital. Currently, the doctors and medical personnel must rely on water brought by jerry-cans by families of patients (from unknown sources) for the hygiene necessary for their work. From survey work to hand pump the cost for one borehole is $8000. The one for the Moyo Hospital will be more as it requires a production pump. If you cannot help, please reach out to others who may be able to help us provide clean water in these very needy places.
Funds for basic medical supplies for our local Moyo Hospital. RAU would work in concert with the Hospital Administrator and a missionary surgeon.
Educational sponsorships. This requires people who are committed for the long term, to see a child or adult through their program. We have ones who need help in Primary, Secondary, Polytech, Nursing, University, and graduate levels.
Your partners in walking out 2 Timothy 2:2 with our Ugandan and Sudanese brothers and sisters in Christ,
The greatest evil is having the gospel and not doing everything within our power to get it to those who do not have it!
Sowing seeds of love and kindness should not be separated from preaching the gospel of sovereign grace but completely intertwined with 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
Reaching Africa's Unreached 