May the Lord fill you and your family with joy in 2024!
As we come to the end of the year, would you consider giving a gift to help us press on in making Jesus known through the proclamation of God’s Word and through deeds of mercy and kindness?!!!
Please pray for us and all with whom we co-labor in putting into practice 2 Timothy 2:2 in our Sub-Saharan/East African region!
What we do now in the Lord and for Him will echo throughout eternity for His praise and honor….all else is dust in the wind!
Checks also may be written out to “RAU” and sent to our secretary Beth and she will deposit them into RAU’s account : Lifegate-RAU, 395 Lifegate Ln., Seguin, TX. 78155
“It is our conviction that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16) and we have been entrusted to proclaim it passionately and rightly. Our dependence is upon the Holy Spirit for the power to preach, teach, live and endure all things for the sake of the elect. (1 Timothy 2:10). As Christians, we are called to lay down our lives so that the Gospel will be preached to all. As ones who are confident in God’s sovereignty and passionate for His glory we seek to reach the many that have never heard of the Savior and His work of reconciliation. We understand that this work cannot be accomplished in our own strength but only through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. The means He uses in His people are cross-centered living, sacrificial and loving service, Bible-soaked preaching/teaching, fervent intercessory prayer, and Christ-likeness.” (From Reaching Africa’s Unreached Mission & Vision Statement)
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a SAVIOR, who is Christ the Lord” Luke 2:11
“You shall call his Name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
“The good shepherd (Jesus) lays down his life for the sheep…and I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also and they will listen to my voice. So their will be one shepherd and and one flock” John 10:11 & 16
Carol and I pray your Christmas will be a blessed time!
May you all be counted as ones who are rejoicing with all the angels of heaven and those who know our Savior’s love!
“And suddenly there was a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying ‘ Glory to God in the highest, and earth peace among those who he is pleased” Luke 2:14
While we will miss being with our family on this special day of recognizing the birth of Immanuel: God with Us, we have the joy of spending it with some of our Ugandan friends. Our longing and deepest desire is that all the world would have this good news. We have the privilege of knowing Jesus and receiving him as the one who brings reconciliation between us and Jehovah. How can we as believers keep this good news to ourselves when there are so many in the world who have not been told of his love because there are few to no Christians in their midst? Pray for us and Reaching Africa’s Unreached as we seek to do this in the most northern parts of Uganda and into South and North Sudan.
Pray with us as we begin the new year with a ten day leadership retreat in RAU’s Hall of Tyrannus January 3-10. We are blessed to have Pastor Jason Van Bemmel and Bob Brown back with us. We also have the joy of welcoming their sons, Jeremy Van Bemmel and Caleb Brown. On January 11th, we will travel to Yumbe District village for one-on-one evangelism, open air preaching from a top the Land Cruiser, and the “Jesus” film in Aringa when it gets dark. Jason is a pastor with Forest Hill Presbyterian Church (PCA). Forest Hill has been a long time, generous supporter of Reaching Africa’s Unreached! We are grateful for them and our other supporting churches and friends. Thank you! If you have not, would you consider joining them in their prayer and financial support of RAU?
The above books are the ones we are using for our upcoming homiletics and ecclesiology pastor’s training module. Each church leader will also receive an outline of the books. Included in the sessions will be a preaching practicum. The Sproul book is included as I always like there to be teaching on the “gospel“. Sessions also include the effective use of the ESV Global Study Bible. Walking out 2 Timothy 2:2 & Acts 19:10 are the theme verses of Reaching Africa’s Unreached.
By God’s grace and provision we hope to have several more modules in 2024. Additionally, we want to help those who have been trained at RAU teach other faithful ones in their midst, e.g. nearby refugee resettlement camps, Yumbe, Obongi, and Metu Mountains. We will press on in the distribution of ESV Global Study Bibles to leaders and training centers, evangelism, church planting in villages which do not have a church, local church discipleship, a couple of dental and medical outreaches, agricultural training for church leaders/community members, and putting in boreholes (water wells) in villages which do not have access to clean water.
Pray with us for the establishment of a RAU gospel radio station on our campus. We are still in the midst of working out the logistics with the Uganda Communication Commission.
Just recently I pulled out my favorite “missions” books (see above) for a friend. If I would have included biographies it would have been much larger! I highly recommend each one.
Please pray for us and all we co-labor with in walking out 2 Timothy 2:2 in our Sub-Saharan/East African area!
What we do now in the Lord and for Him will echo throughout eternity for His praise and honor….all else is dust in the wind!
Checks may be written to RAU and sent to our secretary Beth and she will deposit them into RAU’s account : Lifegate-RAU, 395 Lifegate Ln., Seguin, TX. 78155
“It is our conviction that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16) and we have been entrusted to proclaim it passionately and rightly. Our dependence is upon the Holy Spirit for the power to preach, teach, live and endure all things for the sake of the elect. (1 Timothy 2:10). As Christians, we are called to lay down our lives so that the Gospel will be preached to all. As ones who are confident in God’s sovereignty and passionate for His glory we seek to reach the many that have never heard of the Savior and His work of reconciliation. We understand that this work cannot be accomplished in our own strength but only through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. The means He uses in His people are cross-centered living, sacrificial and loving service, Bible-soaked preaching/teaching, fervent intercessory prayer, and Christ-likeness.” (From Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) Vision Statement)
Granddaughter Clara with our daughter just before her release from the hospital
My heart is filled with joy on this day! It is days like this one that help Carol and me forget the hardships of living away from family, good friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, and our loving, home sending church. With a heart full of joy I have been moved to share these answers to prayers. I wanted your hearts to be encouraged as well!
First, our granddaughter Clara has been released from the hospital and is doing so much better. A big thank you to all of you who prayed. Please continue to pray for my dad who remains in hospice care.
Second, I have news of two examples of 2 Timothy 2:2 being walked out with two of our Sudanese brothers, Salah Hamed from Western Nuba Mountains Sudan and Joshua Abraham from Darfur Sudan. They are both first generation Christians from tribes which are nearly 100% Muslim.
Top: Salah at RAU and him with a new believer in Western Nuba Mountains
They are, what I call refugees twice-removed, meaning they had to leave their homes to a camp in South Sudan and, when war broke out in South Sudan, they had to flee again to a camp here in Uganda near us. During their time in Bidi-bidi resettlement camp they participated in a number of training modules over several years at Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) in the Hall of Tyrannus. I will never forget what Salah told me without complaint one time here on the RAU campus, “I know why I am here Uganda, it is to be stronger in the Word of God so I can go back to my tribe which is 99% Muslim.” I know that to be Joshua’s heart as well.
Salah is now back in Western Nuba Mountains proclaiming the gospel and helping raise up leaders to shepherd the new believers In the picture he is with one from the Gulud tribe who has just trusted in Christ alone for salvation. The Gulud tribe, according to the Joshua project, is 99.5% Muslim.
This picture below is the the fourth group that Joshua Abraham has led through a series of book studies in the nearby refugee resettlement camp of Bidi-bidi. The books were all provided by RAU. In 2022 he facilitated two groups of Sudanese and, in 2023, another two groups, totaling 60 Sudanese.
Each graduate in 2022 and 2023 has received an ESV Study Bible at Graduation
The first two videos below were done 4 years ago at RAU with Salah, Joshua and Absalah Kori. I love these brothers with whom we work closely. Sadly, the recent war in North Sudan has “temporarily” slowed the work…just from a human perspective, though.
This last video is from about 10 months ago just before the recent conflict broke out in North Sudan.
Your prayers and support have helped RAU host close to fifty 5-10 day training modules in RAU’s Hall of Tyrannus since Carol’s and my full-time move to RAU in 2013. Carol and I are very grateful for your prayers, words of encouragement, and support. As we close the year we ask for your prayers and financial support for the ministry of Reaching Africa’s Unreached. Together we will, by God’s grace, press on as ambassadors of Christ!
Please pray for us and all we co-labor with in walking out 2 Timothy 2:2 in our Sub-Saharan/East African area!
What we do now in the Lord and for Him will echo throughout eternity for His praise and honor….all else is dust in the wind!
Checks may be written to RAU and sent to our secretary Beth and she will deposit them into RAU’s account : Lifegate-RAU, 395 Lifegate Ln., Seguin, TX. 78155
“It is our conviction that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16) and we have been entrusted to proclaim it passionately and rightly. Our dependence is upon the Holy Spirit for the power to preach, teach, live and endure all things for the sake of the elect. (1 Timothy 2:10). As Christians, we are called to lay down our lives so that the Gospel will be preached to all. As ones who are confident in God’s sovereignty and passionate for His glory we seek to reach the many that have never heard of the Savior and His work of reconciliation. We understand that this work cannot be accomplished in our own strength but only through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. The means He uses in His people are cross-centered living, sacrificial and loving service, Bible-soaked preaching/teaching, fervent intercessory prayer, and Christ-likeness.” (From Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) Vision Statement)
“…And how are they to believe in him whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?…”
(Romans 10:14)
Blessings from the Uganda/South Sudan border!
May this last month of 2023 be a blessing for you and your family. Carol and I are very grateful for your prayers, words of encouragement, and support. Carol has made a short video (2:9 minutes) highlighting the opportunities that you, through your gifts and prayers, have provided through Reaching Africa’s Unreached. We ask for your prayers and financial support!
Please pray for us and all we co-labor with in walking out 2 Timothy 2:2 in our Sub-Saharan/East African area. What we do now in the Lord and for Him will echo throughout eternity for His praise and honor….all else is dust in the wind!
Checks may be written to RAU and sent to our secretary Beth and she will deposit them into RAU’s account : Lifegate-RAU, 395 Lifegate Ln., Seguin, TX. 78155
“It is our conviction that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16) and we have been entrusted to proclaim it passionately and rightly. Our dependence is upon the Holy Spirit for the power to preach, teach, live and endure all things for the sake of the elect. (1 Timothy 2:10). As Christians, we are called to lay down our lives so that the Gospel will be preached to all. As ones who are confident in God’s sovereignty and passionate for His glory we seek to reach the many that have never heard of the Savior and His work of reconciliation. We understand that this work cannot be accomplished in our own strength but only through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. The means He uses in His people are cross-centered living, sacrificial and loving service, Bible-soaked preaching/teaching, fervent intercessory prayer, and Christ-likeness.” (From Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) Vision Statement)
Reaching Africa's Unreached 