Faithfulness Promised; Promise Fulfilled!

By Carol Lee

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.“

~~Isaiah 43:2~~

Activities–even really good and pleasant ones mixed with the difficult– swirl around us like raging waters unsettling us in their pace. It’s a good time to hang on to the promise that the Lord is ever with us–even in deep waters of busyness and rivers of difficulty–and He will not let us drown. These flustering moments are an invitation to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus as Peter did before the tumultuous waves distracted him and his “little faith” took him down.

Our last months here at RAU have been like that–mostly wonderful experiences–as good friends have come to visit and to serve while everyday duties have continued to exert a vortex force on our energy! What a blessing in all of it to have experienced the Lord’s unshakeable presence and help according to His promised faithfulness.

After the McGee’s and Blanchard’s left, anticipation was high for the Pryce’s arrival–a second family with the potential to join us full time. The Langworthy kids were especially “stoked” to have other kids similar to their ages to hangout with. We did lots of fun things together–eat! chat! play games! talk strategy! laugh a ton! taste strange foods AND good foods! We visited churches where Ben and Aaron were blessed to preach, where relationships were forged OR strengthened. In now TWO Land Cruisers, many dirt roads were criss-crossed–full of potholes which unexpectedly launched rear passengers into the air–and dust storms were stirred up behind us–with both the “Oldies” (Wayne, Nancy, Jacob and myself) and the “Young ‘Uns” (the Langworthy and Pryce families).

We visited 2 churches as a group–Gwere, in the Metu Mountains, where we rejoiced to see God’s work in a small Metu Mountain church (and where Ben and Aaron had opportunity to preach) and in Lodenga, a gathering of believers in Yumbe District whom we have committed to visit and encourage as often as possible. It is a village literally surrounded by fervent Muslims. Ben preached the word at the Lodenga gathering while Alijah and Rory (with some assistance from Izyiah, Isaac and David) taught the “Creation-Fall-Redemption-Consummation” story to a group of lively kids from the neighborhood. Before the service Wayne, Nancy, Tiondi and Jacob went to the Yumbe prison which holds around 280 inmates (no photos allowed, as expected). Jacob preached a gospel message and then they joined the rest of the team at Lodenga. We also had the opportunity visit a Yumbe Sheikh along with his extended family at his home. He has been a friend of Jacob’s since 2014 and they have had many gospel centered conversations over the years. Please pray for this family. After our time together several of us took the Sheikh’s wife to a clinic to care for some of her medical needs.

The proposed Yumbe branch is still awaiting the land title before any construction is done. Building anything permanent on acquired land without a land title is a risky venture as people can change their minds and any investment made can be lost. We have reports that the Land Title is soon going to be given.

Currently, a partial donation is sitting ready to be used once legalities are taken care of. Please considering giving so that this vision can become a reality. Thank you! You can read about the details for this Yumbe on-the-ground branch here: https://reachingafricasunreached.org/new-proposed-rau-yumbe-on-the-ground-branch/

During the weekdays, while Jacob and Wayne were building and fixing, Aaron and Ben scheduled visits to several church plants in the Metu Mountains to meet with pastors and up and coming leaders. Their plan was to assess how the pastors are doing: in what ways they are struggling, what is working well, what their perceived strengths and weaknesses are and ways in which RAU can come alongside to encourage and bolster their lives in the Lord. They ate together, prayed together, and walked to some remote areas which do not yet have churches. Aaron commented, “This is unlike any Pastor’s retreat I have ever been to!” It is this kind of one-on-one mentoring care we have hoped for that requires more boots on the ground and it highlights the blessings of and need for a larger team. Aaron’s and Ben’s visits proved a perfect picture of what we hope to see in the future, especially when other families join our long term team, but even now, as Aaron pursues one-on-one and small group opportunities to mentor and encourage.

The send-off of the Pryce’s was heartbreaking for all, leaving a family-sized hole in our daily experience. We pray that the Lord would guide the Pryce’s as they navigate decisions on their road toward cross-cultural service.

Wayne and Nancy Reigel (with Faith Community Church in Louisville, KY) have demonstrated to us the blessing of “short-termers” with skills! The two months with them has gone by very quickly! They leave May 1st. Nancy tunes her ear to any need which would benefit from her gift of service and Wayne is a continued Godsend to Jacob in the building and maintenance department, especially our home renovation!! I hear Jacob say an uncountable number of times, “Man! I am so grateful for Wayne and his work ethic and skill at fixing things!” Wayne and Jacob are “two peas in a pod,” matched perfectly in energy and persistence. Within the next 2 months, we should be finished with the last of building and renovations ( a termite attack had done much damage) much to our relief. There are no “Home Depot’s” here! We’ve had an amazing and skilled work crew. I can’t wait to move back into our previous home with the hopes of staying put for a good while (not looking forward to the “moving” part, but the “staying put” part). God’s provision of friends and Gospel partners–what a blessing!!

Please be praying that the Lord would stir more of His people into action to respond to the call to “come” and help us at RAU. It was generally agreed, as we all gathered, that the fields are ripe, the work is much and the laborers are few.

Please know that many types of skills/giftings are helpful/needful on the field (as we have seen in Wayne and Nancy). We could use the gift of administration, finance, maintenance, agriculture, etc., in ADDITION to the gift of discipleship and teaching. Jacob and I encourage you to look into ABWE as mission sending agency which works hand in hand with the local sending churches. Please personally pray and consider how the Lord might use you here, preferably long term, but also short-term (2-3months, at least)! The Lord has called us here to help prepare the way for those seeking to serve long term. Also, if you know of others who have an interest in serving long term with us please point them our way for discussions.

The Gbari/Arapi (the ‘gb’ has a soft ‘b’ sound) church plant is looking forward to the completion of their church building which has stood quietly unfinished at the top of the hill for years. With the funds provided, we are now seeing the roof go up, then windows and doors and plastering will come a bit later. The tent that the believers have been meeting in is all but completely tattered so the completion of the building could not come at a better time, especially as rainy season is hitting hard. The building will serve many purposes–Sunday gatherings of believers and perhaps other community meetings and a place to gather the 3 church plants on “that side of the mountain” for training and fellowship. As the church members see the progress, their joy and trust in God’s faithfulness is being strengthened. There are yet village in this northern section of the Metu Mountains still without a single church. This church structure, like Aya Baptist’s church building in the south section of the Metu Mountains, will hopefully be a training center for church discipleship for leaders and church members.

The photos above show the progression of finding and negotiating for the land, foundation laid, evangelism hut to hut, baptisms and now the completion process

With the bigs rains pouring down, Mango harvesting has started here on the RAU Demo farm and vendors are coming for the fruit. Our overall goal in is to inspire others to see grafted mangoes as a means of long-term economic empowerment as well as to open up wider opportunities for income generation through teaching the grafting process. It is a means of displaying the faithfulness of God through the resources that are close at hand for so many of our neighbors, helping them to make full use of what is available.

Another area of God’s provision is the ministry of clean, accessible water for neighbors. It simply would not happen unless the love of God stirred a spirit of giving in His people. Recently, we found out that folks living very near to us (Fodia West) were experiencing trouble with their borehole which produced only a small amount of water insufficient for their needs. We were able to hire LEAM International, a local drilling company, to clean out the silt that was clogging the pipes, install new, stainless steel pipes and provide a new hand pump. Watch here.

On the campus of Aya Baptist Church, which has become a base to serve over a hundred young children through Compassion International, their borehole served not only the children but the church members and many in the community. Recently, it broke down and the ladies were forced to “foot” (walk) several kilometers to find water from a stream. The funds came in to drill a completely new borehole very close to the old one and supply stainless steel pipes that increase its longevity. Watch the jubilating here.

We in the West simply cannot imagine a life without water flowing through pipes that supply us directly in our homes and yet we thank the Lord for the gift of clean water that comes directly from the ground into the many jerrycans that line up each day making “footing” to the stream unnecessary!

The LEAM Team in Fodia West

In other health-related news, I found out that little Tiluza Allan is finally back on track to be taken to Israel for the much needed heart surgery. It had been put on hold while the Iran situation disrupted flights into and out of Israel. Now that some stability has returned and flights have resumed, SACH has written to Allan’s father to let him know they are re-submitting the visa application as the old one had expired. Please keep praying that all will go well and there will be no further obstacles. Praise God for His faithful provision through His people. By God’s grace, this is the fourth trip RAU has been able to assist to fly children out of country for heart surgeries.

Tiluza Allan

We also were informed that Hope Smiles (the traveling dental group out of Jinja) has put RAU on their yearly budget for 2 dental clinics. This is great measure of grace and means we don’t have to raise $5,000 for each clinic. Their fundraising efforts will cover that and RAU will only be responsible to make the community aware, connect with and get approval from the DHO (District Health Officer), host the team while they are here, provide tents for waiting area, and use the RAU’s “Hall of Tyrannus for dental work to be done. With just a bit extra ($670) we will be able to add a 5th dentist (along with their assistants). What a gift to our neighbors in these very remote parts of northern Uganda! What a faithful God!

In our 13 years in Uganda full time, one of the facts of life that feels the most like raging, swirling waters is keeping up with up with NGO requirements. Thomas, RAU’s gifted CFO, has often talked of the complicated processes and the uncertainty and wait time for approvals of various documents. With great joy, we recently received our 5-year NGO certification which will take us into 2031. RAU first received it’s NGO standing in 2012. This renewal happened just in time for the Langworthy’s to apply for work permits under the new certification period. Having an NGO (Non Governmental Organization) is vital for being able to stay and work in Uganda. The Government must verify that the work we are doing falls within the goals they have for the country and, when approved, provides us the ability to get work permits. This certification gives RAU’s ministry legitimacy and protection. Needless to say (but we say it anyway), we are thrilled and thankful for the Lord’s help in it all and for the giftedness and hard work of our CFO, Thomas!

Bibles, Books and more!

Opportunities abound in getting Bibles and theological books into the hands of leaders and students! One of Jacob’s favorite sayings is, “Leaders are Readers and Readers are Leaders.” We love to see a reading culture growing.

Africa Study Bibles and ESV Pew Bibles as well as theological literature continue to be distributed to Christian leaders and students, even in Juba, South Sudan in refugee centers for Christians fleeing the war in the Republic of (North) Sudan. Samson, who lives in Juba, is teaching and distributing literature (Bibles and theological books) that have been entrusted to RAU through generous donors and faithful Literature partners like ChristianBook International Outreach, Crossway International, Ligonier International, and Oasis Publisher. He is pictured above with Joshua Abraham Rawi, Jacob and Ben.
Joshua Abraham Rawi, as faithfully as ever, continues with his 2 Timothy 2:2 program of Book Studies within the Bidi Bidi Refugee settlements.
Through a generous donation from Blackhawk Ministries, we were able to get 5,000 copies of The Message of Hope printed (Good Soil Ministries of ABWE): on one side a person can read it in Aringa and, when turned over, they can read it in English. Our friend and Aringa co-worker, Onduga Charles, who did the translation work, Charles reports that this booklet has been a great Sunday School study for the youth and he has been asking for more copies as well as Aringa church leaders and members–which we have been happy to supply! It is also a great asset in our evangelism efforts. The Aringa tribe is primarily Muslim and listed as
“unreached” by the Joshua Project. ABWE has given us permission to get it printed in Uganda. Ekisinga Publishing out of Jinja, Uganda, is the brainchild of Steve and Debbie Nutzman who have developed a vital ministry of mentoring in business development and printing of literature in English as well as the tribal languages of Uganda.
The Story of Hope (a 40 lesson study of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation) has also been translated into Ma’di but is still undergoing editing. I met recently with the brother involved in this project and he hopes to hand it over to us within 2 weeks. As soon as it meets approval we would like to get it printed in the same format as the “Message of Hope” in one booklet containing both the English and Ma’di through Ekisinga Publishing and begin distributing it among the churches in Moyo District. If you would like to donate towards the printing, please see RAU’s donation page.

Each of us can look back and see God’s faithfulness with 20/20 hindsight and we may be able to identify it in our present. However, life circumstances can stir up fear and doubt about the future. This is real for Jacob and me as we pray and look for others to help us continue RAU’s ministry long after we are out of the picture. John Piper encourages us toward hope in future grace:

“There’s a reservoir of grace that’s accumulating behind your life. You’re walking into future grace and you have a reservoir accumulating behind your life. You look in both directions, biblically, all the time because that reservoir has meaning for you….future grace is God’s power, provision, mercy, and wisdom—everything we need—in order to do what he wants us to do five minutes, five weeks, five month’s, five years, and five thousand years from now.”

Jacob and I think about and rely on that truth often. At times, when raging waters are swirling around us in the form of decisions, difficult experiences, uncertainty, fear or simply overwhelming busyness, we remind each other that, “God has been faithful in the past; He is faithful now, and so, we can trust in his promised faithfulness for the future.” He is a God Who keeps His promises!

As you think of us and pray for the ministry of RAU, please keep in mind these needs:

Traveling mercies for our partners coming and going and for us as we travel to various destinations within country
Health and wellbeing for our family, the Langworthy’s, as they have experienced health issues (but have, thankfully, been treated and recovered at a local clinic)
Aaron, as he develops ministry plans, Amanda, as she home schools and navigates homemaking under new circumstances, and the kids, as they learn, grow and experience cross-cultural living along with everyday challenges
More long-term families/couples/singles to join us on the field with various skills and foci
Short-termers with skills (who can stay at least 3 months)
Jacob (now 70 years) and me, to have strength, endurance (and rest when needed) for life and ministry
Work permits for the Langworthy’s which can be done because of RAU’s NGO status.
More monthly financial partners to support the daily operations of the ministry (e.g. costs involved in operating a foreign NGO; being 2 kms south of the South Sudan border requires us to hire security on campus and there are so many operational expenses being as remote as we are.
More long term missionaries joining us.
Both regular monthly supporters and one time gifts are greatly appreciated.

With so much gratefulness for all of you who partner with us in support, prayer, encouragement and physical presence,

Love, from Jacob and Carol Lee

Mission and Vision Statements: https://reachingafricasunreached.org/about/

Our Mission is to reach Africa’s unreached, once-reached, and mis-reached people groups with the glorious Gospel of Jesus by planting Christ exalting churches in their midst. Furthermore, we will endeavor to strengthen local churches and their leaders through careful exposition of the Scriptures in the in the primary (first tier) doctrines of the Christian faith that they may be strengthened to plant churches in nearby villages with no church and unreached peoples in their geographical regions.