I am happy to report to you the container arrived at RAU on Friday and was placed on the ground late Saturday afternoon.
We had many challenges with the container but the Lord helped us all through them. It was a long journey with a 10 week layover with Uganda Revenue authorities. Thank you all for your love,support, and the sweat of many!
(Photos and videos of the unloading may be found below)
As the container arrived I saw that it was put on the trailer backwards. I had to throw all my previous plans in the trash heap. We had to jackknife the trailer to unload it. The Ugandan Revenue in their unloading and reloading (X 2) jammed things in so tightly that we could not move the tractor until we first unloaded the shredder on which the tractor was sitting. We had to unload about one third of the contents over top of the tractor. We then jacked the tractor up and man handle the shredder out! I backed the tractor out of the container on a steep home made ramp made from freshly cut teak logs. The breaks on the tractor decided not to work which made the tractor’s trip out a bit precarious (the understatement of the year!) Carol will need to watch the video to see it as she had her head buried in her hands interceding for my safety.) There were many shouts of joy when both I and the tractor landed safely on the ground! It is on video :-).
Thank you for your prayers….the Lord wanted the container here and after 13 months from the time we started collecting things it is now here…Lord you are so GOOD.
After unloading the container till dark on Friday, we had to wait until Saturday to pull it off the truck. There were no large cranes handy :-). It was a long and arduous project with some tense moments. Since the container was on backwards we could not drop it where I originally wanted it. Also, instead of being loaded on a flatbed trailer it was on a pinned trailer and the pins could not be removed! We had to jack the container up to clear the pins and put logs between the trailer bed and container. We then hooked it with heavy duty rope (which was in the container) to a guava tree. The truck had a hard time getting traction as the container is very, very heavy! After about 5 hours work, when the container hit the ground it landed on a piece of wood and crushed it in two! We almost tipped it several times too. I am going to ask the brother in charge of road maintenance (he is the same one who smoothed/widened our driveway) to bring his grader to pull the container to the pad we have made.
Now we have the task of organizing all the contents that were sent! It is a joy to have all these resources for ministry and many will benefit! Thanks, again, for your gifts of money and supplies and your labor that it required!
We just have a week before we will have over 20 guests here for our Yumbe pastors retreat…so much to do. Pray for us!
For those who have asked, small packages and letters may safely be sent to:
Jacob & Carol Lee, PO. 55, Moyo Uganda, East Africa
Our “wish lists” may be found at Amazon (Click on the “Wish List” link and type in our names)
The greatest evil is having the gospel and not doing everything within our power to get it to those who do not have it. May the Lord grant each of us His followers the wherewithal to be obedient disciples!
Tax deductible charitable donations may be made via PayPal. PayPal also has a way to make reoccurring monthly gifts. To do so please click their link below. PayPal deducts a small amount from each gift as a processing fee. All gifts given through PayPal are now tax deductibleas Reaching Africa’s Unreached has 501 c3 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 Missions, 395 Lifegate Ln., Seguin Texas 78155.
*If you have questions on donations please email me at JacobLeeRAU@gmail.com
It is here!
We had to jack knife the trailer to unload as the container was loaded backwards in KampalaWhat we saw when the doors were first opened.The tractor was on top of the shredder. They were also wedged so tightly we could not move either one until we jacked the tractor up and unloaded things in front of them.We had unload many things over top of the tractor to make room to get the tractor and shredder outWe are finding that a number of small things were stolen when the container was being inspected and kept in Kampala by the Ugandan Revenue Authority. When this case was opened the nail gun was not there!We had to cut trees and use old lumber to make our ramp to get the tractor and shredder out
Time for the shredder to exit the container
The garage became full and very unorganized quickly.We had to jack up the container and put logs between it and the trailer to clear the trailer pins before we could pull it offWe tied the container to a guava tree with heavy duty rope which came in the container.It is moving…The container “almost” tipped on it’s side several times in its slide off the the trailer.
The container is grounded! PTL! We need now to drag it to its ready made pad.Generators to pump our water and provide other services…thank you Jesus!Over 1100 Global Study Bibles, over 3500 Biblical sound Christian books, over 40,000 gospel tracts (Madi and English) are now ready to be placed into hands of pastors,evangelists, and church planters. Pray that the Lord would use these materials to strengthen His people and bring people into a saving relationship with God Almighty!
These five young men were some of the first to receive a Global Study Bible and a book. I will be working them over the coming year with hopes that they will go forth to pastor and plant churches in unreached areas.
I have good news to report! I received a call from our faithful and persistent brother Thomas that the truck carrying the RAU container has left the Uganda Revenue Authorities warehouse in Kampala. It’s journey to us will be via Arua, Koboko,Yumbe, Moyo and then Afoji. The truckers think they will be arriving Friday evening. Are any of you available for its unloading ? :-). Please pray for its safe delivery to RAU! Over the years I have seen many a container along the road on its side.It was a little over a year that we began to collect things and there have been many challenges along the way. The Lord has given grace and mercy. Through your prayers, the many who sacrificially gave, and hard work of so many, the precious cargo within the container when here will help facilitate the spreading of the fame of King Jesus in RAU’s working region. Only the Lord can measure the effect of these materials. At this link here you can see what is in the container.
Over 1,100 Global Study Bibles and 3,500 christian books for distribution to pastors and others are on their way. PTL!
We are close to getting our money refunded back to us for the 1999 Land Cruiser we had ordered from Japan last September. Pray for the money to be placed in our account and for our new search for a suitable ministry vehicle. Going six months without a vehicle has not stopped our ministry outreaches but having one will greatly facilitate our travels for ministry. The terrain we work in is rugged. One can only go so far and only to certain places by boda boda or taxi. My back will especially appreciate a vehicle. Your prayers for us in this would be greatly appreciated.
These are the road conditions in our area during the rainy season
We have been putting a lot of thought and prayer into our next pastor’s retreat at RAU in which we will be hosting Yumbe pastors and leaders.There have been a number of relationship and strategy meetings in Yumbe since last November. These pastors will be with us from February 11-14th. Pray for us as we dig into God’s Word together. Our good friend Kevin Turner and Bible teacher Jonathan Fletcher will help in the instruction. It is our desire that these men from Yumbe will go back to their congregations strengthened, encouraged, and blessed. They are working for God’s glory in areas which are around 99% Muslim. Then the following week of February 17 we will go to Yumbe and stay there teaching, evangelizing and doing some medical work in a very rural part of Yumbe District. As soon as our vehicle arrives (I say that by faith) I want to make weekly visits to Yumbe to meet with pastors for bible study and encouragement. Please be in special prayer for these outreaches.
Yumbe needs Jesus! Pray!
Godfrey reports that the RAU church plant,Obongi Town Church, is growing with new converts. We need to have another baptism service soon in the nearby Nile River As you remember, Godfrey spent two months with us here at RAU studying before we sent him to Obongi. As the Lord would have it, there appears to be eight more young men who are interested in doing the same thing as Godfrey. It brings me great joy to be a mentor of young men who want to see churches planted in unreached areas and are willing to serve in them! Please pray for these opportunities. Your gifts and prayers help make this possible
Making open proclamation in Obongi “I follow Jesus!”Sending Godfrey out from RAU to Obongi to shepherd a new church plant
Thank you for your prayers and gifts for refugee relief. We are of the opinion, after being here for about two weeks, that we can best serve and minister Christ’s love by providing medicines to those in our immediate area along with some food stuffs for those refugees staying with family and friends in the Moyo area. There are a number of large organizations providing food relief for those in the camps. As you know, malaria is rampant in our area. Having malaria meds, as well as others, will show great love to those who had to flee their homeland. The news reports say things are better in South Sudan, but on the ground level there is still a great deal of concern for a working peace agreement, and rightly so. Please keep praying for South Sudan.
We are here because God called us to be here and confirmed it through your prayers and support. It is an honor to partner with you in spreading the fame of our King Jesus in Northwestern Uganda (West Nile Region), Southwestern South Sudan, and Northeastern D,R. Congo.
These new believers are hungry for the Word of God. Please continue to pray and support us. Thank You!
For those who have asked, small packages and letters may safely be sent to:
Jacob & Carol Lee, PO. 55, Moyo Uganda, East Africa
Our “wish lists” may be found at Amazon (Click on the “Wish List” link and type in our names)
The greatest evil is having the gospel and not doing everything within our power to get it to those who do not have it. May the Lord grant each of us His followers the wherewithal to be obedient disciples!
Tax deductible charitable donations may be made via PayPal. PayPal also has a way to make reoccurring monthly gifts. To do so please click their link below. PayPal deducts a small amount from each gift as a processing fee. All gifts given through PayPal are now tax deductibleas Reaching Africa’s Unreached has 501 c3 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 Missions, 395 Lifegate Ln., Seguin Texas 78155.
A big hello from Afoji, Uganda, to all of our family and friends!
In receiving this letter, you will know that we arrived safely to Moyo and Afoji after a long, dusty, hot bus ride from Kampala. It will certainly be a big blessing when the roads are nicely paved from Gulu up to Moyo. It’s in the works, but will take a few years!
It was a dusty 13 hour bus trip from Kampala to Moyo
On the bus ride to Moyo Jacob’s laptop was stolen from his back pack which was right above our heads the whole time…and I never left the bus. Jacob was distressed about it, initially. The Lord has been, through this experience, teaching him about surrendering ALL to Jesus. It is altogether too easy to become attached to earthly conveniences to the point that you begin to think you cannot live without some item or another…but…you can!
Since then, we have managed to find some ways to connect with the world. We found some very astute computer “wizards” in Moyo, a couple of young men who really know what they are doing. They were able to fix my old laptop, which had been rendered useless to us, but not, apparently, to someone who knows what they are doing. A friend from church had given two mini laptops or e-books this last visit. Our young computer experts here were able to get one going. So…Jacob is back in business as one of the world’s great communicators! (This time, it’s me (Carol) writing as Jacob is on his way to Yumbe.
Not everything has arrived safely in Moyo, however! We were hoping the container would be here by now, but, alas, it has not left Kampala. Jacob just wrote the shipping company another letter to inquire into the matter. We shall see! It is one of our RAU jokes: “Oh…I’ve got a ______! But it’s in the container!!” Hmmm…will it actually make it here?
Our friend from Seguin, John Howarton, arrived on Thursday and will be here this week. He and his wife, Angela, have a discipleship ministry in Israel during the summer months of the year. They had developed relationships with some South Sudanese men who were initially refugees in Israel, but have since returned to South Sudan only to be caught up in the civil unrest there. It has been wonderful to fellowship with him. He is a Jesus-loving encourager! Today (Monday) the guys are off to Yumbe to meet with Pastors Ben and Charles to strategize.
Kevin Turner and his friend, a theology professor, will be arriving February 8th. While they are here we will host a four day retreat for pastors and leaders from Yumbe. Then the next week we will be in Yumbe itself for ministry. Looking forward to that!
We were surprised to see very few signs of refugees here in the Moyo area. Most of the refugees that are here are staying with relatives. On our way up by bus, we passed large encampments of refugees who were being cared for by World Vision and, perhaps, other groups. Apparently, the encampment we passed was for people from the Dinka tribe. Most of the refugees are women and children, as the men have returned back to South Sudan, probably for participation in the war. Apparently, in the Adjumani area, there are around 9 camps for Dinka tribe members, and around 7 in the Koboko region for people from the Nuer tribe (pronounced “new-eh”, as we recently found out from John Howarton.)
We have funds for refugee care which were given by folks back home and have decided to use the funds for medicines that will be available to the refugees that are here locally. While refugees in this area may have a place to stay, they probably do not have the funds for medicines. This will alleviate some of the burden on local families who are hosting them.
A refuge camp near Adjumani
While Jacob was in town with Sam the other day and meeting with the local heads of police, there happened to be an official from South Sudan there. Initially he spoke of a peace treaty that was being signed, but, almost under his breath, also muttered, “I am concerned that my country will divided into three.” With the strong tribal loyalties that are present that is a sad but likely scenario.
Thanks for your prayers, your gifts, your encouraging letters and love.
As always, continue to pray about and consider the possibility of coming with a team to use your gifts and skills to strengthen pastors. Women, you are welcome too! There are many ministry opportunities for you! Just give us a heads-up so we can find a spot on the calendar for you!
For those who have asked, small packages and letters may safely be sent to:
Jacob & Carol Lee, PO. 55, Moyo Uganda, East Africa
Our “wish lists” may be found at Amazon (Click on the “Wish List” link and type in our names)
The greatest evil is having the gospel and not doing everything within our power to get it to those who do not have it. May the Lord grant each of us His followers the wherewithal to be obedient disciples!
Tax deductible charitable donations may be made via PayPal. PayPal also has a way to make reoccurring monthly gifts. To do so please click their link below. PayPal deducts a small amount from each gift as a processing fee. All gifts given through PayPal are now tax deductibleas Reaching Africa’s Unreached has 501 c3 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 Missions, 395 Lifegate Ln., Seguin Texas 78155.
Oh my! Our three-week break has come and gone! It was a very pleasurable and surreal parenthesis in what has become the main theme of our life experience: giving flesh and bones to the vision and mission of RAU in Northwestern Uganda.
It was pleasurable to be reunited with our precious, growing family. Joshua and Becca are doing a wonderful job in nurturing and discipling Eliza and Ben and in using their gifts to strengthen their local church, Lifegate. They have their hands full with a 2 1/2 year old and a one year old! Josiah is still in Chattanooga, working as an internal auditor for TVA. It is awesome to see his growth as a person – in compassion and wisdom and grace. Anna and Kenny are loving their new role as the parents of Keira Lynn and are doing a great job of navigating the joys and difficulties of parenting a newborn. (It was Jacob’s first time to see Keira…”Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!, He chortled in his joy!” – The Jabberwocky, by Lewis Carroll) We spent over a week in Stephenville with them and were especially blessed to have Josiah with us for most of that time. What a privilege to be “assigned” to this family to love, disciple, and nurture in the Lord!
It was a pleasure to be reunited with our spiritual family, Lifegate. This is a relationship not to be taken lightly. I was recently reading in Matthew 12:46-50 about the ones whom Jesus regarded as His brothers and mother: “whoever does the will of my Father in heaven.” While Jesus upheld biological ties, “honor your father and mother,” there were no more binding relationships to him in the earthly realm than His relationships with those that were obedient to the Father. This is why we hold a high priority for maintaining strong bonds with the ones who have committed, along with us, to follow the Lord. Our church family is important to us because, in a unique way, we are pursuing and worshiping and making known the Lord – together.
It was a pleasure to connect with members of the Body of Christ at large – to see that the unity of the Spirit extends beyond our “church walls,” and that seeing Jesus’ Kingdom come is a priority that binds us across denominational and organizational lines. We are grateful for the MANY who want to keep the main thing the main thing: making Christ known and seen and experienced in word and deed. In this respect, we have been encouraged by the many brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we have been connected who are involved in ministry in Uganda through an organization or personal involvement, and to know we are serving side by side with the same purpose and mind. We also thank all of you who are partnering with us in some way, either by prayer, finances and personal care…or all of the above!
On the lighter side, our taste buds have enjoyed pleasurable excursions, as is evident by our growing girths which, humorously enough have no “lighter side!”
And, oh, the pleasure of hot showers!
We enjoyed the pleasures of moving about where traffic lights and regulations make driving mostly predictable and where smooth roads allow you to “fly” across the miles.
We had the pleasure of straight forward transactions and set prices.
We enjoyed the pleasure of material abundance.
1 Timothy 6:17 says, “Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.” We certainly enjoyed the pleasure of things which we recognize as having been provided by the Lord and we do not complain!
However, there is something about lavish pleasure and comfort that is numbing. We felt it. And there is something about suffering and want that awakens the senses, especially spiritual. Though we were not personally experiencing suffering and want we certainly were identifying with our friends who were. It was a strange tug of war between getting comfortable in our present enjoyments and remembering that not all of life everywhere else is as good as we have it.
There was this aspect of our experience that was surreal. Concurrent to our coming to the States, civil war broke out in South Sudan. How disheartening to know that this new country, which had only recently won independence through blood, sweat and tears, was turning on itself in a brutal civil war.
Knowing the facts, it was surreal to be so insulated from the harshness of them. Hearing personal accounts from people in the midst of the conflict rendered the bubble of safety that is America (for the most part) an almost dream-like place. Jacob and I both felt the uncomfortable tension of emotionally juggling two drastically different experiences; there was a sense of urgency to get back and be in a position to help, if possible and, at the same time, a deep desire to enjoy the cheer of family.
Over this last week, as I have reflected over the pleasurable and the surreal, I realized that our being over here in Uganda plays an important role beyond the day to day Kingdom work we do. Just as hearing personal stories from the front lines kept us engaged and concerned in matters other than our own, so our being here to provide you real time stories and facts can serve you by stirring in you a fresh concern for the real needs and priorities of the rest of the world. Hearing firsthand accounts of events makes it difficult to ignore or become numb to them. It helps all of us by making us uncomfortable with remaining self- preoccupied, uncaring and inactive. I have heard it said that issues don’t often affect us or change our attitudes until the issues become personal or hit us close to home and then we spring into action!
Christians were not made to be bench warmers, but to be loving, active and obedient “doers of the word.” Isaiah 58 6-8 states, “No, this is the kind of fast [devotion] I want. I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke. I want you to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for the homeless, oppressed people. When you see someone naked, clothe him! Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood. Then your light will shine like the sunrise; your restoration will quickly arrive; your godly behavior will go before you, and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard.” Hebrews 10:24 exhorts us with this: “And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works.”
So please accept the uncomfortable prod of this exhortation as a means of grace and growth!
As we head back up to Moyo and RAU tomorrow morning, these are the priorities and needs that are set before us:
1. Safe travel by bus to Moyo.
2. Safe delivery of the container which is officially released, but not yet on the road to Moyo.
3. Assessing the needs of refugees in the area and using, with wisdom, the resources that some of you sent with us for meeting their needs. Pray for wisdom and compassion.
4. Upcoming Yumbe pastors’ retreat at RAU (in February) and the American Team (Kevin Turner, founder of SWI and others) who will be serving them.
5. Ongoing opportunities to serve pastors in the area through teaching and resources.
6. Developing plans for outreach and pastoral training in Yumbe and Obongi.
7. Church planting efforts and raising up of young men to pastor fledgling churches.
8. The possibility of a young man, Z___ coming for a 3 month internship to serve and learn in any way he can (probably in May).
Thanks again for your prayers, encouraging words and financial support, without which we could not do what we are doing.
Thank you all for your faithful prayers and support!
The greatest evil is having the gospel and not doing everything within our power to get it to those who do not have it. May the Lord grant each of us His followers the wherewithal to be obedient disciples!
Tax deductible charitable donations may be made via PayPal. PayPal also has a way to make reoccurring monthly gifts. To do so please click their link below. PayPal deducts a small amount from each gift as a processing fee. All gifts given through PayPal are now tax deductibleas Reaching Africa’s Unreached has 501 c3 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 Missions, 395 Lifegate Ln., Seguin Texas 78155.
I have recently returned from downtown Kampala with Sam: very tired, but happy. Our last two days were spent in government offices. Friday, I worked on upgrading my Uganda driver’s license to include motorcycle (Boda Boda). Sam worked on getting both a vehicle and motorcycle license.
I have good good news to report!
Your prayers and the prayers of many have been answered! I was at the Ugandan Revenue Authority (URA) customs office with Sam and Thomas most of today (Saturday). Thomas has been faithfully working the last two months for the release of the container. Thomas had been receiving a lot of push back and felt that it would be good for the URA officials to physically see me and receive my exhortations.
I acted like the widow who persistently knocked at the judge”s door (Luke 18:1-8). Today it actually helped that I was a white whiskered white man! Usually, my whiteness means much higher charges on most everything. By the mid afternoon the man I was dealing with was smiling and even laughing a bit with me in some of my conversations with him. He also “happened” to be from RAU’s working region, the West Nile. I did not bribe him. However because the URA deemed some items as assessed too low, such as the generators, I ended having to pay some extra in taxes. I placed the money in the URA’s bank account. About an hour later I heard the most delightful words.
The URA’s officials words, “your container is released,“ are forever etched in my mind. To God be all praise and glory!
Monday, our documents will be brought to the warehouse where the container is being kept so that a truck may take it to RAU. We still have to clear our “storage and handling” fees and the container still has to make its arduous journey to RAU. The journey may take up to three days so please keep praying! I want to stay here in Kampala to help push the the container out of the warehouse, if need be, so we may not make our bus trip north to RAU until mid week.
We will getting food stocks in bulk in Masindi where Abraham is picking up a good deal on beans and posho to help refuge’s in our area. We also plan on buying a bunch of medications in Kampala and batteries/inverter to strengthen RAU’s solar power system.
Thank you all for your faithful prayers and support!
The greatest evil is having the gospel and not doing everything within our power to get it to those who do not have it. May the Lord grant each of us His followers the wherewithal to be obedient disciples!
Tax deductible charitable donations may be made via PayPal. PayPal also has a way to make reoccurring monthly gifts. To do so please click their link below. PayPal deducts a small amount from each gift as a processing fee. All gifts given through PayPal are now tax deductibleas Reaching Africa’s Unreached has 501 c3 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 Missions, 395 Lifegate Ln., Seguin Texas 78155.
Reaching Africa's Unreached 