New Year Beginnings at Reaching Africa’s Unreached

Life is not merely a fleeting vacation but an exhilarating short-term mission trip, filled with purpose and endless possibilities in and for Jesus!

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

“You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” 2 Timothy 2:2

We thank God for the ministry opportunities He has given us in early 2025. Let me start with the latest ministry events and go back to the beginning of the new year.

The long-awaited first installment of over 6,120 of the 23,040 Africa Study Bibles (ASB) has finally arrived, and our hearts are overflowing with joy! We give all praise to God for this remarkable milestone! To date, we’ve raised an astounding $200,000. Our generous supporters through Oasis International, the publisher, have blessed us with $50,000, and the incredible donors from ChristianBook International Outreach have matched that gift with another $50,000, while RAU, through its beloved donors, has stepped in with an extraordinary $100,000! Despite the shifts in pricing since we first sought the Lord’s guidance to ignite hearts for these essential study Bibles, our mission remains unwavering. We are looking to God and HIS people to raise an additional $127,000 needed to bring all 23,040 copies to RAU. Because of the large donations from Oasis and ChristianBook International Outreach, the total for RAU is $227,000 with $100,000 already raised. This means the price for one Africa Study Bible for RAU donors is an incredible $9.85 for an Africa Study Bible. This includes all the shipping by container and ground transport to RAU! The primary recipients of this ASB will be church leaders who are well versed in English. If God blesses us with more dollars than needed for the ASBs, we commit to use the excess funds for local language Bibles or “Following Jesus: African Journey through the Book of Luke”. Discover more about the ASB here.

Will you join us in prayer and consider how you can help us secure the additional funds??? Please feel free to pass this on to your friends and churches who may be interested in helping.

February 13,2025 Update

Great news from our end! I’m thrilled to share an update about our determined mission to deliver 23,040 Africa Study Bibles (ASB) to RAU. As may know, we’ve received our first shipment of 6,120 ASBs! The second shipment of 10,520 ASBs had a funding requirement of $82,685. Thanks to generous donations the remaining balance for this second of three shipments is down to $23,880! Praise the Lord for His provision! Let’s keep our hearts united in prayer, steadfast in belief, and joyfully anticipate the arrival of these Bibles by faith.
Would you consider joining us in this noble endeavor to eliminate this balance completely?

Donation Information–> https://reachingafricasunreached.org/donations/

January 2024 and January 2025

On a related note, we are grateful to share that the 20,000 ESV paperback pew Bibles provided by Christianbook International Outreach (CIO) this past August have been successfully distributed. These precious Bibles have primarily reached students and church members who are proficient in English. As we’ve noted in previous newsletters, education in Uganda, from primary to university level, is conducted in English. Sadly, many in our community cannot afford a Bible, which highlights the incredible opportunity we have to share the Word of God. Furthermore, we are very grateful that CIO has committed to sending another 20,000 ESV paperback pew Bibles! What a wonderful blessing—thank you, CIO, and thank you, Jehovah!

Students with ESV Pew Bibles

All the French Bibles that Christianbook-International Outreach (CIO) generously sent us have finally arrived in the Northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for church leaders and members. We are incredibly grateful. This is one of the boxes below. It reveals the challenging journey these Bibles endured! They are now in the hands of our Congolese brother and friend, who trained alongside us at RAU and is currently serving in Northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo. We give thanks to God for Samuel Misengile, who truly embodies 2 Timothy 2:2 in the DRC, and we are thankful for the support from CIO!

French Bibles for the Democratic Republic of Congo

On January 27th, we welcomed Steve Chew and Claude Durepo from Valley Bible Church Pleasanton California through MAF. They started their journey back to California from RAU on January 31st. The 28th-30th were filled with ministry. Claude and Steve were an encouragement to Carol and me as well as to our Aringa and Ma’di brothers and sisters in Christ.

Steve and Claude from Valley Bible Church

Monday, the 27th, we gave them a tour of the RAU campus and demo farm, shared about RAU’s primary vision and mission, and had refreshing fellowship over a meal that Carol had cooked. We first met Steve and Claude in 2022 when we visited Valley Bible Church (VBC), so it was great to catch up. Both Steve and Claude are on the VBC mission committee and came with the expressed purpose of seeing on the ground what RAU is doing, and then going back to VBC to give a report on how they can pray for RAU and us, and explore possible ways of support. Carol and I are so very grateful for cross-cultural, mission-minded churches like VBC!

With some of the Lodenga Church of Uganda members on a very hot Wednesday

We had an impactful day in Yumbe on Wednesday the 28th, actively ministering in a rural church located in Lodenga, Yumbe District, alongside our Aringa brothers and sisters in Christ. The church is notably surrounded by fervent Muslims. Several elder members recounted the remarkable story of how their church was founded during the era of Idi Amin, who originated from the nearby district. They candidly shared the many struggles and persecution they have faced over the years. Interestingly, prior to our arrival, the local Muslims had learned about our visit and convened a meeting right at the boundary of the church. I approached them with Charles, Carol, Steve, and Claude, greeting them in a warm local manner, engaging in conversation, and distributed our dual language gospel tracts. Carol has a special ability to connect with the women and she did with these women!

After a short and friendly exchange, two Muslim Clerics from foreign countries arrived as we were ending conversations to head back to our own meeting. There was a tangible difference in mood. Carol extended her hand to greet them, as is the common practice among all Aringa (even with Aringa Muslim men), but the greeting was not received. Instead, the foreigners used this opportunity to explain that men should only greet men and women greet only women. It was almost as if “the Pharisees” had arrived.

An earlier date at a Muslim friend’s home in Yumbe town.

We then returned to the Lodenga church for our meeting, where Steve and Claude offered heartfelt words of encouragement. I had the privilege of sharing insights from 1 Peter 3:13-18, all while the loudspeakers from our Muslim neighbors sounded in our ears. Afterward, we enjoyed a lovely meal with our church family. Following the meal, we made our way to the home of our dear friend and co-worker, Onduga Charles, an Aringa, who generously shared more about the rich history of the Aringa church—its growth, the challenges they’ve faced, and the inspiring vision he and RAU have for its future. Together, we are united in prayer and purpose, striving to lift the Aringa out of the “unreached category” through dedicated gospel proclamation and the walking out of 2 Timothy 2:2 more and more on the ground, long-term in Yumbe District! This is my new nickname for Charles, my Aringa Macedonian man.

Upon returning home from Yumbe, my Macedonia man, shared a stirring report he received from one of the church elders of Lodenga! He shared how, after our departure, the two foreign “Muslim clerics” approached the church after encircling the church while reciting incantations. With brashness, they demanded that church leaders and the Christians there to convert to Islam, threatening to do everything in their power to extinguish the church’s presence if they did not! The church elder has reported this to the Yumbe police. After fervent prayer and counsel with Charles and the courageous elders of Lodenga, we “concluded” (see Acts 16:10) to return to Lodenga in the upcoming weekend. The Spirit has stirred the hearts of five other local churches to unite with us! We will delve into Scripture, exploring what the Word says to those enduring persecution and suffering for their faith and also study Jesus story of the unforgiving servant. As evening falls, I will preach from the roof of my Land Cruiser, my beloved pulpit, in a nearby football (soccer) field! When it is dark, we’ll share the Jesus film in Aringa, spreading the light of Jesus through the book of Luke. Then, on Sunday morning, we will lift our voices in jubilant worship with the six churches and hear the Word proclaimed. I will be bringing Bibles and Christian literature to strengthen the churches. Please fervently pray for us during this pivotal time, for what Satan has intended for evil, God has transformed into a powerful gathering of His church in praise and worship!

With news from home on the 29th, I woke up to this: my brother and sister found my second youngest brother Jeff dead at his home. He seemed to have died while taking a nap…beside him was an open Bible. I have now lost my two of my three brothers and mom while living in Uganda. I am grateful that all three were believers. I take great comfort in that.

Later in the morning on the 29th, we entered the northern section of the nearby remote area of the Metu Mountains with Steve and Claude, along with Pastor Henry and Tiondi, who are RAU co-workers. After meeting and picking up our Metu Mountain coordinator, Pastor Tobious, we visited three church plants. These churches were planted in conjunction with Aya Baptist Church from 2016-2017. Then, on the 30th, we visited four separate churches in the southern section of the Metu Mountains. Both days involved walking beyond where the Land Cruiser could go. The 30th had us going into the pristine Oku/Lea valley. The climb back up the hills is very, very steep and rugged. It is getting harder and harder for these 69-plus-year-old legs to make that walk–“but God” continues to give the strength. These hills really put the Land Cruiser to the test as well. Without it, it would be difficult to get to these locations.

Video of the Land Crusier on a Metu Mountain road: https://www.facebook.com/steve.chew.33/videos/1110044827468776

Pray for the Land Crusier to keep us going with the gospel. You gifts help us keep this gospel machine going!

Steve and Claude offered words of encouragement and shared insights from the Bible in each Metu Mountain church we visited. I also shared short messages from the Word of God in each church. One of RAU’s core convictions is that we are here to work alongside local churches in our evangelism, church planting, and discipleship, never in isolation from them.

We have witnessed numerous new births and baptisms. Despite being asked on many occasions, I abstain from performing baptisms. I firmly believe that this public confession of faith should take place within the context of the local church’s vibrant life. However, I do have the privilege of preaching at water banks, which is a significant opportunity.

Shortly after the Lord birthed the Cinyi Community Church deep in the remote Metu Mountains 9 years ago, I went to see where the Cinyi community members were getting their water. It was important as there were so many health issues, especially among the children. When I saw where they were getting the water, I even wondered why there were not more illnesses.

Original water source for Cinyi

Soon thereafter, the Lord opened a way for us to find water and drill a well. Since then, they have had clean water, and they have maintained the borehole. The health of the community changed drastically, and the door was opened more for Gospel proclamation. However, when I visited the church in December 2024, the elders informed me that the pipes were pulled, and many holes were found. They were told it was because of the iron in the water. The many times I drank from it, I could taste it but did not think much of it. So they were back at the hole collecting water…

Praise God for the loving donors who gave to RAU. Stainless steel pipes have now been installed and Cinyi church and community started enjoying clean water on News Years Day! Steve and Claude were able to drink from it! By God’s grace through his loving people RAU has put in 25 boreholes( water wells) in places lacking clean water.

Carol has been working very hard with Caesar translating ABWE’s Good Soil “Story of Hope” into Ma’di. “The Message of Hope” has already been translated into Aringa. Madi and Aringa are the two main language groups we work with. There are many other language groups that we work with, but Ma’di and Aringa are the ones we work with the most. Please pray for her and Caesar.

I had the opportunity in January to teach at two youth conferences. One was in Yumbe town at Pilgrim Church with Aringa youth, and the other in a smaller church in our nearby Fodia with Ma’di youth. In Yumbe, I had the morning and afternoon in one of their five days. In Fodia, I had one session two days later. Each attendee in both conferences received an ESV Pew Bible and The Epic Story of the Bible by Greg Gilbert. In addition, in Yumbe, they received Good Soil/ABWE Message of Hope in Aringa and English, and dual language Aringa-English tracts. What a joy to be with these young Aringa and Ma’di who are on fire for Jesus!

Through your heartfelt prayers, generous gifts, and unwavering monthly support, we wholeheartedly pledge to be faithful stewards of your incredible generosity. We especially appreciate every bit of increased monthly support! My (Jacob’s) transformative first journey to our current home took place in March 2007, and Carol’s and my permanent relocation in July 2013 marked the beginning of our journey as cross-cultural gospel workers. As long-term, on-the-ground missionaries, we have witnessed the Lord open countless doors, revealing the numerous possibilities for spreading love and hope.

A special note: A friend and pastor is requesting we sell one of our RAU older bodas (motorcycles) to him. We can replace the one we sell with a new boda for around $1,200. We use a boda to acquire things locally instead of taking the Land Cruiser. If anyone would like to give towards this we would be grateful.

Special Prayer Request: We are in the process of obtaining a 10-work permit or, if God wills, a permanent residence status. The latter is what we are hoping for. We can make this kind of application because of the number of years we have been working in Uganda.

A final note. Most missionary work often boils down to the relentless grind of “plodding” through mundane tasks to keep the wheels turning. One of Carol’s and my goals? Handing over a campus that’s not just functional but smoothly functioning in terms of maintenance issues. Take this video, for instance, a prime exhibit of that tedious plodding. One of the beautiful truths which came out of the Reformation is that all work done for God’s glory is “spiritual”.
Isn’t it interesting that this video follows the one showcasing the reception of over 6,000+ Africa Study Bibles and other ministry endeavors? Such sequencing is no mere coincidence.

Thank you to our supporters for coming alongside us !

What we do now in the Lord and for Him will have an eternal impact for His praise and honor; all else is fleeting!

May God’s blessing in and through Christ Jesus flow to you and your family throughout 2025! We are very thankful for your prayers, encouragement and sacrificial gifts which keep us pushing forward for the glory and fame of our King and Savior Jesus!

RAU Donation page information

https://reachingafricasunreached.org/donations/

Gratefully,

Jacob and Carol Lee

RAU Mission and Vision Statements:

https://reachingafricasunreached.org/about/

RAU Blog posts full of Carol’s pictures

https://reachingafricasunreached.org/

RAU Mercy Ministry Page:

https://reachingafricasunreached.org/agriculture-project/

RAU”s YouTube Video Page:

https://www.youtube.com/@jacoblee2082/videos

RAU Donation page information

https://reachingafricasunreached.org/donations

Carol and I are grateful to be  Associate Missionaries with ABWE. 

Video Interview: “What does it mean to be an Associate Missionary with ABWE?”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NIk9-mNdWk&t=12s

May God’s Blessings Flow to You in 2025

I know that you likely receive many requests for donations at this time of year, as do I. If you are considering making an end-of-year gift, I would be deeply grateful if you would prayerfully consider Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU).

Continuing in 2025, we remain committed, by God’s grace, to our core mission: training faithful Ugandan and Sudanese church leaders at RAU’s Hall of Tyrannus, who will then teach others in their local churches. We will continue to equip church leaders with resources like the AFRICA STUDY BIBLE and other biblically sound books, and, by God’s grace, we will continue to provide pew bibles to church members, students, and new believers.

We will also, by God’s grace, continue our evangelism and church planting in partnership with local churches, reaching out to least-reached areas like the Metu Mountains and unreached people groups (like the nearby Aringa), and Sudanese in the refugee resettlement camps and in South Sudan.

Additionally, we hope to partner with Jinja Ugandan, “Hope Smiles”, to establish a larger dental clinic in 2025, provide grafted mango empowerment, and bring clean water to rural areas that are difficult to access and often overlooked.

Through your prayers, end-of-year gifts, and monthly support, we pledge to be faithful stewards of your generosity. My (Jacob’s) first trip to where we live now was in March 2007. Carol’s and my permanent move was July 2013. As long-term, on-the-ground missionaries, we have seen the Lord open many doors.

What we do now in the Lord and for Him will have an eternal impact for His praise and honor; all else is fleeting!

May God’s blessing in and through Christ Jesus flow to you and your family in 2025! We are very thankful for your prayers, encouragement and sacrificial gifts which keep us pushing forward for the glory and fame of our King and Savior Jesus!

RAU Donation page information

https://reachingafricasunreached.org/donations/

Gratefully,

Jacob and Carol Lee

Video “23,040 Africa Study Bibles”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhom_YM3mmo

RAU Mission and Vision Statements:

https://reachingafricasunreached.org/about/

RAU Blog posts full of Carol’s pictures

https://reachingafricasunreached.org/

RAU Mercy Ministry Page:

https://reachingafricasunreached.org/agriculture-project/

RAU”s YouTube Video Page:

https://www.youtube.com/@jacoblee2082/videos

RAU Donation page information

https://reachingafricasunreached.org/donations/

Carol and I are grateful to be  Associate Missionaries with ABWE. 

Video Interview: “What does it mean to be an Associate Missionary with ABWE?”:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NIk9-mNdWk&t=12s

PS: My 2024 book of the year recommendation:

The True Light Has Come

by Carol Lee

There is nothing so brilliant as a star sparkling in a dark sky; the facets of a diamond are accentuated on the backdrop of a black velvet cloth; and the grace and beauty of Christ shine most brilliantly in a dark, sin-filled world. Jesus is the True Light who came into our dark world and dwelt among us. There is no darkness that can defeat His light (John 1). Is there any better response than that of the Wise Men or the shepherds who “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matthew 2: 10) or investigated “this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known” (Luke 2:15)? Second only to seeing it for ourselves is helping others to see it, too!

That was the blessing that Jacob, Pastor Henry, Tiondi and I had in Yumbe over the weekend along with our friend and co-worker, Onduga Charles– to encourage and equip the believers who are making every effort to shine like stars in the universe as they hold fast to the word of life “in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation“(Philippians 2:15) , and to earnestly plead, “come and see,” among those who have yet to be deliveredfrom the domain of darkness and transferred…to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1: 13-14)

On Saturday, we spent the day with the youth and congregants from the Zinzo church (Church of Uganda), and, through several facilitators, taught and exhorted them to know and understand and believe the Gospel more fervently for themselves, to trust that, through the Gospel (good news), God is mightily at work to save people out of darkness, and the Word is God is living and active and more powerful than any other source of information.

It’s a good thing we weren’t on the 3rd floor like Paul and no open windows! : )

Jacob taught on “One God, One Mediator“, who is Christ Jesus, helping the listeners to be more sure and grounded in what the Gospel is and what it accomplishes in our lives. I also taught on the “The Gospel that Saves Us and Keeps Us“: what it is and how it is fleshed out, bearing fruit in our lives that brings glory to God and speaks loudly to those who have yet to believe. Brother Jackson, who taught directly in Aringa, spoke about the differences between the Qur’an and the Bible and how knowing the power of God’s word can help embolden people in their witness to Muslim neighbors.

Jacob explaining “propitiation“–Jesus absorbing God’s wrath on our behalf!

In the evening, we transported the sound equipment to a local market place in Wolo where we hoped to draw a crowd and then announce to them some really great news: how they can be made clean before a Holy God–apart from “good deeds” which can never be enough to wipe out our bad record. I did my favorite thing, which was to mingle among the women, greet them in Aringa and use the little of the language I know to make a loving connection with them and hopefully break down barriers. The youth and other believers did what they love–singing Gospel songs and dancing with unbelievable energy. That is also a common language–everyone loves to dance; it was fun to be in the crowd engaging AND dancing with everyone. Jacob and Charles did what they love the most–preaching from on top of the Land Cruiser. Jacob’s message (with Charles interpreting in his passionate and animated way) was from John 10 where Jesus declares He is the Door! He preached from notes pasted on to his Bible–until the light became night and then he preached from his memory and heart! while Jacob was preaching, there were many from the team who were interceding. Our deepest prayer is that “eyes and hearts were opened” to see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)

Back to Zinzo Church; setting up the screen for the Jesus Film (notice the supervisory role)

Once again, we packed things up and headed back to the Zinzo Church where (after much struggle) we were able to set up the screen and projector for the “Jesus film“. It was a part of the ALL NIGHT youth conference and their hope that Muslim neighbors in the area would be drawn to see and hear the story of Jesus Christ portrayed in the movie–to have their hearts opened to believe what they saw and heard.

We arrived back at our hotel at around 1:30 a.m. Exhausted! Dusty! Hungry! Thankfully, the hotel still had staff on hand to cook a small snack for us. The next morning, I awoke with a little bit of panic. It was already 7:30 a.m. and we were supposed to be ready by 8 a.m. to go to our next destination, Lodenga, for Sunday prayers!! That is one of the few times that I woke up earlier than Jacob–needless to say, he was worn to a frazzle. We hurried to get dressed and eat breakfast–which we would not have had to do as our hosts served us a “Hobbit’s Second Breakfast“.

At Lodenga we were given the privilege of hearing the story of the church’s beginnings and how difficult it has been for them (in the past and present) to stand firm in their faith amidst opposition, persecution, and the strategies of members of the Islamic faith to aggressively take over schools and churches in that region. It burgeoned great respect in our hearts for these faithful people. As with every church we have visited in Yumbe District, the older generation fears for the faith of the younger one as there is an active tactic to undermine the faith of the youth and convert them to the Islamic religion through earthly means, whether it be with money or marriage to their sons or other such drawing cards. The struggles are real and the desperation of the current believers is palpable. Their cry is for others to come along side of them and to “strengthen what remains“.

While Christians persevere in their efforts, Muslims from Arabia and Pakistan and other Islamic countries are pouring money into the region, building Mosques, supporting Muslim businesses, and paying bride prices for Christian girls to be married into Muslim families. Christians, already outnumbered, are under great pressure to rise to this challenge. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” At times, we can doubt the power of Jesus’ light. The darkness seems oppressive and overpowering. BUT GOD! is at work and we are convinced that His light will reach to every ordained corner of the world.

Lord!! Let the light of Your love shine brightly in these dark corners of the world. Fill your people with the light of your truth and grace. Let Your light overcome the darkness. Open eyes, open hearts so that those held captive by lies (that we can come into Your presence without a Mediator) may see your grace and beauty and believe in You and believe in what You have done for them.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
” John 1: 9-17

O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light.

O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace.
” 

Jacob and I wish you a very blessed Christmas celebration with Jesus Christ, Himself, at the very center of it all! He is the Light of the World and through Him–by His light–WE are the light of the world. May our lives, individually and corporately, reflect the light of the Son so that darkness will be dispelled.

Would you please pray about and consider partnering with RAU financially so that we can continue to be an answer to Jesus’ appeal to “pray for the Lord of the Harvest to thrust forth laborers”? As Jacob says often, day time is here when we must work and a time is coming when no one will be able to do the work of sowing, weeding and harvesting. WORK WITH US in this eternally consequential present moment! Thank you so much to those of you who are already doing so. As the Body of Christ we are interconnected in physical and spiritual ways. We will only see the work God has done in and through us in the ages to come!

As we approach the final month of 2024, we invite you to partner with Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) in our mission and vision. However, I must emphasize that supporting RAU should not divert your giving from your local church or other Christ-exalting mission work.

Please join in with us in our quest to bring over 20,000+ Africa Study Bibles here to RAU. They would be resources primarily to church leaders.

Above all, we request your prayers. Please pray that we will be good stewards, filled with God’s wisdom as we serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your consideration and partnership!

www.ReachingAfricasUnreached.org

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!” (Jacob Lee)

All donations are tax deductible!

PayPal Monthly and/or one time giving link:

“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)

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

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

Mercy Ministries: https://reachingafricasunreached.org/agriculture-project/

Blog Posts: www.ReachingAfricasUnreached.org

RAU’s YouTube Videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRmHafoBSemE7jS8kEHCG6Q/videos

RAU Donation Page : https://reachingafricasunreached.org/donations/ 

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RAU is in partnership with ABWE

Our ABWE Personal Donation Page: https://give.abwe.org/worker/2125

Our RAU/ABWE Uganda Ministry Operations/Projects Page: https://give.abwe.org/projects/rau-uganda-short-term-teams

Carol and I are grateful to be  Associate Missionaries with ABWE. Video Interview: What does it mean to be an Associate Missionary with ABWE? 

Running The Race With Endurance

By Carol Lee

As the finish line of 2024 comes into view, Jacob and I would like to update you on recent events and highlight upcoming events that will be a “baton pass” into the New Year–2025!

On the heels of a very successful and inspiring 2nd Dental Clinic, we received 3 members of the McComas family (2nd generation missionaries to South Africa). Wade and two of his five children made the trek (by plane) to visit us here at RAU. Also in company was our dear friend, Caleb Mitchell, who with his wife and children, served for many years as ABWE missionaries in Uganda. As usual, Jacob filled the itinerary full to the brim so they got the broad spectrum of RAU’s ministry in this region.

This broad spectrum of experience included their first night an all-night-long (or ‘trans night‘ as they say here) blaring, disco-music, sleep disruption!! The next day (Saturday) we traveled to Bidi Bidi Refugee settlement, Zone 2, to attend a graduation organized by our dear brother, co-worker and good friend, Joshua Abraham, from Darfur Sudan who lives in Bidi bidi Zone 1. He has been key in promoting a reading culture among Christian leaders in the camps. African culture is also a celebrating culture–so this occasion was marked by a marching band leading the graduates through the town and back to the church building where the graduation ceremony was held.

Over a 100 church leaders have done the one-year study in the last two-year period. This group went through 15 theological books from RAU in 2024. The great need in the regions where we work is mature and biblically sound leaders for the rapidly growing church in the Sub-Saharan Africa.

Joshua is great example fleshing out 2 Timothy 2:2. He is a dear friend and faithful coordinator, bringing Sudanese to RAU for training in the Hall of Tyrannus, training leaders in refugee resettlement camps and helping us get Study Bibles, Bibles, and theological books into the camps to leaders, as well as into both South and North Sudan.

These are the books which they covered over the course of the year:

9 Marks of a Healthy Church; 20 Attributes of a Godly Man; Do You Believe?; Family Life of a Christian Leader; Pastoral Preaching (Building a People For God); God’s Design for the Church in Africa; 40 Questions about Biblical Interpretation; Theology of Suffering; Dangerous Calling (Pastoral Ministry); Biblical Leadership; Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus; Expositional Preaching; Tools for Understanding God’s Word; The Richest Man in Babylon; New Testament Messages”.

WOW!!!

What a gift it is to the Body of Christ to have leaders shaped by Christ-centered teaching and which roots them deeper into God’s word!

For Sunday prayers we met up with our brothers and sisters from Gbari, Arapi, Duku and Oyo–the ‘northern‘ side of the Metu Mountains, a mountain-top away from South Sudan. Wade preached the message from the word as it was translated into Ma’di and Gbari.

Without slowing the pace, we set off for Yumbe on Monday morning to meet with our brother and friend, Charles as well as with Omar and his family. After a meal at Charles’ home and an opportunity to hear their stories, we met with several Sheiks from the community, including the District Khard. Wade’s children chose a day free of dust and rough roads to, instead, spend part of the day with Zakeo (our Agricultural Production Officer) and learn about grafted mangoes–as well as enjoy some! As for the rest of us, at the end of the day, we showered off layers of orange dust and nursed weary bodies at war with the potholes.

Tuesday was MY day to skip out on the day’s activity–hiking down into “Pristine“!! Not only have I seen it before, but I also remember the climb back UP the mountain!! However, Wade and the two kiddos enjoyed the hiking and getting to meet people from the hills and valleys of the Metu Mountains. (Jacob amazes me that, at 69, he still finds the energy to face the rigors of driving and hiking.) At each of the church plants, Oku/Lea, Cinyi (“Chinyi“), and Ijujo, they gathered for a short time with members there and, in Aya, Pastor Tobious and wife, Beatrice, served them a meal. Since I did not go along, there are few photos to document the day!

On Wednesday–MAN!–just like that the visit was over and we were taking the McComas family back to the Moyo Airfield for their return to South Africa. It’s amazing how little time it takes to get to know and love people when you spend meaningful time with them. We hope they come back again–with the WHOLE family.

Along the way (since our return to RAU from the States), we have been enthusiastically handing out the 20,000 ESV Pew (Paperback) Bibles which we received for free from ChristianBook International Outreach. Because we want to emphasize ownership, we have asked for each person to give 1,000 Ugandan Shillings (which equals about 27 cents) for each Bible which they are happy to do because that is a reachable goal for everyone. Pastors are buying these books by the box to ensure that every member in their congregation has a Bible. They are also being handed out to Secondary School Students who use them for group studies and in prisons to prisoners who have trusted in Christ.

While every Bible is a great gift where such a resource is rare or expensive, our big push is for the AFRICA STUDY BIBLE (ASB). It is a New Living Translation version in British English (spelling and vocabulary) and is an easier-to-understand version for those who know English as a second language. In addition, the study helps are particularly apropos to African believers in their context. The ASB contains “2600 study tools and notes from 350 contributors from 50 countries, reflecting unique African insights and experiences.” Jacob has been using this version over the last year and reports great encouragement and insight. He is keen on getting a copy of this Bible into the hands of, especially, church leaders. Our hope is to bring 20, 040 copies to RAU–printed in and sent from India to Mombasa, Kenya, and then carried by truck directly to the RAU campus. There are 4 containers at RAU sitting with shelving ready to store them safely from the elements and pests (rats and termites)!! There is more information at one of our web page “20,040 Africa Study Bibles to R.A.U.”

Coming up this weekend, Jacob and I will be heading to Yumbe for a Youth Conference on Evangelism. Charles expects there to be around 100 youth in attendance. Both Jacob and I will be teaching on relevant topics. We will also go to a village market place to share the good message of Christ one-on-one with people there. Then, Jacob and Charles will climb atop the Land Cruiser and preach their hearts out! Afterward, we hope to show the Jesus film in Aringa to the gathered crowd. On Sunday morning, Jacob will preach from God’s word in a local church in Yumbe district. Please pray for these events and encounters. Ultimately, we need the Holy Spirit to open hearts, open eyes to a new Kingdom and its King. We simply want to be faithful to keep bringing the word of truth to them, trusting that God will do what He wills in the other sheep that He wants to bring into the fold.

Since our move here to Reaching Africa’s Unreached the Lord opened the door many times for conferences, dialogs with Imams and Sheikhs, one on one evangelism in the markets, open air preaching market centers and the showing of the “Jesus” film among Aringa in Yumbe District. Below are some photos from those times.

The longer we are here, the more clearly we understand the marathon nature of RAU’s goal. In our reading together through a book called, Great Commission Spirituality“, by E. D. Burns, Jacob and I both resonated with what the author wrote about Luther’s life:

Luther realized he would need the courage to endure for a long life of routine discipleship, church order, and pastoral care. The sweetness of abiding in Christ, maturing in that union, and teaching families to enjoy their life in Christ became Luther’s mainstay. That was his table talk. He had to cultivate the humility and the courage to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. Indeed, Luther had to come to terms with the fact that the work would still exist generations after him. It would be a bitter struggle till Christ returns. He had no categories for any sort of triumphalist Christianization of the world to usher in the return of Christ. Luther had to learn to rest in Christ as his life. Luther confessed that Christ is the King of his kingdom. He alone builds his church. We may be ambassadors of the King, but we don’t build his kingdom.”

As we continue to set our sights on and pursue the long term mission and vision of RAU, it also means we must pursue tangibles like work permits, NGO renewals, and other such bureaucratic necessities. Just recently, our request for permanent residency work permits was submitted to the Ugandan Immigration Office. If our applications are approved, it would mean we have entrance into Uganda for the next 10 years or even, potentially, indefinitely. We are able to seek this kind of visa because of living here as long as we have. With Christmas approaching, the process may be delayed until January. We would love to have this issue resolved before then. Please pray with us that the process will not be delayed or blocked. There is still much to do–we cannot say, “It is finished“. Of course, we do not have complete control over what we can and cannot accomplish–the Lord knows and has the final say over our lives and fruitfulness, but we want to run the race with faithful endurance and stay on course as long as He gives us energy to do so.

Please pray with us for a few other things as well and consider partnering with us financially to see them realized. Though we are not ashamed about the things for which we ask your help, we do worry that you will grow weary in hearing yet another appeal. The needs are overwhelming and we seek only to address ones which have life and wellbeing implications, whether physical or spiritual.

  • Please pray for and consider giving toward the total dollar amount for the Africa Study Bibles so they can be shipped to us soon and then be distributed carefully.
  • Please pray for and consider giving toward the borehole (water well) in Cinyi (Chinyi) whose pipes have corroded because of the high iron content in the water. They are back to collecting water out of a hole where water seeps up through the ground. (A few have donated, but we have not reached the $1100 needed to replace the pipes with stainless steel ones.).
Back to the Chinyi Water hole

This is from one of Jacob’s posts: “Shortly after the Lord birthed the Cinyi Community Church deep in the remote Metu Mountains 9 years ago, I went to see where the Cinyi community members were getting their water. It was important as there were so many health issues, especially among the children. When I saw where they were getting the water, I even wondered that there were not more illnesses.

Soon thereafter, the Lord opened a way for us to find water and drill a well. Since then, they have had clean water and they have maintained the borehole. The health of the community changed drastically and the door was opened more for proclaiming the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, when I visited the church last week, the elders informed me that the pipes were pulled and many holes were found . They were told it was because of the iron in the water. The many times I drank from it I could taste it but did not think much of it. Long story short, they are back at the hole collecting water.

Jacob and I would like to wish you all a blessed Christmas Celebration and a blessed New Year. We pray that you would “run with endurance” with joy for the sake of eternally important priorities and plans. We pray that each of us would fight the good fight, finish the race and remain faithful by looking to the prize–which is God, Himself!

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.” Galatians 6:9-10

As we approach the final month of 2024, we invite you to partner with Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) in our mission and vision. However, I must emphasize that supporting RAU should not divert your giving from your local church or other Christ-exalting mission work.

Above all, we request your prayers. Please pray that we will be good stewards, filled with God’s wisdom as we serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your consideration and partnership!

Jacob and Carol Lee

www.ReachingAfricasUnreached.org

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!” (Jacob Lee)

All donations are tax deductible!

PayPal Monthly and/or one time giving link:

“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)

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

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

Mercy Ministries: https://reachingafricasunreached.org/agriculture-project/

Blog Posts: www.ReachingAfricasUnreached.org

RAU’s YouTube Videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRmHafoBSemE7jS8kEHCG6Q/videos

RAU Donation Page : https://reachingafricasunreached.org/donations/ 

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RAU is in partnership with ABWE

Our ABWE Personal Donation Page: https://give.abwe.org/worker/2125

Our RAU/ABWE Uganda Ministry Operations/Projects Page: https://give.abwe.org/projects/rau-uganda-short-term-teams

Carol and I are grateful to be  Associate Missionaries with ABWE. Video Interview: What does it mean to be an Associate Missionary with ABWE? 

Dental Clinic , Bibles, and More!

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Five Day Dental Clinic at R.A.U.

Carol and I trust you all had a blessed Thanksgiving! We have an abundance to be thankful for, as expressed in “What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were NOT a gift?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). May our good Lord guide us all to live in a spirit of gratitude for God’s mercy, grace, and the gifts meant to direct our hearts back to the Giver of these treasures.

“…Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. ..” (2 Corinthians 6:10.) Carol and I are diligently growing in our understanding of this profound verse. One might assume that missing holidays with family, mainly Thanksgiving and Christmas, would become easier over time, but the reality is quite the opposite—our heartache deepens. Yet, at the same time, our hearts swell with joy as we serve as ambassadors for the King among those who have little to no witness of Jesus’ love shown through His sacrifice to redeem, reconcile, and justify His people. “…Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. ..”! Please view this not as a complaint but as a prayer request for us to experience the peace mentioned in 2 Corinthians 6:10, which is essential for all who recognize that we are pilgrims on this earth.

On Thanksgiving Day, we were blessed to host 21 students from ACTS Bible School Adjumani, along with our RAU staff. We focused on our necessity of being good “Bereans” (Acts 17:11-12), understanding proper biblical hermeneutics, and emphasizing “What Is the Gospel?” Each student received a study Bible and theological resources. We also spent some time in RAU’s grafted mango orchard to receive instruction from RAU’s agricultural officer, Zackeo.

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Thanksgiving day training at RAU

In Carol’s last blog post/newsletter on November 16th, she highlighted several prayer requests for upcoming events—some have already occurred, while others await us. By the end of this week, she will have crafted a comprehensive blog post filled with pictures and updates regarding answered prayers. Until then, here’s a brief “snapshot“.

One, from November 18-22, we successfully hosted our second dental clinic in partnership with “Hope Smiles Jinja.” During the five-day dental clinic at RAU, we experienced a mix of gladness and sadness. On the clinic’s final day, people arrived at the gate as early as 4 AM, and we reached the maximum capacity by 7 AM. A remarkable 558 individuals received the invaluable gift of dental care this week. While this brings immense joy, the fact that we had to turn away so many due to exceeding our daily limit of 110+ patients is a cause for sorrow.

This situation underscores a HUGE need for dental care in our region (RAU is located in northern Moyo district, Uganda, just a few kilometers from South Sudan) and the necessity for a permanent dental clinic. Several people from the community stated very emphatically that we have really found the point of need. At the very least, we must increase the frequency of visits from Hope Smiles! It costs RAU about $5,000 for each five-day clinic, amounting to less than $10 per person for services ranging from cleanings to fillings, root canals, veneers, and extractions. This is simply astounding! With several thousand additional dollars, we could double the Hope Smiles team and greatly increase the number of patients seen in just five days. We urge you to consider contributing to future dental clinics, bringing hope and beautiful smiles to those in need!

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Showing Jesus’ love through dentistry

Dental Video One: “Hope and a Smile on the Uganda/South Sudan Border” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkFxkhLvOsI

Dental Video Two: “Appeal for Funds for Larger Scale Dental Clinic” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6OQWDBcswY

Two, by God’s grace, we distributed around 5,000 of the 20,000 ESV Pew Paperbacks available in our resource center to students, church members, prison ministry workers, and church leaders. Additionally, everyone who received dental care at the clinic was also given one of these Bibles and dual language tracts.

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Secondary students rejoicing after receiving bibles

Three, numerous theological resources continue to be distributed to church leaders weekly.

Video: “Bibles, resource center and more”

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Theological resources at RAU for church leaders

Four, it’s inspiring to witness firsthand accounts of those who have received training actively embodying 2 Timothy 2:2, which is RAU’s primary mission and vision. Samuel Misengile is doing this in Northeastern D.R. Congo. Sam, a Congolese who worked closely with us over the years, remains a dear friend. It is a tremendous joy to see him teaching others what he has learned. From time to time, we have been able to provide him with theological materials in French and a significant supply of French Bibles, as French is widely spoken in his area. Joshua Abraham is also putting into practice 2 Timothy 2:2 in the BidiBidi refugee resettlement camp reaching church leaders from both South and North Sudan.

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Five, we are diligently praying and working towards acquiring many Africa Study Bibles for church leaders at our resource center. Will you join our effort? –> “20,040 Africa Study Bibles to R.A.U.

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Six, Carol and I praise the Lord that we are ABWE associate missionaries while continuing our role as RAU missionaries. We see this as God’s direction to fulfill the mission/vision of Reaching Africa’s Unreached. Please keep the Langworthy and Pryce families in your prayers as they raise support to join us as long-term missionaries. We are excited about Dr. E.D. Burns joining ABWE as our Executive Director of Training and Development. Carol and I have been greatly encouraged by E.D.’s books. Paul Davis, President of ABWE, notes that E.D. brings “over 20 years of experience in missions and theological education. Dr. Burns is a missionary-theologian whose passion for integrating biblical spirituality and missiological practice will help ABWE rise as a global leader in equipping and supporting gospel-centered laborers.”

Seven, in closing, whenever we consider our contributions to missions, whether foreign or domestic, it is crucial to prayerfully assess whether our support genuinely aids or inadvertently causes harm. Carol and I have found particular books incredibly insightful in our journey as long-term missionaries, serving in an area with significant spiritual and physical needs. Each book below provides unique perspectives we believe can greatly benefit others. Notably, Helping Without Hurting in Africa has become a foundational text in our training modules at the Hall of Tyrannus.

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As we approach the final month of 2024, we invite you to partner with Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) in our mission and vision. However, I must emphasize that supporting RAU should not divert your giving from your local church or other Christ-exalting mission work.

Above all, we request your prayers. Please pray that we will be good stewards, filled with God’s wisdom as we serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your consideration and partnership!

Jacob and Carol Lee

www.ReachingAfricasUnreached.org

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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!” (Jacob Lee)

All donations are tax deductible!

PayPal Monthly and/or one time giving link:

“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)

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

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

Mercy Ministries: https://reachingafricasunreached.org/agriculture-project/

Blog Posts: www.ReachingAfricasUnreached.org

RAU’s YouTube Videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRmHafoBSemE7jS8kEHCG6Q/videos

RAU Donation Page : https://reachingafricasunreached.org/donations/ 

************************************

RAU is in partnership with ABWE

Our ABWE Personal Donation Page: https://give.abwe.org/worker/2125

Our RAU/ABWE Uganda Ministry Operations/Projects Page: https://give.abwe.org/projects/rau-uganda-short-term-teams

Carol and I are grateful to be  Associate Missionaries with ABWE. Video Interview: What does it mean to be an Associate Missionary with ABWE?