Please be in prayer for Carol. We had quite the scare late Saturday. While I was reading in our bedroom, (which is our home within our home here at the Reaching Africa’s Unreached Guesthouse) I heard a loud noise in the attached bathroom. To my horror I saw that Carol had fallen and she was flat on back with her head propped in a weird angle along the wall. My first thought was that I had lost my beloved. I went to her immediately not knowing her condition…she was in a daze and not able to communicate well. After some time, which felt like an eternity, she could talk and we assessed that nothing was broken. We stayed together awhile longer on the floor. My heart was beating very rapidly. I must say God’s grace was with us in an amazing way!  Carol is an extraordinary woman! She remained calm and with her medical knowledge was able to give me instructions on do’s and don’ts.

Working together, I got her to bed. She could hardly walk. While in bed Sam helped assess a very large hematoma on her head. Fortunately, our small solar powered fridge had a little ice in it which we immediately put on the swollen part of her head. We monitored her pupils. In bed she was not able to move herself without me helping her. She almost passed out during the night during a trip to the bathroom. Her neck, back, hip, and elbow were hurting very badly. Since Carol is “bleeder” we knew we could not give certain medicines and knew that bad outcomes for such a head trauma can be serious. Both of us were remembering Natasha Richardson, actor Liam Neeson’s wife.  After conferring with a doctor friend she took some acetaminophen.  Throughout the night I monitored as best possible. Here in the northwestern bush of Uganda there is no immediate care for such injuries. We do have some options in getting a helicopter here which is difficult to do but still is a choice if need be.

I don’t think I ever felt so helpless!  This spurred on some very serious praying! Others here, as well as family, have been praying! Your added prayers are called for.

This morning she is somewhat better. The edema on her head has lessened and there is no headache pain. Her muscles, especially in her neck and shoulders area, are still very, very sore with severe spasms. She ate something when she woke up and felt it was now OK to take a muscle relaxer. With the help of that medicine she is resting well now. I am waking her every 15-30 minutes to monitor her. The Lord is good and He is good all the time. Please fervently pray for my precious wife Carol!

We were due to go to Obongi today (Sunday) for services. Paul George from Dayspring Chapel Austin Texas was going to share, I preach, and then we, along with Nurse Sam, were to give out de-worming medicines to neighborhood children. We also were planning to have another prayer meeting on the land RAU has purchased there, asking God’s mercy and persuasion to be upon those in the community opposing our gospel work in Obongi town. I thought it important for me to stay here at RAU with Carol. Paul and Sam left this morning via private hire for Obongi. Paul has stepped up and, I know, will preach a Christ exalting message, children will still be de-wormed, and intercessions will go forth. Paul and Sam are such timely blessings! Paul leaves us Monday and in mid January the Lord has graciously opened the door for Sam  for medical upgrading. Please pray for these dear men.

​

The challenges we face do not surprise us as we know they are part of proclaiming the glorious gospel where there are so few who worship the King of kings and Lord of lords! We are upheld by God’s grace and your prayers.

The Lord has opened and is continuing to open many doors of opportunity for the advancement of the gospel in this area of the world. In the next day or two I will put out a report and put it on the web site, reviewing what took place by God’s grace in 2014. In brief, since we have been here full time (July 2013), we have had 10 four day pastor retreats at RAU, given out many Study Bibles and resources to church leaders, had many evangelism outreaches in Moyo and Yumbe Districts, medically assisted children and adults, are a part of bringing clean water to a communities, cleared 17 acres of bush land and planted crops/fruit trees to bring in income for the ministry. There has also been continual building work on facilities throughout the year. We have had the honor to be part of starting two churches both in places where there is no evangelical church, Obongi Town and Gbari/Arapi. Last Sunday was the first service for the Gbari/Arapi church plant which had 44 in attendance. Of the 44, 37 were new believers from previous days of evangelism and medical outreaches in those two villages and surrounding area!

We praise God for all these open doors. God used your prayers and support in 2014 as a means to accomplish great things for His glory. Please continue to stand with us in 2015. Our most immediate goal is to get a second container here full of ESV Global Study Bibles and other resources. See this link for more information on that need:

https://reachingafricasunreached.org/fill-the-container-study-bibles-books-and-more/

May the Lord richly bless you! Thank you!

Jacob and (Carol) Lee

Blog: http://www.ReachingAfricasUnreached.org

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ReachingAfricasUnreached

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 name or email  address)

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!

Jacob W. Lee

Tax deductible  charitable donations may  be made via PayPal.  PayPal also has a way to make reoccurring monthly gifts. To do so  please click the PayPal link. PayPal deducts  a small amount from each gift as a processing fee. All gifts given through PayPal are now tax deductible as 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

“Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase.“

Daniel 12:4

Jacob and I have often discussed with amazement how the “increase in knowledge” (technology) has made it possible to “run to and fro” the opposite sides of the world in a matter of hours or to be connected electronically in an instant with people on the other side of the world. It gives life a surreal quality.  The New English Translation reads this way:  “Many will dash about…”  We have certainly done our share of “dashing” over the last 6 weeks.

We hit the ground running in our home town of Seguin where we were reunited with some of our family (Anna, Kenny and Keira, who picked us up from the airport in Austin, and Josh, Becca, Eliza, Ben and Vera.)  Vera was kind enough to hold off her entrance into the world until we arrived – she was born 3 days after we landed in the States.  It was a special experience to be present at her birth and to be able to photograph the event of her arrival. In spite of jet lag and loss of sleep during travel, Jacob and I jumped into grand-parenting duties with great relish!  Skype and videos help us to keep up with our kids and grand kids, but nothing beats real time hugs and kisses and singing and story-telling and all of the normal, everyday stuff of being there!  We are so proud of Josh and Becca and the family they are raising.

We were reunited also with our dear church family, Lifegate Ministries.  What a joy it was to receive their warm and enthusiastic welcome and to give and receive hugs!  Jacob had the privilege of preaching there on our first Sunday back. Over the next week and a half we also made it a priority to connect with other individuals and churches (Amazing Grace Baptist and Good Shepherd Evangelical)  who have partnered with Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) and who had become amazing prayer warriors during the harried weeks of the tribal conflict and unrest in which we found ourselves.  The tensions and uncertainty made our home coming all the sweeter.

The dashing about had only just begun though…we had places to go and people to see!  Our first stop was Iowa, Jacob’s home state.  In addition to connecting with family we had not seen in years, we were there to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Jacob’s parents, Keith and Gert Lee.  The number of friends and family who came to help celebrate were a testament to the measure to which Keith and Gert have endeared themselves to many.

Our next stop was Stephenville where Anna, Kenny and Keira live.  The last time we were there, Keira was just a baby and going through a difficult time.  This time, she turned the corner from baby to toddler, was a bundle of energy, learning to take her first steps and picking up new words almost every day.  Grand-parenting joy!  As parents we were also overjoyed to, again, see the answers to very specific prayers we had prayed for our daughter, Anna, before we made our move to Uganda:  that she be settled with a godly husband and family and cared for in a God-fearing and loving church family. We love to tease Kenny about his being such a treasure and we love his family, too.  Rocky Point Baptist Church has become a very special place to us as we have met the godly folks who love Anna and have taken her under their wings and whom she loves and cares for as well.  We personally experienced their care as they gave us a whole Sunday to share RAU’s vision and passion and shared with us how earnestly they had prayed for us during the tribal conflict and for the region in which we live.  Kinship expands beyond blood when the bond is the Spirit of Christ.

Next stop: Chattanooga, where our beloved son, Josiah, lives  and with whom we were very keen to carve out special time.  October was a great month to visit – the leaves on the trees were changing.  It was truly beautiful and perfect for photo ops!  Josiah was able to take time off of work giving us the opportunity to take walks, enjoy a variety of cuisines, take a road trip and picnic, just hang out and meet his girlfriend, Melinda.  We cherish every opportunity to take part in his life as he has lived further away from the epicenter of our lives in Seguin.

In no time we were back in Seguin!  It must be told what a miraculous gift it was to fly to each of these places.  Jacob’s heart dropped when he looked at the price of the tickets, which would have been about $3500.  However, when he put in his accrued travel miles (we have stuck with Delta airlines through the years and have rarely used them) his jaw dropped as he saw the total amount due: $0!  Praise the Lord!…and, thank you Delta!

The last week and a half in Seguin was beautiful and busy as we tried to make the most of the time left by soaking up the last dregs of grand-parenting joy, enjoying sons and daughters, making special appointments with loved ones and shopping for supplies for Africa till we felt like dropping!  Again, we were reminded of our kinship in Christ as we fellowshipped with our friends from Dayspring Fellowship in Austin, Gospel Life Church in New Braunfels and the final Sunday with our beloved “Lifegaters.” We are “blown away” by the increasing partnership with so many people and churches.

Phew!!!!

Just like that!….it’s over and we have crossed back to the other side of the world! We are in Kampala with  Patrick Bukenya and family.  Jacob and Sam are dashing about Kampala trying to cross everything off their “to do” list before we head back to Moyo/Afoji on Tuesday.  We will be  receiving our first team from the States this weekend and then hosting a pastors’ retreat the following week.

As we look back over our whirlwind tour, we are shaking our heads in amazement at what the Lord allowed us to experience and accomplish.  We are encouraged as we look forward to the busy months ahead and anticipate the pleasure of seeing many of you come to visit and minister with us.  We are encouraged about the provisions and plans that the Lord has made clear.  We are thankful for the pastors in the West Nile region who are working under difficult conditions and show a deep desire to grow in their faith.  This morning I was reading in Philippians 1 where Paul says, “And since I am sure of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for the sake of your progress and joy in the faith.”  This verse so beautifully states the purpose and passion of RAU – to come alongside pastors in the West Nile region for the sake of their progress and joy in the faith.

We labor energetically in the day because we know the night is coming (John 9:4).  There will come a day, maybe very soon, when doors of opportunity may close or when another kind of technology will be at work and we will be whisked away, not to the other side of the world, but to the other side of time.  How surreal and beautiful THAT DAY will be!  We know, however, there is much to be done before THAT DAY and, so, we work!  We thank each and everyone of you that shares that urgency and vision and who has prioritized and partnered with us in this particular course we have taken.

We especially want to thank Sam who has done of great job of “holding down the fort” and keeping things going at RAU in our absence.  We thank Patrick for his wisdom and help and his family for their hospitality (our home away from home.)  We are grateful for our friends who have continued to work at RAU to keep things looking good and to provide security.  Thank you, Delmar Hager (Study To Be Approved), for your on-going contribution of Kindles which come fully loaded with hundreds of books to help pastors in their progress and joy in the faith.

We have several praises to report!  The money for a solar powered water pump was provided and it will be brought and installed soon as well as funding to build a protective outer wall on the outside of the veranda.  Also, the Lord (through the love of a family in the States) made a way for little Richard, with bilateral club foot, to receive corrective surgery on both feet.  Due to the severity of the deformities, he has to receive a total of 4 surgeries.  He has received two now.  It will prolong his stay, but, thankfully, it is getting done!

While we were Stateside, the American RAU Board of Directors met to review RAU activity and to look at and approve future projects.

Here are some of the upcoming projects and events:

1.  Fundraising for another container of Bibles and books.  Jacob has spoken with Crossway Publishing, which has supplied the ESV Global Study Bibles in the past.  Once again, they will give us a great discount on an order of 5000 bibles, bringing the cost down from $29.99 to about $10 which includes shipping to Seguin (TX) if we buy 5,000.  We have friends in Seguin who are working on the purchase and placement of a container at Lifegate, where it will stay until it is filled.  Jacob has touched base with Bill Walsh from The Gospel Coalition International Outreach for more books for pastors.  Jacob has also contacted a representative of The 9 Marks series of books that would be an effective tool for pastors in leading their churches.

2.  As mentioned above, our good friend, Ron Zeiner, along with two others (Doug Neal and Mark Borman) will be visiting RAU for several weeks and arriving this weekend.  Paul George, from Dayspring Fellowship in Austin, will be spending about 3 weeks with us in December.  In January, Dave Jones and Michael Lambert will make a return visit and John Howarton will be back in the latter part of January and into February.  We are hoping that the Turner family will be able to make their visit in December and January.  Did I mention that it will be a very busy and exciting next few months?

Blog: www.ReachingAfricasUnreached.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReachingAfricasUnreached

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 name or email  address)

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!  Jacob W. Lee

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 deductible as 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

Because of the generosity of so many faithful followers of Jesus, we and so many here in the West Nile of Uganda are seeing Jesus magnified! On behalf Reaching Africa’s Unreached I thank each of you who pray for and sacrificially give to this ministry!

As Kent Hughes states, “One of the effects of the gospel going deeper into our souls is that it frees our fingers to loosen their grasp on our goods. Generosity is one of the great evidences of truly being a Christian.”  and “There is no such thing as a Christian scrooge,” he says. “We may know some scrooges who claim to be Christians, but I don’t think you can claim to really know Christ and be a stingy person.” The gospel opens our soul — and with it, our hands.” Below is one of the best encouragements and exhortations I have read and  have listened to on the Biblical understanding of generosity. May it bring encouragement to you as well!

“The Open Hands of the Gospel”

by David Mathis

He may have been a wee little man, but he was the kingpin of the Jericho tax cartel. He was a filthy rich little guy, this Zacchaeus.

But when he met Jesus, everything changed — not only his heart, but his hands. The same fingers that once reached to extort filthy lucre, now extended with generosity to the poor, and to pay back fourfold anyone he’d defrauded (Luke 19:8).

Sign of a New Soul

It’s only a few verses earlier in Luke’s Gospel that Jesus encountered another wealthy man, who we call “the rich young ruler.” His great possessions were the barrier to him following Jesus. Veteran pastor Kent Hughes, who served nearly thirty years at College Church in Wheaton, Illinois, says the contrast is unmistakable: How we handle our money has everything to do with how we orient on Jesus. The rich young ruler chose his wealth over Jesus, but for Zacchaeus, meeting the Messiah loosed his hold on his material possessions.

There’s a very intentional theology of generosity in the Gospel of Luke in particular, and the point, as Hughes captures it, is generosity is a sign of a regenerate soul.

“There is no such thing as a Christian scrooge,” he says. “We may know some scrooges who claim to be Christians, but I don’t think you can claim to really know Christ and be a stingy person.” The gospel opens our soul — and with it, our hands.

“Generosity is a sign of a regenerate soul.”Tweet

Is Tithing Enough?

Generosity is more than tithing, and more than just money. A stingy person can give ten percent, says Hughes. “Ten percent is good, but that’s not the point. The point is to be generous.” He points out that the total prescribed giving in the old covenant amounted to about 23%, not ten. Tithing isn’t necessarily a sign of grace. It can be very legalistic.

The issue is giving sacrificially. “Christians ought to give in such a way that there are things we forego in order to be generous — that vacation, that new car. Christianity encompasses all of our life.”

And so the regenerate are generous — not just with their finances, but with their time and possessions.

Why We Give

But for the Christian, the issue is not just that we give, but how. “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). And giving gladly rests on the great why of Christian generosity: that Christ himself — our Savior, Lord, and greatest treasure — demonstrated the ultimate in generosity in coming to buy us back. “Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). If Jesus is in us, then increasingly such an open-handed tendency will be in us as well.

One of the effects of the gospel going deeper into our souls is that it frees our fingers to loosen their grasp on our goods. Generosity is one of the great evidences of truly being a Christian.

“As the gospel goes deeper in our souls, it frees our fingers to loosen their grasp on our goods.”Tweet

In this new episode of Theology Refresh, Kent Hughes reminds us that not only it is Jesus himself who speaks most often, and warns us more severely, about the danger of greed, but he is also the one who so strongly appeals to our joy and says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

To access this 14-minute episode, subscribe to Theology Refresh in iTunes, download or listen at the resource page, or watch below.