Fact Sheet for Short Term Ministry Teams to RAU

Reaching Africa’s Unreached (R.A.U.) Fact Sheet for Short Term Ministry Teams

www.reachingafricasunreached.org

Thank you for your interest and participation in the ministry of RAU! As our primary ministry focus is training indigenous pastors and leaders, planting self-governing, self-propagating, and self-supporting churches, and spreading the gospel among people groups in the West Nile Sub-region of Northern Uganda, South Sudan, and the Republic of Sudan we have created this fact sheet in hopes of better preparing you for coming alongside our ministry. Please carefully read Reaching Africa’s Unreached Mission/Vision Statements and Statement of Faith. Any teaching given would need to fall within the parameters of these RAU Statements.

Things to pack for your time in Uganda

  • Clothing: If your trip is between the months of March and November (Wet Season), you may want to pack a light jacket or even a light-weight rain-jacket, and hat for sun protection, sun glasses (equatorial sun is more intense!)
  • Men: Trousers and short-sleeve shirts (may wear shorts around RAU campus, but not in Moyo town)
  • Women: Long skirts and blouses (no spaghetti straps), pants with shirts/blouses are acceptable, as long as the shirt covers your bottom. Culturally, the lower half of the body is treated with greater modesty, however, upper body modesty is still important
  • Shoes: Easily removable, sturdy sandals (Ex. Chaco’s or comparable Sketcher’s sandals are perfect), hiking shoes may be helpful if there is going to be an excursion into the Metu Mountains, and flip flops for around the house at RAU
  • Hygiene: Body wash, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, flushable wipes (helpful when nature calls out in the bush!), toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, hand sanitizer, standard travel first aid kit, feminine hygiene products (not many options available in Moyo, so it’s best to pack what you will need) sun screen, mosquito repellent (you’ll want 4%-40% DEET) **Solar power at RAU cannot accommodate blow dryers, curling irons, or flat irons. All power is 240**
  • Bedding and towels are available at RAU, however, those items are nice to have in abundance, and so if you are willing to bring a set of each that can be left here, that would be a blessing!
  • Money: There will be several opportunities to purchase gifts/crafts to take home with you. We suggest bringing $200-$300 for personal/emergency spending. The cash you bring should be in new $100/$50 bills, as older or defective bills may not be accepted for exchange. The group at large may want to bring a larger amount of cash for travel emergencies since you may be in a place where access to ATMs and banks is scarce. Please DO NOT use credit or debit cards in Uganda
  • Medications: You can find the suggested vaccinations/medications for this region at https://www.passporthealthusa.com/destination-advice/uganda/. Please note, Yellow Fever vaccine is required to enter into Uganda. An immunization record is required for your visa and will be checked upon your arrival in Entebbe. Be sure you begin an antimalarial (Malarone or doxycycline are a couple of the common anti-malarials prescribed) prior to traveling to Uganda. Malaria is especially prevalent in our area. “The WHO African Region carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2017, the region was home to 92% of malaria cases and 93% of malaria deaths.” You may contact your doctor to get a prescription for Traveler’s diarrhea antibiotics and anti-malarial’s. Please be sure to have a sufficient amount of your personal prescriptions or OTC meds as they may not be available here.
  • You can apply for your visa at the Ugandan Embassy online site here: https://www.ivisa.com/uganda-visa-application . You may or may not need an invitation letter from us or another Ugandan ministry to obtain your visa.
  • Register your stay in Uganda with the American Embassy here: https://ug.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/
  • USA Embassy: https://ug.usembassy.gov/embassy/
  • BYOB (bring your own bible) and a pen and notebook/journal
  • Electronics: Phone, charger (multi-country adapters are available at Wal-Mart or other electronic stores or can be ordered through Amazon). Our plugs/sockets are different than American or European. See: https://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/uganda/ .  Lap tops and tablets are OK to bring, but please be mindful; these are highly sought-after items and may be stolen. All power at RAU is 240.

Travel Notes

  • From our experience, KLM is the most comfortable airline for the second leg of the journey. Other options include Brussels Air and United Arab Emirates. Upon arriving in Entebbe, we recommend staying at Carpe Diem in Entebbe which has a shuttle service that will pick you up and take you back to the airport in the morning for your MAF flight to Moyo. Refer to contact information below. You can pay for rooms in dollars.
  • Extra luggage can be left at Carpe Diem (see their contact below) and will be picked up by a friend of RAU and dropped off at the bus station for transport to Moyo. MAF allows 15 kilos and after that they charge extra for every kilo.
  • MAF: Travel to and from Moyo is now available through MAF Uganda on any week day as long as you book enough in advance and they have flights to Moyo or through Moyo. They can carry 1-10 passengers Monday-Friday. It is now our preferred way to travel to and from Moyo! The easiest way to make arrangements and book with them is to  register with them. The current cost is $200 one way.
  • Also, we can arrange an 8-passenger van which can drive you/your party/luggage to RAU from Carpe Diem for $400+- one way. The drive is around 9 hours depending on road conditions on dirt roads closer to RAU. If chosen, we strongly recommend this drive to be done only during the day.

Helpful Tidbits for Cross-Cultural Engagement

  • Be cautious in giving your contacts (phone or Facebook)
  • If you receive requests for money or other assistance while here or online, please inform the requestor that you will first discuss the need with Jacob and Carol Lee and your leaders.
  • Women readily nurse in public with no cover, even during worship services
  • Dive into the culture as much as possible while you are here. Ask questions, observe people’s interactions. People here really appreciate any attempt to learn their culture and language and this helps with gospel witnessing (1 Corinthians 9: 19-23).

  • **Please be mindful of how your interactions may affect those who live and work here long-term.**

  • Please be aware that we are just a few kilometers from South Sudan which is in the midst of a civil war. Because of this, under no circumstances should anyone venture down to the border, especially alone. Please speak with Jacob prior to taking any walks in the direction of the border as this could have severe consequences for yourself and RAU. Twenty four hours a day RAU has well armed/well trained Ugandan police on the compound.
  • Photographing: Do not take pictures of military or governmental installations or officials (including police). Please be aware of what you are photographing and always ask, if possible, for permission to take pictures of your surroundings. Most people in Uganda are okay with being photographed as long as you ask permission. However,  people may ask you for money if you want to take their photo. Bottom line: Always ask before snapping a picture/video of anyone or anything!

While at RAU…

  • Meals and basic amenities such electricity, Wi-Fi (speed not guaranteed…the more people online the slower), running water (cold), coffee, and toilet paper are provided. Any other comforts (i.e. snacks) you may want to bring with you or buy in Moyo town (limited options). Meals and stays outside of RAU campus is at your own expense. In some ministry  events it requires us eating at restaurants and staying in hotels.
  • Due to the acoustics of RAU’s housing be warned that sounds (all manner of sounds, ha!) travel from one end of the house to the other. If having a conversation after 10 pm, please remember your team mates who may be trying to rest!
  • At present, we do not have a hot water heater, so showers are cold. However, water may be heated on the stove top for a warm cup bath. When you are bathing please turn water off and on when washing and rinsing as water is a limited resource.
  • As we have armed guards at night who patrol the premises, please do not wander around at night hours without identifying yourself to them
  • There are venomous snakes in the garden areas, so please watch where you step and be mindful that snakes can be found in trees and on branches. It is strongly recommended you have a good flashlight with you.
  • Our only source of electricity is solar; therefore, when you are not in rooms please ensure the lights/fans/other electrical devices are turned off. If an outlet is not being used, please ensure the switches are also turned off. All power is 240 so step downs to 110 are needed. Most computers and phones have ones in their cords but please check before using. Any device with a heating element (such as a blow dryer or curling iron) cannot be used as the solar system cannot handle that much pull.
  • The water is directly from a well, so it is safe to drink from the taps. Only drink and brush teeth with bottled water elsewhere.
  • A monetary gift to RAU either in Ugandan Shillings or dollars (cash-new without any tears, even small, or markings in $50’s/$100’s) is always appreciated  to defer costs of your stay and ministry as well as for RAU’s mission.

Contacts:

RAU Contacts: Jacob: jacobleerau@gmail.com ; Carol:  carol295@gmail.com ; Zorah: zora.onet@gmail.com; Eric (Arua): +256 782 485448

Carpe Diem: +256 793 396832; www.carpediemuganda.com ; carpediem.uganda@gmail.com

MAF Uganda: +256 312 359 623 (International); 0312 359 623 (within Uganda) uga.bookings@mafint.org; uga.bookings@mafint.org

Eagle Air: +256 772 777338; reservations@eagleair-ug.com ; admin@eagleair-ug.com

Golden Courts (Arua):+256 0787 034837; http://goldencourtshotel.com/

Required (**)  for those ministering with Reaching Africa’s Unreached. This needs to be done BEFORE arriving to RAU. We would ask that you send an email to Jacob (see email address above) confirming that the reading/videos has been completed.

**Reaching Africa’s Unreached Mission/Vision Statements and Statement of Faith

**Book: Let the Nations Be Glad!: The Supremacy of God in Missions by John Piper. Classic book on missions!

**Article: “A Plea for Gospel Sanity in Missions” by Aubrey Sequeira

**Book: Holding the Rope: Short-Term Missions, Long-Term Impact by Clint Archer. This book fleshes out Reaching Africa’s Unreached  views on “short term” ministry teams.

**Book: Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J. I Packer. This classic book lays out well the call to proclaim the gospel to ALL with the understanding that salvation IS of the Lord.

**Book: The Gospel for Muslims: An Encouragement to Share Christ with Confidence by Thabiti Anyabwile. Reaching Africa’s Unreached does a lot of ministry with Muslims. This short book  is an important encouragement and help in this ministry.

Suggested:

Excellent Podcast: ABWE’s “The Missions Podcast”

Short Video Series from our ABWE mission partner: “Foundations of Faith and Missions”  “…This series, featuring Paul Davis, Scott Dunford, Tim Bertolet, and Alex Kocman of ABWE, seeks to address this fundamental question: What do we believe, and why does what we believe matter for our mission? Each session in this series delves deep into these foundational beliefs, exploring their implications for the Great Commission…”

Article: “Why Plant Pastoral Training Schools?” by Joost Nixon

Article: “The (Mis)Perceptions of Short Term Missions” by Elliot Clark

Article: “Returning the Right Way from a Mission Trip” by Elliot Clark

Article “8 Looming Dangers of Short Term Mission Trips” by Paul Davis and Jason Phillips

Article: “Toward Better Short-Term Missions” by Darren Carlson

Book: Mack & Leeann’s Guide to Short-Term Missions by J. Mack & Leeann Stiles. Podcast with Mack and Leeann talking on points in their book: https://www.9marks.org/conversations/on-short-term-missions-with-mack-and-leanne-stiles-missions-talk-ep-20/

Book: Foreign to Familiar: A Guide to Understanding Hot – And Cold – Climate Cultures by Sarah A. Lanie

PDF: “A Philosophy of Short-Term Missions at Cornerstone Church” by Preston Sprinkle

Book: When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself by by Steve Corbett  and  Brian Fikkert 

Book: The Transcultural Gospel: Jesus Is Enough for Sinners in Cultures of Shame, Fear, Bondage, and Weakness by E.D. Burns 

Book: Sent Into the World: The Missionary Theologian by ED Burns

Article: “9 Things You Should Know About Global Poverty” by Joe Carter