Godfrey has gone ahead of us to Obongi. Early in the morning Nurse Sam, Pastor Abraham , and myself will join him along with Pastor Bosco for teaching and baptisms in the Nile. While Godfrey and Bosco were visiting the believers today they were used of the Lord to lead another person to Christ who also wants to be baptized. The videos below are from our previous evangelism outreaches in Obongi. Nearly 30 are ready for baptism. A sight has been chosen near the ferry crossing. These baptisms will no doubt draw a crowd in this Muslim town. We will celebrate God’s work in baptism and proclaim the same glorious gospel to onlookers praying they too will place their trust in Christ Jesus and also follow in baptism. God is building His church in Obongi!
Please pray for Pastor’s Bosco growing church in Otobonga near Obongi and for RAU’s first church plant in Obongi town with Godfrey leading it. Also pray for a small group of new believers just outside Obongi. It too far for them to walk to Otobonga and the Obongi town church. We are praying hard,thinking hard, and working hard to get a shepherd for them.
I am writing to give you an opportunity to share in the joy of the harvest. You have shared in the plowing through prayer. You have participated in the sowing through your generous giving (building,operating expenses, books, Kindles for Pastors, evangelism,church planting etc.) and by your coming and planting seed or watering. Believe me,God is giving the growth!
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.“ I Corinthians 3: 6-9
Since Jacob’s last letter, so many wonderful developments have occurred.
Godfrey, who has been undergoing a mentoring process here at RAU and an intense time of study, is nearly ready to make his move to Obongi. He is truly excited, not only about the Word of God, but also about being able to be a part of the milestone outreach to this unreached area. Jacob has so enjoyed helping to equip Godfrey in different ways and has had great conversations with him. Last night, after having had some time to read in his new Kindle, loaded with over 100 Christian books, Godfrey came inside from the veranda, nearly giddy, and stated, “You know, God gave Adam this beautiful garden with all kinds of fruits for him to enjoy. What God gave Adam in the garden, you have given me in this Kindle!” Awesome! Thank you, Delmar Hager, for your vision and provision of this most excellent tool for pastors! The fruit that the Kindles, as well all the Christ centered books given out, will bear in eternity cannot even be contemplated now! Thank you to all who have been a part of providing Bibles and books to enrich pastors. We look forward to seeing the harvest of wisdom in Godfrey through the resources he has been given and planted within him. Pray for him as he leads a new church in the center of Muslim dominated Obongi. Pray for us as we seek to encourage him and assist this church plant which has only new converts.
One of R.A.U.’s goals is to get quality Christian literature and Study Bibles into the hands of pastors and church leaders.
Godfrey has been spending more and more time in Obongi, following up with new believers and discipling and encouraging them.The guys have made a number of evangelistic trips there the past 6 weeks. He has been able to locate a Tukalu that we will rent for him. He will be heading back there tomorrow to prepare up to 30 new believers for baptism on Thursday. Jacob and Abraham will follow him early Thursday morning for a day of teaching followed by a baptism of believers in the Nile River by Pastor Bosco (a young man into whom Jacob has been thrilled to pour resources since 2010. There is a video him on this page). Jacob and Abraham will also be delivering a bed and some other essentials to Godfrey for his move to Obongi. If you could see the exuberant joy that Godfrey exhibits as he talks about the people that are expressing thankfulness for his being there to shepherd them, you would “catch it” too! It is contagious!
A previous baptism in the Nile River.
By the way, the Church at Obongi is meeting under a mango tree.
Yumbe is another area of promise and encouragement. RAU has found a gold mine in Pastor Ben and several other pastors and lay ministers who faithfully serve the Lord in this Muslim region. I would encourage you to read again the history of Yumbe in Jacob’s last newsletter It is a privilege to come alongside them and encourage them, strengthen them through teaching and provide resources for them. The ones that met with Abraham, Sam, Alfred and Jacob have shared how greatly they are blessed by RAU coming to partner with them. They no longer feel forgotten! When we return to Uganda after the Christmas holidays, we will be gearing up for a special retreat just for the Pastors and workers in the Yumbe region. Kevin Turner is planning on bringing a team to help in this retreat at RAU.
Yumbe’s main mosque
As you pray for us and give towards the ministry of RAU, please keep in mind the financial cost of outreaches to these towns and also the funds needed to help the pastors who are called to shepherd the fledgling churches or church plants. They are being sent out by us and need our support until the churches can be a little more self-sustaining. Godfrey, for example, gave up a good paying job and a home in answering the call to move to Obongi. Our commitment is, on a short-term basis, to provide for some of his needs so he can focus on discipling and evangelizing. It will be the same for the other church plants in the works.
One of the markers of RAU has been its commitment to be an interdenominational organization, promoting the forward movement of the Gospel and Kingdom of God among all evangelical churches. This has been appreciated by many pastors here when they see that there is no favoritism, but the emphasis is the glory of God and the going forth of the Gospel. The pastors from Yumbe also have remarked that among the small number of churches of varying evangelical denominations in the region, this is the first time a group has come in to work together with all of them. These pastors are now committed to working with each other in getting the Gospel into the community.Part of their strategy is to identify several young men who would make good pastoral candidates and to have them stay here at RAU on a short-term basis for training and mentoring. It would be hurtful for the Church at large to evangelize and bring in a harvest of souls and not provide them with good under shepherds. This is the very commitment of and basis for RAU!Yumbe church leaders
Alongside the planned trips to Yumbe and Obongi and formal opportunities for teaching, Jacob has also enjoyed some unplanned opportunities lately. From time to time, he feels that he ought to go out and work with the men in the slashing and clearing of the property. (Funny, but I feel no such compulsion!) Among the men are pastors and church leaders. They have had great questions and conversations on spiritual matters. It gives Jacob a springboard to do some teaching. Also, on any given day, a young man or a pastor may pop in for a visit. Jacob has this opportunity to give books and urge them on to study. I remember overhearing Jacob tell Godfrey the other day, “A leading man must be a reading man.” (or something like that!) One young man who dropped by yesterday was asking about the Kindle. Jacob, who had just given him some books, told him, “If you have read what I have given you by the time we come back from the States, I will give you a Kindle.” He is quick to emphasize to them that the resources are limited and he only wants those resources in the hands of those who will actually read and use them.Clearing brush and Bible study can go hand in hand!
Please pray for Jacob and all of us here at RAU. We have the opportunity to love on and encourage a couple of young Muslim men who are becoming more open to what we have to say about Jesus. Please pray that nothing about our lives and words will contradict what they are hearing about the Savior. Pray that hearts would be softened, eyes would be opened!
On the operating side of RAU ministry, we are still awaiting the container to be released. The hold up has mainly had to do with the registration plates for the tractor and the motorbike (which we now have, but will cost us $1000) and getting the release from the Minister of Gender. He is the one who signs off on our tax exemption for the container. If we did not have this exemption our import taxes would be over $20,000 for the container so you see why his signing off on our tax exemption is important. This exemption was given to us last January. Apparently, due to past abuses of the tax exempt status through the Red Cross, they are going through release requests with a fine tooth comb to ensure that containers are not going to groups who will turn around and sell the contents for a profit. The RDC, (Resident District Commissioner. See the video of him at RAU here) the local representative of the President here in Moyo (with whom we have become acquainted ), has agreed to meet with the Minister of Gender in Kampala this week to assure him that RAU is a legitimate group and not hawkers. We are grateful for the favor the Lord has given us with the RDC. We have a small window of time in which to receive the container before we return to the States. Please pray it would be released this week! The longer the container stays in Kampala, the more fees will rack up. We have not been given a current price for fees (loading/unloading, various administrative costs,storage while waiting, etc.). It was $2,700 a few weeks ago, so it probably will now be over $3000 with tacked on storage fees. The things which are in the container can be found here. Any help you can give to get the container here would be a great blessing. Jacob wrote in his last newsletters of our other needs so i will not mention them here.
Pray that this will be parked at RAU soon!
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! Jacob 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 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 pray you all had a good Thanksgiving and are continuing with a spirit of thanksgiving in your hearts expressed through your lips and actions. Carol and I are grateful for the innumerable blessings we have received over the years. Most of all, we are grateful for God’s grace and mercy demonstrated to us through Jesus Christ! I am also thankful for my many African friends and my sweet wife being here with me. Through these lovely people and by God’s grace the sting of missing family/loved ones is lessened on days like Thanksgiving.
Last time I wrote you about an upcoming meeting with pastors in Yumbe. Yesterday (the 29th), Pastor Abraham, Nurse Sam , Alfred and I left in the morning and returned in the evening to RAU. We met with the only three evangelical pastors of this city of 35,000. There were also several pastors from the district with us, as well as a few church workers. Yumbe district has around 500,000 people and very,very few Christians.
Each person shared their hearts, praises,difficulties and hopes for their people to be reached with the glorious gospel. Pressures against Christians in this district are constant and strong. I was humbled by the brothers and sisters great faith in Jesus in the midst of difficulties. What an honor to work shoulder to shoulder together with them for the glory of Jesus! You who partner with us are also linked to them!
I was told this was the first gathering for pastors from different denominations (Baptist, Pentecostal, Anglican, Calvary Chapel, Independent and Lifegate. [Lifegate is my home church which has sent us out. Lifegate is a member of Sovereign Grace Ministries ]) We gathered together with the expressed purpose of working together to see Yumbe town and District full of praise and worship of Jesus. Upon arriving home I had the following message from one of the attending pastors in my email: “Praise Jesus, dear father in the Lord! I hope you reached well. I praise God for finally remembering Yumbe people through RAU. I am praying with you for His will be done. Thank you. ______ from ______ Church. God bless you greatly.” I had opportunity to share with them the vision and mission of Reaching Africa’s Unreached and how we can work together with them to reach Yumbe with message of redemption found only in Christ Jesus. I also told them about many people praying for them and the spread of gospel in Yumbe. They all were greatly encouraged!
Yumbe gathering November 29th
Pastor Abraham’s older brother, Ponziano, wrote me an encouraging word along with a brief history of Yumbe. This is what he wrote, “That place Yumbe has been a stronghold of Islam in northern Uganda since from the time of Emin Pasha Relief Expedition of 1886 to 1889. It also became the backbone of Idi Amin’s regime because Amin, being a Moslem himself, trusted in the loyalty of people from Yumbe because of their religion and made many of them commanders in his army and gave them high ranking government positions, including the vice presidency. It came to be that young people from Yumbe despised higher education which they felt was not necessary to advance in the military and in the government of Amin. When the tides changed, the people of Yumbe had double the tragedy from the aftermaths of Amin’s atrocities: they not only suffered revenge from the rest of Uganda as did all of West Nile, but they also were the least educated of all the West Nile tribes and therefore most ill-prepared to re-integrate back into the fabric of civic participation at the national level. Evidence of this may still be apparent on the ground. Yumbe is therefore a virgin land for the gospel because neither the Catholic Church nor the Protestant Church who partitioned colonial Uganda between themselves ever established shop in Yumbe. So you guys are where Apostle Paul boasted of being – going where no one else has been to preach the gospel before, so that he would not be working on the foundations laid by someone else. So take pride in this privilege the Lord has accorded to you, taking care to lay a strong foundation with the workmanship of the Holy Spirit who has opened this door to you because of His great mercy and love for the people of Yumbe. And may God be with you and confirm His work with bountiful harvest of souls!”
I awoke early this morning with an extra energy in my step, I am physically tired but refreshed in my heart to see what the Lord is doing in Yumbe! I am grateful for you my friends…your prayers and support…thank you! Romans 15:20 was indelibly printed upon my heart in 1977 by Leonard Ravenhill when he quoted it to me in his office. It brings great joy to my heart to hear Ponziano quote it in relation to Yumbe!
In February we will have a special retreat here at RAU for pastors/church leaders dedicated to Yumbe leaders and those called to minister in this Muslim district. Kevin Turner, who was just with us, will be bringing a team at that time to help us in the retreat as well as our outreach to Yumbe and Moyo Districts.
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There will be many future trips to Yumbe for discipleship and evangelism in the years ahead. I rejoice in that!
Jesus says, “Yumbe is mine”! We all say “Amen”. Can I get an “Amen” from you?!!
Godfrey has spent the whole week in Obongi discipling the new believers there. Please continue to pray for him and the new RAU church plant in Obongi town. Thank you for your prayers for our outreach to both Yumbe and Obongi. Please continue in your prayers and giving which enable us to do what we are doing.
Godfrey studying at RAU
There is no new news on the container. Thomas, our faithful brother who has been working with us, has been sitting in offices days and keeps being told to come back the next day. We are in the process of asking the political leaders in Moyo, with whom God has given us favor, to be giving additional pressure for it to be released to us. Please keep praying for its release. We need it to arrive before we return to the USA for Christmas. Please also pray for its release and the $3000+ for clearing fees.
Over 1,100 Global Study Bibles and 3,500 christian books for distribution to pastors and others are in the RAU container which is still being held in Kampala. Pray that is makes its 2 day trip north to us SOON!
There is a tremendous amount of water which comes off the Guesthouse roof which is lost. Water is a very precious resource to us, especially throughout the dry season. The dry season runs from December to March. I have received a bid to harvest this roof water. To dig an 80,000 liter in-ground tank, purchase strong gutters and a pipe system to bring the water to tank, with labor, is $9,000. This would be a secondary source to our well and could gravity feed the tukalu guest living quarters and be used for irrigation. It also could be pumped into our above ground tank for the Guesthouse if it is needed. When we have had groups here we have often run out of water and then are dependent on a generator. Fuel is much more expensive here than in the America and it is often difficult to get. I believe this water harvest system to be a wise investment and would be a helpful tool for many years to come.
Lots of water runs off this roof!
We leave Entebbe for Texas on December 17 to celebrate Christmas with family and friends. We sold our vehicles when we made our move to Africa. If anyone from the Seguin area has a vehicle we may use to get around in while Texas please let me know. Thank you!
Your prayers and support are as equally important as us physically being here. Only together can we advance the faith of Jesus where He is not known!
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! Jacob 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 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 hope this update finds you thankful for God’s blessings and presence in your lives.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change”
James 1:17
Being away from America and family makes me appreciate all the past Thanksgiving celebrations with friends and family all the more. I am deeply grateful for all of you and the love you have shown to us through your words of encouragement, prayers, and financial support. We would not be here doing what we are doing without the support of God’s people who have a heart for Jesus and His mission (John 20:21).
Thank you for your prayers for protection! One recent evening at about 11PM a man came running down our drive full speed, headed for the front door. One of our guards ready with his AK, had it pointed at the man and ordered him to halt twice. When the man did not, instead of shooting the guard said “Stop in the Name of Jesus” just as the man approached the veranda. The intruder immediately fell to the ground with a loud scream! Praise God for our guards, Stephen and Aldo, who know Jesus and the power of His Name! After questioning the intruder it was determined he was most likely high on opium. Later he was escorted away by a local village counselor we know, who also is a brother. Carol and I are thanking the Lord for His protection and commented to each other that we must not ever become complacent! Thank you for your prayers!
As Carol recently wrote, we have had three teams from America come and go. Each came with their distinct giftings and were tremendous blessings to us and the people of Moyo and Yumbe Districts. The gospel was preached to the lost and people were saved, 31 pastors were strengthened through sound biblical teaching in our first RAU pastors retreat , discipleship took place, and people were shown love through ministry to their physical needs.
The Hall of Tyrannus
Seeing and being a part of this brings such joy to my heart. Often, when sitting on the front veranda, I think back to when I first drove by this piece of property in 2007 on the way to what was then still Sudan. It was on that very trip that the Lord placed this area on my heart and called me here. When the Lord calls all we must do is take a step at a time in obedience and He does the rest. Those of you who have kept up with my reports over the years know of door after door being opened and provision being given. What missionary, Hudson Taylor, once said is true, “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.” Praise be to the Lord God Almighty! Thank you for being a part of what the Lord is doing here!
As you know we are nearly finished with Phase 1 of our vision which has consisted in developing relationships with local pastors/leaders,purchasing land, securing a land title, seeking favor with government officials/law enforcement, receiving NGO status, receiving 501c3 tax exempt status, Carol and I making our move to RAU, having a ministry vehicle suitable for the area, shipment of a container with Bibles/literature/other ministry items, having a Christ-exalting place to host ministry teams and pastors for training (Guesthouse and Hall of Tyrannus), and beginning to reach areas where there are no Christians or very few. We praise God for His wisdom and provision!
Here are specifics on what remains of Phase 1:
The container currently remains in Kampala and Lord willing it will be released from Ugandan revenue soon to resume its journey north to us. We have a pad ready for it. There are some remaining papers which have to be signed by government officials before it can leave Kampala. Pray the documents will be signed soon! Each day they delay costs us money. The clearing fees will now be over $3000.Help us in this if you can.
This is where the container will sit at RAU
Patrick has had some “serious” discussions with the Kampala auto broker with whom we ordered our ’99 Land Cruiser. Lord willing it should be in Kampala in couple weeks. Please pray! We have received a lot of false information in the past. We really are in need of this vehicle for ministry.
The four tukalu’s have been completely refurbished with a new African/American latrine and bathing station for guests. The four tukulu’s can sleep up to 17. The old tukalu kitchen has been demolished and our new four holed charcoal kitchen with attached living quarters for our cook Lucy is complete with the exception electrifying it off of the Guesthouse system, the water tower is completely finished, and the Guesthouse/Hall of Tyrannus just needs a few things. With our past guests and pastors’ retreat we have found out that our electrical system is not adequate. We need to add some more batteries for storage. We also need to be able to run our generator often to pump water while guests are here. We ran out of water often. We have a small room under our tank where we would like to place the generator and run underground wiring to the Guesthouse where the pump connection is located. There are also some more furniture items needed. Need: $5000
Water Tower, Guesthouse, and Kitchen
Refurbished Tukalu’s
New latrine and bathing station
After spending 2 months here at RAU for discipleship, Godfrey has been spending Saturdays up to Tuesdays in Obongi with new believers. Obongi has a population of about 20-25000. After our last two evangelistic trips there have been 16 who have trusted in Christ as Savior and Lord who have joined the few other believers in Obongi town. Godfrey is working one on one with them along with Bosco and Asili who are leading small churches outside Obongi town. We have found a tukalu which we are renting for Godfrey and when we leave for Christmas break he will make his full time move to Obongi to shepherd these new believers in Christ.There is now at least one evangelical church in Obongi town and RAU’s first church plant! PTL! We will continue to visit often to strengthen Godfrey and the new believers. Pray that Christ’s church will grow in this Muslim dominated town as we press on with our evangelism there. There are some short clips of one of our several open air preaching events in Obongi here.
Godfrey at RAU getting ready for Obongi
Preaching in Obongi. Obongi now has an evangelical church in it’s town!
On Friday the 29th we will make our fourth trip to Yumbe. Remember Yumbe is a town nearing 35,000 people with less than 100 evangelical (called “born again” here) Christians. We were told this by a pastor who has worked for the past 8 years in Yumbe. When we first visited we thought there were around 300. We will have lunch with the three pastors in the town as well as 12 other pastors/leaders of Yumbe District. The District has over 500,000 with very,very few believers in it. One corner of the District has a number of believers in it but most of the rest of the district is 100% unreached and will remain that way unless some goes to them!We will work out strategies with the pastors in reaching Yumbe and I will share about ways RAU can help to strengthen the pastors of the district. Please pray for believers in Yumbe and our outreach there.
Yumbe’s main mosque
We have been dialoging with several Congolese pastors who have had contact with the unreached Mbuti in the Iturie rain forest of Northeastern DR Congo. They have been checking out security issues in the area (there are number of rebel groups operating in the DR Congo) and the logistics of getting to this unreached group. The first trip will have to wait until I get back after Christmas. I will get back to you with further details and costs. Please continue to pray that the light of gospel can be brought to the Mbuti soon…”the Good News is only good if it gets there on time“!
The Mbuti
We have more teams from America coming after the new year and we will be hosting more pastor’s retreats. We would like to have more housing for the pastors for these retreats. In our last retreat, we had to taxi pastors each evening, which is not an easy thing to do here for various reasons. If you would like to help with this let me know.
We have been actively clearing land so that we can start planting cash crops at the beginning of the next rainy season. Praise God we have a tractor coming in the container. However to till the land I will need to purchase a harrow. A new one can be purchased in Kampala and transported here for around $5000.
Clearing Brush
I hope that you do not tire in hearing about what we are seeking to do for Christ’s glory and the needs that lie before us. As we all lay everything before the feet of Jesus confessing that all we have, including our lives, belong to Him, the gospel will go forth to all those who do not have opportunity to hear the good news!
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! Jacob 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 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 hope this letter finds you well and hoping, not in the things of this world, but in things that cannot rust or be stolen and that have eternal value. I also hope that, though long, this letter will excite you and not bore you. There is so much to tell!
Many times in the past, when days were flying by and life seemed hectic, I had often found myself thinking, “Stop the world and let me off!” This is NOT the way I feel now, though the days are flying by and there are many things on the RAU daily agenda. I am immensely blessed in being allowed to live this adventure we have been called to. I am much more keenly aware that life is ministry and that it is about reaching out to include as many others as we can while we “hold on to [and hold out] the word of life.”
“So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, for the One bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of His good pleasure – is God. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world by [emphasis mine] holding on to [in other translations: “holding out”]the word of life….”
Philippians 2: 12-16 (New English Translation)
I am being challenged more and more in the attitudes of my heart to do what these verses are exhorting – working out what God has worked in so that there is no hypocrisy, maintaining an awe and reverence for the One who is working in me so I don’t begin to think I deserve what only comes by grace, doing everything without grumbling or arguing because it is unthinkable that those who have received so much could be ungrateful or argumentative, and holding on to the word of life, because we are nothing without Christ, who is our life. And, how can we hold out the word of life if we, ourselves, are not holding onto the word of life? If these characteristics are not continually growing in us we cannot shine as lights in the darkness because we ourselves are in darkness.
I was bemoaning to Lucy (our cook) the other day, after receiving unexpected visitors and people with needs, and telling her that my heart is so unlike Jesus’ and that I need God’s help to be more open and willing to share what I have and not to grumble about those He sends my way. I see others who have so much less than I do being so much more gracious and hospitable. It is built into the culture here. Even if I don’t want to hurt someone in my helping by just handing out money as if it’s the answer, [When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor by Corbett and Fikkert], I can at least be like Peter and John who said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you.” (Acts 3:6) I can pray for them, I can offer tea and sincere concern, I can offer a job which will allow them to earn money and, sometimes, we can also give money if it is appropriate. But my own heart needs to be filled with light and ready to shine in the darkness!
I am sorry that it has taken me coming to a foreign mission field to see this more clearly. In America, it was all too easy to hide myself in work and home and busyness.
So here I am…in Northwestern Uganda…learning to love a new way of looking at the world – at those around me. I am truly thankful! But please don’t think that you have to leave where you are to live this out!
One of the biggest blessings of being here has been meeting awesome people as they come with their gifting and their love and desire to partner with us in what the Lord is doing in this part of the world. First, there was our longtime beloved friend, Ron Zeiner. Last week, it was our beloved “Tennessee Trio,” and this week it is beloved friends and brothers in Christ, Kevin Turner and Ron Day. Jacob already knew them; I knew of them, “but now my eyes have seen them!” And, oh! What a revelation it has been!
Kevin, Jacob, and Ron on their way to YumbeGreat times of fellowship in the Hall of Tyrannus
Meeting Kevin Turner for the first time is like standing in front of a gushing fire hydrant – intense! But what a refreshing, intense blast it has been getting to know him! His love for Jesus is intense. His passion to make Christ known is intense. His love for people and ability to show compassion is intense. His knowledge about anything and everything is intense. And…his silly antics…are totally and intensely hilarious. We all have laughed so hard that I am sure our veins are coursing with pure endorphins. Though, initially, some looked at him with wide-eyed wonder, they are seeing and appreciating his genuine love for Jesus and for them. They are enjoying looking at the world and their own life in Christ through his eyes. They are being encouraged in their faith, prayed for and cared for. Thank you, Kevin, for your friendship and partnership and generosity! Thank you for sharing with us what the Lord so uniquely and beautifully has done in and through you.
On the morning Kevin and Ron left three mambas were found 200 yards from the Guesthouse. Before they were killed Kevin gave us all a first hand lesson on them.
We are immensely blessed by Ron Day and his gift of film making. God called him as a youngster to have an impact by capturing artistically and beautifully the works that the Lord is doing around the world through His people. Ron’s hope and desire is that through well made films, people will hear the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, be moved and want to invest themselves in missions…and maybe even MOVE! He has been generous with his time and resources and has been busy capturing on film the various places and activities in which RAU has been involved and getting glimpses of life and landscape so that all who see his film will feel they are right there with us. We look forward to seeing the finished product! Thank you, Ron, for serving Christ and us in this way!
Kevin and Ron arrived on Tuesday evening, November 12, ferried by Patrick Bukenya in his vehicle from Kampala. They took the long and scenic route via Arua and were able to get some great footage along the way of some of the wild life…and no, I am not talking about Kevin! While Sam and Kevin joined together in “harassing” the monkeys and calling their relatives names (“Your mother’s a monkey!” and, “You give birth to monkeys!”), Sam was praying that Kevin would not try the same shenanigans on the bull elephants that they stopped to film.
Having arrived late on Tuesday evening, we “allowed” them one recoup day – Wednesday.
On Thursday, Abraham took the crew to Metu Mountain for open air preaching in the market. It had been raining and the roads were a mess. Immediately after preaching, Jacob began to feel sick with what was most certainly a bout of malaria. The joy of being stopped by a husband and wife on the way back who wanted to respond to the message that was preached was more than enough to overcome the misery of malaria. Back in Moyo, Jacob had his blood tested but, because the one who would read the test was not there, he started on Coartem immediately and went to bed. The next morning the blood test came back ‘negative’, but Nurse Sam says that was because he took it too early. All the symptoms that hung on for four days definitely pointed to malaria (which Jacob defines as “flu to the 10th power“.)
On Friday, Abraham, Jacob, Ron, Kevin,Alfred, and Sam took a day trip to Yumbe. (Yumbe is a city of 35,000 with less than 100 evangelical believers in it.) Though Jacob was ill with malaria, he felt he simply could not miss the landmark meeting with the few pastors of the city for strategizing effective ways of reaching out to unbelievers and also for the strengthening of the believers. Jacob remarked afterwards that he couldn’t have planned it any better if it were his to plan. He was thrilled with how the meeting went and was impressed by Pastor Ben (one of the three evangelical pastors in Yumbe), who has truly been a light shining in the darkness in his life of servanthood and integrity in the community. Pastor Ben wrote Jacob an email which expressed his deep gratitude and the joy and encouragement he felt in having others come alongside in support. He stated that the few believers there had felt very discouraged in their outreach to a difficult place, but the encouragement of partners was immeasurable. The Lord knows our needs and He is building His church! It is wonderful to be a part of that work.
Yumbe meetingJesus has many which are His in Yumbe
On Saturday, Jacob stayed home while Ron and Kevin, Abraham and Sam took another trip. The plan was for Ron and Kevin to experience a small village church, to do some preaching and to encourage the believers. Ron, again, had opportunity to capture these experiences on film. On Sunday, Abraham picked up and delivered Kevin and Ron to the churches in which they would be preaching. (Jacob and I stayed home.) Kevin was a trooper in that, though suffering with a skull-splitting headache, he could not be held back from preaching…for two and a half hours! “For the joy set before him…” Ron had the joy of praying with a young teenage boy who wanted to receive Christ in response to his message.
Sunday night, Abraham, again, took Ron and Kevin to the open air meeting in the Moyo market. It was a difficult evening, to say the least. First, Kevin, still with splitting headache, preached, stopped briefly to go behind the vehicle to vomit (pain-related nausea) and then preached some more! Amazing. Second, the crowd was less than attentive – they were there for buying and selling. It was, however, an encouragement that several came forward to confess their need of a Savior. One man, in particular, came forward resolutely, stating, “I really need to be delivered. I need the Savior.” Only on the other side of time will we know the full fruit of this effort…”the foolishness of preaching.”
It’s Monday now. Jacob is feeling a bit better and has decided to go with the team to Obongi. We had talked to him the night before about taking one more day to rest, but he was resolute in declaring, “How can I ask people to be willing to suffer in delivering the gospel, when I am not willing to do so myself?!” It’s Kevin’s turn to rest so he can be relieved of his massive headache and hypertension. Ron is on task with his camera in tow. Abraham’s vehicle has new shocks which he installed this morning. And they’re off! Once again, this is a strategic visit – to encourage and strengthen the few believers who are in Obongi and to strategize. Godfrey, whom Jacob is helping to prepare to pastor there, has been in Obongi all weekend. A number of people were added to the church in Obongi during the evening open air preaching. We look forward to enjoying the fruit of this effort.
Road to Obongi
It won’t be long and this team visit will also be a past tense experience. One of the most difficult things in having people come to and go from RAU, as I mentioned before, is the “going” part. There is a huge vacuum there that pulls us into a bit of a funk. We are impacted by our visitors in what they give while here, but, also, by what is missing when they leave!
One sweet salve for this wound is that in one month from now we will be back in Seguin and Texas to enjoy some sweet reunions with family and friends for Christmas. It will be refreshment that will re-energize us to return in January and to refresh others as we ourselves have been refreshed!
Some things to pray about:
1. We are still waiting for the container to be released so it can make its way up here. Pray for safe transport here.
2. We still do not know the exact location of the Land Cruiser. The last we had heard, it had not yet left Japan. Please pray that it, also, would make it to us safely.
3. Wisdom and funding for church plants/evangelism in Muslim dominated Obongi and Yumbe. Discipleship of young men to be shepherds there.
4. Future pastor retreats at RAU and more housing for the pastors when they are here.
Some praises:
1. We had had some difficulty with the water pump and were worried that there might be a problem with it. Praise the Lord, it turned out to only be a “switch” problem. Our generator is in Kampala for repairs so right now we are borrowing Abraham’s to pump water.
2. Most of the building is done and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel There will always be something that needs fixin’ or building, but we are happy, for the time being, to be done with the greatest portion of it.
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!
Jacob Lee
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