I hope you all are well and pressing on in your relationship with the Lord and your God given responsibilities. The RAU team is encouraged by your faithful prayers and support! We are “straining forward to what lies ahead,[and we] press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus….”(Philippians 3:13-14, ESV). Let us together walk in the righteousness which comes by faith in Christ Jesus and seek to “…know him and the power of his resurrection, and…share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…” (Philippians 3:10, ESV).
I only have time for a short update this week as we are working very hard on the final phases of making ready Reaching Africa’s Unreached Guesthouse and compound for visiting teams from America and, most importantly, pastors and church planters for discipleship. Because of gifts from God’s people we have had funds to work on projects we have been telling you about in our last newsletters. During this last 10 days, nearly everyday, work has started at 7AM and continues until 10PM with only short breaks for lunch, tea and supper. Sam and I are kept busy getting supplies and coordinating work details on the various projects. The Lord has blessed us with some hard working and talented men from both Kampala and Moyo.
Veranda Tile work
The tile work on the veranda is about 80% complete (the slick tiles will definitely make it much more difficult for snakes to trespass), we are almost to the roof level on the charcoal burning kitchen and living quarters for Lucy, our cook. Plaster work is nearly completed on the fourth tukalu; we have a water line dug to them and we have started on our African/American latrine and septic for the tukalu compound. Double and triple bunker beds are being built . We still need to buy the 28 mattress and mosquito nets for them. We need to finish these projects as well as finish work on the outside water tank and beams for the container to sit on when it arrives with all of its precious, God-given cargo, all before our first group of pastors arrive on October 22nd. They will be here until the 25th.
Kitchen and Cook’s QuartersSight for tukalu latrine and wash stationThe septic tank and drain field is next to the new latrine. Our rainy weather makes for challenging digging!Serving table and sink on the front verandaEquipping a place from scratch requires many things we often forget…where and on what will 20 plus people eat and sit?
Currently the number of pastors attending our first retreat is 20. It is a bit larger than what I would like to have, but it is hard to say no to someone who really wants to come. The pastors’ church backgrounds are Baptist, Anglican, and Pentecostal. I personally know each of these pastors and have preached in most of their churches. They are hungry to learn and grow in the Lord. My prayer is that they will be strengthened in their faith and in sound doctrine so that they, in turn, will be better equipped to feed their congregations and be a part of church planting in the many areas without churches.
Ron Zeiner will be arriving the 21st. He and his wife Joanna were missionaries in South Africa for many years. Interestingly, I have been good friends with Ron and Joanna since 1979. Both Carol and I have benefited from their lives and teaching! Ron will be teaching sessions on Ezra-Nehemiah (Principles of Leadership), with some lessons on hermeneutics. I will have lessons on 2 Timothy 2:2, as well as work through, with the pastors, Dawson Trotman’s sermon/booklet, Born to Reproduce. I first read “Born to Reproduce” in the late 70’s and it has been one of those messages that has remained in my heart over the years. When you have an opportunity read it or read it again if it has been a while since you tasted the biblical truths in the message. Our major theme at RAU is discipleship and this first retreat sets a good precedent for us. Please be in prayer for Ron’s trip and our time together with these precious pastors!
Godfrey,Alfred, and Leonard, the possible missionary candidates for Obongi and Yumbe are devouring everything I give them. Pray for them and me as we work together in our growth and dependance on Christ Jesus and His word.
The discipleship materials I am currently usingWith Leonard and Alfred…2 Timothy 2:2
Pray for the the towns of Obongi and Yumbe (See: https://reachingafricasunreached.org/…/ ) that the Lord would save many there and establish His church. Recently, I had opportunity to give John Piper’s “A Hunger For God,” in Arabic,, to the Imam of the mosque which is near RAU’s southern border. The next day the Imam was back! He came waiting for the truck which was to haul bricks to RAU. (It had broken down so it didn’t make it here until late afternoon.) He ate and had tea with all of us. He mostly sat and and observed us interact. Interestingly, I found out he has been sent here to Afoji from Yumbe as a “missionary”. The Imam only speaks Labara with limited English and reads Arabic so it was hard to have a conversation with him. I also gave him another gospel booklet in Arabic by Piper which I saw him reading throughout the day. Pray for him and us!
John Piper’s books in Arabic and his “Quest For Joy” tract in Ma’di . Ma’di is the main local language spoken in Moyo.
We have several other day workers here during this construction time who are also Muslims and many others who are not “born again” (John 3). Whether in Africa or America we are all called to bear witness of Christ with those whom the Lord sends our way. Let us each be faithful in this God given task!
In Yumbe
Let me close with an earnest plea that you continue to intercede on our behalf, as well as Christ’s mission in this part of the world. Please also continue to give as you are able. There is still much to do! I have been utterly amazed at what has been accomplished, especially in these last two months. A little over two years ago the area in which I am now writing was wild African bush. Now these acres are fast becoming an oasis for drinking and feasting on the goodness of the Lord and a launching pad for getting the gospel to the unreached…those that have no opportunity from their own community to hear the glorious gospel. Thank you for your partnership and love!!
Jacob & Carol Lee, PO. 55, Moyo Uganda, East Africa
Many have asked so our “wish lists” may be found at Amazon
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.
The summer siege on Tiananmen Square in 1989 was temporarily halted by one man who dared to face-down a Chinese tank. It’s an image that captured a century-defining moment of reckless defiance against the tyranny of communism.
One lone rebel walked calmly through the frenzied, fleeing mob toward the enemy. He then stood unarmed, directly in the path of the advancing tanks. The lead tank tried to swerve around him, but he repeatedly side-stepped into its path with defiant, yet non-violent hand gestures. Rather than crush the young man, the tank eventually stopped its engine.
The peaceful protester climbed onto the hull of the lead tank, crawled under the tank gun to the driver’s hatch and, on live television, was seen talking to the driver. It is reported that he demanded that the tank commander, “Leave my city. You have no right to kill my people!”
The captain restarted the engine to carry on with his mission. But the man jumped off the tank and quickly re-established his bold stance, again blocking the forward progress of the tanks.
Moments later, three by-standers ran in to pull the man away, and they all disappeared into the crowd. It is believed that the gutsy young man was a 19-year-old student, who was abruptly arrested by secret police and became one of many that were brutally executed during the military crackdown in Beijing. He was never heard from again.
What are we to think of an incident such as this? Why would he be so reckless, knowing he would surely be executed for such foolhardy insubordination? Evidently, the atrocities of a communistic dictatorship were so oppressive that he was compelled to forfeit his life in an effort to stop it or at least to delay the inevitable, if only for those few moments he could control.
The “tank man” is to be admired. However, such risky heroism is not as rare as you might think. American soldiers overseas and firemen on the home-front often display similar “tank man” recklessness in their vocations. Lives are frequently sacrificed in order to establish a military beachhead or to rescue people from burning buildings. Somehow they muster the courage to endanger their own lives for others, convinced the cause is worth it. They risk their lives with reckless abandon. The dictionary defines the individual words this way:
reckless /ré-kləs/ adj: marked by lack of proper caution: utterly unconcerned about the consequences of some action.
abandon /ə-bán-dən/ n: to give (oneself) over unrestrainedly.
reckless abandon /ré-kləs ə-bán-dən/: to give oneself unrestrainedly to the cause of Jesus and the promotion of His kingdom without concern for danger and the consequences of that action.
In mission, then, are we to be recklessly abandoned for Christ and the gospel among the nations? Or should we only go into the world with the gospel where we can safely do so? What do we do when we find that it’s impossible to manage the risks or to minimize the dangers to reasonable levels? Do we go—no matter what? Or do we wait until red carpets are rolled out for us?
It seems as though many in the West believe we should attempt to engage only those people groups that present “reasonable risks” to our missionaries. The not-so-subtle assumption is that missionaries should be routinely evacuated out of danger zones.
Why is it presumed that American missionaries have the “right” to require safe living conditions? Believers in the rest of the world assume that following Christ is naturally hazardous to their health! They live as lambs among wolves, expecting to be mistreated because wolves mistreat lambs (Matt. 10:16-25). Why do we think we should be exempt from what Jesus said would be the normal experience of His followers?
If it is admirable for our military men to die on foreign soil for American freedom and laudable for firemen to risk their lives for citizens in peril, why are missionaries dubbed as irresponsible fools when they choose to remain in hazardous situations with their families, “risking their necks” (Rom. 16:4) for the gospel of Christ?
Here is my rationale for sending missionaries with the gospel into hostile surroundings: Risk assumes the possibility of loss and is always determined by the value of the mission. The gospel is so valuable that no risk is unreasonable. Life is gained by laying it down for the gospel. If I live, I win and get to keep on preaching Christ. If I die, I win bigger by going directly to be with Christ (Phil. 1:22-24) and I get to take a few tribes with me.
I conclude that “losing my life” for the gospel is literally impossible because my years on this earth are worth far less than the value of the eternal gospel. This is what Paul means when he declares: “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).
If this is true, there is no meaningful risk for me as a carrier of the gospel of Christ. If some tribal chief chops my head off, he’s doing me a favor. Think about it. If I get to (not have to) lay down my life in some remote jungle swamp, but God uses my death as an object lesson to turn their eyes to Christ and the gospel gets established among them, that isn’t a bad “risk” for me. I didn’t lose; I won! It was the bargain of a lifetime because Jesus is worth a lot more than my little life.
If we, as gospel ambassadors, are unwilling to suffer even as much as soldiers and firemen, could the reason be that we don’t treasure Christ enough or value the gospel enough to sacrifice significantly for its advancement into unreached regions? Is Jesus simply not worth the risk to many of us? Where is the line, over which, it is no longer worth it to go with the gospel?
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David Sitton served as a church planting missionary in some of the remotest regions of Papua New Guinea during the 1970’s and 80’s. The Lord enabled him to make first contact with several previously unreached tribes and the establishing of 34 churches. In 1994, David founded To Every Tribe and, the following year, The Center for Pioneer Church Planting on the south Texas / Mexico border where he lives with his wife Tommi. David serves to train and launch church planting teams to those still without access to the gospel of Christ. David is the author of two books, To Every Tribe With Jesus and Reckless Abandon.
Each Sunday we have the joyful privilege to share God’s Word with a local church! We have been in Baptist, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Anglican, and Independent ones. Our English has been translated into Bari, Kuku, Ma’di, Dinka, and Luganda. We leave each congregation blessed and encouraged. Below are a few photos and a couple of videos of our ride back to RAU via Boda Boda. I will be very happy when God’s gift in the form of a 1999 Land Cruiser arrives safely to RAU!
Here I am chatting with John. He watches over the house while we are gone on Sunday’s. He makes fishing nets. Each Sunday I give him a different gospel booklet with a prayer in my heart that he would put all his hope and trust in Christ Jesus!Preaching in Africa with my wife by my side…it doesn’t get much better than that!I have yet to be in a Sunday morning church service without drums!We always enjoy the vibrant and passionate singing part of the worship service.A preachers greatest joy is to share God’s Word with His people. Pastor Jimmy did a great job of interpreting my Texas English into Ma’di.God opened this man’s heart to become a follower of King Jesus.After the service we were able to get some of the congregation together for a picture.Most Sundays we have the opportunity to eat with the pastor and his family after the service. The pastors two sons and I hit it off well. These kinds of times are mercy touches from God as I miss my grandchildren.
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!
Blessings to each and everyone of you! Thank you for your faithful and continuing prayers and support. We recognize that we could not be here without your loving support.“Missions is nothing less than an organized revolutionary assault on the unseen forces of the present darkness by a spiritual legion of soldiers who fight for the extension of God’s kingdom to dominate the Universe. And local churches are the bastions that defend that cause, forge the weapons, train the soldiers, and populate the ranks with men and women bent on spreading God’s fame, or die trying.” (Clint Archer in Missionaries: A Unique Breed, emphases mine).
Since I wrote you last week we have had a few new developments which are exciting and I believe Christ-honoring. Our mission’s name, Reaching Africa’s Unreached, encapsulates our primary calling. Our goal is to come alongside and support evangelical churches (the term used here is “born again churches”) in our area through discipleship training helping them to remain strong in the Lord and to be multiplying congregations. Secondly, we want to locate and specifically target villages, towns,districts, and tribal groups which do not have even one Christ honoring church. I am happy to report we are moving forward on both fronts.
In the last week we have identified two nearby communities with no church. In Carol’s last newsletter, she shared about Obongi which just has a few new believers in it. There is a strong village church in Otobonga about 4 miles from Obongi which was planted in the latter months of 2009 and is pastored by a dear brother named Bosco. Abraham has a strong working relationship with this church and I have ministered there on a number of occasions. Through the joint efforts of Otobonga church, Abraham, and others there are now a few believers who live in Obongi. Our goal is to see a vibrant church planted in Obongi to be a witness there and which would also work with Pastor Bosco and RAU to plant churches in the many villages near Obongi with no church. Obongi is a Muslim dominated area.
Pastor Bosco receiving a ESV Study Bible and several Christian books.
This past Sunday Carol, Sam, and I had a wonderful time with Moyo Town Baptist Church. Many, if not most, of the members of that congregation are Dinkas, so the translation of my sermon was English into Ma’di and then English into Dinka. Many Dinka’s came to the Moyo during the war in southern Sudan. This congregation loves Jesus! After the service we had a nice lunch with the pastor and associate pastor. At one point our discussion turned to neighboring Yumbe District which is over 80% Muslim (Yumbe). There are a few churches in the district. In 2004 two American medical missionaries and one of their Ugandan students were killed outside Yumbe. From that point on in our discussion my heart burned to see churches planted in Yumbe town. Yumbe town(Obongi is somewhat smaller) has approximately 35,000 people in it . Both Yumbe and Obongi are about a two hour drive away from us when the dirt roads are dry.
We believe the Lord has given us a strategy to reach these communities and others like them. It has been my experience that in a room with, lets say, 10 people there are usually 8 or 9 who say something can’t be done and will lay out a multitude of reasons (excuses) why it can’t be done. Then there are those one or two who state it can be done and who lay out a strategy of how it can be done. A good biblical example of this is when the 12 spies were sent into the land of Canaan and only Joshua and Caleb supported the task given by God, in their case, to take over a land filled with “giants”. They said it could be done because it was ordained of God! I see great parallels of this with Christ’s Great Commission given to us. Some of the “reasons” given as to why there are no churches in Yumbe and Obongi are: 1.”It is a very difficult area” 2. “They are dominated by Muslims”. 3. “The Muslims will not let you do it!”. Christ says “Go”! Is that not enough for us? Please stand and pray with us as we seek to plant churches in Obongi and Yumbe!
Our strategy to reach Yumbe and Obongi , as well as other unreached areas and tribes, includes bringing local missionary candidates (preferably those who are from the targeted area and who know the local language already) here to RAU for intensive, one-on-one discipleship for about 6 weeks and who then, at the end of their training, would go and live among the the targeted group with the intended purpose of being shepherds in a newly planted church. We would work together with the pastor in evangelism and discipleship. RAU would also give some financial help with the understanding that the financial help would not be given indefinitely, but only until the church could be self-supporting. We have such men in the pipeline. Please be in serious prayer for Obongi and Yumbe. There are strongholds of the enemy there which must be broken by intercession and proclamation of the gospel!
Godfrey, the young man Carol told you about, is moving into one of our unfinished tukalus on the 26th of September and has already begun his biblical study assignments. He is very familiar with Obongi and has a willing heart to be in there. He has left a well paying job. Two other brothers are possibilities for Yumbe. They both speak Lubara which is the main language of Yumbe district. They, too, would stay in our tukalu’s as well. I look forward to studying the Word with all whom the Lord sends our way! Please pray that the Lord would raise up others for the many other unreached areas that do not have the gospel and will not have it unless someone physically goes to them and are willing to live with them to help establish a Christ-exalting, local church. Where there is a Christ-honoring local church the orphan and widow will be cared, the suffering and needy will be given lasting and Christ-honoring love, oppression will be resisted, and, most importantly, the living and true God will be worshiped in Spirit and in truth!
The children are so precious. May they be raised in the fear and admonition of the Lord!
Just recently a friend on a social media site wrote an encouraging note about us and our church planting desires. In one of the comments a person stated that the West needs more churches planted than Africa does. I often hear this or other variations of it. I would have agreed with the comment if it had stated that both the West and Africa need churches planted. My disagreement with the statement came with the word “more“. In my 58 years, with most of it being in the USA, I have yet to see even the smallest town without a church. In fact, in most cases, there are many, many churches even in the smallest towns. People in America have easy access to evangelical churches. In contrast, while Christianity is growing rapidly in Africa, (PTL!) there are many, many villages, towns, and tribal groups (some have estimated the number to be 3,000 tribes) with NOchurch at all in them. So on that basis I would say Africa and other places in the world are in greater need of church plants than the West (e.g., How many towns in the United States have a population of 30,000 without one church?)
Please don’t misunderstand, I am a firm believer that the West (USA) does need church planting. My only plea for prayerful consideration for denominations, churches, and individuals in the West is to consider placing a larger portion of their prayer commitment and resources to help see that churches are planted in areas of the world which are devoid of believers worshiping the King of kings and Lord of lords. What percentage of prayer and finances are actually being used by churches and individuals to help see that churches are planted where there is no church? In this vein of thinking missionary Oswald J. Smith‘s exhortation is appropriate“No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once.” and “We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first.”
I know that because of your active and prayerful support I am “preaching to the choir”. Thank you so much for your on-going help and intercession! Together with you we are “laying up treasures in heaven”!
I just had another triple bunker bed and single bed made, so slowly by slowly we are getting RAU ready for guests and teaching retreats. Our first large group will be here the week of October 20th. It looks like we will have 15-18 pastors. Ron Zeiner, a good friend and former missionary to South Africa will be our main teacher. His primary topic is Ezra-Nehemiah and Principles of Leadership. We have a lot to accomplish to be ready for this first group. We also have several other teams which will be coming in November. Pray for these times of discipleship and ministry and for the funds needed to get the RAU facilities in a position serve in a Christ honoring way (see below). Please also pray for the safe arrival of the ’99 Land Cruiser on its way from Japan and the container from Texas. Thank you!
There is a short and powerful video posted here of William Booth’s vision of the lost perishing without the gospel. The video exemplifies God’s call given to each and every follower of Christ Jesus. Let us shake off our complacency and set our eyes upon Jesus lifted up and seated at the right hand of God. Surely as our eyes are opened to see Him who died for our sins the the things of this world which we are chasing and living for will be seen as trite as they really are! There is also a 32 minute message posted here by John Piper on missions which is very encouraging. It is one of my all time favorites! You too will be encouraged in your pursuit to be obedient to Jesus mission (John 20:21)!
May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon and be gracious to you!
Below are the start-up projects we are hoping to finish so that we may move ahead in the desired aim of training. Please pray for their completion and consider giving to help finish them.
Thank you!
1. Finishing up the refurbishing of our four existing tukaloos on the land. The four have now been roofed with new grass. The the doors and windows are finished. To plaster them and do some repairs on their foundations will require an additional $400. 2. $1000 to dig a new double stall pit latrine for the tukaloo quarters with an outdoor bathing facility. The existing pit latrine is about to cave in and there is no place to bath.
3. $4,000 for an outdoor kitchen and attached living quarters (one small room and bathroom) for Lucy, our cook/helper. The current one is about to fall down and is some distance from the Guesthouse. As stated in an earlier newsletters we need an outdoor kitchen to be able to cook for large groups with wood and charcoal. To get propane gas for our indoor stove is hard to obtain and expensive. It also opens up the room Lucy is now staying in for guests.
4. The pouring of a beams to set the container on when it arrives in November: $300+-. Provided!
5. Upfront furnishings to host groups (beds,mattress,mosquito nets etc): $550+- and $900 for remaining shelving/furniture in Guesthouse.
6. Tile on our wrap-around veranda to create an extra barrier between the Guesthouse and snakes! It would also make it easier to clean. We would have to bring the tile up from Kampala. The estimation to do this is $3000+-.$3000 has been provided! PTL!!
7. The building of 4-5 more tukaloos to house pastors/evangelists/church planters for discipleship. Each tukalu can take care of 4-5 people and they are inexpensive to build. To build one tukaloo is around $500.
8. Support for church plants: $100+ per month per church plant and for evangelism and discipleship in these new church
“Is not the commission of our Lord still binding upon us? Can we not do more than now we are doing?” William Carey
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 organazation. 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.
“The reality of eternal rewards inevitably fosters an investment mentality. For instance, with $15,000 I may be able to buy a new car. With the same money, I could help translate the Scriptures for an unreached people group, support church planting, feed the hungry in the name of Christ, get gospel literature distributed in Southeast Asia, or send out multiple Nigerian or Indian missionary families, and support them full-time for a year. If I have an investment mentality, I ask myself, What’s the better investment for eternity?…Of course, it may be God’s will for me to buy a car. True, a car used for his purposes can also be an investment in the kingdom. But I must be careful not to rationalize. A used car or no car at all may serve his kingdom purposes equally well or far better—and allow me to make an investment in heaven that will never get scratched, dented, stolen, or totaled. And if I invest the money in his kingdom and ask him to provide a car at little or no expense, might he choose to do that? Why wouldn’t I give him the chance?”
Ron Zeiner will be arriving the 21st. He and his wife Joanna were missionaries in South Africa for many years. Interestingly, I have been good friends with Ron and Joanna since 1979. Both Carol and I have benefited from their lives and teaching! Ron will be teaching sessions on Ezra-Nehemiah (Principles of Leadership), with some lessons on hermeneutics. I will have lessons on 2 Timothy 2:2, as well as work through, with the pastors, Dawson Trotman’s sermon/booklet, Born to Reproduce. I first read “Born to Reproduce” in the late 70’s and it has been one of those messages that has remained in my heart over the years. When you have an opportunity read it or read it again if it has been a while since you tasted the biblical truths in the message. Our major theme at RAU is discipleship and this first retreat sets a good precedent for us. Please be in prayer for Ron’s trip and our time together with these precious pastors!
In Yumbe
Reaching Africa's Unreached 