I know that you likely receive many requests for donations at this time of year, as do I. If you are considering making an end-of-year gift, I would be deeply grateful if you would prayerfully consider Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU).
Continuing in 2025, we remain committed, by God’s grace, to our core mission: training faithful Ugandan and Sudanese church leaders at RAU’s Hall of Tyrannus, who will then teach others in their local churches. We will continue to equip church leaders with resources like the AFRICA STUDY BIBLE and other biblically sound books, and, by God’s grace, we will continue to provide pew bibles to church members, students, and new believers.
We will also, by God’s grace, continue our evangelism and church planting in partnership with local churches, reaching out to least-reached areas like the Metu Mountains and unreached people groups (like the nearby Aringa), and Sudanese in the refugee resettlement camps and in South Sudan.
Through your prayers, end-of-year gifts, and monthly support, we pledge to be faithful stewards of your generosity. My (Jacob’s) first trip to where we live now was in March 2007. Carol’s and my permanent move was July 2013. As long-term, on-the-ground missionaries, we have seen the Lord open many doors.
What we do now in the Lord and for Him will have an eternal impact for His praise and honor; all else is fleeting!
May God’s blessing in and through Christ Jesus flow to you and your family in 2025! We are very thankful for your prayers, encouragement and sacrificial gifts which keep us pushing forward for the glory and fame of our King and Savior Jesus!
As the finish line of 2024 comes into view, Jacob and I would like to update you on recent events and highlight upcoming events that will be a “baton pass” into the New Year–2025!
On the heels of a very successful and inspiring 2nd Dental Clinic, we received 3 members of the McComas family (2nd generation missionaries to South Africa). Wade and two of his five children made the trek (by plane) to visit us here at RAU. Also in company was our dear friend, Caleb Mitchell, who with his wife and children, served for many years as ABWE missionaries in Uganda. As usual, Jacob filled the itinerary full to the brim so they got the broad spectrum of RAU’s ministry in this region.
This broad spectrum of experience included their first night an all-night-long (or ‘trans night‘ as they say here) blaring, disco-music, sleep disruption!! The next day (Saturday) we traveled to Bidi Bidi Refugee settlement, Zone 2, to attend a graduation organized by our dear brother, co-worker and good friend, Joshua Abraham, from Darfur Sudan who lives in Bidi bidi Zone 1. He has been key in promoting a reading culture among Christian leaders in the camps. African culture is also a celebrating culture–so this occasion was marked by a marching band leading the graduates through the town and back to the church building where the graduation ceremony was held.
Over a 100 church leaders have done the one-year study in the last two-year period. This group went through 15 theological books from RAU in 2024. The great need in the regions where we work is mature and biblically sound leaders for the rapidly growing church in the Sub-Saharan Africa.
Joshua is great example fleshing out 2 Timothy 2:2. He is a dear friend and faithful coordinator, bringing Sudanese to RAU for training in the Hall of Tyrannus, training leaders in refugee resettlement camps and helping us get Study Bibles, Bibles, and theological books into the camps to leaders, as well as into both South and North Sudan.
These are the books which they covered over the course of the year:
“9 Marks of a Healthy Church; 20 Attributes of a Godly Man; Do You Believe?; Family Life of a Christian Leader; Pastoral Preaching (Building a People For God); God’s Design for the Church in Africa; 40 Questions about Biblical Interpretation; Theology of Suffering; Dangerous Calling (Pastoral Ministry); Biblical Leadership; Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus; Expositional Preaching; Tools for Understanding God’s Word; The Richest Man in Babylon; New Testament Messages”.
WOW!!!
What a gift it is to the Body of Christ to have leaders shaped by Christ-centered teaching and which roots them deeper into God’s word!
For Sunday prayers we met up with our brothers and sisters from Gbari, Arapi, Duku and Oyo–the ‘northern‘ side of the Metu Mountains, a mountain-top away from South Sudan. Wade preached the message from the word as it was translated into Ma’di and Gbari.
Without slowing the pace, we set off for Yumbe on Monday morning to meet with our brother and friend, Charles as well as with Omar and his family. After a meal at Charles’ home and an opportunity to hear their stories, we met with several Sheiks from the community, including the District Khard. Wade’s children chose a day free of dust and rough roads to, instead, spend part of the day with Zakeo (our Agricultural Production Officer) and learn about grafted mangoes–as well as enjoy some! As for the rest of us, at the end of the day, we showered off layers of orange dust and nursed weary bodies at war with the potholes.
Tuesday was MY day to skip out on the day’s activity–hiking down into “Pristine“!! Not only have I seen it before, but I also remember the climb back UP the mountain!! However, Wade and the two kiddos enjoyed the hiking and getting to meet people from the hills and valleys of the Metu Mountains. (Jacob amazes me that, at 69, he still finds the energy to face the rigors of driving and hiking.) At each of the church plants, Oku/Lea, Cinyi (“Chinyi“), and Ijujo, they gathered for a short time with members there and, in Aya, Pastor Tobious and wife, Beatrice, served them a meal. Since I did not go along, there are few photos to document the day!
On Wednesday–MAN!–just like that the visit was over and we were taking the McComas family back to the Moyo Airfield for their return to South Africa. It’s amazing how little time it takes to get to know and love people when you spend meaningful time with them. We hope they come back again–with the WHOLE family.
Along the way (since our return to RAU from the States), we have been enthusiastically handing out the 20,000 ESV Pew (Paperback) Bibles which we received for free from ChristianBook International Outreach. Because we want to emphasize ownership, we have asked for each person to give 1,000 Ugandan Shillings (which equals about 27 cents) for each Bible which they are happy to do because that is a reachable goal for everyone. Pastors are buying these books by the box to ensure that every member in their congregation has a Bible. They are also being handed out to Secondary School Students who use them for group studies and in prisons to prisoners who have trusted in Christ.
While every Bible is a great gift where such a resource is rare or expensive, our big push is for the AFRICA STUDY BIBLE (ASB). It is a New Living Translation version in British English (spelling and vocabulary) and is an easier-to-understand version for those who know English as a second language. In addition, the study helps are particularly apropos to African believers in their context. The ASB contains “2600 study tools and notes from 350 contributors from 50 countries, reflecting unique African insights and experiences.” Jacob has been using this version over the last year and reports great encouragement and insight. He is keen on getting a copy of this Bible into the hands of, especially, church leaders. Our hope is to bring 20, 040 copies to RAU–printed in and sent from India to Mombasa, Kenya, and then carried by truck directly to the RAU campus. There are 4 containers at RAU sitting with shelving ready to store them safely from the elements and pests (rats and termites)!! There is more information at one of our web page “20,040 Africa Study Bibles to R.A.U.”
Coming up this weekend, Jacob and I will be heading to Yumbe for a Youth Conference on Evangelism. Charles expects there to be around 100 youth in attendance. Both Jacob and I will be teaching on relevant topics. We will also go to a village market place to share the good message of Christ one-on-one with people there. Then, Jacob and Charles will climb atop the Land Cruiser and preach their hearts out! Afterward, we hope to show the Jesus film in Aringa to the gathered crowd. On Sunday morning, Jacob will preach from God’s word in a local church in Yumbe district. Please pray for these events and encounters. Ultimately, we need the Holy Spirit to open hearts, open eyes to a new Kingdom and its King. We simply want to be faithful to keep bringing the word of truth to them, trusting that God will do what He wills in the “other sheep“ that He wants to bring into the fold.
Since our move here to Reaching Africa’s Unreached the Lord opened the door many times for conferences, dialogs with Imams and Sheikhs, one on one evangelism in the markets, open air preaching market centers and the showing of the “Jesus” film among Aringa in Yumbe District. Below are some photos from those times.
The longer we are here, the more clearly we understand the marathon nature of RAU’s goal. In our reading together through a book called, “Great Commission Spirituality“, by E. D. Burns, Jacob and I both resonated with what the author wrote about Luther’s life:
“Luther realized he would need the courage to endure for a long life of routine discipleship, church order, and pastoral care. The sweetness of abiding in Christ, maturing in that union, and teaching families to enjoy their life in Christ became Luther’s mainstay. That was his table talk. He had to cultivate the humility and the courage to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. Indeed, Luther had to come to terms with the fact that the work would still exist generations after him. It would be a bitter struggle till Christ returns. He had no categories for any sort of triumphalist Christianization of the world to usher in the return of Christ. Luther had to learn to rest in Christ as his life. Luther confessed that Christ is the King of his kingdom. He alone builds his church. We may be ambassadors of the King, but we don’t build his kingdom.”
As we continue to set our sights on and pursue the long term mission and vision of RAU, it also means we must pursue tangibles like work permits, NGO renewals, and other such bureaucratic necessities. Just recently, our request for permanent residency work permits was submitted to the Ugandan Immigration Office. If our applications are approved, it would mean we have entrance into Uganda for the next 10 years or even, potentially, indefinitely. We are able to seek this kind of visa because of living here as long as we have. With Christmas approaching, the process may be delayed until January. We would love to have this issue resolved before then. Please pray with us that the process will not be delayed or blocked. There is still much to do–we cannot say, “It is finished“. Of course, we do not have complete control over what we can and cannot accomplish–the Lord knows and has the final say over our lives and fruitfulness, but we want to run the race with faithful endurance and stay on course as long as He gives us energy to do so.
Please pray with us for a few other things as well and consider partnering with us financially to see them realized. Though we are not ashamed about the things for which we ask your help, we do worry that you will grow weary in hearing yet another appeal. The needs are overwhelming and we seek only to address ones which have life and wellbeing implications, whether physical or spiritual.
Please pray for and consider giving toward the total dollar amount for the Africa Study Bibles so they can be shipped to us soon and then be distributed carefully.
Please pray for and consider giving toward the borehole (water well) in Cinyi (Chinyi) whose pipes have corroded because of the high iron content in the water. They are back to collecting water out of a hole where water seeps up through the ground. (A few have donated, but we have not reached the $1100 needed to replace the pipes with stainless steel ones.).
Back to the Chinyi Water hole
This is from one of Jacob’s posts: “Shortly after the Lord birthed the Cinyi Community Church deep in the remote Metu Mountains 9 years ago, I went to see where the Cinyi community members were getting their water. It was important as there were so many health issues, especially among the children. When I saw where they were getting the water, I even wondered that there were not more illnesses.
“Soon thereafter, the Lord opened a way for us to find water and drill a well. Since then, they have had clean water and they have maintained the borehole. The health of the community changed drastically and the door was opened more for proclaiming the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, when I visited the church last week, the elders informed me that the pipes were pulled and many holes were found . They were told it was because of the iron in the water. The many times I drank from it I could taste it but did not think much of it. Long story short, they are back at the hole collecting water.“
Jacob and I would like to wish you all a blessed Christmas Celebration and a blessed New Year. We pray that you would “run with endurance” with joy for the sake of eternally important priorities and plans. We pray that each of us would fight the good fight, finish the race and remain faithful by looking to the prize–which is God, Himself!
“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.” Galatians 6:9-10
“It is our conviction that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16) and we have been entrusted to proclaim it passionately and rightly. Our dependence is upon the Holy Spirit for the power to preach, teach, live and endure all things for the sake of the elect. (1 Timothy 2:10). As Christians, we are called to lay down our lives so that the Gospel will be preached to all. As ones who are confident in God’s sovereignty and passionate for His glory we seek to reach the many that have never heard of the Savior and His work of reconciliation. We understand that this work cannot be accomplished in our own strength but only through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. The means He uses in His people are cross-centered living, sacrificial and loving service, Bible-soaked preaching/teaching, fervent intercessory prayer, and Christ-likeness.” (From Reaching Africa’s Unreached Mission & Vision Statement)
Checks also may be written out to “RAU” and sent to our secretary Beth and she will deposit them into RAU’s account : Lifegate-RAU, 395 Lifegate Ln., Seguin, TX. 78155
Carol and I trust you all had a blessed Thanksgiving! We have an abundance to be thankful for, as expressed in “What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were NOT a gift?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). May our good Lord guide us all to live in a spirit of gratitude for God’s mercy, grace, and the gifts meant to direct our hearts back to the Giver of these treasures.
“…Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. ..” (2 Corinthians 6:10.) Carol and I are diligently growing in our understanding of this profound verse. One might assume that missing holidays with family, mainly Thanksgiving and Christmas, would become easier over time, but the reality is quite the opposite—our heartache deepens. Yet, at the same time, our hearts swell with joy as we serve as ambassadors for the King among those who have little to no witness of Jesus’ love shown through His sacrifice to redeem, reconcile, and justify His people. “…Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. ..”! Please view this not as a complaint but as a prayer request for us to experience the peace mentioned in 2 Corinthians 6:10, which is essential for all who recognize that we are pilgrims on this earth.
On Thanksgiving Day, we were blessed to host 21 students from ACTS Bible School Adjumani, along with our RAU staff. We focused on our necessity of being good “Bereans” (Acts 17:11-12), understanding proper biblical hermeneutics, and emphasizing “What Is the Gospel?” Each student received a study Bible and theological resources. We also spent some time in RAU’s grafted mango orchard to receive instruction from RAU’s agricultural officer, Zackeo.
Thanksgiving day training at RAU
In Carol’s last blog post/newsletter on November 16th, she highlighted several prayer requests for upcoming events—some have already occurred, while others await us. By the end of this week, she will have crafted a comprehensive blog post filled with pictures and updates regarding answered prayers. Until then, here’s a brief “snapshot“.
One, from November 18-22, we successfully hosted our second dental clinic in partnership with “Hope Smiles Jinja.” During the five-day dental clinic at RAU, we experienced a mix of gladness and sadness. On the clinic’s final day, people arrived at the gate as early as 4 AM, and we reached the maximum capacity by 7 AM. A remarkable 558 individuals received the invaluable gift of dental care this week. While this brings immense joy, the fact that we had to turn away so many due to exceeding our daily limit of 110+ patients is a cause for sorrow.
This situation underscores a HUGE need for dental care in our region (RAU is located in northern Moyo district, Uganda, just a few kilometers from South Sudan) and the necessity for a permanent dental clinic. Several people from the community stated very emphatically that we have really found the point of need. At the very least, we must increase the frequency of visits from Hope Smiles! It costs RAU about $5,000 for each five-day clinic, amounting to less than $10 per person for services ranging from cleanings to fillings, root canals, veneers, and extractions. This is simply astounding! With several thousand additional dollars, we could double the Hope Smiles team and greatly increase the number of patients seen in just five days. We urge you to consider contributing to future dental clinics, bringing hope and beautiful smiles to those in need!
Two, by God’s grace, we distributed around 5,000 of the 20,000 ESV Pew Paperbacks available in our resource center to students, church members, prison ministry workers, and church leaders. Additionally, everyone who received dental care at the clinic was also given one of these Bibles and dual language tracts.
Secondary students rejoicing after receiving bibles
Three, numerous theological resources continue to be distributed to church leaders weekly.
Four, it’s inspiring to witness firsthand accounts of those who have received training actively embodying 2 Timothy 2:2, which is RAU’s primary mission and vision.Samuel Misengile is doing this in Northeastern D.R. Congo. Sam, a Congolese who worked closely with us over the years, remains a dear friend. It is a tremendous joy to see him teaching others what he has learned. From time to time, we have been able to provide him with theological materials in French and a significant supply of French Bibles, as French is widely spoken in his area. Joshua Abraham is also putting into practice 2 Timothy 2:2 in the BidiBidi refugee resettlement camp reaching church leaders from both South and North Sudan.
Six, Carol and I praise the Lord that we are ABWE associate missionaries while continuing our role as RAU missionaries. We see this as God’s direction to fulfill the mission/vision of Reaching Africa’s Unreached. Please keep the Langworthy and Pryce families in your prayers as they raise support to join us as long-term missionaries. We are excited about Dr. E.D. Burns joining ABWE as our Executive Director of Training and Development. Carol and I have been greatly encouraged by E.D.’s books. Paul Davis, President of ABWE, notes that E.D. brings “over 20 years of experience in missions and theological education. Dr. Burns is a missionary-theologian whose passion for integrating biblical spirituality and missiological practice will help ABWE rise as a global leader in equipping and supporting gospel-centered laborers.”
Seven, in closing, whenever we consider our contributions to missions, whether foreign or domestic, it is crucial to prayerfully assess whether our support genuinely aids or inadvertently causes harm. Carol and I have found particular books incredibly insightful in our journey as long-term missionaries, serving in an area with significant spiritual and physical needs. Each book below provides unique perspectives we believe can greatly benefit others. Notably, Helping Without Hurting in Africa has become a foundational text in our training modules at the Hall of Tyrannus.
“It is our conviction that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16) and we have been entrusted to proclaim it passionately and rightly. Our dependence is upon the Holy Spirit for the power to preach, teach, live and endure all things for the sake of the elect. (1 Timothy 2:10). As Christians, we are called to lay down our lives so that the Gospel will be preached to all. As ones who are confident in God’s sovereignty and passionate for His glory we seek to reach the many that have never heard of the Savior and His work of reconciliation. We understand that this work cannot be accomplished in our own strength but only through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. The means He uses in His people are cross-centered living, sacrificial and loving service, Bible-soaked preaching/teaching, fervent intercessory prayer, and Christ-likeness.” (From Reaching Africa’s Unreached Mission & Vision Statement)
Checks also may be written out to “RAU” and sent to our secretary Beth and she will deposit them into RAU’s account : Lifegate-RAU, 395 Lifegate Ln., Seguin, TX. 78155
“The Word of God is like a lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself.” (Attributed to C.H. Spurgeon)
January 2024
November 2024
For our last furlough home, I made a short video expanding on an idea I had heard: that the difference between failure and success, between surviving and thriving is–Opportunity. Living in a country like the USA where every available resource, every “leg up“, every encouragement, and every right circumstance is taken for granted, we can glance suspiciously at people in other countries or places who aren’t “progressing” and wonder “what their problem is“, not recognizing that we are where we are because of the wealth of opportunities we have had at our disposal.
Imagine leading a church with only a New Testament (in your heart language, though not even with the tonal markings which give meaning to the words) and maybe a “regular” English Bible (without historical background, study notes and cross-references), teaching congregation members who have no Bible (and therefore cannot be Bereans who can search the scriptures to see if the spoken things are so). Yes, Jesus is building His Church, but He is doing it through His people and it is critical that these leaders have what they need to accurately and as purely as possible explain the truths of scripture–to take the congregation from milk-drinking to consumption of the meaty, whole counsel of God.
Recognizing this disparity in opportunity, Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) has a mission–that pastors and leaders, especially in the more remote places of northern Uganda, as well as South Sudan and the Sudan, be given the opportunity to access and own resources that strengthen and encourage them in their own walk of faith so that they can strengthen and encourage the people they shepherd.
Due to remoteness and, in some cases, socioeconomic constraints, many pastors have had little opportunity to formally study the Bible or to be theologically and personally mentored in the tenets of the Christian faith. In this context, RAU’s passion (through Jacob) is to do all it can to obtain and distribute resources that can mitigate this lack of opportunity. We want the Church here in Uganda and in surrounding countries to succeed–to thrive–in the Great Commission and in joining Jesus Christ in His promise to build His Church.
For more than a decade, RAU has been distributing Bibles and Christian literature (which any pastor in the USA would be overjoyed to have in his library) to leaders in the northern region of Uganda, South Sudan and Sudan and even into the DR Congo. RAU seeks to create a reading culture by providing biblically sound reading materials and has been able to accomplish this in partnership with the many, many donors and in relationship with ChristianBook International Outreach, Crossway Global and Oasis publishing.
Much to our immense joy, 20,000 ESV Paperback Pew Bibles have arrived at the RAU campus, coinciding with our return from the USA! Since our return, we have distributed around 3,000+ of these precious pew Bibles, primarily to eager students in West Nile and those in the nearby refugee resettlement schools. Our heartfelt mission is to share these Bibles with schools, where every classroom welcomes the transformative power of the Bible! We are also reaching out to new believers and members of local churches who can read English, as English is the language of instruction from primary school to university. We praise God for the incredible container of 20,000 ESV Paperback Pew Bibles, which came through the support of Christianbook International Outreach. Thank you!
We will launch our second Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) dental clinic, which will operate from November 18 to 22. Once again, Hope Smiles Dental Center in Jinja, Uganda, will send a Ugandan team to join us in demonstrating the love of Jesus through dentistry. The Hope Smiles team comprises well-trained, dedicated, and compassionate professionals. They prioritize quality care over large numbers. We will once again set up in RAU’s Hall of Tyrannus. The Hope Smiles team will bring all their equipment and medicines.
Last year, the dedicated team at Hope Smiles cared for 487 patients, delivering 243 deep cleanings, 56 simple cleanings, 323 restorations, and 425 extractions. We are aware that dental care is drastically limited in our region. Being just two kilometers from the South Sudan border empowers us to extend our compassionate services to Sudanese individuals, alongside our cherished Ugandan community members. Beyond the vital dental care we provide, our heartfelt mission is to share the gospel message with everyone the Lord brings our way, offering hope and unwavering support through the gospel of grace.
We are deeply thankful to everyone who generously donated to RAU, allowing us to welcome the Hope Smiles team to our community. We ask you to keep this upcoming week in your prayers. Your support means so much to us. For more information, please explore RAU’s Mercy Ministries: 1) Agriculture 2) Clean Water 3) Dental and Medical web page: https://reachingafricasunreached.org/agriculture-project/.
Lastly, I would like to give an update on our goal to bring 20,040 Africa Study Bibles to RAU’s resource center, which could become a pivotal initiative in our mission. In conjunction with the publisher, a decision has been made to transport the Africa Study Bibles in multiple trips as the funds become available, rather than all at once, allowing us to begin distribution earlier than if we waited for the full donation amount. A 20-foot container loaded with 6,400 Africa Study Bibles is currently en route to Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU) and is expected to arrive in about two months, bringing us one step closer to our goal. This is just the beginning of what we envision for the leaders of Uganda and Sudan, who are in desperate need of these resources to further their understanding and teaching of the scriptures. As of today, we are in need of $100,000 to bring the remaining 13,640 Africa Study Bibles to RAU. We invite you to pray with us during this critical time, consider contributing to this important cause, and passionately advocate among your friends, family, and church communities, so we can place these unique Bibles into the hands of dedicated Ugandan and Sudanese leaders who are ready to spread the word. Your support is essential in making a significant difference in these communities, and together, we can transform lives through the power of God’s Word.
Jacob and I thank God so, so much for you all who pray for us, give to the ministry, write notes of encouragement, come and work with us, host us when we are Stateside, hug our necks, feed us and so much more!!! The ministry of RAU is an outworking of the vision and mission of local churches and our raison d’etre (reason for being) is to come alongside what God is doing in local churches on this side–encouraging and equipping leaders of churches in the West Nile of Uganda, South Sudan and in the Republic of Sudan. We have often said that, as a ministry, we are simply a pipeline of blessings that come from your hands and heart and are delivered to the ones we are here to serve.
Because of providential reasons there has been a drop in regular monthly support. One of those “providential” reasons being that some of the monthly givers were our age or older (Jacob turned 69 last September) and have gone to be with the Lord. People’s financial situations change from time to time and so we understand that priorities have to be adjusted. It is the regular monthly support that keeps the ministry engine running for the glory of God. If you are are not giving monthly would you prayerfully consider partnering with us in that way, but without hurting your giving to your local churchor other missionaries. We would be so grateful! Thank you!
“It is our conviction that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16) and we have been entrusted to proclaim it passionately and rightly. Our dependence is upon the Holy Spirit for the power to preach, teach, live and endure all things for the sake of the elect. (1 Timothy 2:10). As Christians, we are called to lay down our lives so that the Gospel will be preached to all. As ones who are confident in God’s sovereignty and passionate for His glory we seek to reach the many that have never heard of the Savior and His work of reconciliation. We understand that this work cannot be accomplished in our own strength but only through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. The means He uses in His people are cross-centered living, sacrificial and loving service, Bible-soaked preaching/teaching, fervent intercessory prayer, and Christ-likeness.” (From Reaching Africa’s Unreached Mission & Vision Statement)
Checks also may be written out to “RAU” and sent to our secretary Beth and she will deposit them into RAU’s account : Lifegate-RAU, 395 Lifegate Ln., Seguin, TX. 78155
This is a long overdue update on the RAU ministry and the comings and goings of Jacob and Carol Lee! Sorry for that. We were traveling from the middle of June until the first week of October. Sincerely, we are overjoyed to be back in our home on the RAU campus. And, while all the travel was physically taxing, my often spoken phrase was, “the travel is hard, but the destinations and the people are wonderful!!“. We thank God for the many reunions with family and longtime friends and for the new friends we met along the way. In all our travels we are grateful to the Lord for safety–from mid-June up to our travel back here in the beginning of October.
Here is an overview of the places and faces:
Our first stop was beautiful Cape Town, South Africa, where we gathered with other missionaries from ABWE (our partnering Mission Agency) to retreat, be refreshed, get acquainted and worship and grow together in the Lord. What a privilege! Our time there was an enjoyable mixture of fellowship, deeper friendship, and enjoying the natural beauty of Cape Town.
Over the course of our 3-month furlough in the US, we traveled to at least 18 different destinations (some close by and some far away). Our first and last Sundays are always our hometown of Seguin, TX, with our home and sending church, Lifegate. Over the last 3 years the Lopez family has given us the gift of a home away from home in their backyard cabin and they have been the best of neighbors, loving us so graciously.
Jacob had the privilege of preaching from Acts 26:15-23 at Lifegate on our first Sunday back. In my books, there is nothing as close to heaven as worshiping in your mother tongue with rich and beautiful “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” and do so with people you have known and loved for decades. The church provided a much anticipated “potluck” lunch — an opportunity eat a broad choice of yummy foods, to hug necks long known and to acquaint ourselves with new members–which, as always, never disappoints–either the food or the faces!
After some days to get our time zones switched, we took off to Burnet, Texas, where we were reunited with brothers and sisters from Hill Country Fellowship (HCF)–we knew the lead pastor, Scott Frerking, when he was just a lad! We were able to catch up with the team which HCF sent for a “come and see” visit and were welcomed in the home of Ben and Margaret Ward (though Ben was in the hospital at the time–thankfully, all went well for him). On Sunday, Jacob preached from Romans 15:20 and 2 Timothy 2:2/Acts 19:10 on having godly ambition, encouraging each listener to take advantage of every opportunity to share the Gospel message just as the Apostle Paul did–in ease or the uncertainty of prison. The flood of support afterward from the congregants is evidence of the priority HCF has for cheerful participation in Kingdom work, especially toward our fundraising goal for 20,040 Africa Study Bibles.
During our Stateside visit, RAU initiated a fundraising effort towards 20,040 Africa Study Bibles. Oasis Publishing and Christian Book-International Outreach jump-started the effort with $50,000 each toward the total purchase price of $278,832. HCF contributed generously in the same spirit!
Being so near to Stephenville, it was an easy drive from Burnet to see our daughter, Anna, and the 3 children. Kenny was away on a short term mission trip to Bolivia, using his building skills there. Jacob and I enjoyed precious time with them–short, but knowing we would visit again in August when Kenny was back.
From Stephenville, we stopped to visit with my brother, Dave and his wife, Tanya, and their daughter and 4 kids (in Stonewall, Texas)–a very delightful time–it was much too short!! Traveling on to Comfort, Texas, we spent time with our dear friends and partners in mission, Stephen and Maddie McConnell and Eric and Brenda Vordenbaum. It gave us an opportunity to also give greetings to the church which they attend: Comfort Baptist Church. These two families have stood with us from the beginning and we praise God for their love and prayers for us and the RAU ministry.
After one “down day” in Seguin, we headed to Colorado to see Josh, Becca and their 6 kids. While there, we packed in the maximum amount of fun possible, taking walks, getting treats, going on a fun adventure to Scheels, hiking beautiful mountain trails, and eating good food. After finishing our favorite traditional Lord of the Rings movie trilogy on our last night, we anticipated the “water works” (which included us) as we said our yearly goodbyes. As painful as the goodbyes are, a heartening aspect of those tears is the realization that you only cry and grieve the loss of something or someone you love–and there was a lot of love!!
Again, another “down day” in Seguin–and we were headed back to Stephenville–this time, to see Kenny and family and our Rocky Point Baptist church family. Jacob was given the opportunity to preach on Sunday and then, that evening, a number of our Rocky Point friends invited us to share our needs, and then prayed over us. A highlight for Jacob during our stay with Anna and Kenny each time is the frequent walks that Jacob takes with the girls to the corner gas station where they have been building a friendship with the managers who are from Nepal and sharing the Gospel. The Danleys have been able to follow up with Nepalese Christian literature and invite them to church. We enjoyed many outings to parks and restaurants and to the homes of mutual friends–together! I enjoyed “beauty salon treatment” by one of our granddaughters.
The most endearing aspect of our visits with our children (and their children) is having a snapshot of “normal, everyday life” with them. Even mundane things done with them is a joy.
The month of August was spent primarily in Texas, with the exception of two short trips to see friends and supporting churches in other States. We visited One Hope Church in Geronimo–one of the churches that has supported us from the very beginning. It is encouraging to see their faithfulness and fruitfulness as their church grows. Gospel Life Fellowship in New Braunfels is another church that has stood with us from the beginning. They are teaching their young ones to prioritize and pray for us and other missionaries and ministries. The fruit of that is a jar full of dollar bills and coins collected by the children while we are away and handwritten letters of love and prayers! On the last Sunday of August, we got to travel with some of our favorite people, Becky and Susano Galvan, to Mission City Fellowship–a church plant from Lifegate–on the south side of San Antonio. A benefit of being away for a while is that you see evidence of faithful outreach and of the “one another” verses that describe the church’s life together being lived out.
In the middle of August, we flew to Maryland to visit dear friends and church family from Forest Hill Presbyterian church. That is a yearly “trek” we enjoy to the hilt–a posh ensuite bedroom (Joel and Dawn give it up for us!!), delicious food and fellowship, and (because of Jason Van Bemmel’s planning) one of our all-time favorite activities–a hymn sing at the Raiber home. This year there were between 65 and 70 people there, from the very young to the more “vintage” ones like us (and maybe even a few more vintage than we are!!). Each year, Forest Hill sends Pastor Jason and Bob Brown along with others (including some of their teenage children) to teach a module for pastors on the RAU campus. Whenever we have a ministry project or idea, they are enthusiastic to support us!
Straddling August and September was our first time to Graniteville, South Carolina, where we met–in person–one of the two families that is raising support to join us at RAU–the Pryce’s (Ben and Sara) and the 4 of their 7 kids. An additional sweet treat was being picked up at the airport by Ron and Ann Washer, former missionaries to Togo and (Ron) former Africa Director for ABWE (with whom we are associate missionaries). There was no scarcity of conversation as we got to know not only the Pryce family better, but also their home church, Siloam Baptist Church, which we trust will, one day, be sending them over to us with their blessing!
As there were not enough Sundays to go around for all the churches we wanted to visit, we had two Wednesday night gatherings arranged–one at The Country Church in Marion, Texas and the other at PromiseLand Church in San Marcos, Texas. We are amazed at the way the Lord makes a way through the people we know to partner together in Kingdom work. The “flavors” of churches vary like night and day, but it is the same Lord we worship, the same Body to which we all belong, and the same goal of glorifying God that we seek.
Jacob and 3 of his cousins
September was an intense season of travel starting with Iowa where we stayed, first, with Jacob’s cousin, Gary and his wife, Marlene Aspenson, attending their church, Heartland, and having lunch after church with Gary, Marlene, lead Pastor David and his wife Kathy. They and their church have a heart to get the gospel to the nations. It was a delightful time of fellowship. In the afternoon/evening reuniting with other family members of Jacob was a rare and enjoyable event. With the use of one of the Aspenson’s vehicles, we made our way to West Union where we met up with Jacob’s sister, Jackie, and visited with his father in the Nursing home (always accepting that this could be the last time we see him on this earth). Following a short visit with Jacob’s brother, Jeff, we headed in a completely new direction–northwestern Iowa.
John and Nancy Mayer and two of their 3 daughters (Rachael and Ruth in photo, Becky missing)
Most often, my brother John and wife, Nancy–along with one or two of their daughters–would drive from Albert City, Iowa, to meet up with us for a visit at Jackie’s home or somewhere nearby. This time, we decided to travel to their home in Albert City, Iowa where Rachael and Ruth also joined us. Though it was a short visit, it was impactful and joyful and so very worth the effort of traveling off the grid of our normal destinations.
The rest of our time in Iowa was spent in Marion, where Jackie lives For every visit, Jackie has been a wonderful host, organizing get togethers and giving us a comfortable place to lay our heads. On the Wednesday that we were there, she arranged for a gathering at her home, attended by other family members of Jacob. And who can go wrong with pizza?!!!
On a very early flight from Cedar Rapids, we flew to Chattanooga to visit our middle son Josiah and wife Unyae. Our Lyft driver to the Cedar Rapids airport was originally from an African country (as has been the case very often when we need “a lyft“). At the airport, Jacob felt compelled to give him an Africa Study Bible. The driver literally jumped up and down saying, “Wow! This is the best gift I have ever gotten!” He had said he was Muslim, so his reaction was a happy surprise.
Our time with Josiah and Unyae was particularly precious as they had recently announced that they were expecting their first child! And delight upon delight, Unyae’s best friend had organized a baby shower for them while we were there and during which we found out that they will be having a….BOY!! Once again, the greatest privilege was “just hangin’ out“, doing “stuff” together, having meaningful conversations, enjoying some great food and marveling with them at the progress of their new home build.
Our final visit this furlough was Louisville, Kentucky, where dear friends, Edward and Jennifer Heinze and Wayne and Nancy Reigel live and with whom we have a unique Uganda connection. Wayne and Nancy kindly picked us up from the airport and almost immediately upon our arrival at the Southern Seminary campus, Edward and Jennifer had arranged for me to be seen in the campus clinic. I had been suffering increasingly with a non-COVID cough and they were able to get me on medication that ensured that the rest of our visit was enjoyable. And we surely did enjoy our times together with both couples!! Dr. Stephen Wellum, professor at Southern Seminary, kindly drove us back to the Louisville airport. Jacob and I feel enveloped and superintended by love when we visit them.
A final visit from Kenny and Anna Danley and family! There were lots of tears and hugs when they went back to Stephenville! Again, tears = love!
We had one more “BIG EVENT” looming ahead of us once we returned to Seguin–packing the tubs and suitcases and getting ready to travel back to Uganda! After having had a bad cough for so long, and weary from traveling, I was dreading the process of filling tubs, weighing them precisely to be within the 50 lb. limit and labeling them for the final destination. Prayer, at this point, was not perfunctory, but a desperate plea for help. Graciously, by the time packing was a must, the Lord gave me wellbeing and energy, but Jacob started to feel poorly. As our final day approached, he needed to rest and I needed help. A wonderful sister in Christ, Susan Livernois, from our home church ,Lifegate, came to help and we “got ‘er done“!!
It was not only the weight of the tubs that concerned us but the weight of making it through several “obstacle” courses from the Austin Airport to the Entebbe Airport in Uganda. First, getting the tubs TO the airport–for the last several years, Mike Mercer and helpers (this year it was John Mashl) have lightened our load by transporting us and our luggage to Austin. That, alone, is a gift which goes beyond a dollar value. Second, getting our tubs checked in at the Delta airlines counter–will they weigh too much? Will they give us trouble about the number of luggage pieces? Will the people behind us roll their eyes at the wait? So much depends on the Agent at the counter. This year, a wonderful woman named Humble Koryan, an immigrant from Liberia (who had to flee from civil war) was our agent. Her feathers were not ruffled by our many cases. She was pleasant and got everything taken care of in a timely manner. Huge weight lifted!! Third, arriving in Entebbe, making it through customs and collecting our cases. No problem! The only glitch was that one tub was missing, but the Baggage Claim officer was able to identify its whereabouts and let us know that it would be on the next flight. And it was! The airport delivered it to the Guesthouse in which we were staying.
The journey from Entebbe to Moyo was long–15 hours–delayed by traffic, potholes, a “million” speed bumps and a 40 kms/hr speed limit through the Murchison Park detour which we had to take on account of the Karuma Bridge being under repairs. At least, I got a few good wild animal shots out of it!
So here we are–at the RAU campus, looking back at all the amazing people and places we visited since the middle of June. Often, folks ask us how our vacation was. Well, though we always have much in which to rejoice–as described above–we have never seen or thought of it as a vacation. It is part of the ministry to which we are committed: connecting with partners or those who wish to partner with us for what we believe is a significant Kingdom work as well as reconnecting with our family. When we reach RAU here in northwestern Uganda, we feel the weight lifted and we are home–in our own bed and routines and among people we also call family.
Jacob and I praise the Lord for Onette Zorah, and all those who remain here and keep things going while we are away. Zorah was and has been a faithful manager, keeping Jacob well-informed of the activities and issues that arise. The big project during our absence was the preparation of the 4 containers for all the resources that have come and will be coming soon. One of the earliest containers had been overtaken by termites and, unfortunately, had feasted on some of the books. That was a great loss. The solution was to remove all the wood flooring in the containers and fill them with a cement flooring. Termites will always pose a serious threat here, but at least the men have done their level best to make an unfriendly environment for them in the future.
Please pray for the following:
The Hope Smiles Dental clinic November 18th through the 22nd. Pray that we would be able to host more than one a year. It costs about $5,000 per 5-day clinic, including hosting the team here at RAU during that time.
Our work permits will need to be renewed in November. This time we are working for 10-year or permanent permits. We will have to briefly exit Uganda into South Sudan before the permits can be granted and then we will have to travel to Kampala to pick them up. We are grateful for our COO, Bukenya Patrick and our CFO, Kalunda Thomas who manage RAU’s organizational affairs at the home office in Kampala.
Continue to pray for and participate in the fundraising efforts for the 20,040 Africa Study Bibles. It is an impactful resource for pastors and leaders.
Jacob and I thank God so, so much for you all who pray for us, give to the ministry, write notes of encouragement, come and work with us, host us when we are Stateside, hug our necks, feed us and so much more!!! The ministry of RAU is an outworking of the vision and mission of local churches and our raison d’etre is to come alongside what God is doing in local churches on this side–encouraging and equipping leaders of churches in the West Nile of Uganda, South Sudan and in the Republic of Sudan. We have often said that, as a ministry, we are simply a pipeline of blessings that come from your hands and heart and are delivered to the ones we are here to serve.
Because of providential reasons there has been a drop in regular monthly support. One of those “providential” reasons being that some of the monthly givers were our age or older (Jacob turned 69 last September) and have gone to be with the Lord. People’s financial situations change from time to time and so we understand that priorities have to be adjusted. It is the regular monthly support that keeps the ministry engine running for the glory of God. If you are are not giving monthly would you prayerfully consider partnering with us in that way, but without hurting your giving to your local church. We would be so grateful! Thank you!
“It is our conviction that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16) and we have been entrusted to proclaim it passionately and rightly. Our dependence is upon the Holy Spirit for the power to preach, teach, live and endure all things for the sake of the elect. (1 Timothy 2:10). As Christians, we are called to lay down our lives so that the Gospel will be preached to all. As ones who are confident in God’s sovereignty and passionate for His glory we seek to reach the many that have never heard of the Savior and His work of reconciliation. We understand that this work cannot be accomplished in our own strength but only through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. The means He uses in His people are cross-centered living, sacrificial and loving service, Bible-soaked preaching/teaching, fervent intercessory prayer, and Christ-likeness.” (From Reaching Africa’s Unreached Mission & Vision Statement)
Checks also may be written out to “RAU” and sent to our secretary Beth and she will deposit them into RAU’s account : Lifegate-RAU, 395 Lifegate Ln., Seguin, TX. 78155
Reaching Africa's Unreached 