This is a well done video was done October 31st when we had a group of farmers along with National Director, Miriam, with Uganda Agribusiness Alliance. The national media was also with us and produced this video which will be seen throughout Uganda.
All praise to Jesus with gratefulness for those who have been praying for us and sacrificially giving.
We thank each and everyone who lifts up intercessory prayers on our behalf and that of the ministry. Thank you for supporting us through words of encouragement, financial gifts and even the ministry of presence as you join us on the field from time to time! We look forward to updating you with all that God is doing and will do–just around the bend!!
Please be in prayer for us in these following matters and consider partnering with us in them.
Daily operational expenses (monthly gifts help us to keep things running smoothly day by day; Special gifts allow us to accomplish specific projects).
“And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. ~~Isaiah 42: 16
“The truth is: We serve a generous God. He delights in giving us opportunities beyond our capabilities. He has promised to equip us, and remain with us through each bend in the road.” ~~David Jeremiah
We, Jacob and I–and RAU–stand at that bend in the road–that new direction–with great joy in seeing how the Lord has answered our prayers. I will expound on that in a bit.
We have been back in Uganda for about 3 weeks now, though it feels like so much longer since we hit the ground running (I can’t believe it’s still October!). We had a wonderful visit in the States with our family in 3 different States. Seeing all TEN of our grandchildren was truly GRAND! Strengthening our bond with our children and their spouses was a gift! We flew to 3 different States to visit two supporting churches (including making connections with four new ones) and we drove to 7 different churches within Texas during July- September. We met up with “old” friends during the weekdays and made connections with new ones through folks who have been faithful supporters. As I have said so frequently, the travel was hard on us, but the destinations and the people were GREAT!!! The Lord was gracious in it all and gracious to bring us safely back to northern Uganda.
Pastor Tobious, in the Metu Mountains, wrote of continuing Gospel work along with discipleship, both in the Aya and Gbari side, noting that 17 people professed faith in Christ while we were in the States. The terrain and remoteness of these mountains makes the work difficult and makes Pastor Tobious’s (as well as the other leaders’) commitment and work all the more commendable. We praise God for his faithful plodding and service to the Lord and his part in building up the church in the Metu Mountains.
In Yumbe, our Aringa brother, Charles, has been faithfully broadcasting the message of Good News to students in schools and to neighbors while he also plays an integral role in discipling young men and being a team member of the translation of the complete Bible into Aringa. Jacob and I were honored to be a part of the ceremony in 2014 when the Aringa New Testament was first published! As we plan for a more consistent presence in this region, please read more about it here: NEW: Proposed RAU Yumbe On-the-Ground Branch. Pray with us toward that.
Joshua Abraham–faithful in season and out of season in the Bidi Bidi camps
Trusting God by Jerry Bridges
Christian resources and Study Bibles are being distributed in the nearby refugee resettlement camps and as well as to the Republic of Sudan and South Sudan
In line with our theme verse, 2 Timothy 2:2 (Faithful people teaching others to teach faithfully what has been entrusted to them), Joshua Abraham, a Darfurian Sudanese refugee in the Bidi Bidi camp has been faithfully gathering and facilitating another group (of 21 in zone one) to read and study 14 Christian theological resources which RAU has been able to provide and another group of 20 in Zone 2 . We look forward to a graduation in December as this 5th group of “reading leaders” finishes up the course. The 6th group will graduate in January. It has been a major goal of Jacob’s to foster a reading culture among leaders in the northwestern part of Uganda, South Sudan and the Republic of (North) Sudan. Everyone who has come to RAU for training knows well this quote: “Leaders are readers and readers are leaders.” By God’s grace, we hope to host many more module trainings here, to continue to disciple more deeply up close and personal, and provide resources to the many leaders who God is raising up.
“Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus” by Nabeel Qureshi
Which brings me back to “the bend in the road” about which I was writing earlier. One of the most gracious acts of the Lord has been His answer to our fervently longed-for request–to bring other team members to work alongside us at RAU full-time. While we were in the States, we received the news that the Langworthy’s (ABWE Missionaries) had reached their “100%” support goal and they were making plans to be in Uganda by the end of October or soon thereafter! This was music to our ears and joy to our hearts. Additionally, another couple (Andre and Emilita Solomos) will be coming for 3 months on a survey trip (through ABWE). Andre teaches in his local church in Colorado. Close on their heels, our dear friends, Wayne and Nancy Reigel, will return to serve with us for several months (Wayne is an elder in his local church, Faith Community in Louisville, Kentucky). Having “boots on the ground” helps us keep pace with the great need for pastoral training and discipleship. Having others join the team means a multiplication of teaching teams and opportunities to support the work that leaders in the area are doing.
Aaron, Amanda, Alijah, Isaac, David and Grace Langworthy
Andre and Emilita Solomos
Wayne and Nancy Reigel
Please pray with us as we follow this bend in the road! Several years ago, anticipating the addition of other families and understanding that team dynamics can make or break a ministry, we bought the book entitled, “Becoming A Healthy Team: 5 Traits of Vital Leadership“, by Stephen A. Macchia, which we had the potential team members read along with us. Pray that our hearts will be knit together in unity of mission that focuses on the glory of God and the good of the people we serve.
Pray for the Langworthy family as they leave behind precious family and friends and a supportive sending church. We know what a vital role the church plays in our health and wellbeing in the Lord. Pray that we will be able to welcome them helpfully as they adjust to all the changes that are part of living cross-culturally. Pray for their safety in travel, their hearts in grieving the changes, their joy in anticipating all that God has planned for them, for spiritual gifts to be discerned and used, and for their perseverance through hard things. Pray for the children in this transition. Pray for this family’s health and wellbeing physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Pray for the Solomos family and the Reigels as they desire to be faithful in their “latter years“. We thank God for other “vintage” people like us who long to be useful in the Kingdom of God, to NOT be shelved or wasteful of any of the precious time they are allotted in this world.
If we were God and had His knowledge and sovereignty over the landscape of our lives, we would see a straight line from where we were and are to the place that He will bring us. But “bends in the road” are bends to us because we cannot see what lies ahead. Our sight is limited so we must walk one step at a time, trusting that the Lord is with us and sees, knows and plans the things that are coming ahead. This is great comfort to us!
We thank each and everyone who lifts up intercessory prayers on our behalf and that of the ministry. Thank you for supporting us through words of encouragement, financial gifts and even the ministry of presence as you join us on the field from time to time! We look forward to updating you with all that God is doing and will do–just around the bend!!
Please be in prayer for us in these following matters and consider partnering with us in them.
Daily operational expenses (monthly gifts help us to keep things running smoothly day by day; Special gifts allow us to accomplish specific projects).
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”
~~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.~~
One of the many benefits of taking a Short Term Ministry (STM) trip is that, if you have never been abroad before, by virtue of traveling you are expanding your mind, your perspective, your experience, your knowledge, and your heart, beyond their normal encapsulated boundaries. This is especially important for Church leaders in America who answer for the life and health of their “flock” and the trajectory and completion of the Church’s mission.
In that light, it was a joy to receive 7 men (Jason, Wayne, Billy, Garrett, Austin, James and David) from churches in Mississippi under the guidance of a well-seasoned STM traveler and trip leader, David Williams. The purpose of their visit was to stir the churches in Lincoln County, MS to a more far-reaching vision and participation in the Great Commission by participating in on-going ministry in another country–Uganda, and RAU particularly. David had brought another team years back and wanted to ignite this team by revisiting RAU and this region of northwestern Uganda.
In typical fashion, Jacob devised a plan to squeeze every ounce of ministry, experience and energy out of them, starting on Day 1 after arrival. They spent the first three days in the Metu Mountains (north end–Gbari, Arapi, Duku, Oyo– and south end–Aya, Ijujo, Cinyi, Oku, Lea). I opted to stay home because, a) the Land Cruiser was going to be filled to the rim or brim and, b) it was just too hot and, c) it was really hot! Ha! In Duku, they were able to witness the blessing of replaced steel water pipes with stainless steel pipes for the borehole and taste water fresh from the underground. In each spot, each of the men shared a word of encouragement to the gathered believers. I will let the pictures tell more of their stories.
On the third day in the Metu Mountains, they met at the Gbari/Arapi to gather with the two other churches in the area (Duku and Oyo). Garrett, from what Jacob told me, preached a wonderful message and with a special emphasis on baptism–for the 22 people who were prepared for baptism and would receive that ordinance and confirmation of their willing, confessed faith afterward in the stream in the valley. Pastor Tobious had told us earlier that he would have someone go down to the stream to scare away the pythons and other snakes that take refuge in or near the water during the hottest part of the day…yikes! Thankfully, the baptisms happened without a hitch–or a hiss!
On Monday–EARLY–we all headed to Yumbe and then on to Lodenga. Yumbe is home to the Aringa tribe who are primarily Muslim. According to the Joshua Project the Aringa are 1.9% Christian. We have described previously the challenges the believers in Yumbe have faced, and particularly in Lodenga where threats were made that the church would be destroyed and their land usurped. Since we first visited Lodenga, the oppression has heightened but so has the show of support from other churches. RAU has now had several trainings there. Our brothers from Mississippi spent about 3 hours teaching from Greg Gilbert’s “What is the Gospel?“. Many resources were handed out–numerous books and an Africa Study Bible (ASB).
Afterward, a meal was shared together.
From the expansive mango tree, shade cover at the Lodenga church property, we proceeded over rugged roads and terrain to Aniti, a small village where Market Day was taking place. Permission was received by the Local Councilman 1 (LCI) for our group to join the market place for one on one conversations about Christ, handing out dual-language tracts (Aringa/English), to explain and proclaim the Gospel and then to show the Jesus Film in Aringa. There were many who joined us from the various churches and sang joyfully with dance. The audience for the Jesus film was large–and probably larger than we could fully see due to darkness. Because of the anticipated late finish of this time of ministry, we had made reservations at a hotel in Yumbe town, and we arrived there at around 11:15 pm. From some reports, there were a few who professed faith in Christ.
We found out later that there were several Muslims who had joined the teaching time earlier, seeking to scope out the message and activities. They went away with Christian literature and, sometime later, others came back requesting a Bible also. One Muslim woman was present who showed an interest but was chased away by her husband. However, she joined the group at the Market place. When she returned home, her husband “turned her over to her relatives” in protest of her interest in the Christian faith. Another woman put her faith in Jesus Christ and is now seeking counsel as to whether or not she should leave her husband. These are very real, painful and complex issues. Women, especially, have great interest in Jesus but fear reprisals from their families and community.
On Tuesday, after a good breakfast, we went to Charles’ home where we received from him interesting historical information about the Aringa tribe (of which he is a member), about his ministry in the area, and his experiences in working in an environment that is potentially and strongly opposed to the growth of the Christian church in the area. It was jab to our consciences to hear him talk about his trust in God’s sovereignty over his life–whether that signifies ultimate suffering or ongoing struggles. It reminded me of this quote by Henry Martyn: “I am immortal until God’s work for me to do is done.”
Wednesday was “debrief” day which ended with a nice meal together at a local restaurant. We remained on RAU campus and spent the morning sharing our thoughts and experiences of the time together. Jacob and I were immensely blessed by this “band of brothers“, their love for the Lord, for people and for the message of the Gospel to reconcile people to God through Jesus Christ. Their words of encouragement buoyed us greatly. We loved their commitment to not allowing apathy to stifle the spiritual energy and vision that was generated during their visit. Jacob and I pray that their goal of kindling a fire for a “more far-reaching vision and participation in the Great Commission” will not be a pipe dream but a fleshed-out reality when they return to their homes and churches.
We sent the team off early on Thursday morning as they needed to reach Entebbe with enough time to do a small bit of shopping for their families, get a meal and some rest, and make it to the airport for the flight home. All are now safely back in Mississippi.
Following quickly after the departure of our friends, on Friday we received Wayne and Nancy Reigel who came to stay with us on the RAU campus for a month–to encourage us and to participate in the many things which are happening here. Wayne and Nancy have been traveling to South Sudan and Uganda for many years now on STM trips and, providentially, we met them at the Arua airport a number of years ago and have become dear friends. Their love for the Lord and the peoples of this region runs deep. Already they have plunged into RAU daily life, learning grafting of mangoes and sitting in on interesting conversations such as the following.
Yesterday, we met with a young woman who has been diagnosed with a cancerous growth in her right eye. Peter, a teacher in a school nearby, is a believer who is advocating for her. We met to discuss her case, provide some money which was given specifically for her and to strategize on how to inspire community involvement and help. Such surgeries and treatments are expensive, partially because the patient and family member must travel far to a hospital where appropriate care can be found and sustain themselves while there. We emphasized urgency due to the diagnosis (to minimize encroaching damage to surrounding tissue). Please be in prayer for “Christine” as they seek to raise the remainder of funds needed and pray for healing with minimal complications.
Since Jacob’s last post, we have some good news concerning our fundraising efforts for the Africa Study Bible (ASB). Jacob had written that we still needed $18,247.19. BUT! during the writing of this newsletter, we received word from our USA office that $11,800 had come in. This leaves us with only a remaining $6,447.19!!!! Praise the Lord. And thank you, to those who are cheerfully generous in your giving (2 Corinthians 9: 6-10).
We are pleased to see signs of Rainy Season chasing away the dryness and heat and dust. Soon, it will be time for planting (for the community and RAU demo farm) and then harvesting mangoes will follow. We already have people vying for the mangoes, even before they are fully developed. It is a testament to the surrounding communities that there is, indeed, a good market for grafted mangoes and that it is a viable Ag investment. That is our sincere hope–that many would latch on to this vision for their own empowerment and for a wider community benefit.
Though there is a natural season for fruit, in Kingdom life and Gospel work the key is to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2). There is no downtime. No lollygagging. It’s always the right time to plow, prepare, sow, water, weed and harvest in God’s field. We anticipate this as we meet with those who come unexpectedly or look at the many upcoming events on our calendar: March/April discipleship training in Yumbe District and the Hill Country Fellowship Team, the Rocky Point Baptist Team and the Forest Hill Presbyterian Team–in April, May and June!!
Jesus’ last words were about an expanding horizon of grace to the nations and reconciliation to God through His redeeming work as recorded in Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” May Christ’s vision be expanded in us, breaking us free from our encapsulated thinking and desires–whether we are at home or missionaries abroad!
There is nothing so brilliant as a star sparkling in a dark sky; the facets of a diamond are accentuated on the backdrop of a black velvet cloth; and the grace and beauty of Christ shine most brilliantly in a dark, sin-filled world. Jesus is the True Light who came into our dark world and dwelt among us. There is no darkness that can defeat His light (John 1). Is there any better response than that of the Wise Men or the shepherds who “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matthew 2: 10) or investigated “this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known” (Luke 2:15)? Second only to seeing it for ourselves is helping others to see it, too!
That was the blessing that Jacob, Pastor Henry, Tiondi and I had in Yumbe over the weekend along with our friend and co-worker, Onduga Charles– to encourage and equip the believers who are making every effort to shine like stars in the universe as they hold fast to the word of life “in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation“(Philippians 2:15) , and to earnestly plead, “come and see,” among those who have yet to be delivered “from the domain of darkness and transferred…to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1: 13-14)
On Saturday, we spent the day with the youth and congregants from the Zinzo church (Church of Uganda), and, through several facilitators, taught and exhorted them to know and understand and believe the Gospel more fervently for themselves, to trust that, through the Gospel (good news), God is mightily at work to save people out of darkness, and the Word is God is living and active and more powerful than any other source of information.
It’s a good thing we weren’t on the 3rd floor like Paul and no open windows! : )
Jacob taught on “One God, One Mediator“, who is Christ Jesus, helping the listeners to be more sure and grounded in what the Gospel is and what it accomplishes in our lives. I also taught on the “The Gospel that Saves Us and Keeps Us“: what it is and how it is fleshed out, bearing fruit in our lives that brings glory to God and speaks loudly to those who have yet to believe. Brother Jackson, who taught directly in Aringa, spoke about the differences between the Qur’an and the Bible and how knowing the power of God’s word can help embolden people in their witness to Muslim neighbors.
Jacob explaining “propitiation“–Jesus absorbing God’s wrath on our behalf!
In the evening, we transported the sound equipment to a local market place in Wolo where we hoped to draw a crowd and then announce to them some really great news: how they can be made clean before a Holy God–apart from “good deeds” which can never be enough to wipe out our bad record. I did my favorite thing, which was to mingle among the women, greet them in Aringa and use the little of the language I know to make a loving connection with them and hopefully break down barriers. The youth and other believers did what they love–singing Gospel songs and dancing with unbelievable energy. That is also a common language–everyone loves to dance; it was fun to be in the crowd engaging AND dancing with everyone. Jacob and Charles did what they love the most–preaching from on top of the Land Cruiser. Jacob’s message (with Charles interpreting in his passionate and animated way) was from John 10 where Jesus declares He is the Door! He preached from notes pasted on to his Bible–until the light became night and then he preached from his memory and heart! while Jacob was preaching, there were many from the team who were interceding. Our deepest prayer is that “eyes and hearts were opened” to see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Back to Zinzo Church; setting up the screen for the Jesus Film (notice the supervisory role)
Once again, we packed things up and headed back to the Zinzo Church where (after much struggle) we were able to set up the screen and projector for the “Jesus film“. It was a part of the ALL NIGHT youth conference and their hope that Muslim neighbors in the area would be drawn to see and hear the story of Jesus Christ portrayed in the movie–to have their hearts opened to believe what they saw and heard.
We arrived back at our hotel at around 1:30 a.m. Exhausted! Dusty! Hungry! Thankfully, the hotel still had staff on hand to cook a small snack for us. The next morning, I awoke with a little bit of panic. It was already 7:30 a.m. and we were supposed to be ready by 8 a.m. to go to our next destination, Lodenga, for Sunday prayers!! That is one of the few times that I woke up earlier than Jacob–needless to say, he was worn to a frazzle. We hurried to get dressed and eat breakfast–which we would not have had to do as our hosts served us a “Hobbit’s Second Breakfast“.
At Lodenga we were given the privilege of hearing the story of the church’s beginnings and how difficult it has been for them (in the past and present) to stand firm in their faith amidst opposition, persecution, and the strategies of members of the Islamic faith to aggressively take over schools and churches in that region. It burgeoned great respect in our hearts for these faithful people. As with every church we have visited in Yumbe District, the older generation fears for the faith of the younger one as there is an active tactic to undermine the faith of the youth and convert them to the Islamic religion through earthly means, whether it be with money or marriage to their sons or other such drawing cards. The struggles are real and the desperation of the current believers is palpable. Their cry is for others to come along side of them and to “strengthen what remains“.
While Christians persevere in their efforts, Muslims from Arabia and Pakistan and other Islamic countries are pouring money into the region, building Mosques, supporting Muslim businesses, and paying bride prices for Christian girls to be married into Muslim families. Christians, already outnumbered, are under great pressure to rise to this challenge. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” At times, we can doubt the power of Jesus’ light. The darkness seems oppressive and overpowering. BUT GOD! is at work and we are convinced that His light will reach to every ordained corner of the world.
Lord!! Let the light of Your love shine brightly in these dark corners of the world. Fill your people with the light of your truth and grace. Let Your light overcome the darkness. Open eyes, open hearts so that those held captive by lies (that we can come into Your presence without a Mediator) may see your grace and beauty and believe in You and believe in what You have done for them.
“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1: 9-17
“O come, O Bright and Morning Star, and bring us comfort from afar! Dispel the shadows of the night and turn our darkness into light.“
“O come, O King of nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind. Bid all our sad divisions cease and be yourself our King of Peace.”
Jacob and I wish you a very blessed Christmas celebration with Jesus Christ, Himself, at the very center of it all! He is the Light of the World and through Him–by His light–WE are the light of the world. May our lives, individually and corporately, reflect the light of the Son so that darkness will be dispelled.
Would you please pray about and consider partnering with RAU financially so that we can continue to be an answer to Jesus’ appeal to “pray for the Lord of the Harvest to thrust forth laborers”? As Jacob says often, day time is here when we must work and a time is coming when no one will be able to do the work of sowing, weeding and harvesting. WORK WITH US in this eternally consequential present moment! Thank you so much to those of you who are already doing so. As the Body of Christ we are interconnected in physical and spiritual ways. We will only see the work God has done in and through us in the ages to come!
“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 