Yes, you read that title correctly!
We are constantly amazed at the bountiful grace of God in His provision for getting His word, the Bible, to the nations and specifically to Uganda, South Sudan, and the Republic of (North) Sudan. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
The funding for the second container of Africa Study Bibles has been successfully finalized!
I’m excited to share an update about our mission to deliver Africa Study Bibles (ASB) to RAU. We received our first shipment of 6,100 ASB’s, which marks a significant milestone in our journey! The second shipment of 10,520 ASBs needed $82,685 in funding, a goal that seemed daunting at first. However, thanks to our generous donors, the remaining balance is now $0! Praise God, and thank you to everyone who has prayed and contributed to getting these 10,520 ASB’s to Reaching Africa’s Unreached (RAU). We are also grateful for Oasis Publishing and Christianbook International Outreach for their partnership in this endeavor. They are currently being printed and will be shipped as soon as printing is complete! This means through God’s grace and the sacrificial love of His people, Reaching Africa’s Unreached, we will have received 16,620 Africa Study Bibles, which are primarily for church leaders! These leaders play a crucial role in guiding and mentoring their congregations, and with these resources, they will be better equipped to share the teachings and messages of the Bible. You can read more about the Africa Study Bible here: https://reachingafricasunreached.org/23040-africa-study-bibles-to-r-a-u/
RAU’s primary mission and vision is walking out our calling found in 2 Timothy 2:2, which emphasizes the importance of faithful teaching and mentorship. One of several means of accomplishing this is by placing Study Bibles and doctrinally sound Christian books into the hands of church leaders, empowering them in the first-tier fundamental truths of the Christian faith. RAU has on its campus four 40-foot covered shelved containers as a means of keeping these Bibles and books safe and available for distribution. By equipping leaders with solid theological resources, we ensure that the teachings of Christ are rooted deeply in biblical truths and can be shared accurately. Education in Uganda is conducted in English from the primary (elementary) level through university, which means that English is widely read and spoken across the nation, facilitating communication and the growth of spiritual knowledge. This linguistic advantage is also true among Sudanese we work with, though at a lesser level. To learn more about how we articulate and envision our mission, you can read RAU’s Mission Vision Statements here: https://reachingafricasunreached.org/about/ .
“The printed page is a missionary that can go anywhere and do so at minimum cost. It enters closed lands and reaches all strata of society. It does not grow weary. It needs no furlough. It lives longer than any missionary. It never gets ill. It penetrates through the mind to the heart and conscience. It has and is producing results everywhere. It has often lain dormant yet retained its life and bloomed years later.” Missionary Samuel Marinus Zwemer 1867– 1952
23,760 ESV Pew Bibles due to arrive, Lord willing May 30th
We were thankful to have received 20,000 ESV paperback pew Bibles in August 2024 from Christianbook International Outreach and Crossway International. By February 2025 they were distributed primarily to secondary students and church members who could read English. All secondary students must have an English Bible, but many in our community cannot afford one, emphasizing our opportunity to share God’s Word. We also used these Pew Bibles in our evangelistic efforts. Excitingly, another 23,760 are expected on May 30th from the same organizations. RAU is grateful for the chance to distribute these Bibles to Ugandans and Sudanese and will handle them as responsibly as the first shipment.
It is our conviction from our long-term experience in the field that it is unhealthy to give things, even Bibles, for free without something small coming from each one’s pocket. Everyone has something small that can be given. The principle being we spend on what we think is important. When giving/sending out bibles we gather names, contact numbers, and the church where they are members. Sadly, even after doing this, we have known and caught pastors and bishops getting Bibles from us and becoming hawkers of them, selling them to bookshops and to others at a high price.
We at RAU want to always work in partnership and not contribute to a dependency attitude. That is not to say there are special times/circumstances when the Bibles and books are given out freely. A great resource that has helped guide us in this is Helping Without Hurting in Africa. We have had two modules in RAU’s Hall of Tyrannus using this book with church leaders. They each received certificate from the Chalmers Institute. Pray that we have God’s wisdom in distributing the above resources for God’s glory, the strengthening and maturation of the church, and in our evangelistic efforts.
Wayne and Nancy Reigel from Kentucky were with us 5 weeks
From Carol: “We met Wayne and Nancy Reigel “by chance” at the airport in Arua Uganda in 2019 and immediately hit it off. A sweet move of Providence. Sweeter still, we found out that they live in Louisville, KY where we traveled once a year to meet some other dear friends. Wayne and Nancy had, to that point, been traveling to Sudan (which eventually became South Sudan) since 2009 for short term ministry trips. Their goal was the same as ours—to see others come to know and love Jesus and then grow deeply in their faith while also faithfully calling others to believe. Due to COVID-19 as well as other circumstances, they were not able to return to Uganda/South Sudan—until 2025!
“This year, Wayne and Nancy came specifically to visit us—for more than a few days or a week. They spent 5 weeks with us (minus a day) and every single one of those days and weeks turned out to be fruitful for RAU and for Jacob and me, personally. Wayne, a retired pilot and wonderful mechanic and all around handy-man, woke up early and worked late, fixing stubborn machinery and finding creative ways to expertly repair things that were broken or inefficient. Wayne: 1000—unfixables: 0 (batting a 1000)!!! I have never met anyone else who matches Jacob in his work ethic. Those guys are two hat-wearing, go-get-em, work machines. I told some of our co-workers that “Jacob has found his twin”—and they heartily agreed! Nancy worked tirelessly behind the scenes organizing resources, cleaning apartments, cooking and learning new recipes to satisfy hungry tastebuds. We all especially loved the bread which she learned to make (using the limited pots and pans available). Almost every evening, we shared a meal together with them, enjoyed deep and laughter-filled conversations and often watched an episode of “Dispatches from the Front” which gave us a window into the work of Christ in building His church around the world, or a short video on the life of some great Christian. What a blessing.
“During their visit, we had several outreaches—into the Metu Mountains—where Wayne preached (at Ijujo Baptist Church and Arapi/Gbari Community Church). He and Nancy also gave words of encouragement to several other churches deep in valley villages (Oyo and Duku). We took them to Yumbe where we worshiped with the believers in a rural area and where both Jacob and Wayne either preached or gave a message of encouragement to eager listeners. In the evening, Wayne and Nancy experienced and were able to participate in an open air on Market Day in a nearby village. Jacob’s top-of-Land Cruiser preaching was cut only a little short by heavy rain, but it did shut down the plan to show the Jesus Film which is always well attended. There were some sweet moments of connection with the many children and adults huddled inside a shelter as the rain poured down. Though the rain disorganized the roads a bit, it was no match for the Land Cruiser! On another visit to Yumbe some days later, Wayne and Jacob joined our friend, Charles, to talk over plans to work more closely with him and other believers to strengthen the church which has been unsettled by opposition.
“There was a tangible empty space left by their departure. What has filled up that space a little is expectation of their plan to be back next year for TWO months! (March and April) AND they hope to be able to make that a yearly part of their “retirement” plans! Jacob and I seem to be “running into” more couples who, rather than be put on the shelf in their “winter season”, are choosing to use their training and wisdom to build up the Church and serve Christ will all their energy. Wayne and Nancy are one of the answers to our many prayers for others to come under the yoke and bear the load with us.”
Grafted Mango Harvest in Progress
Currently, we are in the full swing of mango season. Many of RAU’s grafted mangoes are heading as far south as Kampala and as far north as Juba, along with many places in between. Also, many seedlings, e.g., grafted mangoes, avocado, jackfruit, orange, tangerine, eucalyptus, and umbrella, were all potted by our RAU staff. R.A.U. is working to equip pastors and their congregations through agricultural development strategies. R.A.U.’s 25.5-acre compound serves as a demo plot for numerous agricultural projects. We have also been bringing members of the community to RAU for both day and multi-day training in agriculture, business planning, and entrepreneurship. You can read more and see many pictures at RAU’s mercy ministry page: https://reachingafricasunreached.org/agriculture-project/
2 Timothy 2:2 being walked out in the Bidibidi Refugee Resettlement Camp
Upcoming ministry events we request prayer for:
- April 28-30: A team from Canada led by friend Arnold Reimer. We will spend most of our time in the Metu Mountains looking at boreholes (water wells) they have helped RAU put in.
- April 28 – May 5: Ministry team from supporting church Hill Country Fellowship, Burnet, Texas. Their focus of ministry will be in the Metu Mountains, Moyo Sub-County, and Yumbe District, bringing encouragement to churches and children’s ministry. The team will also participate in evangelism at a Yumbe market center.
- May 23-June 4th: Ministry team from supporting church Rocky Point Baptist, Stephenville, Texas. They will lead a Monday-Friday module on hermeneutics in RAU Hall of Tyrannus using Robert Plummer’s book 40 Questions on Biblical Interpretation (Second Edition). The ladies will hold training for women in the local church on the biblical view of suffering. The single young men will help in the module and be involved in evangelism in the Metu Mountains. The team will also participate in evangelism at a Yumbe market center.
- June 8-17: Ministry team from supporting church Forest Hill Presbyterian (PCA). They will a lead a Monday-Saturday module on Romans in RAU Hall of Tyrannus using Tim Keller’s Two Volume Romans For You. Youth will be involved with ministering the gospel in schools. A couple days will also be spent ministering in Metu Mountain churches.
Special Prayer Need
Please continue to pray that we would soon be granted our Permanent Resident permits. We are able to apply for this status because of the length of time we have been living in Uganda. The application was made in December 2024, but this is a special process requiring a special committee to sit and review the application, and it’s taking longer than we expected. Currently, we are renewing tourist visas at our nearby border checkpoint with South Sudan every 3 months until we, Lord willing, receive 10-year permanent permits.
One of the main ministry tools is being able to show the “Jesus Film” in the local language from atop the Land Cruiser after our open-air preaching in Yumbe Aringa market centers. Our projector has spoiled. A friend has found a high-quality laser projector for $3000 and a team in May the Rocky Point Baptist team could bring it to us. If any of you would be willing to contribute to it, it would be much appreciated. Just go to our donor page and write in the note: “Laser Projector.” Thank you!
Let me end with this, “…What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes….” (James 4:14). With my gray hair increasing and with more aches and pains each day I realize more and more my “mist” is a lot thinner these days! When I think on this and also the fact that I must give an account of my life in Christ to my maker and redeemer ( 2 Cor. 5:10), and that His great love is given to me each and every moment, my choices for this day and my limited days (Ps. 39:4) are much much easier. May it be so with you as well!
Gratefully,
Jacob and Carol Lee
Donation Information:https://reachingafricasunreached.org/donations/
Carol and I are grateful to be Associate Missionaries with ABWE.
Video Interview: “What does it mean to be an Associate Missionary with ABWE?”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NIk9-mNdWk&t=12s
Reaching Africa's Unreached 