Journey to the Mission Field - Rau Family
Reed and Andrea Rau are on a journey to become full-time global missionary workers. As a church, we have the opportunity to partner with them as they walk down the path God is calling them on. The Raus took time to answer some questions and share with us how they started on this journey, where they are, and how we can support them.
What prompted you to begin the process of becoming global workers?
Our draw to become global workers started when we were dating. God had placed servant hearts into us both. As any new couple does, we began dreaming of the future. We began dreaming of getting married, where we would live, how many kids we wanted, and our jobs. It was Andrea who first expressed her desire to serve as a missionary in Africa. After discussing the idea, I agreed it would be something I would like to do later in life, after the kids are grown and out of the house. Well, God's timing isn’t always our timing. God had laid this on our hearts for a reason. There is a reason my Sunday school teachers would always say that boy is going to be a preacher. There is a reason God has moved us to Iowa and this church.
This past August 2023, I (Reed) have had the privilege to join the Missions Leadership Team. There was an opportunity to go to Engage Global in Minneapolis, MN. There, they focus on raising awareness of unreached people groups and global missions. It was a weekend of diving into scripture and seeing God’s heart for the nations. It was also there that we were able to experience two different cross-cultural experiences. We were able to go to a Hmong market and a Somalian market. These markets hold a lot of imported items from their home countries and are as close as we can get to experiencing another culture without leaving the United States.
While at the Somalian Market, we watched a Muslim call to prayer (salaat). After the prayer, we had several men come over to us and share a conversation. One of the men was a lot more conversant than the others. Muhammad was his name, and his goal was to show us that the Muslim religion was the truth. I truly enjoyed my faith conversations with him and topics of their culture and why they came to the United States. As we were talking, I couldn’t help but feel overcome with sadness because this man does not have the truth about God and is blinded by a religion of traditions rather than a relationship with a loving Father. Before we could finish the introductions of his family, it was time to go back to the place we were staying.
During the debriefing, I felt this tug on my heart to discuss my experience, and that my wife and I felt a pull to become global workers with Rick and Sara. Rick’s words still sit with me today when he said, “Reed, what are you waiting for? What is holding you back from going now?”
The answer I came up with was comfort. It’s too comfortable to not go. We have built a life here, a business, and relationships. Our families are close. But, that night, I brought it all to the Lord and closed with Isaiah 6:8. If you desire to use my family in this way, here I am, Lord, send me. This was a dangerous prayer. The next day was Sunday and our day to go and worship with John Piper's church.
Have you ever had a sermon that seemed like it was written just for you? Where everything that happened during the week or what has been on your heart is addressed from the pulpit the very next Sunday? This day was one of those extra special days where the Holy Spirit singled me out. It was a series on five types of discipleship, and the title of the last part of the sermon was “Go.” It covered Luke's gospel account of the cost of following Jesus in Luke 9: 57-62.
After all this, we came home. I looked at my wife, and she said she already knew we were going to start our process of becoming global workers. We spent this past year in scripture and prayer, recalling and weighing the costs of following Jesus. He is worth the cost!
Where would you like to serve?
We are leaving this part up to God and hope to have it revealed to us in this next year as we are trained, as well as through conversations with our church. While the final destination may be unknown, we are primarily praying for God to reveal an unreached people group to us.
We are looking at partnering with GSI (Global Serve International), which uses business as a way to get into closed countries and unreached people groups. The hope is that the business that God forms would be a way that we could begin discipling employees, leading up to evangelizing, and, if the Lord allows, planting a church.
What have you done so far in preparation?
Preparation has been a year in the making so far. We began praying and discerning the call in September of 2023. During the process, we visited two training programs to have a firsthand preview of what they look like and require. We have applied and been accepted into a training center in Western Asia. There, we would gain the skills necessary to learn the language, culture, and skills needed for being a global worker and church planting. We would begin training stateside in March of 2025 and go overseas in August of 2025 for 10 months.
What is coming up next for you?
Our next step is to confirm our acceptance into the program. We have until December 31st to pray with our church and discern this open-door opportunity.
What is your expected timeline for being on the mission field?
We are looking at becoming long-term global workers. If we go with GSI, we could potentially be in the field for 10-20 years. This is the average amount of time it takes to plant a church. We also may be there longer or move into another people group, which could impact the length of our stay. Our stay is ultimately in the hands of God; working as global workers in a closed country can be full of different types of disruptions, such as troubles with visas, illness, and even being asked to leave the country altogether.
How can FRC support you?
Ultimately, our prayer is that God would plant a church branch of FRC among an unreached people group through us. We do not desire to be sent out and the work done to be referenced as “what the Rau family is doing” but as “what God and FRC are doing.” This will mean more of a commitment on FRC’s part to hold us accountable, check in regularly and frequently, visit us in the field, help debrief when we come back on furlough, and help provide us with resources, not just monetary but also educational. It is not just a prayer and financial commitment, but a true commitment to FRC’s mission. May we glorify the triune God, know Christ, and make Jesus known not just here, but across the globe in different people groups, cultures, and languages!
Right now, in this season, we really need prayer. Prayer for boldness to step out in faith. Prayer for our children as they process God’s calling for our family and how that impacts their lives. Prayer for our families and friends who will be staying stateside. Pray that God would reveal which people group he would like us to serve.
Please, not only pray for us, but pray for the unreached and God's unclaimed property around the world. Pray also for our global workers currently in the field that they would not lack anything and would persevere when fruits are not developing as quickly as they/we would desire. Pray that God's glory will be shown through all the nations! For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To him be the glory forever!
What prompted you to begin the process of becoming global workers?
Our draw to become global workers started when we were dating. God had placed servant hearts into us both. As any new couple does, we began dreaming of the future. We began dreaming of getting married, where we would live, how many kids we wanted, and our jobs. It was Andrea who first expressed her desire to serve as a missionary in Africa. After discussing the idea, I agreed it would be something I would like to do later in life, after the kids are grown and out of the house. Well, God's timing isn’t always our timing. God had laid this on our hearts for a reason. There is a reason my Sunday school teachers would always say that boy is going to be a preacher. There is a reason God has moved us to Iowa and this church.
This past August 2023, I (Reed) have had the privilege to join the Missions Leadership Team. There was an opportunity to go to Engage Global in Minneapolis, MN. There, they focus on raising awareness of unreached people groups and global missions. It was a weekend of diving into scripture and seeing God’s heart for the nations. It was also there that we were able to experience two different cross-cultural experiences. We were able to go to a Hmong market and a Somalian market. These markets hold a lot of imported items from their home countries and are as close as we can get to experiencing another culture without leaving the United States.
While at the Somalian Market, we watched a Muslim call to prayer (salaat). After the prayer, we had several men come over to us and share a conversation. One of the men was a lot more conversant than the others. Muhammad was his name, and his goal was to show us that the Muslim religion was the truth. I truly enjoyed my faith conversations with him and topics of their culture and why they came to the United States. As we were talking, I couldn’t help but feel overcome with sadness because this man does not have the truth about God and is blinded by a religion of traditions rather than a relationship with a loving Father. Before we could finish the introductions of his family, it was time to go back to the place we were staying.
During the debriefing, I felt this tug on my heart to discuss my experience, and that my wife and I felt a pull to become global workers with Rick and Sara. Rick’s words still sit with me today when he said, “Reed, what are you waiting for? What is holding you back from going now?”
The answer I came up with was comfort. It’s too comfortable to not go. We have built a life here, a business, and relationships. Our families are close. But, that night, I brought it all to the Lord and closed with Isaiah 6:8. If you desire to use my family in this way, here I am, Lord, send me. This was a dangerous prayer. The next day was Sunday and our day to go and worship with John Piper's church.
Have you ever had a sermon that seemed like it was written just for you? Where everything that happened during the week or what has been on your heart is addressed from the pulpit the very next Sunday? This day was one of those extra special days where the Holy Spirit singled me out. It was a series on five types of discipleship, and the title of the last part of the sermon was “Go.” It covered Luke's gospel account of the cost of following Jesus in Luke 9: 57-62.
After all this, we came home. I looked at my wife, and she said she already knew we were going to start our process of becoming global workers. We spent this past year in scripture and prayer, recalling and weighing the costs of following Jesus. He is worth the cost!
Where would you like to serve?
We are leaving this part up to God and hope to have it revealed to us in this next year as we are trained, as well as through conversations with our church. While the final destination may be unknown, we are primarily praying for God to reveal an unreached people group to us.
We are looking at partnering with GSI (Global Serve International), which uses business as a way to get into closed countries and unreached people groups. The hope is that the business that God forms would be a way that we could begin discipling employees, leading up to evangelizing, and, if the Lord allows, planting a church.
What have you done so far in preparation?
Preparation has been a year in the making so far. We began praying and discerning the call in September of 2023. During the process, we visited two training programs to have a firsthand preview of what they look like and require. We have applied and been accepted into a training center in Western Asia. There, we would gain the skills necessary to learn the language, culture, and skills needed for being a global worker and church planting. We would begin training stateside in March of 2025 and go overseas in August of 2025 for 10 months.
What is coming up next for you?
Our next step is to confirm our acceptance into the program. We have until December 31st to pray with our church and discern this open-door opportunity.
What is your expected timeline for being on the mission field?
We are looking at becoming long-term global workers. If we go with GSI, we could potentially be in the field for 10-20 years. This is the average amount of time it takes to plant a church. We also may be there longer or move into another people group, which could impact the length of our stay. Our stay is ultimately in the hands of God; working as global workers in a closed country can be full of different types of disruptions, such as troubles with visas, illness, and even being asked to leave the country altogether.
How can FRC support you?
Ultimately, our prayer is that God would plant a church branch of FRC among an unreached people group through us. We do not desire to be sent out and the work done to be referenced as “what the Rau family is doing” but as “what God and FRC are doing.” This will mean more of a commitment on FRC’s part to hold us accountable, check in regularly and frequently, visit us in the field, help debrief when we come back on furlough, and help provide us with resources, not just monetary but also educational. It is not just a prayer and financial commitment, but a true commitment to FRC’s mission. May we glorify the triune God, know Christ, and make Jesus known not just here, but across the globe in different people groups, cultures, and languages!
Right now, in this season, we really need prayer. Prayer for boldness to step out in faith. Prayer for our children as they process God’s calling for our family and how that impacts their lives. Prayer for our families and friends who will be staying stateside. Pray that God would reveal which people group he would like us to serve.
Please, not only pray for us, but pray for the unreached and God's unclaimed property around the world. Pray also for our global workers currently in the field that they would not lack anything and would persevere when fruits are not developing as quickly as they/we would desire. Pray that God's glory will be shown through all the nations! For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To him be the glory forever!
Posted in Missions