Moses Project Continues Training in Houston
posted February 10, 2010

Under the leadership of Moses Project Director David Humphrey, the final phase of training for the Moses Project missionaries resumed in Aid Sudan’s Houston office. After the holiday break, Maker and Jengmer were excited to resume their education in anticipation for returning to Sudan in April.

During this phase of training, the missionaries learn Bible stories from the book of Revelation. With each story, the teacher and students discuss how it applies to life and then record it in the missionaries’ native languages of Dinka and Nuer. These recordings are then used in future broadcasts on Aid Sudan’s radio station.

In addition to training in Chronological Bible Storying, Executive Director Peter Swann helps Maker and Jengmer delve into spiritual issues specific to southern Sudan. They discuss strategy for how these stories will impact their communities through small groups led by the local Bible School students.

After this training is finished, the missionaries will have learned 118 Chronological Bible stories spanning from Genesis through Revelation. For community development purposes, the missionaries will also have attended a water well training from Living Water International.

To keep up with the Moses Project missionaries, email christi@aidsudan.org to sign up for the Moses Project newsletter.

Dallas Connections: Priscilla Kuer
posted February 10, 2010

Attending one of the local Sudanese churches, Dallas Director Nathan Bogue hears unbelievable stories of survival, provision and faith all the time. 24-year-old Lost Girl Priscilla Kuer is one of those stories.

On a peaceful night in 1987, Priscilla was sleeping with her siblings in her home village of Wakulee, located in the Bor area of southern Sudan. She awoke to loud explosions, followed by the screams of her fellow people. The Sudanese from the north attacked her village with a vengeance, shooting at random and kidnapping the young women. Priscilla sought safety by running into the jungle.

Led by a few elders, Priscilla and the other survivors braved wild animals and experienced a severe lack of food and water on their trek to the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. In the camp, Priscilla met her husband, Lost Boy Joseph Deng and gave birth to their first child, a daughter.

After years of separation, Priscilla and Joseph were reunited in Dallas and now have a four-year-old girl and a baby boy. They both work at Central Market - Joseph is a cashier and Priscilla works in the bakery. Recently, Priscilla shared her inspiring story of faith and resilience with a group of Christian women at a local church gathering. Her detailed story can be found in the book Dark Exodus – the Lost Girls of Sudan by Beverly Parkhurst Moss. The biographical work details the true stories of sixteen Sudanese women who have made it to Dallas through unbelievable circumstances. www.lostgirlsdarkexodus.com

Nurse Temporarily Joins Uganda Office
posted February 10, 2010

In just a couple of weeks, Aid Sudan mission team veteran Kate Graham will join the Uganda office for three months. Kate, a registered nurse at Houston’s Memorial Hermann Children’s Hospital, will work with the Philip Project missionaries in basic preventative health and hygiene training, preparing the way for Director of Health Kerrie Snow as she makes her way to Uganda full-time.

Joining Aid Sudan on two different trips to the village of Nasir, Kate fell in love with the Sudanese people and is inspired by their joy in the midst of hardship – “a joy that can only be attributed to our Creator”. Through the mission trips, she was able to get a glimpse of Christ in a culture outside of her own and truly experience how Christ transcends generations and cultures.

Please keep Kate in your prayers. She will depart on February 25th and return on May 18th.

Hand-Held Radios Delivered to Sudan
posted January 18, 2010

Just over two months ago, Aid Sudan supporters raised an overwhelming $60,000 to provide 3,000 hand-held radios for southern Sudan. This Christmas, Logistics Coordinator Bob Livingston was able to deliver these radios to the village of Aweil – the site of one of Aid Sudan’s radio towers.

Aid Sudan prepared for the delivery by first calling people to prayer. Weeks before Bob made the trip from Uganda to Sudan, prayer preparations began and concentrated on favor with Ugandan and Sudanese customs officials as he carried 1500 pounds of radios into southern Sudan. God prepared the way by not only providing a smooth transition through customs but also by allowing Bob to obtain a 60-day visa – not an easy task!

Upon arrival to the village, the people warmly greeted Bob and his son Brody. Aid Sudan’s local radio station partner in Aweil - Cush4Christ - was ready and waiting to unload the delivery of hand-held radios. Cush4Christ operates the 99.9 FM Weer Bei (which means redemption) radio station. While they maintain their own studio, they use Aid Sudan’s radio tower and hand-held radios for broadcasting.

The hand-held radios were distributed to 3,000 Dinka Rek families who cannot afford radios of their own. These radios reach over 40,000 people with the gospel as it is heard in their own language. Since Christmas, Cush4Christ has been broadcasting at 8 p.m. each night. We want to thank Cush4Christ for all their work on the ground in making the Radio Station Project in Aweil a tangible reality. We pray that these radios will be a great support to the work in Aweil, reaching many with the love of Christ!

Join an Aid Sudan Mission Trip in 2010
posted on January 18, 2010

In 2010, Aid Sudan is taking 16 trips to form new relationships and expand current relationships with villages across southern Sudan. In case you need some convincing, we’ve compiled the top 10 reasons to go on an Aid Sudan mission trip.

10. Mud hut accommodations
9. Experiencing a new way of life
8. The beauty of the countless stars that paint the night sky
9. Dancing to the beat of African drums
8. Adventure
7. Worshipping God with believers from another culture
6. Witnessing God’s power in new ways
5. Bragging rights that you can rough it in the bush
4. Bringing hope through building community
3. Beans and rice and beans and rice and beans and rice
2. Seeing people who have so little with so much joy

And the #1 reason to go on an Aid Sudan mission trip is … taking part in fulfilling the Great Commission.

Click here to learn more about Aid Sudan’s 2010 mission trips.

Dallas Participates in the Angel Tree Project
posted on January 18, 2010

Members of the Church of the Ascension in Dallas experienced and received the joy of the Christmas season. Through the church’s Angel Tree Project, children in need were “adopted” by American families, providing twenty Sudanese children with a truly memorable Christmas gift.

In early December, the adopted children were measured for clothing and shoe sizes. You might be surprised to learn that the Sudanese children tend to be extremely tall, so age doesn’t necessarily reflect their correct sizes! On December 20th, families and children gathered together for the touching event and gift exchange. Each child received a pair of shoes, one clothing outfit and a toy. The children’s eyes lit up as they were honored with presents, while the families experienced the greater joy in giving.

To learn more about getting involved with Aid Sudan Dallas, contact Nathan Bogue.

Jur Tribe Welcomes Friends from Aid Sudan
posted on December 19, 2009

When the Kulu team arrived on the dirt airstrip in Mvolo, it looked like the scene from a movie. Crowds of people flocked to the single-prop airplane, gathered in mass, eager to welcome some rare visitors deep in the bush of southern Sudan. For Executive Director Peter Swann who lived and worked among the Jur people in the nearby village of Kulu for two years, the trip was like coming home. He quickly saw so many dear old friends, excitedly greeting them as they welcomed the team.

Since the last Aid Sudan team visited in November 2008, there has been some unrest in the area and many people from Kulu were forced to relocate to Mvolo. To the team’s great surprise, they quickly learned that the Kulu church had been temporarily relocated to Mvolo and was only about a quarter mile from where they were staying!

God had powerfully orchestrated every detail of the trip. Each morning, the team taught Chronological Bible Storying in the temporary Kulu church. In the early afternoon, they received visitors to the compound and spent time playing with the local children.  In the evening, the team held prayer times, in conjunction with local pastors, where many people brought both physical and spiritual needs to be lifted up.

At the end of the trip, the church leaders asked Aid Sudan to start a Bible school in the area.  The people are hungry for God’s Word and Aid Sudan is praying about the possibility of starting multiple Bible schools among the Jur people next year.

To read the full trip report and view the photo gallery, click here.

Livingstons Celebrate First Christmas in Uganda
posted on December 19, 2009

Since arriving in Uganda, Bob Livingston has hit the ground running coordinating logistics for a variety of initiatives, with a focus on Aid Sudan’s Radio Station Project. In preparation for the first broadcast from the base station in Kampala, Bob worked with Daniel Lual to record eight Chronological Bible Stories in Dinka Rek , a popular tribal language in southern Sudan. Additionally, he has been writing material for the community development portion of the broadcast specifically focused on teacher training.

Celebrating Christmas will be a special time for the Livingston family. Temporarily staying in the Henderson home, the Livingstons put up a Christmas tree with ornaments and decorations created by the kids. Turkeys are hard to find and expensive to buy, so the family will start a new tradition of feasting on a whole chicken before connecting with friends and family via Skype. After Christmas, the family is hoping to enjoy a trip to Murchison Falls to experience the beauty and wildlife that only Africa can provide.

Please keep the Livingstons in your prayers as they search for a permanent place to live.

Radio 10 Campaign Exceeds Expectations
posted on December 19, 2009

Aid Sudan is overwhelmed by the immense support for October’s hand-held radio fundraising drive. The campaign exceeded the $60,000 goal by taking in $62,823 to provide 3,141 hand-held radios that have the potential to impact over 47,000 southern Sudanese with the Gospel!

Right now, the first shipment of 3,000 radios is en route to Uganda and should arrive any day. If everything goes smoothly with customs in Entebbe, Bob Livingston and his 7-year-old son Brody will charter a plane to deliver the radios to Cush 4 Christ (an Aid Sudan partner in Malualkon). Stay tuned for more details as Aid Sudan anxiously anticipates the radio station to go live soon!

For more information on Aid Sudan's hand-held radios, visit our web page.

Torpout Rejoices Over New School, Water Well and Medical Clinic
posted on November 16, 2009

On an Aid Sudan mission trip in November 2008, the team experienced Sunday worship on the banks of the Sobat River in Moses Project missionary Jengmer Yat’s home village of Torpout. There, they also experienced the desperate needs of the people as an elder spoke about how “their people were dying”. The village has never had clean water. For medical care, they have to walk or swim during the rainy season over five miles to the nearest medical clinic. And the children go to school in a tattered Unicef tent.

On June 7, 2009, Aid Sudan broke ground in Torpout on the Village-to-Village project – a program that constructs a school, clinic and water well in adopted villages across target areas in southern Sudan. The project lasted five months and only a year after their pleas for water, medicine and education, they are overwhelmingly grateful for a water well built specifically for their village, a four-classroom schoolhouse with basic school supplies and a two-room medical clinic stocked with essential medicine.

A couple of weeks ago, another Aid Sudan mission team visited Torpout to dedicate the Village-to-Village project and officially handed over the responsibilities of these new buildings to local government officials. When they reached the village, they were ushered in with singing, dancing and drums. The procession of 400-500 villagers singing, dancing and playing drums took the team half a mile to the school and to the medical clinic to rejoice over their prayers being answered!

This time, as elder David addressed the people, he said "our prayers have been answered and we thank God for our son, Jengmer Yat and for all of you at Aid Sudan”.

Music and Missionaries Take Center Stage at Mo Pro Joe
posted on November 16, 2009

On November 6th, around 150 guests gathered for Aid Sudan’s second annual MO PRO JOE. As guests entered the casual coffeehouse, they experienced a floating photography gallery from Tom Campbell and entertainment by recording artist Jimmy Needham. As the night continued and mission team members gave testimony after testimony of the servant hearts and passion that missionaries Jengmer and Maker have for their people, it was had to believe that the Moses Project only launched in 2007.

Board member Dr. Matt Wilson laughingly shared one of his most memorable moments in Nimule about an elephant storming into the village and Maker calmly ushering everyone to safety. For Matt, it was only one of many illustrations of how Maker took care of and served the Aid Sudan mission teams when they worked in his village.

Two-time Nasir team member Marcia Turner recalled a day of medical work in Torpout where the team struggled with being able to help all the villagers that arrived for care. Jengmer confidently addressed the crowd, letting them know that medical care was short-term but the Bible stories were long-term. For Marcia, it displayed how Jengmer constantly emphasizes spiritual needs over physical needs.

KSBJ’s Liz Jordan and Moses Project Director David Humphrey closed out the evening with a time of prayer. Thank you to everyone who came out to support Jengmer and Maker as they continue to minister to their home villages!

Dallas Gets an Education
posted on November 16, 2009

Furthering the ministry to Sudanese via school supply donations, Aid Sudan Dallas delivered the second set of supplies to the local Dinka congregation led by Pastor Mamer. Even before the children left church that Sunday, they were fascinated with using their new crayons and drawing books in the foyer of the church. Simple gifts can achieve such a great impact, touching families and communities in ways we don’t even realize…click here for the full story.

Additionally, Dallas Director Nathan Bogue hit the KCBI airwaves to let locals on how they can support Sudanese in their own community and abroad. Radio host Barry Creamer discussed discipleship, missions, physical needs, and social impact through the ministry of Aid Sudan. Click here to listen to the broadcast.

Nasir and Nimule Bible Schools Celebrate Graduation Day
posted November 16, 2009

Exam day normally doesn’t elicit warm and fuzzy feelings. But for the Nasir and Nimule Bible Schools, the air was full of anticipation as students practiced their Bible stories for the Aid Sudan mission teams. During exams, the students were responsible for learning over 30 Bible stories and must be able to recite them from memory at random.

Led by Jengmer Yat, the Nasir Bible School was in its second phase of training, learning 36 stories from the Book of Acts and Paul’s letters. Every student passed with flying colors and their flawless recounting of the Bible Stories was an inspiration to every team member. On graduation day, students celebrated over a meal and received a certificate, a photo of graduation day from the first phase of training and a Nasir Bible School t-shirt.?

Graduation day in Nimule was a special one as it was the first one for Maker and his 47 students. The celebration included singing and dancing courtesy of the church's youth choir. A 70-year-old grandmother came forward to receive her certificate and held it up with great pride and shouted "Lech Nhialic!" (Praise the Lord). In a world that was virtually without access to education, many of the older Sudanese, especially women, have never taken a single class in school.

To keep up with the work of Jengmer and Maker, sign up for the Moses Project newsletter by emailing christi@aidsudan.org.  

Get to Know the Philip Project
posted on October 15, 2009

By now, most of you are familiar with the Moses Project – sending southern Sudanese in the U.S. back to their homeland as missionaries to spread the Gospel and spur community development. Using this same concept, Aid Sudan launched the Phillip Project. Aid Sudan’s Philip Project trains Ugandans to share Jesus Christ with their neighbors in Sudan, just as Philip went to his neighbor, an Ethiopian eunuch, to share the Good News.

Under the direction of Sudan Country Director Kerry Henderson, the first class of five Ugandans is well underway! Training for the Philip Project missionaries includes Chronological Bible Storying, health and hygiene, education and water well repair. Each missionary specializes in a certain aspect of training, while one missionary will serve as the compound manager for the team and assist the other four in their specialty areas.

A three-year program, the Philip Project consists of rotations between training and implementing the training in Sudan. By the end of their program, the missionaries will be spending most of their time in Sudan. This month, the Philip Project missionaries are heading to Nimule with Mission Trip Director Andrew Brown to observe the Nimule Bible School and its leader, Moses Project missionary Maker Manyang. Follow them on their journey by clicking here to sign up for the prayer letter to receive the play-by-play trip reports from Sudan! For more information about the Philip Project, contact Kerry Henderson.

Uganda Office Expands
posted on October 15, 2009

Aid Sudan is excited to announce that Bob Livingston is joining the team as the Logistics Coordinator stationed in Uganda. Bob, his wife Suzy, and three children (two girls and a boy – Elise, Brody, and Milenia) are packing their bags this month in preparation for relocating to Kampala, Uganda in November. As the Logistics Coordinator, Bob will be in charge of logistics for all short-term mission trips and special projects, including Village to Village and the Radio Station Project. Additionally, he will help develop a program to train teachers in conjunction with the Philip Project and lead three mission trips into southern Sudan.

Before joining Aid Sudan, Bob worked as a public school teacher in South Carolina and the director of operations for Mighty Leaf Tea based in California. In this position, he was responsible for all aspects of operations including domestic shipping, imports and exports. Bob and his wife Suzy also recently served as missionaries in Brazil. To learn more and support their ministry, please contact Bob Livingston.

Breaking News from the Radio Station Project
posted on October 15, 2009

With two towers built in the villages of Aweil and Nasir, Aid Sudan is nearly primed to launch broadcasts from the base station in Kampala. Last week, a test was run on streaming content that included Chronological Bible Stories, community development teaching and news, both international and Sudan specific. All Radio Station Project donors were invited to join in this test streaming exercise.

October launched the Radio 10 campaign – a fundraising effort to raise $60,000 to fund 3,000 hand-held radios that will be distributed in target villages so that Sudanese can tune in to the radio station. As we continue to progress in implementing the satellite system, we appreciate your continued prayers and support until we deliver our first broadcast to the bush of southern Sudan!

Aid Sudan’s Radio Station Project includes a satellite uplink that broadcasts to strategically placed repeater stations in targeted regions across southern Sudan. To donate to the Radio 10 campaign or learn more, click here. 

Radio 10 Kicks Off in October
posted on September 30, 2009

In most areas in southern Sudan, the literacy rate is less than one percent and the people have little or no access to God’s Word. Even for those few who can read, a written text of the Bible is available in only one tribal language, where many languages exist.

Based in the Uganda office, Aid Sudan’s Radio Station Project includes a satellite uplink that broadcasts to strategically placed repeater stations in targeted regions across southern Sudan. Broadcast content includes Chronological Bible Stories, news, community development and health training. Over the past year, Aid Sudan has built repeater stations in Aweil and Nasir thanks to the generous contributions of donors.

In conjunction with each repeater station, Aid Sudan will distribute hand-held solar-powered radios, each one impacting 10-15 people. During the month of October, Aid Sudan is launching Radio 10 - a campaign that aims to raise $60,000 to distribute 3,000 hand-held radios, so Sudanese in the bush can tune in to the radio station. For just $20 each, these radios can be manufactured, transported, and distributed to southern Sudan.

Join us in sharing God’s Word with southern Sudan! With these radios, everyone can have a part in taking the Gospel to an unreached area that desperately needs the hope of Christ.  If you or your church group would like to take part, check out our promotional video and click here to donate.

Mission Teams Gear Up for Trips to Nimule and Nasir
posted on September 30, 2009

This October, Aid Sudan is preparing to send two mission teams back to Nimule and Nasir – the sites for the work of our Moses Project missionaries Maker and Jengmer. Over the past couple of months, Maker and Jengmer have been leading the Aid Sudan Bible schools in their villages as well as supporting community development needs.

With four registered nurses on the team, the Nasir mission trip is Aid Sudan’s first medical trip to this area! While the nurses assess health problems and treat patients, other team members will conduct the second round of exams for the Nasir Bible School - pairing community development alongside the spread of the Gospel. Additionally, this special reunion-filled trip will reunite Lost Boy Buay Wiyual with a family he hasn’t seen in over 15 years and former missionary kids Marcia and Joyce Turner with a village they were forced to leave when they were children.

Led by Mission Trip Director Andrew Brown, the team going to Nimule will conduct the first exams for the Nimule Bible School students. For this first phase of Bible training, the students learned 46 stories spanning from the fall of Satan to the resurrection of Christ. Andrew will be joined by a group of five Ugandans who are observing the Bible School as part of their training to be missionaries to southern Sudan.

To receive updates throughout their trip, click here to sign up for the prayer letter. 

Everyone Screams for Ice Cream at Back-to-School Party
posted on September 30, 2009

To kick off the new school year, Aid Sudan’s Houston office and a group from Humble Area’s First Baptist Church held a Back-to-School Ice Cream Party on September 12th at the Sudanese Development Center. Around 70 Sudanese and Americans came out to enjoy games, indulge in ice cream and listen to encouragement from their elders about the importance of working hard and staying in school.

Not without a splash of cultural tradition, the Sudanese taught their new American friends a series of tribal dances. Over bowls of ice cream and amidst lots of laughs, Americans and Sudanese shared what they had in common and learned more about each other.

Thanks to Veronica Ajak for the great idea and to the group of volunteers from Humble Area’s First Baptist Church for providing all the ice cream and toppings!

Aid Sudan Opens Second Bible School in Southern Sudan
posted August 25, 2009

After a relatively quick yet scenic flight from Uganda, Moses Project Director David Humphrey arrived in Nimule, along with teammate Javier Merchan. Over the past couple of years, David has had the privilege of training Jengmer Yat and Maker Manyang to return to southern Sudan as missionaries to their own people. Just a few, short months ago, Jengmer established Aid Sudan’s first Bible school in his area of Nasir. This time, David landed in Sudan with the purpose of guiding Maker as he established Aid Sudan’s second Bible School in his home village of Nimule.

After meeting with important leaders in the village, the Nimule Bible School held an orientation to explain the curriculum and commitment needed to attend the school. The 30 students that attended voiced their excitement over learning more about the Bible as a whole and putting the pieces together from the few stories they already knew. Under Maker’s leadership, they will learn 46 Bible stories during their first phase of training.

Before he traveled on to his home village, Jengmer visited the Bible School to encourage the students with his experiences from the Nasir Bible School. As he starts the second phase of training for that school, he asked the students in Nimule to pray for the students in Nasir, letting them know that their school would be fervently praying for them in their journey as well.

As they started teaching the first few stories, David was extremely moved to see Maker’s incredible compassion and heart for his people in action. Now in his capable hands, the Nimule Bible School meets four times a week for three hours a day under a huge mango tree. To learn more about the Moses Project, click here.

Mission Team Repairs Wells in Aweil
posted August 25, 2009

The intense heat bore down on the team of men and women in Aweil as they prayed over the broken water well in front of an anxious crowd of villagers. For months, this important water source had been unusable and of great concern to the community as they had no means to fix it. After hours of working on the well, the team grew frustrated as one of the pipes broke causing a majority of the pump to crash to the bottom of the well. So now, they were going “fishing”. After finally affixing the hook to the pump parts below, the team lifted them from the stubborn mud and mire using the jack from their Landcruiser.

Just a couple of hours later, clean water was running from the well once again! Though the day was not without its frustrations and discouragements, God had a plan. Had the team been able to fix the well with incredible ease, it is likely the people would have attributed the success to the men fixing the well. Instead, the people saw the team’s dependence on God as they prayed through each step and gave God the glory for the renewed source of clean water! This experience opened doors for the team to share the Gospel as they continued to repair broken wells in the community.

During the team’s time among old and new friends in Aweil, they worked alongside the Cush4Christ missionaries in their ongoing ministry to the people, repaired six water wells and provided the local school with teacher training and new school supplies, including five new blackboards. To read the full trip report, click here.

Dallas Office Delivers School Supplies
posted on August 25, 2009

Twenty-two Sudanese children in Dallas are now well-prepared to kick-off the school year! Made possible through Aid Sudan’s partnership with Ridgecrest in Madison, Mississippi, each child received a back-to-school packet full of supplies for the upcoming year.

Organized by Children’s Minister Buddy Knott and Missions Coordinators Vicky Marcellus and Cindy Majors, the school supply drive took place during Vacation Bible School at Ridgecrest. The giving kids donated over 100 items throughout the week that were later distributed to the Sudanese children in Dallas.

The Sudanese were extremely grateful for the gifts and thanked Dallas Director Nathan Bogue for keeping his promise to help the Sudanese in Dallas. Aid Sudan looks forward to continuing to work with Sudanese in Dallas like Pastor Makola on community projects. To learn more and get involved with Aid Sudan Dallas, click here.

Nimule Mission Team Takes the Bull by the Horns
posted July 29, 2009

by Andrew Brown

The Dinka people originally from the Bor area of southern Sudan are a distinguished tribe. Tall and muscular, their black skin contrasts sharply with their white teeth. The older generation usually displays a vertical row of v-shaped scars on their foreheads – the traditional marking of their area. But it is not until the topic of cattle arises that the true Dinka can be seen. Mention the word “cow” and their dark face is instantaneously lit up by their bright smile. In the Dinka culture, the cow is at the very center of society. From childhood to adulthood, cows are the focus of life’s biggest events. Many a Dinka child is named after the color of a cow; a marriage’s dowry is measured by the number of cows; even wealth and status are ultimately tied to the neck of each cow that a man owns.

The June 2009 team was comprised of a group of individuals who came together from across the country and around the world, many of whom were educated as veterinarians. The team was originally slated to travel to Bor and work in the areas of animal health and water, but in the months leading up to the trip, we changed destinations to Nimule due to some insecurity in the Bor area. We knew that even in Nimule, we would still be working primarily with the Dinka’s Bor population who had relocated there during the years of civil war. However, the trip was full of many unknowns. Not only was this Aid Sudan’s first veterinary team, it was also our first team to go to Nimule, home to Moses Project Missionary, Maker Manyang. Confident in God’s plan, we prayed that He would go before us …click here to read the full trip report.

Nasir Mission Team Gets Down to Business
posted on July 29, 2009

by Peter Swann

Sitting under a vast array of stars splashed across the canopy of the night sky, I leaned back on our last night in Sudan and marveled at the privilege of serving such a great and gracious Lord. He had once again brought together a tremendous team to do vital work in such a special place. He had taken care of every aspect of the trip, and powerfully impacted local southern Sudanese and our American team in the process.

This team was Aid Sudan’s pioneer effort at a “business person’s trip” – a ten day excursion that minimalized downtime and packed in ministry opportunities for these leaders from Houston’s corporate world. I was deeply honored and blessed to come alongside Jengmer Yat, one of Aid Sudan’s Moses Project missionaries, in leading this team.

Our primary objective was to mentor the church leaders in our Bible School in Nasir, Sudan. Jengmer had done an amazing job teaching the church leaders the first 46 of the 118 Bible stories in total that they will learn. Their current stories range from Genesis to Acts 1 and the time had come to move the church leaders from simply gleaning information in the mud hut classroom to passing on these stories to those in the community. Having a team from the States model this was the quickest and most effective way to teach this to the church leaders, giving Jengmer an example to work with as he moves forward with the ministry.

In addition to mentoring these church leaders, our team anticipated commissioning two Village to Village locations, where Aid Sudan had begun drilling water wells … click here to read the full trip report.

Nathan Bogue Joins Aid Sudan as Dallas Director
posted July 29, 2009

On July 1st, Aid Sudan’s Dallas office officially reopened to serve the large population of Sudanese who live in the Dallas metropolitan area. A leader with a huge heart for the Sudanese people, Nathan Bogue joined the team at Aid Sudan as the Dallas Director.

In 2008, Nathan and his wife Mary Margaret served on the Aid Sudan medical mission trip to the village of Padak. As he shared the gospel and treated hundreds of patients, Nathan felt a calling to work with the southern Sudanese full-time. As Aid Sudan was interviewing candidates for the position in Dallas, he and his wife prayerfully sought God’s direction to work at Aid Sudan.

As Dallas Director, Nathan will support the Sudanese population through special programs geared to acclimate the Sudanese into American culture through basic life skills as well as mentor church and community leaders. Additionally, he will work to partner with area churches and businesses that have a desire to help the local Sudanese.

If you are interested in volunteering or partnering with Aid Sudan Dallas, click here to learn more.

Veritas Day School Donates Money for School Supplies
posted July 14, 2009

Each Friday of last semester’s school year, Veritas School in Jackson, MS (Dallas Director Nathan Bogue’s former home) held bake sale fundraisers where 100 percent of the proceeds supported international missions. Invited to share Aid Sudan’s mission and heart with the school, Nathan Bogue spoke to over 300 attendees about southern Sudan, specifically the needs for clean water, school buildings and supplies, church support and famine relief. As one of the recipients of this fundraiser, Aid Sudan was able to purchase pencils, pens, paper and lesson books for children in Sudan. Thanks to Veritas Day School, Sudanese children will receive this gift later in the year!

Nashville Office Says Goodbye
posted July 29, 2009

Over the last three years, Aid Sudan Nashville has had the amazing privilege of walking alongside the southern Sudanese in Middle Tennessee. Under the direction of Leigh Ann Cates, Aid Sudan has watched the Sudanese in Nashville grow and assimilate into American culture, and it has been amazing to be just a small part of their journey.

On June 30, Aid Sudan Nashville officially closed its doors. The decision to close was a difficult one to make, but it was a necessary decision for this time. We want to thank all of our supporters and volunteers in Nashville for their faithful service. Through your support, Aid Sudan Nashville was able to provide the Sudanese with a variety of life-skills classes including instruction in personal finance, budgeting, cooking, health and nutrition.

We especially want to thank Leigh Ann for her huge heart and commitment to the southern Sudanese as she has truly made a difference in their lives. Using her gifts, she brought Sudanese and Americans together in the annual Sudanese-American Festival and helped children makes strides in their education through the After School Program. The success of this program has led to the planning and development of two more after school programs in Nashville that will continue to serve many of the southern Sudanese children in Middle Tennessee. 

We ask that you continue to pray that God will work powerfully in the lives of the southern Sudanese in Nashville. Leigh Ann can still be reached at leighann@aidsudan.org.

Aid Sudan’s Annual Gala Makes Connections
posted June 3, 2009

Amid differences in culture, background and experiences, there are shared struggles, triumphs and desires among southern Sudanese and Americans. Telling stories of connection, Aid Sudan’s Annual Gala hosted approximately 400 attendees at the Omni Hotel in Houston. Some who attended the gala were already connected to the mission of Aid Sudan – to aid in growing strong southern Sudanese communities committed to serving Jesus Christ – while some were just starting to experience the work taking place, as they listened to story after story.

It was hard not to be touched when Moses Project missionary Jengmer Yat took the stage. After living in the United States for years following Sudan’s brutal Civil War, Jengmer is now being used by God to meet the needs of his own people. Through the Village to Village project, Jengmer’s home village of Torpuot will receive a well, a school and a medical clinic. As attendees watched the video depicting the need in Torpuot as well as other villages, it was powerful to see how Aid Sudan donors in the United States are woven into the story of Jengmer’s small village in the bush of southern Sudan.

Along with the Village to Village project, Executive Director Peter Swann also spoke about the Radio Station project – an initiative that will broadcast the Word of God in the tribal languages of Sudan, community development training and news across targeted regions of southern Sudan. Though the night was filled with great food, fellowship and entertainment, the real excitement was evident in what’s to come at Aid Sudan as American supporters join the Sudanese in building communities in the U.S. and abroad. 

Thank you to William Atillio Ator, Chairman of the Southern Sudanese community of Houston, for kicking off the night; Scott Young for serving as the emcee; Jake Baker and Jerrell Altic for executing the live auction; Tom Earle for sharing his mission trip testimony; Brad Saltzman for closing the evening in prayer and Jessica Ray for planning such a great event!

June Mission Teams Head for Nimule and Nasir
posted on June 3, 2009

As this newsletter arrives to you, the June mission team is in Nimule, southern Sudan! From all over the world, the people on this team left their homes in New York, Alabama, San Antonio, Houston, Saudi Arabia and Uganda to minister to the men, women and children of Nimule. Partnering with Christian Veterinary Mission, the team will host a veterinary clinic for ailing cattle – a livelihood for the village of Nimule - as well as repair water wells in the area.

Not long after the Nimule team returns to the U.S. does the Nasir team leave for southern Sudan. Home to Aid Sudan’s Nasir Bible School and the work of Moses Project missionary Jengmer Yat, Nasir is located on the Sobat River just 16 miles from the Ethiopian border. The team will stay at the Aid Sudan compound and oversee projects including construction on the Village to Village and Radio Station projects in the area. As part of Aid Sudan’s continued commitment to the Nasir Bible School, team members will also be mentoring students in church leadership as well as accompanying them to surrounding areas in order to model Bible storying.

To follow the team on their adventures, sign up for Aid Sudan’s Prayer Letter.

Nashville After School Program Celebrates Success
posted on June 3, 2009

On August 15th, the Nashville office began an After-School Program for elementary – high-school students that met on Monday and Tuesday afternoons. During these sessions, volunteers helped Sudanese students with homework, reading comprehension, math support, critical thinking skills, computer knowledge and character building through Biblical stories. As the program progressed, enrichment classes such as music were also added.

As the school year comes to a close, we are excited at the growth in the students academically, socially and spiritually. On the last day of the After School Program, the teachers celebrated the accomplishments of the students over food and lots of fun! Each child received a certificate of participation for a job well done while two students, Nyathow and Rosa, were given  a special award for their exceptional efforts - a week away at summer camp with Barefoot Republic Camp in Scottsville, KY!

Thank you to all the volunteers who gave of their time and hearts to the After School Program in order to impact and facilitate change in these children!

March Mission Team Helps Connect a Family to Their Son
posted on April 29, 2009

The story of Aid Sudan’s March mission team began even before they set foot on African soil. While at a Faith Bible Church missions expo prior to the trip, the team met Buay – a southern Sudanese man that had just relocated from Nebraska to The Woodlands. Amazingly, Buay was from the tiny village of Torpout – a village that is both home to Moses Project missionary Jengmer Yat and was one of the stops on their upcoming trip. As Buay had not seen his family in over a decade, the team made plans to deliver pictures and letters to his family during the visit.

While working in Nasir, the team headed to the tiny village of Torpout by way of boat for Sunday worship. After church and much singing, the team found Buay’s family compound in hopes of making a connection. When they arrived at the compound, they found Buay’s father, mother, grandmother, siblings, uncles, aunts and cousins all assembled to hear news of Buay. They shared with them photo albums, letters and even a video that Buay had put together for his family.

Many years had passed since the family had seen Buay, and the little boy they knew was now a grown man. As Buay’s father looked through the photo album, the team had to point out his son. Through the letters, Buay reminisced with his family, and the team saw them laugh, enjoy, and miss their son. It was a powerful afternoon for the team and truly a God moment. In His might and sovereignty, He had orchestrated an unbelievable story.

Buay’s father honored the team with the tremendously generous gift of a ram. The realization that they were giving about a third of their wealth in honor of a group of Americans who had been complete strangers an hour before was truly overwhelming.

The full trip report and photo gallery is now available online. Click here to read about the many experiences of the Nasir March 2009 mission team.

Moses Project Goes on the Road
posted on April 29, 2009

No matter how many times you hear it, the story never loses its impact. As Moses Project Missionary Maker Manyang recounted his tumultuous journey for group after group, he spoke about the pain of watching those close to him die, his rescue as a child, his trek through the wilderness, life in the Kakuma refugee camp and finally the unfamiliarity of acclimating to U.S. culture. But with God, there is always another chapter in the story.

On a mission to spread the word about The Moses Project, Moses Project Director David Humphrey and Maker set out on a road tour throughout the Southeast. They visited groups in Memphis, TN; Jackson MS; Humboldt, TN; Nashville, TN; Tupelo, MS and South Haven, MS - reconnecting with old friends and sharing with new ones. Whether speaking to a college group in Jackson, local pastors in Tupelo or guests at the University Club at Vanderbilt, the parallels between Maker and Moses became even more abundantly clear as did the impact of sending southern Sudanese as missionaries to their own people.

Called to serve as missionary in his home country of southern Sudan, Maker began the next chapter in his story about two years ago. Last summer, he went back to his home village in Sudan with the goal of ministering to his people, both in community and spiritual development. He was reunited with his wife, held his 2-year-old daughter for the first time, preached the saving love of Christ to thousands and served on Aid Sudan’s Biong medical mission team that treated over a thousand patients.

The story is never over. Thank you to the many people who welcomed Maker and David to share the story of the Moses Project on this road tour and to those who support the program through prayer and support.

To read more about Maker’s story, click here.
To learn about becoming a Moses Project Partner, click here.

Nashville Gets Cookin’
posted on April 28, 2009

This past Saturday, Aid Sudan Nashville began a series of Saturday cooking classes for local Sudanese women. The classes are held at Mill Creek Baptist Church from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. and run for four weeks, ending May 16th. Culinary school student Melissa Linkinhoker is leading the class with a focus on the basics of American cuisine.

Topics covered in the class include basics of the food pyramid, how to plan a meal, tools in the kitchen, how to read and understand a recipe, preparation of foods and tastings, and ways to fuse traditional Sudanese dishes with American cooking.

If you like to cook or like to gab, we need your help! We need women to mingle, encourage the Sudanese women in their American cooking skills and help Melissa with prep in the kitchen. For more information, contact Leigh Ann Cates.

Mill Creek Baptist Church is located at 318 Wallace Road.  For directions, click here.

First Radio Tower Goes Up in Southern Sudan
posted on March 19, 2009

Lift your head up to the sky in Aweil, southern Sudan, and your eyes will catch a new sight in the “skyline”. It has been some time since Aid Sudan envisioned a radio station that would broadcast the Word of God throughout the villages of southern Sudan. This month, Executive Director Peter Swann, along with a small team, watched as the first repeater station was erected in Aweil, the most populated county in southern Sudan.

The tallest tower in the state, the newly installed repeater station stands over 200 feet high and will broadcast programming from Aid Sudan’s base station in Kampala, reaching more than one million people in the Aweil area. Bringing together different organizations and people, the construction scene in the village was one of unity. For days, a group called Diguna out of Kenya worked from sun-up to sundown on installing the tower while Peter & team supervised the work and connected with the surrounding village leaders. Our partner on the ground, Cush4Christ, will now oversee the local implementation and broadcasting set to begin in July.

The best part is - you can get involved. As each repeater station is added, Aid Sudan will distribute hand-held, solar-powered radios to local villagers, with each radio reaching 10-15 people. The hand-held radios are only $20 each and can be purchased through our donation site.

Recorded by our Moses Project missionaries in the native tribal languages as well as in Arabic and English, the programming includes the Word of God using Chronological Bible Storying, community development training such as health & hygiene tips and regional and world news. Broadcasts in Aweil will begin in July when the hand-held radios are delivered by the July mission team.

To donate money toward hand-held radios, click here. For more information on setting-up a fundraiser in your area, contact Sarah Thompson at sarah@aidsudan.org.

March Mission Team Holds Graduation for Nasir Bible School
posted on March 19, 2009

For the past five months, Moses Project missionary Jengmer Yat has been training pastors three days a week at Nasir Bible School in learning over 40 Bible stories. The culmination of their hard work took place this past week as Andrew Brown led a mission team from Faith Bible Church to administer final examinations and hold graduation ceremonies for Aid Sudan’s first Bible school in southern Sudan.

As usual, the students were a little nervous during the first day of exams but quickly relaxed and told the Bible stories with confidence and authority. All 18 students spoke the Word of God flawlessly and passed the challenging tests. Following exams, each student was presented with a certificate and Nasir Bible School t-shirt. The students beamed with their accomplishment and Aid Sudan provided a ram for the graduation ceremony feast. (The ram was graciously given to the team by a family in the nearby village of Torpout.)

Along with supporting Nasir Bible School, the team also conducted teacher training to a small group of knowledge-hungry men and women. A full report of the team’s work and experience will be available at www.aidsudan.org within the next couple of weeks. The team is currently making their way back to Houston. 

An Appointment with Awur
by Meredith MaGuirk, November medical mission team member in Biong 

We found out that the people began arriving at the compound at 4am this morning. Kim and I began the clinic with the story of the woman at the well and the paralytic man story. I think it went quite well.

Today, God had me swamped with AWUR.  She is a relative of Peter and Gai’s.  She was complaining of general muscle and joint pain plus no desire to eat. I could not find anything physically wrong with her, so planned on prescribing multi-vitamins and pain meds. In choosing which vitamin and pain med to give her, I had to ask “are you pregnant? nursing? trying to get pregnant?”  She blanched (as much as a black-skinned person can), hid her face, and mumbled to Peter.

Peter began, “you know …” and continued on to tell me her story. Awur’s husband was brutally murdered by the northern Muslim rebels about 2 years ago. So, she is unable to get pregnant as she is not married.  She has two young children 3 and 5. Upon further asking I found out she was doing nothing but existing. Her children were being cared for by her family and she was doing nothing to help, only still mourning her loss and situation.

You could see that she was extremely sad. Her eyes began to well with tears as Peter gave me the translation. I told her that I was sad that such a horrible thing had happened to her and her husband. I began to get teary eyed too. (poor Peter!) Soon tears were rolling down both of our cheeks … click here for the rest of the story.

SUDANESE IN HOUSTON COME TOGETHER
posted on March 2, 2009

On Saturday, December 6, northern Sudanese, southern Sudanese and Darfurians (Sudanese from the Darfur region) gathered together for the first time in downtown Houston. The event was a celebration of Sudanese culture and heritage with northern Sudanese food, traditional dancing and songs from each Sudanese region represented at the festivities. Hundreds of Sudanese and Americans attended this historic event that advocated unity over conflict. 

COMPUTER CLASS PROVIDES GREAT RESOURCE FOR SUDANESE COMMUNITY
posted on March 2, 2009

In 2008, Bill Christian of Digital Professionals taught a five-month basic computer skills class at the Sudanese Development Center. Each week, the small class received one-on-one instruction in word processing, skills to use in everyday life and how to take apart a computer to diagnose a problem. Instilling knowledge and confidence in Sudanese, this class provided a necessary foundation for attending school and entering the U.S. workforce.

If you have any interest in taking a computer class or any other class at the Sudanese Development Center, please contact David Humphrey at david@aidsudan.org or Buttrus Jok , director of the Sudanese Development Center, at 713.271.3216.

Food and Water a Welcome Sight in Biong
posted on Feb. 6, 2009

For Kerry Henderson, Sudan Country Director, it’s never just another day at the office. Unless, of course, you consider flying into the bush of southern Sudan a typical work week. This month, he flew from his home in Uganda, touched down in the village of Biong, Sudan and met with Sudanese local Gai Luom to oversee the distribution of food and the drilling of a water well.

Due to massive flooding since August, 40 thousand people in Biong have been displaced and left without food and clean water. After coordinating logistics for quite a while, it was finally time for Kerry to see the food and water relief projects through to completion. After arriving at the airstrip and traveling to Biong via motorcycle African-style (three to a bike), he was thrilled to see the drilling rig parked at the chosen sight for the well – under a large, shaded tree so that women waiting for water would be shielded from the hot sun. The drilling rig hit water after only 18 meters! However, the workers drilled to 56 meters so that the people would have water year-round, even in the dry season.

While Kerry supervised the drilling, his partner, Gai, left for Bor town to locate the truck full of food and seed. A welcome sight, the big orange truck pulled into Biong, and many young men from the village gathered round to help unload the famine relief supplies. Food and seed were then given to the local church leaders for distribution among the needy men, women and children.

The last night, Kerry was overwhelmed by the hope in the faces of the people in Biong and the gratitude from the village as they cooked a goat in his honor. Kerry was the face of Aid Sudan – a collaborative team of staff, Sudanese and supporters who worked hard and gave much to make water and food possible for the people in Biong.

MOSES PROJECT – MAKER RETURNS TO HOUSTON
posted on Feb. 6, 2009

Just a few short days ago, Maker arrived back to the U.S. after serving his first ministry rotation in Sudan. Stationed in Sudan since November, his first priority was to reunite with his family and hold his two-year-old little girl for the first time. His arrival was a great time of celebration as he embraced his wife, Rebecca, and his daughter, Akur. Shortly after, he joined the Aid Sudan mission team in Biong (an area close to his home village) and utilized his medical background to assist in providing a temporary medical clinic for the village.

After the team left, Maker settled into his family compound in nearby Nimule, establishing himself in the community and connecting with many of the local pastors. On the weekends, he taught Bible stories using the Chronological Bible Storying method to as many as 50 villagers and pastors. On Christmas Day, he preached to over one thousand people.

Before he returns to Sudan in June, Maker will focus on recording for the radio station and speaking to groups on the need in southern Sudan.

MOSES PROJECT – JENGMER UPDATES FROM THE BUSH
posted on Feb. 6, 2009

Jengmer returned to Sudan with another Aid Sudan November mission team for his third rotation in Sudan, specifically the village of Nasir. Already well-established, he has strong relationships with village leadership and had even built Aid Sudan’s first southern Sudan compound during his time in July. The mission team in November focused on Chronological Bible Storying and teacher training, so Jengmer continued this focus once the team left.

He established the Nasir Bible School, enrolling 25 students for training three days a week. Led by Jengmer, the goal of the students is to learn 46 Bible stories by March, about the time when Aid Sudan’s March mission team heads to Nasir. After testing the students on what they’ve learned, the team will conduct a graduation ceremony and hand out certificates.

Using portable solar power, Jengmer is also continuing the education work by playing the teaching DVD’s left by Director of Education Barbara Crossman to groups of teachers.

Jengmer will return to the United States in March to be reunited with his family in Nebraska and then continue training in Houston.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM STARTS CLASS IN NASHVILLE
posted in 2008

In Nashville’s Sudanese community, there is a growing concern that many children are falling behind in their studies, largely due to the lack of education and English skills of their parents. Many are dropping out of school before completing high school and in the process, learning the very worst attributes of American culture, not the best.

Under the direction of Aid Sudan’s Director of Education Barbara Crossman, an After School Program was developed that is run jointly by the Southern Sudanese Youth Connection of Sumner County (SSYC) and the Sudanese Presbyterian Church of Gallatin (SPC). The goal of the After School Program is to provide students with homework support and academic reinforcement that will strengthen their academic foundation and position them for future success.

The After School Program officially opened its doors on August 15th and assists students in grades 1-12 on Monday and Tuesday afternoons from 4-6 p.m. Focus includes homework completion, reading comprehension, math support, critical thinking skills and character building through Biblical stories and principles using the Chronological Bible Storying method.

Thank you to Tut Rut for his vision in setting-up the program, Ali Tanner for organizing the collection of books, school supplies, materials and cash donations and the whole host of generous supporters and volunteers for helping make this possible! For more information on the program or to learn how to set-up a similar program in your area, contact Barbara Crossman at barbara@aidsudan.org.

ANNUAL FUNDRAISING DINNER TAKES A JOURNEY INTO SUDAN
posted in 2008

As guests walked into Aid Sudan Nashville’s Annual Fundraising Dinner, they were greeted with the unique sights and sounds of southern Sudan. A traditional, thatched roof mud hut and water well adorned the stage, inviting the over 125 attendees to experience a taste of a southern Sudanese village and imagine the lifestyle that accompanies the conditions. Gai Luom further set the scene with a traditional blessing over the food in his native Dinka language.

During dinner, the crowd was entertained with narrative stories from southern Sudan as Aid Sudan staff members – including Executive Director Peter Swann and Moses Project missionary Maker Manyang – and volunteers gave first-hand accounts of their experiences in Sudan. From mission trips to education programs to the Moses Project, there was never a dull moment. Guests also learned of many ways to get involved in community building and sharing the gospel with the upcoming Radio Station Project and Village-to-Village Project.

It was a very special evening and we would like to thank all the friends of Aid Sudan that hosted a table and all the new friends that attended to learn about the service and giving opportunities. Sponsors for the event included Barger Tanner Construction, Scott Fowler Productions, Northwestern Mutual and The Law Office of Lannie J. Cates. Special thanks also to The Factory at Franklin for providing the venue, Stoveworks Tables for the catered dinner and all our dedicated volunteers who constructed the amazing Sudan set!

MO PRO JOE Hosted by KSBJ'S Liz Jordan
Coffee House Event Treats Guests to a Look at the Moses Project
posted in 2008

A first-time event for Aid Sudan, Mo Pro Joe attracted over 150 guests to an intimate gathering hosted by KSBJ radio personality Liz Jordan. Mo Pro Joe transformed The Refuge into a casual coffee house designed to educate and raise funds for the Moses Project, a Sudanese missionary program. The laid-back environment found guests sipping Mo Pro Joe signature coffee while listening to music from recording artists Matthew and Lizi.

To help event goers gain insight into life in southern Sudan, Liz Jordan posed questions for Moses Project missionaries Maker and Jengmer as well as former Aid Sudan mission team members who had many stories to tell about adventures in the bush. Video of the Moses Project in action during time in southern Sudan captured the impact of the program thus far and cast the vision for what Aid Sudan hopes to accomplish. 

It was a memorable evening with a purpose - to serve the people of southern Sudan by supporting their own! Jengmer and Maker leave for extended mission work in Sudan this month and very much value your prayers. To keep up with them, read the Moses Project blog. To give to their cause, click the Donate button at the top of this page and designate your gift to the Moses Project. 

It was such a great night, we're thinking of doing it again next year!

HOUSTON HAPPENINGS
Aid Sudan Stays Busy in July
posted in 2008

Volunteers Lend a Hand at Sudanese Community Center – A group of youth volunteers from Bay Area First Baptist Church in League City, TX spent a day at the new Sudanese Development Center. Before work began, this group listened to the Sudanese as they shared their stories and showed photos of their beloved Sudan. The enthusiastic group then sorted and organized clothes in the clothes closet, put together office dividers to create a mini storage room and presented the center with many wonderful books for the growing library. As a special gift for the little ones, two of the teens entertained children with a clown and magic show that concluded with a presentation of the gospel. Many thanks to the youth of Bay Area First Baptist Church!

Sudanese Music Blesses Wedding Ceremony – Committed Aid Sudan volunteer Kathy Peterson married Ron Wells in a ceremony at Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston. Since Kathy and Ron often worship with the Sudanese on Sunday, they invited the Sudanese to sing one of their traditional Dinka songs in their wedding. It was a very special time of worship and many of the Sudanese enjoyed their first wedding ceremony in the U.S.

Sudanese Share with Local Church – Bethel Independent Presbyterian Church, one of Aid Sudan’s partner churches, invited local Sudanese to sing and share their testimonies during Sunday worship. During the service, Sudanese filled the sanctuary with the sound of drums and beautiful Dinka music as Sudanese and Americans worshipped together. One of the Lost Boys, Chol Jok, moved the audience by sharing his personal journey and the story and plight of his people. The Sudanese then spent time with the children sharing pictures and answering inquisitive questions that only children can ask.

We thank the family at Bethel for their embodiment of Deuteronomy 10:19 - "You are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt."

Computer Class Kicks-Off – On Thursday July 31, a basic computer class began at the Sudanese Development Center. Touched by hearing Moses Project Missionary Jengmer Yat speak, Bill Christian of Digital Professionals responded to this need for an instructor. The class promises to be a great opportunity for education and friendship.

SUDANESE COMMUNITY CENTER
Center to be Resource for Houston's Sudanese Community
posted in 2008

The Houston Sudanese Development Center officially opened its doors! The center will be a hub for a number of different activities including meetings, community celebrations and life skills classes.

During the grand opening celebration, the Sudanese honored the many different groups that helped make the center possible. Music filled the air and many prayers of thanks were offered to God for the fantastic space and all that could be accomplished in years to come. Aid Sudan presented the Sudanese leaders with a special gift – a beautiful picture drawn by volunteer Susan Kiser. Truly honored, the crowd erupted in loud applause and traditional trilling from the Sudanese women.

Numerous volunteers and churches in Houston came out to celebrate the event – it was a momentous occasion for the local Sudanese community! 

HOUSTON DYNAMO GAME
Sudanese Attend Their First Soccer Match
posted in 2008

On June 12th, Sudanese watched their first Major League Soccer game between the Houston Dynamo and the New England Revolution! It was a great game as these two teams have met in the finals the past two seasons and as soccer is the most popular sport in Sudan, it was a special treat for the adults and kids alike.

Executive Director Peter Swann and Mission Trip Director Andrew Brown attended the game with the Sudanese and want to thank all the Aid Sudan supporters who donated 39 tickets so this event could take place – it was truly a special gift to the community. For each $20 ticket that was sold or donated, the Dynamo team donated $10 to Nothing But Nets. Nothing But Nets is a program where bed nets treated with insecticides are distributed to families in Africa to help prevent malaria - the number one killer amongst children in Africa.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Nothing But Nets campaign, those who gave tickets to the Sudanese and Bryan Kraham and the Dynamo organization for their support of the southern Sudanese!

AID SUDAN HOSTS PACKED HOUSE AT ANNUAL GALA
Peter Swann Announces Strategy Plan for Ministry
posted in 2008

On Tuesday, April 29th, Aid Sudan held the annual gala celebration to a packed house at First Presbyterian Church in Houston. The attendance doubled from last year as approximately 300 Sudanese and Americans gathered together at this year’s event!

While guests enjoyed dinner and fellowship at their tables, they were entertained with traditional southern Sudanese music led by Moses Project missionaries Agook and Maker, a silent auction and a live auction with items such as a Roger Staubach football, Lance Berkman baseball jersey and large framed photo of southern Sudan. The crowd was moved by testimonies from the southern Sudanese as Maker Manyang shared memories of the attack on his village and how two million people were lost in the war. He spoke of the need for basic necessities such as water, healthcare and education to demonstrate how everyone can be a part of the revival in southern Sudan.

Made possible by the huge support of donors and prayer warriors, Executive Director Peter Swann made a big announcement regarding Aid Sudan’s strategy for ministry in southern Sudan that encompasses southern Sudanese and Ugandan missionaries, a Village to Village project that tackles the needs of southern Sudanese communities one village at a time and a radio station project that will help spread the gospel in southern Sudan via the airwaves.

Thank you to our Director of Houston Events Jessica Ray for taking care of all the logistics and to all our volunteers who helped make the night happen. Special congratulations to Elizabeth Hankins, author of The Calling, who received the Volunteer of the Year award.

The night was a reflection on what Aid Sudan has accomplished and an anticipation of where we want to go from here. We hope you will continue to join us on this adventure in ministering to the people of southern Sudan!

AID SUDAN 5K
Run a Mile, Save a Village; Walk a Mile, Save a Child
posted in 2008

An overwhelming turnout - over 370 people took part in the Aid Sudan 5K Fun Run/Walk, hosted by Houston’s First Baptist Church and Memorial Hermann Health Network Providers on Saturday, April 5th! Americans and Sudanese ran side by side to raise funds and to support the southern Sudanese community.

After the race was complete, everyone gathered together to hear Executive Director Peter Swann and Moses Project missionary Maker Manyak speak about the work at Aid Sudan both in the local Houston community and in southern Sudan. To close a beautiful and encouraging day, a group of local Sudanese filled the air with traditional Sudanese songs.

Special thanks to First Baptist pastor Gregg Matte for joining in the festivities, KSBJ’s Liz Jordan for promoting the event on-air throughout the preceding week and all-star baseball player Lance Berkman for his great support.  And congratulations to first, second and third place in the Sudanese group – Mohammed Babiker, Rafael Daniel and Paul Dol.

Congratulations to all the runners - it was a great accomplishment and we are looking forward to the same unbelievable experience next year!

For additional photos of the event, visit our main photo gallery.

SONGS FOR SUDAN
posted in 2008

On February 26th at the Belcourt Theatre in Nashville, Aid Sudan held the first annual Songs for Sudan concert to raise funds for education in southern Sudan. We were blessed to have an incredible line-up of artists contributing their musical talents to the cause! Performers included Suzy Bogguss, Will Barrow, Will Kimbrough, John Barlow Jarvis, Steve Leslie, Danny Coots, Suzy Ragsdale and One Flew South.

Combining outstanding music with a small, instant setting made for an unforgettable night and newly formed relationships between the American and southern Sudanese communities. AND, over $4,000 was raised to go directly toward the purchase of school supplies in southern Sudan. For those in Nashville that could not join us this year, we look forward to seeing you next year!

2nd Annual Aid Sudan 5K Draws Over 600
posted on May 11, 2009

Despite threats of inclement weather, more than 600 runners and walkers took part in Aid Sudan’s 2nd Annual 5K Fun Run and Walk on April 25th in Houston! The event, sponsored by Houston’s First Baptist Church, started with a Kids 1K Run in Bear Creek Park followed by a 5K for adults of all ages. 
 
The weather turned out to be perfect for race day. Aid Sudan Executive Director Peter Swann fired the gun to signal the start of the race. Then nineteen minutes and fifty-one seconds later, the first runner crossed the finish line. After the race, Sudanese and American winners were recognized at an awards ceremony with certificates given out by Moses Project missionaries Maker and Jengmer.
 
It was an awesome gathering of Americans and Sudanese and a great opportunity for people to learn more about Aid Sudan’s ministry. Peter reminded the crowd that while Americans run for exercise and fun, Sudanese run as a means of survival. Thank you to Houston’s First Baptist Church for their support of Aid Sudan and for sponsoring and organizing such a great event!