Shadrack's Surgery
Shadrack Otieno is in the hospital and has undergone surgery for his brain abscess. Lahash partners and friends from across the United States raised over $4,000 for his surgery in Nairobi, Kenya. Dax is keeping everyone updated by in depth emails (let him know if you'd like to be updated). Mama Margaret and Edwin Angote are taking turns with him as he recovers from the operation. Please continue to pray for him and his health. For more on the condition of this tough kid visit www.helpshadrack.org or visit the Tenderfeet website.

The Beautiful Ladies of Renew
Thanks to all of you for your support of the Renew Program over the past year and a half. Renew is a project to bring sex workers out of prostitution into a new life where they are loved and valued for who they are and who they can become. They are counseled and prayed for. Rent is covered and education needs are taken care of. 5 ladies who faced death by strangulation, drugs, or HIV - now are living full lives caring for kids, seeking more education or different employment, and looking to assist others in need.

The lady in the front of the group photo is Agrapina - who is our new program supervisor and counselor. She visits the ladies each week and prays with them. Please continue to pray for their lives.

Helping Shadrack
Lahash has been assisting a kid in Kibera who attends the Tenderfeet Center. He needs brain surgery and is diabetic. Today I wired over nearly $4000 that all of you donated over the past 6 months for his surgery! Thank you for your assistance for his critical medical condition. Dax Mitchell has been the project manager and updated the HelpShadrack.org webpage recently. Pray for Shadrack as he has his surgery next week. A special thanks to Conerstone United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas for your congregation's gift.

The Little Blue Ambulance is repaired!
Formerly known as the little white ambulance - the little Ford Escort with a Nissan engine has undergone structural repairs and body work to get back onto the road! Lahash Coordinator Edwin Angote stands in front of the lifeline of the Munyaka slums.

Tenderfeet Moving
Tenderfeet is moving once more. Unfortunately the previous spot they've been renting hasn't worked out, and they'll be re-situating into a 6 room building. Dax Mitchell and Edwin Angote have been working on getting proper floors poured and a lawyer to represent the school so that they will have a semi-permanent school for the next year as they raise funds for their own building.

Sudan Construction Update
Lyla Peterson and I met the other day to catch up on her trip to Uganda earlier this month. She's upbeat about the Leprosy initiative, but it will take some good cooperation between various groups, and a long term commitment to the community. At this point we are contemplating training one of the graduated orphans and giving them an opportunity for employment by monitoring the project over several years in cooperation with the local health officials (who are already over committted). This would consist of a Leprosy training program held in Ethiopia.

Lyla also brought back several photos from Uganda and Sudan. The photo above is of the new infant orphan home at St. Bartholomew's orphanage. An anonymous donor from the UK recently gave a large donation to enable this home to be constructed. Over the past several years many in the community have brought babies to Susan because of the loss of their parents. She hasn't been able to keep them until now. The home will be finished soon!

We've also been working with two summer groups that plan on traveling to Sudan and Uganda.

Eric Chapman was one of the original members of our 2005 trip. He's been advocating for the kids and projects over the past year, and now has assembled another team to travel. They'll be helping at St. Bartholomew's orphanage.

Fritz Brown and a crew from California and Florida will be building more permanent dorms in Sudan for the boys. They've been raising funds for construction costs, and will be leaving in May or June.

Please continue to pray for Mama Susan during this buildup for the summer. She's been busy and isn't in the best health. And she rarely turns away the helpless children that are brought to her. Pray that she will have strength each day and find time to rest.

Lahash Podcast 2 - Amazing Grace Children’s Choir
The Amazing Grace Children’s Choir recorded an album in the summer of 2005. This is one of the songs off of the album - called “War is a Disaster”. It deals with the devastation from War and HIV/AIDS, and the human victims from these disasters.

24 Hours - A day captured in photos by Sudanese orphans
Just before Christmas 2006, the Lahash team spent time with the kids of Amazing Grace Orphanage. Nate Grubbs, our photographer, brought along disposable cameras for the kids. He gave them a lesson and they returned the exposed cameras after 24 hours. I've ordered them into a day of life at Amazing Grace and now you can see for yourself the beauty and culture and life of one day as an orphan in Northern Uganda.

Two Critical Needs:
We have to urgent needs currently worth mentioning.

First, Lahash is looking for office space in the Portland area. We try to keep our overhead as low as possible, so if anyone knows of cheap or free office space that Lahash could use over the next year, please email info@lahash.net Thanks!

Second, Nick reports that the Little White Ambulance needs some critical upgrades once more. The shop has put the estimates at $250 for more brake, shock, engine, and body work. Again please email info@lahash.net if you'd like to be a part of that solution. Thanks!

Lyla Reports from Uganda
From an email this morning: "Just wanted to let you all know that the conference on Leprosy in Jinja was most productive and helpful. Unfortunately Susan Tabia wasn't able to join me as she ended up with a cold, but is now mostly recovered. I will be spending some time with her tomorrow and Saturday before I fly back home Saturday evening to arrive in PDX on Sunday pm.

If any of you saw the photo of Josh Thrash with the very tiny skinny girl with chicken pox from our visit to Susan's home in December, you will be happy to know that the little girl has gained a lot of weight already and is getting quite a personality with smiles for all. She got some new clothes, sandals, a hat, and sippy cups from the trunks I brought and she loved them very much. "

March is for Amazing Grace
The month of March is Amazing Grace Orphanage month! I'll be sharing some of the goodies from the past couple years of interaction with this wonderful group of people. Today, we are releasing a new video, which is a tour of the orphanage by the one and only Akon Emmanuel. If you've ever wondered what life is like at the orphanage, this is a great little gem.

Love for the Lepers
We were informed recently that it isn't politically correct to refer to the people we are working with as "lepers". It's the definition that the people with leprosy in Sudan call themselves, but we'll head down the road to PCness.

Lyla Petereson is the Lahash nurse. She traveled on the team this last trip, and is already back in Uganda. She flew over on March 1st, and she'll be participating and speaking at a conference on "Leprosy and TB Control in Southern Sudan". She flew over with some new gifts for Susan and the team there - including a new laptop for Susan Tabia to enable her to work more efficiently.

We are directly advocating for and assisting the people of Southern Sudan who are suffering with leprosy. See the YouTube video here. Imago Dei Community and several individuals are partnered together as we move forward in love for these dear people. These people need many things - primarily medical care. Lyla and the other NGOs in Uganda are working on this issue this week. They also need short-term solutions for their housing, food, and clothing needs. If you'd like to help a family in need, you can send $50 per family gift pack to Lahash International, 10750 NE 4th Ave, Portland, OR 97211.

Nate is uploading more photos on his website of our trip to Uganda and Sudan. The photo below is Peter Jibi, who is suffering from leprosy.

Photos and news from SCF
Nick and the team in Eldoret sent over a bunch of photos recently of the work there. Dax Mitchell and other supporters have been hard at work advocating and supporting the work and families there. Our previous website was www.ukimwi.net - which is now changing over to www.HopeForEldoret.org. The new name represents the broad emphasis of the team now, and is more welcoming for the Kenyan population. "Ukimwi" is swahili for AIDS, and some people don't even want to visit a website with that word.

The photo above is of Mrs. Angote in the new SCF office. She was hired to counsel and encourage the Renew ladies spiritually in their journey out of sex work and into new life. She makes weekly visits to each of the ladies in their homes for a time of prayer. She is also in charge of the Renew store, which is taking in shipments of shoes and clothes currently. Please pray for the Renew ladies, Mrs. Angote, and Nick especially as he's been sick for the past couple weeks.

The photo below is Jeremiah Gitonga working in his new radio shop. Lahash has worked to set him up with a workshop where he can begin to earn money for his family. He is a HIV positive widower, and his youngest daughter Maggie is also positive.

The photo below is of little Lucy. She was assisted by the nurse CarrieAnne Bentley last year with new crutches. She recently made a trip to one of Kenya's largest medical facilities in Kijabe for more medical work including a catheter setup.
The photo below is of an SCF member filming for a production in the slums at a church. Lahash recently donated a video camera and computer (which can be seen at the top of this article with Mrs. Angote). They've been making good use of both new tools, and say thank you to all who assisted with the purchase.

Mama Margaret Interview
The Tenderfeet schools is powering into the new year with new vision, new assistance (Lahash partner Edwin is assisting with the work there) and new financial assistance from friends.

The Mosaic church in Portland, Oregon donated money for a water tank for the school in January, and Margaret sent this photo of the tank in operation this last week. The tank will provide water during the dry times for cooking and for selling small amounts to the community. Please be praying for the children as they have been asked to leave their current rented facility, and as Shadrack Otieno's surgery is coming up this month.

Mike, a friend from Georgia, just returned from a visit to the Tenderfeet School. His son and three other friends will be shooting an AIDS documentary there East Africa this summer. He interviewed Mama Margaret about her work with the school. You can view his YouTube video below.