Day of Prayer for Sudan - July 8th

Republic of South Sudan

Day of Prayer

July 8th • 6-7 PM

Lahash Portland Center • 4850 N Vancouver, Portland, OR 97217

Will you join us on Friday the 8th of July for a day of prayer for the region of Sudan? On July 9th the southern portion of the nation will be splitting from the north after a successful referendum earlier this year. Wherever you are around the world - please join us on the 8th in prayer for the new nation. For those of you in the Portland, Oregon area - you are invited to join us using the details above.

Focusing on Caring for Creation

This past Monday staff and volunteers at the Portland Lahash center came together to put together our latest magazine about how our work in East Africa is tied to the idea of Creation Care. In our advocacy and care for East Africa's vulnerable populations how we care for the environment (with the land, plants, animals, and people layered in it) is critical.

To better understand the idea of Creation Care - or environmental stewardship - our Portland team has put together our newest Hope Is Alive magazine full of stories of how our partners and our larger global community are living fully into God's original design to tend and take care of "the garden." And speaking of gardens... our office team in Portland banded together to create a community garden. On Monday we had a dinner on the lawn to enjoy the food that God had grown over the past several months. Pictures are below:

Above: Casey our media director picking radishes at the new Portland Lahash community garden.

Above: The Lahash garden this week with lettuce, carrots, chard, peas, onions, strawberries, collards and much more.

Above: Casey grilling some meat and fresh corn.

Above: our group enjoyed supper on the lawn as we put the finishing touches on our newest magazine about Creation Care at Lahash.

To read an interesting new article on a couple pastors and their concern for God's creation - check out The Joyful Environmentalists. We also recommend the website BlessedEarth by author and Christian environmentalist Dr. Sleeth.

Rice & Beans at Grace & Healing Ministry Dodoma

Click here to read about the Grace and Healing Ministry of Dodoma staff's participation in Rice and Beans month...

The Story of Mama Susan

Many people familiar with Lahash and our work in East Africa have heard the name of Mama Susan Tabia and her work through IWASSRU or Amazing Grace Children's Home. But few people have had the privilege of hearing her entire story. Lahash traveler Lyla Peterson hopes that will soon change.




Through her upcoming book "Whispered Prayer: The Story of Mama Susan and her Orphans," she tells the story of what she describes as the "Proverbs 31" woman; a tireless worker for God and His purposes, surviving traumas and peril both emotional and physical.

During her travels to Tanzania and Uganda, she began taking notes. "I did keep some journal notes, and my main goal was to write up stories for my children and grandchildren about life there and some of the faith lessons," she says when asked if she had planned on writing Mama Susan's story. After learning more about Mama Susan, Lyla decided that many more people needed to know not just about the vulnerable in East Africa ("I think people [will be] touched when they get a glimpse of how very little they have materially, but how they seem to be rich in joy," she says) but about Mama Susan herself. She kept in contact through email, and was able to add many details to inform her profile of a truly Godly woman.



In addition to learning about the fascinating story of Mama Susan, Lyla hopes that readers will gain "a greater interest and understanding of the situation in Sudan, and a greater appreciation and understanding of the courage and faith of our East African brothers and sisters like Mama Susan."

"Whispered Prayer: The Story of Mama Susan and her Orphans" is in the final stages of publication, and will be available soon. Stay tuned for details.