Warner Pacific Students prepare for travel

This November Lahash is excited to facilitate a trip by recent Warner Pacific College graduates - Jeremy and Lexi. The two will be traveling with Leisha Adams and Edwin Angote through Uganda and Sudan. Together we are looking to future possibilities between the college and internship/practicums with Lahash. Please pray for Lexi and Jeremy as they prepare to leave. And please pray for Leisha as she has two trips on her plate and a lot of little details to iron out.

From Warner Pacific

Thanks to Camp Eagle!

We want to say "Thank you!" to the kids and staff at Camp Eagle during this last summer. Camp Eagle is a youth camp in Texas that has partnered with Lahash in the past. During the summer camp season of 2008, the youth agreed to give up one meal each week (of the normal Camp cuisine) and eat rice or go without a meal. The camp then gave all of the proceeds of this to Lahash. The project ended up raising over $3500! This gift will primarily go to feeding the kids at Amazing Grace orphanage this next year.

Mamaland Sudan

It's nearly bed time for the kids here at St. Bartholomew's orphanage. The generator is competing against the children's singing in the cool evening air.

We spent several days in northern Uganda at the Amazing Grace orphanage. We really enjoyed getting to know the kids better - through some late night talks, games, and an afternoon in the Peanut farm.

Rick and Faye Meyer are part of a community here in Northern Uganda connected with the Thiessens and Imago Dei Community of Portland. Rick and Faye have been coming regularly to spend time with the children - and on Saturdays teach some lessons about God to the kids. So on Saturday we joined the Meyers and the kids out in the Peanut farms digging and weeding and laughing and sweating. Our friend Bassa Esther was incredulous that we thought we could dig - but we tried our best!

After the time at Amazing Grace we ventured up north to Kajo Keji Sudan. This region has been hit hard by the war of the past 20 years in Sudan - and also affected by the continued war going on in Uganda. But every time we return we see a lot of life returning to the hillsides and city centers. People are cautiously returning from being refugees in a dozen countries and are starting to rebuild the nation.

St. Bartholomew's Orphanage has undergone some serious changes since we were here last. The occupancy has doubled at this point - and the new Babies home is filled with cute babies and lots and lots of work. The ladies in that building are very busy changing diapers, bouncing kids, feeding them, and keeping them happy.

Our team is part way through our pretty intense visioning and bonding sessions. We are trying to create unity among the staff, encourage them, and bring potential problem areas to the surface.

Two days ago we spent some time sharing the frustrations that we have had over the past year - both in ministry and on a personal level. I generally start and share some things that have been tough or frustrating. Then the staff began to share. It was heartbreaking to hear of the intense battles with death, disease, lack of resources, and rebel activity. We've spent some good time praying together as we learn more of the difficulties that our friends face day to day.


We'll be here in Sudan several more days and then we head back down to Uganda for some last minute work before returning to the United States and Kenya. Currently we have about 20 visitors at the orphanage - the largest group being some friends from Pennsylvania who have come with a pastor named Tom Reeder.

Please pray for us as we finish up our last week in East Africa this summer. Pray that we will be united in love and kindness to each other. Pray that the tough challenges that are present in IWASSRU will be discussed and corrected. Pray that the kids here at the orphan homes will grow up healthy, understanding God's love, and be a critical part of a peaceful Sudan. Pray for safety, health, and patience as we travel.

Thanks to each of you for your interest, prayers, and support. Thanks especially to each of you who support the orphanage here in Sudan. The staff here are immensely grateful.

From Summer 08 Trip

Amazing Grace Visit - by Mandi Stonehouse

Greetings from Uganda! What an amazingly beautiful place. Its been nearly a week since I arrived and I've been enjoying every single minute of this journey. I met up with the team in Kampala where we stayed three days in Mama Susan's home. We spend some time in meetings and the rest of the time either playing, singing, and dancing with all the children, getting our Sudanese visas, washing our laundry by hand, or learning how to cook with the Mamas.

Working with Mama Susan has been such an privilege, her heart for women and children is so admirable. Everyone that knows her can't help but love and respect her deeply.

The whole trip has been such a blessings, one highlight for me so far has been meeting Esther and her daughter Nancy. Nancy was burned in a fire several months ago and traveled down from Kajo Keji to Kampala in order to receive reconstructive surgery.

We left Kampala the day of Nancy's surgery, so we are anxious to hear how things went and how Nancy is recovering. Please keep Nancy and Esther in your prayers as this will be a long process for them.

We traveled in a bus called the "Nile Coach" about 8 hours from Kampala to Adjumani, it was a crazy bumpy ride to say the least (thank goodness for Dramimine). I never anticipated that Uganda would be as green or greener than Oregon, but I have been proven wrong. The Uganda country side is so green and beautiful.

When we arrived in Adjumani we were all covered from head to toe in red from the sand, it seemed to permeate our every pore, even our luggage had turned to a nice shade of red.

We are now staying at Amazing Grace Orphanage where we were greeted with a welcome song from the children. It is exciting meeting a whole new set of lovely faces. Today we are going to lunch at the Thiessens, a missionary family from Portland who have been working in Adjumani for several years. We will be at Amazing Grace for several days so we will keep you updated on all that transpires, until then Kwaheri (goodbye). Thanks for all your prayers, Gd has truly been with us every step of the way.

Kili Climb for Kids 2008

Some of our friends in Tennessee are hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro this summer! Clark Spoden and his daughter Anna will be attempting to summit African's tallest mountain during the first weeks of June this year. They are raising money to help the orphans at St. Bartholomew's in Sudan. Thanks to the both of you for the partnership!