HOUSTON OFFICE

Houston is home to approximately 1400 Sudanese. Under the direction of David Humphrey, the Houston office is pleased to work with area churches and other volunteers to provide help and encouragement for southern Sudanese in the area.

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

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

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

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!

For previous Houston events, click here.

LIFE SKILLS CLASSES

To acclimate Sudanese into the American way of life, Aid Sudan’s Houston office offers several life skills classes. Taught by local volunteers, the classes offered include cooking and nutrition, English as a second language, computer skills and discipleship of local Sudanese church leaders. For information on teaching or enrolling in these classes, please contact David Humphrey at david@aidsudan.org.

SUNDAY WORSHIP

Come worship with the local Sudanese community! The Aid Sudan team attends worship at the Sudanese Community Church which meets each Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at ChristChurch Presbyterian in Bellaire. Click here for directions.

GIFTS IN KIND

There are many ways you can get involved and make a difference in the lives of the southern Sudanese in Houston. One of these ways is to donate tangible items based on the specific needs of the community. We are currently accepting donations of like-new books for the Sudanese Community Center Library.

Additionally, there is a growing need for like-new computers and laptops. Aid Sudan will be glad to receive any computers or laptops and pass them along to waiting Sudanese friends.

If you’re interested in volunteering to help in any way or if you have any questions about the local work in Houston, please contact our Houston Director, David Humphrey at david@aidsudan.org or 713-414-5493.