Our sending agency is Aid Sudan, and I have realized that many of you don’t know very much about this small, Houston-based organization or the amazing work that they do in South Sudan. Blaise and I feel that it is important to familiarize you with them. First, I want to share how we ended up with them as opposed to the many other organizations working in that corner of the world.
I stumbled upon Aid Sudan early in 2010 by Googling something along the lines of “missions work in Sudan.” Not a lot of options came up, and several of the ones that did were non-profits literally JUST getting started and not yet even sending people in. Then there were some non-profits sending people in, but not in the capacity that I was interested in. Then there were some really cool organizations even doing teacher training over the summer, but not in the name of Christ. Then there was Aid Sudan–mission statement in line with what I believe, sending people in, trips over the summer. I applied. We prayed. My parents freaked out because I had found this random little non-profit online, and they could be axe murderers or scamming me for my $5000!
It turns out that they weren’t, and that God had very carefully led me to Aid Sudan. Against all common sense (I flew to Houston, stayed overnight with complete strangers all by myself, and then hopped on a plane to go to a post-conflict country with people I’d never met and no cell phone service) I went with them. It was amazing (read all about my first trip to Sudan beginning here); however, I was disappointed because Blaise and I had already been praying about longer-term options and all Aid Sudan offered were short-term mission trips. Again, though, God was already at work.
While on the trip, I fell completely head over heels in love with the people of South Sudan. I also had the opportunity to be on the trip with executive director Peter Swann, director of missions Andrew, and Sudan country director Kerry…a combination that I’ve learned is pretty rare. Anyway, on the trip we started talking about education work, their needs, and my desire. On the plane ride home from Africa, we started discussing the possibility of me volunteering for a summer with them to work on educational programming for their radio program (more on that later). I couldn’t believe it!
Anyway, fast forward a year to August 2011–after three trips into Sudan for me and one trip for Blaise, several weeks in Uganda, and hours of prayer–and Blaise and I were on a plane ride home from Africa, both completely and prayerfully in agreement that we absolutely have to go back. When I signed up for a mission trip in 2010, neither of us had any idea the magnitude of change that God would begin in our lives. We also had no idea that we could be so in love with people so different from us in every way except Christ. We especially didn’t know that this amazing little organization that I found on the Internet would turn out to be an extension of our family, and one that has blessed us in countless ways over the past two years.
So, I am going to write a series of posts that highlights the work that Aid Sudan does in both the States and South Sudan. It is my hope that you will get to know them as we do, be in prayer over the work they are doing, and decide to join our support team as we prepare to serve with them long term.
Here’s a shot from my first trip into Nasir, Sudan (pre-independence)…
