Hope With Sudan

Weeds are growing, the yard and house need sprucing up – painting, digging, washing, and cleaning. Sudanese in San Jose have been laid off because of the economic down turn and are facing pressures of not only supporting themselves and their education but family members back in Africa. They are open to one day jobs but are looking for jobs in sales, office management, child and elder care, on-going maintenance and repair work.

Don’t wait to get a jump on spring,
email jdrino@hopewithsudan.org or call the Hope of Sudan Office (408) 251-2059 to line up one of the young menor women to take on your projects.

Bol Deng Bol, San Jose State Univ. Graduation, Dec. 2009

My Name is Bol Deng Bol. I was born in Southern Sudan in Kongor and came to USA in September 2001 as a refugee,and currently an American citizens residing in San Jose California/USA. I graduated from De Anza college in 2005 with AA degree in Liberal Arts with emphasis in Math/science and engineering,and a recent graduate from San Jose State University in December 17th,2009 with BS degree in Business Administration with concentration in Marketing and Minor in Economics.

After this great achievement, I am pursuing Master of Business Administration studies to have a competitive skills in business administrations that I can use in the business of today.

Dear Partners in Hope With Sudan,

As the season of renewal and hope comes upon us we are grateful that you are a part of the particular hope that is growing in the lives of dozens of Sudanese children living in exile in Africa. Read more»

• Celebrating Two Graduates
• A Peek at the Lifestyles of Our Students
• Become a Partner
• Direct Sponsorship Sought for Students
• The Outpouring of Support in the Face of Crisis

READ OUR DECEMBER 2009 NEWSLETTER >>

Peter Nyok & Orphans, Feb. 2009

In September the Board established the Sudanese Youth Opportunity program to give Peter Nyok the separate opportunity to raise funds for the 58 orphans which he has brought to Kenya.

Learn more at SudaneseYouthOpportunity.org

Kur John Aleu in Ndejje University Kampala Uganda, pursuing Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.

Dear Sponsors,

Receive my cordial greetings to all of you in the name of our lord Jesus Christ. I am very much thankful to almighty father God for his kindness, mercy, protection and forgiveness plus all that he does to all of us. It is because of his mercy that we are able to live up to now not because we are faithful to him. Read the rest of this entry »

Sudan is steadily moving towards the renewal of the civil war which has consumed that country for over fifty years. The Church in the Sudan stands as the largest civil institution advocating peace and reconciliation. What is at stake are the lives of the Christian majority in the south with five million Episcopalians, seven million Roman Catholics and a half million Presbyterians, Lutherans, Methodists and Pentecostals making up 90% of the population. Read the rest of this entry »

Awer Bul, artist and one of the Lost Boys of Sudan,  was commissioned by Hope With Sudan executive director, Jerry Drino, to paint the Martyrs of Sudan  icon on a large 3′ by 4′ canvas.

Purchase your copy & support projects in Sudan:

Soon, copies of the icon can be purchased online in a variety of  sizes & formats. Proceeds support development projects in Sudan.
Check back later for more information.

Background on painting:

An ancient saying goes, “that to remember is to find redemption.”
Read the rest of this entry »

Hope With Sudan continues to be amazed and gratified by the donations that arrive large and small;   Little children giving a few dollars when they hear the stories of the Lost Boys and large gifts that are an accumulation of many small gifts.

Recently we received $2064 from St. John the Baptist Church in Capitola which represented miles of walking and many small donation that were contributed to the Walk-a-thon dedicated to Hope With Sudan. This is the third year they have made this significant effort and we are deeply appreciative of their commitment to the young people in our program. To all who continue to be partners with us in our mission we say “Thank you!”

Gabriel Makuei Tor arrived as a refugee four and a half years ago from Kenya. He had watched as his friends left in 2001 for the US never thinking that he might never be called. In the meantime he followed his vocation to ministry by teaching English and leading Bible classes for over a hundred Sudanese widows in Nairobi.

Fianlly,  his day came to be relocated to San Jose. This last Saturday he graduated from De Anza College with plans to enter San Jose State University in the fall in pre-nursing.
Read the rest of this entry »

2009 Spring “Connections” on-line magazine of the American Friends of the Episcopal Church in the Sudan.

Read this newsletter>>

Hope With Sudan is streamlining the way we collect donations and relying on technology to take our organization to a new level.  We have partnered with PayPal and created a safe and easy way for you to give money to our organization online.
Read the rest of this entry »

San Jose Lost Boys, Simon Deng and Peter Nyok are on TV.

DEAR JERRY,
Well thank you very much Father Jerry.First of all i want to tell you that i received the money that you send to uncle Philip Deng yesterday for my shopping.Uncle gave the money and this is how i spend my shopping.
-3,000 kenya shillings for my new uniform.
-1,500 which he gave me as pocket money but later was used when we were running out of money to buy books and pens.
Read the rest of this entry »

Thon Philip Alue and his brother have received school fees and living expenses from us in the past.  Thon Philip is a journalist now in Bor Town for the Sudan Tribune.
Read his April 25, 2009 article>>

By Philip Thon Aleu

April 18, 2009 (BOR) — Murle armed men attacked seven locations in Akobo County today Saturday killing 14 people and wounding 25 others, area Member of Parliament said.

Based on a report he received from Akobo Commissioner Doyak Chol Dhol, Hon. James Ruot, told the Sudan Tribune at his home in Bor Town that Burkamal, Chiban, Chikol, Kony, Kueychar, Ubor and Wit areas came under heavy attacks from Murle tribesmen this morning.  Read more>>

Sponsor a student  by  including his or her student ID# when you make a donation.  We will give periodic updates from our students and coordinators in Africa.

Jacob with his wife, Mary, daughter, Aniel, and son Leek

The following is a report from the Rev. Jacob Nhial Guut, one of the Coordinators for Hope With Sudan in Kenya.  He recently went on a fact-finding trip back to southern Jonglei State where he was born.  The conditions are horrendous as he describes.

Dear Friends,

Receive warm regards in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope you are all doing well and healthy breathing. I and my family are doing well through the grace and protection power of Almighty God.

First and foremost, I would like to salute all of you once more. I would like to give many thanks and much appreciation to God for answering your prayers which you offered on my trip to Southern Sudan. Read the rest of this entry »

I am a young Sudanese Boy aged five years. I was born to my loving parents in Kakuma Refugee Camp (Kenya). My parents names are  Rev. Peter Garang Deng and Mary Achol M.

Having been born in a refugee camp I have experienced many challenges for example hunger, lack of medication and insecurity.
Read the rest of this entry »

Lost Boys of Sudan Awareness Fashion Show

A special tribut to Sudanese refugees in honor of their enduring bravery courage and hope.

View the event flyer>>

Program Coordinator (in Kenya)

Rev. Jacob Nhial Guut in Nairobi, one of our scholars and Hope With Sudan coordinators…

My name is Rev. Jacob Nhial Guut, A Sudanese by Nationality; I was born in Jan 1^st 1982, in a village called Adumwuor to a man called John Guut Amol Guut and a lady called Mary Bol Alier. I am the 3^rd born of a family of two sisters namely, Abuk John Guut and Ajah John Guut and one brother called Abel Chol John Guut. Both my father and my mother were farmers and cattle keepers.

As I said, I was born in Lualdit -Adumwuor Clan (Sudan) and lived there from birth to 1987 and then migrated to Ponyido (Ethiopia) due to the war broke in Sudan in May 16th, 1983. Read the rest of this entry »

For the past several years St. Stephen’s has  been supporting the education of the son of a key priest in the Diocese of Bor, Sudan.

Simon Mark T., son of Canon Mark Atem T.,  is finishing his 8th grade at a boarding school in Nairobi, Kenya.  Because there are no schools in Sudan due to the civil war, those who can find schooling in Kenya and Uganda are blessed.  Simon was born in a refugee camp where he had a year or so of school.  However for three years he and his siblings just sat at home because they had been forced to move.

One of the brightest students in his class, Simon is thriving in classes in English and Kitswali, Science Geography and Math, History and Social Sciences. He wants to become a doctor.

I was born in Southern Sudan in a village called Duk Ador and I was born in 1994 and I came to Kenya and join in grade in class six in roots academy and it cost sixteen thousands Kenya shillings when you board, but in the future I would like to be a doctor.
Read the rest of this entry »

My name is Mary Lueth and I am the daughter of Pastor Mark Atem T.  I am learning in “A.G.C lake view academy”. I am fifteen years old. My best subjects in school are English and C.R.E. When I grow up, I would like to be a Broadcaster. From my previous experiences when we were in Uganda life was very hard because we had no food, water and clothes so we had to struggle to look for both of them. As we were continuing with our lives some of the people that were living with us they were shot down dead and we had to move from that place to another. But since the beginning of year 2003 life changed to good because father Jerry Drino and my father started building an initiative to assist the war affected people by working together as church leaders and I am very happy and God will Bless them because the have assisted us.

The first time that we came to Nakuru, it was good because we had food, shelter and clothes but now things have changed because the things we had have all disappeared and we continue praying that God will return them back because Jerry for all the things that he did to us. He brought us clothes, toys, storybooks and many others that helped us. I will never forget father Jerry for his great help  and God will bless  him those that work with him.

My name is Ayuen.  I am a Sudanese girl aged nine years old. I am the first born child of my parents. I have three other Siblings behind me, i.e. two sisters and a brother. I was born in Bor Southern Sudan in a clan called Koch.

I lost my father in the year 2006 in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, when I was very young and my mother took care of us since then. She struggled to feed us with the little she could get.
Read the rest of this entry »

Hope With Sudan

Recession has huge impact on our students and families

February 2009

Dear Companions,

Hope With Sudan is in crisis because of the shortfall of donations.   A marked decrease in donations this winter has caused us to take drastic measures.  Instead of sending funds in late December to pay for the tuition of the Winter Term for our students, we had to tell them to wait in hopes that contributions would arrive in January.   Funds did not arrive and now there is a dire need to feed our students.

“The children are really suffering.” These are the words that I dread to hear each time my phone starts ringing at 6:30 AM.  When I open my email and see the name of any of our students I know that they have run out of food or the school has expelled the children for failure to pay tuition.

“I am walking the streets in Nairobi to take my mind off the ache in my stomach because I haven’t eaten in three days.” This is what Philip Deng told me in a phone conversation a week ago.   Not only have we failed to pay most of the tuitions for our 80 students, but we have not succeeded in providing adequate coverage for food and rent.  Most of the landlords are now threatening to lock our children and their care-givers out of their apartments.

As donations arrive I immediately transfer funds to households that our students are a part of, telling them that more will be coming soon.  However, I really don’t know if that is the case.

The Board is wrestling with the deep issues that are related to the global recession and how we can continue to sustain some semblance of hope for the Sudanese in our program.  Our new board is working on a new scholarship system where we will be able to more closely follow our students’ progress.

The recession in the U.S. economy is causing tsunami  to roll across the world.   The cost for maze has risen 300% since last spring in Kenya where most of our students seek refuge.

You have been so generous in the past in your support of Hope With Sudan.  Our continuing mission is education providing tuition fees and living expenses.  At this point we need money for food.   I am asking you to continue your commitment to our common mission and if possible increase your giving by 20-25%.   Being caught in the harsh reality of the present moment, the deep faith of our students and that of their caregivers gives them a tenuous trust that they can move forward.   They consider us to be their American family who will stand with them to find a way through.  Please continue to stand with them.

With sincere appreciation for all that you are giving.

Jerry Drino, Executive Director

jdrino@hopewithsudan.org

Send checks made out to Hope With Sudan to:  5038 Hyland Ave, San José, CA 95127     www.hopewithsudan.org

PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS LETTER

The following email is from a mother of one of the students at Berkeley International High School,  Judy Dickman:

Dear Jerry,

I was so touched that you wrote and thanked me for my role in bringing you, James and Peter to Berkeley High School.  Since your visit, I have been trying to think of a way to convey to you our deepest gratitude that you were able to come to speak with the students in the Berkeley International High School.

Listening to Peter and James, we were moved not only by their ability to survive and thrive despite the hardships that they have faced in their young lives, but also their willingness to share their stories with strangers.  That they took time out of their busy lives to come to Berkeley and share their histories and their future dreams with us was an act of generosity that has enriched all of us. That so many of our students were moved to tears in the short time that you were here speaks volumes about the power of your words, compassion and dedication.

I believe that your visit will have a wide-ranging impact on our students.   Many students have written about the how they were moved by the presentation and by Peter’s and James’ message about the importance of education.  In a single day you not only told the story of the cruelty and adversity that the Sudanese have suffered halfway around the world but you also opened their eyes to the power that they have as individuals and as a community to face down such injustice.  I don’t know in which gardens the seeds that you sowed at Berkeley High last Thursday will flower, but I know that the blossoms will be unique and powerful.

It was an honor meeting you.  Please keep in touch and let me know how we can support Hope with Sudan and the Sudanese refugee community in the future.

With great thanks and warmest regards to Peter and James,

Judy Dickman

Silicon Valley Mom’s Blog
December 15, 2008 article by Alison van Diggelen, host of FreshDialogues

read article

Read the rest of this entry »

An eloquent New Year greeting from the Rev. Jacob Nhial Guut in Nairobi, one of our scholars and Hope With Sudan coordinators…

Rev. Jacob Nhial Guut.

My name is Monica W.  I am a Sudanese girl aged ten years old. I am the first born child of my parents. I have three other siblings behind me, i.e. two sisters and a brother. I was born in Bor Southern Sudan in a clan called Atet.

I lost my father when I was very young and my mother took care of us since then. She struggled to feed us with the little she could get. After my father’s death, life became so difficult and we could not continue living in my father’s family due to the situation and hardship which we faced from our uncles, so we moved back to my maternal grandparents’ home.
Read the rest of this entry »

My name is Joseph Leek N.  I am a young boy aged four years old from South Sudan.  I was born in Kakuma refugee Camp (Kenya) in the year 2005, June 21st.  My family is composed of:  father, mother and two children, namely: My father is Rev. Jacob N. and my mother is Mary. I have one younger sister whose name is Abuk Jacob.
Read the rest of this entry »

I am a young Sudanese girl called Sarah A. aged seven years.  I was born to my loving parents in Kakuma Refugee Camp (Kenya).  My parents names are Rev.  Peter Garang D.  and Mary Achol M.   I am the first born child of my parents.

Having been born in a refugee camp I have experienced many challenges for example hunger, lack of medication and insecurity. 
Read the rest of this entry »

I am Joseph A. and I am eight years old. I am a Sudanese by nationality.

I lost my father and my mother has been taking care of us with my other siblings, It has been very hard for us but through the grace of God we have come this far.
Read the rest of this entry »

For the most current information, visit Peter’s new website:
Peter’s Orphans

I am Ezekiel D.; I am Sudanese by nationality six years of age. I am in Nursery school (BCEA) in Nairobi Kenya as we came here due to the sickness of my Father who passed away on March20, 2009 in Juba Sudan.
Read the rest of this entry »

Simon Deng,  one of the  Lost Boys of Sudan, lives in San Jose, and is a Hope With Sudan board member.

San Jose Mercury News – View Full Story

I am Daniel Awan D. aged 3 years. I was born to my loving parents in Nairobi (Kenya) in 2006. My parents are, father: Rev. Peter Garang D. and my mothers name is Mary Achol.

Having been born in a refugee camp I have experienced many challenges for example hunger, lack of medication and insecurity. My dad has been very prayful and hopeful and he always promised us that our life will change in the long run.
Read the rest of this entry »

Simon Deng,  one of the  Lost Boys of Sudan, lives in San Jose, and is a Hope With Sudan board member.

San Jose Mercury News – View Full Story

Our Newsletters

February 2009

June 2008

March 2008

September 2007

May 2007

March 2007

Your purchases benefit our Sudanese Orphan Education Program.

Peter Nyok, Hope With Sudan board member, and one of The Lost Boys, coordinates the program.

Items are handmade by the Massai craft persons in Kenya.

For purchase information, contact awarren@hopewithsudan.org

San Jose Mercury New Article 11/13/08

Fisher: In Morgan Hill, a festival for the short-film fan

Jerry Drino, an Episcopal priest who works with refugees in San Jose, is bringing some local Sudanese Lost Boys to the screening. Drino shows “Lifestories” …
read article

Hope With Sudan is participating in the San Mateo County Reads program.

Our presentation, Songs of the Dinka Tribe, includes a musical performance of traditional songs from the Dinka tribe of Southern Sudan.

 .

Jerry Drino, executive director of Hope With Sudan, attended a conference in Rochester, NY with several other international organizations. Working together to support Sudan, they began planning a Beach Boys benefit concert on July 9, 2009 during General Convention in Anaheim .

Read entire article & watch video.

.

Marc with his son, Simon

Canon Mark Atem Thuc
Canon to the Ordinary – Diocese of Bor, Sudan

Meet Canon Mark Atem

UPDATE 10/11/08 His trip has been POSTPONED.

Canon Mark is the founding partner in Sudan of our diocesan connection – Hope With Sudan – which began informally in 2003.

Canon Mark carries the title of Commissary of Bor with responsibility for the oversight of the 18 Archdeaneries and the 800 clergy serving 1.5 million Episcopalians in an area half the size of California. None of the clergy are paid. One of the commitments of Hope With Sudan to the Diocese of Bor has been to support him and his family, out of which the larger scholarship program has grown. Now there are 80 students receiving scholarships from Hope With Sudan include five priests and their children.

Canon Mark was the Archdeacon for Kakuma Refugee Camp as it came to being in the early 1980’s to 2002 from with the Lost Boys and Lost Girls were resettled to this country. He has stood fast in his leadership and suffering in the face of almost all the villages of his diocese being destroyed, hundreds of thousands killed or wounded and the whole culture brought to the brink of destruction. He is truly an inspiring witness with his profound faith rooted in the goodness of God, a knowledge that God has not abandon the people and that there is a larger purpose for everyone to fulfill in this life.

For more information,  contact Jerry Drino, Executive Director of Hope With Sudan jdrino@hopewithsudan.org (408) 259-2111.