Last Saturday’s benefit dinner was a great opportunity for fellowship and fundraising. Several of the “Lost Boys of Sudan” talked about their experience during the war in Sudan, in Kakuma Refugee Camp, and adjusting to life in America. John Maluk Yak, Vice President of ACDA read one of his poems-in-progress:
Memory of our journey
War, genocide, torture, persecution
War, separation, long walk
When we left our country, running for life
we didn’t know we would feed on trees!
Hunger! O boy we were Hungry!
War, separation, long walk
When we left our country, running for life
we didn’t know we would walk the desert!
Long desert! Long walk! O boy we were thirsty!
War, separation, long walk
When we left our country, running for life
we didn’t know we would swim the rivers!
Crocodiles! O boy we were drowning!
War, separation, long walk
When we left our country, running for life
we didn’t know we would walk over a thousands miles!
Long way long walk! O boy O our feet!
War, separation, long walk
When we left our country, running for life
we didn’t know we would suffer in the bush, suffer hunger, suffer thirst,
suffer disease, suffer homesickness in refugee camps, in Ethiopia, Kenya
Africa my continent…..
War, separation, long walk
When we left our country, running for life
we didn’t know we would keep moving,
moving across the world …escaping war, genocide, torture, persecution
When we came to America,
We were called Lost Boys, “Lost Boys” of Sudan,
Sudan… “Lost Boys” of Sudan….
War, separation, long walk
John went on to talk about his experience in High School in the US and how difficulties with the language caused problems:
Sometimes I was confused and said to some boys, “hi, you look beautiful”! They were so mad and were about to beat me! They responded, “we are not girls, we are boys, my friend”, and I apologized to them.
The question came afterward, “John, do you like girls?” Yes, I love them my friends. Why? They laughed and said, “Don't call us beautiful, ok? Here in America, we do not call boys beautiful. We only call girls beautiful!”
In addition to John, David Biar Gak, Jacob Bol Bul, Peter Magai Bul, and Deng Akoi Jurkuch spoke. Senator Jacqueline Collins and Reverend Cedric L. McCay were in attendance to offer a message of support. ACDA is grateful to the Faith Community of Saint Sabina and Reverend Michael Louis Pfleger for opening their doors for this benefit dinner.
The dinner itself was a feast of traditional Sudanese food. Delicious!
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