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Boys’ Stories Are Inspirational

By Ed Oliver
February 2002

Southborough Church Adopts 'The Lost Boys of Sudan'

It wasn’t hard to make friends with the seven refugees from Sudan. At an interview with them one evening at their Worcester apartment, this reporter was greeted with hugs and handshakes from every one of them.

Frank Diasio, who first befriended the refugees, suggested we bring along some pizza. The guys love pizza he said. They had never tasted it before coming to America. After the pizza quickly disappeared, the boys good-naturedly sat down to talk, even though it was late and they were obviously tired from a long day at work.

The boys said that in Africa they used to eat what is called “paper food,” which is the main food of Sudan. They said it isn’t bread. It is made from grain and is light and soft.

The boys wrote down their names. Some of them tack their Christian names onto their traditional names or just use their traditional names.

They said they come from the village of Yirol, in Southern Sudan. They speak the Dinka language, as well as Swahili, Arabic, Atuot and Latoko.

Armed soldiers attacked Yirol over a decade ago they said, causing the boys to endure a months-long grueling and deadly exodus out of Sudan.

They told MassNews they miss their families and are worried about their surviving relatives back in Africa. Some are in refugee camps; others are dead or missing. The boys work long hours at low pay in order to support themselves and send money home, which does not always get to the intended recipients.

While relief agencies try to help the refugees to reestablish contact with their families, in most cases it is hopeless.

One of the boys, who was with this group in Worcester when they first arrived here, moved on to California with a Southborough church family who took him in. He started college there, but recently got word that an uncle has been resettled in Minnesota. He is moving to Minnesota now to live with his uncle.

Of the other boys, some spoke better English than others, but they all wanted to say a few words:

Clement Chan Mou said his parents were killed during the attack on his village. He hasn’t heard any word about his seven siblings. Clement sends money to his wife and baby in the Kenyan refugee camp.

“I would like to thank God that I am here in America. I would like to thank the American people who know about the problem in Sudan and let these young boys come to establish their lives. God is with us all the time. Life here is not like life in the camp. I have to learn everything when I come. A lot of things are new to me, like the supermarket.” Clement works in the kitchen at St. Vincent’s Hospital.

John Odiongo Oboro hasn’t heard any word about his parents and three siblings.

He said when they first came here, they never went out and did not know how to shop or cook. The lady upstairs took notice and told Frank about them. They went to church with Frank. “We prayed. We ate at church. They give us food to bring home. They give us everything. Everything that we are having here now is from Temple Cross. They give us money. We went with lady to grocery. We did not know what to buy.”

He said they had never heard of dog and cat food and almost bought some to eat.

John wants to go to school but does not know what to study yet. He works at St. Francis Nursing Home.

Matthew Tong (Tong Tong) just got word his mother is alive. He remembers seeing soldiers shoot two of his brothers inside of his house. He is in contact by phone with a brother and sister.

When he first arrived in Worcester: Matthew says he was very scared and stayed inside. He did not know if strangers would kill him if he went outside. He said the Southborough church helped him to not be afraid of people. He said they gave him shoes, clothes, blankets, food and everything he needed. “Now we are satisfied,” he said.

Matthew said he would like to become a doctor, but without money, it will be very difficult. He said he would like to go back to help his people after that. Matthew also works at St. Vincent’s.

John Omiling Mateyo hasn’t heard anything about his parents and three brothers and three sisters.

John dreams of getting an education in agriculture and mechanical engineering, and moving back to Sudan to find his family if the situation improves. He also works at St. Vincent’s.

Dan Williams (Mangar Nhial) hasn’t heard anything of his parents. As for his five brothers and two sisters, he was recently put in contact with a brother in Uganda.’

“The people in the United States are so nice,” said Dan. “People have an interest in helping people and have a human ability which I can call the love of people. For me, America is different from where I have been.”

Dan hopes to go to school someday to learn business administration. He said he would then go back to Africa to help his people because he feels God has helped him. Dan works in the cafeteria at Worcester State College.

Benjamin Makuac (Boi Chap Chap) said he is in contact with his mother through the Red Cross. He has not seen her since 1987. He said part of their village, Yirol, is in the hands of SPLA rebels who are fighting the Muslims.

Benjamin said that at the Kakuma refugee camp, people would prey on the refugees at night by shooting and robbing them. He said he doesn’t know very much about this country, but the American people “really care about the people who do not have anything. America is a good society.”

When he first came here, Benjamin said he had no hope for the future. He said he now has hope. His first worry when he came here was his basic survival, which people have helped him with. His hopes to become a pharmacist, because he assisted a pharmacist in the refugee camp. Benjamin works at St. Francis Nursing Home.

Peter Garang (Maker Marial) is in contact by mail with his three sisters and brother. Peter said after coming to America, “Our life now is changed to good life.”

The boys said they come from a farming and herding community. If you own a lot of cows in Sudan, they said, you are respected. It is like having a lot of money. You even pay for a wife with cows. The price can go as high as hundreds of cows. “If you competing with seven men, you have to pay a lot of cows,” they said.

Singing About Courage

Before leaving, the boys played a cassette tape of a village elder singing. During the song, a cow joins in. They said the elder’s song inspired the cow to sing.

They said a Sudanese intellectual visited their village a long time ago and recorded the old man singing. They said somebody at the Kakuma camp gave them the tape to take with them to the U.S. so they would remember their roots.

One of the boys said, “He’s singing about courage. He told the people, when there is a war, don’t lose hope. There will be a time one day when God will bring peace to our beautiful land.”