International Student Track Reports
Sudanese "Lost Boys" at Urbana
Ron Riesinger
It was already late at night when I sat down with Thuokok. We slowly
started to get acquainted as we munched on our snack in the International Student
Lounge of the Illinois Street Residence Hall. Though I had met three of the Sudanese
refugees that came through the line on registration day, I had not had the chance
to sit down and hear their stories. As we crunched our way through the awkwardness
of introductions, I began to sense the miracle of God that sat beside me.
Thuokok is a refugee from Southern Sudan. At age 10, he found his way to a camp in nearby Ethiopia to escape the carnage and devastation in his country. For seven years he lived in the camp, separated from his family members. He did not speak much about that time, only that it was a hard life. He did speak appreciatively about the UN and particularly about the foresight of Churchill and Roosevelt in establishing such an organization to protect the vulnerable people of the world.
At 17, he was chosen to be placed in a home in the United States. A Chinese-American woman, a committed Christian living in Salt Lake City, welcomed him and helped him adapt to life in the US. A few years later he took a trip to Nebraska and enrolled in a small university. He graduates this coming May with a degree in business. He plans to get practical training for a year and then apply for law school. His great desire is to ultimately practice international law, so that he can assist people that have been in situations similar to himself.
As we talked, he mentioned that he did not pray to God for small things. I, thinking this might be a "staff teaching moment", objected by saying that God wants to hear about the small needs as well as the big, life questions. He quietly said that instead of asking God for the relatively unimportant things, he was full of praise to God for giving him new life in America, an education, transportation, and food; all the things that I often take for granted as an American. My teaching moment turned into a "staff learning moment" and I thought it might be a good idea to be quiet and listen!
Some of the other Sudanese "Boys" showed up following the evening General Session of the convention and I asked if I might join them for their small group prayer time. They said that would be fine. We pulled our chairs together in a lounge reserved for the African delegation. Students from Zimbabwe,Tanzania, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and others began to fill the room. There was a lot of talking and playful banter. But then the groups broke down into regions or countries and the serious time of prayer and reflection began. After formal introductions, a Scripture reading and a song, most gave a brief testimony about what God is doing in their lives, plus a reminder about the needs of their country. After several passionate statements, they asked me to say a few words. I said that in spite of 9/11 we Americans still, as a people, cannot comprehend the devastation, division and hopelessness of the people of Sudan. I looked around the circle at eight men who had lost or been permanently separated from their families. I briefly thanked God for my wife, my daughters and for the privileges I enjoy as an American. Then I thanked him for the miracle of bringing some lost boys to America and to Urbana.
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