‘Lost boy’ of Sudan shares his story
By CHERYL R. CLARKE cclarke@sungazette.comArticle Photos
Dau’s talk followed a showing of the documentary film “God Grew Tired of Us.”
Narrated by Nicole Kidman, the film explores the indomitable spirit of three “lost boys” from Sudan who leave their homeland, triumph over seemingly insurmountable adversities and move to America, where they build active and fulfilling new lives but remain deeply committed to helping the friends and family they have left behind.
It is the winner of both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.
Separated from their families by a tumultuous civil war and traveling barefoot across the sub-Saharan desert, Dau, Daniel Abol Pach and Panther Blor were among the 25,000 boys ages 3 to 13, who fled villages, formed surrogate families and sought refuge from famine, disease, wild animals and attacks from rebel soldiers.
Dau’s 14-year journey led him from his home village in Duk County, Sudan in 1987 to his arrival in Syracuse, N.Y., in 2001.
During his journey of more than 1,000 miles and many years in refugee camps, he was one of the older boys who had to lead thousands of children in surviving violence and starvation.
Dau answered questions following the showing of the film, including one from a 22-year-old black student named Orman, who asked Dau what kept him motivated in the desert wilderness of Africa.
“Two things, my culture and my religion,” he said.
Dau explained that when he and the 1,200 younger boys he was in charge of at the age of 13, were starving and consuming things that he said he couldn’t imagine doing, he remembered what his father always told him.
“Never, ever give up,” he said. “If you are in a bad time, the good time may be the next thing that happens to you,” he said. “Keep trying, if you don’t get it seven times, on the eighth time, you will get it,” he added.
Dau, who said he is a Christian, said he remembered the Old Testament story of Job, who lost his entire family and was dying of disease and still did not forsake God, even though his wife couldn‘t understand why he didn’t.
“And when he didn’t say those words, he got everything back, his health, his family, his life,” Dau said.
He urged another young black student named Nicole who asked how she could practice the African culture into her life as an African American that the African way is to respect your elders.
“Respect yourself, respect others, we don’t do bad things because it will tarnish the family name.” he said.
In response to a girl who asked him the question, “If you could change one thing about your country, what would it be?” Dau said, “education.”
“The people there lack education. I never went to school till I was 17,” he said. “I would give the gift of literacy.”
Dau, who speaks six languages, completed his associate’s degree at Onondaga Community College while working 60 hours a week as a security guard. He is pursuing a degree at Syracuse University in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
Dau also formed two foundations – the Sudanese Lost Boys Foundation of New York, which helps Sudanese youth in Syracuse and throughout the U.S. transition to life in America through educational and counseling programs; and the American Care for Sudan Foundation of New York, which has solicited funds to build and operate the Duk Lost Boys Clinic at Duk Payuel in southern Sudan.
Now 27 and married to one of the “lost girls” of the Sudan, Martha, Dau is the father of a daughter, and he and his wife are expecting a son this summer. He also brought his mother and sister over from Sudan. His father, brother and another sister remain there.
Dau’s appearance and the showing of the film were sponsored by the Mansfield University Leadership Institute.
