Lost Boy Speaking in Madison Tonight

Posted on Wednesday, February 13, 2008

A Lost Boy of the Sudan will be speaking in Madison today, and presenting his ideas to rebuild that war torn nation. Moses Joknhial II was one of more than 27,000 young boys who were displaced or orphaned during the two decade long Sudanese Civil War that began in 1984. Villages throughout southern Sudan were destroyed by government troops, most adults were killed, many girls taken as slaves, but thousands of young boys survived.

In June of 1987 Joknhial, then nine years old, fled his burning home town with thousands of other boys. They traveled a thousand miles of dessert, hoping to find safety in Ethiopia. Joknhial, in broken English he learned as a refuge, says nearly half of the 40,000 he fled with died in the journey.

The group would stay just four years in Ethiopia before war forced them tho flee, back across Sudan, to Kenya. Chased by government troops the boys crossed the Gilo River under gun fire, where thousands more died.

10,000 refuges reached Kenya in 1992. Joknhial would spend the next decade in camps, living of corn meal, and learning some English. In 2001 the United States agreed to take in the Lost Boys. Moses Joknhial was on one of the last planes to leave, but his plane would not land in America. At nearly the same time his plane left for New York, the 9/11 terrorists stuck America. Eventually he reached America and later Sioux Falls South Dakota.

Now with the war in the Sudan over, Joknhial is trying to help those left behind. He is raising money to build a school for his hometown. The building would have no electricity or plumbing, just a water pump and shelter from the weather. Currently school is taught outside, and has to be canceled during the rainy season.

You can hear more Moses Joknhial II tonight at Grace Episcopal Church in Madison. He will present his project Rebuilding South Sudan Through Education at 6:30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend. Contributions to the project are tax deductible.