Daudi Matengo Mijak
Age: 21
Region: Upper Nile
Although, I was only 4 years old the night the Arabs came into our village and the
started shooting people, I remember I ran with one of my brothers and a nephew
one way and my parents ran another. My dad had seven wives and my mom had five
sons and one daughter. Four of my brothers are in Sudan, and two are soldiers in the
SPLA. My sister is married and living in Sudan, too.
A group of solder escorted us to Ethiopia. We traveled at night because it was too
hot during the day and we had to hide from the Arabs. When I got tired my older
brother carried me. I was always worried about being shot and where parents were.
War broke out in Ethiopia and we had to walk back to the border, hiding and
moving for many months from Kapoets to Lockichokio and finally to the Kakuma
Camp in Kenya where I lived with my brother and nephew for nine years. There was
never enough food in the camp, but I didn’t get to go to school.
I arrived in the U.S. as an under age person on January 31, 2001. I was placed in a
foster family with several other Lost Boys. The best thing about living in America is
that I don’t have to run at night anymore and I can finish school. It’s safer, although
there are dangerous people here, too. One day I was riding my bike and some people
in a truck jumped out and wanted to fight me and another time people threw eggs at
me.
I was a little shy because I didn’t know if people would understand me, but I made a
lot of friends in high school. I like to play sports and I won awards for varsity soccer.
I also like music. I’m going to Gateway Community College and working part time at
Fry’s. I’d like to become a doctor and a U.S. citizen. People say I act like an American
kid. But, when I’m with my African friends I like them.