‘Success and struggle is a package that cannot be separated.’
By: CASSIE KIBENS
Staff Designer
He woke up one night to his mother yelling, “Children, children, get up!” He ran. He ran all the way from Sudan to Ethiopia with the other lost boys.
“I drank urine to stay alive, I ate mud to stay alive.” John Bul Dau said to the audience.
Dau, author of “Lost Boy, Lost Girl,” and featured in the documentary “God Grew Tired of Us” spoke about his journey from Sudan to America and the challenges in-between at STLCC-Meramec on Thursday, April 25.
“Do not let you be hold hostage by what happened in your life,” Dau said. “Success and struggle is a package that cannot be separated.”
Dau’s journey took him across Africa and eventually to America. Dau traveled with upto 1,200 other lost boys, ranging from 5-15 years old. They faced dangers along the entire journey: military attacks, animal attacks and disease threatened their lives every day. The group traveled by night in order to help avoid the military.
“Today is bad, tomorrow will be ok,” Dau said to the younger lost boys. “We didn’t give up, we kept going.”
After the presentation, Dau and select students attended a luncheon for students to further discuss the cultural differences and Dau’s journey. Dau spoke about his cultural transition into American and how his first Christmas was a large cultural shock.
During some points in his life, Dau worked two to three jobs to make ends meet. Dau then realized he needed an education in order to better his life.
“All of our students go through change in their lives,” Diversity Committee member Linda Nissenbaum said. “I think John spoke to that, he’s just a great example for our students.”
Robert O’Davis, originally from Liberia, attended the luncheon. O’Davis came to America about 16 months ago to get an education. He will be attending University of Missouri – St. Louis and Washington University in the fall in order to study civil engineering. O’Davis hopes to use his degree to help development in his country.
“He’s an example for we Africans,” O’Davis said. “We have to give back to our community.”
Denise Sperruzza, Associate Professor of Communications, and Nissenbaum wanted to bring Dau to Meramec because of his message and because some of the professors show the documentary “God Grew Tired Of Us.” Sperruzza and Nissenbaum also had to scrape up the funds to bring Dau to campus.
“I knew in addition to hearing a message that needs to be heard it would personally connect with professors who show the movie in class and the students that have seen it,” Sperruzza said.
Some students who attended the presentation came because it was a class requirement, some attended because it intrigued them.
“We have it easy and I knew it was going to be inspirational,” sophomore Jennifer Daeumler said.
Dau told students at the end of the presentation that he survived because he did not give up, and God helped him become who he is today.
“Every problem has an end,” Dau said.
