On Oct. 20, I introduced you to Augustino Mayai, a 23-year-old sociology student at the University of Utah. August, as he's known, flew from New York to Salt Lake City in 2001. He carried an envelope filled with official paperwork, but did not know his destination.
August is one of 17,000 refugees known as the "lost boys of Sudan."
Forced to flee from the rest of his Dinka tribe during a brutal civil war in 1989, August and the others trekked 600 miles to Ethiopia, then back on foot again to Sudan and eventually to Kenya. They had no parents or elders to accompany them. Some were killed by animals; many more died of hunger and thirst. August was 7 years old.
The story of the lost boys has been told in film and print. They live throughout the United States. Some have suffered the worst of relocation, turning to gangs, crime and drugs. But many more are thriving and succeeding in their new homeland. When I met August, he was finishing a final sociology paper for his bachelor's degree. And he was ecstatic over recent news that one or more of his relatives may still be alive. Clinging to a hope he may find his family, August was scraping together funds from his part-time campus job for a trip back to Sudan next summer.
I learned this week that several kind readers have sent donations totaling nearly $600 to the U. development office in August's name.
August is busily completing graduate school applications to several prestigious universities, including Stanford, Georgetown and Columbia. He plans to pursue a dual degree in law and sociology.
He wants to combine his interests in human rights law and social policy for immigrants.
In his characteristically calm way, August told the theme of the essay he must include in his school applications. First, he describes his life-altering experience as a refugee. Then, he tries to summarize this message: "I want to make sure the generations to come never have to go through what I did."
* Last August I wrote a column supporting the anti-war protest held in Salt Lake City while President Bush addressed the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention. Sandy resident Linda Orges e-mailed to explain her conflict between opposing the war and in loving and supporting her son, Devin, who was about to leave for Fort Bragg, N.C., and eventually, Iraq.
Linda e-mailed again last week. With her permission, I include this update on her much loved son.
"I have learned so much from Devin since he decided to delay his education in his junior year [of college] to join the Army infantry. I was perplexed with his decision to join, and did everything in my power to stop him. I know he felt a sense of duty to his country before getting on with his life."
Linda writes that, while training in Fort Bragg, Devin and a friend had gone to town to see a movie. Waiting for a taxi back to the base, they were beaten and robbed by seven men. "The two survived with black eyes, bruised ribs and a concussion. But they stole Devin's Utah driver license, credit cards, Social Security card and cell phone. When Devin returned to the barracks all his fellow soldiers were there opening their wallets ready to give him whatever he needed."
Happy Thanksgiving to Devin Ogres and the other men of the 82nd Airborne A Company 3rd Battalion 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment. Gratitude to you all.
hmullen@sltrib.com
