On October 27, 2011 Gabriel Bol Deng came to talk to the Upper School about his experience in Sudan becoming one of the Lost Boys, and shared some important life lessons with us.
Gabriel Bol Deng is a man originally from a village in South Sudan. When he was 10 years old, the North Sudanese Arab militiamen led a violent attack on his village. Everyone who didn’t escape was killed and most of Mr. Dengs’s family died. However, Mr. Deng was able to escape and had to walk for four months in order to reach safety in Ethiopia. His journey was extraordinarily difficult and he was fighting to survive, crossing the Nile River filled with crocodiles and crossing the desert. After living at an Ethiopian refugee camp, he then moved to Kenya (because of war), and eventually became an educated man working for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In 2001 Mr. Deng was able to come to the United States, a wonderful opportunity that the USA gave him and other Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan. He then went on to become a successful educator.
In 2007 Mr. Deng went back to Sudan in search of any family members left after the violent political turmoil. While there, he worked on his movie “Rebuilding Hope.” This movie features Mr. Deng looking at schools in Sudan and figuring out ways he could improve the education there. It also showed him reuniting with his family whom he had not seen since his village was ambushed when he was 10. When he returned to America, he founded ‘Helping Offer Primary Education (HOPE) for Ariang.’ HOPE for Ariang has “a mission to provide educational opportunities and health services to Sudanese people adversely affected by political turmoil in Sudan.” (www.hopeforariang.org) Not only does HOPE for Ariang build schools for villages and provide necessary tools for the schools, they also make sure the students are fed, have clean water, and have gotten necessary vaccines. Mr. Deng and other people like him were called the “Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan,” and he is sharing his experience as a ‘lost boy’ with others, and providing education to those who have been affected by what has happened in Sudan.
Whilst fighting for his life during the political turmoil in Sudan, Gabriel Bol Deng remembered important life virtues his parents taught to him. He said that he particularly remembered his father saying, “You have the power to move a mountain.” The theme ‘moving your mountain’ stayed with him throughout his journey and was a very important step mentally for his survival. ‘Moving your mountain’ means that whatever big obstacle you have in your life, with hope, courage, and resilience you can always overcome the obstacles. Mr. Deng’s Mom and Dad had a huge influence in his life, and their wisdom and advice saved him. He said that his parents told him, “Life is about making good decisions.” Multiple times this advice saved him in situations of life or death. He made it clear that in any circumstances you are in, making good decisions is most important. Lastly, the final principal advice that he shared with us was that you are unable to control only 10% of your life. The other 90% is within your control, so don’t let the 10% determine the outcome.
Gabriel Bol Deng’s story was extraordinary, and makes us put our lives into perspective. His story taught us to believe in our dreams, work hard to achieve, and be appreciative and grateful for what we have.
If you would like to inquire further about Gabriel Bol Deng and his non-profit organization Hope for Ariang, his website is www.hopeforariang.org
- By Virginia M.
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