March 29th, 2013
Dear mother Betsy and Arthur:
I am writing this thank you letter on behalf of Lual Akoi. Itis not because he could not write it, however he courteously asked me to write it for him since he is graduating this Spring 2013.
Lual and I, are very related, especially on the side of my father, but in America, it would sound something confusing and awkward. My father, Wuor Deng Joak’s mother is from Paduon section, Kongor and Lual Akoi and his father are from Paduon section, Kongor. That is very reason why I said it from very time when you were processing the adoption paperworks through Immigration Office to host Lual Akoi as foster young men. You had asked me how I related to Lual Akoi and I asserted that we are cousins. I believe that is what he probably said to you when he was first residing in the City of Rochester with Atem.
Lual Akoi wanted to appreciate you since you had tremendously helped him to finish his High School Studies as well as for him to achieve degree from Higher Education from accredited college: Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Without your help and advice, Lual Akoi could not have made it since English language learning is not that his first language. With your present and relentless support, this is what will make him to achieve something greater to which his deceased fatherAkoi, who is nicknamed as Akoi ‘Yahn’ and mother, who is still alive, did not achieve when they were growing up in the South Sudan until they got married and have Lual Akoi with other siblings.
Lual Akoi’s father was very hard working person and he was referred to as Akoi ‘Yahn’ in the Kongor community, in Pawel town, Twic East County, Jonglei State, South Sudan. He was strong man and a great wrestler and the man of the people with great perseverance, who had a determination in whatever he wanted to achieve in his life. Most of the Paduon sectionpeople within Kongor Community had respected him a lot and today they still remember him as ‘people’s person. With that perseverance, this is what Lual Akoi had shown through all these years of his studies to achieve something that his family including his daddy who left him with the mother who is now supporting Lual Akoi’s siblings in the South Sudan as a single mother. It is this spirit and hard work that his father and mother had shown them to work tirelessly without giving up, even though it is harder to achieve and to accomplish.
America as it was known as ‘New World’ is not an easier place, if you do have people that you know already who will help you through resettling, enculturation, and adjustment to the place, then you could make it without struggling experience of ‘drop out.’ Luai Akoi had shown the idea of ‘exceptionalism’, which said that if you work hard enough without bouncing back, you could achieve something greater ‘beyond horizon’ of what naked eye can see like what he did academically to which he will get his degree from the four years College studies from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) combined with his High School diploma and two years preparation studies from Monroe Community College (MCC).
As you know, Lual Akoi first landed in Nashville, Tennessee when he came from Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya and this was a place, where he first adjusted to the new experiences and new learning curve to the culture to which he found. I do not remember exactly what year the Department of U.S Immigration and Citizenship brought him here, but he probably came in the same year range when I first landed in the New York City and then air-lifted to the Rochester, New York, in 2001. I did not ask Lual Akoi, but almost all of Four thousand and eight hundred (4,800) young men previously known as ‘lost boys” from South Sudan came in 2001 with variation only in month interval.
Any way, I will need to go back to point, Lual Akoi felt so appreciative and thankful for magnificent work and relentlessly help you had graciously shown to him through all these years of studies and adjustment to the environment. Without your help, Lual Akoi, could not have made it to obtain and accomplish something to which he will feel proud for the rest of his life since education is not something simple. It is the piece of paper; however it meant a lot since it is what society came up with to use and show when you are looking for an employment.
Lual Akoi mentioned to me that mother Betsy’s sister had passed away this year and Lual Akoi had told me about it. He thought I should mention how he felt. Lual Akoi truly expressed his condolence, eulogy, and prayers since he is one of your family members, although he did not make a trip for Florida to join the family. He deeply felt disheartened and discomfort because of that lost in the year to which he will graduate.
We had changed refugee resettling’s surnames to family given names and this must be what will surprise you a lot for years. It is not only Lual Akoi and me, David Wuor, however it is what is happening to most of our colleagues across America, who came through Refugee resettlement as ‘Lost Boys’ of South Sudan from Kakuma---Kenya. It happened because this is how we came and few ‘Lost Boys’ of South Sudan came to the United States with their actual surnames to which their family members gave them. It will take several years to finally updatesurnames from all previous refugee agencies starting from United Nations Higher Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), International Organization for Immigration (IOM), International Naturalization Services(INS), and the US Immigration and Citizenship, and United States Catholic Conference for Bishops (USCCB) and then lastly to local agency like Catholic Family Center(CFC) respectively. Therefore, our personal information became distorted, however it is still who we are as long as you remember your KES case number and Social Security number. We will suffer from creditability, but there is nothing we could do. Only the ‘Lost Boys’ of South Sudan, who were air-lifted to the Canada and to Australia, will not suffer from the ‘name change’ syndrome.
It is also my pleasure that Lual Akoi Nyuon asked me to prepare this ‘thank you letter’ for his host family. I felt so proud of him that I became part of his graduation convocation after my two years trip for South Sudan.
With Appreciation,
David D. Wuor
Http://davidwuor.blogspot.com/
E-Mail: dengwuor1980@gmail.com
PS. Writing on behalf of Cousin Lual Akoi
Prepared by David Wuor, Spring 2013
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