53 Manor Parkway, Apt#B.
Rochester, NY 14620
March 29th, 2013
Dear Mrs. Betsy and Mr. Arthur Malone,
I am writing this thank you letter on behalf of Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon. It is not because he could not write it. However, he courteously asked me to write it for him since he is graduating this Spring 2013 from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York(USA).
Lual and I, are very related, especially on the side of my biological father, but in America, this distant relationships would sound something much confusing and/or awkward to average Americans. My biological father, Mr. Wuor Deng Jok’s mother is from Paduon section of Dinka-Kongor ethnic groups in Africa. And Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon, and his father are from Paduon section within Dinka-Kongor ethnic groups in South Sudan in Africa. This is the very reason why I said it from very time when you were processing his domestically adoption paperwork through our US immigration office. You once said that you will adopt Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon as foster young men. You once asked me how I related to him in one way or another. Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon, and I asserted that we are distant cousins. I believe this is what he probably said to you when he was first residing in the City of Rochester with one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, by the names, Mr. Atem Biar.
Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon wanted to appreciate you since you had tremendously helped him finishing his High School studies. He will also proceed to achieve a technological degree from one of the technical colleges, especially from our accredited college of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Without your help and advice, Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon could not have made it since English language learning is not his first language. With your present and relentless support, this is what will make him acquire his technological degree. He has the strength to achieve something greater to which I think that he has outpaced his deceased father, Mr. Akoi Anyuon, who is nicknamed as Mr. Akoi-’yahn’. And He is also survived with his mother, and siblings, who are still alive in UNHCR-Kakuma Refugees Camp in Kenya in Africa. He probably did not achieve everything. He left a big family behind to which they were once growing up with him in the South Sudan until they got married. Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon probably has other siblings.
Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon’s deceased father was very hard working person. And he was referred to as Akoi-’yahn’ in the Dinka-Kongor community, especially in the village/town of Pawel, Twic East County, Jonglei State in South Sudan in Africa. He was probably a strong man. He was also a great wrestler. Of course, his deceased father was the man of the people with great perseverance, and strengths. He had a determination in whatever he wanted to achieve in his life. Most of the Paduon section people within Dinka-Kongor Community had respected, and/or revered him a lot in everything ranging from people’s person to wrestling. And today they still remember him as a people's person. With that perseverance, this is what Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon had shown through all these years of his studies. He has a humongous vision to accomplish something bigger in comparison to what his survived family including his late father, Mr. Akoi Anyuon, had once attained in life. He left him with single mother, who is now supporting Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon’s siblings in the South Sudan in Africa. It is this spirit and hard-work ethics that his late father and single mother had shown them. They had 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 to survive alone without adoptions. If you do have people that you knew already, and then they will help you through resettling, enculturation, and adjustment to the place. Of course, you could still make it without struggling with ‘drop out experience. Mr. Luai Akoi Anyuon had shown the idea of ‘exceptionalism.’ This idea of exceptionalism once denoted that if you work hard enough without bouncing back, and then you could achieve something beyond a horizon. This is what ‘naked eyes’ might have implied. He liked what he did academically to which he will get his technological degree from the four years College studies, especially from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) combined with his Wilson Magnet High School’s diploma. He had probably done two years preparation studies from SUNY-Monroe Community College (MCC) in Rochester, New York.
As you know, Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon first landed in Nashville, Tennessee. He came from UNHCR-Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya in Africa. And this was a place, where he first humbly adjusted to the new experiences and new learning curve. He had to adapt to the culture to which he found. I do not remember exactly what year, the U.S Citizenship, and Immigration Services(USCIS) had brought him here. However, he probably came in the same year ranges when I first landed in New York, NY. He likely was airlifted to the Rochester, New York, in 2001. I did not ask Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon, 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.
Anyway, I will need to go back to point, Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon felt so appreciative and thankful for magnificent work and relentlessly help. You had graciously shown him kindness through all these years of studies and adjustment to this environment. Without your help, Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon, 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 a 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.
Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon mentioned to me that mother Betsy Malone’s sister had passed away this year. And Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon had told me about it. He thought I should mention you both on how he felt. Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon truly expressed his condolences, eulogy, and prayers since he is one of your family members. Although he did not accompany you for a trip for Florida to join the family, Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon deeply felt disheartened and discomfort. This is because of that huge lost in the family of Mr. Arthur, and Mrs. Betsy Malone. I know that you relentlessly believe in him. He will graduate soon from Rochester Institute of Technology(RIT).
We had legally filed for name change affidavit in the Supreme Court of New York. We probably have the same refugee resettling’s family given last names. And this must be what will utmost surprise you a lot for years. It is not only Mr.Lual Akoi and me, Mr. David Deng Wuor(a.k.a Mr. David Bul Garang). However, it is what is happening to most of our colleagues, especially the Lost Boys of Sudan across America, who came through Refugee resettlement program as ‘Lost Boys’ of South Sudan from UNHCR-Kakuma Refugees Camp in 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 update surnames 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 Citizenship and Immigration Service(USCIS), and United States Catholic Conference for Bishops (USCCB). And lastly we should update everything starting from local agency like Catholic Family Center(CFC) respectively. Therefore, our personal information, and employment verifications, have already become distorted all along since UNHCR-Kakuma Refugees Camp in Kenya until we entered into USA. However, it is still who we are as long as you remember your KES case number and Social Security number. We will suffer from credibility, but there is nothing we could do. Majority of the Lost Boys of Sudan, who were airlifted to the Canada and to Australia, will not suffer from the ‘name change’ syndrome.
It is also my pleasure that Mr. Lual Akoi Anyuon asked me to prepare this ‘thank you letter’ for his host family. I felt so proud of him that I became part of his RIT graduation ceremony after my two years trip for South Sudan in Eastern Africa.
With Appreciation,
David D. Wuor
(585)363-2288
dengwuor1980@gmail.com
PS. He is writing on behalf of his distant cousin, Mr. Lual Akoi
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