Show Lost Boy Finds Home 3 4 r I Af V iN J j I I II c r 3 7 I Si B o 0 r a 1 I IJ Q rt c cI I J rY f 1 3 au o u S 1 4 i Q c c C- cc 1 Abraham Gai is one of Lost Boys who were allowed to come to the US U.S. t McCue Betsy Ward Lynne Hamilton Contributing Writers who works with As a volunteer countries war torn refugees from knows firsthand what this A Abraham Gal aai knows experience is like In the early the war in Sudan separated more than children from their families driving them into the deserts of Southern Sudan Gai Gal a student at Salt Lake Community College was one of these children He banded together er with other children called Lost Boys and Lost Girls as they walked more than 1000 miles to Ethiopia back to Sudan and finally to Kenya Along the way the children survived starvation V L predatory animals and government attacks When they reached Kenya the children children children chil chil- dren lived in the Kakuma refugee camp for the next ten years struggling for food and education At the camp Abraham learned the power of working in a team He worked with teachers and community ty elders to solve problems and work toward peace among the children in a project called Community Peace Education sponsored by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees es Of the children who made it to Kenya were allowed to come to the United States for a chance at a better education Gai was one of them He arrived in Utah on September 2001 sponsored by the International Rescue committee There are currently Lost Boys and Girls in Utah With more than 90 students Salt Lake City currently has the largest population of Lost Boys and Girls enrolled in school in inthe inthe inthe the US U.S. In the fall of 2002 Gai Gal started stated school at where he joined the Sudanese Student Association This student group recruits students to volunteer with refugees helping them with their English and teaching survival skills to new arrivals He also became involved as asa asa asa a student volunteer with the Thayne Center for Service Learning at the col col- lege As a very committed volunteer Gai works with refugees from many countries countries countries coun coun- tries teaching them survival skills showing showing showing show show- ing people living in poverty the path to saving money and securing the their r home See Abraham continued on page 8 Abraham continued from front Gais Gai's numerous projects includes an event called The Lost Boys Overcoming Trauma Stories of Courage and Success Despite Traumatic Conflict This activity sponsored by the Sudanese Student Association was about success success success suc suc- cess and education as well as asan asan asan an opportunity to share food and history from the Sudanese culture |