Spring Break
'Lost Boy' shares his journey
Ed Komenda
Issue date: 11/14/07 Section: News
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John Bul Dau witnessed death on a daily basis during his adolescent life while war tore through his home country of Sudan, Africa. Due to these circumstances, Dau became a "lost boy" - and the subject of the award-winning documentary "God Grew Tired of Us."
Dau shared his story at Western Illinois University Monday night as part of the Global Perspective Series.
His journey began in 1987 when he tried to sleep in the gender-segregated village of Duk Payuel in southern Sudan.
"In the middle of night, the sound of guns, the whistling of bullets and bombs woke me up," Dau said. "As I found myself standing, I realized my village was under attack."
Troops from northern Sudan, comprised of Muslims, attacked the village of Duk Payuel in the hope of converting the non-Muslim villagers. Southern Sudanese men were shot if they showed any resistance.
As bombs fell and bullets whizzed through the air, Dau found himself running toward the sound of his mother's voice, which was screaming at the children to get outside. According to Dau, as soon as he left the house he found himself lying low in tall grass with a neighbor he had mistaken for his father.
"All of a sudden, the long line of troops were coming through our village shooting," Dau said. "I kept quiet because I knew something was wrong."
Though he wanted to reunite with his family, Dau took the advice of the neighbor, who assured him it was far too dangerous to stay in the village. Following that night of horror was a 14-year journey to survive in various refugee camps throughout Ethiopia and Kenya.
Dau talked about times of great struggle that often left the group of lost boys with no food or water, which ravaged their bodies.
"My skin started to turn white, and I would cry but no tears would come out," Dau said. "I thought it was the end of the world."
Whenever there was a shortage of food, he said he was forced to regularly eat mud and chew grass to maintain energy. He added that mud resembled mashed potatoes, and eating it helped suppress hunger.
Dau shared his story at Western Illinois University Monday night as part of the Global Perspective Series.
His journey began in 1987 when he tried to sleep in the gender-segregated village of Duk Payuel in southern Sudan.
"In the middle of night, the sound of guns, the whistling of bullets and bombs woke me up," Dau said. "As I found myself standing, I realized my village was under attack."
Troops from northern Sudan, comprised of Muslims, attacked the village of Duk Payuel in the hope of converting the non-Muslim villagers. Southern Sudanese men were shot if they showed any resistance.
As bombs fell and bullets whizzed through the air, Dau found himself running toward the sound of his mother's voice, which was screaming at the children to get outside. According to Dau, as soon as he left the house he found himself lying low in tall grass with a neighbor he had mistaken for his father.
"All of a sudden, the long line of troops were coming through our village shooting," Dau said. "I kept quiet because I knew something was wrong."
Though he wanted to reunite with his family, Dau took the advice of the neighbor, who assured him it was far too dangerous to stay in the village. Following that night of horror was a 14-year journey to survive in various refugee camps throughout Ethiopia and Kenya.
Dau talked about times of great struggle that often left the group of lost boys with no food or water, which ravaged their bodies.
"My skin started to turn white, and I would cry but no tears would come out," Dau said. "I thought it was the end of the world."
Whenever there was a shortage of food, he said he was forced to regularly eat mud and chew grass to maintain energy. He added that mud resembled mashed potatoes, and eating it helped suppress hunger.
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