Posted on 05/01/2006 1:33:25 AM PDT by beaversmom
Long ago, in what seems like another life, Gabriel Agor knew nothing of freedom and opportunity. He knew only survival.
And he never imagined as he fled the nightmare that was Sudan in 1987 that he might end up where he is today.
"Through almighty God, we make it in a way that we don't even know. We never dreamed that we would be in America," said Agor, 25, a Grand Rapids resident who is proud to call himself a U.S. citizen.
He is believed to be the first of West Michigan's "Lost Boys" of Sudan to achieve the distinction. Agor was scheduled to be sworn in today in a ceremony at the Gerald R. Ford Museum with dozens of other new citizens.
While it is a remarkable journey, Agor deflected praise for himself. He wanted instead to thank all those who helped since he arrived in December 2000.
"I don't know what to say to the government of America and the people of Grand Rapids. The way they welcome us, it's really wonderful."
There have been other impressive milestones among the estimated 200 Lost Boys who have settled in West Michigan since 2000:
# In 2003, David Mayom and Abraham Garang graduated from Grand Rapids Community College.
# In May 2005, Simon Majak was first to join the military when he signed up for the Marines. He called it his way of saying "thank you."
# In December, Mayom became the first to earn a four-year college degree when he graduated from Western Michigan University.
But Western Michigan University student David Bishow, another Lost Boy, said he believes Agor is the first in this community to gain citizenship. Under immigration law, refugees are permanent residents when they arrive and are eligible to become citizens after five years.
They are among about 3,700 Sudanese refugees to settle in America, including eight of the Lost Boys who settled in Grand Haven in 2001, sponsored by the First Christian Reformed Church.
Agor said his father and a brother were killed in the war. He has not seen his mother or other siblings since they were separated in 1987. His mother remains in a refugee camp in Kenya, while another brother is in a hospital in Uganda with chronic malaria and his sister is in a hospital in Kenya with diabetes.
From his earnings in his second-shift job at Lacks Industries in Kentwood, Agor managed to scrape together $200 to send them to defray their medical expenses.
"It is not a lot of money in America. But in Africa, it is quite a lot," he said.
Unsure if he will ever see them again, Agor manages to smile and think that the best days are still ahead.
"In America, it means a lot to have citizenship. I am proud to be part of this country."
It is good to see someone appreciates doing it the right way.
As opposed to who knows how many will be out protesting against us today...
Nice post. Thanks. :)
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