My Journey from Northern Sudan to the United States

My Journey from Northern Sudan to the United States

My name is Michael Malek. I am 15 years old and I live in Northern Sudan. I love playing football with my friends. It's my favorite sport. I walk home excited to see my beautiful family, which is originally from Southern Sudan. My father moved here to escape the lack of resources in Southern Sudan. He wanted to gain wealth in Northern Sudan. He desired a better life for us. As a result, I was born here in the North. I have access to food, water, shelter and an education.

Five months later in 1995, Things took an unexpected turn. A war occurred between North and South Sudan. The North is a predominantly Muslim region. Although we live here, my family and I did not follow Islam. We follow Christianity. The Northern soldiers burned and destroyed our house. We were forced to flee to Southern Sudan. My parents had to flee as well but in a different direction. They actually had to head to Eritrea. They live there for safety and a better quality of life. The country is poor. My parents still moved there because it’s cheaper. The country is Christian as well. I decided to follow the path of thousands of lost children because I thought they might go to a safe place. On our journey, I stayed in three refugee camps. I was amongst thousands of lost boys in order to survive. At the third camp, which is called “The Shagarab Camp”, two months later I met my best friend. His name is Jamal.

Jamal and I played together. We played hide and seek, tag, and especially my favorite sport, football. One day, Jamal suggested that Ethiopia had better refugee camps. So, we went there.

Me, Jamal, and the lost boys decided to walk to Ethiopia. The entire camp listened to us. They walked with Jamal and me . We had to cross the Nile River. We stopped on an island in the middle of the river. We ate fish and mangoes. Our main goal was to avoid starvation.

We continued to cross the river. Next, we crossed the hard Akobo Desert for 3 days. We didn’t have any food and our bodies were in agony. We carried a bucket with a bit of water. From the island just in case so all of us can at least survive. After three days, we made it to the border of Sudan and Ethiopia.We crossed the dangerous Gilo River where people frequently died. When they tried to cross it. Somehow, all of us crossed without getting hurt and we made it to Itang refugee camp. Sadly after only 3 months of surviving there, Ethiopia had a new government. The soldiers threatened us with guns. All of the boys were screaming and crying to the top of our lungs and we all had to cross the Gilo River again and I somehow crossed the river again using a dead body to block me from guns and it helped me swim across the river. Sadly, my friend Jamal died which was tragic. I then made it back to my country of Sudan and we got to Pochalla camp. As I walked, tears streamed down my face because of the loss of Jamal and I also miss my family and I was thinking of them the whole night.

But the only good thing that happened is that there is an organization called the United Nations (UN) which is the organization that created the refugee camps and they helped us get food and helped us get to Kenya. I eventually came to Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya as the United Nations helped us and now I am going to stay at the camp and wait until I get chosen to go to the United States.

In 2011, my name was on a list with thousands of other lost boys and I was chosen to go to America. I then eventually went to the airport and traveled with 40 lost boys and eventually made it to New York City. Some boys decided to go to Rochester or stay in NYC or Philadelphia which is located in Pennsylvania. But I decided to go to Washington, D.C. because it is the capital and I thought it was better because many Americans said it's a great place to live in and it has great schools, universities, and jobs. But I had to ride a bus down the highway for 3 hours and eventually made it. I rented an apartment and had a guide teach me the things they usually do in the USA. I learned how to use the shower, eat chips, and I now have an air conditioner (AC), and a bed which is better and more comfortable than the ones in Africa. I have been living a great life but in 2015, I decided to move back to Sudan and I just realized that Northern Sudan is now a country called just "Sudan." Southern Sudan is also its own country called "South Sudan" and it's a new country which got independence since 2011. I eventually landed back in South Sudan and I eventually found my family and I immediately jumped in excitement. I told my parents how they got there. Well they told me they moved back because South Sudan is now a country and no more war. I am now living my best life with my parents and I am so grateful to survive a long journey. Now I am grateful and happy to live with my parents and we can have a good rest of our life and peace!