 November 2005
The Poured Fire on Us From the Sky
by Benson Deng, Alphonsion Deng, Benjamin Ajak, with Judy A. Bernstein
There are many gut wrenching and compelling stories that share space in the minds of men that illuminates greater realization as it pertains to phenomena. Interestingly enough, few can compare with acquiring freedom the hard way. If you don’t know the story of the Lost Boys of Sudan, here is your opportunity to share in their story…and telling it poignantly with the help of mentor, Judy A. Bernstein. As co-writer the forward and epilog says a lot about opinionated matters and looking at the bigger picture to get a better understanding of what was accomplished. Details of foraging for food, encountering the perils of nomadic existence cohabitating with ferocious animals in the wild, suffering physical maladies, and being subjected to ideological mindsets against their friends and family lends a pathetic realism to their plight. The secondary part of this story tells of their adaptation to America with the quest to legitimize presence and to persist in lessening culture shock for acceptance. I agree as others are prone to, that this is a remarkable tale of what it means to persevere and and have faith and determined will to succeed.
The Sudan Civil War is, and has taken its toll on everyone within the Diaspora where chaos is definitive to destruction; where genocide and other atrocities entrenched in a people who know no other way of life, and where there’s no varying degree of degradation. The Deng brothers, Alphonsion and Benson and their cousin Benjamin took on a dream, enacted upon it, and persevered. Their account of a journey detailing a story worth telling is told through the pages of a well written, if not poetic assemblage of essays by three with help from Ms Bernstein who has proven to be much more than an interested bystander. Mentorship notwithstanding she gets a chance to tell her side of the story and to this day is instrumental in the relief effort that is ongoing. The book is a good and spirited read with continuity arranged in alternating chapters recalling their childhood experiences, their arduous trek and their education in the throughout before embarking to the United States.
I truly enjoyed this book and consider it one of the best I’ve read this year coupled with the other stories abounding with natural disasters and human gut-wrenching ordeals throughout the world. This story took a hold of my sensibilities and never let go. I encourage you to get your copy of this book, endeavor to get involved somehow and pass the word along that success is colorblind and STILL hold it’s weight depending not why it is, but how it emanated to the proportions that render it substantial.
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