My Story: By Lost Boy James Biar

My name is James Biar. I was born in 1981 in a small village called Baping in southern Sudan. I came to the United States on August 16, 2001.

In 1987, civil war broke out in my country between the Islamic government and the southern Sudan villages. Muslim soldiers came into our village with guns and killed our people. It was early in the morning while I was playing outside with my little sisters when the Muslim soldiers came and started shooting and setting our huts on fire. I ran into the nearby bush, where I hid for three days. I was 6 years old. There was no food or water in the bush and there were many wild animals. When I came out, all I saw was cloudy smoke covering my whole village. I heard continuous screaming from many people. Everything was on fire, and I was worried about my father, mother, and my sisters and brothers. Tears were running down my face without my knowledge.

I started walking away from the village and was joined by mainly young boys from other southern villages who, like me, had lost their parents, brothers, and sisters. We made our way to Ethiopia. On the way thousands of boys and girls lost their lives due to starvation, disease and attacks by wild animals like lions, tigers, and hyenas. In Ethiopia many young boys and girls lost their lives also due to lack of food and medicine and even emotional problems.

In 1991, civil war broke out in Ethiopia. The soldiers shot us as we tried to run away. We had to cross the River Gilo, and many of us were eaten by crocodiles or drowned. A few of us managed to cross over to Pachalla where there was long lasting starvation. People fed on the fruits and leaves of wild trees. After 6 months, the Red Cross brought help – food, medicine, and other things. In 1991 we were displaced from Pachalla by Arabs who captured it, and eventually we ended up in a refugee camp in Kakuma in Northern Kenya. Then in the year 2000, the United States started interviewing boys and relocating them to America. I was interviewed and came in August of 2001.

This is how I came to the United States, but my brother and sister were left back in the camp. After September 11, the United States stopped bringing over the Lost Boys from the refugee camp. I send money back to help support my brother and sister as they depend on me to send for their schooling and other needs. I want very much to go to college to become a medical doctor and help my people in Sudan. I would work and study very hard. Right now I am taking courses at Front Range Community College, but I cannot continue to go to school without some financial help. I know that being a doctor is going to require a lot of schooling, but I’ve survived a lot of horrible things, so I know that I can do this.

I believe that I would be a good addition to any college because I can educate other students and teachers about my country and the war that continues to go on in Sudan. I want very much to improve my life here in America and to help my people in Sudan.

Thank you!