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Arrival in Sudan
Mawi and his family are fleeing their home country of Ethopia, and they are walking thru the desert as refugees to Sudan. This is due to a deadly civil war that lasts 30 years (1961-1991. -
Coming to Amerikha
Mawi and his family were set to leave Sudan in 1982, after passing the infamous immigration test. Selling all of their belongings, in preparation for their leave, the family was suprised by the arrival of Mawi's half sister, Mulu. Determined NOT to leave Mulu as a refugee in Sudan, the family journey became delayed. Due to a persistant Father, the entire family of six were set to leave the refugee camp in 1983; one full year later. -
Temesgen or "Thank You"
The birth of Mawi's baby brother seemed to be a pleasant suprise to he and his siblings, as he explained that his parents went to the hospital and returned with a baby boy named Hnntsa-Eyesus, which means "Thank You." For we are thankful to have made it here safely and thankful for our new life in this land. -
Could Not Believe Our Eyes
Leaving their home of Ethopia, becoming a refugee of Sudan, spending three years in a one room adobe, flying to Amerikha and living in a hotel, then relocating to a second hotel for seven weeks, Mawi and his family were told the now have a home. With an open, receiving and humble heart the family had no idea what to expect. When they saw their two-story house, with its huge yard, they could not believe their eyes! All of that house, just for them. -
Tewolde To the Rescuuuuuuuuue
While students at Longfellow Elementary, Sam, a white, overweight student began to bully Mawi by squeezing him between a medal fence and his heavy body. Crying and suffocating, Mawi saw his older brother coming to his rescue, with the fury of an angry bull, who then battered Sam's face with punch after punch, until Sam started bleeding. -
I Can't Stand That Song!
Mulu, the oldest child and half sister of Mawi, had to endure being brave a lone in high school. The children of Wheaton North bulled and harrassed her by drawing skeletons on her locker, and serenading her with the popular famine fundraising song, "We Are the World." -
Betrayal From the Model of Toughness
After receiving a letter from the school administration informing Mawi's parents that the boys were fighting daily and would be expelled if it continued, their father advised the boys to never fight back. Hurt and feeling betrayed by their Father, he told them it wasn't because he wanted them harmed, but that he wanted them to have an opportunity for success. -
Speech: Importance of Excelling In School
Mawi's parents instructed his children from their first day in America of the importance of excelling in school. "If you have enough desire to outwork all the other students and you never give up, you will win the race one day." His parents told them they could do ANYTHING and they believed them. This moment, I'm sure, sets a foundation for the story to be told. Beautiful moment. -
Prayers Answered
About to be jumped by Jake and a rocker group of kids who used knives, Tewolde said a desparate and sincere prayer. "Dear God, please save me. Dear God, just don't let them use their knives." Mawi acknowledging that God must have heard Tewolde's prayer, informed us that a group of tall, confident, black, high school age boys showed up to comfront Jake and to defend Tewolde. Tewolde was grateful for the four boys, who turned out to be his friend Kawaun's older brother. -
Death of Tewolde
Sadly, a drunk driver killed Tewolde during his Senior year in high school. -
Samurai Sunday
Tewolde and Mawi believed that all Chinese people mastered Kung Fu, Karate and every form of marital arts, due to a tv show they watched religiously called "Samurai Sunday." I believe they loved the show because the Chinese brothers were always minding their business and then suddenly would become insulted or attacked and would have to defend themselves. I believe they saw a lot of themselves in the Chinese Brothers and how they wish they could be. -
Relocation of Kiros
Last we heard of Kiros, he had left Umsagata for Amerikha. Now in America, Kiros has joined his friends in Wheaton. He has transitioned from wherever he arrived in Amerikha, when he left Umsagata. He has now arrived in Wheaton and is staying with Mawi and his family and then relocated to stay with Cambodian and Viernamese refugees. Kiros has done a lot of relocating, with no reason as to why. -
It Starts With An Egg and Ends with a Cow
The story of an egg, shared by Mawi and Tewolde's father, regarding the beginning of matter that produces sin and/or the beginning of a bad decision that escalates into something much larger, resulting in horrible repercussions. The story was brought up by Mawi in regards to an event where he and his brother were in a position where their "It Starts with An Egg" decsion has now put them in a place where they are now at the end of a matter and are facing huge repercussions. -
Tewolde's New Heart
Tewolde started a special transformation, an emotional maturity, "libee migbar" (developing a heart). He believed his new heart was inspired by his faith in God, who wanted him to try "impossible" things. With this new heart, Tewolde started thinking outside of himself, producing a selfless nature, one more like Christ. He began to acknowlege his parents and their struggle and continued to acknowledge lack and struggle in others, by producing an action towards it, up until his death. -
Finally! We Learn of Haileab
The story of Haileab was hard to hear, he had endured so much. Basically born in this world alone (Father died and Mother was sick) he weas raised in a Christian monastery until the age of nine and then went to live with a relative and became a servant. By age 14 he left his home of Eritrea and wandered to Etheopia and learned how to survive, beg, work, read, and endulge his flesh with drinking and women. -
Becoming An Advanced Dresser
Hailaeb scored an 84 on his test to become an Advanced Dresser, one step below becoming a doctor in his country.
There was only one person who scored higher than he, out of many people. An opportunity of this magnitude created an oportunity to change his life, The opportunity that he gave himself, by working deligently, reading and listening benefited him and is what permitted him with such an opportunity. -
Tears of Haileab
This man rarely cried, but he always cried when he thought of his lost children, knowing that he may have created his own childhood nightmare in their lives due to bringing children into the world and abandoning them. Haileab had his first child somewhere between 16-20 years of age, producing many half siblings for Mawi; most of them had already died. -
Passing Thru the Border of Sudan
When Haileab had to leave Ethopia, in order to save his life and possibly the life of his family, he went to Sudan to prepare a place for he and his family. The problem laid in getting his Ethopian family across the border of Sudan, passed the Eratrian rebel groups. Since Haileab is was born Eratrian and medically cared for many Eretrians, he had befriended many of the rebels who would let his family pass with a letter of clearance that would permit their passage. -
Monstrous Black Bettle
Hailaeb, who had been a hero to many in his country, wealthy, and an honorable doctor had arrived in America only to become a Janitor, could no longer practice medicine, lost his eyesight, then his teeth, became bedridden, lost the respect that he had spent his life acquiring and had become paranoid from the internal battle that he faught regarding his worth or lack there of. He had transformed into, what he felt was a black bettle; a monstrous one. -
Fire!
Haileab, a man who likes to do something good for others, tried to do a wonderful thing for his new community (he and his famiy had to move due to not being able to afford the rent increase), by raking leaves and collecting trash and tree limbs. After such a huge collection of leaves, he decided the easiet way to get rid of them would be to burn them. Bad idea! He was almost arrested and fined, but after speaking with him they allowed to walk away warned. -
Awakening
Mawi realized during his hich school years that not everyone thought like his parents and shared their philosophy on how you treat others. While his parents treated everyone the same, regardless of rich or poor, Mawi realized most people based treatment on external beauty, money and skin color. -
Abandoned Dreams Reignited
With the death of his brother Tewolde, Mawi almost abandoned his dream of becoming a top student and earning a scholarship. Thinking about who his brother was, Mawi realized that he could not abandon his dreams, but decided to honor his older brother by taking himself higher; not just as a student, but as a human being. -
Extreme Measures
In order to produce straight A's, specifically in the class of a teacher who was known for not giving A's, Mawi spent an entire Christmas vaation rereading every book that was covered in the class and taking notes. His extreme measures worked, he aced the test! -
Class President
Mawi became elected as class president, based upon how he treated his fellow class mates; he treated them like angels. -
Stics and Stones May Break My Bones, but Words....
Mawi learned how the pun about sticks and stones are a lie and how much words do hurt. Not only hurt, but stifle, destroy, and mutilate all of the beatiful hopefule things inside of us. By middles school, Mawi shared that his classmates had massacred his self-esteem, causing his grads to drop. It was only his faith in God that gave him confidence. At least he learned where his help comes from.
