-
Leaving Adi Wahla, Ethiopia.
Mother looking at their old house before they started their journey to Sundanese, He remembers watching a certain woman walk and walk to the border with bloody feet, he knew she had nothing to lose. "Awad, home of the exciled. Home of the homeless. Hme of the diseased. A simple sign that would warn and welcome us all" (Asgedom, 2001, P. 2) This is a big part of the beginning - tells us what his family wanted to get away from and how their journey started to make better lives for all of them. -
God's Angels p. 30
Always treat people with kindness, no matter who or how they look like. They could be angels from god. I think this is a huge part of the book and how this family grew up. This is certainly a life lesson. Treat all with kindness. -
Page 10
One thing was certain - they didn't know how much longer they could fight disease and safety in the homeland. This is when they started to look into going to "Amerikha". -
Page 16
They heard the good news, they will be going to America! The father told his family to let him do the talking to World Relief. What a huge moment for their family. -
P. 33
"You are poor and black and we cannot buy you the resources that other parents can. But If you have enough desire to outwork all the other students and younger give up, you will win the race one day" This is a huge part in the book - shows me where the boy mindset will be that leads him to Harvard one day. -
P. 53
They did lots of mischievous things as children, but one really stuck in the authors mind. When the got the candy from the old lady, someone knocked the candy out of the old ladies hand - in their tribe they treat the elderly with highest respect so it makes sense why this really affected the author. -
p. 55
The parking meter is what made them consider to change their ways. The cops approached the boys and the 2 brothers ran for their lives. The story about the egg and the mom and son really stuck in the authors mind. He didn't want to turn out like the others. -
A new life.
After living in a small motel for months - they finally had a place to call home. Living in a big house with a yard, They were so grateful and never expected something so big - especially from where they came from. They had no idea what to expect. -
Libee Migbar p. 63
Around age 13, he started to develop "a heart" or also known as Libee Migbar. During this time they thought hard and hard on what they could do to help their parents. -
Page 64
The boys always remembered the life lessons their dad would tell them - everyone is a angel in their own way even though they may not look like it. The boys gave the man sitting outside the library in the cold their ham sandwiches. -
P. 66
Later on you hear about his older brother Tewolde wanting to find more weights for a "friend" we didn't know who he was but than went to a cellar of a building and to find out, his brother has been helping the homeless man that they gave sandwiches too. Tewolde got him a job, found a place for him, and even gave him money when he could. How could someone with so little give so much? -
Page 69
WOW!!! I can't believe Tewolde died before he even graduated from high school by a drunk driver I wasn't expecting that at all. It's really sad but I definitely believe Selamawi is motivated and moved by his brothers actions and it totally makes who he is today as a person. -
The Making of A Man
“I lived a sinful life. But what would you expect? I had no mother, I had no father, I had no one to teach me right or wrong. Bejakoom, my children, please don’t be like me.”
It’s hard to learn the rights and wrongs in life when no one is guiding you or telling you that isn’t okay, he says he had live sinful life but I believe what he has gone through makes him to the person he is today and now has a family that is growing up into smart, wonderful people. -
The life before the war p. 92
“I must leave now. My community, my people, my family, my wealth, the status that I have earned through decades of service – I leave all of this behind. I go to join the millions the refugees in Sudan.”
To think that they had a pretty good life until the wars, their dad was a doctor and would help the sick/dying – to people threatening his family and life. How terrifying. Than leaving his family for a year or so to find peace elsewhere. Unsure of if his family would be safe, I couldn’t imagine. -
p. 99
We see where Salwmawi and his siblings get their hard work and dedication from - there dad pushed them and pushed them to be hard, noble workers - from sweeping, to aerobics, helping neighbors, etc. But due to his illness - he took his anger out on his children. He pushed hard because he knew he was unable to do these things anymore and it made him angry. -
p. 110
As he got older, he knew that one day he would have to take care of his family and to do so meant to be successful academically. One day he will be a successful man. -
Coaches.
HIs basketball and track coach made big impacts on Selamawi's life. They were "angels" in his life and it encouraged him to keep pushing forward even when life got him down. He is thankful for them. -
Angels p. 117
Selamawi treated everyone as a angel his whole life, even if they didn't look it. Due to him treating everyone as a angel, he got elected school president - all because he was kind to all, and his faith kept moving him forward in life -
Ivy League Schools.
His counselor pushed him to apply to other schools than just settling for a nearby university. She pushed him until he agreed to do so, once he heard back from admissions he was shocked to hear that the letters had made a bigger impact - they all stated how he saw beauty in everyone - no matter the situation. -
Harvard
The best school to get accepted too, He did it! All his hard work and dedication, and faith and seeing the beauty in all lead him to this moment in his life. Full blown scholarships not just to one school but all the schools he applied for. His faith is what kept him moving forward even in the hardest times.
