From Refugee to Prodigy: A Story of Loss, Love and New Life

This story is about a life torn apart by war and painstakingly reassembled. It is the story of my journey from a childhood spent in a refugee camp to my goal of becoming a successful, educated member of the world community. Along the way, I share reflections on my family, my life in exile, meeting my adopted mother, the culture shock of coming to America, life in graduate school, the death of my mother, life after her death and my hopes for a brighter future. You may ask why this story is important. There are a lot of books about children growing up as refugees, and the news is full of Africans of all ages suffering terrible tragedies, but most of these stories are told second-hand, written by people who are observing these atrocities, not living through them. This book is different. It is a firsthand look at these experiences of pain, loss, betrayal and hopelessness, but also experiences of love, sacrifice, struggle and triumph. The most important thing about this book, at least to me, is that it is also the story of one special woman who changed my life forever. Lynn Bain gave me fresh hope for the future and poured her unconditional love into my life. Even after her death, I can still feel her love sustaining me deep within. This book is my way of saying “thank you” to Lynn and all the others like her who give of themselves without fear or reservation.