Alepho's Magic

Saturday I had the good fortune to hear an inspirational speaker named Alephonsion Deng. Alepho, as he is called by friends, spoke to counselors at CSU San Bernardino about his experience as a small boy in Sudan. His story is a remarkable one of survival and I strongly recommend his book called They Poured Fire On Us From the Sky.  www.theypouredfire.com

Alepho said many things that I thought were important but one thing that really stands out in my mind is his story of beginning his education in a refuge camp. His teacher there in the camp told him that having an education is like having magic. I like this idea that education is like magic. It is the key that opens up doors to a life that is even greater than we imagined for ourselves.

I know many of you have faced difficult times, especially in the last few years. You worry about money. You worry about your families. You worry about your future. Worry is the biggest beast of all. Alepho talked about this too. About how we can get walled in, blocked off by our past. He said that at times, he would be in school but he wasn't truly THERE, he was caught in the past. His way out? He would remind himself to come back to the present. We can face down our fears, our worries and our losses by staying focused on what is happening right now. Right now you have the opportunity to have an education. Stay focused on that.

Alepho faced many obstacles to his education. The beasts he faced were very real. One night a lion attacked while he and the boys were sleeping. His challenges exceed any that I have ever heard. He is living proof of the resilience of young people and the power of education.

When Alepho finished speaking Saturday, I had a chance to speak with him. I asked him what his plans are. With his skill as a communicator I thought that perhaps he planned to speak to ever larger audiences or write more books. His answer:

“I'm going to college.”