God Grew Tired of Us

When Dau first arrives in America, he believes that everyone is wealthy because most Americans have a car and even the roads are lit by electricity; cars and electricity are both luxuries in Southern Sudan. He is also shocked to see homeless people on the streets because in Sudan “even strangers could find a haven in Sudanese homes” (190). In his village people tried to live what they read in the Bible, and they believed that taking in the least of God’s people was serving Christ.

Dau and two other Lost Boys, Jacob and Andrew, all share an apartment together. For three months they receive government assistance to pay for food, utilities, and rent, but then they are expected to get jobs and pay their own way. Volunteers from a local church help Dau and his friends acclimate to American life, showing them how to shop at the grocery store, cook food on modern appliances, and operate the various appliances in a home.

Dau is shocked to learn that meat can come from many sources. For the Dinka, “meat is not meat unless it comes from a cow” (194). This is just one of many cultural differences that Dau encounters. Another, more disheartening realization happens when he sees the pet food aisle at the store; it’s difficult for him to process that pets eat in luxury in America while his friends are starving in Africa. He is comforted, in part, by the generosity of the church volunteers who keep in constant contact with Dau and his friends, helping them with whatever needs or questions arise.

Shortly after Dau’s arrival in America, the terrorist attacks on 9/11 happen. In the wake of the devastation, a woman at the refugee center asks where God is at. Dau explains that even Job, a righteous man, wasn’t spared tragedy just because he had faith. After this conversation the narrator tries to find ways to help the people in his new country. He writes letters to governors and the president, although he doesn’t receive a reply.

He joins Living Word church, where he finds strong communal ties, friendship, and a sense of belonging. He also eventually learns to drive and gets multiple jobs, which enables him to take care of himself in America. He continues to question many American traditions, including the use of a Christmas tree and the story of Santa. For the Dinka, Christmas is about celebrating Christ, and he doesn’t know the purpose behind these other traditions.

His life becomes more hectic as he takes on multiple jobs. Growing weary of his schedule, Dau decides to go to college in 2002, knowing that an education will allow him to get a better job and more opportunities. In his classes he brings a unique perspective that stems from his experiences in Sudan and his Christian faith. While in college he works as a security guard in a parking garage, but the job ends on a sour note when his superiors treat him unfairly. He later gets a job as a security guard at a hospital, and he enjoys the people and the responsibility.

Although he is happily welcomed by many of the people he meets, especially the volunteers in the church, Dau encounters many moments of prejudice. In one instance a woman at his former job yells at him to go back to his own country. In another a woman at the grocery store sends him a dirty look after he gives her child a piece of candy. Moments like these teach Dau that America has both a bright and a dark side. He reflects, “Which America […] is the truer one? […] I cannot say. All I know is, I have seen a great deal of the best, and some of the worst, of America” (230).